When we joined our local community garden we also joined the bee keeping group there. The first time we rocked up we suited up and watched and learned as the hives were checked. Thursday was honey extraction time. We helped remove the frames from the hives, not surprisingly the bees were not too happy about it. My job was to brush all the bees off the frames as we removed them. It was a bit disconcerting having them buzzing furiously around. Next the wax caps were sliced off with a knife dipped in hot water. The frames were then placed in a spinner and with some hard yakka turning, the centrifugal force spins all the honey from the frames and it collects at the bottom of the barrel. Here it will sit for a bit and then be strained into jars. Yum.
Later that same day we flew to Tassie. In Devonport on Friday, my sister and I visited my father's lawyer to finalise matters relating to his estate. At the same time Colin was very happily collecting the car he had purchased a week before. Pat, our faithful old Patrol had become a bit unreliable and was ready to be covered, garaged and sadly replaced. Colin can't bring himself to sell it, too many special memories. It isn't worth much anyway and Colin figures if he holds onto it for a while longer it may appreciate as it becomes a classic. After quite a bit of research and going backwards and forwards he finally settled on another Patrol and out of the blue a demo model was advertised at a fantastic price. It just happened to be in Devonport and we just happened to be going there the next week. A phone call later and it was a done deal. Pat number 2?
Saturday's job was to help my sister and brother in law continue to dismantle their kitchen. There was a fair bit of banging and bashing.
Sunday has been more sedate, morning tea with family and then lunch with my sisters and brother in laws as we finalised decisions concerning my father's ashes and a proposed family dinner with all his children and grandchildren to remember and celebrate his life.
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