Serenity in a Teabag’s blog

Well we had to fill the hole in our hearts so now we have Butch.  He is a big cuddle bear, never known a dog that needed so many cuddles as this guy.  He is four years old.

We found him on a Breeder's website, she was looking for a new home for him because he was picked up by one of the Hobart Councils, with his owners unable to be contacted, and they did not come forward to claim him. Fortunately for Butch, they had not changed his micro chip registration details over to themselves when they purchased him back in 2005. The Dogs Home here in Hobart contacted the breeder thinking she was his owner.

After a bit of explaining, and contacting the council to find out a bit more of the details pertaining to his pickup, the Dog Home agreed that if the owners did not come forward, and if Butch passed their temperament & aggression tests, then the breeder would be able to apply for his release, once he was desexed & vaccinated. Butch passes their tests with flying colours. 

Sunday 8th Feb we lost our little Pussycat.  Someone hit him with their car and we found him lying on the side of the road.  He was a great cat and we had him for three years but his downful was that he loved to hunt the bunnies that lived in a burrow across the road.  He could be a smoocher at times and would often crawl under the covers with me at night for a cuddle.  We miss him dearly. 

Our dog Jessie had a great time the other day having a bark at the cows next door, she doesn't often get very animated and it was funny to see her getting all worked up!  The cows were just as curious and they all rushed to the fence to see her.  Some were evening head butting the fence.

Our campsite at Doras Point, Everything including a kitchen sink!  We went up 5 days before Xmas and there was plenty of good sites - different story after Xmas day though.   Unfortunately the Shower's there were cold bore water and stank.  Thankfully the Big 4 Caravan Park at St. Helen's let us use their showers at an affordable rate.

After packing up we found we had been camped on a 'Jack Jumper's" nest.  Nasty!!

2008 What a Year (I need a holiday)

2008 is nearly over so I thought I would blog a bit about what happened this year.

January

We came home from our camping trip at Stanley to turn around and finish packing to move down to Huonville.  After selling and giving away loads of material possession's when we left W.A. we seemed to have gathered even more in the 8 months we've been in Tassie!!  We booked a truck, filled that up, had a huge cage trailer - filled that up, and then had to race down to my work and borrow another truck for the rest!!!  (and filled that up)  Made for an interesting trip chugging up the Huon Range at 30-40km's an hour. 

Settling the new house and the old house is an exercise in precision timing.  Have to be out of the sold house at certain time and can't get into the new one before that time, feel like you're in a holding pattern.

February

Kid's start their new school (3rd school in a year) hopefully this one's the charm.  I start a new job. 

March to August

Things are settling down nicely until my Mum has a nasty fall and we all are concerned with her being alone.  Decision is made to move her to Tassie to be closer to me.  In hindsight she may have been better to stay at home and we organise extra care and services for her but that was very hard to do from so far away.  The trip and the move really took a toll on her physically.  Anyhow she bought a unit down here to live in, but I quickly found the toll of being her only point of call taxing while working full time and having two young children to raise.  Our Doctor pulled some strings and found her a place in the local nursing home which seems to be going quite well but with a small small complaints but nothing's perfect.

I can barely think about this time of the year without wanting to crawl into my bed!!

Septmber

Had my Lap-band surgery, 4 weeks on liquid food "yuck" I never want to see soup again!  But it's all been worthwhile with 16kgs gone since mid Setpember.  Hopefully getting away camping and having lot's of activity will help shift some more!!!

Here's a pic of me!!  (In my dreams)

The Christmas tree is up and the presents all bought and wrapped.  We are having early Xmas on the 18th as we leave for camping on the 20th.  Having my Mum over for Dinner that night.  She is a bit anxious about getting into the house, she will have to walk around the back of the house as she doesn't think she will make the stairs.  Gave me some concern yesterday, she actually told me I should go after about a 20min visit!!  Said she was very tired.  She's never been keen for me to leave before.  hmmm.

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On Tuesday we went to the School to watch Emma in her nativity play.  She was very good.  She had a speaking role and she spoke very loud and clear.  Pity the audience was full of irritable toddler's which made it very hard to hear the story but you get that I guess.

Nasty accident outside of work on Tuesday afternoon - another young man dead.  Shame so close to Xmas too.  That road has had a lot of accidents lately. 

Next job is to get packed for this holiday!

Check this out - in a forest miles from no-where down the very bottom of Tasmania there is a swmming pool!!  And even more exciting it is heated from a thermal spring.  It is lovely and warm while you are in the water but just wait until you get out!  Antarctic winds bite at your skin and turn you a funny shade of mauve.

But what a beautiful place, under a canopy of ancient forests with giant man ferns all around.  A magical place indeed.

Hasting's Pool

Hasting's Thermal Pool

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Well we couldn't help ourselves, (we've been in this house 10 months so we've been pretty good) it was time for a project and no other garden's lasted this long with the man of the house, so goodbye garden of Rose's and Iris's and other cottage plants the previous owner laboured and loved, hello mud, dirt and retaining walls.  Hopefully by Chrstmas we will have a lovely pebbled entertaining area and can finally erect our Gazebo (with attached flyscreens!)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Anaconda (ANNAACONDAAAARRRR don't you love that word?) have arrived in Hobart, so we went to check them out.  Emma found the climbing wall and got very excited!  As they were newly opened the climbing was free and unrestricted so she had plenty of time to practice, practice, practice and finally she made it to the top (and she did it in high heeled pink cowboy boots!).  We went again last weekend and now they are charging $3 a climb and depending on which pimply 15 year old is manning it depends on how many attempts constitue a climb!  She did make it to the top on the second lot of $3 :)

Unfortunately everything else in the store is expensive but we did pick up a potty stool for camping

Less than 5 weeks to go till we are off on a break over Chrstmas.  This year we are going beach and bush camping at Dora's Point Conservation Area.  No electricity or hot water brrr!!  but the nearby town of St. Helen's has public showers which we will avail ourselves of.  The beach looks beautiful from the photo's we have seen so far and the area is at the southern end of the world famous "Bay of Fire's".