3rd week of Advent

Sunday is market day...the rain comes and goes again...
I spend the morning packing parcels of Christmas gifts to get into the post tomorrow..
There is alot of activity around town today..

Bec is doing taste tests outside the Larder and Steve has set up a RV Pop-up Souvlaki Bar...which we sample...Yummy!!

 

We have alot of people through the shop and sell many books and products.. Its a lovely morning.
John and Tom sort out some more book shelves in the store room..

We eventually close the doors at about 2-ish and have a snooze.
After 3 we drive out to Gardners Bay to visit friends Pete and Anne who are talented glass makers.
They are having an afternoon tea to showcase what they do...Amazingly beautiful pieces..very gifted couple.

 

 

 

We head home and discuss whether we will go to the Carols in Burtons' reserve...but given the weather is closing in again and we still have a few Christmas gifts to attend to...we opt for a night at home...good decision!!.

Monday dawns and the sun comes and goes all day today..Unexpected showers of rain fall when you least expect them..
John does some pressing of plants while I attend to the orders.
We have a number of customers throughout the morning...and sell quite a few books.
The day passes quickly.
I have a haircut over the road at 2pm..
Tom arrives in from school with a pretty good Year 3 Report...well done Tom..
He and John go up on the hill for a bit to do some more clearing of dead trees.. I mind the shop.
I have a lovely long chat with Jess after work , get dinner on and the boys arrive home.
We enjoy a peaceful night together..

Tuesday is quite a cool start...but it promises to warm up to 22 degrees later.

 

Tom takes the second load of pressies for teachers today...and has organised his KK for Wednesday...
I get on with a number of orders before going down to Community Garden for about an hour..
We weed and pull the Garlic from 3 different beds...

I head back to the shop as we may be busy today....and we are...
Lots of customers and a number of orders to keep us busy..
The Cygnet Primary School have their end of year 'do' in the hall..

The town is buzzing.....so many cars!!

 

 

The women from Lotus have been going up and back to the B&B with food for Bruce's wake this afternoon. Alex drops by to get some medicines for this afternoon when they attend the Cremation.
I have an afternoon tea at school this arvo...a thankyou for volunteer helpers..
Then we will all attend the wake for a bit..
Then I have the last  School Board Meeting of the year..
A busy afternoon/evening.
The afternoon tea is held in the Kitchen Garden and is very pleasant...drinks and nibbles and a nice chat with teachers and other friends..
Back at the shop there are big orders that have come through last thing in the day..
We prepare then for packaging..then head up to the B&B to Bruce's wake.

There are so many people there from all aspects of the Community...a real tribute to Bruce. Lovely to see some photos that have been set up for all to see..

There are good conversations sharing memories of Bruce, tears and hugs...a really valuable coming together...
Then to Board meeting at 6.30...finishing not too late this time at 9pm.. A small group attending, but a good meeting.
Glad to get home and sit quietly by the Christmas tree.

Wednesday is warm and bright to start with anyway....

 

I get up not long after John and forgo my walk to get on with packing orders instead.
A brief stop for breakfast, putting out a load of washing then back to work..
I go across to the Prize-giving Assembly at 11.30am..(even get an Official welcome as a Board member in the opening address)  Thomas receives an Award for displaying Mutual Respect...and element of the school behavior motto FLAMES...

Multiple awards are presented for all areas of excellence...
The day turns overcast and threatening...but it remains warm...

 

John is struggling with exhaustion today so takes time out to have a rest during the afternoon..
It's a pleasant afternoon...selling a few more books and toys too..
I do some baking after work then we have early dinner as I've made sushi while baking..
After dinner we all take a stroll around town.. It is so sunny and warm that I can't settle down to do sewing yet...maybe later ..

 

We have such a long twilight this time of year. There is lovely sunset colour in the clouds at 9pm...

 

A really restful evening.

Thursday is mild out this morning...

 

 

Thomas' last day at school this year (they will go down to the park for a picnic later) ...and Narnie arrives tonight Yay!!
We get on with orders and have early customers as I open the doors at 8.30am..
John has a full-on morning making Sphagni...a big job.
Santa is out and about delivering early...

Cygnet Primary troop past...must be heading to the park too.

The morning passes quickly.
We sell alot of books through the day..
I head into Hobart to do a bit of shopping before getting Hannah from the airport...
So lovely to see her..

 

Beautiful light as we head into the Huon Valley.

 

The boys greet us as we arrive home and we enjoy a good chat.
They are keen to show Hannah the lamp John has bought from Talon's Trove shop...then we light the advent candle and move another star from the path to the sky above the stable...not many more stars now. Tom brings some more wooden animal figures to the scene tonight.. before making our way to bed.

 

 

Friday is grey and cool out...but lovely all the same.
I notice the fushia in our garden is in flower..

Hannah and Tom enjoy a morning snuggle..

We open the doors early just as we are in the shop at 8.30am getting on with a few jobs anyway..
Santa is doing the garbage collection today!!

The morning is fairly quiet so we get on with paperwork...good to catch up...
By lunchtime there are more people streaming through the shop. We sell books and other goods too...nice.
Thomas and Hannah have sorted Tom's school books and tidied up a bit. They go to RV for morning tea..then stop in at the newsagent where Hannah purchases a toy Helicopter (for herself) to play with.
While the batteries are charging they potter about together. So lovely for Tom to have the company of his sister.
They ride up to the oval have a wonderful time flying the helicopter...
Back home and they have some late lunch and rest time.
We have a mix of customers through the shop..
Tom has spotted some Christmas fairies up the street...fun

 

The afternoon passes in no time..

We get ready to head out about 5.30ish as we have been invited to have drinks at Paul and Bob's place.

We stop at Randall's Bay for a bit of a walk as we are a little early..

 

It's a delightful gathering of people..and we enjoy a lovely evening of conversations. Thomas has a terrific time hooning around the bush with some other boys about his own age. A great time had by all.

 

Saturday morning John and I are up a bit after 5am and on our way by 5.30...heading north to do another Hypericum Harvest.. Thomas and Hannah are spending the day together in Cygnet ...glad they do not have to travel the 800km journey...
We have a really successful harvest as the Hypericum is in full flower...and weather is perfect for us.. A real joy.

 

  

 

 

The Hypericum stains our hands deep red...

 

 

Spectacular views of Mt Roland as we travel along..

 

We make our way home stopping in Deloraine for lunch then Oatlands for a coffee (as we start to feel our early start).

We arrive home about 5.30ish .
Tom and Hannah have had a good day. They had morning tea at RV and went to the park. Tom's friend Finn came for a play for alot of the day . (so that took the pressure off Hannah a bit) Hannah cleaned and baked a cake in preparation for visitors tomorrow...lovely girl

 

Hannah and I set up the laptop in the shop and settle into cosy chairs to watch "White Christmas" a Golden Oldie!!...lovely way to end the day.