not good news from the eye specialist in Brisbane yesterday ... another tiny hole has appeared in my retina so I have to have more laser work done .... even worse the other eye needs work as well so I'm sulking today.
Clivey says I should look in the bright side ... at least it can be fixed and was found early enough to be a 5 minute job. I'm still sulking though ... I'm just not prepared to let logic get in the way of a good sulk!
28 November, 2006
26 November, 2006
Eyeballs and AGMs
It's "important" Rugby matches today so I'm banished to "my pit" to leave "he who thinks he should be obeyed" in peace to enjoy a day in front of the TV watching men in baggy shorts throwing a funny shaped ball around a field and punching eachother from time to time. I don't understand the attraction, but them I'm not into any kind of sport so I'm probably not the person to ask about the usefulness of such past-times!
Tomorrow we're off to Brisbane to see an eye specialist. Seems there's something awry with my left one - so it's a day of shopping and lunching in the big smoke before my appointment at 3:45 ... Queensland time so we'll be too late to attend the Tweed Tourism AGM. Clive's been phoning around letting the voters know that he's standing for the Board again this year and pledging his continued support for the "little operators".
As we're thinking of selling up and retiring this could be his last year so I was planning to break out the posh frock and attend the after party with him for a change. Mind you, it's by no means a foregone conclusion that we will sell-up .... all the prospective "retirement blocks" we've looked at leave us realising what a special place we have at Hillcrest and how difficult it's going to be to leave it.
24 November, 2006
Xmas Rush
spent a very pleasant day out shopping at Robina Town Centre yesterday ... and the Xmas rush is definitely on!
Target were having a 30% off toy sale and we managed to find a few great pressies for the Salvos Xmas appeal. Added to the ones I already have stashed in our massage room that I "picked up" at various sales throughout the year, we have quite a nice selection again. We donate every year - Clive thinks it's me doing my civic duty, but I have to confess I rather enjoy shopping for toys. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sorry we never had children, far from it, but the toy shopping part is fun - and it gives you a warm fuzzy to know that the gift you so carefully chose for an unknown child will bring pleasure that they otherwise may have gone without.
In the car on the way home we agreed ... it's time to unpack the Xmas decorations and start thinking about "getting dressed" for the silly season. We have a full house this year, and for one couple it's their first Xmas outside the UK so we'd better make sure the decorations are extra good - although I think somehow they'll figure out that they wouldn't be sitting by a pool on a sunny day, sipping on bubbly during and English Christmas!!!
Target were having a 30% off toy sale and we managed to find a few great pressies for the Salvos Xmas appeal. Added to the ones I already have stashed in our massage room that I "picked up" at various sales throughout the year, we have quite a nice selection again. We donate every year - Clive thinks it's me doing my civic duty, but I have to confess I rather enjoy shopping for toys. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sorry we never had children, far from it, but the toy shopping part is fun - and it gives you a warm fuzzy to know that the gift you so carefully chose for an unknown child will bring pleasure that they otherwise may have gone without.
In the car on the way home we agreed ... it's time to unpack the Xmas decorations and start thinking about "getting dressed" for the silly season. We have a full house this year, and for one couple it's their first Xmas outside the UK so we'd better make sure the decorations are extra good - although I think somehow they'll figure out that they wouldn't be sitting by a pool on a sunny day, sipping on bubbly during and English Christmas!!!
22 November, 2006
Take Time to Smell the Roses ..... and see the mountains
Yet another beautiful day in the gorgeous tweed valley - it will be hotter today though. The view from my hill wasn't the crisp, clean, early morning view of the last few days, but already "heat-hazed" by 8am - a sure sign of warmer weather to come.
Fortunately that won't worry us or our guests as we not only have the pool but are fully air-conditioned throughout - not something I like to use in our own wing unless I have to, but on the occasional scorcher it's definitely a "mod con" we couldn't live without.
I took this photo a few days ago looking from my vantage point on top of the hill, back towards Hillcrest just after dawn ... even though I tried to shield out the sun with my hand the photo was less than successful.
I really will manage to get up before dawn and beat the rising sun to a good photo one day, but in the meantime if you squint through the sun glare you can just make us out on the hill on the right above the dams.
to see more of Hillcrest visit www.hillcrestbb.com
Fortunately that won't worry us or our guests as we not only have the pool but are fully air-conditioned throughout - not something I like to use in our own wing unless I have to, but on the occasional scorcher it's definitely a "mod con" we couldn't live without.
I took this photo a few days ago looking from my vantage point on top of the hill, back towards Hillcrest just after dawn ... even though I tried to shield out the sun with my hand the photo was less than successful.I really will manage to get up before dawn and beat the rising sun to a good photo one day, but in the meantime if you squint through the sun glare you can just make us out on the hill on the right above the dams.
to see more of Hillcrest visit www.hillcrestbb.com
20 November, 2006
What a Day
By last night I was totally exhausted ... Clive went out early (6am) for a day of exploring the 4WD trails of Numinbah State Forest with Tony - ex-guest now living in the next valley over. So it was left to me to do guest breakfasts, clean both main house rooms and the Cottage all in time for new arrivals in the afternoon - all this on top of my usual chores of animal feeding, emails and accounts!
Thank God we didn't have any early arrivals as I didn't get finished until 3:15, by which time I was completely exhausted .... made me appreciate having my Beloved around I can tell you.
Today is shopping, annual check-up with Wendy the Naturopath and home to start preparing for the two candle-lit dinners that have been ordered this evening. The lovely young couple (I swear they only look 12, but I guess that's my middle-age showing) in the Cottage have booked the Gazebo, so we'll put the Blue Room couple under the fairy-lit tree by the pool.
Thank God we didn't have any early arrivals as I didn't get finished until 3:15, by which time I was completely exhausted .... made me appreciate having my Beloved around I can tell you.
Today is shopping, annual check-up with Wendy the Naturopath and home to start preparing for the two candle-lit dinners that have been ordered this evening. The lovely young couple (I swear they only look 12, but I guess that's my middle-age showing) in the Cottage have booked the Gazebo, so we'll put the Blue Room couple under the fairy-lit tree by the pool.
17 November, 2006
Another Glorious Day in Paradise
Having spent a totally disasterous night in the grips of sadness due to the theft of a number of personal items from our guest lounge - I have awoken with a new outlook on life to yet another glorious day in paradise.
It's unfortunate that as we become busier and busier, the law of averages determines that sooner or later we will encounter unpleasantness from the guest direction - I suppose we have lived a "charmed life" without major encounter for the last almost 8 years.
My response is to refuse to allow their dark souls to influence my attitude to future guests as it so easily could. Thus our new arrivals today will find a complimentary bottle of Hillcrest Champagne chilled and ready by their spa baths. Let karma take care of the persons who felt our Buddha would be better in their possesion than ours!
central atrium leading off the guest lounge at Hillcrest
It's unfortunate that as we become busier and busier, the law of averages determines that sooner or later we will encounter unpleasantness from the guest direction - I suppose we have lived a "charmed life" without major encounter for the last almost 8 years.
My response is to refuse to allow their dark souls to influence my attitude to future guests as it so easily could. Thus our new arrivals today will find a complimentary bottle of Hillcrest Champagne chilled and ready by their spa baths. Let karma take care of the persons who felt our Buddha would be better in their possesion than ours!
central atrium leading off the guest lounge at Hillcrest16 November, 2006
All Fixed and I'm Happy Again
All the computer problems of yesterday are now fixed ... won't go into detail as, to be honest, who cares? Suffice it to say hard drive reformat has been avoided and I'm a "happy little vegemite" again.
.... and who wouldn't be? clear blue skies, sunshine, beautiful scenery and an enviable life? Bit windy today - in fact it's a howling gale - the ubiquitous "they" say there will be thunderstorms from the South late this afternoon. This means that little Ralphy will be camped out on my head for the duration ... it's the not the wearing of a dog on my person that I object to so much, as the stressed dog breath that goes with it. Still as "pack leader" it's my job to wear him wherever he feels safest.
15 November, 2006
Computer Crisis
Why does it always happen when you least need it to???????
For some reason I can't connect to my hosting account - where I keep all the domain names and hosting services that I maintain for other people. Last night I had to change the DNS for one of those accounts and this morning the blasted site doesn't work. I couldn't be more upset if it were my own site - having experienced site downtime for over a week last year I know how disasterous it can be for business.
So naturally enough I want to sign in to the hosting account and check the DNS is correct .... I'm 99.9% certain it is but self-doubt is the first emotion when things like this go awry! So naturally enough I can't login. When Murphy is on the loose, there's no point unless he goes big-time. So now I'm hamstrung. It's 6:30 am and I don't know what to do ....... it was all working last night, this morning it won't connect... won't even ping the site.
I've tried disabling virus and firewalls, I've tried restarting computer. I can't call for help until after 9am as no sensible person is working at this time in the morning. I just hope I can get it fixed before I have to tell the site owner .......... I was supposed to be making things better by moving to a faster server!
I feel sick ... think I'll go and climb my hill!
For some reason I can't connect to my hosting account - where I keep all the domain names and hosting services that I maintain for other people. Last night I had to change the DNS for one of those accounts and this morning the blasted site doesn't work. I couldn't be more upset if it were my own site - having experienced site downtime for over a week last year I know how disasterous it can be for business.
So naturally enough I want to sign in to the hosting account and check the DNS is correct .... I'm 99.9% certain it is but self-doubt is the first emotion when things like this go awry! So naturally enough I can't login. When Murphy is on the loose, there's no point unless he goes big-time. So now I'm hamstrung. It's 6:30 am and I don't know what to do ....... it was all working last night, this morning it won't connect... won't even ping the site.
I've tried disabling virus and firewalls, I've tried restarting computer. I can't call for help until after 9am as no sensible person is working at this time in the morning. I just hope I can get it fixed before I have to tell the site owner .......... I was supposed to be making things better by moving to a faster server!
I feel sick ... think I'll go and climb my hill!
14 November, 2006
Massage Day
I simply LURVE Tuesdays .... it's my massage day. Yes every Tuesday at 1:30 you'll find me laid out on the massage table having my recalcitrant muscles stretched and pummelled into submission by the lovely Lisa.Once the obligatory "ironing out" is taken care of, it's time for the blissful part. This usually involves sinking into a spaced-out state until all too soon one awakens to find oneself dribbling through the face-hole in the massage table and wondering where the last hour could possible have gone!
I call Lisa the fairy at the bottom of my garden as whilst she is unarguably the best masseuse on the planet, she is also somewhat "esoteric" with her life outlook. That aside, I don't think I could manage to survive without my weekly pummelling, so I've made it very clear that should she wish to marry, her intended must realise he is not permitted to move her away from our beautiful valley ... any hint that he intends to so do would most likely result in his mysterious disappearance. I've assured Lisa they'd never find his body as it's a huge rainforest out there!
by the way, that's not me in the picture ... I wish! No I'm older and more substantial than the dolly bird in the pic .. one of our guests last year who was happy to pose for a promo pic in exchange for a free massage
13 November, 2006
Pleased to announce that baby chook fully recovered from crow attack and has now learned to stay well hidden under the bushes!
Another 10 have hatched to 3 new mothers so with a bit of luck we will actually be able to breed a few to full size to supply fresh eggs for our guest breakfasts.
It's a simply glorious, good to be alive day - worthy of cracking a bottle of champagne and taking a glass to our Cottage guests who are lazing in the pool. They tell me it's a very comfortable temperature (the heating has been on all day) and whilst I believe them, I'm not about to join them ... far too early in the season for that sort of thing. However after delivering their champagne, I'm more than happy to indulge in my own glass on our private verandah and watch the sun go down.
Spa Suite guests should be back from their horse-riding soon, so I should save some for them as well .......
12 November, 2006
Crows Strike Again!
was dragged from a sound slumber by the sounds of chooks in distress. Tumbling out of bed, I stumbled blearily out to the chook pen in time to see a crow attacking my last remaining baby .... 8 already eaten by the darn scavengers as Daisy isn't into motherhood and abandoned her brood as soon as they had enough feathers not to need her night-time warmth.
I think it was more the shock of seeing me fall flat on my bum in the mud (it's been raining for 2 days and I hadn't stopped to get dressed or put on my boots) than any fear of humans that made the crow drop his screaming prey and take off. I didn't stop to worry about my damaged pride or bleeding knees as I scrabbled to my feet and slithered over to where the poor baby stood shaking and shocked.
Not too much damage - a cut over the eye all that's visible, so I gently placed her inside the chook house where she'll be safe, at least for a while.
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