My last post for 2011

Well here it is, my last post for the year. Do I need to say something profound? Sorry, don't have it in me at the moment! It's so hot here today, a stinker if you will. Mother Nature is finishing the year with a bang, that's for sure. We have no energy much to do anything, it's a hot wind out there too. I looked at the Christmas decos before and thought nahh, they can stay up another day.

I bathed Molly and Lucky this morning, Molly is still a bit damp, laying flat out on the slate in the back room. At least she's cool, she was overheating earlier. It's going to be a tough summer for the old girl.

Must show you what his Lordship gave me for Christmas, and as suspected all the clues he gave me earlier were made up. I figured that. The only one that was correct was it started with the letter "S".

It turns this...



Into this...



And for non-knitters amongst us, is called a Swift...

Method in his madness, although he has been very patient in the past with his arms in the air holding the skeins of yarn as I wind them into balls, now he knows I can do it much more quickly, neatly and on my own. I have happily been winding all the skeins of yarn I own here, which pleases me no end.

Incidentally Mr. G also gave me that yarn, isn't it gorgeous? He picked the colour out himself too, he couldn't have picked better if he tried. I'll turn that little baby into a pair of socks for moi !

Now, in finishing up the year, however you are spending this last day of 2011, I hope you stay safe and that 2012 will be bigger, better and brighter than ever before. Thank you for your company this past year. Hope to hear from you again in 2012, I love reading comments, so I know I'm not just here talking to myself, which happens quite a bit if truth be known!

Happy New Year.

Christmas Day!

We spent Christmas Day with Mike's sister and family, their first Christmas in their new home. Mum was invited but declined. Sad yes, she still can't face spending Christmas with family and friends. I know that dad would have wanted us to continue to enjoy Christmas so I aim to do just that, because that's what he would want.

It was lovely being surrounded by Mike's family. Plus my brother-in-law's parents were there also. We had a lovely lunch of turkey and ham and all the trimmings. And the most magnificent plum pudding. Now I'm not a fan of plum puddings, not at all. I will have a serving just to be polite. But honestly this was so good, I went back for seconds! Apparently it was a recipe that was in a book by Susan Duncan. No idea which book. But I *have* to get this recipe. Even Mike had 2 helpings and he doesn't like cooked fruit AT ALL.

Probably the only serious photo of the day

Then funny faces started to emerge

Even bah humbug faces, does that hat suit him to a tee or what?

Shocked faces, brother-in-law cooking the prawns, caught in the kitchen.

Beautiful faces from Tilly the dog.

Strange Uncle Mike faces.

Funny grandpa stances

Yay, another normal photo!

Grandparent photos with my niece and nephew.

Brother-in-law's father, looking right pleased with the santa shortbread we gave him.

Master Sean quite pleased with the day.

Miss Jessica with her balance bird, very clever.

More grandparent shots with the children.

Unwrapping gifts.

Larry the bird even joined in.

Then afterwards we went to see my mum on the way home, so Mike made sure we got a photo there too. I like these two.

So tired by the time we got home, and then we got to do it all over again on Boxing Day, Mike's kids came for dinner, but will show those photos another day, once I finally get them off the camera!

Merry Christmas

The day is almost over and we are heading off to bed, have eaten way too much, enjoyed ourselves, and as I wish you all a Merry Christmas I also think of my dad. Four years ago today.

I love you and miss you dad. My Christmas Angel.

Well it's almost that time

What has been bought has been bought. What has been wrapped has been wrapped. Nothing much more to be done here. I might make some shortbread in a tick, I have the butter on the bench, it's probably melted into a puddle right now, it has been so warm today. Gearing up for a lovely hot day tomorrow. Temperature forecast is 28 C with late thunderstorms.

I had to buy a quick emergency present because one of the online gifts I bought (with guaranteed delivery before Christmas) hasn't arrived! Grrrrrr. So down to the giftshop I went to buy a replacement present, plus buying myself a lovely blue/green scarf at the same time. I'll just do a swap with Christmas/birthday, all good. Annoying, but good.

It's been such a hectic week at work, getting everything done with earlier than normal time frames because of the public holidays. But we did it. We all ate a fair bit of chocolate during the week too! Light on with staff, but festive all the same.

Mike and I went out looking at the Christmas lights around town. Not as many houses this year, but Bushy's farm was just as fabulous as ever. He lives on the outskirts of town and takes about a month to put up his lights, you actually drive into the farm and around the yard, it's quite fabulous. Sometimes Santa is there to greet you. He has the most beautiful alpacas as well, that you can see in their pen (one of my dreams is to have a little bit of land and a few alpacas). I told Bushy that I look forward to this every year, and after a busy lead up, it really has gotten me right into the mood and the Christmas spirit.

We also went to a lovely relaxing BBQ for dinner during the week. Some very good friends here from town, it was fantastic, just sitting, eating, talking, laughing. Five couples and assorted children. Just what we needed in an effort to try to slow down and breathe.

Tonight Mike and I will go to the local Church service. The church is just up the road, so a short walk for us. Afterwards everyone catches up on the lawns outside the church, it's a nice time.

So however you will be spending this last day before Christmas, I hope it is exactly how you want it. I've been lucky enough for my days to be just that.

Merry Christmas everyone from me, his Lordship and the menagerie...

Credits Designer Digitals.

Feeling snoozy

I think events of the past week have really caught up with both of us. Mike fell asleep on the couch just before 3pm, air conditioner going, and he's happily dozing. He had channel 2 on, some documentary that has finished, and now it's opera singing on it. ha! He'll get a surprise when he wakes up. Oh and the minute my father-in-law left yesterday afternoon, I lay down on the bed and didn't get up for an hour.

I've just done a bit of baking, well not baking because it didn't use the oven, I just made some cherry ripe truffles courtesy of my friend Lucy's recipe. Delish.

1 packet Nice biscuits
1 can condensed milk
3 cherry ripes
2 tablespoons cocoa

Whiz in a food processor, roll into balls and coat with coconut.
Refrigerate until firm.

How easy is that. Actually I didn't quite need the whole can of condensed milk, in case you are planning on making it.

I took Lucky for a walk earlier to mail the last of my Christmas cards. And that's been the sum total of our day. How decadent.

Not many things planned for next week, anxiously awaiting the postman to bring the last two orders I had made of two gifts. I may have to dive down the street and get an emergency present if they don't come. Why oh why do I have brilliant ideas so late in the piece.

I love to do heritage pages, telling our story is one of the reasons I have this scrapbooking passion. This is part of my story from yesteryear.

Credits Designer Digitals.

It's been a loooooong week!

I know the build up to Christmas is exhausting, but this week has been like no other. I just now want to curl up in bed for, hmmm, let's see, how about 2 whole days! ha.

Tuesday we had his Lordship's 50th birthday. So for the man who did not want to do anything, we did just that. I got his favourite Thai takeaway and we had that for dinner.

Wednesday during the day I headed up to Tarrington (near Hamilton) to a lovely cafe there for our annual Christmas party for work - we have staff members that come from all round there so it's nice to travel up that way.

Wednesday evening three of Mike's four children (sans the one who lives in Melbourne) came for dinner, which was really lovely. He actually allowed us to sing happy birthday that night!

Thursday we headed over to Terang for a Christmas party for lodge over there, a very festive night with a really wonderful meal. Probably the best steak and pepper sauce I've had in a long long time, followed by cookies and cream cheesecake. OMG, it was delicious.

And then tonight we had the town's Christmas Parade and Carols by Candlelight. FINALLY this year no rain! After the torrential rain of last year and the year before, it was nice to sit out in the village green and enjoy the local talent amongst friends. Although when the sun went down it did get chilly so lucky I thought to bring my coat. With Mike being one of the key organisers amongst other lodge members, it's been an exhausting time for him, and even tonight he was running around with the clipboard, co-ordinating.

And now here it is, 10.30pm on Friday night and I'm ready for bed, ready to sleep forever I feel like. But I'll be up early again I know because my father-in-law is coming for a visit, so I will make something special, I know not what.

Then I swear, after he leaves, I sleep!

I haven't done many Christmas layouts this year because I'm busy catching up on my Project 52, but when I saw Katie's upcoming Elf kit I knew I had the most perfect of photographs to go with it.

Credits Designer Digitals.


Must admit I have been intrigued by this whole Elf on a Shelf phenomenon I've been seeing. Has it been around forever? I've seen it all over Pinterest. And of course now I want to get one it's sold out at Book Depository and Borders. Not to worry, I'm sure there'll be another fad next year.

It's someone's birthday today!

And a GOLDEN birthday at that.

Photo taken last year when he was still young and in his 40's ;-)

Credits Designer Digitals.

I'm here!!

You are forgiven for thinking that Sonia and I had such a good time last weekend that we have run away, never to be seen again!

We did though, not the run away part, but we had a BRILLIANT time in Melbourne. So much fun. So much shopping. We ate with the beautiful people down at South Bank, ha, I told Sonia they seat the ugly people inside, so we must be part of the beautiful crowd! I think we were delirious in each other's company. So much laughing.

We also realised that as we get older things start to hurt! ouch. All our "hinges" hurt by the end of the weekend - ankles, knees, hips! All that walking.

We crammed so much into the weekend - checking out the pretty decorations in Melbourne, tramming all over the place, the atrium at Crown, eating at Southbank, eating at Chinatown, eating down the little laneways of Melbourne, did I mention we did a lot of eating! The chocoholics tour of Melbourne which was a lot of fun, Docklands DFO, a visit to Queen Victoria Market, the light projections at St. Pauls Cathedral and the State Library, I swear I stood there with the goofiest grin on my face, they were so beautiful.

Lots of photos to come, but to tide you over here's one of the first things I got us to do, unbeknowns to Sonia. I had us line up with the kids at Myer to get our photo taken. I did say to Santa I wouldn't sit on his knee for I fear his chimney climbing days would be over, but he did tell us that we were both on his good girl list, quite right up near the top. So there, I have it from good authority!

Love you heaps Sonia!

One more sleep

Tomorrow morning it's up early to catch the train to Melbourne, up early for Sonia to catch the plane to Melbourne. We are both so excited.

Lots of talking to be had.
Lots of laughing.
Shopping.
Eating.
More talking.
More laughing.

It's been three years or just over, since we've seen each other. How has that happened? Time is fleeting isn't it.

Here's two of my favourite pages I made when I made "our" album. Photos from a long time ago.

Can't wait to make more memories with my bestie.

Three more sleeps

Can't wait till Sonia and I hit Melbourne for our big weekend. I am so jazzed about everything we have planned, but most of all that we will be together for the first time since goodness knows when. I thought of a really cool idea of something else we can do on one of the days there, and I know Sonia will be reading this and it will drive her crazy not knowing, but one must have some surprises up one's sleeve, mustn't one?!? ha.

Stay tuned! ;-)

Last lot of pages to show of the book for the boys.

The book needed a title page and I thought a letter from us would be perfect.

And a set of school photographs I do believe are a must. I think back to my own school photos and it's neat to see how I changed over the years.

And boys and girls alike always should have photographs of their very first day at school. How terrified does young Matt look in these photos.

Credits Designer Digitals.


I was parcelling, packaging, boxing up overseas Christmas presents tonight and ouch, I really once again haven't thought things through very well. One of the gifts was 2kg!!!!! OUCH! I am going to see if a postpac for that one brings it under the 2kg mark instead of the box. Each year I say I'll be more savvy and each year my thoughts go out the window in search of the perfect present. Perhaps online direct mail shopping next year!

Big day

Headed down to Geelong today to go to the Christening of a dear sweet little girl of friends of ours. It was a lovely big Christening, mainly due to the female side of the couple being an Italian family. I have decided I love canoles. I don't even know how to spell them. But these delicious pastry twisty round things filled one side with vanilla custard and the other side with a chocolate custard. To ... die ... for. A huge meal was had mind you, but it's all about the dessert really, isn't it?

Can't wait ... 5 more sleeps and then I'm meeting up with my best friend in the big smoke for our weekend away. She's flying in from Tassie and I'm training up from the south west. CANNOT WAIT! We've been planning this since July and it's nearly here. We were like giggling schoolgirls on the phone tonight.

Another couple of pages to show you from the book for the boys. I really like this first one, we've often commented on that last photo there that it's like dad is looking down on them smiling and loving the relationship they formed. It was a fun coincidence that young Matt and mum had the exact same birthday. So special for the two of them.

I needed to do a remake of this following page. I loved it so much but I had lost it when my computer went kaput in 2010, so I kind of recreated it, but using different but similar coloured items and papers. The photos however are just the most fun. Crazy kid he is.

Oh and yes Polly, if you are reading this, yes that's the shower cap you gave me in the middle picture. I'm pretty sure it was from you from memory. I still have it and I love it !

Credits for both pages from Designer Digitals.


Now, must go to bed. I'm still sniffing but not like it was. My lips are cracked and dry though, still feel like a duck! After sleeping most of the way home in the car this afternoon I hope I can actually get to sleep tonight.

Should I feel guilty?

Okay, give me your honest opinion. You know I've felt like crap this week, even sleeping through most of Wednesday. I'm still not feeling 100 percent, my nose is still so stuffed up, but at least I'm not sneezing any more. So Thursday night oh at about 10.30, just about to go to bed and Mike pipes up ... "oh by the way, the fellas are coming around here Friday night for a meeting" ("the fellas" being the committee who are putting on the town's Christmas parade and Carols by Candlelight).

Err tomorrow night?

You tell me at 10.30 in the evening?

Why did you not tell me at 6.30 tonight, so I had a chance to vaccuum and tidy up before Friday?

Oh, didn't think about it then.

So imagine if you will that the place here looked like a bomb had hit it, I've had no energy to do anything this week. And I was working all day Friday and would not be home from work until after 6pm, and the fellas were due to arrive around 7.30pm. So I simply said, "right, so you decide, do you want to vaccuum and dust or do you want to cook our dinner, either/or, because I can't do everything in an hour and a half when I get home from work."

So Mike decides to do the vaccuuming and the dusting, cleaned the bathroom too, and he did a magnificent job of it I might add, he's been hiding his light under a bushel, that's for sure. And I did dinner.

So 7.30 comes and goes, no one turns up. 7.45 still no one. I told him to ring them. They had decided that they didn't need a meeting after all but didn't tell Mike. HA! Oh I bet he wishes they told him earlier in the afternoon. Now I don't have to do ANY cleaning at all this weekend!

So I ask you once again ... should I feel guilty? Because I don't.

It has however given me lee way today to wrap wrap wrap Christmas presents. I'm going gung ho at the moment, I'm knee deep in paper and sticky tape and ribbon, and in my element.

Catching you up on the final lot of pages in the book for the boys. I'm so excited to get this back, I'm always excited to get a book back in print. I've ordered a second copy for myself.

Credits for above all from Designer Digitals.


Okay, back to the wrapping I go.

Sniff, cough, sneeze, splutter

That is the sum total of me, yesterday and today. I initially thought I was getting a bout of hay fever earlier this week, but it has developed into a head cold and I can't stop sneezing. So to give you an insider tip, buy up some stocks of Kleenex because sales are going through the roof the way I'm using them!

I took the day off sick and have slept through most of it. At one stage I got up to make a pot of tea and imagine this if you will ... my hair looked like a birds nest, my nose is swollen and red raw, watery eyes, saggy daggy tracksuit on and Mike looked at me and I couldn't help it, I said "Mike honey ... do I look pretty?" ha he didn't know which way to look.

Must ... Get ... Better. Sick of myself at the moment.

I hit "order now" on the book for the boys so it is finished. Still a few pages you are yet to see so shall pop a couple here now. Honestly I could just have kept scrapping these boys, so many stories and words I want to say to them, but it had to end one day so I could actually get the book printed.

Really, the picture of innocence, isn't it?

Credit Designer Digitals.


Now ... back to my best friend, the bed I go.

Weekend is over

Here we are, Sunday night yet again, another week over and a new one beginning. Sunday nights, what to do now that Underbelly is finished, ha! Had a big weekend with a nice night out last night. We were at a Masons Installation and ended up on a really fun table for the banquet.

Had a cruisey Sunday, just on finished the book for my nephews and just about ready to hit the print button. I set it out and some double pages just didn't fit so have had to make a quick few pages to fit on opposing pages. I will be sad when the project is over.

Here's another page from the book showing the special relationship between Mike and Matthew. Matt absolutely idolised Mike and was his little shadow whenever he was here, and quite frankly I know the feeling was mutual.

Credits Designer Digitals.


And now here we are on the downward slide of November. I must get a grip on Christmas, I've shopped like there's no tomorrow, but haven't been updating my spreadsheet, I'm all over the place.

I've finished birthday shopping for His Nibs, now just waiting for the delivery. A fun (and quite ridiculous) 50th present for sure. Stay tuned.

Disaster

I had a disaster last night, or I should say this morning, in the very early hours of this morning in fact. I lost Molly. Oh God! I am thinking of what could have happened and it tears me up. Many many tears last night, from despair to happy tears. This is what happened.

Mike was over in Portland so was going to be home very late. I had gone to bed but just after midnight Molly started pacing. Back and forward. Coming up next to the bed and thumping her chin on it to wake me up. Pacing again. I figured she probably needed to go out for a wee and told her to hold on.

Pace pace pace even more.

So at 12.30am I groggily got out of bed, dressing gown on and took her outside. She went over to where she usually goes, but then decided to turn and walk into the front yard, so I followed. Then she saw the front gate was opened ready for Mike to drive in, and before I knew it she walked right out.

Black dog + black night = frantic Carol.

I started to race after her but she completely had disappeared into the night. Quickly inside, grabbed her leash and a torch but she was gone. Oh God, my poor dear sweet Molly, I was in tears when only a few minutes later Mike's car came round the corner, he was home. Wondering what I was doing out in my pyjamas. In tears I told him.

So he grabbed another torch and what a pair we made. Walking down our street, shining torches into people's yard, softly calling out "Molly" ... me in my pyjamas and Mike in a tuxedo! No sight nor sound. How far could she have gone. She's 12 years old, she gets muddled.

We drove around in the car after that, round the block, nothing. No moving shadows, no barking dogs, nothing. By this stage I was in despair. Came back home to check in case she was sitting by the back door, she wasn't. I pulled on clothes and Mike decided to head down to the highway which is a block away, the trucks hurtle down there of a night. I decided to head up our street up to the golf course which is one of her favourite walks.

By this stage it had gotten to about 1.15am. In tears we met back, well okay I was in tears, Mike was all business. What to do? My heart ached when Mike said we were looking for a needle in a haystack in the night, that we should leave the gate open, the back light on and hope against hope that she would curl up in someone's garden where it was nice and cool and we'd go out at first light and find she'd be laying in her bed at the back door. I knew I wouldn't sleep a wink.

We were both just looking at each other in the loungeroom when Mike thought of a crazy idea. Could Lucky track her? I thought he was stark raving mad and had watched way too many Lassie movies as a child, but anything was worth a try. I grabbed Lucky's lead and he thought all his Christmasses had come at once going out for a walk in the dark.

Running down the driveway he was pulling like he always does at the start of a walk, making his little sounds, leash was jingling and all of a sudden out of the dark Molly comes running in the driveway, I guess thinking she was missing out and almost pounced on him to play.

OH THANK YOU GOD!

I grabbed her, put her leash on and quite frankly forgot all about it being nearly 1.30am and started yelling out, "Mike, Mike, I've got her". Goodness knows what the neighbours must have heard, particularly as it was a very still night. I didn't care, I had my girl back.

I can't bear to think about the what ifs. What if she decided to head to the highway and was hit by a truck hoofing it through town? What if she made it to the golf course and got through the wire fence and got herself lost on the fairways? What if she just didn't know how to get back from wherever she went? Which now I think about it she was probably in a yard very near to where we were, but we just don't know.

What a night. After 5 and a half hours sleep I was up for work. I have been wrecked all day. A bit long winded? Sorry about that, but it was certainly a night for lots of emotions last night. This girl is one of the greatest loves of my life and it was all my fault and I would never have forgiven myself if anything had happened to her.

On the scrapping front...

One of the latest pages I have made for the book for my nephews. Err yes, that is my hat! Surely everyone has a hat like this? Anyone? Anyone at all?

Credits Designer Digitals.


And with that I'm off to bed.

Okay, it's official

I am completely OUT OF CONTROL. No ifs, buts, or maybes. I took stock just a moment before of what is on my plate right now:

* We are knee deep in politics at work and I'm the kind of girl that just wants to go to work, do my work, come home. I am not liking this.
* Plus the union has us doing work bans at the moment, which I don't agree with but when you are a union member what do you do?
* Finished scrapping a Christmas card this week so I could make the deadline for a huge vistaprint sale.
* Ended up spending waaaaay too much at vistaprint, even with their sale, made some customised t-shirts, etc.
* Now I'm seeing the 2 for 1 calendar offer at Snapfish and wondering .... NO, no time!
* Finishing up the cover for the book for my nephews, must get that off to print. I'll get it sent direct I think and take advantage of free USA shipping.
* Have a special birthday, no not me, next month and his Lordship does not want to do anything special for it. Arrrrgh. That is soooo not my style.
* Having said that I need to shop for a 50th gift, something special, even though, as you know ... it's just another day. If I hear that one more time .........
* Arranging a Kris Kringle gift exchange at work, always a bit stressful because you want to make sure everyone plays along nicely, no bad gag gifts, etc.
* Need to block the lacy scarf I have knitted.
* Was going to finish a book of layouts for number 1 stepson, but that doesn't look like it will get done.
* Trying to finish up overseas shopping so I get the gifts I need to send out on time.
* And just now trying to order a couple of books for gifts from Borders online to take advantage of their 30% and the voucher code won't redeem.
* And amongst all that trying to remember to breathe.

I really am out of control aren't I? I haven't even listed all that's on my plate at the moment there. And if I think back to the start of the year, remember my one word for the year was "simplify". I didn't really take that on board.

Still showing you pages for the book for the boys. I found some great sites online along the theme "rules for a good life" and so picked some of the great ones, the relevant ones, the ones I can imagine I would sit down with young David if he were here and as an Aunty would try to impart the wisdom of my ways, ha! I hope this page is a welcome addition to the book and he'll look back on it many times and take the words to heart.

Credits Designer Digitals.

Now, an early night, well it's 10.30 so not so early, but I do believe I need to sleep. With Molly laying at my feet which is her usual position when I'm on the computer, she's snoring and making me tired too.

Half way through November

Can you believe it, half way through November. I always say that November is the quickest month of the year. You're sitting there quite complacently, then all of a sudden December is on you and the silly season has begun.

I'm doing very well with my shopping, buying a lot online this year. Sooo convenient. I've ordered my Christmas cards from Vistaprint last night, a huge sale. Can't wait to get them, of course one of the menagerie feature, I was going to post it here, but I can't spoil the surprise for those I post cards to that read this!

Ordered some other unique items from Vistaprint as well, it was a bit of a treasure trove last night. I love that you can personalise things. This is becoming quite a non-post really isn't it? I can't even tell what that is in case Mike clicks on my blog and reads, because it just may be for him.

I'm doing the count down till the first weekend in December when I am going away for the weekend to Melbourne with my bestie. Just Sonia and me, it will be terrific. Staying in a boutique hotel in the city, we have plans for a few things, lots of laughs, good food, shopping, what more can two girls on the loose in the big city need!

Nothing much more to report here, except that it's a special day. Half way through November, means 15th and that means it would have been my dad's birthday today. Mike and I made a special dinner, a lovely porterhouse steak which was one of my dad's favourite meals. Okay so I burnt the steak, but it was still edible. Mike made a lovely toast to my dad, taken too soon, and then he said that one thing my dad did leave on this earth was a daughter with so many of his good qualities. Of course that made me burst into tears. Happy tears though.

Happy birthday dad. You would have been 72 today.

This is an old photo from a long long long time ago (I was a lot thinner!!!). And I might be making a goofy face with my silly smile like that, but I like this photo. Happy times.

Exhausted just watching them...

A couple of fellows from my workplace set themselves a 24 hour treadmill challenge, in an effort to raise money for some local charities. Yes you read right, 24 HOURS RUNNING ON A TREADMILL !!! They started 12noon on Friday and ran, walked, didn't stop moving until 12noon today (Saturday).

I popped down to the Green to see them after work on Friday, they were setting quite a pace and had already done 36 and 47 kilometres respectively in the first 5 hours. It was exhausting just to watch. Heck, I get winded running out to the clothes line when rain is threatening.

I had to go back into town today to get my hair cut so went earlier and spent some time down at the Green cheering them on. They were still going, both looking quite worse for wear, but still running. Unbelievable but true.

At the 21 hour 38 minute mark one of them had run 137 km and the other 153 km. That's a LONG WAY by anyone's standard. That's a trip for me to go back to my home town. I am so impressed and admire them, the money they have raised by way of sponsorship, raffles, community events this morning like the group aerobics session, the fun run, the extra treadmill that you could pay to run alongside them.

What spurs a person on to do something like this? Such goodness of heart, mind, body, spirit, that's what. Good on them, big round of applause.

On the scrapping front ...

Working on the last few pages for the album for the boys. I'm a bit behind in showing off the pages here so bear with me over the next few days to catch you up.

Credits Designer Digitals.


Thought I better get my mug into the book on a few pages, I'm usually behind the lens but every now and then I hand the camera over. I particularly like this set of photos, shows what a fun relationship we have with the boys.

Sunday

Just about over, time for bed ready to start the week again.

Nothing is going to plan tonight. I decided I would upgrade the ipad to that IOS 5 that I'm meant to do, had to upgrade itunes first. With that out of the way tried to do the ipad and it keeps erroring. I can't be bothered now, will try again later or ring up the apple care or whatever it's called.

Then my virus checker/internet securitywhich has been counting down, so it's been letting me know, but I've had my head in the sand and all of a sudden "one day to go". Ack! So have just purchased same over the net but there's a 24 hour delay in sending whatever they send to me. Double ack!

Watched the last episode of Underbelly tonight. We both have thoroughly enjoyed this particular series. I did watch the first series, semi-watched the second, was there a third series? can't remember, if there was I didn't watch it, but we both watched every episode of this series with the razor gangs of Sydney. Wow, what a time in our history, so glad we didn't live it.

On the scrapping front, just scrapping the last few photos of the boys for their album, I want to get it done and dusted and to the printers. I like to journal on my pages. Visually the photograph can be key to the page, but I love to tell the story, probably as much as I like to talk. And sometimes even the story behind the story. In years to come that will evoke as much memory as a photograph, even more so.

Credits Designer Digitals.


So this photograph was taken on the day we said goodbye to the boys and despite the photo being pretty ordinary, I really wanted to include the memory of my mum taking this particular photograph. So must take this on board more often, the photographs do not have to be perfect, the fact I am getting down a memory is perfect enough.

Over and out.

This week

It's been a tough one. Allister. A beautiful man from our little town who passed away earlier this week and his funeral was yesterday. An amazing man, a gentleman and a GENTLE MAN. He lived 85 years on this earth and jam packed every bit of living he could in those 85 years. I was astounded at the stories they told at his service.

Mike did the Masonic part of the service at the gravesite and I was so proud of him, he never lets on but he was nervous, we could see his hands shaking, but not a waver in his voice. He paid such due respect to this lovely lovely man.

Moments with Allister stick in my mind. He was a little man and always with a cheeky smile and a giggle and always with a yarn to tell. The first time I met him I had been here in this town perhaps a few years and I wanted to take some photos of cows, and Mike suggested we head down to see the highland cattle. HUH? We had highland cattle in our town? Why did I not know this? So we head down this little dirt road on the outskirts of town and Mike says "Oh Allister's car is there". HUH? You actually *KNOW* the man who owns the highland cattle? Why did I not know this either?

Well Allister was more than pleased to take me around his prize cattle, walking amongst these amazing beasts, curiously following us, a bit unnerving with their huge horns not far behind us, but I felt so safe with this little man who did carry a stick to ward off any horns that may come a bit close and move them on in another direction.

I spent more than an hour with him on that particular day, learning the history of his prized cattle, he proudly showed them off to me, including the babies who were milking from their mothers. He made sure he placed me in such a way with them that I could get the photographs that I wanted to take. Such an AMAZING experience and one I will never forget.

And I'll never forget Allister either. Rest in Peace dear man.

First past the post

Well despite my little rant about the race that stops the nation, I entered the Melbourne Cup Sweep at work and won! ha. Thank you Dunaden. For an outlay of $2 I walked away with $32.50! Nice work.

After my post of yesterday, the news of the fire at one of my favourite fabric stores in Ballarat has hit the net now. Gail's Patchwork Emporium, such a beautiful beautiful place, to visit, to meander through marvelling at the array of fabrics, the gorgeous quilts on display, the nick nacks. I feel so sick for the owners, they must be devastated. I'll link up the story and photographs fom the Ballarat Courier.

On the scrapping front...

Still a few more pages of the boys, absolutely loved this photograph I took of them last year at our house, posed in front of our little tree. Their smiles just really are the best tonic.

Credits Designer Digitals.


So I think an early, well early for me, night is in order after my very early start today to get into town for the Melbourne Cup breakfast at the TAFE. Delicious by the way.

Hot tip anyone?

For the race that stops a Nation? You know to be honest I couldn't care two hoots for the Melbourne Cup. To get a public holiday for a horse race that lasts only a few minutes, when the majority of people wouldn't even attend, is beyond me. Although we actually don't get a public holiday where I work, as our council has declared workers in the vicinity of our council borders has a day of local significance instead, so our equivalent public holiday is actually back in May.

Be that as it may I am going to a Melbourne Cup breakfast tomorrow at the local TAFE training restaurant. Well ... I didn't say anything about food, now did I? :-) So to get there in time I have to leave at 6.45am, yikes! What a rude awakening, I only go back to work from 3 weeks of glorious holidays today and already I'm leaving at all hours of the morning.

AND ... I can't find my hat. I have a black hat which I rimmed in red ostrich feathers. It's a terrific hat and I have hunted high and low. Surely I haven't leant it to someone and forgotten? Oh well, I will have to wear my pink flower in my hair that I wore to the Royal Wedding high tea!

Still scrapping for the album for the boys, I'm on the home straight, not many photos to go but I have some real keepers of photos that MUST go in the album. Like this one. The last photo of all of us before they left. A memory that must go in the album.

Credits Designer Digitals.


On a sad note, I had a shock email tonight from someone I work with, that my absolute favourite quilting/fabric store burnt down or was severely damaged over the weekend. I am horrified, all their beautiful beautiful fabrics and such an exquisite store. I've tried to find news of it on the net but can't so I can only presume that the information I received was correct.

In an effort to not to create mass hysteria amongst the quilting community of Victoria I don't want to post it here, just in case it isn't correct. So if you want to know which store in an effort to make your own enquiries, send me an email.

I don't bounce back like I used to

Oh me oh my! I'm tired and aching and sore today. My feet are throbbing still and my knees feel like they are shot to pieces. I danced up a storm last night at the wedding, it was so much fun.

Back track first. The weather was not kind. Oh dear. It was miserable and raining and blustery and gloomy. And considering we were going to an outdoor wedding we were very apprehensive so we went armed with coats and umbrellas. This was the view out the car window as we were heading there. Note: I was *NOT* driving! ha.

Oh and yes the secret present. I really hope she liked it, it's unique I can say that. I made a subway sign wall art for her on canvas. Subway art seems to be the latest craze and as it happened I made one for us with our home town on it, and Mike instantly said "that's it" ! So this is the end result.

As with all weddings lately that I've been to, I have made a heart good luck charm for her wrist for after the wedding. I got this gorgeous sparkly material, champagne was the colour, and stitched their names on it, some pretty gauzy ribbon and a crystal completed it. Here it is laying on the gift.

And here's some photographs of the happy and beautiful bride, who was oblivious to the weather, the smile showed it all.

So the reception was a cocktail reception and there was so much fingerfood, ahhh my type of food! So very yummy. And the band was terrific. We danced and danced. It was a lot of fun. But oh boy I am paying the price today. And all I had was one glass of champagne being the designated driver. Is this a sign of getting old? All the aches and pains of a night of dancing? ha!

I've had quite an easy day of it today, Mr. G however has had to go to pipe band practice this afternoon! Oh dear.