BUGGER...
Yesterday we headed off to Geraldton to do some Xmas shopping we left at 5am as we only intended to be there for a few hours... one of the main reasons to head that way was we needed a new bed well a new mattress but we decided that after 25 yrs of the same bed and mattress we would by ourselves a whole new package for Xmas to each other... we now have a new bed arriving today so we will pop into town later and pick it up... the part I don't like is putting it all together ''ho hum''...

When we arrived home just after 7pm this is what we found... a squashed washing line ''bugger''...

it appears to be just resting there but once hubby starts using he chainsaw that could all change and really fall and really do some damage... we thought that branch looked a little heavy a couple of weeks ago and typical of gum trees who are known to just drop branches when they feel like it even with no wind around...

Swap Block
My block from Mary...

A red star... thank you Mary...

Swaps...
Today I have been catching up with a couple of swaps... I am in a very simple easy hexie swap at IFQ and I am on my 4th swap partner...

This is the hexie for my partner Lynette...
I have added some bling crystals for her hope she likes the finished product...

While I have been making hexie's to swap I thought it would be a good idea to do two and keep one myself...
as usual I got behind so today I made three for me...
no bling yet as I just aint to sure what I will do with mine yet...
I am also doing the ''mosaic tile'' swap with IFQ

and this is the block I made for Nancy who sent the beautiful center square... the photo doesn't do the fabric justice at all...

That BIG BLACK GRUMPY STEER is actually a BULL and how I didn't write that instead of STEER... maybe I was still breathing heavy from the excitement of it all...
We are now going to start feeding our rams lupins each day as the poor things are just suffering so much from this lack of rain here in the west...

The Chase Could Have Been On.....
I just went to turn the pump off that gives us water to the house and I looked across at the paddock behind the house and saw one of the rams down... thinking it was dead I thought I'd best go check and who else do I see there.... the BIG BLACK GRUMPY STEER.... well if i keep this side of the ram and the trough and if I just get close enough to see if the ram is dead then I wont have to deal with the BIG BLACK GRUMPY STEER... BUGGER the ram is still alive and I see another down as well... GEEZ... maybe the BIG BLACK GRUMPY STEER will ignore me... so far so good... one ram back up on it's feet and that is no mean feat as they weigh a tonne... now to skirt around the tree while the BIG BLACK GRUMPY STEER is still laying down in the shade... OOPS ^%$%@## he is up... well I am just going to have to risk it... now I have the other ram up on it's feet... the BIG BLACK GRUMPY STEER is pawing the ground and it looks like the ball tap on the trough is blocked and not much water is coming out maybe just maybe.... &^%^$^ run Tarnyia... geez you just don't know how far away that fence is when you need to be on the other side of it... lucky he was only bluffing and just stayed pawing the ground hahahahahahahaha... at least I have the two rams on their feet... the trough I will check later when the BIG BLACK GRUMPY STEER isn't there...

Now...
This block is hot off the sewing machine and it is for Mary Chow from Canada... she requested teals and neutrals... Mary and I have both joined a block swap here

Frozen Christmas Bombe/Granddad's Ice-cream...
A few years ago I found a recipe for this ice-cream and the picture looked good and thought I would give it a go... even though temperatures generally reach around the 45 mark here at Christmas and the freezer situation was crap as we didn't have 24 hour power... well it was a hit especially with my father-in-law who's comment was ''you can make that again''... which I have done every Christmas since with a few changes... my father-in-law died 2 yrs ago and each Christmas since the kids have said ''don't forget granddad's ice-cream'' hence the new name for it... so it is now a tradition at Christmas to have the ice-cream in memory of Granddad...

The gathered ingredients... soaking fruit, frozen berries, choc chips and toasted flaked almonds...

Whipped cream and condensed milk...

Ingredients all added...

Mix them altogether...

Into the prepared bowl and straight into the chest freezer...
Now we do have 24 hr power ''solar power'' it freezes so much better and I don't have to fight with the gas fridge freezer...

Recipe....
1 cup mixed dried fruit... I use sultana and raisin
1/4 cup of sliced glaced cherries... I use dried cranberries
2 tbls brandy
1 x 395g can condensed milk... put in fridge to get really cold
600 mls thickened cream
1/2 cup dark choc chips
1/2 cup white choc chips
1/2 cup toasted flaked almonds
1 cup frozen mixed berries or more if you like

Combine dried fruit and cherries with brandy and let sit for 30 mins
Line a 6 cup capacity bowl with plastic wrap
Beat condensed milk and cream with an electric mixer until double in size and thick
Fold through all other ingredients
Pour into prepared bowl
Place in freezer for several days... I try and make mine a week before so it is really frozen
Turn out onto a plate and slice like traditional pudding...

Home Again....
After spending a week in Perth packing, moving, unpacking and cleaning I needed a rest but........... now we are trapping goats... I am a person in demand...
My middle daughter and her partner have bought a house... a beautiful house with large rooms and a yard which is rare these days as so many want a big house with lots of rooms and a big outside entertaining area leaving no area for a lawn or garden... this house has it all...
Then we had to clean the rental and we are not messy or unclean people but it took us 8 1/2 hours... these property managers can be quite uuuummmm the word I would like to use is tttttoooooo rude and the one we have been dealing with lately is a real &%@^&... and that place was gleaming and we just knew she would find something wrong and she did.... wait for it........... the light switches were not clean???? now why would we wash the walls and miss those????
Turned out when daughter and partner had to go back and clean them that it was only the one in the garage??? OH and there was poo on the patio!!!! we didn't have a pet so obviously that wasn't there the day we cleaned....
so glad we are out of there...

Something Nice...
Well while the dollar was so good and my stash was lacking large printed fabrics I went shopping on the net at the Fat Quarter Shop...

Bright and cheery

Most are half yardage... the star fabric is to be used on my string quilt as I thought the dark background would be a better choice and the star's were all the colours used in the quilt...

So very pretty... and I see that the Fat Quarter Shop has some Amy Butler in and I told hubby yesterday that I need danger money with these goats as some are very jumpy and my head seems to be the right height for them to aim for... and I said about $100 US would do it as the 3 fat quarter bundles were about $30.25 US each... he didn't say no so maybe there will be shopping again.... heheheheheh