Well the day has come…my sister and her family arrive today. I can’t wait. Plans have changed that many times and we weren’t really sure how we were going to get them out here after our rain last week but everything has worked out. Mr Chardy and Snowy headed off at 4 this morning in a ute. They will collect another ute in town and they will all travel back in style… may have sore bums after 5 hours squashed in 2 utes but at least they will be here. Just a quick 10 hour (possibly more) round trip to collect our visitors – no biggie.
Now back on topic – umbrella care 101 with DD – I know you are all dying to know how to care for your umbrellas during the wet season so lets do it. But first lets just take a look at how to unpack when travelling.
When DD & Rexy arrived last week they settled into their new little guest house quite well – I like to refer to it as the “Studio Apartment”. Mum soon had everything ship shape over there. Clothes neatly hung – look she even brought her own coat hangers…
And a spot for the only things that will be keeping them alive for the next 3 weeks because god knows we can’t afford to feed them…
And check out these little chestnuts… oh dear lord… what do you think… perhaps from 1862? Mum refers to them as the “carpet bags” and looks upon them with great fondness… I can see why! Where can I find me some???!!!
We had quite a bit of rain after Mum and Dad arrived so of course Mum had to whip out her antique umbrella. When I saw it I had to laugh because she has had this same umbrella for, I reckon, at least 25 years, possibly longer. It never ceases to amaze me how she can keep EVERYTHING in mint condition, weather it is a throw away margarine container or an umbrella. She then went on to tell me that she thinks I used that umbrella the year I was at June Dally-Watkins, because god knows we obviously couldn’t afford to pay four bucks and buy me my own, that would be a dreadful waste of money.
Now the real laughter from me came when she told me: “I had to send it away to be repaired once” – oh god, this was too much, I nearly hit the floor laughing…. really… who the hell sends an umbrella away for “repairs”??? But not only who sends umbrella’s away, but where on earth would one send an umbrella for repairs?? Her devotion to this umbrella is really something. Then she went to put it up “huh, what’s happened here” she said… “don’t tell me it is broken Mum” I replied with a chuckle. I told her not to worry Dad would be able to fix it, we could send it to the workshop and have it welded back up. It also appeared to have a small hole, but I assured her Dad would be able to patch it, there is nothing that man can’t fix with a bit of araldite and WD-40.
Now for DD’s How to Care for your Umbrella… this is what she told me: When you arrive home you need to put it down and sit it upside down in the laundry sink. Once it has drained a bit you then put it up and sit it on the floor of the laundry. Once dry you must put it back down and make sure it is all perfectly pulled back into shape so you can whip that little band thing around it and put it safely back in the cover. Now it appears I must have lost her cover when I had it on loan for that one year in 1997, of course I did! So tell me, is this how you roll? If you are Virgo then the answer is probably yes, but for everyone else I would say we probably don’t really love and care for our umbrellas as much as we should.
Not long until Christmas now. I think there will be some welcome drinks happening this evening, perhaps a slipper, or we might save that for my Birthday tomorrow. We are going to have my favourite meal tonight: Hot Steak and Crunchy Potato Salad. If you are looking for some recipe inspiration then check this one out because it never fails to impress and it so yummy it isn’t even funny. Click HERE for recipe.
Not long until Christmas my friends. If you are braving the shops over the next few days then all I can say is GOOD LUCK – get in and get the hell out people!
Do you have an antique umbrella like DD?
Do you have a margarine container still in mint condition with the used by date printed on the bottom that reads “used by Nov 1983”?
Hahaha……just sitting at The Isa having a good laugh reading your blog out loud to the family!! Obviously I too remember that umbrella, but as deprived as I am, have never been lucky enough to have it on loan!! Just waiting on Mr Chardy to arrive whilst enjoying a Pimms and lemonade. Looking forward to seeing you tonight xx
Oh, it’s not long now! You will have all the lovely fam around you for Chrissy – and – did i hear u say Birrrthday?? Happy birthday for tomorrow! We r still on hols in Tas. – yes, lazy buggers i know & i have been drinking more red plonk than the usual chardy & Twinings….so much so that i may yet have to change my name to Mrs Merlot. Now, u enjoy your hot tatties & yummy steak & i look forward to hearing about your birthday pressies! ☺️
Thanks for the Birthday wishes Miss T!! So excited to hear that you are kicking back dining a heap of plonk – GOOD GIRL!!! We can definitely change your name to Miss Merlot. Will do a Birthday Round Up post tomorrow… enjoying my real life visitors too much at the moment, ha ha ha. Have fun. xxx
Oh your account of your mum’s umbrella is just gold! I am TERRIBLE with umbrellas. I forget to pack one when it’s raining, I break them all the time. TERRIBLE!
So glad I am not alone Kez!!!
I think your mom would be sorely disappointed in how I keep my umbrellas. (yes, plural and I think all are broken:) Happy, happy Birthday to you and enjoy having all your family around for Christmas! I am going to try out that recipe. It sounds delish.
I am right there with you on the umbrella front, although we don’t have much use for them up here all that much. So every time It rains when I am down south I have to buy one. ha ha ha. Definitely give that recipe a whirl, it is SO GOOD!!!!
Hahaha! You are too funny. It is that era where nothing was thrown out (including washing bread bags, pegging them on the line to dry and reusing them YES it still happens today) and everything was fixed. A very big HAPPY BIRTHDAY for today Miss Chardy on our shared birthday day. Hope you have a wonderful day with all your family and received lots of great pressies!
Ha ha ha, it is totally that era Mel. Happy Birthday to you too!!!!! Hope you had a great one. xxx
Yes, I am right there with DD on the Umbrella care. However, I am slightly disturbed by the ‘no cover’ not sure I could cope with that! So glad the Family are all there now – thought there may have been some hold ups with the weather. Hope you had a great Birthday and a lovely Christmas all together. X
Oh god, I knew you would be the same as DD!!! I just knew it. And I suppose there is nothing she can do about the cover because her slack daughter lost it. I am thinking about your NAH cooler bag as I type this. One day you may loan that to Lucy for the year, and it may need to be sent away for repairs!!! ha ha ha ha.