Mab, how are you going with the bread machine? 
Yesterday I played with the Varoma on the 7. I used the steaming function. I placed some  cooked Beef in stout in a small glass dish and covered it. I surround it with carrot, Cauli, zucchini and a small potato, cut in half. Steamed for 20 minutes. A very convenient meal.

Chookie my breadmaking the the bread machine has been hit and miss.  A few days ago  I put all the ingredients in the bowl and had forgotten to put the blade in.  I had to tip it all out put the blade in then the ingredients but not in order.  It was a very nice loaf of bread.  Yesterday I remembered the blade and measured everything carefully and the bread was very heavy and didn't rise much.  DS liked it DH said he didn't want any more of it. I will not give up

This morning I made the fruit cake for our eldest DS's birthday tomorrow and this was successful.  This afternoon I made tuna patties for GS and then used some of the left over mixture to make samosa in a machine I had bought from KMart. I don't think the machine got hot enough so I finished cooking them in the oven.

Our eldest DS called in this afternoon to tell us that they have sold their lovely house and 17 acres of bush. We are rather sad about this because we have spent so many lovely times there  having afternoon teas in the sun or sitting around the camp fire with a camp oven roast and a nice bottle or two of good wine.  Since his chainsaw accident he has still not been able to work and has found it difficult to maintain everything as he would like to so we understand his decision.

Chicken and vegetable casserole with home made chips peas and carrots.

A visit to the Optus store to sort out a problem with my account.  All good.

Happy Birthday Marina.

Supermarket shopping this morning then a phone call from the dietician and a friend came for afternoon tea.

A loaf of bread in the bread maker.  Meat balls in sauce & chow mein both for GS and potato bake.

I'm not sure exactly where you live so not sure whether  you can answer my question.  How do your hydrangeas get on in your climate - we are in a semi desert type climate - very hot in summer and several days freezing overnight.  Is a hydrangea sturdy enough to cope with those extremes?

Your story also reminded me of something that happened to our friends when I was very young.  The dad was Irish so he, DW and  young daughter went over to visit family at one stage (this would have been in the 60s or early 70s so a visit from NZ to Ireland was a very special event).  They had a flourishing couple of hydrangeas at home and, when they got to Ireland the family they were staying with proudly showed them their very precious hydrangea - daughter quickly deflated them when she helpfully advised that they had lots of these plants and they were growing like weeds.  Very embarrassing for her mum and dad!

Marina I live in Warragul in Gippsland, about an hour and a half from the centre of Melbourne. Hydrangeas grow quite well here as long as long as they get a bit of protection from the hot sun and they get a little bit of water in the summer and they don't mind the cold weather.  Soil with low PH produces blue flowers and high PH produces pink flowers.   The one DH cut back was about 7 feet tall.  I don't give them any special treatment although some people like to change the PH level to produce different colours.

It was my birthday yesterday and the family came to visit including one of our GD who I had not seen for a while.

Today DH decided to prune one of the hydrangeas with the hedge trimmer    I smiled and said nothing, just thankful that I don't have to do it.