fear

i've always been scared stiff of mice, rats, snakes and sharks.  it's fairly easy to avoid the snakes and sharks but unfortunately the former two have been plaguing me of late.  it started when i noticed poop on the back veranda.  could it be rats?  yes it could.  we have had a very wet winter in adelaide and as i live next door to a cemetery and a park my theory is that the vermin got flooded out and moved into my slightly dryer shed.  there's lots of poop in there too.  today, between loads of washing, i leaned on the couch and looked out the window into the back garden just thinking about nothing in particular.  it's a little courtyard garden with a pond and lots of pot plants.  then i saw it.  out of the corner of my eye.  was it my imagination?  no it wasn't.  a mouse (i hope it's not a baby rat) ran out of the shed and into the back garden and it was horrible.  it's out there now.  running around the pots.  very sneakily and quick.  omg.  what to do???  i can ask my dil to put more baits in the shed i suppose.  i wanted to go in there and get the lawnmower out today but now i don't think so.  i was out there last night to water.  did i mention that a month or so ago there was a large dead rat out there?  luckily my dil removed it for me.  she's from the country thank goodness and not a fraidy cat like me. telling me that they are more afraid of me than i am of them isn't helpful.  i know this to be true but it doesn't help.  in my defense, i am not afraid of spiders.  there are red backs in the front garden. 

broken stuff and a dead fishy

january has not been a good month for me in a few ways.  nothing serious but things keep breaking.  and dying.  yes, another fish died this morning.  :(  he's fertilizing the lemon tree now.  a few things have broken lately:

1. my mouse.  it worked when i went into the kitchen and when i came back the left button wouldn't move.  broken.
2. my camera charger.  i plugged it in the other night to charge the battery for the wedding on saturday.  it exploded.  sparks, smoke (the smell was awful) and it made sizzling noises.  very broken. i ordered another one from ebay.
3. the other night i chucked the empty washing basket down the stairs (as is my habit. why take something downstairs when you can chuck it.  most things land safely and i'm usually careful) and my golden Buddha took a tumble.  he has a few holes in him but is otherwise intact so i put him in the garden.

my lovely son came for breakfast and fitted a blockout blind to the lounge room window for me.  it looks fab. he also put a suitcase (i have too many suitcases) up on the wardrobe shelf.  it's got my cables and electrical cords etc in it.  i've been going through mountains of stuff in the spare room and have a giant bag of donations for the second hand shop.  i've also gathered three large bags of rubbish.  good job but it's still not finished.  it's getting there though. oh no, i just reread that and it sounds like my house is really full of junk.  weather is pretty good here.  was a bit damp this morning, from dew me thinks.  i was a little bit cool and almost put a cardy on.  i woke up way too early so may need to take a small nana nap this arvo.  :)  on a positive note, i have three lemons and two chilies growing nicely.  the herbs are doing quite well too.  

from pinterest

tiny and very cute panda

awww.  a cute cat pic :)

sad stuff

the funeral yesterday went well.  it was emotional of course and very moving.  it was nice to see my cousins whom i haven't seen for ages.  years in fact.  my cousin from canberra is not well again. she had pancreas cancer.  my daughter and family came.  it was nice to see the g/kids.  ants got quite emotional.  today is my late husband's birthday, it's also Anzac day. a day that we remember the brave anzacs who gave their lives for their country.  i didn't watch the march as i always cry and i'm already a bit emotional atm.  instead, i went to the cemetery. (that sounds ridiculous i know) i took a small posy of wattle, rosemary and lavender with a few white daisies for everyone.  it is usually a bit of a trek as i visit my parents' grave, my parents in law's and of course the husband.  i can easily find mum and dad's grave and my pil are easy to find.   no so my husband's grave.  it's a bit of  a thing with our family.  i know where it is.  i line it up with the gate and some trees but it always eludes me.  so much so that i am ashamed to say i get quite pissed with it all. after looking for it for a good ten minutes i went to the office and found it on the computer and then printed out the location.  i went to pil's grave and my parents and had calmed down enough to try to find it again, this time with directions. it still took a while.  so let's hope that next time i visit his grave i'll be able to find it at least a bit faster than usual.  of course, i didn't have my phone with me so didn't take photos.  i expected a lot more people to be there as it's usually a busy day.  enjoy your public holiday where ever you are, i doing the usual washing, cleaning and watching shirley bassey videos on youtube.  

just some random pics from previous posts