February 2010

The first Saturday of the month is when our "markets" are on in the local showgrounds. Vendors come quite a distance, because the markets are so popular. I love the markets...but FJD is definitely not a market person and calls himself "The transport Minister"...because he pushes the shopping trolley, and spends a lot of time standing round waiting until I take pity on him a let him go back to the car to read his paper. Then I go and buy stuff I shouldn't....like good cookbooks which I like to collect. The last one I bought was "The Encyclopedia of Home Freezing" a big hardcover for $1...what a bargain.

I love the atmosphere, but it is so big, I am having difficulty covering it all. We do have the same things we get each month like our fish supplies from our cheery fish man, my avocados, (which are just the best) and fresh vegetables that last longer than 2 days in the fridge.

The hand made soap lady had a new line this month - a Clay Soap made from pure plant oil, which is an exfoliant. (Great to try on my rough wrinkley old arms). I also get pure olive oil soap, which makes you skin feel silky smooth.

My best recipe for smooth skin, has always been to put a few drops of pure medicinal olive oil into a warm bath and soak in it. When my children were young Id this was my excuse to escape for an hour, and Inot only came out relaxed, but my skin felt so good too. Unfortunately I have not done this much since moving to this house and have paid the price.

I did have a couple of good finds..one was a pretty doily set, which was probably worked by some poor little girl in a factory, but the soft colours caught my eye. The other find were two books for one of my sons who has just moved into a new house....They were only $4 each ...one is a Mr. Fixit book and the other one is on Garden Design. I did see these years ago advertised for over $50 so to me that was a bargain.




Something else I am trying to do each month is build up a supply of doggy treats...for his two dogs...Chloe the Rottweiller, and Beau the bitzer who looks like turning into a horse. If they are going to be big I have to make sure they remember that I am the morsel giver and not the morsel to be eaten.

I now have a supply of doggy bones (that are smoked and treated in some way to attract dogs and have a strong smokey smell), charcoal biscuits, and dried pigs ears (which they absolutely love). Have had to double bag them in the cupboard so I cant smell them......ooooh a mothers love extends sooooo far! This is not the latest photo of them I am told they are much bigger now, and Beau has taken to eating all sorts of things so had better make sure I have lots for him to eat when they next visit. In the last 2 weeks she has eaten the bandage off her broken tail, and her ball!!!