On Thursday...

my working week is done

Hayley is working on very hard homework...tooth morphology

our backyard is a blank canvas - scraped, removed & ready for the next stage

I finished another jigsaw I have been working for the last few days

we have had our first Wii injury...Chris overbalanced doing a trick shot and fell against the coffee table, he now has a fine bruise and egg on his shin

Erin has spent a very quiet first week on school holidays but managed to enjoy her birthday with lots of gifts (the best kind)

Birthday wishes...

today is Erin's 14th birthday and I just wanted to quickly wish my darling girl a very Happy Birthday.

After being out all day I found myself making a birthday cake at 745pm, so I'll fill you in with some pics and stories tomorrow.

Sunday...

Looks like I have been productive today but I only fixed up and finished off these 2 layouts

 This one just needed a stamp to cover a person in the crowd who had a terrible look on his face!

Chris & I went up to the Open day at the about to be revealed Anthony's Cutting bypass on the Western Freeway. Hopefully we will be able to drive on it very soon.

Hello possum...

Chris & I went shopping today to pick up some gifts for Erin's birthday on Monday. I still can't think of her as a teenager let alone a 14 year old.

Whilst out shopping I took the opportunity to get Chris in to a menswear shop. I have been trying to get him a new jumper for ages now, the thick, pure wool one he has been wearing for the last 15 years has nearly worn through at the elbows and is starting to fray at the cuffs. I have a lovely photo of him holding a newborn Erin in that same jumper. It has been a great warm jumper but it was time for it to be replaced.

Chris wanted something equal to this old favourite and to his credit tried on many in the Messer & Opie store. This particular menswear shop is of the old fashioned variety selling good quality items as well as school uniforms to the farmers of Ballarat for generations. We found a really nice charcoal coloured, thick, soft and warm jumper and I was happy that I can now stop searching for one

It wasn't until I was pulling the tags off at home that I realised that the wool blend is 48% possum!  I know that New Zealanders hate possums but I didn't know they were turning them into garments (check out their lovely range).  I hope it withstands all the hugging for the next 15 years.

I'm going to snuggle up to Possum man now and share in the warmth

Favourite fashion Friday...

I see lots of blogging girls are doing 'What I wore Wednesday' and I thought I would like to join in. But I did think you would get a bit bored seeing me in my uniform each Wednesday. So my take on this is going to be my favourite outfits on a Friday. Fridays are my days, I like to head out on a Friday and save the housework etc for Saturdays.

 

Knit tunic by Ping Pong
'I love Billy' black boots
soft red scarf from Myer
black leggings


ps: it took Erin about 20 shots to get this less than perfect shot, is there ever the 'perfect' shot?








Finished a couple of layouts at Big Sisters while I was all dressed up today, the inspiration for the first layout came from the website 'Dear photograph'. I haven't used the photography idea but liked the idea of addressing the photograph itself. I found a photo from my childhood that was meaningful to me and came up with this layout.

The journalling reads...Dear Photograph, when I look at you I don't remember this day at the beach in Qld specifically, I just remember a loving father & a happy childhood.
This one, also from my childhood, was originally going to be amongst montage of a few photos I had printed of myself wearing a  variety of silly hats but have since decided to do them singly.

This journalling reads I don't remember where I was going to be wearing such a special Hat.

Bit of a theme happening here with me not remembering stuff, and not having anyone who does remember to fill in the blanks. Thats where the journalling becomes so important.

Bingle...

Hayley is back in the drivers seat today.

Hayley finally has her car back after a minor bingle. She has been without it for the last 5 weeks while it was being assessed and repaired. Driving her around again was getting old and I am very glad she has her independence back. The repairers have done a great job and it looks brand new.

Reality...

the networks are really competing for my attention.

I quite like a reality show and now have to divide my viewing time between

Masterchef

The Amazing Race Australia

and now The Block.

Add in my Foxtel picks... Project Runway, Top Chef/Desserts and reruns of Survivor and I've forgotten what fiction is. I like to barack for my favourites, criticise the annoying ones and wonder at what they can come up with, and you can usually count on a tear or two.

If someone doesn't get booted off at the end of a show I'm not sure its finished.

In contrast...

In contrast to last weekend this one has been very productive.

I am over my cold so was able to hit the track and get some exercise, not back to full running but huffing and puffing was involved.

We also got out into the backyard and continued with the clearout that the bobcat started on Friday. Yesterday we went over to a display village to check out the landscaping to get some ideas. It was a bit of fun on a Saturday afternoon as we are not looking for a new house and I'm glad we're not as nearly all the houses had big flaws design elements that would not suit us. I have ideas for the back yard and am looking forward to them coming together.

I also got some baking and cooking done...shanks, pasta bake, broccoli and leek soup, and a ginger and lemon slice. I just need a fairy to come and clean up afterwards for me.

Then there is always washing and the 'playing with the washing'. In winter the washing always needs to be done but the frustrating part is where you hang it out, shift it around when it rains, rotate it through an airer or two then give up and put it in the dryer. Then ironing comes after that.

I did have some down time, watching a couple of DVDs.

Sanctum

It wasn't bad but not the best movie I've ever seen. I didn't realise it was an Australian production and while the action was good, some of the acting was a bit wooden. Erin had chosen it, as her favourite movie is 'Avatar' and James Cameron had produced this one. I think he should have had more input.










We also borrowed 'Little Fockers' which was very predictable and raised barely a smile and 'Love and other impossible pursuits' with Natalie Portman. This was quite a sad movie but worth watching.

I think I need to go back to work to have a rest.

Thursday...

Erin came home with her most recent artwork, a portrait of Albert, the big fat guinea pig. We are thrilled with her painted depiction of him. The 30 x 40cm canvas has taken pride of place in Hayley's room already.

Art has been one of Erin's favourite subjects and next semester she will switch to drama.

I wonder how Albert will be inspiration for that.

Layouts...

just 2 to share today

 I found this photo of Erin when I was looking for something else (which I didn't find) and in real life is quite a vibrant shot. Just some fun while we were on holiday.

This next one was done for a Christmas challenge. At the same time I made a few Chrissie cards, so thanks to Big Sis I have made a start on this  years cards.

A childhood shot of my sisters and I enjoying a Christmas picnic.

It  has been quite gloomy and grey around here, hard to take a good natural light shot. The ash cloud from Chile has been casting its own gloom on holiday plans of my colleagues who are heading to NZ & Bali this week. I'll still be working, no plans to go anywhere.

Lunch...

still sick today but a bit better, good enough to go out to lunch today.

We didn't venture far, just up the road to Myrniong to eat at the Plough Inn. It used to be called the 'Myrniong Pub'  and was a pretty ordinary blue stone pub. They have done a lot of work on it and turned it into a classy place.

The food was delicious and the menu was varied and tempting. I had a pork belly dish with red cabbage and mushrooms, it was tender and tasty. Not a dish I would ever attempt at home and I was very pleased. Also consumed were lamb shanks, fish & chips, lamb tasting plate and seafood linguine. All the details were perfect from the complimentary appetisers to the coconut macaroon with our coffee.

While I am typing this, Masterchef is on in the background and I realise that I have never eaten duck. Is it supposed to be so pink when its cooked? I'll have to try that next time I'm out, I'd never attempt that at home either.

I hope I feel like doing some gardening tomorrow, some things need a trim, I heard an adage 'prune in June' which works for us in Australia. We are getting a bob-cat in this week so I am looking forward to finally finishing the backyard.

I'm sick...

lots of nose blowing happening around here. I haven't had a cold for 2 years and have been laying low today hoping it will clear quickly. Sore throat, sore ears and a sore nose meant a kip under the doona this afternoon.

I didn't have much planned for the long weekend which is just as well. We are having a family lunch at a local pub tomorrow and I hope to be much improved so I can enjoy it.

Dove...

Big news around here...something very exciting for the Mitchell family.

Our niece, Kate, has been chosen as one of four new embassadors for Dove.

 Thats Kate on the right with another of the finalists.

Here are the final 20 from around Australia.

These girls were chosen from over 1500 girls who work at Priceline. Kate has been in Sydney this week with the 20 finalists and has done us all proud by being chosen as one of the four winners.

You can read more about the campaign here.

I'm sure we will hear more about good genes blah blah blah from the Mitchell side of the clan, Kate is the daughter of Chris' brother and is as gorgeous a girl on the inside as the outside.

Sweet...

I am a sweet tooth, whether you call them lollies, sweets or candy I like all kinds. Chocolate come second to my lolly habit.

I threw in a bag of these last shopping day

Yep, Coles brand chocolate bullets. They have to be the best bullets I have had. The licorice is soft and the chocolate not too thick. They are going down easy with the rest of the family too which stops me from eating the whole bag.

What's your favourite sweet treat?

Trivial...

Last night we attended the annual fundraising Trivia Night for Performing Arts Headquarters. We had to make amends for last years disastrous effort when we came stone motherless last.

We had a different combination on our table and did a little better coming about half way in the pack. The night had a Beauty & the Beast theme in keeping with this years show. As usual there were musical questions and general knowledge and other bits of trivia that are circulating in your head and don't often come in handy.
We could have done with a super fast link to Wikipedia last night as we got stumped on a few questions.

For example, do you know the meaning of the word nictate?

We guessed to spit but it is actually to wink. Later when the question was 'What does Gaston say in his song is the thing he is the best at?' Well spitting was not our minds then and we missed the answer expectorating.

Another curly one was the word glabella.

As a nurse I think I am pretty good at anatomy but this is a bit of the body I hadn't heard of. It is the bit of skin between your eyebrows, again Wikipedia would have come to our rescue.

All in all a good night and a fun way to raise some money for the show, I think some selling of chocolates will be upon us shortly. Selling chocolates at work might be bit tricky this year as everyone is dieting and Hayley might have trouble selling hers in the Dental module.

I'll leave you with this riddle and challenge you to work it out without Wikipedia

The man who invented this doesn't want it. 
The man who bought it doesn't need it. 
The man who needs it doesn't know it. 
What is it? 

The audit...

The EQuIP accreditation auditors have been lurking around the Health Service the last few days. Today I had my interview and got a chance to tell them all the good things we have been doing. I think it went well but wont know for sure til they announce the result.

I have been keeping a list of goals and achievements knowing that one day I would have to justify my funding or position. Lately I've been tweaking forms, policies, procedures, KPI's and audits. Accreditation is a big deal for any health service and the better you perform the longer between assessments.

Now we can go back to the regular stuff we do.