I've been on a couple of rides - to either end of our road, a few hundred metres in either direction; longer down the hill to the train station. It seems to be performing ok, apart from the list of noises I have yet to get used to. It took two trips to the local bike mechanic to check the assembly, and adjust the brakes and gears. The second trip was a re-adjustment of gears and an attempt to stop an ear-piercing whine which the back brake still refuses to abandon. We are seeing if it will go away with use, if not, we'll replace the bit that goes over the disc. Another $70 dollars including labour, but as it's my some of my stopping power, I don't begrudge it at all.
We had a wonderful time Friday 2 weeks ago, at Bellbunya Eco Retreat, and Sustainable Community, (at Belli Park on the Sunshine Coast) putting a mud render on a wee cob hut, with the help of a few other mud enthusiasts!
The hut before rendering...
The render was just clay dug out of the ground (a couple of inches down) and damp horse manure, about 50/50, with a bucket of soaked termite mound, and water, added. Once that was well stomped through, we 1/2 filled a wheelbarrow
and added iron oxide and 1/2 cup of linseed oil, plus enough water to make the mud just the right consistency - quite sloppy, but with enough body to not fall off your hand when you tipped it upside down!
Below is Linda (one of the 2 instructors) putting in the iron oxide, Tom (a local Permaculture teacher) mixing and Karyn (a Bellbunya member) stomping in the red oxide. I'm being the post to the right!
Once that was well mixed we all took handfuls and commenced rendering! Another yellow powder was added for a contrasting colour. A close-up of the wonderful red ochre coloured render...
Applying the render...
The end of the day...
Our darling much loved Jeddie died today. I can't imagine life without him. 12 and half years ago we went to a breeder in Lowood and picked out a Miniature Dachshund puppy from a litter of 6. In a few decades of not so sensible decisions, this one was sterling! What a treasure he was.
He'll be remembered for his ability to evoke a startled squawk from unsuspecting owners of bare ankles, under the table, with a cold wet nose...
For his distinctive high sharp single bark to alert us to the fact that it's dinner time, had we forgotten?
For his tipping his head into our chests and purring with pleasure when cuddled...
For his ferocious bark and willingness to take on ANY dog, ANY size, ANY time!
For his loyalty, his sheer good natured doginess, and his love a thousandfold returned...
There's a Jeddie-sized hole in our hearts. Happy hunting dear Jed.
About 6 months ago I decided that I needed to incorporate more exercise into my day. I'd been walking up 7 flights of stairs and down after work, gradually pushing myself to speed up to a jog. Despite this, my weight has stabilised (or plateaued) 20 kilos higher than I should be. So I decided to devote one of my stallion's services to buying an electric bicycle to ride to work.
After extensive research I decided on a bike sold by a company in Australia, but built in China. Price-wise it is in the lower middle bracket. I (unwisely) chose to order and pay for it just before Easter. I was told it would be delivered in 3 weeks, when a video would be sent for us to confirm that everthing was in order. Then there would be 10 days for travel. I could live with that!
On the fourth week we emailed the seller to ask how far away the bike was. He apologised and promised he would contact the factory. We thanked him and waited...
Numerous emails (always instigated by US) we finally got the video of the bike - and they'd given us the wrong tyres and mud guards! We quickly told the seller, whom informed the factory - they very helpfully threw in the RIGHT tyres and guards for US to assemble. 2 weeks later the bike arrived, the local P.O ringing us to come and get it as it wouldn't fit in their Postie's car!
So today, on a wet cold Sunday, we are wrestling with my bike! I've had the back wheel off, changed the tyre, taken off the back guard, put on the correct guard, put the back wheel BACK on, (admidst much cursing and groaning) only to discover than I'd attached the back guard to the wrong spot, and had to take the back wheel OFF again to fix it! Arrrgghh!
It's now dark and apart from needing 3 wee screws to hold the guard struts on, I'm pretty much done! Tempted to still take it to the local bike shop for a quick check up, make sure the brakes are adjusted properly, etc. I'm rather proud of myself, and should be on the road by the end of the week. THEN I reckon give me two weeks to get my BUM used to that tiny very hard seat *groan*!
Saturday Steve and I drove up to Jondaryan for the annual Heavy Horse Festival. We left at 6:15am, it was freeeezing! We made it up there just before 8:30, then spent the next 3/4 hour putting the Australasian Gypsy Horse Soceity display tent up. It probably took another hour to get all the pics on the wall, but once finished it came up a treat.
Dorothy, the new Gypsy Cob owner in Dalby (she's just moved from the Gold Coast), brought her colt Watermark The Phantom. He's a lovely boy, lots of white, with one eye totally ringed in black, but with white eyelashes! Very striking! He coped really well for his first day out.
Featherdale Whistling Dixie was there also, recently purchased by her new owner and brought up to Qld. She's related to the colt above. Her sire is a half brother to him.
The two Geordie foals from Dalby came, and what a treat to finally meet TriColby Griffin!
The lovely TriColby Aliyana (Lani) had her first outing also, it was lovely to see her again! She was born on our place.
How do you get over 40 years of age (and obese) without ever hearing about Raw Food? I'm not just talking about the occasional bit of fruit and a salad, but going High Raw. This means eating 75-100% of your food, RAW!
At first it's a little hard to take in - I mean - virtually everything? Raw?
No more bread, pasta, packaged foods of any kind (I did cheat a little on this when I discovered raw food that you could buy at health stores)! No more sugar, and I chose to go Vegan as well, so no more meat, fish, eggs, cheese, or dairy of any kind. WOW! I started the Monday morning after my epiphany - and have continued to this day, 15 months later. At first I did have a small amount of meat once a week, until I read 'The China Study' By Dr T Colin Campbell.
It was an eye-opener, and has resulted in my choice to go Vegan for now. I may perhaps add the ocassional egg in when we get our own chooks, but I'm not too fussed. Our whole family has reduced the amount of meat and dairy we consume, and we now all eat alot more fruit and veggies. It HAS resulted in some weight loss for my teenage daughter (whom needed it) and an increase in feelings of well being for everyone. Strangely enough, on the weekend of the clinic our microwave stopped working, and we made the decision never to replace it. The kids, after an initial uncomfortable period of adjustment, have coped really well. We now steam all our veggies, except for the occasional baking!
Ever since I homeschooled them for 3 years, they've been cooking their own meals, taking it in turns every night, so they are pretty independent anyway.
Ok the biggest news - in 12 months I lost 23 kilos - the first 14 I lost ONE kilo a WEEK! I've now stabilised somewhat, and am in the process of 'ramping up' my exercise to continue to lose the other 20-odd kilos I need to shed.
I DID, after 6 months, go to a nutritionally and classically trained Doctor - whom promotes a raw diet - and had all my blood tests done to make sure I was not getting low on anything. The tests came back pretty good, although I do need to supplement with B12 and Vitamin D. I have since discovered a Vegan supplement which includes these and a few other things, and it seems to working well.
When I started, I had trouble walking from the car to work. Now I jog up 7 flights of stairs. Every day I feel quite saintly walking past all the people cramming into the lift, and quite often I beat them to the top!
I think the other biggest change, is the mental one. Last Christmas for the first time, although 'thinking' about it for years, we made the commitment to help out on Xmas day for the 'Feeding the homeless' Xmas lunch put on by one of our local churches. It was an enjoyable couple of hours, luckily coinciding with the year the kids all go to their 'other' parent. But not only that!
I rediscovered my love of Permaculture, first discovered when my eldest was a baby, 20 years ago. I realised that we CAN'T possibly ever get into a place of our own, AND run a stud with seven or more horses. CAN'T be done.
SO, after 6 years of building up our Gypsy Horse stud, I decided to lease all my mares out, and my stallion, and start seriously saving. We are down to 1 mare, her foal, and our stallion, whom stays here 'til the end of December, as he's got a few mares booked already for next season. Then he, too, goes out on lease. I'm still working on the mare and her foal, but may have a lease home for both.
It's been a really hard thing to do, but it feels RIGHT. I've started a garden here at home, after 6 years of procrastinating. My partner and I have joined the local 'Transition Ipswich' movement and are actively involved in the local Community Garden. After 6 years we've finally become part of our community, and I'm amazed at how good it makes me feel! Most of my friends were made over the internet, hence scattered all over Aus, only a couple nearby, and all of us so busy I rarely see them.
Adie
Gudday!
My name is Adrienne (most call me Adie, a nickname my brother gave me the first time he saw me!)
I've been meaning to do this for aaages! Mostly prompted by a couple of friends whom urged me to, after watching my transformation. Yeah, I know, that sounds so melodramatic! I'll begin:
I'd been cruising along, partner, mother to 5 (3 of my own, 2 of my partner's), working 4 shifts a week, running a Gypsy Horse stud on the side, along with all the added extra curricular activities like Secretary and Registrar of our Gypsy Horse Society.
I was getting uncomfortably large, a battle that I have fought my whole life. I was one of those chubby kids, managed to keep it in control through my adolescence but began to gain weight with my first pregnancy.
So - back to March 2010. I was at a horse clinic, conveniently at our place, when one of the other participants (in conversation to another at lunch) mentioned 'the liver cleanse diet'. Like most of us, I suspect, I'd heard about it, but never really looked it up - after all there was nothing wrong with MY liver, I
didn't drink alcohol at all!
My daughter took lots of photos at the clinic, and that night I had the task of sorting through the pictures. By crikey I was HUGE! In an attempt to get fit a year or so earlier, we bought the Wii Fit series, and so I was able to check my weight.
By that Sunday evening, I had reached my all-time heaviest of 114 kilos!!!
VERY not good.
In despair and near defeat I surfed the 'net, and remembering the earlier conversation, I checked out the liver cleanse diet. I don't remember now, how I got to where I did, but by the next morning, my whole diet, soon to be my whole LIFE, had changed.
MORE later, I've got to get ready for work.
Adie
