Family and friends

My sister Tricia arrives tonight! Excitement is beginning to rise. Kathleen and Kerry arrive on Saturday.

I've had two fairly quiet days at work with a little bit of housework when I come home. Beds have been made, pillows fluffed up, Hanno cleaned windows yesterday, the lawn is mown - I think we're almost ready for our visitors. The weather has been quite cool, so it's a pleasure to work away knowing I'm preparing my home to share with my sisters, and son, and the friends who'll arrive on Saturday to have lunch with us all.

Soon, bottoms will fill these chairs, we'll drink tea and catch up on things not discussed over the phone or in emails. We will all help prepare the food for lunch, we have wine and beer for those who want it, and local organic coffee and organic tea for those who don't. I've changed the menu as we have a few men coming along now and I know they struggle with not eating meat - my son included. The new menu is spinach pie, homemade macaroni and cheese, beef lasagne and if I have time, a vegetable lasagne. I'll make bread, and butter from local cream, and serve some local cheese. Dessert will be a coffee and brandy cake.

I have to go to the shops to pick up a few things after work tonight and then I'll drive into Brisbane to pick up Tricia who is flying in from Sydney, due at 8.30pm. Good times.

I know there are quite a few ladies reading my blog who came to me from Jewels, and I've had emails from some who want to know how she is and if she is blogging. I received an email from Jewels yesterday. She isn't blogging - she invited a small number of us to her private blog just after she shut down public access - but that only lasted a few days, then she closed it. The family moved and she hasn't gone back to her blog again, although it is something she might do in the future. For the time being, she and her family are happy and well and enjoy being in their new home. She is praying that Hanno and I will travel over to visit them. I have invited Jewels to do a guest post here but she's very busy so it might be a long time coming. I'm sure many of you wish her well and I'll tell her that when I reply later this week.