Those muscles I started building on Monday were put to good use again on Wednesday when I decided to empty to compost bin into the veggie garden.  Mum and Dad had been the day before and had together emptied the big bin - which I was very grateful for. They were planning to come and empty the smaller one too but I decided it was time I 'put on my big girls panties' and I got stuck in myself.

Do you remember the TV series The Good Life??  Well it was a scene from there in my backyard that morning - compost, gumboots, wheelbarrow, a spade and a lot of elbow grease - oh and sweat to if I'm honest!!  What a back breaking job. The only things missing were the chickens, pigs and a goat.  The dog was of little use, preferring the lazy in the sun.  The cat did contribute in a supervisory roll,  when I was all done she hopped into the bin to inspect that I'd emptied the compost out of all the corners properly. Apparently she was satisfied as she too went off to lie in the sun leaving me to clean up alone.   Now that the work is done Jack has decided he'd really like to help spread the compost out a bit more and keeps jumping into the garden - I am now in the planning stages of constructing a rather nifty fence to keep him out, while allowing me access to get to the vegetables.  I'll post s pic when I'm done.

The only thing in the garden at the moment is asparagus - we bought the plants a number of years ago and as yet haven't had enough for a meal.  Mind you it probably doesn't help when I keep digging them up to transplant them.  I did see one spear making it's way above ground and then I went and covered it with compost!!  Hopefully it'll continue to grow and I'll get at least one meal this year.

It is great having 2 empty compost bins as it means when I get my 'new' lawn mower I'll have somewhere to dump the clippings, I've also fenced it off well enough that Jack can't get in to see what offerings there are every time I empty the scraps container from the kitchen.

The weather this week has just been glorious, like Spring and so I've been making the most of it by doing outside jobs.  All my pot gardens have been weeded and they look great.  I just need to get a BIG pot for my lemonade tree as I don't yet know where to plant it in the back yard.  I re- attached the weed matting around the side of the deck to hide all the unsightly wood and stuff that is stored underneath.  The car got another wash - 3rd one in as many months - and it looks white again rather than pale yellow from all the pollen it had been coated in while in the carport.

I also did some more inside sorting, this time in my sewing room.  I decided to sort through ALL my fabric and actually de-stash some.  Yip 'all' in capitals cause I've got a lot of fabric.  I can't help it I'm addicted :0)  It was great to sell some off and get the rest put away neatly. It helps me get inspired when I can see exactly what I have.

Haha just had to share this.

On Friday I finished enrolling for my first paper towards a diploma in Information and Library studies at the Open Polytech.  The course starts on the 11th Nov. It's a mix of scary and exciting.  I also had a lovely visit with a friend and it was great to share both words and tears.  Yip they still sit pretty close to the surface some days.

This past week I have had a few moments of feeling both cheated and regretful - all part of the grieving process or so I've been told.  If only we'd had more time, if only I'd said or done....,  if only I'd spent more time....., if only...., if only...., but you can't go back and rewrite history.  All the wishing in the world isn't going to change what has happened nor is it going to bring Roy back.  I found the following while clearing out some computer files and it is very good food for thought.

"Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. 
It carries over no balance from day to day and allows you to keep no cash in your account.
Every evening the bank cancels whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. 
What would you do? 
Draw out every cent, of course?

Each of us has such a bank. It's name is TIME.
Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.
Every night it writes off as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to a good purpose.
It carries over no balance; it allows no over draft.
Each day it opens a new account for you.
Each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back, there is no drawing against "tomorrow."

You must live in the present on today's deposits.
Invest it wisely, so as to gain the utmost in the service of your Lord."  Anon

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why its called the present.

We all need to spend our time wisely, making right choices, because when that time has gone we can't go back and redo it.  We can have all the regrets in the world and all the 'if only's', but there is no going back.  We should also live for today, not looking back at what has been and can't be changed and not worrying about tomorrow and what might be to come.  God has given us 1 day - 86,400 whole seconds,  to use in His service and to His glory, so we need to make sure we invest wisely in that day so that we can look back without regret.  I know it's easier said than done, but at least it is something to strive for, esp when we have the Lord on our side.

Well I think that's it for another week.  I've got some exciting things happening next week and also a very, very hard first to face with Roy's birthday coming up next week Sunday.  Please pray for me and for the children too as they have to face not only their dad's birthday, but also a fatherless Father's Day.

Wishing you God's blessing this week.

Much love
Jolanda