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.