My gorgeous girl...

I was trying to explain to Erin why I hate so much when people put up their hand to block their face when you are trying to take their picture. Or they turn away or pull a face. What you end up with is a bad photo of them and this reinforces their wailing on how bad they look in photos. If you just do a nice smile and its all over and everyone is happy. She has been doing this to me lately, wont let me take her picture, it is very frustrating. Chris is exactly the same. We will look back one day and wont have any good photos.

So we sat and thumbed through her scrapbook albums last night. And she has a few. There were lots of 'aww how cute' moments. She was reading through the comments and notes and we had a lovely time looking back at them. She remarked how the number of photos has dwindled and that reinforced my point exactly.

Hopefully she wont carry on in the future when I pull out my lovely new camera. It also sparked lots of conversation about what sort of a baby she had been and some of her accomplishments. It was a very nice time spent together. I think she is gorgeous and I love her to bits.

Catching Fire...

Erin desperately wanted to see the second Hunger Games movie 'Catching Fire'. We have both read the books and I was keen to see it as well. The new shopping centre had an opening special of $10 a ticket so it was a rainy afternoon well spent. We thoroughly enjoyed it and felt it was as close to the book a movie can get. I dabbed away some tears and gasped several times. It was action packed and engaging. And it leads you straight into the 3rd book which they are half way through filming. I didn't enjoy the 3rd book as much as the first 2 so it will be interesting to see how they wrap it up. We did a bit of shopping and satiated ourselves at the Max Brenners chocolate shop. I was surprised to see how wet it was when we came out at 6pm, the roads were flooded in parts and I'm glad Erin hadn't wanted to drive today, it would have been quite hairy for a novice. She can get some practice in those conditions when she has mastered dry roads first.

Tennis and tea...

Yesterday was the second High Tea Tennis Tournament run as a fundraiser for the hospital. I had worried over the forecast over the last week but in the end the showers stayed away, we had a mild day with little wind and occasional breaks of sunshine. The day couldn't have turned out better. Or it might have if we had come home with a trophy. But not to worry we all had fun.

 This year I paired up with Helen. Her partner from last year moved to Cairns in June so we've started a new pairing. We are similar players and were put into B grade and ended up winning 2 and losing 2 of the 4 matches. We were soundly beaten by the eventual winners of our Grade but we were a bit stiff to lose to the other pair. They were an older pair who were pretty serious about the match. We were ahead 4-2 when Helen copped a ball in her face. Her sunglasses didn't break but cut into the bridge of her nose. We suspended play and mopped up the blood then returned to the court. Even though she said she was fine I think Helen was a bit rattled after that and we went down 4-6. You have to watch out for the older ones they don't look like they have got the goods but they can whip your arse without breaking a sweat.

I thought I had the goods

 We had a yummy lunch between sets and some champers afterwards

It was a very nice way to spend a Friday all for a good cause.

I hate moths...

I hate moths. I hate the way they flap around. If you look closely at a moth they have creepy furry bodies and feelers. I hate they way that they fly straight at you. I don't like spiders much either but I know a spider on the wall will stay there, it wont suddenly fly into your face. I also don't like the gutsy feeling if you are brave enough to cover them with a tissue and squash them. They will not co-operate if you try to shoo them out the door.

this is my hell

We are having a plague of them at the moment and there are hundreds flapping around outside and many of them are making their way inside...shudder...
If I leave the washing out overnight invariably there will be a few stuck inside the clothes when I bring them in. And as I sit here and type with the blinds open they are banging on the window trying to get to the light.



They love my grapevine and they are out there laying eggs that will turn into caterpillars which will eat my lovely shady grapevine leaves.

That is all.

Dear Hayley...

Dear Hayley,

Hello love! So the weather is changing and you're feeling the cold now. I was reading this page about moving abroad...http://mamacongo.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/5-tips-for-moving-abroad.html
Have a read, I think you will identify with all of the points, especially how its normal to have some regrets.

We had 2 lovely warm days and now its back to cold again. I am hoping our Ladies Day Tennis Tournament on Friday will not be a wash out. Fingers crossed. I've put on some fake tan lotion but it might be for nothing.

Maureen's daughter Amanda is back from her travels and is looking for work locally to save some money before she heads off again. She has an interview at the new Max Brenner chocolate shop that has opened at Woodgrove. She was thinking of applying at Burke on Main as they 'need staff' but I told of your experience and she wasn't keen anyway.

Do you want me to send over my red woollen knitted coat from Ishka? Erin tells me you want the hair and a peach scarf, is there anything else?


She is desperate to see the second Hunger Games movie, we might go on the weekend. Did you see Jennifer Lawrence's new pixie hair cut? It looks really cute. Wish my short hair looked as good.



I've started watching the next Real Housewives of Beverly Hills but there is no Taylor or Camille. I get annoyed with it and fast forward through the bits where they are fighting with each other and then the show is over.

Love to you my dear and I hope you are having fun with your new friends and enjoying the 'living abroad' experience, xxx

City to sea wrap up...

Photos and times are in, the race is done and I am looking forward to the next event.

We couldn't have asked for a better day yesterday morning with a top of 22 forecast. The skies were clear and blue and not even a puff of wind. We lined up outside the Arts Centre in St Kilda Road and headed off in the second 'green' wave at 8:10. Down St Kilda Rd at a cracking pace, around Albert Park Lake and then down Fitzroy St to Beaconsfield Pde and back to Catani Gardens. The course was fantastic. All 14kms were flat or even the slightest hint of a decline down to the foreshore.

http://www.theage.com.au/data-point/blogs/the-crunch--data-point/city2sea-by-the-numbers-20131118-2xqe8.html

I struggled towards the end. My mind was telling me all the things I didn't do right.  Mistake number 1. I hadn't really trained for this distance. I foolishly thought that the training we did for the half marathon would carry me over the line. Mistake number 2. I didn't carbo load or hydrate the day before. At 10 ks in I felt as if I had no energy at all. Mistake number 3. I didn't wear my compression pants. Placebo or not those pants seem to squeeze the best out of you. Mistake number 4. My shoes are on the way out. I need to replace them, they have done the hard yards and have no spring left in them. Mistake number 5. I ran too fast in the beginning. Classic mistake, I've read lots of articles telling me you shouldn't but I couldn't seem to get the pace right. Mistake number 6. I let my head get the better of me and I didn't like the last bit and just wanted it to be done.

I finished in 1:33 and beat myself senseless with the "what I should have done differently's". The rest of the day was lovely. We had coffees and a late second breakfast and a browse around St Kilda market and shops with our medals around our necks like the Victors we felt.

I'm sure we'll do that one again, with hindsight and a little recovery time I am feeling good again about this running caper.

 

Dear Hayley...

Dear Hayley,

I had the day off today in lieu of Friday. I have to go into the city for a forum so had a break mid week. It was nice actually to get some cleaning done and to pick up Erin from school. It has rained all day again and been very gloomy. I noticed that the trees in Grant St are full of leaves not bare like the wintery feel we have at the moment. It has been cold, I've had the heater on. I made little cakes this afternoon with Erin and it made me feel good, I would like to be a stay at home Mum being able to make things for you all. It was good too to get the dinner organised early which would be good when I need to go out at 7 for tennis.
When I made the cakes I was reminded of how my Nana would have cakes ready for us after school and I would eat loads of them before dinner, they were so yummy and fresh.
We had tuna patties for tea and I made a yummy sauce to go with them, it was natural yoghurt, gherkin and parsley.

Random thought: I noticed tonight that the label on the bottle says 'Sarsaparilla'. I've always called it Sarsparella. No a. 

Erin went back to school this week but every day she has fallen asleep before dinner. Twice I came in from work and there she was tucked up under a blanket and again today. The weather doesn't help. She might be anaemic, she was taking iron tablets but she forgets them.

This weekend we are running in the City 2 Sea but we have not done much training for it. I think it will be OK, Running Buddy is stressing. She asked me to go to Bikram Yoga with her in Werribee and I think I will go over the holidays when there is no tennis on. She enjoyed her first 2 sessions and said she has never sweated like it. It goes for 90 mins and you aren't allowed to talk and she got into trouble for laughing. She said she couldn't help it, she was behind a man with speedos on and kept getting an eyeful. You aren't allowed to leave either, if you get too hot you have to sit it out.

I'm sorry I tell you things that people say about you as if you were dead. It's just that I like to retell these anecdotes as other people are missing you too or telling me how wonderful you are. I still spend all my time talking about you or giving updates when they ask how you are going.

How did your job hunting go? It would be funny if you get a waitressing job in a Mexican restaurant, going back to your roots. Keep thinking of what sort of coat you want. I could go to our local op shops but still wouldn't be able to pick your taste. Do you have enough scarves/beanies/gloves too?

Thinking of you over there in the cold, love Mumma, xxx

Wash out...

Tennis is a wash out tonight.

I had agreed to fill in for someone as we were on the bye but I'm stuck at home with TV tonight a wash out as well. What to watch on a Monday night??

Looks like I will be browsing Pinterest and playing Candy Crush til my lives run out.








I shouldn't complain about a bit of rain when the Phillipines has been destroyed by the force of nature.

Next challenge...

The next test I have for you is a bit more confronting. It is a fitness calculator.
You don't have to tell me the result this time but it may be a trigger for improvement if you want.

My result was a pleasing fitness age of 39 years which is just as well for all the work I do! 11 years off my bio age is a nice reward. We are doing the City 2 Sea next Sunday (14kms) so I did a solo 10k today for training. Its not as much fun running on your own but a field of 13,000 will help us along.

Erin has been driving a little each day and is slowly improving. Yesterday she drove on an 80km road and did well. Her accelerating was hampered by a misfire in the Barina which Chris will attend to. Today she drove me down to the flower stall and parked at the shopping centre. She has been sick for over a week now and hopefully will go back to school tomorrow, only a few weeks left of term.

Colour Challenge...

I did this colour challenge.

I love colour and this was an interesting test. My score was 44 and the lower the better. Compared to others in my gender & age & range that is a mid range score.

Try it and let me know how you go, good luck!

Home...

Dear Hayley,
Thank you so much for your lovely message. I loved it, it was so nice to have you express those feelings. The gratitude you feel is mirrored in my own feelings for you.  I wanted to respond with a message that was equally moving about how much I love you, how you shaped me as a mother as much as I shaped you and how proud I am of you. I think it came across as a ditto but I meant it. After talking about you recently I realised how I miss you keenly. I don't want you to come home yet but I do miss you, your lovely sense of humour, your you-ness. I  am very proud of you and the person you have become, a person that is entertaining to be around. Someone that others want to be with. I look forward to your Instagrams because they are a perfect reflection of your quirky humour and unique style. I know you can be moody and that you recognises this in yourself too but nobody is perfect.

And I'm posting these pics as reminders of what's happening at home, not to make you homesick.

 Callum cut his hair again and he does a good job, he looked really good today with his shirt on. It was 30 degrees today, too good to be a work, a sneak preview of Summer.

 Erin loves taking pictures of Pippa with my new camera, there are more photos of her than of anything else.

Here I am modelling the top Erin tie dyed for me. This white top was going to the op shop but has found a new life. She has got the dyeing bug and wants to do more. 

Careful Pippa she might dye you too!

Dad had a charter to Anglesea today, and took some kids to camp. Good day to go the beach. Erin was sick all the long weekend and didn't go back to school today either. Dad didn't realise she didn't go until we told him tonight!

Hope you are working lots and having fun, love Mumma, xxx

Cup Day...

What cup? A day off for a horse race always seems ridiculous to me but I'll take it. In fact it was a lovely 5 day break culminating in today's Tennis Tournament. We played 6 sets of tennis and my partner and I had a  mixed day winning 3 and losing 3. The day was perfect, sunny with the lightest of breezes. Sunscreen worked well and after all those hours in the sun I am not burnt. Usually I don't get that quite right. The grass courts were magnificent  and we adjusted from months of playing on mod-grass quickly. Of course we all had to stop to watch 'the race that stops the tennis tournament' with a glass of bubbly then back on to play the last 2 sets. I am tired now and will go to bed soon, there is nothing on tv to keep me up.

Erin is following in Hayley's footsteps with a passion for tie dying and despite feeling sick this weekend has dyed a double bed sheet and an old T shirt I was going to toss out. The under arms were a little yellowed and I had culled my stash of white T's down by a total of one. Now the top is yellow and pink tie dye pattern and I get to keep it a bit longer. She also printed a couple of her own singlet tops with some transfer paper we had found at Spotlight and pictures printed off the internet. She had wanted a Tokio Hotel T shirt for some time now and I had resisted because the postage was more than the top. She has done a good job and I didn't have to be involved apart from some advice sought via text message between sets.

Tomorrow I'll tell you how wonderful Hayley is, that's another long post. And I'll have to remember tomorrow is Wednesday in this mucked up week.