Summer Holidays

Now that school holidays are on us and the summer is here the question arises ... how to entertain the Ferals?
Hmmm... the idea of sending them out to play on a busy highway has I must admit crossed my mind on the odd occasion but I don't think I would come out very squeaky clean or win parent of the year if I put that into action .. so what to do?

We are going camping for a few days soon with friends to a beach to laze about while the Ferals get up to mischief.  They are of an age where they can be trusted .. sort of .. to do the right thing so we can give them some freedom.  They know where we live and will return home when hungry is my motto.

Camping will hopefully make them sleep and the thought of them going to bed grotty with sun kissed faces I do find rather appealing .. until we have to return home and all the washing begins.

I am hoping to take them to the cinema to see something .. don't know what yet .. but I know I better start saving now as this is very expensive by the time one adds tickets, pop corn, drinks and what ever they can manage to con out of me. Then the choice of seeing one in 3D or not.  That adds another expense.  The Ferals still tend to think money just appears out of majic holes in the wall and it is an never ending supply .. oh reality will hit one day.

But things do not always have to cost the earth.  Hub has been ordered by the manager ie : me, to take them away again for a minimum of 4 nights.  Oh my selfish self is hanging out for this time of clean house and not having to whip up some sort of food that partly resembles a meal.  Bring it on I say !!

It will also be a good chance for them to do some bloke bonding as they learn to grunt, scratch their crotches and learn the finer points of being a good Aussie bloke.  Hub will also be responsible for EVERYTHING ... ahhhh ... but truthfully I might miss them a teeny bit. 



Curly Feral with his
creation

 Today we have made a ginger bread house, fudge and rocky road.  They are continually asking to do something else but the inner domestic goddess is pulling me..and I must say very reluctantly.. to the kitchen to prepare for the onslaught of Christmas.  They like to help but do get tired of it easily.  As the Curly Ferals said to me once that he is glad he is a boy as girls have to do too much work...hmm

We will I am sure take many trips to our local beach so they can catch up with friends and go hunting for crabs.  We can whittle many hours away doing this as I catch up on my reading while sporadically yelling to stay in view and not to throw rocks at each other. Yes a relaxing trip to the beach is defiantly called for. 

We will have friends over to play and maybe some sleep overs.  I will attempt to think of ways to keep them happy but they must also learn to occupy themselves.  WE have a very large garden, billy carts, animals, cubby house and games.  Surely I wont hear the cry of "Muuummm I am bored !! "  No surely not !

This year the holidays have been shortened but approx 2 weeks.  Part of me is sad for this but the other part is doing the happy dance.  By the end of 8 weeks they usually were becoming bored and fidgety so this will help.  They will gain this lost holiday time by having another included through out the year.  This will work well I figure. Its a win win for us all.

So to all the others starting the perils of school holidays I say good luck.  They are only young for a small time and it really is a magical sight to behold.. Happy kids on holidays.

Cheers Dilly xx

A year in reflection

Well 2012 is nearly at an end.  Has it been a good year? Have we / I achieved all that was set out to accomplish?  Can it be looked back upon fondly as a positive time?  Yes and no to all those and more.

A year .. 365 days this leap year.  The year I turned ..ugh.. 42.  The year that my Ferals have showed signs of growing up into the men they will eventually be.  A year of highs and lows, laughter and tears.  I think most could identify with some of this.

January 2012 started with a bang on the foreshore of our local city with friends watching the fireworks with the Ferals having a wonderful time playing chasing's amongst all the others there.  They say how you spend the last and first few minutes of a new year can set the tone for the year ahead.  I'm not sure if I believe this but one can only hope.

School for the Ferals in the year 2012 has been positive.  They have both had to grow up and learn to take responsibility for their actions.  They have had to learn to be more tolerant of others. But what I have asked most of them is to be kids..warts and all.  This I feel has been a success, with a few bumps and bruises to the body and ego.  Its a learning time for them both.

I have managed to gain more employment.  I now rush between 2 jobs as well as trying to be a domestic goddess.  I am afraid the domestic is a bit on the back burner for the moment.. but goddess ... yep some things never change !!

I find I am exhausted but satisfied with myself more now.  I feel like I am contributing more financially and although I am not sure how long it will last I will endeavour to make the most of  this new found job.. If nothing else I have met some great work colleagues and friends I am sure to keep.

This year I have managed to drop weight at times but it always seems to find its way back home.  I have learned to give up ever trying to have the house tidy for more than 5 minutes.. it ain't going to happen.  I have reminded myself that the sun will always come up tomorrow no matter how hard things feel at times. It has been an interesting year.

Hub has worked his butt off this year.  To be honest there are days when I wondered who the person was who walked in the door after not seeing him for a few weeks.  Now we are in bush fire season I am sure this will only increase.  He loves his job and is lucky enough to be appreciated within it.

This week my Ferals will perform in their end of school year concert.  How I am looking forward to seeing their smiling faces on stage.  The curly boy will not tell me what he is performing but I do know he will be in a recorder .. yes those instruments that we parents block our ears for ..group and also a class item.  The Weed on the other hand has informed me he will be dancing.  I cant wait to see him dance.. a born dancer this may be the only time I see him perform..because lessons are for girls apparently !!  ( I have posted this a bit after the concert and it was FANTASTIC ! )

It will also be the final week for being at their current school as next year they will be moving.  This decision as plagued me most of the year and I know I will be shedding tears come Thursday 20th.  My head had to over rule my heart and it was not easy.  All I can do is hope I have made the right decision.

The year will see the Curly Feral turn 10.  Where has the time gone??? The Weed will be 8  ... 8 ..how on earth did that happen?  They grow up too fast as the saying goes. 



A summers field near home



Summer is here to take us in into the new year.  Dried up paddocks and hot days on the beach await us. We are going camping in January with great friends.  Days and nights of hanging out just relaxing.  Oh how I am looking forward to this.

I am sure 2013 will be a great year.  It shows all the signs of it from this time.  I consider myself lucky to be able to reach it.. to experience it for all it will have to offer. 

2012 will give way on the stroke of midnight... to herald a new beginning and to take us through another year of our lives.  I think if I do choose to make a resolution it will be to just make it through the year ahead with a smile and being grateful for the chance.

So I say to all I truly hope that 2013 will bring you all love laughter and smiles.  To bring the strength to tackle the challenges that are bound to cross our paths.  But most of all I personally will look back on 2012 with a smile and a tear and to 2013 .. I say bring it on !!!

Cheers Dilly xx

That time of year again...Ho Ho Ho!

Its coming ..Coming with astounding speed.  Its coming to make the weeks leading up to it a time of over excited kids and questions of how the hell am I going to afford it..  Yep its Christmas.

Christmas.  Ok lets ponder the meaning.. the birth of Christ.  Now I have to admit I do not believe in what this time is meant to represent in the biblical sense.  We are all entitled to our own opinions and I consider mine no more correct that anothers but this is my view. 

Why do I celebrate it then?  Well I suppose it has carried on from generation to generation as a way of expressing their beliefs in a way that represents who they are.

Christmas to me and the way I choose to celebrate it represents the love I have for my family.  It is a celebration of what my family means to each other.  It is a time of showing my appreciation to them and celebrating all they are to me.  That is my Christmas.

Christmas when I was a kid was such an exciting time.  I, as most kids, saw it as a time of lots of pressies under the tree and a visit from Santa.  It was not till older that I came to appreciate all that Christmas really means to me personally.

When a child we would have wonderful lunches in which we would stuff ourselves full on a hot day with food far more suited to a cooler climate.  We would then lay around like large beached whales with a contented grin and swear to ourselves that the next year we would not eat so much..yeah as if !!

We would see cousins that we had not seen for ages.  A coming together of childhood innocence and games.  A time of sleepovers and giggles till late at night.  Oh how I loved these years.
My Grandmother was the centre of the family .  She would sit and watch us kids with pure adoration as we opened pressies to squeals of excitement.  She worshipped us and after loosing her things have never been the same.  But now they are different.  A good different too.  My mum is now Grandma and I see her watching her grandchildren with the same devotion.  Its a comforting sight.

The expectation of Christmas for kids..well mine anyway, can be overwhelming.  The Ferals behaviour usually heads on a downwards spiral at this time.  Combine that with the ending of the school year and the school holidays it can be a difficult time.

The Ferals , as most I would assume, have a Santa list a mile long.  Santa looks at this list I can assure you with a heavy heart as he wonders where the money will come from to make their dreams come true.

Peer pressure does play a part in the items they choose to ask for. They want to have the same as the kid next door so they don't feel different.    This Santa though tends to start the shopping around June so what they get and what they ask for often are two different things.
I try to consider their ages and go for the ' cool ' stuff.  I like things that encourage them to go out side and play. I want them being kids and enjoying the short years of their childhood.

We all do, myself included, often get wrapped up in the material side of Christmas.  We forget about what truly is important.  We forget about others who are not so fortunate. We focus on ourselves and our own safe cocoons.  Not everyone has a safe haven.  I am one of the lucky ones.

So as Christmas fast approaches I have nearly finished my shopping.  I have spent far more than I can afford but that's what mums do.  I know the excitement at 2.00am .. yes 2.00am  .. I am not joking..as the Ferals get up to see what the Big Red Man has brought them, will make it all worth while. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and take from it all that you hope and believe in.  If I can have a wonderful day with my Ferals and family then I can honestly say I have received more than I could have ever wished for.

      Cheers Dilly xxx

Dear Me.......

If you could write a letter to your self from the age your are now to the 18 year old person you were.. what would you say? I have lots of advice for the younger me.. Not that I would have listened !!

Dear Dilly, 
                Hello and a Happy 18th Birthday.  Time sure has gone fast.  It wont be long till you are 40 something and you will be looking back and saying to your self "wow how did I get that old? ".  Yes you will, and I know you don't believe it, and that 40 something is along way off but it will sneak up on you and bite you on the not so tight derriere that that comes with age. 

At 18 you will think you know everything.  You will have so many hormones flying around your body that you will be a walking oestrogen robot.  The pimples will disappear in time I can assure you, and I can defiantly say, take care with what you are shoving in your mouth.  You may be able to eat anything now and not put on an gram of weight but believe me.. this will NOT continue.  Sorry to be the barer of bad news !  Salad salad and salad !!

As a child of the 1980's I can understand the clothing choices you made ( with the help of mum ) but now that you are in the 1990's.. please re consider that terrible perm your mum puts in your hair..it is not attractive !! You look like a poodle gone wrong. 
 Please also understand that socks pulled high to you knees over track pants is not a fashion choice I would recommend.  I do not know where this idea came from, but please please reconsider before you attempt this again !

Love..yep.. that 4 letter word.  For an 18 year old I can guarantee you will have your heart broken with many more times to come. I  realise at the time you will think your relationship will last for ever and you will live happily ever after with a white picket fence in la la land but girl.. it ain't going to happen!

It will hurt like hell when man number 1 brakes you heart into a zillion pieces but I can also guarantee that it will get better and you will meet another..and another..and oops.. another until you feel like you are destined to stay a spinster the rest of your life with your many animals that have encroached into your bed.  Never fear.. you will meet someone again many years later who you knew at 18 and the rest will be history.

As for the knowing everything. .. lets get back to that.  You DON'T know it all.  Hard to believe I realise, but you don't !!  You should listen to your parents while you have the chance.  You should concentrate more on school instead of a social life.  You should trust that you are smart enough to achieve anything.. not hide away behind a veil of inadequacy that I still tend to put up.

You should understand that life will not just come knocking at your door.. you will have to get off that toned 18 year old bottom and go looking for it!  Yes it will be frightening and you will get plenty of rejection but it will work out if you persevere and believe in your self.  Don't make the same mistakes I, as a 40 something year old you have done.

Do recognise your skills and make the most of them.  Don't take all that is handed to you as the only way.  There is more out there for you.. don't loose sight of that.

Remember to be a good friend.  I know we all will have lapses of this at times but the friends you have already made will still be in your life for years to come.  Remember them fondly and dont let those that bullied you as a teenager win by still letting the memories of them hang out in your mind to then pop out and frighten you at times.. They aint worth it.
Don't loose the love you have for animals.  Cherish everyday you spend with your beloved horse as the day she passes will fill you with a loss never to be filled... enjoy her.  Enjoy the little creatures that make their way into your heart.  Remember all they give you.

Now I know you would at this stage much rather wipe a baby possums bottom than a baby's,  but I can promise you it is not as bad as you think.  Your own kids.. yes you will have 2 boys.. yes boys..2 Feral beautiful active boys .. I can guarantee they will not smell as bad as other peoples kids and you will feel a bond never to be broken so strongly it will surprise you.  Enjoy them, cherish them, even when they are driving you bananas and all you want to do is jump off the parent train... ( I can assure you they will follow !! )  they are for life, keepers and will teach you so much about yourself.  Just remember to have copious bottles of vino on hand to scull at the most needed moment !!

So Dilly I am sure there is so much more I could say to you.  So much more advice and guidance I could pass to you but in the end you will choose your own path.  We, I am sure create our own destiny.  Your success's and failures will help you grow into the person I am today.  I am no where near perfect but I consider you will grow into a person that at the age of .. ok.. 42 .. is not too bad.
So enjoy the journey, absorb all it has to offer and Happy 18th Dilly..

 Cheers Dilly xx

What to do ??

This week I have had to do some soul searching.  I have had to seriously contemplate swallowing my pride and what I truly truly believe in to make a decision regarding my children's future education.  It has, and will continue to be a very hard time I am sure until it has been finalised in my own mind at least.

We all want the best for our kids and I am no exception when it comes to the Ferals.  I never expected my kids to be a genius but neither of them are lacking in the intelligence area..(although I do sometimes wonder... Hmmm !! )
I, as all others I assume, want to see our Off Spring go onto greater things than most of us have probably done our selves.  Maybe even live a dream we once had through them.  It's so hard to know what is the right thing to do sometimes especially when our hearts are saying something completely different to our heads !

I am trying not to base the choice I make on what their friends are doing even though it will play a small part in my decision.  But I truly want the decision I make to benefit my Ferals emotional state and their educational needs.  Trying to work between the 2 is proving hard.

I regularly just wish it would all go away and we could continue with the education they have in a perfect environment for the rest of their schooling years.  I feel we as a community have been so blessed with what we have been exposed too.  The decisions that have been made regarding this matter I will NEVER understand.

It has come to the point that I feel like we are being pushed into something that we really do not want to do.  It feels like our true options are being pulled out from underneath us and we are being poked with a rather long stick to do what the big wigs want.  I don't like this feeling.

I still have a bit of time to mull it all over in my head.  To way up the pros and cons and to make peace with my own beliefs for the benefits of my Ferals. 

Its hard being a parent and it harder still giving up a belief no matter how right one thinks they are.

So if you see me wandering around with a furrowed brow, try and understand that my head and heart are in a tussle with deciding what is right to give my Ferals all they deserve for their wonderful lives to come.


     Cheers Dilly xx



Please note these are my feelings and opinions.  You may agree or disagree, but please do not take this out of context.  Thanks Dilly x

Blooming beautiful

Spring.. the sounds of birds chirping a familiar call. 

 The smell of freshly cut grass that suddenly grew overnight into a jungle.

The days of perfect blue to be followed by a sudden cold snap bringing snow and rain once again to this little state.  Spring.

I love Spring.

My garden is finally starting to awaken from its winter slumber.  All the hard work I put in is starting to show. Ok, I have to admit I am proud of myself, but its something I am passionate about.



Does anyone know
 what this is???

I get my gardening gene from my parents who inherited it from theirs.  I grew up in a lovely garden full of places to explore and hide.  This is what I wanted to give my Ferals.  A place of peace and space.  I think I have succeeded with this.

I love going plant hunting.  I used to work in a plant nursery and to me this was heaven.  I met like minded customers whilst in this job and some are still great dear friends.  A garden can bring people together.  It can bond those with the same passion.

Going plant hunting as said before is one of my favourite things to do.  One of my best friends shares this love and we regularly swap cuttings and roots of some strange plant that appears. To find something unusual is always fun and to see it bloom brings a sense of delight.

My mum was a propagator for years.  There is not much she can not grow.  I love to stroll through gardens with her as she pops a tiny piece of something beautiful into her bag to take home and grow.  It is a special time for mum and I.  To share and interest with a parent is a wonderful experience.

 Many have said to me that I must be a slave to my garden.  Nope not at all.  Yes it is hard work, yes it takes time and there are times I crash exhausted into bed after a day in the garden..but hey .. what a satisfied feeling I get even with all the aches and pains after a long day.

I love all seasons of my garden.  Spring brings with it the pure beauty of a loved garden but all other seasons still show their own delights.  Summer is probably the hardest.  The hot dry summers of Tasmania can be cruel.  I let my lawns shrivel in the heat, but we are lucky enough to have a dam next to us which we can pump water from.  I try to save my garden from the rigour of the heat.



I love my wisteria..
This is the best year
since I planted it

I hope I will still be getting dirt under my nails for many years to come.  To feel the freshly dug earth and to smell the goodness it is filled with brings a sense of being one with nature.  To see the work I have put in flower into fruition is one of my greatest joys.

 Maybe I sound like a silly old woman .. silly yes.. old.. lets not go there, but this is something I love.  I do hope the Ferals will follow in my footsteps and that of their grandparents.  What a great gene to pass down....


Plenty of room for
Ferals and friends



              Cheers Dilly xx

It happened to me too..Bullying

I have often pondered what a person is feeling when they decide to bully another.  It is one of those questions that most have an answer for.  Is it as they say due to the fact they themselves are insecure,  have a bad home life, or actually enjoy the power over another?  Probably all these and more.

Do we want, if the circumstances arise, for our children to be the bully or the bullied?  I know neither would be preferable but life does not work like that.  I realise in an ideal world we would all get along like a big happy family and never a cross word would be spoken, but that I'm afraid is the stuff of fairy tails.

My Ferals have I must admit been subject to both.  I know it is a learning process for children as no one wants to be different and singled out but the reality is it does happen.  Both Ferals have been a bit over zealous with their opinions of others and both have been on the receiving end of the taunts.  I do acknowledge they are not perfect but I must also say that this year at school has been a positive year in terms of acceptance of others.  I must congratulate their teachers for this.

My oldest Feral with the Curly hair is a very tall solid child.  He towers over his class mates and to compensate slouches to shorten himself,.  I know exactly how he feels as I was known for doing the same thing.  Its not easy being different.  I am endeavouring to teach him what a gift his height is and will be in later life.  He is one of the lucky ones.

As a child I was bullied and taunted within the school grounds to the extent I was scared of going to school.  To be tall with gangly legs, braces on my teeth, bad hair and a large snoz, I can admit was the perfect recipe for taunting. 

 Primary school was not too bad.  We were an age then when peer pressure was not overbearing and smaller younger kids tend to be more accepting of differences, but high school was a nightmare.  To be different is not seen as a good thing. 


Me aged 16..



I remember a friend saying to me once that she wanted to her kids to be average looking.. nothing out of the ordinary.  I thought she must be joking, but as she then explained to be average would keep them out of harms way.  I think she made alot of sense.



One can be bullied for being too good looking or not attractive enough.  Who makes these decisions usually falls to the most dominating, at least in the victims eyes, person.  I look back now and realise these people were the ones with the problem..not me.

Does bullying continue once we are older?  Most definitely.  Now it is done in a more secretive manner, a more cunning way.   Yes it most definitely still occurs.  I have experienced it many times through my adult life and to be honest I just take it.  I have never been one to fight back, thus lack the self esteem to retaliate.  The words of my high school years still echo in my head.  Silly thing is if I saw some of the people responsible now I would probably still cringe and scurry off.  Time does not heel all wounds.

There are rules in place at schools to try and combat this behaviour.  Any school that does not think they have a problem I personally believe have their heads in the sand.  There is no point in denying it or the problem will never be correctly addressed.  Ignorance is no excuse.

With the introduction of social media, no matter how good we think it is, it can exacerbate the problem to a huge level.  The thing is there are probably only a small majority who take the time to harass another via the comfort and safety of their computer room but these are the ones who spoil it for others.

Having experienced the full brunt of this cruelty and not wishing to see my kids distressed over

what someone has said or to be told they were the cause of tears for another I will continue to bang into the brains of the Ferals the quote    "If  you don't have anything nice to say..don't say anything at all ".   I think that sums it up perfectly and hopefully we all will try to instill this into the minds of the future generations otherwise history will continue to repeat itself.  Only time will tell.

Cheers Dilly xx

Good morning... Maybe?

What is it about a school morning that turns me into a not so perfect mum?? Am I the only one who's perfection slips out the side window to only return once the Ferals have been dispatched to the school door?  I hope not !!

Maybe its the way that they will sleep in and need to be dragged out of their beds with threats to move or else during the week, and on weekends get happily out of bed at 6am?  Revenge will be priceless when they are older.. hahaha !!

Maybe its the way they procrastinate over everything.  Having a shower for instance.  The Weed hates to be clean.  If he never had to clean his teeth or wash ever again he would be happy. 
To get him into the shower generally takes 2 people with him screaming and clawing at what ever he can grab to make the whole process of just getting him to the shower an event to remember. 
He has long arms and legs that tend to stretch to greater lengths when trying to manoeuvre him through the door. With threats of " Don't you dare wash my hair ! " and me promising of course not ... he is forcibly shoved under the water and when he is not looking I pounce with shampoo in hand and scrub as fast as I can as his screams echo around the shower cubical !!  Silly thing is though, once he is in he enjoys it and does not want to get out !

Breakfast.  It has become a despised word in this house.  I have bought so many cereals I have lost count.  I refuse to buy sugary cereals much to their disgust so they make this time again a spectacle.  " Why cant we have what such and such has for breakfast? "  Well the answer is that because you just cant !!!
There is nothing wrong with toast or a healthier cereal.  No you cant have soup for breakfast or toasted ham and cheese !!  Blimey do they think I am a master chef??  If they do, they are under some great illusion..

Clothing.  Now a school has a uniform for a reason and partly to help us poor parents with the task of making mornings easier.  Well I think they forgot about my Ferals when this was decided. 
 Firstly,  what is is about school tops that never come clean?  I have soaked and soaked to still find grime from yesterdays roll down the grassy hill or mud that has been wiped off hands onto it still ingrained into the fabric.. It just does not come out!!  Cries of " I cant wear that its dirty ! " are often yelled throughout the house.. my answer is .. " Well if you didn't use your top as a dish rag maybe it would be clean !!  This logic has yet to click !!  Toughen up kiddos !!

 The other problem in the clothing department is shoes. 
Now the Weed still fits into cute little Velcro shoes.  His dainty little hooves are not growing at an alarming speed but the Curly boys feet... OMG.. will they ever stop growing??  He has feet that guarantee him a solid hold on this earth as they are huge for a kid his age.  He is now passing shoes he has grown out of to his Grandfather and Grandma !!
The problem began about 2 years ago. No longer could he squeeze like Cinderella's sisters into a dainty little Velcro shoe but has had to revert to the grown up bloke shoes with laces that drive him.. and I .. nuts !!  He is also at the stage where he wants to look "Cool" .  I though it was girls that were supposed to have clothing dilemmas.. but my Ferals I am sure could give any a run for their money !!!

I like to have lunches ( which I never put the right things into apparently ) made by a certain time.  I watch the clock like some possessed woman counting the minutes till freedom.  It is important to time everything to perfection so I can hustle them out with minutes to spare.  I do not like being late. 

To bus or not to bus .. that be the next question.  Our bus stop is up the top of our road. It is in easy walking distance and on a lovely morning is a nice stroll, but the Ferals do not like taking the bus to school. 
They are the last pick up the morning on their route and are at school within 7 minutes but they much prefer for me to take them, which means of course I have to get myself ready.  No pulling the tracky daks over the nightdress and donning a cap on my head to hide my terrible bed hair..nooo.. I have to shower, dress and make myself reasonably glamorous for the trip to school as I am not getting out of the car and going to their classrooms in a state of disrepair !!! Thus this adds more to the  monster mum morning !!

Anyway when I do finally shove them out the door with a hearty wave and kiss to the voice of the Weed saying "You can go now mum as you are cramping my style " I head off home to a house in total chaos which I then choose to ignore for at least the next hour while I sit back and contemplate my navel as my day begins... AHHHHH

But at the end of the day when the Ferals coming running down our drive way after walking from the bus stop, with the dog doing some happy dance around their feet, I must admit I am glad to see them.  To have that me time during the day recharges the soul for the afternoon ahead of the mum taxi service as the afternoon activities begin.

Am I the only one who feels like this??  Hmmm

Yep it has arrived .. Attitude

Ok... its like this,  I have been through two times the:

                                                                                   Terrible 2's

                                                                                      Theatrical 3's

                                                                                     Ferocious 4's

                                                                                       Frightening 5's

                                                                                            Save me please 6's

and now into for the second time the :   Savage 7's   and I have to admit that yep we have hit it with a BANG !!

Now I do remember when oldest Feral was 7 he was hard work.  He tends to be a bit of a drama queen, or king I should say , but Weedy Feral ... OMG... No wonder I drink !!!

He may be little and very cute but do not let that sweet exterior deceive you.. Lurking below those big brown eyes hides the devil in disguise and yes butter would melt in his mouth at a very rapid pace !!   ATTITUDE has come and joined this family. 

When Weedy Feral was born I remember the midwife saying to me that she was sure he had been here before and I do tend to agree.  But I wonder if he was as feral in a former life?  Probably !!

He is one of those kids who thinks things out.  He is a plotter, a manipulator and a comic.  Put those 3 traits together and yep we have a very cluey kid.  He knows how to bend the truth to save his own backside.  He has ways of blaming his brother for his mistakes and sure knows how to holler when something does not go the way he planned it .. oh the joys of parenthood !!



Weedy Feral dressed as a Tasmanian Devil
A look that suits his personality !!

His Curly Feral brother is very protective of him even though he will regularly get him in trouble for things he did not do.  Its usually after that we parents find out who the true culprit was.  Funny though .. Curly Feral will protect him if the Weed looks like getting into trouble.. He would it seems walk over hot coals for him.. but would the Weed do it for the Curly boy?  I think not.  Hmmm somehow he seems to have wiggled his cute little body into the heart of his brother... but that's what brothers do.
Attitude is to be expected I know.  It is a normal part of growing up and something we all still have, but I assume we learn ( well most of us anyway ) to control.  I do admit I have just sat back and laughed at him when he is throwing a huge wobbly over something to do with Lego.  He has mastered the eye roll and the death stare perfectly.  He is rather amusing to watch.

This phase too will pass I know and I will some day look back with amusement as I recall his antics but around the corner lurk the atrocious 8's and ooo I cant wait for that !!  Surly puberty will be a breeze after all we have witnessed so far !!!   Won't it?  Lucky he is mine !!!



           Cheers Dilly xx

A week amoungst many

This past week had been hard.  It has been one of those weeks that I wish had never happened.  Don't ask what it is as I will not say but it has been testing.

Life has a way of throwing things least expected at you that totally knock one for 6.  A way of questioning can something positive really come out of it??  I have hunted deep within my self and I can say truly that yes it can.

Life was not meant to be easy they say.. It throws challenges that can make even the toughest person fall but this is what makes us human, makes us appreciate all that we experience.  It is what makes us us..

I look around me and realise all that I have to be grateful for.  To see the silver lining in the dark clouds and the rays of hope shine through.  I know sometimes the rays of sun can be a little foggy but still they shine.

I know this week will pass and what has occurred will slowly disappear into never land.  This day too will pass,  but I know it will make me stronger and show a side to myself that I have not seen for a while.  A side that proves I have strength and resilience to bounce back from what ever life has to hurl my way.

So life .. bring it on.  I know I can handle anything now  ( except if a chocolate shortage was declared..... NOOOOO ).  The glass is half full and its bubbling a good champers calling my name..

             Cheers Dilly xx

Time flies ...

Where does the time go?  How can we be this far through the year and have Christmas breathing down our necks?  Time does fly.

I have been rather busy of late.  Have not had time to scratch myself... hence not being able to write which I have missed.  But things for the moment have slowed.  I can see the clouds lifting and the sun is beginning to shine.  Yep all will be ok.

This past fortnight the Ferals have finished their second term of school .. only 1 to go till the long break during summer.  I have to admit although I am not a huge fan of school holidays I do think the Ferals and I have been ready to stop rushing for a bit. 
They both have done well this past few months even though the weather has been horrible and very miserable. 
My Curly haired boy even came 1st in the local towns eisteddfod for his recorder solo beating 11 other kids.  A very proud moment for us both.



Fun in the snow with Dad

The Weed has just celebrated his 7th birthday.  Wow where did these past 7 years get to?  I am sure it was only yesterday I was wiping his derriere and singing along to nursery rhymes.  He received for his birthday a new bike with gears which he proudly shows all. 

 That along with art supplies to encourage his flair for drawing made him very happy.  He had a great day and took along to school 25 cupcakes lovingly baked by yours truly to share with his class. 

I did create a cake but I must admit it was not one of my better works of art.  I think I will put that one down to a bad hectic day.  Anyway he did have a great time and the cake tasted pretty good thank goodness.

Layla the wombat is growing fast.  She is extremely cheeky and can be found inside a pillow slip on the Ferals bed if one can not find her.  How she gets onto the bed I do not know.  She is getting along fine with the rest of our menagerie and all live in fairly perfect harmony.  She is very sweet.



Magestic Mt Wellinton
stands guard over Hobart

This school holidays we took a family trip to our capital city .. Hobart. It was lovely to be once again under the shadow of the magnificent mountain that watches over this city. We traversed its slopes .. in the warmth of the car .. and played in the snow.  The mountain put on a beautiful show for us and the Ferals loved it. 
We saw friends we had not seen since January.  How lovely it was for the Ferals to reconnect with their kids.  It was like time had stood still as they took up from where they had left off.

We visited museaums and markets.  We traveled through the central lakes to reach our destination.  We played in snow where it fell and appreciated a good hot shower at the end of a long day.

The school holidays are nearly over and term 3 is about to begin.  As I expressed earlier I am not a huge fan of holidays but I can honestly admit to myself and others that this has definantly been one of the better ones.  The Ferals are growing up !!

So back to life we go.  I am amazed to see Christmas decorations already in the shops.  So yep where has the time gone? 

    Cheers Dilly xx

R U OK ?

Recently in this country we call home we had a national R U OK? day. R U OK? .. 3 little words that can help in such a huge way.  Words that I have had said to me many times and words I have said to others. 3 simple words. What do they mean to you?

For me they symbolise someone cares.  Someone has taken enough time to consider how I am feeling and generally gives a hoot.  They can provide that second of reassurance that so many of us truly need.  I am glad I have been asked.

Life in this millennium is chaotic.  Why?  Because we as a society have allowed it to be. So may of us worry where the next meal comes from or how we will afford to stay warm during a powerful Tasmanian winter.  It is easy to see why we all should ask if others are ok..

Being in a black hole within ones mind can be very frightening.  It can take us to places that one could not even imagine.  Thoughts can come to mind that previously had never been considered.  That is scary stuff !  It is not to be taken lightly.

The worst thing I feel is when asked if you are ok is to lie and say all is fine.  Not only is not being truthful to the enquiring person but denying it to ones self can only make more difficult.  Is is not a sign of weakness to admit that, nope, not all is hunkydoory.  It is a sign of strength.

Three little words that we should ask regularly.  Having a national day is fantastic to remind us, but the fact that we need to be reminded is a reflection of life.

So to all my readers I ask you with all sincerity .. R U OK?

                 Cheers Dilly xx

Ferals and frogs

There is a feeling of Spring in the air.  That combined with the snow covered mountains and icy winds are the first signs that this season is fast approaching and I do love Spring.  One other sign of warmer weather to come is frogs... and the Ferals are rather excited at this.

Today is one of those chilly mornings after heaps of rain that one can hear croaks coming from the garden.  It is also one of those days the Ferals have headed off into the wild ( well actually just up the road to the overflowing streams that are cascading past our house ) in shorts and t-shirts on the hunt for Tadpoles. 


Feral with catch !

They have taken with them the dog, 2 portable tanks, my kitchen sieves and enthusiasm.  I can not help but grin at what they may discover.

I remember as a kid doing exactly the same thing.  Huniting for frog eggs and feeling their jelly consistency slip through my fingers.  Of catching different size tadpoles and examining them for signs of legs.  What fun I had.  Part of my childhood that I am glad is being repeated. 



So many Taddies!

 We have many frogs around our house.  Mainly the Ewing's Tree frog that we see climbing up our windows in the evening or jumping out from a pot plant when watering them.  I love them as they are a sign of a healthy environment and that is what I aim to achieve at our house of mud.  All to live in harmony with nature .. I hope anyway.

The Ferals have just returned with glee etched into their faces with lots of Taddies of all shapes and sizes.  The are currently sorting them into my kitchen bowls and have spread water everywhere.. but hey they are having fun .. cant say the same for the poor Taddies though !!

I do believe kids in today's busy society do not get to do enough of this exploration.  I know certain circumstances do not allow for this type of earthy fun but I feel given the opportunity all Ferals should at least catch Tadpoles once in their childhood ! 

When you wish upon a star..

When you do does what you want come true?
Does it make you feel better or do you think its a waste of time?
Do you have any faith in what the universe is trying to tell you or do you regard it all a load of hogs wash?

Are you superstitious?

Will you cross the road to avoid a black cat or not walk under a ladder?

Does finding a four leaf clover make all your dreams come true?

I think it is for the individual to decide.

I am not a religious person.  If there is a God, well I dont know.  I do believe there might be something with in this world far more powerful than ourselves but do not believe it is a god as per say.  Maybe a natural wonder with in the earth ?  Maybe ..

I do look at stars on a clear night and if I see a shooting one I will make a wish.  I always wish for the same thing but as yet it has not come true.  Is that because its just not meant to be or am I not wishing hard enough?  It can be very disappointing at times but I guess that's the way it goes.

I don't avoid black cats and will walk under a ladder.  I fail to see the problem with each of these but I know there are some who do.  We are all entitled to our own beliefs and I will not ridicule anyone for believing what they want.

I do believe we all get out of life what we put into it.  This can be hard at times when all I want to do is crawl under the bed clothes and hide from the world .  This is not getting much out of life, and these are days that will never be repeated, so if I can pull myself out the next day and get on with it than time has not gone too far ahead.

I want to believe wishes and dreams will come true.  Maybe if I keep trying they will.  Who knows?

I envy childhood dreams and innocence.  The belief they have in the wishes they ask for. The look of hope as they dream a dream that as an adult we have forgotton how too.   I look at my Ferals and still see the wonder in their eyes as they wait in anticipation for Santa to arrive.  I am sure my oldest Feral is starting to catch on but as long as he wants to believe in childhood innocence then I will continue.  Wouldn't it be nice to be that age again?  I think so.

We all have our own beliefs and quirks.  We all will at some stage question what goes on around us and if there is good that will come out of bad. 

I will continue to watch a night sky and wait for that shooting star all those miles away and hope that maybe, just maybe that is the one I have been waiting for.  Dont know unless you try !

Cheers Dilly xx

Oi Oi Oi

Yep that is the unofficial call of an Australian supporter with in the sporting world .  The ' Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi '  seems to have become ingrained into the psyche of being an Australian.  Love it or hate it I feel it is here to stay.

The Olympics.  The time Australia usually blitzes the rest of the world in the pool and has great dreams for the track team, and not forgetting the other pursuits of sport that also make the Olympics what they are.  This year however our swimming team we have been told over and over again by the media have not performed well.  Apparently an inquest into their performance is warranted.  HUH ??

These people, these human machines of muscles have given us as a country blood sweat and tears to do their best.  I for one am proud of them all.  They are inspiring and great role models for up and coming future champions.  To me a silver or bronze is still a huge victory.  A massive thing to be proud of.  Surely it is all about giving your best and feeling that within ones self?

The message I feel has been one of .. unless its gold its not worth anything.  Poppy cock !!  It is after all a game of chance and sometimes another is better than the expected.  The pressure these athletes must feel would be enormous.  I personally would not be able to cope with that on my shoulders even though my shoulders would give any swimmer a swim for their money !!!

My Ferals watch these games with interest but have been heard to say that "oh they only won a silver "  To me that is not what these games are about.  I try to teach my Ferals that winning is not everything.  It is just as good to finish a race with a smile as it is to win.  What sort of example are the media putting into the minds of our youth?

 The Olympics are a time for the world to forget its troubles and blend as one.  A time for conflict to be put aside and all accepted for what we are.  For race and nationality to be forgotten and to be treated as equal so to me if that can be achieved then we all deserve a gold medal !!. 

So to my Ferals and others, winning is not everthing no matter what the media says.  It is about doing your best and being proud of who you are.  It is shining within your self and saying you tried.

That to me is a sign of a true champion !!

         Cheers Dilly xx

The bottom line ....

Nappies as we Australians call them, Diapers in other parts of this great world.  An extremely important part of raising a child.. What do I put on the little dears derriere to catch all the delightful parcels that greet us parents on a continual basis?. Oh the joys of parenting !!

Before having a Feral I had never ventured into the unknown world of dirty babies bottoms.  I was not, and still feel at times an overly maternal person.  The thought of changing a babe sent me into involuntary gagging.  Even with the birth of my beloved nephew I still had no intention of venturing there.  I have never though had a problem with wipping the bottom of a baby animal ... explain that !!

They stink was my initial though .. Haven't we all wandered through a place to suddenly be stopped in ones tracks by the overwhelming pong of poo?  I think so !

I remember being told that ones own child never smells as much as others.  Ha I said to myself .. what a silly thing to say..  Ok I admit it ..they were right.  My boys smelt like flowers compared to others.. Maybe the mothers instinct really does exist in me !!

The decision to use cloth or disposable..hmmm.. decisions decisions.  Now I am a true believer in saving the earth from the atrocities that we humans choose to cause, but I am also a HUGE believer in saving my sanity !!  As much as cloth nappies are reusable and have less environmental impact due to less tangible wastage...  water can be an issue due to the never ending washing.  I remember being told by a friend though that nothing gave her more satisfaction as a mother than seeing her pristine white glowing cloth nappies blowing in the wind from the clothes line.  Nope I don't have that much pride with my washing .. my whites are usually a lovely shade of grey !

The decision was made to go disposable.  My argument, besides keeping my sanity was , being on tank water I did not want to waste this precious resource .. liquid gold ! 
So what type to use ??

There are of course so many brands and types to choose from.  It can be rather overwhelming as a new parent struggling through the shopping isle of the local supermarket.  Bright lights and signs seem to call "Buy me !! "  It can be very daunting.
We all do of course want to provide the best for our offspring.  Parental peer pressure also has a way or rearing its ugly head.

What type do you use? .. is a question asked by many a mother.  They may as well be asking what type of bloomer underpants one is wearing after the birth of a Feral ( answer..HUGE ! ). Everyone has an opinion.

There is the pre mentioned peer pressure from others that can be extreme.  I must admit I started with the expensive brands.  The ones that promise no nappy rash or leakage.  The ones whose advertisements on the TV make it look like their product will enhance your life and fill it with fields of flowers that make you want to skip amongst them all the while praising poo catchers !! 
I can confirm that no matter how expensive the brand that they ALL leak and can channel the number twos out with ease.  I ended up using the cheaper brand..after all they only have to hold it for a short duration of time anyway !!

I learnt that a nappy can hold quite a considerable amout of number ones.  If a parent can just hold off changing that bottom for just a wee (excuse the pun ) bit longer, then a nappy a day can at least be saved from the pile at the bottom of the garbage bin. Surley that must be environmentally friendly ??

As for the colour and texture of a babes digested food..well that is another story all together.. I never knew so many colours of the ' rainbow '  could come out of such a sweet faced cherub... and again all smelling of those flowers that I have previously mentioned because my Ferals did not ever stink !!!

I thought of this blog today as I witnessed a mother changing her wiggling daughter on the carpet at my place of employment.  Yep that is a subject I thought to myself that should be discussed.  I am not one to beat around the bush and I believe in saying it as I see it... so yep.. my Ferals did smell like flowers and all other kiddlets do pong !!  But hey.. I am biased although I will quietly admit that I am relieved that this stage of raising Ferals is long gone... Now just to control the loo papers rolls..Surely they dont need to use THAT much !!!

      Cheers Dilly xx