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.