The self-timer

So Christmas Day this year I wanted to get a photograph of Mike and I. It was a really nice day, I grabbed the hats, the tripod, one stool type chair to share (big mistake), and the camera and into the backyard we went. Mike indulged me, yeah right, as if he had a chance!

So I set everything up, focussed in on Mike, told him to get ready, the camera started bleeping and snap. Not ready, his arm is in mid air about to go round me. Either that or he thought I might like a whiff of the new body spray that his sister gave him! So try try again. Silly faces, kisses with his eyes wide open, is that man ever serious? Until the ultimate happened, I pressed the button, the camera started bleeping and I ran to take my position and didn't quite sit properly on my side of the stool and over I toppled. Well at least my hand got in that shot!

So finally got the shot I was hoping for and not a double chin in sight! Thank heavens for small mercies. Oh and note the reddish highlights for Christmas, courtesy of my hairdresser!

Credits here.

Well I supposed I should start to think about what I can rustle up for dinner. I think there's some tandoori chicken wings in the freezer, I think just picking over those for dinner will be the order of the night.

Back to work tomorrow!

Still rocking along

Still rocking along with the Christmas pages, still have a few other Christmas avenues to scrap though, so bear with me.

How tired is everyone from Christmas? I can't believe that one day can knock a person around so much. Today, two days later, I'm still exhausted, in fact had a bit of a granny nap on the bed this afternoon, only woke up because I was being nuzzled by a funny little dog giving me kisses! ha. Still tomorrow off here in this neck of the woods, don't go back to work until Tuesday, so one more day to recover.

Back to the Christmas pages, here's the next instalment. Firstly some of my very dear friends who I used to work with. We get together a couple of times a year, and lately have been having beading weekends, where we all pile in at Miss K's house and Miss N teaches us to bead, we stay the night, and very much enjoy each other's friendship. This particular day Miss N was teaching us to bead decorations for Christmas, and the theme was to wear a Christmas hat.

Not to be outdone on the facing page, another of Mike in the Christmas parade with Santa. Mike was an elf this year on Santa's float. I use the word "float" loosely, it was actually a trailer hooked up to the back of a ute! ha. That's how we do things in the country, right.

Credits here.

Boxing Day Sales

Usually I head to Geelong for the sales, but today I stayed close to home and headed to Warrnambool. Although only about 50 percent of shops were open. Never one to let that daunt me, I have now got all my paper and tags and cards for next Christmas 50% off !!

I did say my Christmas book was of Christmas past, present and future. Well here's a blast from the past, whoever would have thought these two innocents would meet and marry. Me with the really bad fringe cut and Mike in his oh so short shorts! ha.

Credits here.

Christmas night

Well the big day has come and almost gone. We've eaten way too much, and it's only 9pm and soooooo tired. Even as an adult it's such a huge day, the build up, the meal, the amazing dessert. Oh my goodness, pictures forthcoming, I made Nigella's chocolate pav again and this time topped it with strawberries and blueberries. The remainder is sitting in the fridge tempting me, but honestly there's not one spare inch of room to fit it in!

Christmas Eve was lovely. We went to church. That's not a usual occurrence in this house but during the week I had said to Mike that I would like to go to church on Christmas Eve and funnily enough he had had the same thought. So hand in hand we walked to our local church where we found four seats to sit with our dear friends. It ended up standing room only and was such a lovely service, also singing Carols. Needless to say I got so overly emotional and the tears flowed during Oh Come all Ye Faithful. I was probably the only person in tears in the whole church, it's meant to be such a happy time. I guess I thought of my dad and it all got too much.

We came home to have Mike make the famous Christmas phone calls. Oh such fun. Especially when Mike kind of forgot where Santa lived and said he was calling from the South Pole, only to be corrected quite politely by my bestie's daughter. Mike quickly recovered and said he had a workshop in the South Pole for the toys he made for the Australian kiddies. Half an hour of phone calls to four different families of children. He really deserves a gold star. But I know he enjoys it just as much as the children getting the phone calls.

Today has been cruisy. The sun shone with no rain at all today. To my overseas friends reading this - I had a sparkly tank top on all day, no sleeves! I've only just put a cardigan on now. It's been a beautiful day.

And I've been very spoilt. Right now I'm wearing the most exquisite blue topaz and diamond earrings and matching necklace. How lucky am I?

I'm going to continue these Christmas pages right through the remainder of this year so be prepared!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Two more sleeps!

Count down is getting closer. This page shows one of our favourite parts of our Christmas, tomorrow night is the big night that the ... err ... call gets put in again.

Credits here.

Three more sleeps

Only 3 more sleeps till santa comes. Yay! Remember as a child the complete anticipation we would feel. Magic times. Nothing like having children around to remind you about how exciting it all is. My niece and nephew here from last year, I was trying to get a good photo of them while they were here at our place. It was a riot.

Credits here.


About to enter quite a stressful time at work over the next few weeks, so no sitting back and enjoying the blissful Christmas feeling at work for me now. I see a few late nights in my future!

Inundating you with Christmas pages

Well if you can't do that in December, when can you, right? Moving right along with my Christmas pages here's another couple.

Credits here.


Must admit, I have scrapped that photo before, but it's such a nice one, it deserves a page in our Christmas memories book.

Whoosh

This weekend has gone so fast, it's gathered up speed as it's flown on by. Already Sunday afternoon.

Friday was our Christmas parade here in town and the weather held! YAY. Mike was an elf like no other, throwing out lollies on the santa trailer to all the kids (small and big alike!!). He had so much fun. We had a picnic dinner for Carols by Candlelight which was nice. They had a huge tree in the village green and donations to the Salvation Army got you a star to hang on the tree, it was lovely seeing the branches fill with stars. Only in the last 10 minutes did the rain start to spit, but my friend Penny from the up the road to the rescue, she had her umbrella at the ready. There's such a contradiction in sitting in the park, under an umbrella, balancing a candle and singing. But it was fun.

Saturday we headed to see Mike's family which was nice.

And Sunday I've done grocery shopping and worked in the garden. Yes me? Working in the garden, unheard of!!

Back to work tomorrow for the working frenzy to Christmas.

Continuing on with my Christmas pages, here are another couple, our absolutely scrumptious dessert. No plum pudding in this house!!

Credits here.

What a hottie

That's how the day went, not that a hottie has just walked in the door or anything. te he. My goodness our new AC has worked overtime here today. I got home tonight and it was so cool inside, bliss! Today got to 39C (that's 102F for my American friends). Plus there was a fire on the edge of town, which was a very close call it got to within a very short distance, like a couple of metres from two houses. Scary fire season ahead that's for sure.

Moving right along with my December pages to continue trying to get further into the festive spirit, the next instalment. Our pretty little Christmas tree with its very varied decorations. Yes it is only quite small, probably comes up to just above my hip, but a small house calls for a small tree. I have though run out of branches for all my ornaments so who knows what next year will bring. :-)

I must admit, I did do very well today getting all Christmasfied. I bought a couple of new Christmas CD's, nothing like a bit of Bing singing White Christmas when we're sweltering at work! haha I played it over and over and over in our office, I think everyone was ready to throw things at me.

Regardless of the hot weather today, still forecast for possible showers on Friday for our Christmas parade and Carols, urrrgh.

Time for bed, nighty night!

Continuing on

I'm tired tonight, too tired to scrap. I tinselled the front of the house, big silver tinsel and hung big red balls along the verandah. It looks just as nice as lights I think, as the sun set and it kind of twinkled the tinsel. Pretty stuff.

I love that Mike is as goofy at Christmas time, as I am. Kindred spirits and all. Here's another page from my December Daily book.

Credits here.


I have begged him to be a Christmas angel this year, can you even imagine? Bluntstone boots, footy socks, a tu tu, flannel shirt, wings (of course) and a slipped halo. I have talked his mate here into doing it, but he said he'll only do it if Mike does it. Mike says no way, if he says they'll both do it, Mike can see himself turning up to the parade in a tu tu and Tony wearing something else entirely. Funnily enough I can see that slight turn of events too.

Parade this Friday night, although it's stinking hot here now, it's forecast showers on Friday. Noooooooo. I know we need the rain, but not Friday, not the night of our parade and Carols. Please Mr. Weatherman.

Older and wiser

Well the man is now another year older and another year wiser perhaps. Birthday pav did not last long. We have his nephew with us at the moment so Mike was a little bit (privately) miffed he had to share with another person besides me, he loves the leftovers the next day. Ahh but he didn't do too badly, he still got his leftovers, albeit smaller than usual.

Here's another one of my December Daily Christmas pages, the menagerie needed to get in on this album too, naturally!

Credits here.


That picture of Lucky was taken this year, what a little trooper he was. Although out of a stack of photos I took, there was always something about each one. Yes the body was good but the eyes were shut. He's smiling, but he moved and is blurry. His face looks cute but his tongue is poked out. Always something. So with a bit of photoshop magic I merged the smile from one photo on the head and body stance of the other. Not bad huh?

Sunday arvo

Sunday arvo, but not just any Sunday arvo, it's the Sunday arvo that happens to be Mike's birthday. He's having a cruisy day, we're just enjoying being at home at the moment. Spent a huge day in Melbourne yesterday, left home around 6am and didn't step back through the door till around 6pm.

Got No.1 stepson checked out of hospital and home, we filled his cupboard with groceries and easy to prepare meals, so he didn't have to go shopping, plus of course all the essentials like Tim Tams, chips, chocolate milk, etc. They're the real foods that will make him feel better. And made sure his scripts were filled for the pain killers. It's a load off everyone's mind that the woman who he hit has admitted full liability and his bike will be fixed at the expense of her insurers. Now he just has to endure 6 weeks of the very heavy plaster that goes from midway between his elbow and shoulder down to his fingers.

I tell you what though, I'm going to get Christmassy if it kills me. I'm trying, I really am. I've decided to join in with the December Daily, but instead of documenting my December, which lets face it, has been pretty shitty to this point, I'm documenting how Christmas is to us, throughout lots of years, our traditions, how we spend the build up, the season, what makes this time of year special to Mike and I.

So here's the first, a pic from Christmas Day last year enjoying our lunch at my sister-in-laws. We had just cracked the bon bons so had the silly hats on. (To my overseas friends reading this, note the short sleeves!!!)

Credits here.

A very easy dinner planned tonight. Mike has requested BBQ chook (done courtesy of the supermarket), lots of mashed potatoes, peas and gravy. How easy is that? His wish is my command. Oh and birthday pav. Always have to have the birthday pav (not cake, not for him!!)

If it doesn't rain ... it pours

If I didn't think I was in deep with enough hurt/heartache with family, we get a phone call yesterday that step son number 1 had been involved in a motor cycle accident and had been rushed to hospital by ambulance. I'm just raising my eyes to the sky at the moment and wondering what is next.

He is okay, well in a "morphine induced okay" I guess you would say. Mike has been with him all day today, he's over the other side of Melbourne which is distressing enough as we want to be near him.

Long story short, a car pulled out unexpectedly from a park, didn't see him coming along the road, he has seen her and slowed trying to take evasive action, and she still not seeing him crossed his path and he's gone into the back panel of her car and thrown off his bike. Dislocated wrist, badly broken arm requiring surgery for titanium plates.

And to add insult to the injury, and this is the state of our hospital system everyone, he is in a two bed ward, sharing with a 70 year old woman suffering from dementia. Mr. W is only 19.

W...T...F ????

I think a Lucky photo is in order, it will help make anything feel better, don't you think? He's such a little scamp, I look at this fellow right now who is curled out about a metre away from me, on Molly's cushion mind you, but she's lying next to him on the floor letting him. He's brought such joy into our lives, we've had him just shy of a year now and I can't imagine life without him, funny little boy that he is.

Using creashens new kit, Three Little Birds, available at the moment at After Five Designs, but coming soon to twolittlepixels and Catscrap.

And by the way, thank you for the good thoughts about my mum and I. We'll get there. I hope.

Holidays are over

Back to work tomorrow, three weeks gone by in the blink of an eye.

I haven't blogged, my heart hasn't been in it. I'm arguing with someone I love and it hurts.

I know you won't read this because you don't even know how to turn on a computer, but I love you mum.

Cranky

I'm hot.
I'm tired.
I'm cranky.
and I'm worried.

If we're getting heat like this now, and it's not even summer, I can't imagine what it will be like come January/February.

What did they say on the radio today? It was the hottest November night in forever. FOREVER???

We're busily researching air conditioners at the moment. Yes yes, I have succumbed. We have one, one of those old boxy types that hang on the wall, but if you have it on you basically need to sit right underneath it and wear earmuffs because it will deafen you. No chance of conversation or listening to the tv while it's on. But the fans ain't cutting it any more, no siree.

Well still on the catch up trail of the project 365 pages, here are some more for your viewing pleasure! te he

Credits here.

Now I might just go outside and sit in the middle of the back yard, porch light off and with a cool drink in hand go gaze up at the stars. That's one thing living in the country, it's a regular planetarium right outside your back door.

Bliss

I'm loving this whole not being at work caper. I even got breakfast in bed this morning. Again with the knitting and wrapping and scrapping. Plus I baked an orange cake. Delish. We went for a big walk after dinner the two of us with Molly and Lucky, that's why I love daylight saving. A walk after dinner is a lovely habit to get into.

I had a play with the new Maree paper by [ksharonkdesigns]. This page did not end up how it started on my screen, and I reverted to an old (but retired) favourite of Coconut paper. It just fitted with Miss T's outfit. Every now and then I'll do a page of one of the kids and just pop it away in their folder on my computer. Probably on their 21st birthdays they'll get an album of themselves.

So this verse that I've included on this page is on an email doing the rounds at the moment. It's just lovely isn't it? As soon as I saw it, I thought ah ha! I must put that on a scrap page. Inspiration strikes at any time I guess.

Credits here.

Well, I think a cup of tea and a wee piece of orange cake for supper may be the order of the evening and then to bed. Funny how it was a bit cooler last night, but I still needed the fan on.

We switched off

We took a stand last night and switched off Idol. How on earth those final two could be still standing I don't know. Sure, they are okay singers, but the thing that gets me, and I might be an old fuddy duddy saying this, but they don't pronounciate their words properly, they don't finish the end of a word, the diction is all over the place and at times, unless we are hearing it completely wrong over the television airwaves, they are out of tune. James on the other hand, may not be everyone's cup of tea, but he sings perfectly in tune ALL the time, he pronounciates his words and actually finishes the whole word, none of this cutting words off. Plus I can understand everything he sings.

I have always loved watching Idol, but this year I've been disappointed with how the judges have really tried to influence and sway the voting public with their opinions. You could see a mile off that they want Stan to win, no ifs buts or maybes. It just hasn't been a fair competition right from the start.

So we switched off and watched 60 minutes instead. It might be just our small little stand, but we have made a stand in protest. So there Channel 10 and Idol. Take that!

I have started my holidays from work now and what a lovely day I've had. I had a sleep in, bliss, all the way to 8.30!! Probably not a real sleep in for some but it was for me. Pottered this morning and did some much needed housework. Haircut this afternoon, I feel like a new woman. Still slowly wrapping Christmas presents. A bit of knitting of the silk shawl. A great day. I love to potter, if you haven't gotten that yet! te he

A few more on the catch up trail.

Mike's cousin Eleanor from Scotland came to stay for a long weekend, it deserved it's own page.

Credits here.

Hot Sunday

It's a hottie alright, Mike is sweating away in the shed tinkering with something or other, gotta love a man and his shed right? Kind of like a man and his golf. Rain hail or shine, they'll be doing what they love.

After that last post, my relief was tangible on Thursday when our local newspaper came out. Firstly our photo ended up on the front page, but thank goodness the picture was shown from the waist up. I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Must tell you about a terrific night out we went to last night. We were told it was a surprise night, no clues in advance, and to leave our inhibitions at the door.

It was a cryptic dinner, held by one of the service clubs in town as a fundraiser. You got a list of 20 cryptic clues and had to order then 1 to 20 as to how you would like your dinner served, which would be served as whatever you'd ordered 1-4 as first course, 5-8 as second course, etc. etc. And we had 10 minutes to do it in.

Now some of the clues were easy enough to work out "bakers tumble" was obviously a bread roll; "coloured wobbly" was jelly, but that was as far as my correct workings out went, so apart from putting my bakers tumble at number 1 and my coloured wobbly at number 20, I just mixed up all the other numbers.

We knew we were in for a ride when they then brought out wet ones to hand out so we could wash our hands. Oh my! In amongst that 20 were obviously going to be our eating utensils too. Eeeeek! My first course I ended up having : a serviette, a bread roll, a little bowl of cream and an after dinner mint. I was waaaaay off course, I thought "beaten dairy" may have been butter, but not to be.

It was hilarious watching people drink their soup out of bowls, eat their sweet & sour chicken with a toothpick, oh my and one man even resorted to eating his jelly with his fingers. And I found out the true meaning of love when one of my courses consisted of a bowl of icecream, a cup of tea, a toothpick and a little container of tomato sauce. What an assortment, my worst fear was having sauce with nothing to put it on. Mike quickly picked up the little container and downed the sauce in one gulp for me. Now I ask you, is that true love? Or is that true love?

Oh and if you complained at all during the night, or swore (and there was a bit of that going around) you were fined a gold coin. All in the spirit of fundraising. Probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I've never been to anything like it and it was fabulous fun.

I'm trying as I might to catch up on my project 365 pages. I have really let myself down here, oh I've still been taking the photos, but as for putting them onto pages, I've gone backwards. So there's been a major push in the last two weeks. Here's a couple on the catch up trail to show you.

Credits here.

Now I declare regarding Idol tonight, if James is finished, then I'm vetoing it. I refuse to watch any further and 60 minutes will be switched on. That I vow and promise.

Oh dear

Picture this if you will.

It's hot, very very hot here. Mike is wearing a white t-shirt which was a tad on the grubby side; his saggy baggy shorts which he can pull on and take off without having to undo them, mind you they are not elastic waisted, they're just that baggy; black socks dare I say pulled up; and bluntstone boots.

When I got home from work we were going to head down to the local hall. An energy company is putting a wind farm near our town and they were having a display and answering any questions throughout the day, so we thought we'd pop down at 6pm to see what they had to say. Mike thought, urrrgh, too hot, I'm going like I am.

Oh dear.

And as Murphy's Law would dictate, we ended up getting our photograph snapped for the newspaper, wouldn't you know it.

Eeeek!!!!

Here's a page I did recently with creashens fabulous kit "Anne with an E". I remember thinking on this 9th September 2009 day I needed to snap a self portrait, so I sat at the kitchen table, held out the camera and wham, blinded myself in the process.

Will I sleep tonight? I doubt it. I'm having fitful sleeps of late, darn heat.

Urrrgh hot!

So they said on the news last night that it's been the hottest start to November in a century. IN A CENTURY?!? Good Lord. Who on earth switched on the heat, it seems to have come in just like that. I'm sure a fortnight ago we still had the fireplace alight.

I'm not enjoying these days and certainly not enjoying the nights AT ALL. We've had the fan on all night every night. I know I'll get used to that lovely whirring sound. Then even if it's not a fan night, I still need it on otherwise I can't get to sleep. White noise or something isn't it?

Last night we went to a "fire ready" night run by the service clubs in town with a spokesperson from the CFA. About working out your fire plan, how to protect your house, how to protect yourself. Some really useful things to take on board. It really made a person very aware of how vulnerable we can be without a plan. And of course we think "it can never happen to us". Well a lot of people on Black Saturday may have been thinking the same thing.

Okay onto other things. I love this old photo showing my dad and poppa in the same band. So you know how it came to pass that I followed in their footsteps.

Credits here.

Now off I go to brave the heat, four more days of work! Yahoo.

Another hot one

Heck, two hot days in a row and we're flagging, and let's face it, by our standards it hasn't really been that hot, it's just that it has hit with a vengeance. Having said that mind you I have the oven on full bore right now, making a pav. I was going to get it done early but I didn't have the heart to start the mixmaster up too early whilst the rest of the house was asleep.

We sat and watched the two disaster movies on telly last night and I knitted and knitted the shawl, my goodness it is taking quite the effort to get from one end to the other now. But I'm loving it. In amongst that I started wrapping Christmas presents. Yes you may groan, but I want to get it done and dusted. Yeah, that's the spirit huh? ha. But more so I want to be more organised this year, so I've been checking my list and finding where I've hidden things (thank goodness I list everything down) and marking off once wrapped.

And because I am who I am, I do wrap with a colour scheme in mind. Everything this year is red, black and silver, and my labels are self-made Christmas ball shapes in silver and/or black. It looks just lovely, quite striking actually.

creashens has an absolutely lovely collaborative kit out at the moment with KStudio, called "Count on Me". Such pretty pretty colours. I ended up using it like this:

I like this photo as Mike doesn't tend to smile in photos, he gets such a stern look up, so this is a nice change. I look dorky because this was taken in the park after the Christmas parade last year and I had a santa hat on, ready for the Christmas Carols to begin. It just looks like I've got something white on my head.

And because I promised Lynn some knitting here's a little hat I knitted recently to give to my friend Victoria who had a gorgeous baby, she's now got the present so I can show it here on my blog. The pattern was a free pattern given to me from the lovely lady who owns the wool shop in Geelong in Ryrie Street, because I had admired the ones she had in the shop and I'd bought so darn much there, she probably thought a free pattern was on the cards! ha. It's knitted out of this absolutely fabulous yarn, Woolganics? something like that, it's organic wool and it was so nice to knit with.

Stay cool Victorians!

Weeeeeeeeeee!!! One more day and the work week is over

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Fridays. Well actually Friday evenings, but Friday is good, very good, last day of the work week. I'm already starting to fill up my calendar with things I will be wanting to do on my break in just over a week's time, and sure as eggs (where did that saying come from anyway?? hmmm) the three weeks off will go by in the blink of an eye.

I have been a bad blogger of late, but have any of you noticed how darn quickly the days are going by? I've got a couple of big crafty projects on at the moment. One of which my dear friend Tanya put me onto, shhhhh if you happen to know my mum, don't tell, but I'm making her a Forest Canopy Shawl. It's such a lovely pattern to knit, but boy it's getting longer in getting across the rows. I did shout myself a nice new set of addi turbo needles to knit it with. Gosh they make a difference, really the Rolls Royce of needles huh?

Oh and the yarn I'm using, Luscious Silk, how absolutely decadent, in the crazy name colourway of Strange Brew.

So anyway the shawl is for my mum. She reads in bed a lot and doesn't wear a bed jacket so gets cold shoulders, I thought this would be ideal for her to wrap around her shoulders. The idea came to me when mum was in hospital recently. I thought ah ha! Christmas knitting.

Okay okay Lynn, photos will be forthcoming. Oh yeah, so is Christmas. Hey, it is !

Now I've told you how crazy I am about my new American nephews. Errr, probably just a few times I've said it! ha. They really are the most sweetest kids and have settled into life in Australia like ducks to water. And they already know when Aunty Carol is around, so is the camera. Smart boys.

Credits here.

Now ... off to bed.

My new mantra

Two weeks
Two weeks
Two weeks

I kept humming that to myself at work today. Two weeks till I have holidays from work. YAY! I'm so looking forward to just being me, not having to worry about work for three whole weeks, get things done for Christmas so I can go into a cruisy December, spend some time with my mum, do some shopping, I have quite a large list of things to accomplish in three weeks off work.

Who watched Idol last night? I'm really so over it this year. I think the judges are definitely trying to sway the voting public. I'm completely over JD and him playing favourites. I do like James but I don't think he's getting a fair go, he sings far and above better than the others, but JD just sees the dollars that the others will possibly make. I can honestly say if James goes out next Sunday I'm switching off, I will have absolutely zero interest in the outcome.

Now that's ALOT for me to admit, because I generally love watching Idol.

We had a really big electrical storm before but no rain. It was great being out watching it and not worrying about getting wet. Although Molly has turned into a huge scaredy dog. She hates storms with a passion. Her eyes get wild and she tries to hide. So thankful Lucky hasn't picked up on her phobia, he was happy as larry sitting next to me outside watching the lightening in the distance. Actually I should say the storm seemed to be all around our town but not overhead, so it was in the distance, I had no worries of being spiked or anything.

Now, because the fabulous Shen of creashens fame is so amazing, she is the featured designer of Digital Artist Magazine for October. She's made a wonderful kit for the occasion called "Frankie Loves Hollie", it is soooooo cute. I know I have scrapped this photo before, but I like this page better and yes, they do have a special kind of love.

I am here !

You may be mistaken for thinking I have run away, but I am here, I promise. Just that life is getting in the way of blogging. How rude!

I did have a wonderful time in South Australia last weekend with my dear dear friends. The pink breakfast was magnificent. Who thought I would look so great in a pink cowboy hat with silver sparkles. te he So much money raised for breast cancer research and it's a credit to the lass Tracey who's mission and drive it is to put on these events, having been a breast cancer survivor herself.

Other times I have been over to Port Mac I've been a passenger, but because I was going a day later than the rest of the girls, I drove myself over, with the aide of Susie (aka Smartarse Susie, Mike's GPS). We name her Smartarse Susie because she thinks she knows better than us, she got that name when I went to Tassie a few months ago, she kept having to do route recalculations and kept telling us we were over the speed limit, hmmmmph.

So anyway Susie and I headed over and I figure that yes, Susie would get me there without having to do much in the way of thinking myself except for driving. And Susie obviously doesn't know the shortcut that we usually go because she ended up taking me via Macarthur and Heywood. Heck. A bit of the long way, but I got there and home in the end.

So then after our washing machine had broken down (and the new one is going magnificently), our TV has decided to call it quits. This is our lovely big plasma. Thank heavens for plonking down the money for the extended warranty, it is 2 years and 1 month old! We still had another 11 months to go on the warranty. So its away getting fixed, something about a button inside which was turning the TV off every two minutes. I wonder if it was trying to tell us something. So we've done a TV rejig and have the one from the bedroom in the loungeroom which is mighty small after our big plasma. No good for subtitle movies, or our old eyes!

Now anyone in the mood for some birthday fun? Twolittlepixels is having it's second birthday. I know ... I can't believe it either. Sharon's baby has just turned two, and to celebrate there are fabulous grab bags from the designers. It would be telling, if I told you exactly what was in [ksharonkdesigns] grab bag, but needless to say as a hint, the below page was made with items from it.

One of my darling new American nephews celebrating his birthday recently. Do you know how hard it is to actually type the word "mommy", it looks so strange. At least for these little fingers typing anyway.

Goodies available here:

Okay, I need to share my naivety

I had a fright earlier on tonight, quite the fright actually. And it shows I know NOTHING about the anatomy of a boy dog. Or the birds and the bees for that matter.

Lucky and Molly were playing whilst I was making my pom pom (more about that later). And I saw Lucky was, well interested in fiddling around with himself. I took a closer look and O--M--G I thought he was injured, I thought his intestines were coming out or something. I was frantic. I rang Mike's mobile number twice as he was out at a meeting, so texted him to ring home ASAP.

So I grabbed Lucky to check his innards popping out and then it struck me that, well, his willy was popping out. OMG it had broken through the skin, he had ruptured his underneath, what to do what to do. So I rang my boss for want of anyone else, being that she was a dog person. I explained to her frantically what was happening and she, in between her laughter told me "Lucky is just a wee bit excited Carol".

Honest to God, I had no idea. I thought when boy dogs were "fixed" it was all sewn up. I didn't know IT popped out when they were excited. I had absolutely no idea in the world that happened to fixed dogs. And in the 10 months we've had Lucky it's the first time I've seen it.

So in the meantime Mike rings home and I told him of my stupidity, to which he told everyone at the meeting. That's it, I can never show my face in town again.

Err ... don't worry, I won't be scrapping this little bit of our history. This is a page I've done this week after his visit to the vet last weekend. Using Bugga Boo by creashens with worn paper edges by Lynn Grieveson.

Oh and as for the pom pom, I was making a bunny tail (as you do!!). I am going away with my old workmates from Geelong on the weekend, a girls weekend to South Australia. We always have a fancy dress on the Saturday night, and it's P. So I can share here, I am going as Peter Cottontail. It was going to be a Playboy Bunny Reject but I think Peter Cottontail is cuter. I made a white furry rabbit costume (so I'm hoping for a bit of a chill in the air on Saturday night, because let me tell you I broke out into quite a sweat the other night prancing around in the loungeroom with it on). I've just made a big pink pom pom for the tail. I have ears and makeup. There may (or may not) be a picture after the weekend.

Sunday we are going to a Pink Breakfast for a breast cancer fundraiser. Which reminds me, I must get out all my pink clothes so I can make a start on packing my bags.

Later.

Yay it's here

The new washing machine FINALLY came today. I raced inside, squealed with glee and straight away did a load.

Stupid comment from my darling husband ... "You're like a kid with a new toy huh?"

"Errr no darling, the fact that I've not done the laundry for over a week now and I'm running out of knickers, more to the point".

So tell me - how many people would class a washing machine as a toy, as something fun to "play" with, as an enjoyable past time, need I go on? Mere male comment indeed. Urrrrgh.

It's late, my computer is on the go slow - SOMEONE used up our unlimited-monthly-broadband-internet-connecting-you-know-what-I-mean-supply. Obviously we've been to infinity and back, because how on earth you can use an unlimited supply I don't know. So we're down to ant speed until tomorrow! yay.

Pictures forthcoming. There may be ... knitting to show!

Washing day blues

Not because it's raining, but because my washing machine has finally given up, dead, almost buried, kaput. Well, hang on, it still works, but only if I'd like water all over my laundry floor, which is kinda not the look I'm going for!

Not bad though, they say white goods have a life span of 5 years now don't they? Horrific I know. But my old washing machine was 16 years old. I certainly got my monies worth out of her. She has to be a her doesn't she? Tireless, trudging on, never pausing, always there when I needed her. ha.

I'm so unadventurous though, just replaced her with a similar model. I didn't go for any bells and whistles. And how original am I? I got another Simpson - why? Because my last one lived a long time? No. Because it had all the features I needed? No. Because it fit in the space we had? No. Why? Because it's my mum's maiden name!!! hahahaha Which is the reason I bought my last Simpson too.

Now some exciting news. Us digi scrappers looooooove to look at the Gallery Standouts blog. Love being inspired and seeing all the fabulously talented scrappers thereon, marvelling at their work. Lo and behold, my Mean ol' Cat layout ended up on it yesterday. YAY ME !

Check it out

And I was able to say a big ... "so there!" to Mike too. He really didn't like that page, he didn't like the big blocks of navy and aqua colour. What vindication!

So anyway, it was my mum's birthday recently so thought as I hadn't posted this page here previously, here we are.

Using Mothers Love by Michele Stone Designz with Stitches by Syrin

Well I need to get some things in order, I still haven't done my tax (gasp!) so that is a weekend job for me. I say every year I'll get it done straight away and every year I don't. Plus there's another visit to the vet planned on Saturday. Molly and Bo was last Saturday and Lucky this Saturday. I thought it was a visit fraught with a nervous breakdown if we took all three together, hence the split.

Mean ol' cat

I love this picture I took of one of my new nephews a few weekends ago. My brother has this cat named Bowie. Bowie and Trevor have been through some pretty rough times together, dare I say this cat even saw my brother through those rough times, and he's been a constant companion. But man oh man this cat is mean. He does let you pat him, and then decides enough is enough and takes a swipe, a bite, a scratch. Trevor has been known to actually have to hold him with motor bike gloves on in the past. But love him through all that, my brother does.

I must admit I was worried when Trevor got married and hey presto received two new stepsons into the package. Not worried about the family unit, no way, all is great. But worried about my two new nephews with this mean ol' cat in the house.

Errr, my misgivings were entirely thrown out the window. Bowie has taken to David and Matthew like he is their first born. haha He plays and rubs and generally hangs around them. What is it with animals? Sometimes they just sense a kindred spirit. Oh I'm sure Bowie still has his mean streak, but there is no way no how any of us could pick him up like David has here. I do believe Bowie may be the very first pet my two new nephews have had, so this does my heart proud. Look at that contented smile on Bowie's face. Priceless.

Credits
Simple Sets #64 by [ksharonkdesigns]
Small Packages-Alpha 3 by [ksharonkdesigns]
Dots from Dotty by Jot &Scribble
Basic Canvas Neutrals by Ana Reis Designs
A Little Bird Told Me by Ana Reis Designs

Another runner

I'm getting as bad as Amanda in posting, hahahaha (oh low blow huh Amanda?). Just that life is getting in the way from posting, which is a good thing really isn't it?

I want to talk about day light saving. I love it. Love being able to get home and not think that the whole day is over. I can get out and walk the dogs, do things in the yard (well I guess I CAN do things in the yard, except I don't, ha), but you know what I mean. But it's had a really strange effect in our household this year.

Every day (well 98% of the time) Bo the cat wakes up at 5am. She comes into our bedroom, jumps on the bed and gives me head butts to wake me up so I can get up to let her out. 5am folks. Just about every day. It's exhausting. I think also she's given up trying to wake up Mike because that just aint gonna happen. So when day light saving clicked over I thought bliss, she won't be in till 6am because she won't know the clocks have changed.

WRONG.
She still came in at 5am!!
WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?

I totally don't get it. How does she know it's 5am. Mike has even gotten to the stage thinking the cat can read the clock. Not possible I know. I'm just going to put this down in one of the wierd and wonderful things that make up our lives. But it still leaves us shaking our heads.

We've had a lovely day today. The weather was very spring like. My father-in-law came down, he's just come back from a holiday in Vietnam. I didn't dare dish him up a rice dish for lunch, he said he's eaten enough rice for a year. He enjoyed his trip very much and thank goodness was 5 days ahead of the typhoon over there. Number one step-son also called in for some lunch on his way back to Melbourne. So it's been very nice.

And before I go I want to share this page I did with creashens "Sweetness" kit, such a gorgeous kit to play with. And what a beautiful photograph of a dear friend's little girl. This photograph couldn't be displayed any other way than big, it's so precious. Obviously Tanya (or her hubby) is a very good photographer, I've got a lovely lot of pictures to play with of Miss S.

That's it from me, over and out. Australian Idol tonight, yay!

Looks like I did a runner

Doesn't it? I haven't been back since before the big game. Oh for those who live either overseas or on another planet (if they live here and don't know, hmmmm) the Cats won. Oh my gosh what a match. We had Mr. T staying with us and he woke to find the loungeroom decorated with balloons, I had a football feast laid out for us for during the big match and what a match it was. I'm so very proud of Geelong and I know dad would have been too.

I honestly don't think I could go through another match like that, we were on the edge of our seats. When Chappy scored that goal over his shoulder in the dying minutes, Mr. T and I jumped up and hugged and jumped round and round and round screaming. Not bad for a 15 year old and his step mum huh? Once he realised he acted cool again! I love that we were both caught up in the moment. Mike decided to even up the score here at home and barrack for the Saints. te he, so there was a bit of rivalry going on.

So since then I've been down to Geelong and back, attended a 6 year old birthday party which was a lot of fun and I got a lot of good scrapbooking fodder through the lens! Oh yes, I'm like the family papparazzi that's for sure. My brother's new stepson, well I still say new, but they've been over here for more than a year now, turns 6 on Monday, the same day as mum's birthday. It was a really fun day.

After all the party goodies a planned going out for dinner for mum and I didn't eventuate, we were that stuffed, so we did coffee and then a movie. We saw Mao's Last Dancer. Oh my gosh it was good. I was that involved in the storyline, that after a particular dance and the audience (in the film) applauded afterwards, I inadvertently started clapping in the cinema, much to my horror. I was so caught up in it. Brilliant movie.

So driving to Geelong and back this weekend, what a treat. All the gorgeous canola fields, brilliant yellow. Such happy making vista. And the sea is happy making vista for me too. I caught this particular picture one lunch time recently when I was out and about with my camera when I escaped from work.

Credits here.