Today’s my birthday – my 46th loop around the sun.
Hip hip
Hooray!!!
Here’s hoping you might also find something to celebrate, dear Reader!
– KRIdwyn
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Category: Blogging challenges
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#blogJune day 6
Snakes became a problem earlier this year for us: we lost a couple of budgies in our aviary and Miss15 was devastated. I wasn’t much better: the time and energy that had gone into making that thing escape-proof and snake proof! Very frustrating.
So: more money outlaid and we became the proud owners of a couple of snake repellers.
They’re in the ground, buzzing away intermittently, near the corners on opposite sides. And they seem to be working. Miss15 however, is convinced that soon the birds will start imitating the sounds!
I’m not really caring. We haven’t lost a bird to a snake since, and the escape-proof bit seems to be working too, which is good. That cubby-house removal, so a decent roof could be put on, was intense!
And I wanted one more thing to add, before I was completely happy with it. On the houseboats nearby, it’s clear that the ones with owl statues on their roofs keep the bird life away. So a few weeks ago I bought one: just $10 and hopefully it would clear the area of Indian Mynahs and other smaller birds, which can be a nuisance when we have babies.
I installed it on top of the swing nearby, dubbed him Oscar, and sat back, proud. He’s a good looking thing, wouldn’t you agree?
I had to laugh though, when a magpie perched near him just the other day! Pity I couldn’t take a photo – I was too far away 🙁
Well, have a laugh-filled day yourself, dear Reader!
– KRidwyn
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#blogJune day 5
It’s started getting cold here, and regular Readers of this blog may remember I don’t do well in the cold. My athsma plays up: less sunlight equaling less vitamin D equaling a weaker immune system, I guess.
This year, however, I’ve been more healthy than usual. And I put a large part of that down to Hubby. He has a bit of a citrus obsession, you see.
Every Saturday morning he heads to the local fruit market and stocks up on our fruit and veg for the coming week… and citrus forms quite a significant portion of that purchase. He then juices said citrus each morning: about 1.5L for him and 300ml for me. (Yes, he likes his juice!)
It started with just oranges. Then he started adding lemon, and grapefruit on occasion. And I would raise an eyebrow at the cost of it all.
Eyebrow raise no longer. Check out this year’s addition: homegrown!
And they’re beautiful 🙂
Here’s wishing you a fruitful day too, dear Reader – and a safe one, as well.
– KRidwyn
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#blogJune day 4
When I first started my current position in July 2019, I was lucky enough to inherit two and a half extra-large containers worth of LEGO. And, of course, the obligatory paraphernalia which always gets dumped in LEGO containers. You know: Connect4 counters; marbles; dinosaurs; assorted playing pieces from various board games; matchbox cars; domino tiles; the odd ear or tongue or feet from a Mr Potato Head; and so on. The containers were rarely used, because when my younger students would dig around looking for pieces they wanted, they’d give up, disappointed.
Fast forward to Term One 2020. My cherubs and I watched LEGOMasters Season One (from 2019) and seemed keen to watch Season Two. So over the Easter school holidays, I lugged home the two and a half extra-large containers, and also purchased a couple of 4-drawer wheeled trolleys, so we could start organising it all.
It took several looooong weeks! But we kept at it, and when the kids tired of sorting, I soldiered on, and finally all the LEGO was sorted. I’ll have to post the photo of the fantastic looking trolleys sometime. But the first ever LEGO photo has to be this:
because it’s something my father made when he first visited, post-COVID19. He and Master11 sat together, building and playing, and it was a lovely sight to see 🙂
Anyway, that’s my LEGO story. Do you have one, dear Reader?
And that’s it from me. Have a great day, and see you tomorrow!
- KRidwyn
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#blogJune day 3
I’m 45, and have three cherubs aged 15, 12 and 11. Miss15 and I have been breeding budgies for just over a year now. And this little guy, Jack, is the one she is spending her time training.
He’s just over 6 months and his speaking is amazing! He’s my little grand-budgie and I love him. Just check out how intelligent his eyes are 🙂
Have a intelligence-ful day yourself, dear Reader!
- KRidwyn
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#blogJune day 2
So yesterday I mentioned I’d been reading. Some context:
Last Friday was a public holiday for me – but not Hubby or the cherubs, because their schools are in different areas to mine. And so I dropped Miss15 and Miss12 off, and went shopping for a couple of things I needed. While there, I noticed THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES on special. Miss12 is currently reading MOCKINGJAY, so I had to get it.
I was only planning on reading the first chapter or two.
After a while, I looked up to realise not only had I missed lunch, but it was also nearly time to go collect the girls! Sigh.
So: what was the last book to capture your attention? And do you plan to read today?
And – see you tomorrow, dear Reader!
– KRidwyn
Well, what a difference 12 months make!
May 31, 2019: I was employed as Head of Middle School at a local private school. I was stressed, exhausted and a fortnight away – although I didn’t know it! – from being made redundant. Man, am I glad I didn’t play along with #blogJune last year!
May 31, 2020: I’m employed as Teacher Librarian (and also Head of House) at a different local private school. I’m not stressed – in spite of tumultuous changes in schools because of COVID-19 – and I’m not exhausted – again, even though I’ve been working dozens and dozens of extra hours in both the school and Library areas of my job.
And these past few days, I’ve even managed to get back to writing again!
Not to mention some reading… but I’ll leave that for tomorrow. Have a great day, dear Reader!
– KRidwyn
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50/52
I’m rather proud of myself – that title up there tells me I’ve almost made it! A years’ worth of ‘photo’ posts… for someone who HATES posting the photos she takes, this is a pretty good achievement, even if I do say so myself.
So this week’s photo was the surf at Rainbow Beach – where the family and I stayed last week. So beautiful, so peaceful, so needed (after the tumult that was the 2019 academic year!) and just wonderful.
How about you, dear Reader? What was ‘wondrous’ in your life this week?
– KRidwyn
[Update: now with photo! Whoops!]
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36/52
Spring has well and truly sprung! Behold, my annual indicator:
And here’s wishing you a week full of new-life yourself, dear Reader!
– KRidwyn
Wow – what a month it’s been! I knew, starting the #blogJune challenge this year would be difficult… I just didn’t realise exactly how challenging it was going to be!
So the month started by introducing the whole #blogJune challenge, and my theme (blessings) for the rest of the posts. Then I followed this with:
#1 Getting an incredible (impossible!) car park
#2 Finding the hiding engagement ring
#3 Knowing a fellow driver would be safe
#5 Lightning flash when I needed it
#7 purchasing (and collecting) a mobile phone storage box in an impossibly short time frame
#8 free family entertainment – and awesome entertainment too!!!
#10 Hubby being awake before me…
#11 Family, friends, and youz guyz sending me birthday wishes 🙂
#13 My #WritingRace friends – youz guyz ROCK!!!
#14 Colleagues who go the second mile 🙂
#15 My Mum – the reason Hubby and I could get a night away together!
#19 Heat – natural and electrical – both are great!
#20 The incomparable Mr Stephen Dittman – thank you, my friend 🙂
#21 A different perspective on vomit…
#22 Raindrop, splatting on my head
#26 My Knight (well, Lady) in shining armour 🙂
#27 Additions to the #TBR pile
#28 My schoolkids and the absolute delights that they are!
And that was it for the month! Twenty-eight blessings which I thank my God for, not even a scratch on the surface of the myriad of blessings he pours out on me day-after-day-after-day-after-day and you get the idea.
He is just SO incredibly awesome. And I’d encourage you, dear Reader, if you’ve never sought Him before, to do so. To trust Him, because He is truly the one and only One worth trusting!
And even should you choose to not, then maybe just try the whole ‘count what the good things are in your life’ because the change in attitude which develops is also pretty cool 🙂
Anyway, I’ll get off my soapbox now. Have a Blessed rest-of-the-week, dear Reader! And I’ll catch you all on Monday 🙂
— KRidwyn