Sunday, July 22, 2012

With the grumps

Hallo!





So even though it's been a gorgeous sunny Winter weekend here in Melbourne, I've been hibernating. I think I have man-flu even though I'm a she and not a he. I think it's man-flu because surely, as you men folk can attest (Mark? Gaz?), this affliction is pure misery. I blame the 10km run I did for charity (Berry Street) last Sunday. I didn't actually ever get around to training but with $700 raised I couldn't very well back out! I did it with sheer stubbornness as Mr Bok said - I did however vomit once and fall once, also felt sure I was going to faint at the 8km mark and scoffed 3 mini chocolate bars along the way. But I did it all in 1hr 13 mins - absolutely ages I know but I did it!!




Master Bok has been really sick too.  I'm very thankful for the amazing Children's Hospital we have here in Melbourne.  Still don't know exactly what's wrong - more tests this week.  It's been awful so far and the worst test is yet to come but Master Bok (3) has been very brave.  Even with those bung things in his arms. But look at this - the newly renovated hospital has a meerkat enclosure and a huge aquarium to entertain the children.

 

Hey, can I complain a bit more please?  (I was born in England after all and acting the part of whinging pom is my prerogative at times like this). 

Poor lil Ru got his paw stuck in a large crack in the floor the other day.  But we can't replace floorboards etc 'until we renovate'.  Just like we can't replace the roof 'until we renovate'...even though we have gone from having to use 1 bucket to using 3 when it rains  :)

Lil Ru snoozing

When we first moved in we did a bit of a cosmetic renovation (stripping carpets, white washing floors, pulling off wallpaper, painting everything white, stripping every doorway even removing doors and leaving them off, adding a vegie garden and fruit trees etc) but we always knew we'd have to do a full scale reno further down the track as our 100 yr old home is falling down and needs structural work.  We did all this damn hard yakka knowing all our efforts will be wiped out when we do a full scale reno anyway thus our reluctance to spend on roofing and floorboard replacement now.  These bloody Melbourne earthquakes don't help with the cracks and foundations either.  And Master Bok really has outgrown his tiny room - would love to be able to fit a wardrobe into his space!  He would just like more room for fire engines and race cars...

 
Love sweetpea at this time of year 

We also broke our bed recently (no smart remarks thanks!)...and got in a mattress and base yesterday.  Mattresses just aren't firm enough for us so we've gone with a base this time for added support.  Our old bed is in the garage awaiting rehoming.  It's weird not having bed posts or even a bed head, but fun to plan a bed head - I'm thinking maybe just very striking wallpaper instead like this one.   Any ideas?
  
Oh!  And look who I spied out of the bedroom window!

 Speaking of the girls...

 
Compare the bright fluoro egg yolk of the egg laid by Coco (top) with the pale yellow yolk on the bottom belonging to a very costly store-bought certified organic free range egg.  Hrmm.  The colour difference freaks me out.  Our girls roam about eating as much grain, grass and vegies and bugs as they want - I wonder about the girls roaming free in large dustbowls.  I'd like to point out that nothing my chooks eat has any additives - the grain they eat is just grain only, the fluoro yellow of the cooked yolk (normal pale colour when uncooked) is due to the grass and greens in their diet.  They eat more ree ranging than they do of the actual grain.  Fellow hen keepers have reported the same thing in their free roaming hens.
Oh that pic on the right is the last of our home grown garlic harvested in Autumn.
  

Sat in the garden drinking lots of hot soup and watching the antics of the bok flock.

 
 

 Wild flowers and snippets of natives from our local park 

AND don't even get me started on politics right now.  Or on work.  Grrrrrr.  Grumps indeed.  I'm not usually this grouchy!  I'm blaming man-flu.

34 comments:

  1. Well done on the 10km run.
    Houses are a real money pit and need constant maintenance. One thing often leads to another too.

    Hope you are feeling better soon. There's lots of bad virus' around.

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    1. Thank you! I feel a lot better today must have been the effect of getting the grumbles out :)

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  2. I well done on your fun run, hope you you all get well soon.

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  3. Good on you for doing the Fun Run!!

    Man-flu has a lot to answer for when it comes to being grouchy so complain away, you are completely justified. Poor Master Bok, hope he gets better soon. I really love your bedspread and your white bedroom. I like your idea of a wallpaper/mural behind the bed and the one you chose but I remember when we didn't have a headboard reading in bed was uncomfortable as the bed kept slipping away from the wall when leaning against the wall. But your bed base may have locks on the wheels where ours didn't (?).

    Your veggies are looking great too, our patch is still quite pathetic as we only planted in Winter but the broad beans look promising.

    Hope you have a great week! Mel x

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    Replies
    1. Hullo! I have noticed it moving a tad on the floorboards I'll have to fix that.

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  4. Hi Mrs B! GOSH, man flu, a 3 bucket leaking roof, earthquakes, FUN RUNS(you crazy), destructo chickens and poor master Bok! grumble away!

    I hope Master Bok gets better soon! Poor muffin. I'm glad he is enjoying the meerkat exhibit! I worked on that project!

    Sending positive, health filled thoughts your way!

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    1. You work on THE BEST projects Phoebstar! That enclosure is amazing.

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  5. Oh I hope you are feeling lovely and healthy tomorrow and the man flu is a distant memory. Being sick is no fun and watching your little fella have oodles of tests is even worse. Poor thing. (as an aside though... meer cats! How cool is that!!)

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    1. I know - it's horrible to endure. But as for the enclosure it is truly wonderful. Of course Phoebe had a hand in it!!

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  6. Renos...tell me about it....we are busting out of the seams here at our joint..but hopefully $$$$ will be available to pull down this year sometime...everything is falling apart round here, taps dont work, tiles are falling off...its freakin me out...Hope your flu goes quick and the little man is well again too.............its okay , being grumpy is a way of dealing with it all...x

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  7. Bravo on completing the run, no matter the time! I live in a 100 yr old house and it always needs something. Always.

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    1. Thanks. Yup old houses...full of charm but oh so much work!!

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  8. Man flu is an awful affliction indeed so you have our sympathies :) Seriously though, well done on completing the marathon and raising so much money! We also wish you and Master Bok speedy recovery and wellness soon, sending out positive vibes :)

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  9. I'm sorry to hear your little man has been sick. Hospital tests are no fun, we've been down that road. I hope it turns out to be something relatively minor. Congratulations on finishing the run! Oh, and do you feed your chooks layer mash? If so, that would explain the yellow yolks - they put colouring in the non-organic mash mixes. Hope you're all feeling better soon!

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    1. Thank you! And no we don't feed layer mash, we feed organic grain. The fluoro is just the grass and the vegies they eat - their diet is mainly greens and bugs.

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  10. What troubled times Mrs Bok, no wonder you felt the need to have a grumble. I'd be grumbling my head off if I got myself enrolled into a 'fun' run. HWy are they called that!!! What's fun about them if it involves falling over and puking!!?
    I hoe you get your little guy sorted out very quick. Gosh, I can't believe they have a meerkat display at the hospital - that's amazing.
    I hope this week everything picks up for you xx

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    1. Thanks Sarah. Yup no very fun but it was a sunny beautiful day for a run!
      Thanks for your well wishes :)

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  11. We are all allowed to be a bit grumpy, Mrs. Bok, from time to time. Perhaps you have winter time blues. Think of us enduring temps in the 90s F. While we love our summer time, we do long for the cooler days. As for home grown eggs, I a get nearly giddy as I am able to pass the eggs at the super market. I don't have to buy eggs any more. As for the 10 K, bravo. Hope you have a great week and the Mr. Bok is returning to health.

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    1. Hi Ann! Those scorching summer days...I do not envy you! How is the community recovering after the bushfires?

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  12. Oh poor Mrs Bok. And Master Bok. I can't believe you kept running even after a vomit! That doesn't sound like someone who's a complainer. My chooks free range but their yolks aren't all that yellow. In fact I bought some free range eggs the other day from the supermarket and they were yellower! Hope you're all feeling better.

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    1. Hi VG! Maybe it's cos my girls live on grass. The raw yolk is very pale but once cooked it's so bright!

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  13. I hope Master Bok is OK and doesn't need any more yukky tests. The hospital looks great but I'm sure he'd rather be home. You've got a fair bit to deal with at the moment and I'm sure once your health returns you will be on top of things again. Anyone who can run 10km even after being sick, can do almost anything.

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    1. Hullo! Thank you. Had enough or hospitals this year!!

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  14. Oh goodness me you are so entitled to a grumble. I ranted for a whole post about my kids both having the flu! Also I would entirely blame that "fun" run- what were you thinking? everyone knows they are only for crazy people. Hope master bok is on the mend, watching meekats would be so good for the soul, how wonderful for all those chronically ill children in hospital. And the yolks, my girls used to lay eggs like that and I agree the shop bought organic/free range never come close. Lastly, my house is now onto us and our reno plans and everything is falling apart, the deck is collapsing and the stove and dishwasher are both on their last legs. melx

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    1. I know how you feel mel! Poor old rumbling houses :(

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  15. A Meerkat enclosure.....that's such a positive thing for everyone, hoping your brave little boy is soon on the mend.
    Er...Grumpiness now that is certainly allowed especially when suffering from Man flu........Good news Spring is on the Way !!

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  16. Broke your bed, I know you said no smart remarks but I mean really!

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  17. Oh, poor Mrs Bok! At least you haven't lost your sense of humour...we have a very bad case of rising damp/brick rot in our old place, it scares me witless. Lots of good thoughts for Master Bok and of course his very funny mummy.

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  18. Hello Mrs. Bok!
    Oh, I hope you are feeling better by now. Way to go, running that run and raising all the funds for charity!
    I hope Master Bok is on the mend very soon, too.
    House improvements are endless, aren't they?
    I'm glad to see you posting. I miss you when you are away!

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  19. Hi i'm nominating you for a award tomorrow.

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