my sewing companion!

It is very difficult to sew anything of any size when Tom decides to sit and smell the outside world from my window. It is also very hard to move him! He obviously misses being 'free' and will sit at my open window (which is on the street side of the house) and sways gently as he absorbs all the smells (I assume) that come in through it. This is actually Sheba's quilt (Tom's is blue where hers is pink and very pale green where hers is brown but that's by the by!) and I was quilting it using my new walking foot...

I have tried to get the photo of the caterpillar on my nose from my phone to my computer with no success. Maybe tomorrow. Or not.

What do you think of the new Cadbury commercial. The one for their new bubbles? An Aero rip off but actually nicer (and I never thought anything would be nicer than Aero). Apart from the chocolate (which is veeery moreish) I just love the new ad. It is fun, catchy, colourful (specially if you like purple) and, well, gentle and unassuming which is so refreshing in the current climate of ads which try too hard.

Himself has generously shared his cold with me. That'll teach me for being so unsympathetic towards him earlier. I am a bit surprised as I usually manage to shake his bugs off but this one is a doozy. And it's not fun when you have to blow your nose and you lose a bandaid covering a caterpillar!! Oh well. I'm on sick leave so I shall spend tomorrow curled up on the couch with NO feelings of guilt. Himself is off to Sydney for tomorrow and Friday so it will just be me and Three and he's at work tomorrow night. Definitely a couch and soup day.

And I'm quite looking forward to that. Sniffles notwithstanding it's going to be a good day!

a lovely bludgy day

This morning I took the bandaid off and saw my nose in all its glory. And reapplied a bandaid!

Before that I did my designated 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer, my 150 crunches, vacuumed the floors and had a much needed shower.

While I was having breakfast (porridge ...mmmmm) the Mermaid rang because she was having hassles with her business email. And there went most of my day! One had set up a website with email for her as a favour (a very BIG favour) last year but had managed it all himself as the Mermaid is very computer challenged. When her ex and his new missus arrived back in Melbourne (after fleeing Dubai ... unpaid debts and lordy knows what else) and made noises about taking over the business the missus kept hassling One for bits and pieces to be done to the site. So he gave her the access codes and washed his hands (very gladly). Only it turns out at the missus has somehow buggered up the email side of the website. When the Mermaid asked her earlier today if she had done anything to the emails she denied any involvement. When One went into the site and had a look nothing could be further from the truth. So the Mermaid is calming down before she rings the missus and tells her what to do to fix it. And as One pointed out "if she can't fix it she shouldn't have fucked with it in the first place". Well said, son.

In between phone calls I sat on the balcony in the sun and read my book. And watched a couple of sulphur crested cockatoos behaving quite aggressively but I couldn't work out why. One was on our side of the river and was flying from balcony to balcony raising its crest and flapping its wings and screeching like only a sulphur crested cockie can screech. The other one was way on the other side of the river (I had to use my binoculars to see it properly) but I could hear it as loudly as the one on this side. Later I saw a third bird so wonder if it was some sort of territorial mating issue.

Later in the day I lay on the couch (hence the photo above!) and read my book. And continued to deal with phone calls. And finally I went downstairs and stitched the panels of my current quilting project together. I only had to unpick (or reverse stitch!) three times!

It's a lovely balmy evening but they are forecasting more rain tomorrow. So I should get out and do my lap of the river early.

All in all it's been a very relaxing day but I have done the vacuuming so don't feel like a complete waste of space.

A bit of weather!

This is what our beach usually looks like ....

And this was yesterday ....

Winds straight off the Antarctic and they were icy cold! When we went down to get these photos we almost had to bend horizontally to walk into the wind under the bridge. We did start to walk down but discretion got the better of us and we drove down and parked at the end of the street! The rain HURT!

Lots of lovely rain, though. And in the catchment areas which is great. Our water storage levels have gone above 30%. Hooray. But that won't last if we don't get more and I think we are in for a very dry summer. I wonder when the government will bring in even stricter water restrictions. Not in an election year, that's for sure, and we must be due for one soon.

Work is still not the best. Things may change in the next couple of weeks but I doubt it. With Christmas fast approaching and colleagues on leave I will have to decide soon whether to jump ship or stick it out. I will probably wait until the new year unless something amazing appears.

I had a long talk with Matt, the personal trainer, about how unhappy I was and how little I was achieving. He was seemed to understand (he's only 23!) and set me an 8 week challenge. I am into week 2 and week 1 went really well except for the wine ... which was still a whole lot better but there is room for improvement. As I feel better, though, I know I will want to drink less.

I am about to head off to the doctor to get a suspicious sore removed from my nose. If we go ahead (I need to know that I won't scar or I will be hot footing it to someone else) I will have the rest of this week off. If not (and I hot foot it to someone else) then I will be back at work for Tuesday and Wednesday until someone else can fit me in. He (the doctor) assured me I wouldn't scar when I saw him a week or so ago as faces heal well. He said. We shall see.

I finished the two cat throws. They look OK ... at the end of the day they are there to keep the cat hair off. I have started another one using templates. I'm quite happy with it although I couldn't get the exact fabric I wanted. I will pop up some photos when I get around to taking some!

And now ... off to get my nose job!!!!! Or not.

Later.....

I had it done. The doctor was very gentle but HOLY CHRIST the local anaesthetic hurt. Really, really hurt! I should have taken one of the valium tablets Himself was prescribed before his MRI (claustrophobic). I have been left with something that looks like a rather large hairy insect has landed on my nose. Covered with a bandaid. And as the local wore off my nose started to itch! Now it's just rather stingy. I have the rest of the week off and don't go back to work til tuesday as the stitches come out on Monday.

And wouldn't you know it? Himself is home with a cold.

Late sunday

It's been a pretty good weekend. We played 9 holes yesterday and we won't be going back to THAT golf course again. Too busy, no standards and the course was sadly uncared for.

Before that we did the usual Saturday stuff, butcher and southland. I bought a new book (that isn't Terry Pratchett!) and placed an advance order for Matthew Riley's new book. And will probably buy the new Dan Brown but wonder if it will live up to the hype.

Aforementioned golf and a good evening in front of the telly.

Today Two, GGF and I played mini golf. It wasn't nearly as much fun as I remember it from when I used to take the boys when they were little. Rather sad, really! I then took the kiddles out for a late brunch and then came home and sewed. The two cat throw quilts are coming along well considering this time last week they were bound for the rubbish bin! We are not looking at brilliant sewing here but, hey, I'm self taught and I think they will look pretty good on the couches with a couple of cats on them! And if the cats ruin them I won't be stressed.

I can't wait to start the next project once I've decided what it will be. I have a few ideas but one thing is for sure and that is that I won't be over ambitious this time!

So back to work tomorrow. I'm still in two minds about going further with the training job as it's full time. I would love to stop work but I'd have huge guilt issues over the finances.

And I don't think I like being a nurse. How much of a waste was THAT exercise?! Maybe I'm just burned out.

Bed time.

I love my bed time.

sick

I have had a pretty yucky couple of days at work. I finally got in touch with the recruitment agency and will ring them on Monday to tee up a time. I'm not holding my breath.

I had an attack of the sneezles late this afternoon that resulted in a thumping headache and sore throat. And I feel really wussy this evening. I'm not sure what's bug related and what's disenchantment with work.

It's blowing a gale which is lovely. I adore the sound of weather.

Not sure what to have for dinner. I sent Himself out on a mission to get some chinese takeaway but he failed! He can have an omelette and I think I might have vegemite on toast. Or 2 minute noodles. Or maybe I'll just have a vase of red wine!

I am so not in a good place.

Sorry for the whinge. Although I'm probably apologising to thin air. I'd be surprised if anyone would stick around to read my self absorbed ramblings.

whinge whinge whinge!!!!!!!

Plans for the weekend? Sew. Go to spotlight to get some batting and some backing. Mini golf. Proper golf. Read. Cross stitch. Laundry. Consider my employment future.

It's nearly friday!

Yesterday I was puddling around on seek.com and came across a job that tickled my fancy. I applied.

Today I was giving someone a vaccination and my mobile rang. The caller left a voice mail and it was the recruiting agency. I rang back and left a message for the caller to ring me back. Nothing. I rang back another couple of times ... no answer.

Oh well. If it's meant to be they'll call back and if it's not then I'll sit out where I am for a bit longer.

Time out!

I have had a lovely couple of days. One, Two and I played 18 holes yesterday and then another 9 today. It was great to be able to spend time with them.

I have also realised that I spend WAY too much time on this computer. Books remain unread, sewing projects languish and my new jigsaw puzzle taunts me from the table. It's one thing to check emails a couple of times a day and to read favourite blogs of which I have ... let me see ... maybe half a dozen. I also check the newspaper headlines and do the daily Crickler puzzles (got to keep the Alzheimer's at bay!) But then the rot sets in and I check and recheck to see if someone has updated and if they haven't (surprise!) I get twitchy and irritable and start clicking randomly on other blog links and can waste hours. Or I play silly games (mini golf = major time waster).

So I need to be a bit strict with myself. I figure that if something is super urgent people will ring me. So I need to put the computer away and only access it for limited periods twice a day.

And then I need to address some other areas of my life that are ruled by things that they shouldn't be.

Does it EVER get easier?

BLING!

We had a lovely evening. I was spoiled further and received a big bunch of tulips and freesias and some gorgeous earrings from Fireman Sam, a lovely pendant with matching earrings from Sooz and Neil and a delightful pendant from the 3 boys. Also a veerrrrry nice bottle of Pepperjack Cab Sav from the boys (which I was made to promise to share with One so that will be had with dinner tomorrow evening). They each contributed something and Two left his bit in the car so will drop it around later!! Di gave me a fabulous quilt which she made with her own fair hands. It has a cat theme (surprise, surprise!). The Mermaid gave me a beautiful box of orchids.

I will gather everything together and take photos later.

Dinner was great. The food was lovely and the company just brilliant.

The family came back here for more drinks and laughs and I staggered off to bed some time in the middle of the night.

And now I must go and get the day started.

Happy Birthday to ME!

I have had a lovely day. Himself gave me a beautiful pendant and the cats gave me the English series of Life on Mars.

I went to gym (and got today's PT session for free as a birthday pressie - bonus!) and then we went shopping. I bought a longer chain for the pendant (all my other white gold were too short or too thick) and some little diamond earrings to reopen my second piercings with some money my parents sent me. Said holes have been reopened with not too much pain and only a drop of blood! I went to a shop in Frankston called Motto and had the best service I have had in a clothing shop ever. I bought a new outfit to wear to the club tonight and will be going back to add to it. And it's all Australian owned and made. You can check out their stuff at www.motto.com.au - I must say, though, that it looks much better in the flesh than in photos. I also like their attitude towards dressing older women who are no longer stick thin. A very pleasant experience.

I then went to buy a new bra. And the less said about THAT experience the better. Underwear buying ranks with going to the dentist ... in fact I think I'd rather go to the dentist and that is saying something.

When we got home Three had tidied up and there was a bunch of flowers from the three boys waiting for me on the kitchen bench. Isn't he a lovely lad?

Tonight we are going to club with Sooz and Neil and another couple from here and the three boys, two girlfriends, Fireman Sam and Gina and The Mermaid. It should be a good night.

Tomorrow I will go and touch base with the parents for fathers day and cos I haven't seen them for a while. And we will probably pop into see the inlaws. The boys will be over at some point on Sunday although I don't know if we will get any golf in. One is on 2 weeks annual leave as of 5pm this evening and I'm hoping the weather will let us get out for a few holes next week. Himself is flying to Sydney for a couple of days and will have to get up at 4.00 on Monday so it won't be a late night.

I have been steadily receiving all the fabric I have bought on ebay. I really should stop until I've used some of what I already have. But it looks soooooo gorgeous and I am easily tempted.

Time to go and glam up.

Have a great weekend.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

OK. It's an old photo but at least it has baby ducks in it. And I'll take some more soon.

So officially it is spring. And I must say, the weather has been very pleasant. A little bit of rain (always welcome) but some lovely sunshine and when I went onto the balcony just before the sun had some definite heat in it. I will be complaining about the heat before long but right now, it's very pleasant.

Himself and I have walked to the beach and back every morning this week. Even today on a day off I was up at 6. I did put my head down for a wee while when we got back but only cos I could.

I can't believe that we have been in the house for nearly 12 months. It has flown by. We are still very happy down here even though there are some major issues with the owners' corporation committee which is mainly made up of self serving residents who are only concerned about what directly affects them (and they make up 70% of the committee). We have the AGM next month and hopefully we will get some people on with some balls who will tackle the difficult issues (like a certain group of residents who have erected MASSIVE satellite dishes in their courtyards). But apart from all that it is a lovely place to live. I am sitting at the kitchen bench with the french doors wide open and the sun streaming onto the balcony. The tide is out and there is a gentle breeze rustling through the grass by the river. It could be a lot worse!!

I have a golf lesson at midday, the floor really needs a vacuum and I have a ton of fabric accumulating in the sewing room (and more on the way - thankyouebay). I still need to finish the two quilts I started yonks ago. I'm getting to the "stuff it throw them in the bin and start something new" stage. But I will persevere and get them done. And will probably THEN throw them in the bin! I also have pyjamas to sew for the boys, skirts and tops to sew for me, t shirts to sew for Himself and 2 cross stitching projects to finish, another 3 waiting to be started and the whole lot to be made into cushions or framed when they're done.

So I guess I'd better go and start something ....