I learnt a new word today.

No its not a swear word. Its Farkles, I am guessing this is how to spell it. Tonight after spending all day in the house cleaning and then sewing I suggested we go somewhere, it was 8pm so our choices were limited. I suppose there is always the pub but as we are not pub people, we headed to the service centre on the highway and had a coffee and shared a slice.

Warren made the statement "I'm going to get some farkles for archery" I looked at him and said "What did you say?" thinking that I couldn't have heard right as it was a bit noisy, he repeated his statement and sure enough he Did say "Farkles". My next question was "What are farkles?"

He then went on to explain that it/they are bling for blokes. Something eye catching or showy to add to men's things like motor bikes or arrows or even cars.

I think the "farkles" that he wants to get for his arrows are different and bright colours so he can pick them out quickly from others.

"Farkles!" must check out the dick tom and harry

On line shopping.

I know some people love it but while I dont dislike it, I am not a fan. Having said tht my new tablet arrived by courier just now, it was an online buy but Warren did it.

Anyway my experiences this morning with online shopping, I have entered a few challenges for the up coming year, one being no clothes shopping, so this morning I thought that I would have a quick look at Millers online, the challenge doesn't start until the new year.

Its probably been three or four years since I ordered anything from them although I do like to shop there. Yes! they had 80% off, I only look at the sales! Merrily ordered a few pieces and proceeded to the check out area, just like in a shop. However, the site then asked me for my account number, I guess I had one from when I ordered before, not to worry I will go in as a guest, thats fine until I put in my email address whereupon the site says "You are a member, if you cant remember you password, click here and we will re issue" FINE!

Back to hotmail account and there is a new fangled password which I had to write down as no way I could remember that! Back to order and its disappeared. Buggar, quickly go thru the whole catalogue again as there were some good bargains. Get to the checkout and entered bank card details and hit enter, then it tells me that I have nothing in the shopping cart What the? disappeared again.

Too much time spent on the computer and by this time I was rather annoyed, house got a good vaccumn and washed floors while thinking that i will go to the store. Made a coffee an did some online banking (that I can do with no hassle!)and saw that there was an amount pending for Millers, again what the?

Sat down to reorder as I had obviously paid for it, got everything organised and about to enter my back card details again and then I had a light bulb moment (I didn't want to double up on items) so i found a phone contact and rang to ask if they had received an order from me. Yes they had and it should be here on Friday. Apparently as soon as I pressed the button on the money, it deleted the order as it had been sent. Just as an aside I have nine (9) items coming and it was $104, free postage over $60, so of course need to knock off the postage, so no more clothes buying for me for a whole year, not even a tshirt (no winner shirt from Nanowrimo).

Boxing Day Sales

Not one to go to these sales however we did brave the crowds as we decided to finally buy a small Air Con for our bedroom. It has been on the cards for awhile and after a night of having trouble sleeping because of the heat, we thought that it was  time to spend the money and get comfortable.

We did toy with the idea of a portable A/C but the salesman said that we might as well take the money and throw it out of the window, he also told us that the 1.6 that we were thinking about wouldn't

be big enough so we went up to 2.5, which meant it was heavier and harder to install. This was the window where it was to go. Warren cut out the window tract and then put a base plate in.

Warren cutting the base plate in marine ply as it will be outside in the weather.

The bracing etc outside.

All done and now to do something with the thick curtain. Warren suggested putting the curtain on rings so we could pull it across when in use and closed when no longer needed. A trip to Spotlight to buy curtains and they had massive sales so I did pick up a few other things as well. I washed the curtain while I was shopping which turned out to be a mistake! As the curtain was block out when washed the block out stuff stuck to each other and warren and I got a good work out pulling it apart. I trimmed the curtain and then cut a small piece to cover the top, it looked okay.

This morning though the curtain looked awful as where the block out had stuck and come away the sun was shining through it and it looked like gun shot had gone through it. Back to Spotlight and luckily the curtain materials were still on 40% off.  

We now have two curtains, one short to cover the wood work above the unit and another one on rings that we can pull  across in summer and in winter it can be pulled right across the unit. As I bought more material than I needed, I replaced the curtains in the on suite as well. No longer have curtains in our bedroom that match but at least the the little windows do match.

Stinky potatoes

I bought a bag of spuds a few weeks ago but we don't use potatoes as much as we used to, if we have rice or noodles or corn then I don't cook potatoes as well. Anyway the bag was in the bottom of the pantry and when Warren opened the pantry this morning he was hit with a smell!

There is nothing like the smell of potatoes that have gone off. Luckily he knew what it was and quickly grabbed the bag out and found the culprit, it was only one and he washed the rest of them but kept three out that had been close to the off one.

I cooked them and mashed them with some left over dip to use that up, there was some spring onion and smoked salmon, it made an interesting mash rather than using butter and milk.

This was lunch. Some Turkish bread spread with mashed potato, add a few spinach leaves and topped with smoked salmon, half a kiwi fruit and a coffee, yummo!

What to do with pashminas?

Last week I was clearing out some cupboards and looking through my clothes and came across my pashminas. I had bought them in China and had given several away as gifts and had my favourites but these were two that I had not used. Queensland doesn't really lend its self to needing pashminas but I didn't really like the thought of just throwing them away.

The feel of them is incredible and I wish that I could use them in the manner that they were designed or made for but I came up with an idea.

I made a bag! I probably don't need any more bags either but it will get more use now than before. Couldn't bear to get rid of the tag stating Pashmina so I have stitched on. There was enough to line the bag with very little waste.

I also had this pink and black one and I made this bag a little bigger using side panels, again I lined it by making two bags and turned one inside out and placed inside it, added the shoulder strap and sewed around the top to enclose it. I had to add a piece of black and that is on the bottom. Quite pleased with these.

Christmas gifts

Warren bought me a Jamie Oliver recipe book and a necklace, and has been drooling ever since he picked it up to read. The pictures do look good! but he won't be getting any fare from there today. We are about to get ready to go for Christmas lunch at a venue, never been out to a venue for Chrissy lunch before. It will be nice to have everything done and then just walk away with no dishes or cleaning up to do.

I had received a gift from a student that was a sleigh made from candy canes and chocolate bars and tied with a festive bow but the photo has disappeared into the gallery and I cant seem to access it.

Christmas Eve

Why is it that it is instilled in us (or me anyway) that the house needs to be readied for Christmas? This morning I thought to myself I should refresh the sheets on our bed (for Christmas). It was not even the day that I usually wash on but I started the washing machine anyway. Then I decided that the floor of the bathroom should be washed so took everything out and swept and washed the floor.
Ended up washing all the floors in the house, ready for Christmas!

We are not even having anyone here for Christmas or maybe it was that nothing else was happening. I went to the library yesterday and the post Office (No, not sending anything for Christmas but a birthday present for next week)

I only had one gift to wrap for tomorrow which I did buy yesterday although I had known what I was going to get Warren for his birthday. We had said that our trip to HK next year would be our Christmas present but then he suggested that we should buy each other something.

Anyway the house is all ready for Christmas even though we are going out for lunch.

Merry Christmas and stay safe.

I fried my tablet!

After having it for 30 months and travelled with it many times, I fried it by mistake of course. Visiting Melbourne and I took both tablet and charger but Warren had his charger plugged in so I decided I would use that. Bomp bomp!

Apparently his is 12 volt and mine is 5.5 volts, it doesn't work any more. He told me that he had said that our chargers werent compatible but I had either forgotten or not really taken it in.

Warren jumped on-line and he has ordered me a new one but it wont arrive until 29 Dec, so I am sure that I will be having withdrawals from not playing my games.

Bikers Christmas

Yesterday as we were driving thru Melbourne, there was a cavalcade of bikes coming onto the road that we were on. There were police cars to assist them to enter the road. It was the bikie run.

I had heard about these bikie runs but had not seen one before.I would say that there was about 500 bikes in all, some had pillions and some had toys as pillions.

The bikers collect toys and deliver them to worthy causes, some had skate boards strapped to the back of them, we saw several with teddy bears along for the ride, some had santa hats or tinsel on their helmets.

Everyone was smiling and friendly and most of them waved as they rode past.

Men!

Last week I drove Warren to the shopping centre so he could buy some sweets. He had a headache (rather indulged at the morning tea, lots of cakes and biscuits).

He ducked inside to buy lollies and I parked and waited, while waiting I saw an ATM (Its not a centre that we go to often but it is closer to home).  I had one more gift to wrap to take to Melbourne and so when Warren came back I asked him to go across to the ATM and get out $50. I didn't go as I wasn't sure that he had taken his keys.

I had only bought a couple of small things for grandson and had decided to put in a $50 note. Warren came back and said "You can have either $40 or $60" He had taken out $60 as that was what the machine was offering, he didn't think to key in 50.

Oh well, I had two books and I put a 20 in each and wrapped them. I guess he had saved me (us) $10 and said grandson was rapt as he had two notes. Last of the big spenders anyway, he spent some of it while we were visiting $2.95 on footy cards and then he gave some of those cards to Aidan as he already had them.

Gotta to love Ebay

A couple of weeks ago, we were having coffee near a furniture shop. We had been discussing up grading/updating out table and chairs and decided to go and see what what available and the prices that are being asked. Our tables and chairs were a small set as one house ago,our current dining suite didn't fit so we bought a smaller round table that did extend to an oval and four chairs. Fine for us but with family visiting we really needed six at least.

Many nice suites some in white or glass and i liked them but when it boiled down to it, they just wouldn't have worked with our existing furniture. There was one that ticked all of the boxes for both of us, wooden, six chairs, would fit and the price was not too bad. Then a saleswoman came over, always at the wrong time, we explained that we were just looking and she said that is was a pretty good deal for $XXXX, less than we had worked out. She said that our price was as indiviual pieces but buying as a set was her price. Hummmm, did seem a good deal, she wandered off to see if they had one in stock. We have bought a couple of things from there before over the years and it was a six week turn around, but they did have one in stock.

Oh bugger, its only money and not too much as that, trouble is what to do with the existing table and chairs. Warren had the bright idea to put it on Ebay, starting price $10. Some-one bought it at that price and came and took it away, bonus.

When our Christmas breakfast was diverted to here, I thought well at least more people can sit around it food, plates cutlery were placed on table but kids went outside and adults mainly sat in the lounge room.

Sunday drives

Last Sunday Warren suggested we go out to lunch when I asked him what he wanted for lunch. Not one to knock back a meal out with no preparation or cleaning up afterwards and off we went to a seaside tavern. Very pleasant meal, I had Nacos and they were a bit different that I have had before. It was more like a light sauce made with tomatoes, onions and a meat sauce.

Today we had lunch at home and I started to do some sewing in the sewing room but didn't really feel like it, even though the weather was cool. I think my sewing room needs a lot of tidying and that makes it a bit depressing. I said to Warren that I felt like going somewhere just for a drive so we found ourselves on the road to Wamuram, we went the back way and it rained all the way. The back way is windy and a smaller road but of course less traffic and through country side rather than city driving. A cup of coffee and a shared treat set us up for the rest of the day.

Since being home, I have tidied a couple of cupboards, so just what I needed a change of scenery.

A Mug Bag

Last year  I was given a mug mat thank goodness it was explained on the card as I didnt know what it was. Basically it like an over grown coaster but about twice the length big enough to put a mug and a biscuit or a piece of cake on it. I use it every day, it sits on the coffee table by my lounge chair, mostlt though only for a coffee cup.

During the week, a friend of mine came for coffee and gave me a gift, saying that it was not a Christmas gift (we decided years ago not to exchange gifts). Inside was a mug bag with a mug inside.

We often go to places and need to take our own mugs and she had made one for herself and also made one for me. The fabric is like crazy patchwork, complete with fake stitching, but looks very real.

Christmas shopping!

I try to avoid the shops a the this time of the year but I did have one gift to post so toodled off early yesterday,phew not early enough. There was a line up at the post office that went out the door. Luckily they had some-one who was helping to use the self service booth and as I only had one thing to do, she took me over there and did that for me. Jumped about five people in the queue.

Had a few other things to do to finish Christmas shopping, in all I visited five places and it took me two hours  any other time of the year, it would have been 30 minutes.

Actually the bank took the longest, I just wanted some information and was expecting to be able to pick up a brochure but they were in crisis as the terminals were down and there were lots of staff helping people to use the ATM's and laptops inside the bank to assess accounts on-line. I didn't realise that the info I wanted was on-line. Cant remember the last time  I went into that bank, as i use ATMs

Wrapped Chrissy presents yesterday and thankfully it is all done except for food shopping.

Family Christmas get together

We plan to have our Christmas early to avoid the rush and hassle of fitting in seeing both sides of family and so yesterday Dec 13 was the date chosen. Again to make it easier we picked a beach and for something different, breakfast, far more cost effective and then the boys could have time in the water before it became too hot. hahaha!

Warren and I left home early, our contribution was eggs and ham plus pancakes (we had even managed to buy  Canadian maple syrup). Rather windy when we got to the place and we sussed out a few tables and chairs looking for sheltered spots. I set everything out, we had lots of sauces and throwaway plates, cups and cutlery while Warren started cooking pancakes, only to find it was too cold and windy for the cooker and it was starting to feel cold, very unusual for Queensland weather in December.

Made a couple of phone calls and diverted everyone to home. An enjoyable time was had but just not at the beach!

Tomatoes

We bought four plants back in Sept and we realised that the bushes were healthy and big but no fruit. Bugger that I'm not watering flipping bushes, so I pulled them,luckily the one we put in our new vegetable bed is doing well and does have fruit and flowers on it although won't be picking for another few weeks yet.

Saturday we bought two more tomato bushes, one is black and the other small yellow ones, planted them out yesterday and they are standing tall this morning so it seems they like where they are, we also bought some strawberry plants, never been very successful with them before so we will see how they go.

Last night I wanted to make a light dinner as we had been out for lunch. I made salsa to go on turkish bread and we had some steamed seafood yum cha, different to our usual fare but light and filling.

Christmas lights

Last week Aidan stayed over for a night and he wanted to go out and see Christmas lights. Years ago when he was about three, there was a house not far from us who had a magnificent display and he wanted to check it out. They moved but he still wants to be sure so we drove around and we did find some but not many.

This particular house that he remembers had a Santa with a gift box on one hand and the lid slowly opened and closed. When we got back from our drive he noticed that we did not have any lights up. "Come on Grampy, I'll help" so at 7.15pm they were out putting lights around the front of the house.

The next morning as we were driving away on our way to work and school, he called out to Grampy, "You need to put more lights up Grampy, make sure you do it today okay?" When I got home that night sure enough Grampy had put more up, the ones around the gutters and out the back.

So far we are the only ones in our street to have any lights and tey are on a timer so on at seven and off at ten, it does look very festive.

Cuckoo clocks

How has one these days? My neighbours that's who! During the day with other noises around I dont hear it but it goes regularly at night every hour on the hour. Don't know where it is in their house but our bedroom is about one and  half metres from our fence line and their is about the same distance away. Our house is more forward than theirs and our bedroom is in the front of the house.

Its possibly new as I have only heard it in the last few months, seems quite loud at eleven o'clock, midnight or whatever. I don't know how they can stand it being in their house but maybe they are used to it or deaf. At least I know what the time is when I cant sleep but I do wonder if that is why I wake after a short sleep, maybe I should wear ear plugs.

Tiredness

I know I know, its gets to all of us sometimes. I had not slept that well on Thursday night, something had woken me after about 40 minutes of sleep and then of course the body thinks "Hey, you're been asleep, wakey wakey" and I couldnt get back to sleep. Finally at 1am I took a sleeping tablet but that didnt do any good, I last remember looking at the clock at 3.30am I must have gone to sleep after that. The alarm woke me at 6.15 (I have a second one at 6.23) and I got up then, it did seem a long day luckily there was cloud cover for most of the day so not as hot as it had been.

On the first leg on the trip home it rained and looked like hail again so I stayed for a coffee until the rain had passed. Note on the table when i got home "I'm out, cooking dinner"in code that meant that house husband was out buying take away for our evening meal and ten minutes he turned up with a very nice Lamb Korma and naan bread.

I was watching Bargain hunters on TV and decided that the couch looking rather inviting and unfortunately I missed the end of the show  to see if they made a profit or not.Bummer!

Went to bed at 8pm and slept til 5.30am this morning, hopefully I have caught up.

nano no 2

It was the last day of Nano yesterday being the 30th of Nov and Nano being National Novel writing Month. I wrote 3k words of Saturday afternoon leaving me just under a thousand to make the deadline of 50K but I had come to a standstill. Sunday morning I was up early (for me anyway) as on waking i knew how I was going to finish. In an hour I had done the required amount to become a winner but my story wasn't finished so I did another 800 or so to tie  the ends together and finish where I wanted to be. 50,764 words in the end.

I don't intend to look at my novel until Jan giving me a month away from it. Although the organizers advise not to edit as you go, I do a little but there will be a lot more editing that needs to be done.

This is the third book in a trilogy and I want to get them published as one book, making around 160K words over the last three years.

Perfumes in the garden

Around about this time of the year as we walk through gardens or car parks a pleasant smell wafts past.

This is a gardenia flower from our front garden, I brought this one inside and it lasted several days and gave a pleasant smell in the kitchen far better than any air freshener that can be bought. Unfortunately the sun is too hot for them at times as can be seen in the next photo.

They burn in the sun.