Visiting Mum and Dad

We haven't visited my parents since Christmas...that is the longest gap between visits we've had for many years now.

During this year we have been collecting the smaller animals, and experimenting with how to keep them in food for more than a day, so we can scavenge back our freedom.

This latest outing has shown us that we can leave overnight, but not for longer than that yet. As they eat the food too fast.

One night is better than nothing.

We packed the car the day before. I was on Sunday School for pretty much the last time, so I needed to be there, but we rushed home afterwards to get everything we could possibly do without that we would need into the car.

The next morning we left around 7:30ish in the am, and munched on a vanilla cinnamon cake I had cooked a few days earlier for. Breakfast as we went.

It was a beautiful morning, with no mist and no rain, and we were travelling in the right direction because the sun did not get in my eyes!

Plenty of snacks had been packed and we had decided prior or leaving that we would take a back way Mum had suggested that took us between Sale and Bairnsdale of the highway, and we are glad we did, because even though the trip was lengthened by about fifteen. Minutes it was so very pretty,with rolling green hills and gum forests, and the sun shone on the dew delightfully.

We got to the house before eleven.

This time we were sleeping in the. Arabian, as my sister, Miriam, and her family are movi into 7 Smith up the road temporarily, and so we did not want to intrude on their privacy.

There was conscern that we would freeze in the caravan, as the nights are going to below zero, but we were game!

Aside from Mum and Zibbiah disappearing briefly to go and get little Ebony (baby sitting while Miriam went to work) we had a lovely day. And evening with everyone.

The children trooped today G'day to Nanna and Grandad, and then tore. Off to play with theAunties. After a cuppa itroopedout you pack e car and set up theinsideof the caravan.

My plan was to put a sleeping bag inside a sleeping bag, and I figured, that with a blanket ontop should provide ample insulation, so, coupled with our little heater, we souls passthe night comfortably.

It was, indeed, quite a pleasant night! Aside fromEli, who wanted to get into my sleeping bag, and not fitting,  so getting grumpy, every one slept toastily.

We spent most of our visit either inside or out in the yard playing. The good Lord blessed. Us with clear skies and crisp sunny days. Perfect.

Before we left, Mum let me gather two enormous bunches of coloured silverbeet, some Jerusalem artichoke bulbs and a big bag full of oranges.

I also got a bag of strawberry plants (the chickens dug all but two of mine up) and some daisy seeds to spread over the garden. Yay!

When we tried to leave, we discovered that Eli had turned everything ONI the car, and flattened the battery!

We were not worried. Just get out the jumper cables and jump start the car, right? WRONG! The cables Dad had, and. The cables we had, were not making a good connection. To the batteries and the car refused to start.

After half an hour of trying we finally called RACV and they came out in a couple odours and finally started us.

So instead of leaving at 1:30pm, we left after 4pm, but at least I got to see Miriam before we left! But of Ryan, as he was out someplace.

On the way home I stopped at two road side stalls, one to buy potatoes, and another for some lovely pears, so by the time we got home we had a lovely haul!

We stopped at the fish and chip shop before we got to our house, because it was 7pm, and we were hungry!

So when we got home, Michaelwent straight to the rabbits, and I to the guinea pigs, both of which were still alive, but very hungry, and we fed them. Then we fed ourselves. And then we went to bed.