Odd Shots!

I like to take photographs of well.. weird stuff.

De Vere loves it. Not. He may not do St Valentine's Day; He does do lots of holidays and special treats. So he can be suitably unimpressed when he has taken me on say an overseas holiday and I spend my time taking pictures of.. well weird stuff.

Like discarded Thongs.

Broken Thongs.

The Lost Thong.

De Vere was not amused and a little confused.
He had flown us both to The US of A. Ocean View.
I snap a shot of a lost thong, for my collection.


Old School Ring Pull.


This shot really blew his top! He was beyond confusion. .lol.
Taken at the same scenic Highway 101 stop.
We so seldom see this ring-can pull here anymore.


New Undies.

So I was glad De Vere was not with me to-day when I snapped this shot. A new pair of underwear that had blown off the sales table. Well you have to admit not is not everyday that you see undies laying on the footpath. Then as I point and shoot a woman, cleaning a chalk board, asked me.

"Are they yours?" motioning the undies.

what?

"No." I replied, as I smiled and said, "I just like taking pictures of weird stuff."

Maybe De Vere has a point.

Polly wants a cracker;
With this!



Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

Love Notes shows He Cares...

Love is... Letting Her Be Ladette or Lady..

When residing at Boyle Manor the dashing executive, De Vere sometimes vaguely asks about the blog. This blog. To my reply he nods in the correct places all the while backing away, then reminding me of a very important football match that is at kick off and he mustn't miss a moment.

We are married. Being married he understands to enquire about these type of things. Even if it is only during the ad breaks. However as he is currently OS doing his very important executive stuff he has taken the time to actually read the blog. Not only read but also comment.

Okay so he commented through our private e-mail correspondence and usually that is - well private.

Anyway, a small exert;

Just caught an update on the Manor Boyle.
Clearly you have been at your best since I left ......my demure & classy little lady!!!

De Vere is referring to this Ladette post. My first thought was he must not have access to sport coverage. Oh quickly followed by and thanks for reading Honey!

Perhaps I need a refresher course. A little 101. It happens that a dear friend and her daughter are in town. We girls decided to play Ladies. As ladies do, we did lunch. My friends daughter is funny, beautiful and smart. Who better to have a 101 about being a Lady than a four year old girl. Lunch was ordered. My refresher began.

The basis of every outfit

Hot Shoes!

The Handbag.

Design is Important.

Bangles and or Bracelets are a must.
Colour Co-ordinate.

Take Care of Your Skin.

Even if you are sitting under cover.

I like playing Ladies and I am all out of Red Frogs.

Audrey, Lady of the Manor.

Tuesdays with Mrs Poo...

Tales from The Old Country

Today when I dropped by Mrs Poos home, unannounced as usual. The Hounds in tow. They visit every second visit as dear Mrs Poo insists on feeding them her homemade biscuits. However that's a whole other story. I was delighted to see this photograph resting on her counter top.

Mrs Poo and Her Posse

I enjoy hearing tales from the old country. Having traced my own family tree I have always enjoyed engaging the in-laws in stories of their youth.

Today was a goldmine! A photograph. A beautiful rare photograph. Studying the picture and paying particular attention to the shoes the young ladies are wearing, Mrs Poos in particular. At the very same moment as I asked Mrs Poos words were, "I still remember the shoes I was wearing. They were brown." I sat in wonderment as Mrs Poo recounted the day and the details of the picture.

Mrs Poo and her bff are all eighteen. They are all still in contact despite the fact that all four girls live on three different continents. That is bff. It's Easter Sunday and they are on their way from church to a feast. It is Spring time not hot, not cold. One girl is a dressmaker and has made her own dress for the occasion. They are all wearing stockings.

Two of each girl are the same height, Mrs Poo and I discuss camera angles and agree this must be why the chick with granny ankles looks taller..

Audrey, Lady of the Manor.

Excuse me There's Chunder in my Burp!

...Forty Eight Hour Single Life Excess...

De Vere left the manor a little over forty eight hours ago. He is taking care of business from the off shore office for three weeks.

I have been like a 4 year old under the care of a really slack baby-sitter. There has been no specified bed time. However there has been some really important T.V. shows to watch. Not to mention the long hours I have indulged myself on the net.

This has lead to two days of Chinese food and cans of cola, chips and a chocolate bar. Two or so chocolate biscuits for breakfast. Oh and Red frogs. Should I go on? No, okay I've had enough to. Well I knew I had when this afternoon I decided to have a beer, just the one you understand. Not an unusual choice just a rare one of late.

You know that first deep relaxing sigh after you knock the top off a stubbie... That burp... Mine had chunder in it. Funny that.

Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

Sundays...

Just a Stroll in the Park....

Today started out not unlike any other Saturday here at Boyle Manor. De Vere and Polly the twenty kilo lap dog were up early. The Guard Dog and I enjoyed a sleep-in. It rained.

A little later than usual De Vere and Polly set off on their power walk. TGD has a little knee issue that keeps him from hardcore exercise and someone has to stay home and keep him company. Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

Keeping with our usual Saturday morning routine we had plans to met up at the end of the pavement pounding for a game of Stick.

Small Dog - Big Stick.

Things were going well and as the rain was holding off De Vere and I decided to extended our meander through the park. This, of course, leads to more park antics.

Like laying in the mud puddles.

However as the saying goes...

It's All Fun and Games Till Someone Looses an Eye.

Well let's not get too dramatic - fortunately no-one lost an eye. However TGD was attacked by a German Shepard!! The Guard Dog is a (well fed) Chihuahua Pomeranian cross and up against a large bred dog he was a little out of his weight class.

In the six years we have had TGD in our world never, never, ever have we had the experience of a dog fight. Not that this was exactly a fight - that would involve the two parties engaging. TGD didn't stand a chance he was blindsided.
The attacker came bolting toward us without warning. He took to TGD like a Lion to a wounded Gazelle. All thoughts of the dos and don'ts of dog attacks ran through my mind however I still lunged for the beast as he overpowered TGD.

Here is where I start to have some real issues with the incident. I grabbed at the dog at his neck - no collar. I looked up to see where his owner was and sighted in the distance a man walking s l o w l y towards us. In his right hand was a lead with collar attached! Had the dog been wearing his collar I may had a chance to hold the dog off TGD. Added to this the man continued towards us asking his dog to stop. Ummm...?? I'll just continue here - I have no words.

I managed to grab the dog but to no avail, he slipped away to continue his attack. After much shouting and grabbing and kicking The Guard Dog and Polly both managed to slip away to hide behind a tree. Meanwhile De Vere has found a large pointy stick and is advising the guy to control his dog before he stabs it!! (oh dear possible law suit - I think I will leave out any further comments De Vere may or may not have made)

So here is the injury sustained by TGD. Luckily Polly managed to come away unscathed, well not bleeding as both dogs were quite shaken by the whole episode. Not to mention De Vere and myself.

Have you ever heard a Banshee using potty mouth? No, neither had I until I realised the screeching with swearing was actually moi. I managed to find a normal tone to ask the man for his details. He questioned me as to why I would want them! Then that screechy sound came back - I got his details.

The rest of the morning was filled with phone calls to the Police, the Ranger and a vet visit. The Ranger made a home visit. The Vet graciously offered the bill at half price - $125. Thanks for coming! The Vet also advised that the injury could have been worse if not for that thick coat of TGD's.

Poor little TGD has had two injections and we have been sent home with two lots of tablets to be taken over the next ten days.

The Guard Dog was put to bed wrapped in his mummy's old dressing gown and his favorite dolly's... awww.

To Be Continued.

Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

Old Ned is a Chemical Brother...

This has to be some form of Garden Terrorism. Under the stairs that lead from the deck to the backyard I had a lovely patch of ground cover.

My four year studies in agriculture do not lend itself to identifying the Latin name or the ordinary garden variety term for that matter. Needless to say the delicate green ground cover kept the wayward grass and weeds at bay. That was until Old Ned came and preformed a little maintenance.

The now barren obis under the stairs...

Notice that the only thing to survive is grass.

This was not an issue before the attack of

Old Ned and his chemical spray!

Every day as I tend to the worm farm I also tend to the barren ground.
Slowly the delicate green ground cover is reclaiming the space.

Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

An Arty Kind of Thursday...

As I have already mentioned here I have voyeuristically browsed blogs for sometime now. With actually having my own now I can comment and participate in all the fun!

So with that comes my first linky link post!

See here for the inspiration.. Let's hope I don't fail miserably.

This is a very old perfume box, it was my Nanna's.

I wondered what Silver I would find to inspire me??

The box just kinda jumped out at me....

Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

The Other Woman...

I am a great believer in Believe and Achieve.. De Vere has long held a childhood dream of owing a sports car. A few years back he was able to realise that dream..

However I think blowing kisses as he lowers

the garage door is taking it all just a little too far!

Jealous? Who? Me...

Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

What's The Date???

Should I be concerned?

Or did I purchase eggs that will never date??

Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

T-Bone Mrs Poo Style...

Dear Mrs Poo is not always around to cook our dinner, sadly. So using her cooking tips I lovingly prepare De Vere's nightly meal. Tonight was T-Bone steak and four vegetables.

Boyle Manor T-Bone.

Take a nice big T-Bone.

sprinkle with salt,

then pepper, ground of course.

Here I add Mrs Poos Special Seasoning,

rubbing it into the meat.

This is Mrs Poos Special Seasoning.

Her 'recipe' is top secret - she mixes this from a collection of

spices and delivers a jar.

The contents are unknown even to myself.

Though I can tell you, from taste, cinnamon and nutmeg are involved.

Taking a tip from Mrs Poo I crumb the T-Bone.

Instead of using bread crumbs, I use Wheat Germ.

Then shallow fry the steak, to taste.

Tonight's accompaniment is good old mashed potato..

and peas, corn and carrots...

Audrey, Lady of the Manor.

Sundays...

Mrs Poo's Fish Lunch...

Another Saturday another Fish Dish with Mrs Poo. De Vere does so like his fish. Here Mrs Poo has used fresh Whiting fillets. As always, Mrs Poo serves this dish with a simple garden salad.

...Boyle Manor Whiting..

Take fresh fish fillets

Just as she did in the old country Mrs Poo uses wax
paper to hold her flour.

Then she lightly flours the fillets.

and shallow fries them till golden.
The outside is crisp and the flesh is moist and tender.

Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

Valentines Day.. Can ya feel the love..??

Today is Valentines day. Here at Boyle Manor there has been no special delivery or breakfast in bed... Not even a mention of the occasion.

Here's why...

Many moons ago De Vere and Audrey set out to celebrate their very first Valentines Day.

Audrey had won tickets to a (very bad) Nicole Kidman movie insert title here. (take a guess.. any one you name will fit the profile - okay so I am not a fan)

Anyways, De Vere and Audrey met up in the city and proceeded to take their seats in the cinema.

Fifteen minutes into the movie De Vere leads over and whispers.."Lets go this is crap.." or word to that effect. Perhaps he is not a huge fan either. Audrey refused to go. Well, one it was the first time she had bothered to enter a completion and had actually won (along with the 500 others) and second if she starts something she likes to see it through. Perhaps she held out hope that it would get better. It didn't. Oh and the dinner reservation was rescheduled for after the movie - so we may as well suffer through it.

Things I guess were already not going so well.. lol.

They made it through the movie and drove a little out of the city for what would be their very first Valentines Day dinner.. De Vere had chosen a seafood restaurant and keeping with tradition (IE: the commercialism of calendered events like this... spend spend spend ) they ordered lobster.

A whole, lobster for De Vere and a half for Audrey. At this stage please let me remind you we are now looking at a 10PM serving time.. Very Late to eat.. Well that's half Audrey's excuse and shes sticking with it.

The meals arrive. For some unknown reason Audrey decided to sample the mashed potato on the side of the plate.. There was her second mistake. For it was not mashed potato but DEB WHIP.. A powered excuse - just add water type of mashed potato.. YUK. Audrey very much dislikes plastic food. So being the uptight mid twenty something that she was, at the time, she refused to eat anything else. The taste of the plastic potato mash had ruined her taste buds...

Poor old De Vere, not wanting to let his hard earned cash go to waste, then had to eat not only his own whole lobster but Audrey's half as well!

At that point De Vere turned to Audrey and stated, "I am never taking you out for anything special for valentines day again."

De Vere is a man of his word. To this day Audrey has not had the pleasure of a single rose or a whole bunch for that matter or a dinner out for Valentines Day again.

Happy Valentines just the same.

Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

Graffitti Artist...

The Guard Dog recently celebrated his sixth birthday. He has been a constant companion. He is funny and affectionate. Just imagine if he was like Pinocchio and turned into a real live boy.... I think I would have a troublesome teenager on my hands. It might just be a little something like this...

absolutely no respect for authority...



I do hope he is not responsible for this...

This is mindless scribble, not art.


Mindless Marking.

More Mindless Marking..

and still more mindless marking...

Ah-uh.. At the scene of the crime???

Audrey, Lady of The Manor.

Edward Scissor Hands....

De Vere purchased Boyle Manor almost one year ago. Audrey was most pleased to discover a Hydrangea in the garden. This evokes beautiful childhood memories of Grandmother's beautiful blue specimen.

Lets take a peek at Boyle Manor's Hydrangea.

Early Spring.


The first sight of the darling buds.

Audrey eagerly awaited the first blossoms.

Oh! Might they be blue?

I Y Blue!

In Horticultural speak Acidic soil produces blue blooms.

Perhaps the soil at Boyle Manor is Acidic.

beautiful blue blooms....

However almost overnight the blue blooms turned mauve.

Perhaps the soil is not as acidic as one first thought.

Still beautiful, however I may have to start watering

the garden with caustic soda,

just to get the soil a little more acidic.

In full bloom.

Then the full intensity of summer came..

Between the excessively hot days followed by a

few days of continuous rain the

beautiful blooms seemed to rust...

With Old Ned away De Vere himself took to caring for the grounds.

With secateurs in hand De Vere turns into some sort of

"Edward Scissor Hands on Ecstasy"

Perhaps no blooms for the next season..

Audrey, Lady of the Manor.