Freebie: Tossing out Coupons!

So who wants to go shopping?

I'm back from holidaying at Jindabyne, in the Snowy Mountains, where my family and I went trout fishing for six days. And gee, I feel blessed! We caught 20 fish, smoking and cooking them a few hours after catching them in the evenings.

I became acquainted with Butterscotch Schnapps, and it likes me very much because it gave me no headaches or silliness - just pure gratitude for the gorgeously vivid sunsets and sunrises over the lake.

I had my very first internet cafe experience (what a novelty) because I had a magazine deadline while I was away. How many caramel lattes can one have while trying with all her might to send ONE email to the UK, without success? Hmmm, it was good to then be free of the computer for a while - so much happens when your eyes are open like this, instead of being glued to a monitor, lol!

I got to test out my first aid skills on an 87-year-old man who had fallen from his quad bike and become trapped beneath it. Fair bit of blood, and well, because he was "older" I wasn't sure if his eyes were glazed over like that because he was out of it, or because he was just old. He was shaking quite badly too, which was a bit alarming until he informed us he had Parkinson's Disease, lol. Glad to say he turned out ok, a few skin tears (to the bone) and concussion but relatively well off, considering. I don't know what it was, but the two of us seemed to connect - his eyes were wise and very embarrassed at all the fuss going on around him. He couldn't really talk much, but we shared quite a few knowing smiles as I held his hand and we listened to the various tales of what had happened to him flying around us - they seemed to grow with the excitement, lol. But all he wanted was to get back to his wife June, get back on his bike (which was wrecked). He was desperate not to go back into hospital, where he'd just spent a week. Everyone kept admonishing him for riding the quad bike at his age, but I could tell he wouldn't be swayed - he'll be back on it as soon as it's fixed up. And why not? He was out there, rounding up cattle, giving his work dogs a run, fishing morning and night - living life. So much more enjoyable than being cooped up inside a hospital room waiting to die. I hope I'm a comfortable risk taker at his age.

 Dana had her first ride in a boat, and wouldn't stop waddling all around the edges (totally freaking me out). She kept yelling out "faster! faster!". The boys got to pull in a couple of fish too, Riley is so proud to be a fisherman! Harvey was responsible for gutting and cleaning them too (growing up so fast!).

I was responsible for eating them.

And EGGS! I've been a farm girl all my life, and it's been my chore all through childhood and now parenthood, to feed and water the chooks and collect eaggs, which I've NEVER liked to eat. All of a sudden, on this trip, there was a shiny new egg-poaching pan that I HAD to experiment with. OMG. I poached myself six eggs each morning, some for lunch and sometimes even for a quick snack before heading out for night fishing in the evenings. I couldn't get enough and I am now proud to say I like my eggs runny, gooey but not raw. The whites have to be opaque, the yolks liquid. But not so runny they fall through your fork, no. Dexter-style. Now I just have to get all the kids to eat them too. 

Unfortunately, none of these photos go with any of my journalling ... but that happens. All the action pics are on DH's blackberry, which of course I can't have access to to download all the whopping fish photos. But you can use your imagination, hey?

Anyway, today's "freebie" is a 25% discount coupon, to use in my FPD shop. You can use it for anything in my shop there, and the new "Reflection" goodies out tonight are also discounted - so you get a double-discount if you go shopping this weekend.

 Type in smellsfishy? in the coupon box during checkout, and you'll see the discount off your order. Coupon expires April 30.

Have a great weekend!