Doggie Freedom

This week out two doggies, Toby & Orrie got a real treat. For the first time since we adopted them they have a fenced grass area to safely run around on and they just love it! To see them racing around playing chasies and rough and tumble is so good and exactly what they need. The most expensive part is done now I guess, just the painting of the rails and pickets to go and then more treated timber garden edging to go in. 


I guess it never really ends when you own a home does it, but given that this will be our last home until we leave this world we have a while to get everything done. Like everyone else the only thing keeping us from getting it all done now is lack of funds. 


Today though we achieved something good which was free - dead heading the agapanthus which now look so much better for it. In two weeks Nathan who does gardening work for us from time to time will come back and poison the weeds growing on the lower side bank and then the following weekend we can plant it out with Chinese Star Jasmine and then mulch to keep the weeds down. I also met a new neighbour today called Emilita who is very nice and lives directly behind us. 


Right now I am going to sit and do more stitching on the SCQuilters Christmas Stocking swap for my partner. I've quited a bit more to do but once I get past this stage it should come together a bit faster, this is the slow stage ;0) I do like making gifts for people, handmade is made with love, anyone can buy a gift really, but to give/receive something which is handmade shows caring and effort. 


Have a wonderful weekend - I know I will! NO work until Tuesday!!!       

AUSTRALIA DAY 2012

Well its Australia Day and for a change its nice and cool with a lovely breeze, not sweltering like it generally is on this wonderful day.

Today we refelct on what our country means to us all, how far we have come as a nation and where we are headed together as one country, not divided into racial or religous segments - we are a 'whole' and its how we should act towards each other - with respect for our differences and embrace the fact that as a beautiful, and yes still 'lucky country' we strive for greatness for us all.

Happy Australia day everyone :0)

A long day

Today was such a long day - I drove over 251km for work and didn't get home until 7.45pm. Still now it is time to do a little bit of work on the birthday gift for a dear friend. Shhh  its a surprise :-)

Tasmania was a lovely holiday destination all be it extended due to the ash cloud coming from the Chile volcano. Cradle Mtn was gorgeous with snow and live wombats walking around - heaven!

Not long to go...

Two more days to go before I have to return to work from the office Christmas closure so I am trying to get as much done as possible. Last night the decorations came down from all over the house, ornaments from the Christmas tree were individually wrapped in tissue paper and stored in their rather large container until next year, lights removed and packed away, which only leaves the tree for this afternoon when David gets home from work. 

I was busy on Freecycle last night too as I listed the futon from the lounge room which will now be collected on Saturday afternoon and be replaced by our nice new chocolate leather lounge suite to be delivered the same day, the booster seat we had here for Rhionnah to use this year is being collected today as is the DVD I have given away. Now if only someone would collect the small ornamental bird house I would have said goodbye to everything, or at least have the collection organised :0)

I am almost half way through making the hussef with a little bit of applique left to do and will then move onto the charity quilts for my quilting group. No matter what else happens I have to finish these before tomorrow night. Not quite sure where I will fit the ironing which needs to be done into this time frame, perhaps I'm just not sleeping tonight LOL.

I have signed up for the stocking swap for SCQuilters this year and the year long quilt, but am also considering signing up for the 12 Days of Christmas Swap - I don't intend to be bored this year, I need to have plenty of focus as this is a year where nothing is allowed to go horribly wrong or bring me as much personal grief as last year, I've decided - it's just not allowed!
Well back to the applique now so I will at least have a chance to ge everything finished.

New Years Eve 2010

Today is quiet at home - everyone else is at work and I have been to the stores and done what I needed to do. David is working until 6pm tonight then back at 4am so he won't be much company. Chris is off to Brisbane this afternoon to spend NYE with friends and Mathew hasn't lived at home for several years now so it's just me and the doggies Toby (the kelpie/border collie x) & Orrie (long haired Jack Russell Terrier and boss of the two).

David and I are off the the states later next year so I am closely watching the exchange rate just now. I have so much planned for today - need to start the applique on a hussef for a lovely lady in Canada who is knitting the Wensleydale sheep cushion kit I bought several years agon now and which Mum tried to knit but couldn't understand the pattern, so I thought an Aussie styled thank you gift would be appropriate. I'll applique a waratah, wattle, gum leaves and perhaps a gumnut or two on the outer flap and maybe even the sides if I get adventerous enough, or should I say if I have enough time.

I bought 2 pool noodles today to make block rolls for my quilt groups stall when they have our exhibition later this year - $3 each at the Reject Shop - how could I pass that up :0)

Time to hit my stash and search for the perfect shade of red for the waratah petals - I do love to applique!

Raindy day blues

It's early Sunday morning on 24th October and the rain has set in for the duration it seems. The plan was to get the underlay for our bed to finish drying but that has gone by the way so now it seems we will only do inside chores for a while then have to go out and get soaked while we do the outside a bit later on - fingers crossed the rain will have eased a bit by then.

On an upside I came across a styrafoam box full of goodies my Mum and I had made yesterday which I had stored away some time ago so this will save me a bit of time making a few Christmas gifts - yippee! Something I don't seem to have a lot of lately is time..

Tonight my husband David, my sister Lynne and her husband Graham are going to see Petula Clark in concert at a local club - dinner there first and then the show which I think will be good. Graham flies back to Scotland tomorrow and Lynne will follow in just over a week. I wish she had come home for a nice reason. Losing Dad suddenly like that was a shock and being our last survivng parent makes it tougher - still with his cancer and Alzheimer's its was a blessing for him to return to be with our beautiful Mum. 

Well time to get cracking and get to work. I have a pantry to repack in our lovely new kitchen, glass splachbacks in yesterday so only new drapes and painting to do and its finished - woo hoo!