Manu’s Adventures

Chapter One

Things were at its peak for Manu, he had a safe place to call home, lots of lady friends, food was in abundance and the grass was green. Manu paused to take a deep breath of fresh air and did the best interpretation of a smile his beak could do… Life was great. 

He hopped down from his perch in the “coop” -as the humans called it- and strutted off in search of food. After a few minutes, Manu spied the garden and quickened his pace to reach it faster. He hopped the last few paces and began to scratch the earth in search of grubs and worms. He kept at it for a minute or two and then clucked victoriously as he discovered a fat juicy grub and a worm. 

“Should I share or keep it for myself?” He thought, “I’ll share…  Maybe if I'm lucky, Maisy will be here before the others!” He sighed dreamily. Manu had been trying to win the young hen’s heart ever since she arrived to Buholga but she had often refused him. “Well... Might as well keep trying.”  He reasoned and then began to cluck loudly, “I found food! I found food!” He called “Come on everyone!” he heard the hens running over to him and turned, his heart slowly sank as he realised Maisy was not with them and quickly had to jump out of the way as the stampede came too close.

 He watched as the hens fought over the yummy grub and decided to back away to find something else to munch on. “Or maybe I should look for Maisy… It’s not like her to miss a chance for some food.”

He frowned slightly and puffed up his chest a little “I should go look for her… What if she is in danger?”  Manu still wouldn't acknowledge the fact that he was, indeed, slightly shorter than Maisy and therefore not really in a good position to go “saving” her. He strutted off in the direction of Duck pen to see if she had decided to visit with Amelia Limpy Duck as they seem to have had formed a bond. He reached Duck pen safely enough a flapped his wings to gain the attention of Albert Drake there. 

“Hullo Manu,” Albert waddled over to the wire mesh that separated himself and Manu “Is there anything I can help you with?” He asked curiously as Manu rarely ever visited him let alone talk to him. “Roosters and their air of importance...”  The drake thought to himself, “Stupid chickens…”

“Hello there Albert, I was just wondering if you have seen Maisy anywhere at all.” Manu asked “I found some food and she didn't come.” He added.

Albert did his best impression of an eye-roll “Oh, yes... So I heard.” He replied. It was hard not to hear Manu announcing that he had found food. “Maybe she just wasn't hungry?” Albert added simply. He turned quickly as he heard a rather loud splash and almost had a heart attack when he saw the little fluffy yellow ducklings in the human-made pond. He sighed in relief as he saw Abigail was there watching over them.

Manu looked a little crestfallen as he hadn't thought of that. “Oh... Do you think I should keep looking for her?” He asked.

 Albert looked back down at him and nodded “Oh yes, do keep looking for her.” He replied “I think I last saw her rushing over to get under the big human coop (House). “I would have liked to see if she was alright but I couldn't find an exit.” Albert added.  

“Then I’ll do just that.” Manu replied and then added; ‘Thank you for your assistance Albert.”  Manu then turned and strutted off towards the Human’s coop.

TO BE CONTINUED 

Another Sunshine Award?!

The Sunshine Award again?! What did I do to deserve this?

Rules
1. Thank the person who nominated you and link to their Sunshine award post.
2. Answer the questions they asked you.
3. Nominate other blogger/bloggers.
4. Give them a list of questions.
5. Let them know that they have been nominated.
6. Make a Sunshine Award picture and put it on your post. If you do not wish to make one then at least go back a few blogs and get one that is a good resolution!

1.Thanks

Thank you Clare.
Thank you Zach.

2.Questions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Clare's Questions.

1. How long is a list?
It can be as long as you want it to be.

2. Do you brush your teeth every night?
Hmm. No, some nights I am just too tired and others I forget. But YES I do brush my teeth when I remember.

3. What sound do you really like?
The constant droning of the fridge...
Nah, I really like it when the budgies are tweeting softly and not fighting and squawking at another.

4. If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?
Hmm tricky...

5. What’s one of the strangest things you've ever done?
I think locking myself in a cupboard would win.

6. What do you like least about yourself?
My abilty to not stay focused on one thing at a time.

7. Oranges or mulberry pie?
Mulberry Pie...No, I have never had it, I just despise Oranges.

8. What would you name the autobiography of your life?
Hmm maybe "My Boring Life with a Twist"

10.Have you ever had to fight for your life?
Ehm... Can't say I have, unless I have amnesia.

11.Drawbridge or moat?
Drawbridge WITH a moat would be wonderful!

12.Would you rather be able to fly or read peoples minds?
Fly! I don't think I would want to be able read peoples mind.


13.What are cats for? (In your opinion)
Cats are for hugs and companionship.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zach's Questions

1) You have three dogs, and they are all somehow being opposites of each other. What do you name them?
1, 2 and 3

2) You have three dogs, and they are all somehow being exactly the same. What do you name them?
Huey Juey and Luey.

3) You have a choice between 3rd grade math and 5th grade math. What do you choose?
5th Grade maths I remember being challenging but easier to understand than what I currently have and 3rd grade would be too easy so I'll take the 5th grade please!

4) Google + or Facebook?
Both.

5) Jumping Castle or Water  slide
Depends how big it is..

6) Baby goats or Baby sheep
Baby goats!

7) Which type of question do you prefer? (1-3,4-6)
6 because it was too easy

8) You realize that someone is not listening to you at the moment. Do you speak louder, or wait a bit?
Glare at them but wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3. I nominate, waitaminute.. There is nobody left! Ah well....






*long sigh*
Done. Done. Done.

~Sarah

The Lights of Home/Are we there yet

So for English today I received a nice poem and I was told to copy it out then answer the questions below. While reading through the poem I noticed something funny about it and wanted to write something slightly similiar.. But first I'll just give you the poem just so you understand what I'm talking about.

THE LIGHTS OF HOME

Pilot, how far from home-

Not far, not far to night,

A flight of spray, a sea-bird's flight,

A flight of tossing foam,

And then the lights of home!

And, yet again, how far

And seems the way so brief

those lights beyond the roaring reef

Were lights of moon and star,

Far, far, none knows how far!

Pilot, how far from home-

The great stars pass away

Before Him as a flight of spray,

Moons as a flight of foam!

I see the lights of home.

By Alfred Noyes

My version:

ARE WE THERE YET

Mother, are we there yet?

No Micheal, we have many miles to go,

why don't you watch a movie or play with your pet yeti,

Don't you want to see the snow?

Are we there yet?

No, I told you we have miles to go. 

Max, why did you bring the goat? I had told you no!

Jeremy! Do not hit your sister.

You are so grounded mister. 

Mother, are we there-

Yes! Oh thank goodness,

I thought I would die before we arrived.

I am so glad we managed to survive!

Yes my children, we are finally there.

Ta da! If you are wondering why it sounds like a song (Well that's what Zach said..) it is because I had been singing 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman' from Frozen in my head while writing it.

Need to get back to work so that is enough blog for today (and perhaps a month). See ya!

The Sunshine Award

So the Sunshine Award has been going around Blogger/Google+ for a while I suppose and for some strange, strange reason I was nominated.... Twice... By my annoying/awesome (depends what mood he is in.) brother Zach and awesome friend Alice. So thanks! I guess. Your evil plans to force me to write another post have succeeded. Go and celebrate with yummy candy and do evil happy dances. Yes, you may do a evil laugh as well. Mawhawhaw.....

Yes..Yes.. I did do that in paint. *sigh*

The rules

1. Copy the above Image or make your own and use it in your blog post.
2. Answer the questions that your nominator has set for you
3. Nominate your own blogger/bloggers.
4. Write eleven questions for them to answer. 
5. Let them know they have been nominated

Zach's Questions...

Clear days or Rainy days?

Hmmm... Clear days = Canoe + Dam... Or... Rainy days = Movie + Computer + Water filling up the Dam and tanks: Both. Both is good. 

What is your favorite School subject and why?

Spelling and History.

Because it is easier then math.

Would you like to live in Narnia/Middle Earth/Other or just stay in the Real world?

Middle Earth if you please.

What is your Favorite Chemistry Element?

Na

Do you actually know what this is all about?

Hah. No idea. I thought it was everyone's evil plot to just get me to do a blog post.

What is/has been your favorite Desktop Wallpaper.

uhh.... I keep changing my background but I think it might be something like a bird of sorts...

Do. You. Like. Algebra?

What? from what I hear, it is a very evil part of math so no. I do not like that Sam-I-am.

Laptops or Desktop Computers?

Laptops are portable!

Favorite TV Show

'Bondi Vet' and 'My Kitchen Rules'

Favorite Movie

Currently "Meet the Robinsons".

Do you find thinking of Questions tricky?

Ye-es.

Phew.. Halfway there, now for Alice's questions... 

1. What is your favourite blog you follow?

Wha?... I can't pick favourites! I love 'em all.

2. Do you wear hats?

Not often..

3. What have you read today?

First Aid Manuel with questions that make no sense.

4. What is your favorite book of the bible?

hmmm.. Not sure to be honest..

5. What craft do you like doing?

Although I don't do it much (mainly because I need mum's help with 95% with whatever I'm making), I do like sewing.

6. What sort of blog posts do you like to read?

hmm.. Funny, nice and inspiring.

7. What is a song you really like?

No idea! I have Thousands.

8. Do you like hot things (like curry)?

If it comes with rice I'll take it! (Plus a glass of milk)

9. What is your favorite subject for school?

  English and History.

10. How long (on average) does it take you to complete your school work?

About 9:30 am to 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm... depends when I wake up really.

11. What is the worst and what is the best ‘first blog post’ you have ever read?

I don't know.. I don't go Blog surfing often.



AT LAST! I have completed two lots of eleven questions (22 total for those who have just finished their math and no longer want to do anymore for the day. ). Waitaminute... WHAT?! I have to write MORE questions? And nominate someone?! Dang it.

Well I nominate anyone who visits and reads my blog! ( Mawhaha! Didn't think I would do it, did you?)

Here are your questions:

1. What colour are your eyes?
2. Do you like using pens or pencils?
3. What was/is your favourite book?
4. Favourite school subject?
5. What would you do if you had noisy neighbours and needed to sleep?
6. Do you enjoy writing stories?
7. What is your favourite animal?
8. Shoes or no shoes?
9. Blue or Green?
10. Do you go to school, homeschool or have you finished school?
11. Why aren't the Sunshine Award questions a even number?

(This includes you, already-nominated-finished-post person!!)

~Sarah

DIY Here I come!

On Thursday afternoon Mum asked me if I wanted to go with her to this "Bunnings Ladies DIY Night" I was a bit unsure if I wanted to go or not, It was a school night and I had wanted to stay on the computer for the rest of the afternoon, but then:

Mum: "Barry du Bois will be there." (Barry du Bois is a professional renovator and Master Builder and he is also one of the presenters of 'The Living room')

Me: "Who?"

Mum: "You know, he is one of the presenters on 'The Living room' "

Me: "Whoa, really?"( I quite like the Living Room)

Mum: "Yep"

Me:  "Okay, I'll come!"


It was quite fun and interesting and so  I thought I would blog about it Mum told me that I would have to blog about it.

• He showed everyone how to patch a hole in a wall,
• And then demonstrated the best way to put tiles on the wall.
• And then he showed everyone how to make a vertical garden out of a pipe.

We then got to try our hands at tiling! I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing but once I started I soon got into the groove of it.

1.So first you have to spread tile glue over the space. Using a tool called the "squidgee" (I think that is what it was called) spread the glue around until it is even.

2. The next tool you use is called the "trowel', the trowel

is flat with one side having square notches. You use

 the notches to make even lines in the tile glue for the tile to be pressed down on... ( those notches need to be as big as the tile is thick. When you put the tile on, those rows of glue all squish flat. I think it stops you from using too much glue, having it seep out of the edges and it also makes the tiles harder to get off ( I think).

3. Now you can put on that tile! Squish it down hard and make sure it is even with the other tiles. (Use a 'spacer' to keep it an even distance from each tile)



4. Viola! A lovely-looking tile wall! Now you need to leave it for awhile to let the glue dry. Yay! Waiting, dum de dum de dum .....

5. Next thing you do is 'grouting'. Grouting involves muscles
(Something I don't have much of) to push all of the grout into the tile gaps.
You have to really push to get that stubborn stuff in.



6. When you are confident that you got the tile gaps filled, grab a sponge (the sponge must be completely dirt free) and two buckets of very clean
water. Wet the sponge in one of the buckets and begin to clean the tiles with it, cleaning the sponge every now and then. When the water gets too dirty, chuck it out and use the second bucket... Keep sponging until the grout in the gaps is even and looks neat. Now leave the tiles alone to dry out and..... Viola!!! Done. (I'm sure there is a lot more to tiling than just this but this is all we did that night.) Apparently I am a pretty nifty tiler ;) .

I got a photo with Barry! Yaaaaay!

A Really Cool Paint Tutorial Thingy

So while I was mucking around on Paint (On the computer) I actually made something somewhat cool and considering I hardly ever write a blog post I thought I should write up a tutorial... Right... Here it comes...


1. Open up your Paint. I think this would also work with Photoshop but I often get really lost there.. So this tutorial shall be in Paint.

2. Begin with the colour black... If you absolutely despise black you may use a different dark colour.

3. Next, select the polygon tool.

4. Now, you may begin drawing lines. The first line, you will have to click and drag to where you want it to go.. After that first line, you can just click it where you want it.

5. Click, click, click! Keep on clickin' until you are happy with your shape!

6. Now you can start colouring! Select the "Fill" tool, choose your first colour and then colour away!

7. Try not to allow two same colours to touch, that kind of ruins the effect in some ways.

8. Running out of colours yet? A simple-ish way to fix that is to double-click on the colours, then click on the "Define custom colours" and it will take you to this cool little menu.

9. When you finished colouring it in, select black (Or your other colour), move your mouse away from the rainbow of colours and to the white-ness and..... CLICK!

10.  Not bad eh? If your not so sure about that one.....

11. And..... RIGHT CLICK! Personally I like the white version better.. But it depends how you want it really. You could have.....

11a. Black!

11b. White!

11c. Or even a brown-ish red!

Basically you could have any sort of colour you want as a background... Anyway, this is the end of the tutorial so... Enjoy! 

If you could have been anyone in history... Who would you be?

This is something I actually did a long while ago...  Waaaaaaaay before we moved I think. So anyway I just thought it would be nice to have it on my blog instead of hiding in a dark, creepy folder on the computer. So here it is....

'If I could have been anyone in history I would have been Lei Zu the Chinese Empress. I think she was cool because she was Empress and if I were her, I would have been the first person to discover silk.

Lei Zu discovered silk when she was sitting under her mulberry tree quietly drinking her tea. Suddenly PLOP!  A small white bundle was floating in her tea. Lei Zu picked it up, it was a silkworm cocoon and the thread that was wrapped around it started to unravel. Lei Zu stood up and started to walk around the garden unravelling the cocoon all the way until there was no more thread around the silkworm, she did this a few more times with the help of her maid. Then she called for her royal dresser “Can you weave this thread into cloth?” Lei Zu asked “I have never seen threads like these!” the royal dresser exclaimed, she took the thread away and wove it into cloth that shone like water in the sunlight, and Lei Zu made a robe for her husband Huang Di. History tells us that when he saw it he was so impressed that he said, “From now on we shall call this silk, and no one but the royal family shall wear it.”

So that is why if I was anyone in history, I would have been Lei Zu.'   

(Mum wrote this part..)
Lei Zu was a woman who had imagination and foresight to see that silk worm cocoons weren't just a gross little bundle of fibres. She questioned and investigated a possibility and came up with a fabric that would be considered lovely throughout history. She contributed to Chinese culture.