End of an Era

Today marks the end of an era. After almost 30 years, Lynn Johnston, creator and writer of For Better or For Worse has finally put down her pencil. I have been following the Patterson's many and varied stories for ten years now and have loved every moment of them. Poignant, funny, insightful and always relevant, Johnston has created a family whose daily life has become an important part of my own. I will miss following their lives further but am very much looking forward to reading the strip again from the beginning - especially those first 20 years!! :) Thanks Lynn for telling such great stories in your own inimitable style.

xx J.

Epiphany

I am going to let you all in on a little secret...

...I dislike Geelong...

Now, don't get me wrong, it's not personal... I am sure there are nice people in Geelong (in fact I know quite a few) and there is Anaconda and Spotlight and bead shops... but as a way of getting from A to B, efficient it is not.

However, on a recent trip through I realised it has one major advantage over all the other towns on the Princes Highway...

...it has the cheapest petrol.

And not just by a piddly few cents either - it is at least ten cents per litre cheaper and in some cases FIFTEEN!!

So, thank you Geelong. I have filled my tank for the first time in weeks.

xx J.

Lost....

....in my own library....

yes, shock and indeed horror....

We have weeded about 25% of our collection and MOVED ALL THE BOOKS...

I don't know where anything is!!! Thankfully I know my DDC (Dewey Decimal Classification) and I can find things if I look properly. WEll, that's the theory, anyway... :P

The upside of all this is, of course, that we now have more space for things like, well, library users and computers... I least I am told that is an upside...I would prefer more books myself....lol

xx J.

Hmmmmmm....

Ok, I thought mice were supposed to be clever...

I came home from my nice five days away from my workplace (but I WAS working, honest!) to a subtle smell and being not quite sure where it came from...

I took me a while to find it...

And it is well and truly STUCK... I am going to have to leave it there for a day or two or else break it in half.

And the blasted cat doesn't even LOOK at it when he comes in the door...

xx J.

Stuff by us...

Here is my first layout for at least twelve months - maybe more (I think anyway). And of course one by TG too. Both done for the Scrapbook Divas July CC.

Enjoy!

xx J.

Party, party, party!

TG and I went to a 5th birthday party today. It was a cold cold day but so much fun! Even after too much chocolate. Highlights included Pass the Parcel, a Fairies cake and face painting. She waited so long and was so patient - the party was half over before she finally got it painted. But apparently it was worth it! Hope you all enjoy it as much as she did!



xx J.

New project

Yes, yes, I know.... I haven't blogged for AGES! Well, that's what happens when one has a visit from TD&H... :p

Have you all missed me???

Anyone?????

Oh, just one of you - thanks Mum... :p

Apart from our visitor, I have also been busy studying Auslan (Australian Sign Language) at TAFE. It's fun - but time-consuming! Plus all the normal everyday Mummy and household tasks...

I have found some time to knit however. Here is a photo of my latest project. I am halfway through so will post a progress pic soon...

xx J.

Lucky shot...

It's been really cold recently. I have no idea why this rose is still blooming, but I was lucky enough to wake up earlier in the week and see this beautiful frosted bloom. I was also lucky enough to catch it at just the right time and in just the right light.

Well worth getting my slippers wet... :)

God's Creation is truly wonderful...

xx J.

Socks!!!! Stash!!!! Silly!!!!

Yes! I have finally finished my first pair of socks. And very comfy they are too...



I also received some new stash!! Such gorgeous colours!! The first four skeins are from The Knittery (Moonlight, Warm Pinks, Vineyard and Merlot) and the fifth is Lilac Ranco Solid from Araucania (bought at The Wool Shack). I bought some new knit picks needles too. So expect to see more socks in the near(ish) future!



And finally, a couple of photos of TG being silly...




Enjoy!!

xx J.

Good Weekend

TG and I have had a good weekend... (and it's about time!!!)

We put her new birthday doona cover on TG's bed...



Tested out some faerie wings...



Had fun at a 4th birthday party....



And enjoyed a wonderful (and fun) visit from TD&H... as you can see the tower goes "all the way to the roof!" Oh the benefits to being tall.... :p



xx J.

Sock!!!

I know, I know... I have left you alone for a whole week!!!

Bad Blogger!.... :)

Thought I would drop in with a couple of photos of my completed sock... The second one is about 5 cm in...

Enjoy!
















xx J.

CBCA awards

Well, it's that time of year again when I go crazy trying to read all the books on the Childrens' Book Council of Australia awards shortlist in order to disagree with the judges when the winner is announced on the 15th of August. The Older readers list is as follows:

• French, Jackie. Pharaoh: the boy who conquered the Nile
• Hartnett, Sonya. The Ghost's Child
• Heffernan, John. Marty's shadow
• McDonald, Meme. Love like water
• Metzenthen, David. Black Water
• Norrington, Leonie. Leaving Barrumbi
  

For once I have not actually read ANY of the shortlisted books so that is interesting in itself. Normally I have read at least two on the older readers list and sometimes more.

So I am starting with Pharaoh: the boy who conquered the Nile by Jackie French (yes, that is the same woman who used to be on Burke's Backyard!) and so far it is ok. Nothing earth-shattering though.

I am quite miffed that Joel and Cat set the story straight is not on the list - but at least it has been made a notable.

Anyway, in other news...

• I am still not 100% - am awaiting results to see where we go from here. I am hoping that it is jsut the minor infection they think it is rather than something chronic.
• TG has had her 4th birthday - time has just FLOWN! Photos here.
  
• School has started again - it has only been a week and reality has already hit us like a Mac Truck! Only 11 weeks to go!!! :)

xx J.

Home again!

Well, here I am after 2 weeks of travelling. And am so very tired. :)

Aren't you supposed to relax and recharge on holiday??

It wasn't helped by getting sick with some sort of bug in the middle of it all (and still having it now!). But I still had a good time away and I will put up some pics sometime soon (just as soon as I can find the connection from my new camera!!!)

Work tomorrow (if I am well enough!) Wish me luck!!

xx J.

HOLIDAYS!!!

Yes, it's that time of year again... :P

And what have I been doing you may ask???

Ok Ok, since you ask so nicely, here is a little taste of it so far...

• cleaning house
• packing
• watching Stargate
• knitting sock(s)
• backing up photos
• travelling
• eating chocolate
• drinking (too much) coffee
• shopping
• spending time with friends
• unpacking
• reading Calvin and Hobbes
• reading Unshelved
• reading Yarn
• more knitting
• listening to very welcome rain
  

And today we are off again - this time to Melbourne for hopefully more of the same!

xx J.

Where does the Sun sleep??

That is the question Miss Almost Four asked me on the way home tonight. Where do such questions come from?????? And how easy and tempting is it to give the "lies to kiddies" answer of "just over there in the ocean" or whatever the standard answer is.

Thank goodness for Charlie and Lola and their globe is all I can say - was slightly easier to explain that way...

Itchy feet

No, I'm not moving!

I finally succumbed and flea bombed the house this morning. Vacuuming every couple of days just wasn't picking up the little buggers. So I have used nasty chemicals. Let's hope it works.

Of course, now they are having their last hurrah on my feet... itchy itchy itchy!!! And out comes the stingose!

xx J.

Book Review - Chocolat by Joanne Harris

I don't know why it has taken me so long to get around to reading this book! I love the film and I have actually borrowed the book at least 3 times and never even opened it. Until this time. When I couldn't put it down.

And I loved it.

Joanne Harris skillfully paints wonderful characters and invokes magical imagery with simple words. The village setting really could be in any time - it is only the outside world that dates the novel. Harris draws from myth and legend as well as shrewd observation to give us not just a beautiful and satisfying story but also a mystical version of a moral tale. It's a great read, but don't expect it to bear much resemblance to the film - or should that read the other way around??

Chocolat reads as a modern day fairytale - but with the dark bits left in - and is well worth a read.

Labour Day

Only 6 working days to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has been a very short but also very busy term and I shall be glad to see the back of it. And today was a lovely break spent with friends doing as little as possible... :)

On another note, my parents have gone back from whence they came. (or at least are on the way - I just had the phone call to say so!) My house is much tidier and, unsurprisingly, I am somewhat calmer... :)

As my house has been tidied on several occasions and by three different people I am still in the process of finding things that have been put in odd places. Unfortunately, some of those things were put away by yours truly. *sigh*

Tonight I have finally found my camera and so, for your viewing pleasure, I am putting up a few photos that I meant to put up a while ago...

TG's new slippers of which she is very proud. And yes, they really are that pink...














My new knitting basket that I bought from the RSPCA shop. I am still looking for a zip up knitting bag to take projects away with me but I do love this basket. It fits all the wool for this multicolour cardigan I am knitting for TG and looks good to boot.









And, finally, I have gone back to a bit of stitching this weekend. Here is two thirds of Barnabee's Quest. It's still an enjoyable stitch and I might even finish this one!!!

Grey invaders...

My parents have arrived for their semi-annual visit. It is nice to have them here and I managed to get most if the place cleared in time. And my wonderful cleaning fairy did a superb job in finishing off the rest! So my house feels most restful.

And TG is quite happy to have an additional audience for her incessant chatter... lol

Back to the naturopath tomorrow for a follow up - a bit later than we were supposed to go but hopefully we can work around that! And then some shopping! Maybe we can visit Bunnings... since we will have both Granddad and TG with us I expect we may end up there at some stage... just to soak in the atmosphere if nothing else...

xx J.

Tired

Oh. So. Tired.

:)

And so very glad that I now have nice comfortable flat shoes to wear to work instead of those horrible boots I was wearing before. They may look good but my feet didn't like them much! Of course, now everyone has suddenly grown an inch and a half... it may not sound like much but it's noticeable when you're only 5'4"...

Bring on the weekend!!!!!!!!!

xx J.