Callie loves to keep us updated with Boof photos, this was taken on a warmer September day and she said that he would use any puddle to cool down :)

Callie took this photo at the zoo, it was such an amazing thing to be that close!

Kasiah is smiling all the time now and in this one I said she is just showing off now!  What a cheeky little face :)  I think Josh and Kara will have their hands full with this one hahaha

One big benefit of still being at home in September was being able to celebrate Sylvana's 50th birthday with her!!  Although we had to leave before she had her party, we were there on the day :)

We got back to Tandou Farm on Sunday 22nd with Bun starting work the following day.  The above photo is of the gym equipment here, I was on the treadmill when I took this. My plan here is to hit the treadmill on the days that I'm not working.  We were unsure how much work I would get here so exercise, sewing and cooking are on my list of things to do (with maybe a few books read too).  However work has rudely interrupted my working holiday LOL.  I started on Friday and am lucky enough to be finished each day around 5-5.30 so I have time to do the washing and fix tea before Bun gets back about 8pm.  Work is expected to continue full-on for the next 10-14 days to finish the planting however with the small amount of rain we got last night, we have a quiet morning at camp while the bosses work out whether things will crank up again after lunch.  The clay soil here is awful after a rain so it's a case of wait and see.  We are hopeful of getting Saturday off to head to Broken Hill for the day but it will depend on work.

I found the perfect spot in the van for Thelma! So far I've made tuna dip, beetroot salad, broccoli salad, chocolate brownies, banana bread and the stand-out, beef stroganoff!!  I found a recipe for it on-line that said it was for 'wimpy kids' and I thought that sounds about right for Bun lol.  I left out the onion because of him, but all I had to do was put all the ingredients in and switch it on for 20 minutes and it was done!!!  Tasted great and such a time saver for the nights that we are both working, I LOVE my birthday present.  If we don't get to go to work this afternoon, I'm thinking that making anzac biscuits would be good because having the oven on will warm up the van.  It's come in so cold now, after yesterday when it got up to about 37-38 now I have my ugg boots on again!

This is the rig I have been using this week, it goes over the beds and loosens up the soil on the top of the beds ready for planting.

Some of the paddocks look huge.

I spent a day using this rig called a bed shaper.

I was waiting for some work to be done on the rig the other morning before I could start so starting taking some photos to pass the time.

And this one shows that I finally have the long legs that I've always wanted LOL

On a positive note, although Ben didn't get the posting that he wanted, he has found a new place to live. He wanted to live on his own again and has found an inner-city studio apartment with a large balcony.  He told me that his favourite pizza restaurant is downstairs, a great artisan bakery is across the road along with a bottleshop, the best coffee place is next door and its 500 metres to the Civic shopping centre!  I said it sounds great for visitors haha but I think visitors might need to bring their swags and camp out on the balcony because of lack of space!

Callie and Steven had a weekend back in the Riverland and enjoyed catching up with family and friends, plus the dogs really loved their time in the river :)  

Josh and Kara are doing well and are constantly receiving smiles from Kasiah.  We will be so pleased to see her when we get back from Tandou.  Babies change so quickly and she is two months old already!  

I think that's about it for now

Cheers

Anne

Lots of fun has been had on the motorbike track!!

And we'll always need to see more photos of Kasiah :))

Kasiah has learnt to smile and it melts our hearts xxxx

We had a lovely family dinner and I loved having all the family there!  The kids didn't want me to miss out on balloons and cake so I got to celebrate early.

These balloons are still floating nearly 2 weeks later hahaha

On a quick trip to Adelaide to drop things off, I got to give Kasiah her bottle and Bun got to cuddle her to sleep.  She kept hold of his finger, sooo cute xxxx

She is changing each time we see her so we're really thankful for the internet and mobile phones.  Kara sends us photos all the time :))

Callie, Ben and Bun were just near the lion cages when I got to feed this guy!

We miss seeing this smiley face every day but we know that he gets endless cuddles from Callie and Steven xxx

Bun and I went to the Field Days today and caught up with a few people and I will be working at Irvings again for the next couple of days.  Friday night will be spent with Sylvana and James to celebrate her 50th birthday before we head back to Tandou on the weekend.

Unfortunately Ben did not get a posting to Adelaide (or anywhere else!!).  It means he will be stuck in Canberra for the next year so he's pretty ticked off at the moment.  He is going to be looking at moving back into the inner city area.  That way he's closer to work so at least he has something to look forward to.  Hopefully we may be able to meet up with him in WA sometime next year.

The Thermomix is going really well and has made me keen to do more cooking.  I won't be too upset if I end up spending more time cooking and sewing at Tandou instead of driving tractors :))

That's it for now,

Cheers

A brief trip to Adelaide so that the kids could surprise me with an early birthday present.  We will be back at Tandou in October so they decided to get in beforehand.  Of course, we just had to squeeze in some cuddle time with Kasiah as well :)

I had absolutely no idea what the kids had planned for me until we were almost at the Zoo.  After we parked, they gave me this voucher for a Big Cat Experience.  They had decided that it was too hard to give me 'something' because of travelling so instead I got an 'experience' !!

I spent about an hour and a half with a couple of other people and two keepers seeing the behind the scenes stuff to do with caring for the tigers and lions.  More importantly, I got to feed a tiger and two lions!!!   Amazing to be up that close to them :))

If the weather had been a little drier and a little warmer we probably would have spent a bit more time at the zoo but Bun, Ben and Callie had been looking around while I was busy.  Then we headed down to Glenelg for lunch before Bun and I went to see Kara and Kasiah.

Callie is dwarfed by Storm :))

My birthday present from Bun is a Thermomix and the Chocolate Almond Cake above was the second thing I made with it.  It is now in the kitchen at home but will be travelling in the van with us.  It is an amazing piece of machinery and I'm looking forward to playing with it :)

Callie seems to think that she'll be able to 'borrow' it but that is NOT going to happen.  Ali at Tandou thinks that she could 'babysit' it when I'm in a tractor, also NOT going to happen :))

Anyway that's all my big news for now

Cheers

Father's Day 2013

Well as Bun said "a day off at home beats a day off at Tandou"!

So today turned into a 'boys and their toys' day, James came around with the big loader and turned the back area into a motorbike track.  A lot of dust was created and heart rates skyrocketed but they had a lot of fun.  Some guys will just never grow up LOL

I think the old farts got a bit buggered actually hahahaha

Time out for a track grade and the water cart :))

Bun tried it out with the 650 but it was at about this point that I could clearly hear him say that it was 'f#$%#$ing hard work'!!

And they were covered in dust!!

Callie said that Boof likes to find any puddle on a walk.

Bun's gift for Father's day was biscuit mix that he could eat raw, he and Ben ate until they felt a bit sick so the rest was cooked.

Callie and Steven have been getting in some cuddle time with Kasiah this weekend but she looks like she's trying to work Steven out haha

Callie proudly told me that she changed her first nappy the other day but got Kara to check it first to make sure it was only a wet one :))

It was a great day today but back to work tomorrow, jobs to be done before we go back to Tandou.

Cheers
Anne