Last week of term...

Sunday...
Forgot to mention yesterday on our way home from Hobart John sighted a Larch Tree...we had a closer look..A great find.. Hope to come back to it in the Spring and try to extract a little Resin...an inportant ingredient for a number of medicines/creams.

Lovely Autumn colours everywhere you look on our drive home..

Market day..
After morning walk and breakie, its time to do a quick round of the market before opening the shop.

We have an inundation of email orders, so there is work to keep us busy during market morning.
John has plans to process the Paw paw this morning and kick off the fermentation process.
He has made arrangements with Kate (the breadmaking lady) to bring some raw milk to market today. He wants to curdle the milk to get the whey which will be added to the Paw paw as a source of Lactobacillus. This will hopefully assist in the anaerobic lactic acid fermentation.
The Paw paw will beone of the ingredients inour new formulation of a Mercurialis cream...used for healing wounds.
Thomas is not feeling all that flash today..but manages his usual roam of the market. John usually gives him a bit of spending money and invariably, Tom comes back with some treasures for me...What a darling boy.. This week its a beautiful blueish rock and a bookmark witha photo of a donkey in snow..(he slipped this into my book and I discovered it in the evening)
The boys get on with the Paw paw process while I attend to orders and customers through the morning.

Tom keeps a lookout for Cam the Bread man..who is usually arrives with his wonderful breads about 10.30ish. Sure enough, he arrives and sets up in the laneway just outside our shop window. Tom is head of the queue and its a bit of a wait as it takes Cam about 20 minutes to set up. By the time I go out to relieve Tom there is a long line of customers .. I buy a lovely Rye bread and 2 snail pasties...yummy.
We are just about to close when there is a stream of customers...and we sell a number of books..
After lunch John has a snooze and I read the paper..Tom is happy with lego and his SSA (Secret Spy Agency) work...
We head up to Wattle grove to collect some boxes of kindling. Its a job I delight in. Being up on the hill in fresh air and quiet...is just lovely collecting sticks...simple pleasures..

We drive over to the house site and  recover a number of old bricks that are in the area...hopefully to re-use in the garden area eventually. The boys have a bit of a poke about.

We have a bit of a drive about on our way home...enjoying the late afternoon light and the views.
Back home and we do some chores, shower  then settle down to yummy dinner .. a soup made with pumpkin, carrot, zucchini, onion, beetroot, garlic, ginger etc...with Cam's lovely bread and some cheese on the side..it goes down well.

After dinner Tom and I make some choc-chip cupcakes for school lunchbox
We all enjoy some reading before bed ....


Monday and its quite mild out this morning. I always head out with woolley hat etc...but didn't need it today. A lovely sunrise to begin the day.

Tom is not looking too bright...but rallys after breakie. He has a new duty of getting the fire going...and seems to be enjoying the task.
John and I get on with the orders and more come in as the day progresses..Its good to be so busy..and these are big orders today.
During the morning we notice St James Year 10 students visiting the church and Town Hall...no doubt in preparation for the May Ball this Friday Night...more about that later..
A group of students wander past with wheel barrows and bags full of leaves...these will be going on the Kitchen garden as mulch..

The day passes quickly as we have alot of work to do.
Thomas arrives in from school. He is keen to go to Scouts but we suggest he should have the night at home instead as his cough begins as the day cools off. He reluctantly stays home ...but soon finds preoccupation doing his sketch drawings.
We settle in to a quiet evening at home. After early dinner I get a bit of sewing done...

Tuesday and its a grey start today.

The Pear tree is gradually losing its leaves...and out indoor seedlings are doing well.

After the usual chores of the morning I head in to work...finding a large order that has been faxed through...so the day begins.
Again we are busy with lots of orders to do today.
In between ,the Arnica cream John made yesterday is labelled and packed...and i prepare boxes for the next cream that needs making..Eucalyptus /Plantago.
John is really happy with how the Paw paw is fermenting...smells good.
We have a couple customers today..but its generally quiet out front..which is ok..as we have enough to do.
Tom enjoys the final after school ball games for the term..and arrives in about 4.30.
I do a bit of shopping..enjoying the experience of buying fresh veges from the Larder
I go up to St Marks Hall for another Bown Therapy session with Nolan...
Home then dinner...
After dinner the boys have a read while I prepare a Caramel Pear pie for dessert tomorrow night.

We are having a visitor..Rene.. an anthroposphical friend of ours from Sydney who is in Hobart for a Psychiatry Conference. ..

Wednesday and its not too cool out today.
I manage to get a not too brilliant photo of the swans that have been at Burton's reserve this past week..they waddle off when they see me coming...

Tom is getting the shop fire going when I get back from my walk..He does a great job.
We have breakie and do morning chores..
I get dinner cooking in the slow cooker...a Chicken and Lentil Curry...yummy
Tom goes off to school. I won't be needed in the Kitchen class today as they are watching a film about mass food production..(quite contraversial viewing Roy told me the other week...he is excited to be able to show it to the class ...)
To work and John and I have yet another day of big orders to fill...quite a week this one!!
Tim the signwriter arrives mid-morning to put up the Dead Cat  on our roof...hmmm...a talking point I guess..

Glen the bloke from the woodheater place comes to do a measure up to quote for installation of the small heater.. will make a big difference to that cold workspace.
The rain comes in as the day progresses...its grey and wet out..but cosy in the shop where we are working.

The afternoon gets darker and darker..

Steve Cumper drops by with a visitor to town who has come with a group to dine at Red Velvet. He is taking her for a walk around town.

We prepare for Rene's arrival. He is due to arrive on the 5.05 bus..but we get a phonecall from him. Apparently that bus only runs on Thursdays...so he will be on the 6.05..

We have the fires going and all feels cosy...the curry smells good...should be a good night.

John and Tom Read Harry Potter while waiting for the bus to arrive...

Rene arrives and we enjoy a lovely couple of hours over dinner catching up. Really delightful company.

John drives Rene back into town...its a miserable wet evening..

Thursday and we awake at 7 and have a slower start.

We do the morning chores and breakie.

The boys have a read while I organise ingredients for baking cupcakes this afternoon for the May Ball tomorrow night.

The May Ball is a 60+ year tradition at St James. Originally revolving around processions and devotion to Mary...the current version consists of a Primary school liturgy at 11am tomorrow  then a Secondary liturgy at 7pm tomorrow night. I understand that each year 'someone' has the honour of crowning the statue of Mary with flowers at this ceremony and there is also a ceremony where the year 10s introduce the Prep students.

This is followed by the Ball held in 2 locations.The Primary children are in Carmel Hall and the Secondary students in the Town Hall. All students must attend in formal wear and they perform dances they have been practising for the past term. The night begins with a formal presentation of the Prep students by the Year 10 students in Carmel Hall.

Parents are asked to bring cakes that will be served as supper to the students. We also are asked to help in the supper room...so I'm rostered on from 9-10pm.

I have been told it is quite an experience. Its delightful to see the preparartion taking place...with lots of ladies from the community coming in to decorate the halls.. Can't wait..

We have a busy morning with orders...

After lunch John has a 10 minute catch-up snooze before I go over to help out in Tom's class.

When I get to Tom's classroom its all locked up...maybe they are inside watching a movie or something...anyway I go back to the shop to help John with some late orders that have come in.

Year 10 begins trailing across to the Town Hall with boxes of balloons and various other decorations...the excitment is clearly building...

There have been much comings and goings at Carmel Hall throughout the day too.

I go over to get Thomas as the rain is coming across again. I enjoy a quick chat with Kim and Sharon. Sharon informs me she will be taking leave for the rest of the year...I'll miss seeing her. She has such energy and enthusiasm.. a delightful person who always brightens my day. She said she will still come to Wed afternoon teas at RV..

Thomas gets the fire going , then we get started on the cupcakes....

After dinner I ice the cakes before heading off to Zumba.

The Town Hall is still being decorated so we have class at the school Drill Hall. A cosy space..

Its a drizzley night as I walk home..so its good to be back inside and after a hot shower, snuggle down with a book in bed..

Friday and again its grey and damp outside.

The morning is busy with orders and a few customers.

John makes a Eucalyptus/Plantago Chest rub..

At 11am I go to the Primary Marian Litury in the church. It is really special...with hymns, readings, symbolism, liturgical dance etc all honouring Mary and mothers/carers..Lovely. It reminds me of Ma's great devotion to Mary over her life...she is very much in my thoughts and prayers today.

I call in to Carmel Hall to take a peek at the preparations and am greeted by one of the ladies who is seting up..She said she has been dancing with Thomas at practises...we have a delightful chat.

After doing a few more orders I take a look at the Town Hall decorations. Again I meet another lady who has been involved in the set up.. It is clear how much work goes into the ball celebrations There is great pride in bringing it all together and passing on the tradition to the new generation of students.  Such a rare thing for children to be part of such an event that teaches them the elements of social graces..

As the afternoon progresses it gets darker and nore threatening... Tom arrives in from school...Happy Holidays!!..

I have a rest as I'm feeling decidedly unwell with a gravelly throat...but the show must go on. After dinner and showers...we tog up for the night.

There is much activity in the street with people coming and going...the rain and wind have set in...its a miserable night out...

We head over to the hall dropping off our cakes. Tom sits with his class and John and I find a seat with the parents..

What an amazing night it is. The childern all dressed up in their formal wear...and taking turns to entertain us with their dancing...really delightful to see. Tom's class dance the Mumba and the Waltz...and all groups have a turn of the barn dance, chicken dance, etc. The younger class does a version of the Pasodoble..with alot of stomping...its fabulous..

The Year 10 students arrive to present the prep students to the community...a lovely sight.

Each group eventually has a turn in the supper room where they each have a plate of assorted sandwiches and cake and cordial.. They also go by class to another room where photos are taken. Tom said there was a group photo then individual ones...they will be available for viewing at the Newsagent at some point. I enjoy my shift helping in the clean up in the kitchen...

The night ends with a Macareena...with teachers and students up on the floor...What a fabulous evening!! John and I are amazed by the incredible atmosphere and enjoyment of all involved.

I call in to see how the Senior Ball is going in the Town Hall. They have live musicians...who look as though they have done this gig a few times.... Delightful dancing and Spot prices for lucky couples..

Home to have a quiet read while listening to the final dances for the evening from next door..

Saturday and its a slow start for us ...John is up and busy pottering in the shop well before Tom and I surface.. We meander up to RV midmorning for morning tea.. Very enjoyable to sit and read the papers and catch up with locals. Tom goes over to Cobweb Gallery to say hi to Susan...we meet him there. Susan gives me a recipe for Vegan Minestrone as she has asked me to make a big pot for after the Lantern Parade on Sat June 23rd...
We head home and I potter a bit then crash for the afternoon...feeling pretty awful with a heavy cold..
The boys repot Prunus plants and John is delighted to get 30+ plants

Late afternoon we do a circuit walk to golf course and back around town..the boys enjoying a quick game of "Poo sticks" on the way...

We pick up Pizzas for dinner from Pizza On The Side at RV on our way home..
A quiet and early night for all...