What have you been doing today?

[CreamPuff63]

I seem to remember my mum saying something about boiling sheets - the sheets were made from calico and boiling them makes them turn white. I don't know if this is a fact or not.

[cookie1]

Gert that is an interesting story. Thanks.
Mum used to put the sheets to boil in the copper, which was wood fired, lift them boiling hot into the concrete troughs and rinse and wring them by hand. She had this amazing method to wring things out. You twisted them and sort of ran the twist up your arm and over your shoulder. Hard work. She then carried them and put them on a line that was two T shaped poles with wires strung along them.
I remember once Dad wanted to shoot a fox in the chook yard, which was on the other side of the clothes line. Mum told Dad not to as he may hit the clothes line with her freshly washed sheets. His reply was to the tune of how could I hit a tiny thing like a clothes line.
After the "bang" all the freshly boiled sheets were in the red dirt. I honestly can't remember what happened next. Perhaps I took off knowing what may have come!
I was about 4 before we got electricity.

[Halex]

Just finished clearing up after yesterdays play over, had 2 girls & a boy over plus 2 mums straight after school. Hubbys arrived after work. & everyone left at 9pm!! Fun was had by all & I managed to produce a ton of food.

HHW

[CreamPuff63]

great story cookie. I can't imagine them needing gym memberships in those days.

[obbie]

I have 4 kids today, last day at school, so they didn't go.

Have sorted my DD school class on Wednesday, changed her from the kids that were bullying her.   Now she is back with her friends, which is Good.
Printing recipes so I can make heaps over the weekend.

[Emme]

Cookie, our place was the same.  My job to light the copper in the laundry and Mum had a big stick to lift the sheets and clothes from the copper into the cement troughs. One of the troughs had blue water in for the final rinse.   One big highlight for us was when the electricity came through and we got a fridge with a freeze part at the top.  We filled all the glasses with water and froze it to make ice blocks.  Mum was not impressed.  
Gert, very interesting to hear about your early days out here.  I remember being given a book written by Pat Boone and had a lot of pictures of Elvis.

[jo_nz]

I think I might be in at school next week myself Obbie - just got DS's class assignment for next year, and it's not with any of his friends....again....after I specifically went and asked if they could put him with someone from his group of friends.....twice.  

He doesn't really make friends that easily, and he's been in a class without his buddies all this year.  He'd friendly-ish with some of the kids, but they are not his group of close friends.  
So first thing Monday I'm off to find out who he is in the new class with!  And if there's not anyone he's reasonably close to, then I'll have to ask for a change.  

He did bring home quite a nice school report though....it's all very woolly and about whether he will "meet national standards after 2 years at school".  But sounds like he's doing well, and certainly works hard at all he does  

I've actually spent most of the day at school, so it's a shame I didn't know about this then to try and sort it out!  Today was the PTA sausage sizzle, so packing up biscuits and fruit and BBQing sausages.  I'm exhausted already!

[astarra]

I've just been reading a school report too! 
One very proud mum here.....

My pre-kinder one is finished now but my Grade 1 one doesn't finish til Thursday. Looking forward to the holidays, love having my girls around me. 

[mab19]

Cookie, your story brings back memories.  Mum always boiled the sheets right up until after I left home.  We had the two troughs as well, one with rinse water and the second with blueing water to keep everything nice and white.  She eventually got a washing machine but never really liked it.  Mum also ironed everything including the sheets and towels.  If it was washed then it had to be ironed.  I once had to stop her from ironing the babies nappies.   My girlfriend once described mum as a professional housewife and that is exactly what she was and she was happy doing it.

Went out with another friend today for lunch and a girls day out. 

[cookie1]

Not a lot done here. I did the food shopping and used one of my Qantas frequent flyer vouchers to pay for it. So it didn't hurt too much.

Just sitting round in the cool.

[obbie]

Our school reports  came out Tuesday.

[mcmich]

I remember Nan using the copper 

I had a funnyish day - had a pedicure and got talking to the lady beside me and admired the colour she was having on her toes. Daydreaming out the door and then realised that the nail artist had painted my toes in the same colour as the lady next to me rather than the one I had chosen.  Didn't want to say anything as she had done the first coat - not what I would have chosen but it's still a red (sort of) 

[judydawn]

I'm glad you liked it though Michele, you'll have to look at it for a few weeks or more.  I still have some colour from a pedicure I had last August 

This morning I spent another 1.5 hours out in the garden, front section this time.  Rejuvenated a tired looked area with begonias.

Then Katie & I met 4 other forum girls for lunch at Norwood - Karen, Trudy, Sue and Kerry.  We did a Kris Kringle, asked one of the workers to hand out the presents and he really seemed pleased to play Santa.  Lovely meal and nice to catch up with these lovely girls, all of whom attended our Adelaide retreat in August.  Thanks everyone, nice to see you again.

[CreamPuff63]

how lucky you all are to catch up before Chrissy. you've had a very busy day

[mcmich]

What a lovely get together girls.