BLESSED SPEEDY

Today I finished this wall hanging for Mum - she started it years and years ago and has had it pinned onto the curtains in her kitchen for I dont know how long.  However its now done = embroidery finished, quilted, bound and a hanging sleeve.  At the moment Mum is on holidays with her cousin in Newcastle - I think this might make a nice welcome home present for her. Yesterday there was also a start here - the builder arrived to start our renovations - we are having all the old windows replaced (hooray no more louvers in the kitchen!!!!), guttering replaced, door that we dont use covered in and vinyl cladding on the outside front wall.  Gary got to have fun ripping down the facia and guttering yesterday - I got to watch and make cuppas.

Friday night saw Gary and I take a rare night away from the farm and head to the All Seasons Motel in Bendigo.  It was my graduation from the Loddon Murray Community Leadership Program - something that I have been participating in all year. A group of 24 of us have visited towns and communities throughout the region, met inspiring speakers, learnt leadership skills and learnt a lot more about ourselves. Its been a great journey, Ive made some life long friends and have changed in myself. Our graduation was a great event and we were blessed to have Adam Elliott  winner of an academy award for his short film Harvey Krumpet as our speaker and presenter of our certificates. P.S. It was also lovely to get dressed up and have a night away from the farm with Gary!

Megan achieved another milestone today - she passed her driving licence.  So no more taxi driving for me (hoepfully).  She is so happy and I am so proud of her - she is a great driver and I wont worry too much about her out there in the world (well Ill try not to!) I have been pondering how much changes in a young persons life when they turn 18 - voting, able to drink, drivers licence, end of high school and exams and choosing what to do next year etc etc . Its a lot all in one go! Megan will be driving Gary's old car - the good old mazda 626 station wagon, yes its not the most fanciest car but it will get her around for now, and Ive put a flash stereo in it that plays her iphone etc so she is happy I think.

 Oh how nice it would be to tell you that we had been up all last night partying and generally having fun.  Well the first part is true, but not the second. Yes we were up all night - raking, baling and carting hay but no partying. Finished up around 5 am and this photo was taken not that much later. The sunrise was gorgeous - all lovely pinks etc. Helped Gary milked (and yes I managed to get through a WHOLE MILKING!!!) Even managed to hose out the yard and help the vet with two sick cows, so fairly proud of myself. And what was it all for....this (or this below - 119 bales of vetch silage, which I might add the cows had a sampling of tonight and virtually liked the ground clean. As for me - Im off to bed!

This year I have been part of loddon murray community leadership program   Its been a great year taking me to places and meeting people I never thought I would.  From dining in the members dining room at Parliament House to meeting every day people doing amazing things in their communities.  I have also made some great friends along the way.  Last weekend we had our final retreat at Echuca, with a lovely dinner cruise on the Pride of the Murray which is a paddle steamer.  All that is left to do now is our graduation evening which is in a week or two.  I've learnt lots about communities and also about myself - its been great.  If you feel this would be a good thing to do, I highly encourage you to - maybe not necessarily this program but there are many around. Have a go - you never know where it might lead you 

Well its almost the end of an era for me - yesterday was Megans "muck up" day at school - the last official school day for year 12 students before they tackle exams and are finished with high school.  Once that happens I will no longer have any kids at school (except for uni but that doesnt count does it?)  So it was a happy/proud but sad and poignant moment for me -and doesnt Megan look so cute dressed as a giraffe - a great costume which we bought on ebay from China for the princely sum of $20!