Rambles..

Now that Christmas is done and dusted for another year I can relax and enjoy my week's leave (I have another one in January).  I have been sleeping in (until 8:00am) and enjoying breakfast in bed (crumpets and honey + jasmine tea - I make it myself in case you were wondering) and reading for a short while before I decide what I might do for the day!!  So far I have been catching up one some:

1. reading (Illegal Action by Stella Rimington - one of those MI5 spy  novels)
   
2. gardening (see below) - I removed a dead shrub and replaced it with 7 small plants and added mulch - still have other areas of the garden to work on
   
3. baking - I wish you could smell the lime and macadamia shortbread cooking right this minute:)
4. watching movies (including Emma, the new 2009 4 part BBC production)
5. sleeping (just love those afternoon sleeps - Brenin the Doberman joined me yesterday)
6. shopping at the end-of-year sales - but everything I "needed" wasn't on sale and things I didn't need were.
   
7. playing with the dogs (picture below is one of them both quiet eating sticks - why do we buy dog food!!)
8. photography (the last post included some of my recent shots)
   
9. house work - no matter if one is on holidays or not this job is never ending......and must be done.
10. taxi service to 17 year old - another never ending job - for some reason he isn't interested in getting his license, maybe the taxi service is just too good :)
    
11. sitting outside in the sunshine (now that the rain has stopped) - I am often joined by the fluffy cat who likes to sit underneath my chair
12. blogging and letter writing

While I was in the garden yesterday I came across the caterpillar (below) - it isn't the best photo but I wasn't too game to get close, in case it jumped out and attacked me (OK I have been watching to many of those horror films).  Yes, I am a 'little' nervous around crawly creatures.  It was huge and probably ready to become a butterfly - not sure what sort though.

As to the boys - the eldest has just returned from his trip to Melbourne - he wasn't keen on the 8 hour car trip home but survive (with ginger tablets - he and I both suffer from motion sickness).  Now he is looking for computer parts (and a new job) - something he does all the time (photo below).  He goes back to work tomorrow.

The youngest has spent his time with friends, playing his guitar or playing on the Wii (which he got for Christmas).