Potter the Brain Eater

I'm sure this experience is common to the partners of Harry Potter fans around the world. One's normally-responsive and active other half is transformed into a slothful creature with a book where its head should be. There is at least a ten second delay (if I'm lucky) between me speaking to this creature, and it returning from World Potter to respond to me. If it responds sensibly, that is an added bonus!
The upshot is, he's reading it so quickly that soon he'll be finished, and I'll get to play Book Sloth for a day.
All that aside, it is a well-earned rest day for Phil. He's been sanding and painting up a storm downstairs, and we've had two lots of (delightful) house guests stay with us this weekend.
Big big thumbs up to our favourite Blackheath eatery Ashcrofts for yet another fantastic meal and brilliant service.

More birds

King parrot
Originally uploaded by Mistress B

Yes, I know these bird entries probably get a little monotonous, but i can't help it that we have such beautiful feathered creatures hanging around our house!
This stunner (for you foreign types) is a King Parrot - he's beautiful and doesn't he know it.

Cold paws

cold paw prints
Originally uploaded by Mistress B

It got down to -3.7C last night. Even the duck pond is mostly frozen over, leaving some very confused ducks waddling around. We've had some heavy frosts too, which resulted in some interesting observations, such as these tiny paw prints on the balcony. Whatever made these - possibly a cat or possum - it sat still long enough for the frost to melt, which can't be good for the bottom, no matter what species you are.
I'm a little concerned about the effect of heavy frost on all our new native plant seedlings, and considering wrapping them in plastic blankets, but Phil is more of the 'survival of the fittest' view. That which does not freeze them solid only makes them stronger!

Princess and the Pea

I've just bought a new print by a cool Blue Mountains artist called Owen Swan. We were on our daily constitutional walk and walked into Hat Hill Gallery for the first time and definitely not the last. It seems there are many great artists hidden in the Blue Mountains. Check out Owen Swan's website if you are interested.

Finally - a planting!

After months of digging and pulling, a torn rotator cuff (shoulder tendon), sparing use of weed killer and a heck of a lot of swearing, we decided the time had come to stop ripping stuff out of the ground and start putting stuff back in.
Our block is technically bush, but a good 40% of the foliage is imported pests such as blackberry, cotoneaster, montbretia and holly. And typically, while our native trees have such shallow root systems you just have to look at them and they fall over, all the imports have roots that seem to go to the centre of the Earth. Phil spent several backbreaking hours digging up a tree stump and I have spent more time than I care to recall painstakingly removing Montbretia bulbs.
But now we have about 20 young natives to plant which will hopefully bear lots of gorgeous flowers, attract lots of birds and keep Treetops looking treetopsey.

No slowdown!

The downstairs grotto is no longer a grotto! The ceiling is in.
We decided to go the extra mile (or should I say dollar) and had Rockwool fitted in the ceiling. Seeing it in feels good and hopefully for our guests staying down there will not be able to hear Bianca stomping around...bless her =)
Mainly the bathroom to finish downstairs now. I am always astounded at how quickly this is happening so I thought I would load the last 2 days worth of photos.
I think that the double glazing is finished today too. So we are going out for a nice meal and to see a film at the local flicks.