A WEEK OF FORCED REST

 IT WAS SUNDAY last week at 3 a.m. that i broke a small bone in my foot, i've tried to avoid much time up and about, the moon boot is really awful and it's easier to use a walking stick and put my weight on my other foot.  two days till i have an xray.  i've been getting off the bed or couch as little as possible so here's hoping there's improvement.

In the meantime sunny's sent lots of wonderful pics of etta, everything is settling into a pattern and life is as normal as it can be there considering the stage 4 lockdown and 8pm curfew.   More than halfway through the 6 weeks of restrictions and daily COVID numbers have come down from 700+ to under 100 so the mandatory mask wearing, limited travel for essentials and no visitors rules are having an effect.  

little sweetpea's loving her bouncer,  more animated by the day

Spending so much time in and on the bed during the day with my foot up, i'm appreciating the view out the window of the garden and river and the endless array of birds in spring fever mode - parrots, kookaburras, various honeyeaters, willy wagtails, kites, crested pigeons and of course every now and then, a pelican overhead.

And right in front of me, these gorgeous freesias perfuming my room

LATEST ETTA PICS   she'll be 10 weeks old tomorrow and has made the transformation from tiny newborn to bouncing baby :0)   alert, focussed, active and gorgeous 

RENE and family have been spending weekends at the beach. the summer oppressive heat and rain have passed and it looks like the weather is perfect.  they all look pretty perfect too  💞

Mara's grown so much taller, gorgeous girl

    

    Cal's lost about six front teeth, some new ones are coming in now

well, on sunday at 3 a.m after throwing a log into the fire, i turned around at the top of the steps to go back and turn up the air, missed the bottom step and stood straight on my bare heel.   crack!  so i'm in a moon boot for the next six weeks.  next appointment in a week to check progress so i'll be feet up as much as possible till then

     MORE ETTA PICS  - she reminds me of my niece claire as a baby

   Sewing dresses for Mara - fun.   i'm not sure about using the       machine pedal with a moon boot, might have to slip it off

   another jumper for me.  guess it'll be scooting along now

 

TERNS

 I'VE WATCHED THESE TERNS every year, they come over the colder months to fish around the lock and further down the river, flying back and forth and plummeting into the water for fish.   i never realised what spectacular birds they are until i saw a large flock of them resting on the lawns out the front of the Wentworth Rowing Club on the Darling River.  

i was told that they were there when an old man pulled up in his car as i crossed the roundabout, he just sat there in the middle of the road while he told me about the Caspian terns on the Darling, somehow he knew i was the 'lassie' who took the bird pics that appear in the Wentworth Standard each week.  they're really popular so i guess i have to keep on sending them :0)

FOGGY MORNING

I WENT OUT to take photos of the fog on the river this morning but i happened across something far more interesting.   I was filming the whistling kite out on a branch over the water when its mate arrived.

 

my new chair

 I'VE GOT A NEW ROCKING CHAIR, very space age.  loved it as soon as i saw it online (accidentally).  i can't even remember what i was googling but it's perfect for my new habit of reading in the late afternoon sun on the verandah.

it came in a flat pack but after an initial tricky bit it all came together beautifully.   it was a bit hairy settling myself down into it for the first time, would it hold me?   but it's great, really comfy and being mesh it will be good in summer

RAIN RAIN RAIN

 IT'S POURING,  the skies are dark with rain.  time for a quick Etta update before i head out to the Makers AGM.

Etta has doubled her weight since arriving home seven weeks ago.  she's filled out beautifully and is becoming most animated and expressive - almost opinionated looking at some of the pics.  a lovable little character!!    sunny and luke appear to be managing well despite the tight lockdown conditions in melbourne.  still another four weeks to go before a possible easing up.

NINE DAYS LATER!!

b

I CAN'T BELIEVE 9 DAYS HAVE PASSED

Lockdown is crazy, time just flies - why?  what happened last week? well if i didn't have my photos i'd forget.

i did actually have an appointment so i got a medical permit to go into mildura.  it lasts 2 weeks so i'll be able to do a few things, so far i've bought polyester tops at the op shop to make masks, more wool for a jumper for me - i can't get enough of knitting - plus some wool for marg, who is knitting teacosies shaped like rhodies, hydrangeas and waratahs.  she's unstoppable despite her eyesight being so dramatically affected by macular degeneration.  indomitable is the only word.

i think knitting is a huge stress reliever and although i don't feel stressed on a conscious level, i reckon my neverending knitting projects are helping to keep me grounded in this weirdest of times.  

after my cable jumper i'm knitting a cowl to wear with it and another jumper in similar style, red wool with flecks.  

time to finally get rid of some of my old jumpers, i've knitted for over 50 years 😨 and have quite a few of those jumpers still - just taking up space.

AUGUST 12,  I'm here on my bed in near dark at 5.30 and it's bucketing down outside.  i don't know how long it will last but it's a wonderful sound.  the sky was purple about half an hour ago and there's lovely rumbling thunder :0)

there's water around from the great downpour a few days back and this morning i got well and truly bogged. after our knitting morning at the pub i just thought i'd drive the circuit over to thegoa lagoon and back home and on the way back i came across water all over the road.  it looked like a second dirt road led off and around back onto the road further up but the road surface was deceptive, it just gave way to slippery grey mud and i was stuck.  thank god steve hederics was home and came over in the landrover to pull me out   :0)