Making money

I've been very entrepreneurial lately, and have made enough money renting Ma and Pa's bach to pay the bills and cover some minor improvements. I have to concede, though, that the recent big improvements (I can't keep track of older improvements) are entirely thanks to the generosity of certain parties:

Robyn, for spring-cleaning and helping me to de-clutter
Edwina and Ian - beds and all sorts of furniture and other useful objets
Helen and Tim - bunks
Robyn and Nige - a decent telly and cabinet to hide it (from Mum) in
Raewyn - a water filter to end all water filters - and with luck and sufficient water pressure - to make the water potable
Phil and Kay - a sexy lounge suite complete with lazyboy recliners x 2
Craig - cleaning of aforementioned suite
Julia - expertise designing the kitchen
Imogen - for expert family-meeting-chairing
All Dad's friends who have wired things and generally been jolly useful
etc. etc.

But the Oscar goes to Ma and Pa, who had the foresight to buy a property and build and maintain a building thereon! doing endless jobs around the place and spending vast sums so that their dreadful children and their friends could benefit...

but not just us!! check out Paddy's Pad and see how others are in there doing that :-)

Two dykes and a stopbank

The emptiness of our nest was brought forcibly home to me yesterday, when we went for a picnic and I only needed to make sandwiches for Ian, Janet, and me. Teenagers have their own agenda; sad but true!

We went to the Ashley River, and drove along the stopbank until we reached number xx (I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you) groyne. The pozzie was magic, the sun relentless, and the willows accommodating. We joined our neighbours, who have expert knowledge of the best holes, and swam in the balmy waters. Ian went on his usual intrepid exploring mission across the river bed. Janet was content to watch the action, although she fretted a bit about the suitability of the branch which supported the rope swing. Rightly so; I suspect that sometime soon, someone over 30 kg will drop gracefully in to the gently flowing water, and then be topped off by the branch itself...

The dykes were enjoying a beer.