Earth Hour

Last night was Earth Hour.  I had prepared myself with new batteries in my big torch, grabbed some tea candles from the freezer and lit them beforehand - the make sure they'd work - and then pulled out the battery-run cd player and chose a cd to play.  The television was turned off at 8:30pm on the dot and I lit all the candles after I turned off the main light; and it was on for me.  The best thing I did for myself was wash up everything from dinner an hour before so I didn't have anything in the way for that hour.

I sat there writing in my journal by the light of two bright tea candles.  It was lovely and quiet.  I enjoyed my time without the brightness of the television set or the electric lights running my home and watched as the fish settled in and rested on the bottom of the tank; thinking it was time for bed.  Little Miss Stevie even had her own candle; and this time it was in a proper, safe holder of its own.  It's an old blue one which has a broken moon on the side that I don't use very often and I should.  I left the lid off so that the light got out more and out the sides, it cast off light in the shapes of moons and stars; very pretty and not too bright for my little bird, who went to sleep on her swing almost immediately.  So, I'll be using this one next year as it's not a bad candle holder.  So, that was Earth Hour.

Today, I was up at around 7:30am and out the door to buy the paper and some milk.  It was a lovely morning and I so, after breakfast, I thought to cut up some pumpkin and cook it up in a pot of water to make a cake for some afternoon tea; and invite my folks over for some coffee today.

While it was on stove on a low heat, I went out in the back yard and began working on removing the disgusting-looking bench two of my potted plants were sitting on.  I had picked it up off the footpath a few years back and now was harboring a Green Ants' nest.  So, after unclipping it from the fence, I found it was going to be a complicated operation.  I had to remove the top of the bird bath and put that on the table, grab the basket underneath, toss that over the fence into my carport, then grab the whole metal bench thing and throw it over the side fence before the ants attacked me!  I did that in two quick moves.  This thing that used to be really heavy years ago, was light as a feather now and went over that side fence easier than I thought... and it bounced!  I put the two heavy-duty metal planters in its place, put the plants back where they were and the bird bath top and the area looks just lovely!  It actually looks a lot neater and on its way to being something better than what it was.  I can see it's going to be something I can work with, something I can mould into what I want and need; and that's what I've been wanting to do for the longest time.

Well, after I went around the side and cleaned up my mess  and threw out what needed throwing out, I washed my hands and got the dirt and mud off me (yeah, some of it came out of a chair I tossed and I wore it; along with my shirt!), I scrubbed my shirt and then checked on the pumpkin.  And what do ya know? It was all cooked and ready to be turned off!  I did that, grabbed the colander, emptied out the vegetable and a pyrex bowl and mashed it up; and now it's cooling down for the next step in the process of baking this cake (which will start in half an hour or so).  

So, I've had a pretty busy weekend.  How about you?  Have you been up to much?  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.