Under the weather...

On Wednesday night I was struck down with Erin's cold. First it was Callums who shared it with his sister who shared it with me. I was surprised at how quickly I went from feeling well, contemplating a run, to being consumed with a streaming nose, headache, watering eyes and a cough. The run was cancelled because it was raining and I wonder how I might have felt if I had actually braved the awful conditions.

Thursday I tried to go to work. Well I did go to work to present at a competency day, but as soon as it was over I headed home to lay on the couch. Under a blanket. I had to knock back a game of tennis. I cancelled the cardio session the following morning and also had to cancel a day with Big Sister.

I hate being sick.

But the thought of spreading my germs any further has kept me indoors. With the heater on. And a scarf around my neck while laying under a blanket. Rotten viruses that can make you feel rotten are the pits. It could be worse. It could be a 1000 times worse. So I look forward to recovery and normal activities in a couple of days.

To keep myself occupied between nose blowings and alcohol hand washes I made a couple of cards.

I should spend this quarantine time making 2 Bon Voyage type cards for Hayley and Sheryl but I wanted to try out the new onesie die that came in the mail. It works well with both foam and felt and I was happy with the results.

Now I just need someone to have a baby.

the newest British citizen...

Hayley received her British passport today.

It came so quickly we were surprised when it arrived. The application went to the UK and the passport flew back to her here in Oz. Much quicker than the Australian version. And fancier.

We were teasing her that it is not a real passport but a fairy passport to a magical kingdom because of the unicorn on the cover.

Ours is plain, but will still do the job of letting her back in the country. If and when she wants to.

She was very excited tonight and with just 4 weeks to go it is becoming more real each day.

Autumn...

The changing leaves in my garden are just lovely. We have had warm weather and I did a bit of a clean up around the garden.

The ornamental pear trees at the front of the house are taking turns in changing and losing their leaves.

 From green to orange to red to bare, its my garden's version of ombre.

This is the view underneath the ornamental grape vine at the back of the house, it was a glorious green shade during summer and is now a pink hued sanctuary still. Soon it will be bare canes and I will be able to reign it in a little.

 Two weeks ago I took this pic of the pistacchio tree in its glory, today it is bare branches also.

This is the gledistia tree which has a shady canopy during Summer. When the leaves fall these seed pods take a little longer to drop. They look like flat dry bananas and when the wind blows they knock together and rattle. There are hundreds of them. One year I took the many seeds from one pod and tried to germinate them. If I could succeed I could have quite a forest happening.

Today I collected a bin full that have fallen since I took this photo, seems like a waste but I don't know what else to do with them. The leaves have gone into the compost to continue the cycle.

Cold wet weather is on the way, I'm enjoying my time outdoors while I can.

Hayley's progress...

Hayley is a little closer to her dream tonight after receiving her documentation back from her British passport application. With the original documents was a slip saying her passport will be posted in 5-10 days.

Great news for her, after the grief involved in getting all the correct documentation together the passport from  the UK has been quicker to get than her Aussie one. Hopefully overseas mail will be as quick when she is away.

She went from being unemployed on Tuesday after finishing up at the mail centre to working full time plus overtime today. A waitressing gig she had secured is not needed now, it would have been too much to go from one long day of work to another. She is quite focused on her goal now, the shares about to be sold have increased in price lately which will help her just in time. Seems all her moons are aligned at the moment which makes her happy but breaks my heart just a little.

I had a haircut today with a new hairdresser and she is a keeper. She has done a great job and was just the right amount of chatty. I had a teary moment when telling her about my mothers' day plans and Hayley's travel plans. We just have to sort out her furniture and belongings.

We have had a couple of warm Autumn days which have been lovely. We really sweated it out at tennis this morning and after my haircut I was able to open up the windows and clean. It felt like Spring cleaning to me, next week is back to wintery conditions with the heater on, so today was a real treat.

AND out of the blue, after waiting and wondering what had happened to the Garden Bag Collector our garden bag was emptied! Chris and I were both a bit stunned. There was no note to say sorry we haven't provided a service for 6 months and now we are back to regular service, sorry we haven't answered our phone or returned your messages just an empty bag and a slip for payment. Thanks. Good timing though as the garden needs a good prune and clear out of dead/finished stuff.

That will be my Mothers Day, a day in the garden, clearing out and taking more pics of the gorgeous Autumn colours.

Unexpected...

We had an unexpected but delightful treat today.

Recently I won a Sunday Roast lunch for 4 at the Grosvenor Hotel in St Kilda. This came just by subscribing to a newsletter on Melbourne happenings. Aptly called 5 of the best, it pops into my inbox each week and has delicious suggestions like '5 best breakfasts' or '5 best cupcakes'. It has diverse and interesting offerings on where to eat, drink, play & escape.

Today the girls and I were treated to a 3 course lunch while sitting near a fire in this cosmopolitan hotel bistro. The meal was delicious and we would be regular visitors if it were a bit closer. Down that way the folks are spoiled for choice. It must be tough to compete.
The tavern was a short hop, skip and leap across St Kilda Rd from where Chris and I had our first flat in Elwood. It bought back many memories from the early days of our relationship. That little flat was where we lived when we were married. Erin now wants to live near the city when she moves out. She was quite taken with the cute little houses and leafy streets.

It was lovely to spend time with Hayley and talk about her upcoming trip, but it makes me sad also that she will leave and be so far away.

Life as we know it...

I've been caught up being busy doing nothing much. As life sometimes happens.

I went back to work and Erin went back to school, in winter uniform now, so that takes a bit longer in the mornings to negotiate stockings, kilts & ties etc. I have given up hope of ever getting to work early. Or on time. I always manage to get there 2 minutes late.

Chris has changed roles and is now responsible for getting other peoples children to school on time.

ANZAC day came & went. The timing of it this year gave me a lovely 5 days off. The last post always makes me tear up and the little poem "Age shall not weary them..." makes me think of our father whom we lost at just 53 in the hours after an ANZAC day get together 28 years ago. Its a day of reflection for sure.

Hayley has set up her temporary home and has not changed one little bit in her messy ways.

This change has me out of sorts as I hate the mess with things in places they shouldn't. I don't function well when things are disorganized,  I hyperventilate if I ever watch that 'Hoarders' show. I can't bear it.

She is in the process of getting her British passport to give her free reign in the UK. Not that they are giving it up easily but now the application is in with every i dotted and t crossed.

I'm still running 3 days a week and playing tennis twice in the evenings. I was pleased that cardio tennis started back, I really enjoy that work out, partly because I don't have to think of a route or a routine. Steve barks out the orders and we run and hit and run some more. My running training has tapered off in intensity and we need another goal to strive/run towards. Maybe the half marathon of Run Melbourne in July.

We had a surprise visit from Chris' sister Yvonne. She is at a loose end after her restaurant Scullys folded. Such a shame she couldn't make a go of this one but circumstances did not allow it at this time. We instead went to our favourite restaurant 'The Plough' at Myrniong for a lovely meal last night.




It was an odd day yesterday, the weather was balmy, warm & wicked windy. I wore a t shirt during the day and we sat in the courtyard while we dined. The leaves are turning and the grapevine is glorious. Soon I will have to clear the fallen leaves.



And on my days off I have had a chance to play with these new purchases

 While Hayley has taken over the craft room my scrapping has been curtailed and I will get the most done when I visit Big Sister on our regular dates.

I think that's me all caught up now.

Scrapping update...

I haven't shown any new layouts this year. Not since I completed the 50 challenge last year. I have been steadily working along. It has been so nice to have my supplies spread out all over my 'craft room' since Hayley moved out. Looks like she might move back in to save some money before she jets off to the UK. We will have to rearrange a bit and I will give up the craft room, I've really enjoyed it but it will also be nice to have her close before she leaves me.

Here are some 2013 works

I've been wanting to do this layout about Chris' family emigrating to Australia for a while. After I completed it I realised the photo was wrong. It was about 6 years too early.

 So I hunted around and found a correct photo, one actually taken on the ship they travelled on in 1969, the Achille Lauro.

Still more to come...

St Kilda...

No guessing where we went today

 and this pic sums up Erins feelings about the day.

I had a lovely day in the sunshine enjoying the cafe culture of Acland St and our old haunts, she on the other hand was bothered by all the people, the trams, and the smells. Reminds me of the last time I was in Acland St when Erin was about 3 or 4 years old. My mother was with me and Erin kept saying in a loud disgusted voice "Whats that smell?" She isn't much different today. Exotic smells and tastes are not her strong point.

I had to look in all the continental cake shop windows before I chose one delicacy.

I wonder how far you have to run to burn off one of these lovelies, hoping the 7k we did this afternoon will do the trick.

Stackers...

I meant to show this sooner. A gift at Christmas for storing Pandora beads and bracelets.

It is a jewellery box called a Stacker

and as the name suggest you can stack the boxes.

I have just the one and have filled it with my collection of beads, you can get other configurations for other jewellery.

 It is really nice quality from a UK company

I'm really pleased with it and will have to get another if I get any more beads!

Hairy...

I was more than a bit nervous when I saw this in the bathroom this morning

notice also how the rubbish is near not in the bin

There was a lot of hair.

A lot of very black hair.


But I didn't need to be nervous.

from shoulder blade length to this

Erin had given herself the haircut she wanted and had done a great job.

I thought we were going to the hairdressers this week while the school holidays were on but now we don't need to. Maybe she thought I wouldn't make the appointment. Or just got bored. Or impatient.

I think it looks great and she is happy as well. I know from previous hair cutting the mess that is involved and that is partly why I am happy to pay for professionals to do their work. I hate the way the snipped bits of hair get everywhere. Chris clippers his head periodically and his offcuts are like tiny prickles. He at least cleans up after himself. Callum also cuts his own hair into a messy 'doesn't care' look.

Maybe there is a future in hairdressing there.