February News
January was bitterly cold, though we did have some beautiful days, when it felt warm in the sunshine. February has begun dry and a little milder. Last week my niece Sandra and Walter arrived with chainsaw and appropriate gear - at last our two apples, one plum and huge fir tree are down. In thirty five years we did not have a kilo of fruit and Dolan and I said for ages that they had to go. Now the “down garden” will be brighter and the soil will improve when the root systems rot away. This year, however Cheque the tortoise can go on safari there!
Alison in Toowoomba has begun the “revamp” of the website - a lot of work, but I know she’s happy doing it - and I am thrilled..... The site will have a new address and a shake around, if she has her way - and she will!!! My remit to date is to take photos - I’ll do my best, though that is not one of my strong points.. The coral beach is one of my goals - I have not even got there yet as, when the days were sunny, the tides were unsuitable. Now I wait patiently for high tides and sunshine - could wait a while! - then on with the “wellies” again..
I broke off for a wee while to do a touch typing exercise - “speed, 10 words a minute!!! I began on the wrong two keys and scored 100% mistakes, so I’m taking a break altogether and writing this looking at the keyboard! I’m told I am now at level 10 of 20 and I’m still waiting to be taught the fingering for my two most used keys - the back space and exclamation mark!
Moira, Colin and the children are all fighting fit and I hope to have Catriona and maybe Sam here in their February holiday. John is coming very soon and he’ll clad the shower walls in the west room - I shall not be sorry to see the tiles go for good. He’ll also wipe clean my “to do, have tried, can’t” list and hopefully have a couple of days lazing around.
The kitchen floor is now restored and I am very pleased with the warm-feeling, practical lino. It is mottled brown and both Yarrow and Sponge have new green bean bags, which they curl up on in the evenings. So, picture us there - two contented animals in front of the Rayburn cooker and me in a corner, knitting, reading, watching TV or fiddling about with the new laptop - ultra sensitive and keys which have dropped my typing rate even lower!
I am now thinking ahead and looking forward to opening the doors for our guests, the first of whom arrive on March 16th. The sense of pre-season urgency has not hit me yet - it will! 2005, my first solo year, was more “crowded” than I anticipated - more housework, more garden, more forward planning, etc. - so in 2006 I regret that I will be unable to accept single night bookings in advance.
We all hope that we may meet you this year.
From Heron’s Flight’s cosy kitchen, Ann, Yarrow and Sponge.
