Of washing, possums and packaging

Gotta love the rain when it has totally refilled our tank after a long dry summer. We thought we might have to buy in a tanker of water.. but employing some measures meant it just held on. Next summer we will start at the beginning of the season with the baby bath in the shower to catch all the water, which then goes on the lawns and flower gardens, instead of leaving it until it becomes an issue.
Lucky there's plenty of water as daughter has sent home her duvet and mink blanket to wash, as she doesn't have the facilities. This time I'm wise, and instead of leaning over the bath to do it, I got right in - in grape pressing style.

Look what's guarding our fruit trees, and I don't mean the wee gnome

We have had such problems here with possums eating the tops out of our young fruit trees, so when a friend told us that apparently calendular planted around the foot of the tree deters them we were ready to give anything a try.
Seems to have worked so far, keeping fingers crossed. 

Seemed like a good day to make a huge pot of bacon hock soup today. When I started to open up the bacon hock I found that firstly it was vacuum packed, but after that the supermarket had put it on a styrofoam tray and plastic wrapped it - why?? The first packaging was sealed and perfectly acceptable. Looks like another email to the supermarket. They probably see me coming and groan, but I feel the need to remind them that we really don't want that - and I'm sure I don't just speak for myself.

Big pot of soup just waiting to happen.

Today I had a good journaling idea. I had picked up a bereavement thanks card, with the photo and dates of birth and death. You know the ones - you just don't feel you want to throw them out, but where do you put them? I am dedicating a journal page to those family members, with the cut out photos and dates.