To Progress, or not to progress..............

I admit that, over the last few months since the last post on this blog, I have mentally composed a post saying "it's all over, it's too hard, it's beyond what I can do" etc., etc.  You get the drift. Whilst theoretically the Trainbarn shed is all set to be built, there have been a few hiccups which have prevented that happening.  So far.  The subtitle of this blog is "the ups and downs etc" and the previous few months have certainly been some of the 'down' times.  Some of these have been external factors, some have been due to my own limitations- time/finances/patience/endurance.  So, the Trainbarn hasn't made much, if any, progress over the last few months, but it is still simmering on the back-burner, and just as much hoped-for by me as ever.  I am totally confident that it will go ahead, perhaps timing is the unknown factor.  As they say 'watch this space'!!

In the meantime there has been quite a lot of maintenance and general improvement around Whistlestop in general.  It's been as dry as chips during what is normally our 'wet' season, so the grass hasn't grown, although it is surprisingly still green (ish).  So I haven't had to mow, and this has freed up some time for more clearing, and mowing some grassy areas that have never previously been mown.

This photo (above) is the view from our front verandah the other morning, after we'd had some really good soaking rain for a couple of days.  It has 'greened-up' very quickly!  Normally there would be quite a few kangaroos visible too- they come right up to the cottage, but are very timid.  The area that I've been working on lately is off to the far right of this photo, clearing long lovegrass (not native) and scrappy tea-tree, right back to the edge of the original bushland.  All this area was completely overgrown and looked dreadful only two or three years ago.  I love living here!  And Autumn is the best time to be here!!

The arrival of new trains for the Trainbarn has slowed to a trickle, although somewhat typically just before Christmas several trains that had been on order for quite some time from Ace Trains, Darstaed and WJVintage arrived within a few days of each other.  These have all been given a good run on my new 'portable' O gauge layout, and very exciting and enjoyable that was too!