Flora's Flowers by Debi Gliori

Ok ok I'll admit it, I was leaving for a small getaway, just a couple of weeks in S.A, by the harbour, and was trying to fit in everything including recording and editing my book reading, so far I haven't been rumbled as my grandson hasn't squeaked about missing a new story! 

Anyway, you know murphy's law, anything and everything, from camera not autofocusing , batteries going dead suddenly, tripod missing, only thing that was working was my mike and even then the dog thought it was a game to try catch the cable it was attached to!  I'm just so amazed I even got one story from all that palaver !  

It's all edited to the best of my little sticky fingers, it's a sweet story about gardening and growing things, bit of a sore point with me, after the big move from the Sunny Coast to the City a lot of my plants karked it... I've tried very hard over the years to be the green thumb chick I know that  is deep  (very deep) inside of me, instead of the city chick who squeals at worms (I even touch them without a glove I tell ya... yea look at me go!) so when a plant of mine dies or can't be saved from overnight locust munch downs, it's saddens me.  Perhaps like this story I should try to grow a brick and see what happens... waddaya think?

have a lovely week yall

Dx

It's gonna have to be laterrrr

 Hello Possums (yes I'm really picking the Ozzie lingo!)

This was supposed to be a quick apology for my late upload of the next book .... big breath... however I have been busy.. oh yes, apart from the terribly thrilling hermit like days of contemplating my navel, counting the wrinkles on my face and wondering if anyone was going to put two and two together with all the goings on in the world, I house sat for my friend Meow Meow, who has a menagerie of animals that need feeding,  look nothing spooky, just a few chooks, ducks , guinea pig and doggo.

Chooks laid an egg for me!

We also had a bit of an emergency at home (no I did not call the ambos out of sheer desperation to see the hunky driver... puhleeseee... I go to the firestation for that! .. KIDDING!!! OMG.. people, I'm not that bad... yet) 

I'm thinking really hard

So I was having a bit of a rest ala "gone with the wind" (what! you haven't seen that classic.. what has the world come to !) anyway, I was lolling around on my chaise lounge when I hear BB yell out for me, sounded a bit dire, so I hustled out to the back and all I saw were two outstretched arms , and BB saying "take the phone, just take the phone ",  I'm like " uh.. okkkk". BB says "it's the vet, I can't talk to them  now" and dashes off to the back yard .  I gingerly take the phone and say " hello?"  long story short, its the local vet, she's giving me the name and address of the emergency vet's and instructions on the colour of the dog's gums...  right.

  So I dash back out to BB who is now cradling the doggo in her lap and I relay the address and then it hits me, we don't have a car because of all days today the car was being SERVICED!  So I say hang on, I 'll go see if the neighbours are around.  I slowly panted to the neighbours on the right (I'm operating on one lung ok, i get breathless fast!). "Hello!  Hello!"  no one is a round, right so then I duck to the left and I see our neighbour though his window, and tap on it say " hi, I'm your neighbour two houses down could you please give us a ride to emergency vets as dog is choking and we have't got the car today!".  Our neighbour Brody bless him says, "yup let me finish up and I'll be right over.

I hobble back to our house (i was wearing my mankiest sweats , you know the kind, with the elastic all gone and some holes in it but boy are the comfy.... uh huh) anyway I get to BB, tell her Brody will be here in a bit, carry the doggo out and I'l be there in a jiffy as I gotta go get some pants on ( listen, murphys law and all that be damned, I was  gonna wear a. proper pair of jeans and not embarrass BB and my daughter .. nuff said). so Brody arirves, BB grabs a towel off the line, we dash into his car,  I totally forgot his lead and as we screech to a stop outside the emergency Vets,  I have to leg it again inside( I must have lost at least 1 kilo yo) relayed to the vet nurse , "have a reactive doggo, barely breathing, choking on summink, forgot his lead, can you sort it out?!! " blink blink   ... 

"Yes of course" says competent nurse and organises for doggo to go through the back way.  They get all the Vets on call and have a con fab.  BB by this time is on the blower to Lan to relay the news, and of course the CAR has to be picked up!   We do a tag team, after reassurances that it will be a while before doggo is taken to O.R.,  I stay behind at emergency, BB races of to get the car before closing time  and Lan is 10 mins away from emergency.   

 Vet comes out to give me the news , and explains the procedure, the object is stuck stuck.  First she gives me the good news, ok ok we can deal with this , it's fairly straight forward, then she hits me with the 10% chance if it goes wrong... my eyes go round like saucers, flash backs of when that eejeet doctor was talking to me ....no he was patronising me with the Radiation treatment and then got  right into the after effects and the possibility of heart failure, breast cancer, lung infection... and I remember saying to the eejeet Radiologist Doc, "man you're really not selling this to me" ,... I digress, so I say "I've go to get Lan's approval a as it's her dog and she's ten mins away, then the Vet hits me with the price, my eyes teared up, uh.. it came to the same amount of my two day stay at the emergency hospital! .. 

Anyway, Lani arrived within 10 mins of the Vet con fab with me, she agreed to the procedure, and then BB and her had to pay deposits as Vets had to get that first before anything was done.  Yes policy. ahem

4 hours later, BB and Lan go pick up the doggo, who's getting anxiety from hanging around the hospital and groggy from anaesthesia, and show me the pics of what was stuck down his gullet.... poor thing. 

Doggo is all good now!  

So yes it was all a bit chaotic  for a few days but we're back to me binging on K-dramas.    I'm halfway with getting the next batch of books done,  thank you for reading my blog and watching my videos!

Love

Dx

How do I put it on?

When I was living in Hong Kong... many many MANY moons ago.. I was in my twenties , I wouldn't try to count back if I were you! he he he., I had and still do an incredibly good friend called Ron, we partied together, travelled together, did family dinners, he was always there for me and I think with his cool calm demeanour (typical of a Lawyer) he was quite amused with my plethora of jobs (I was a DJ, and had two other part time jobs), my choice of boyfriends, my mad girlfriends, my potty mouth, my incessant talk of what I want to do (when I finally grew up) and one day, He presented me with this book. 

 I did take it to heart, I tried to gear down, and walk before I ran, but sometimes I forgot and forged ahead skipping some steps, sometimes I succeeded and sometimes I failed, but he was always there to catch me when I fell.

This is dedicated to you my dearest friend, though we are miles and miles apart, you are always in my heart.

Dx

My Reading of Zog by Julia Donaldson

Did you know there are or were 3 dragons in my family?  Ha Ha! well almost not the fire breathing, flying and roaring kind, though my mother was close! heh hehe, bless her she's probably trying to torch me from above! 

Yes according to Chinese astrology, My mother is a dragon, my son is a dragon and I'm a dragon too (you can all keep yer sarky comments thank you) It is said that two dragons cause conflict so it's lucky to have a third one (I swear I didn't pick the date for my son just so it could be peaceful in the family!). and if you have more than one dragon tattoo, they say do not dot the eyes or there will be clashes... uh I believe spiritually, one never knows, with the high amount of anxiety these days, you don't need two dragon tattoos to go from zero to total panic mode... I digress

Anyway I love these books, it's such a refreshing segue away from the old  tales of being saved by a man thingy.  Really good for kids to believe they can  be what they want to be, be it a doctor or a dragon... (I don't identify as a dragon I believe.. I identify as "mummmmmm". or "Omaaaaa". or "Oi"..

Right e o, that's my little bit bloggity blog for the fortnight, will see you soon.  Till then

ROOOOWWWAAARRRRR!

Dx
 

Where does Thursday Go by Janeen Brian

I know most of us say "where has the day gone?"  or where has the "week gone?"  Time seems to fly, and then some.  My son Chris and I were having a chat and grumbling about the younguns  quoting "time is just a construct! , (he's one to talk he's a millennial!) but really we're beginning to think it is! 

 

How lovely to think you can look for a certain day, do you remember as a child 10 minutes felt like foever?!!  It's enough time for just a deep breath nowadays!

I'll keep reading these Children's books as I feel more children could use some tales with imagination with all the harshness today's reality brings.  Also it's a way for me to reach out to my grandson , something he can watch over and over whenever. 

I do hope we continue to have authors of children's books, that writing does not die out and that the pen is mightier than the sword. 

Have a great week all

Dx 

Oh Dear what can the matter be? by P Crumble (yum ,he he)

You hardly hear that sentence anymore do you?  It's more for the "older' folk"... yikes, I'm swiftly following into the ranks of the silver haired brigade!  Not that I'm complaining, hey I'm still alive and kicking and that is all that counts.

I was a tad disgruntled, as I had wanted to post a different story, but like the slow wearing down of the incumbent two brain cells pinging around in my head, I had forgotten to add the pictures from the book!  Look you all can leave the early onset dementia comments out thank yew!

As it is , with all the tragic news going on in the world , this felt like a light hearted way of lifting the moment,  I do hope you've gathered your kiddies, or grand kiddies and watch the vid with them, such precious moments no?

Anyway, I must be off, if you have any suggestions for other books, drop me a line!

have a lovely weekend! and Happy Mothers Day!

Dx

Betty and the Yeti by Ella Burfoot

 

Reading this tale about Betty on her red Sled brings back memories when I used to live in Switzerland, and how my brothers used to terrorise me down the snowy and ice packed hills we lived on, that was lined by snow laden trees. A memory that also included two sleds,  a precise crash, a dislodgement of my favourite jingly jangly pom pom beanie, a bump on my forehead and lots of snow down my coat and in my hair!  Crawling back home sopping wet, I didn't get the type of sympathy I was looking for from my mum, and all my brothers got was the side eye from my step dad.

They're  gone now, ( my parents that is biological and step)  hopefully yucking it up in heaven and comparing notes on the "wild kids" !  I'd like to think they're keeping an eye out for us still on earth.  

Miss you.

lots of love

Dx

The Boy and the Toy by Sonya Hartnett read by Dx

When my children were younger (yes yes it's going back yeaaarrsss) I had very strict rules on electronic devices and robotics in the house. (though I make a lot of jokes I was very strict with the kiddos)  everyone had to leave the phones either in their rooms or at the side table for mealtimes  and at night time phones had to be docked and there was a cut off time as well for the internet.  Watching the kids, I know for a fact they loved spending time playing lego, jigsaws and monopoly with me when I was around, otherwise it was crash bandicoot or one of the other playstation games.  Many a time I caught my youngest sitting in front of the tv in the middle of the night with the volume turned down low so he wouldn't get caught! (sneaky sneaky!) .  But when it came to friends, nothing beat their buddies knocking on the door with "come and play". or "is it ok for you to come out" and the constant nagging for stayovers!, plus we always had cats and dogs and they loved their pets.  

what do you think of today's society, where they do not have the time to do all these things  or for kids who now have become so isolated due to video and online games that they would prefer to be online instead of outside, which has also become somewhat unsafe.. sigh

I think this book has a subtle prod at that and it's quite refreshing to read .  What are your thoughts on AI, will it benefit our children, grand children?  What are the guardrails for these precious young minds?

This book really made me think , and I hope it does for you.

For all the children of the world and my beloved Idris

Dx

Guess How Much I love you by Sam McBratney

 

This book has so many memories, the most important one is that it was given to my daughter "Ni" (as her brother calls her) by my close and very dear friend who's since passed on.  Everytime I look at it I see her cheeky grin, and the quips she made when she passed the stuffed toy that came with the book. 

It's hard to believe this book is over 3 decades old (written in 1994), and that iconic " I love you to the moon and back" can be seen etched on everything from keychains, tee shirts and even tattoos !

I hope you derive as much enjoyment from it as my kids (and I) did .  Happy Reading

Dx

What's it like on the other side humans?

Would it be strange to say that it feels like we're coming out of hybernation from the COVID lockdown instead of going into hybernation as we go into winter , er we're in the Southern Hemisphere, winter solstice was yesterday in Oceania, yes the world is upside-down)

winter solstice in OZ

I've hopped back on me bike and been trying to go at least 2 or 3 times a week to get these unused glutes, quads and hams back in to some semblance of shape and strength.  I get a lot of "c'mon gal, keep going" " and you can do it" as I huff and puff my way up little inclines.  It does put a grin on my face when I don't have to get off the bike anymore and push it up the hill! ha ha ha .

Looking around me the world has gone slightly out of focus,  we're led by what we read in the media, who as we all know love to hype up events.  it's akin to standing at the edge of a cliff watching the world disintegrating in some parts and bloom in others.  Strange times indeed.

who can forget the Italians singing and making music from their balconies

However I've now proudly joined the nana brigade! Oh yes my friends, along with two other friends who've coincidentally also had their grand babies born a few weeks apart from my lovely lovely little grandson.  I cannot tell you the joy I feel inside.  When my son broke the news to me at New Years, my response was "please don't joke , because if this is true , it is the best , best , most awesome news I've had".   And lo I received a pic of their ultrasound scan.  Cried like Bridget Jones, danced across the hall like Hugh Grant, and did the fist pumps like Flo Jo! The only draw back is I still can't see the little bubba, as I'm on the opposite end of the word and the UK is still under lockdown.  From what we've been told , international flights might not occur till next year.  So thank you Zoom and thank you Skype, there are times when you can't beat technology.

My little bubba

I did make a resolution, and that  was I'd start doing more videos , especially cooking ones, as I've been delving into more plant based cooking, pushing boundaries to find ways and means to make tasty food (I've got the vegan kimchi down pat yo). However, (yes there is a however) my clip to hold my camera in place on the tripod snapped like an old trout, and the replacement has yet to arrive, all international mail is taking time, but I'm still grateful to our lovely posties and curriers, you guys rock.!  Plus with everyone at home, it's kinda hard to look at the camera and chat when you hear "maaaauuuummmmm, do you have....(insert whatever here if you have kids) So here's hoping I'll be back to it in by next week. cross fingers and toes everyone!

Oh and by the way, I bit the bullet, went in for my eye check up as I was a chicken shit and was worried it would be cataracts due to the steroid drops I had to put in my eyes as part of  what chemo treatment required.  Luckily it's just more eyesight deterioration ... wait did i just say luckily? whaaatttt!  Ok it wasn't as bad as I expected, my vision now requires multifocal lenses so I can read the sign someone holds up in the car as they driving past saying things like "help me, my mum has grounded me for life"  or "if you can read this you're driving to close to me and can you get me a latte"... "or skydivers do it best, join the mile high club"...type thingies. Come to think of it, I should have just not bothered, having slightly blurry vision is nice, who needs life in ultra 4k HD???

it's too CLEAR!

So on saying that, keep posted, I'll do my best to stop piffilling around and get to the juicy stuff soon, in the mean time, take care of yourselves, be good to one another, try to post one positive thing you see, read or hear everyday .....and stop honking at me while I'm cycling!, makes me wobble terribly!
mwwaahhhh
Dx