Made it!

I belong to a forum which I enjoy and one thread this month was to make cushions from our material stash. I jumped in and agreed as I have made cushions before and wanted a couple of new ones. That was fine except I didn't know what colour or what fabric that I had was suitable and I thought that I wasn't going to be able to make the deadline (end of the month)

Last Friday due to the cyclone (Marcia) some roads were cut that are on or close to the way I go to work giving me a forced day of work. House was ready for our visitors so I sewed, after I paid a visit to Spotlight, not intending to buy fabric for cushions but couldn't resist this small piece.

I did use some fabric from my stash for the back and the hobby fill. Normally I would have made square cushions and used a cushion form but I went with rectangle to accommodate the pattern on the fabric.

Pleasure in the simple things

We have three teenagers visiting and they were keen to visit the beach. After the rough weather that we had yesterday it was great to be able to take them to the beach.

I was a little worried as I am not a good swimmer but I need not have worried as they didnt go in more than mid calf and were happy jumping waves and having the sand wash from under their toes. Then they covered one foot with sand, well worth the 30 minute drive for me to hear the pleasure, fun and laughter that they got from it. An early night tonight as we have a fun filled day planned for tomorrow, starting with a trip to the shops for Iphones.

Just waiting

all the beds are made and ready and waiting for the weekend. Our five visitors are arriving on Saturday and as I work the three days before they came, I needed to prep everything up before hand.

The bed is not aligned to the bed head as the other bed is also in there

This bed will be going as we have bought the tri bunks for the second room

The bottom bunk folds up into a sofa when not needed as a bed so it will free up more plus allow for more sleeping areas. I was a bit concerned that we may be not have enough bedding but still have more so i do think that I need to cull some linen. I didnt even need to get any linen or towels from either the caravan or camper as there is a full set in each.

The grandkids names are on the wall but now most are covered, will need to do something else or replace them.

Fish and chips at the beach

We went for a drive on Tuesday to a local beach where we intend to take our overseas visitors who will be arriving tomorrow. The beach is about thirty minutes from home, not the most ideal place to swim but it is at the beach.

This photo was taken as we drove along the esplanade, several kangaroos resting in the shade.

I did use a zoom on this one but the roos are so used to cars driving past that they dont bother too move although they would go pretty quick if someone was to approach them.

There is the top of the mirror in the bottom of the photo with about a dozen roos in sight and the sea out to the right.

We had ur fish and chips and boy were they salty, we were tapping the chips onto the paper to bounce some of the excess salt off them Then we walked along the foreshore to the hall and back, it did look a bit like rain but thank fully it didnt rain before we got back to the car.

A "free" gift.

For years Warren has been getting a caravan magazine, which is interesting when they have tours and trips etc. The magazine has changed and now it seems to be more on new vans and comparing this van to that and we had talked about not renewing the subscription.

However, this years renewal included this.

$88 for twelve magazines plus the book. The value of the book is  nearly $60 retail so we figured that we got a good deal.

The book arrived yesterday and it has a very strong cover and has many many cheap or free camps plus maps that we will be able to use when we do the big lap next year.

Mortacai

I think that is how it is spelt. This is the title of a movie that we went to see last week starring Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor and Gwyneth Paltrough (think I got the guys name right)

We had seen the shorts a couple of weeks before and thought it would be funny which it was, just a bit of light hearted drama. Johnny Depp plays an upper crust Englishman complete with the voice and the mo. I didnt know it was him at first then I concentrated on his voice and worked out it was him.

Johnny Depp has just arrived in Queensland to film his next movie and "they" are hoping it will "kick start his ailing career" the radio just announced on air as apparently Mortacai did nothing for it and it the movie was a dismal failure.

We got a good laugh out of Mortacai, I esp loved the man servant who was a bit of a thug look alike but was always there when needed.

Finally!

Some years ago I bought wall paper when we were working in China. Warren said that while he liked it he didn't want a whole wall so we compromised, I could buy it and he would put it into frames to hang on the wall. I could live with that. This was several years ago, he had said he would do it while I finished my time in China and he was back home, giving him four months to complete (give him something to do he said)

While decluttering late last  year we unearthed this roll of wall paper and Warren asked what did I want to do with it, I told him that I was still waiting for him to frame and hang it. I think he was hoping I would say to chuck it out.

Coming into the six weeks of holidays, I asked him to do two things, one was to hang candles holders that he had bought for the outside patio, he had bought them three or four weeks before and they were still sitting on the outside table. The second was to frame and hang my wall paper.

The morning after my request, the drill was going and candles holders were in place before morning tea, one down and it was only the middle of December. Bonus!

A couple of days later he was out buying the Christmas present that he had been assigned to purchase and he came with mirrors. Mirrors? why do we want mirrors and three of them? "Haha!" he said "I am going to turn them into frames as frames were three times the price."

He cut the paper to fit and then need to glue onto the back of the frames.

Yesterday they were hung! In the dining room. A piece has been used in the caravan as well on a cupboard that Warren made where the oven had been. The mirrors were placed on the wardrobe doors in the spare bedrooms so they didnt go to waste.

Valentines day

All the hearts and flowers have been out in force and the jewellery catalogues have been clogging up our letterbox for several weeks now. Valentine Day doesn't play a part in our house hold at all. Warren always says that he doesn't need a day set aside to declare his love, oh isn't that sweet (also sounds a bit of a cop out but it doesn't faze me)

Friday evening as we were sitting outside enjoying a coffee I asked "so what are you getting me for Valentines day?..........same as last year?" he sometimes is a little slow on the uptake. I could see that he was racking his brain, so I helped him out "Nothing, same as last year."
"Yep same as last year"

We went on chatting about other things and promptly forgot about Valentines day.

Warren had to go to Bunnings as I has remarked that the paintings would look better on the wall instead of just standing against it. When he came back, I was making morning tea and he said "I got something for you." and held his hands behind his back, I choose the right hand and was given this.

A pink heart chocolate, his was green, then he told me that Bunnings were giving them out so he hadn't bought it I guess he did think of me though (and didn't try to pretend that he had spent money!)

Cyclists Grrrr!

Yesterday I left for work at around the normal time and had to give way to cars at the T junction leading out of our estate. By the time I was able to pull out there were two cars behind me.

Just up the road there was a cyclist on the road, unusual to see as there is a bike path which pretty much follows the road. The cyclist turn his bike as if to go across the road and then he turns his head to see me and two other cars coming his way which puts him into panic mode and the bike wobbles, by this time he and his bike are about half way into the road. Luckily there was no one coming the other way as to avoid an accident I needed to go across double lines and onto the other side. as hie reactions were slow the other cars also had to go out and around him. I know cars are much quieter now than they used to be but three cars and he couldn't hear them!

This cyclist was not a young kid, he looked to be in hi seventies with little regard for his safety or anyone else s. Kids on bikes get a bad rap but its not just kids who are at fault, adults should be more mindful of how they act on roads and use bike paths! Rant over!

Massages

I am in demand at the moment to do said massages. Warren pulled a muscle or something in his forehand last week. It must have been very bad as he coudnt finish his game of tennis. A couple of times a day over the weekend, he asked with a sheepish look "Could you please do my arm?"

I had never done any massaging before he started footy boundary running at age fifty, the knots that he got in his leg after a game was incredible and I was instructed to massage baby oil and push through the muscles. It must have worked as I have been called many times since then.

He went back to tennis yesterday a week of lay off and was happy with how he served and he played again today so i figure that it is almost back to normal, although he did mention that it needs a good rub again tonight.

Maybe I should set up a payment plan?

Sizzles for lunch

We had Christmas lunch at Sizzlers and at the end of the meal, we were given vouchers to use for a lunch meal any day in January and February. I put them on the fridge and promptly forgot about them as we had plenty of time to use them.

Wiping over the fridge the other day, I looked at them and realized that we only had three weeks to use them and there were four of them. We used one today.

The vouchers were buy two lunch time salad meals and only pay for one, by the time we did that and bought a drink, it still cost us $24. We had a great many salads to choose from plus soups and pastas.

I didn't see their potato skins and figured that maybe they didn't make them at lunch. The cheese bread was brought out and of course was yummy as usual.

I only wanted fruit for dessert so got pieces of watermelon, rock melon and honey dew, then I saw the potato skins, they were on a side table along with the pastas. Couldn't go past so grabbed two and put on my fruit plate.

We sat and had our dessert, Warren had pavlova as well and a nice coffee with it. Very nice but don't think we will use the others before they run out so I will offer them to friends on face book.

Two hours later Warren is driving down the rod and got a fit of the sneezes, I asked him what had he been eating as everything eemed to be alright I thought. He said that it was probably the cheese bread, he chooe to eat it anyway. The sneezes only lasted a little while thank goodness.

Leg lamb chops

We were having visitors for dinner on Saturday night and as warren had given me the new Jamie Oliver book for Christmas, I suggested he choose something from there for me to make.

He picked a lasagna type dish with ham cheese and tomato rather than mince and crepes in between rather than lasagna sheets. Looked difficult at first then I figured that it wasn't too bad but I didn't have any ham so off I went to the Meat market, they also have vegetables and fruit.

While looking for the ham and I wanted to buy some pickled pork (which they didn't have) I saw lamb leg chops. I don't recall seeing them available in stores before but remembered them from years and years ago.  When we lived and worked on the station, part of Warren's wage was half a sheep a week and half a steer twice a year, we shared with the owner/manager. Warren's job once a week was to kill a sheep, hang it and then cut it down the next morning for each family. As there was only the two of us and a young baby, a roast leg of lamb was too much so we cut the leg into chops, nice bit of meat and very little bone.

The leg lamb chops were always tasty and I knew Warren would enjoy them plus they were half the price of loin chops. When I told him what I had bought, he decided that bbq lamb chops and salad should be on the menu that night. I made potato salad, green salad with boiled egg on top, tomato and cucumber plus a tin of beetroot. Lamb chops were topped with mushroom gravy.

The beauty of having people over is the left overs, we had enough salads for lunch with some sliced ham and the last of the chops with vegetables for dinner Sunday night.

I must try the ham lasagna sometime soon but it does say for eight people, I hope it will freeze!

"New" Clock

After changing our lounge room around, we decided that we really needed a clock to go in that room. Last week Warren took on the task to check out a clock for the room.

Now we have always had a clock in there, one that we spent quite a bit of money on, down south. I cant remember if we ever had it on display in the old house as we bought it to celebrate a change of circumstances.

We bought the clock and a mirror at the same time and place and got a discount by buying the two, at the time, I didn't really want a clock, but it was cheaper to buy the two rather than just one.

Anyway I digress, the clock didn't fare very well with the move, being packed up and then stored for several weeks, when unpacked the hands were bent and over the next few months, the numbers kept falling off until only twelve, one, three and nine were left.

I had been working on a wall hanging and the wall hanging went over the top of the clock, that was about nine years ago.

The wall hanging doesn't fit the new colourings it had to go and so too the clock, We took both down this morning, I washed the wall hanging as it will go to the salvos. Clock was in limbo, did we donate it or bin it?

My task today was to declutter the spare room and I opened a box that happened to have stick on numbers, no idea what they had been bought for, then Warren tells me that he bought them for a guy to one numbers on his letter box.

Light bulb moment, could we fix the clock and thus save buying a new clock? As per the photos, it has new numbers, a new batteries and we carefully bent the hands back into place, there wasn't enough ones to put a twelve so have left the old number there. May replace the numbers so they are all the same later. The piece of wood is a slice off a red gum that has been polished, it is quite heavy.

Using up some of my stash

This is something that I have been doing for some time and I have emptied one plastic tub but there just seems to be more. I found about four pieces of lace curtain, different pieces and on a forum I asked what I could use them for, towels or table runners were two of the answers that I received back.

As we have the new table and it is rectangle not round like the old one, I decided to make a table runner and arm rests for the new lounge seats.

One piece gone, I used another to add to face washers that I will send to a charity that I am making some items for, as the face washers came in a pack of twelve and only three colours I have used pieces of lace to make them look different. I needed a yellow something for a school swimming carnival so I used a piece of yellow from my stash to make a top but ended up I didn't wear it as yellow is not my colour and I'm pleased to say that it was a little too big so I will have to adjust the pattern (and give the yellow shirt away. I was on a roll last weekend and made Warren a pair of boxers (pjs) and a pair of pjs for myself (but not from my stash, I bought a couple of remnant pieces for each of them) I used it all and any scraps went in the bin.

Myer Briggs

This is a personality test and I did it years ago when I was in the Public service. Cant remember all the types that I was but I do think that a couple of changed as I have "matured" (I didnt want to say "get older")

Our first week back at school before any kids were back, one of the teachers in our staff room had a copy and I choose to do it again.

There are several questions around 26/28 with most only having two choices, participants need to select which one of those two they would most likely do. Probably only takes about twenty minutes to complete altogether. Marking can also be done by the person taking it and then it depends on where one has most points.

I am a INTJ which means I am an Introvert, hummm cant remember the second one, thinking and judgmental. Some of the words that apparently describe me is Insightful, Conceptual, Critical, Independent, Determined and Pursues Competence and Improvement. Not sure if that IS actually me but that what the questions or my answers determined.

Check it out on-line, just tap in Myer Briggs, you could be surprised.

How $40 puts a smile on Warrens dial.

A few weeks ago Warren was commenting on the leaves and grass that had blown in under our patio. He said to me that we ally need a blower. I nodded in agreement thinking that a broom and a hose is much cheaper than spending a couple of hundred dollars on a blower.

We had quite a few jobs to do last week with Bunnings being the last port of call, I like to organize my "errands" in an orderly fashion. There was a visit to the libary, go to travel agent, pick up a postal pack at PO, drop into Harris Scarfs as there was something in their catalogue that I wanted to check out and Bunnings. By doing them in that order we could drive one way and then be closer to home. Warren didnt need to come except for the morning tea at Bunnings and hes pretty handy to carry things.

When we got to Bunnings, I went one way to the cafe and he went to pick up the couple of things that he needed to finish a job at home. I walked past a special would you believe it was a Blower/Vac for outside on sale for $39.90. As the shelving that we bought at HS was less than in their catalogue, I told Warren about the blower. He was a bit "oh, do we really need it?' I said its $40! will you use it?

It was hot when we got home so he stripped off and proceeded to put his blower together. While I was preparing lunch he appeared with his new (dare i say it?) toy. The patio is clear of leaves!  

We've done it again!

We have sold much of our lounge room furniture, the lounge suite went on Monday. A couple came to look and bought it they were in a small station wagon. Two large wooden chairs with cushions and a three seater also wooden.

It was like a puzzle to get it in. The two chairs ended up in the back at an angle with the front seats of the car pulled the full way up. The guy who drove was quite tall so I think his knees would have been up around his elbows. All the cushions and seats fitted around the chairs and the three seater was tipped upside down and rested on the roof with ropes to tie it down going through the back doors. After much toing and froing they got going in a bit of a hurry because it looked like a storm coming. At least there was no material on the outside so if they got wet, any water would just wipe off.

We are missing the chairs that sat by the computer desk where it is customary for us to have breakfast and coffee in that spot. We intended to put something there but the old chairs were just too big for the space (even though its been like that for most of the twelve years we have lived here)

Yesterday we had to go out to vote and I had spied tub or bucket chairs in a catalogue that I thought would be suitable so a trip to a furniture place was on the agenda.

Of course the place had none or salesman couldnt tell us where they were located (or was that a plot?) we wondered around looking at other stuff knowing that we were there for the purpose of two smallish single chairs. Funny how we walked out thirty five minutes later having just paid for and organised delivery of a new lounge suite!

Several times over our married life we have done similar things gone shopping with a purpose in mind but bought something different. It has become a bit of a joke between us.

The lounge suite we bought is smaller, two recliners and a two seater lounge so furniture in the lounge room will match and we will put the theatre seats that we bought a couple of weeks ago into the family room to take the place of the two large chairs that we sold.

We have the trailer at home but I said to Warren that we would pay for the delivery, buggar trying to struggle with it between us, we are not as young as we used to be, funny that.