Bugs, Bids and a Wombat

What a lovely spring day for our annual country school auction and some time spent at my childhood home. Out in the garden masses of ladybirds were brunching on the aphids, so many I filled the card in my camera in no time. They're just so cute! Oh well, no pic's from the auction.

I'm quite impressed by my degree of restraint given that I managed to come away empty handed. I cheated though, if you take no money, you can't spend it! And lucky for me cos there was this gorgeous little antique timber fridge or ice box, which in my opinion went cheap at $120. It would have looked much cuter in the studio than a boring white power sucking bar fridge. I could easily imagine sipping cool lemonade straight from the ice box, whilst working on a long overdue quilt. Oh well. Maybe next year I'll keep an eye out for one (when hubby's not with me)

My eldest had her first taste at bidding, thanks to the openness of Nannies purse. She was the successful bidder on a box of miscellaneous odds and sods containing some old Christmas decorations, a few mismatched dinner plates, quite a few, and a cake container that she'd been eyeing off full of little Winnie the Poo, Piglet and other Disney characters. Well... at the raise of her finger, the auctioneer was smitten and refused to take any other bids, declaring it sold to the young lady in the front row. I'm sure if we'd let her go, she would have purchased many other pieces of interest otherwise known as 'Junk'. Either way she has the bidding bug now so I will need to teach her a few lessons in sticking to your limits and not getting carried away in the moment, and to stay off eBay!

After a spot of lunch back at home our attention was redirected from car racing carnage of the Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar Races on TV, to the screaming sirens of the local fire truck, which had been on display at the auction for all the kids to climb over and press the siren buttons.

Sirens were followed by more sirens, and then the whiff of smoke from a grass fire...coming our way! After assessing the possibility of being burnt out, we decided to drive over there to determine just how bad it was before making any rash decisions. Not sure of the cause, but someones grassy backyard was burnt out and it had run up the embankment and a couple of gum trees just beside the main road. The three fire trucks had it under control. Definitely lucky they were just down the road, or things may have been worse if it had managed to jump the road.

What an exciting diversion for the day. Whilst over that way Poppy decided a short educational walk was in order down to where an old lime kiln once existed. Unfortunately it was filled in due to being a risk to public safety. So why visit a filled in lime kiln? For the fossils of course! Within metres of stepping out of the car the girls were finding shell imprints in limestone rocks at nearly every rock they turned over, oh... and a good Australian red back spider. We left her right where we found her.
And then, another very good spot by my eldest... a wombat just resting under the lime layered cliffs

So we went to an auction, photographed masses of ladybirds... went to a small grass fire, fossicked for fossils, picked up scats... I think it was owl poo which contained the furry remains of a ring tail possum (I found his body further down the track), I'll get those analysed when I get back to work! Spotted a lazy wombat, walked up hill and down through pine forests, then went back home to finish the day with a beer whilst kicking back in the spa. How good's that?

Theory of the 'Bumless Beetles'

As I sit at home tending to the ill and my own aches and pains, a moment of corporate commitment prevailed with the addressing of my work emails. The following theory of the 'Bumless Beeltes' was emailed to me by a woman I work with, whom never ceases to amaze me with our often bizarre and comical conversations that no doubt keep us somewhat sane... or is that insane? Which ever it is I'm glad for them. Thanks S for sharing your theory with me.

Bumless Beetles
The following story has since been removed upon request.

It was none the less an interesting and somewhat theatrical story and has since prompted me to inspect several little black beetles in my travels, some with their heads chewed off, others missing their bums, but the most still intact and struggling in the final hours of their tiny lives. Perhaps they were naive enough to accept an invitation for dinner at Bats house. Only they were the dinner.

White Fluffy Paradise

I now have a very real appreciation of how my mother must have felt skiing the slopes of Mt Hotham when I was young. Trying to keep eyes on two excitable and extremely fearless children is stuff grey hairs are made from. Add to that a husband hell bent to learn how to snowboard and one's in for a shit load of laughs and anxiety.

Don't you just love the look on our lodges snowman's face.... Looks like we caught him out up to no good I reckon!

Did I happen to mention how beautiful the days were? Cloud free! Sunny! 13 degrees C! Too hot for winter jackets... I had to strip off to a t shirt by lunchtime. Better still, we didn't have to worry about lines for the lifts until the weekend came. By then the beautiful days were starting to close in on the weekend day trippers. Didn't bother us when the weather turned to mush for the steady trip home off the hill, while they were left trying to get their weekends moneys worth in the hail and rain. We got the best of the last of the season. That's for sure!

It's got them all hooked and after twenty years it's nice to know skiing is just like riding a bike. Hubby is already scouting eBay for beginners boards, boots and bindings! Look out next year, we'll definitely be staying longer. Might even have a bigger car by then so I'll have room to pack a quilt or two to work on at night round the open fire. That's what dreams are made of!

Sunshine and Snow

Come hell and high fever, finally after months of waiting our postponed trip to Mt Hotham was here. I didn't count how many times we heard 'are we there yet?' from the back seat, but each time we did... I knew we were just that bit closer to a few days of paradise...

Paradise!?! Stop! Let's back peddle about 24 hours....

I was determined to get the last coat of paint on the dado wall in the hallway, so the paint fumes could entertain themselves in our absence. So determined was I that it took priority over packing for the trip. Ummm.... as the witching hour approached it was finally complete, just had to wash out the brushes, have a well earned shower and crawl into bed for a 6am start at packing.

As I sat on the loo... as one does prior to a shower... the mobile phone violently rattled it's way off the bench and onto the floor, scared the daylights out of me in my half exhausted stupor. Hubby's mum needed a bed to crash into after a last minute transport decision was made... but that's another drama that I'll leave for the old fashioned grapevine.

Within minutes, all options for a shower were abandoned for a panicked attempt to make a spare bed... with very little linen (as this was packed into storage earlier this month prior to painting) and what we did have was out ready to be packed at 6am to go. It was a toss up to use them and then at 6am steal them back. LOL

A strong cup of tea followed by bleary eyed children wondering why they could hear the familiar yet unexpected and extremely late (make that early now) booming of their nan's voice, then requests for hot chocolates, followed by a cursing husband who was barely even awake wondering who the hell was here at this hour... and after being told three times 'it's your mother'... I just told him to go back to bed as he obviously was not registering.

6am came around very quickly.... I think I managed four hours in the end. Why is it the beginning of most trips bares close resemblance to the ending blows of a relationship? Hubby was mega grumpy I had been up so late painting... the car wasn't packed... neither were the bags and we had promised to meet friends at their house by 9am - 40 Min's drive away. The unexpected extra threw a spanner in the works to further irritate matters... trying to creep around someone, pack bags, in between screams of 'DON'T TOUCH THE WALLS'. Just bedlam!

OK... it wasn't the smartest move painting the hallway when a packing frenzy was about to commence. I'll admit that. But there's no better feeling than ticking off another job well done as you walk out the door destined for a few days of fluffy white stuff with children.

Life gives us some great days and we have to go to work....

I went to work today, honest....

Saw some interesting things well suited to audition for my weekly desktop redressing.

And this is the view that greeted me after about an hour of scenic snow shoe shuffling (say that ten times), but still managed only half way to the Mt St Gwinear Summit. That was far pretty enough for my aging bones to carry me. Note to Self: Must walk snow covered mountains in uncomfortable footwear more often. The views were worth the blisters. Correction to Self: obtain better fitting shoes first!

Did I mention I went to work today?

David Rhodes Chain Letter Scam

I made a whole 5 cents today, just for walking to the mail box... pretty cool hey!?

Not! because it means yet another poor sucker has fallen for the long running and often tailored version of these chain letters offering guaranteed fortunes by simply participating in a mail out... O and sending a ten dollar 'gift' to the addressee in number one spot.

I mean seriously people... Don't fall for it if you receive one. Your smarter than that! You've heard of STRANGER DANGER, right? We work long and hard for every dollar we earn and yes things might be getting tighter BUT.... Don't throw it away with the lure of becoming rich in a chain letter. Cos you'll surely regret the hefty fine that may greet you in the weeks following a post out.

Not convinced, still think it'll be a bit of fun?

Google it before you act.... or check out some Australian Fair Trading sites for similar scams. And remember.... If it sounds too good to be true... it usually is!

Seeing Red!

Gorgeous isn't it! I've been seeing red a lot this week, literally and metaphorically. Who'd have thought such a gorgeous colour could ruin my week.

It all started with a can of red paint called 'Autumn Rust' destined for above the picture rail of my kitchen lounge area and if lucky, a little below the picture rail as well.... I know that was back in January when I painted up the sample to get a feel for the colour and if we liked it or not. Well I've taken some time off work to finish as much of our long overdue renovations as possible. We've had enough and have paid the deposit to start building a new house.

Crack the lid, lets get into it. Hmmm... My 'Autumn Rust' looked strangely bubbly. Lets pour a little into the paint tray.... Bubbly? Let's rephrase that... more like Cappuccino Froth? Let's roll a little onto the wall.... Arr, That can't be right. Where are all the bubbles surfacing from and why? OK Coffee Break! Lets phone the Customer Service Number on the can.

Yes sir... I'm following the directions...

Yes sir... We've heated the room to the desired temperature.

Prepping... Yep done that too and used the Grey Undercoat recommended...

Was the can shaken when originally mixed at the store? Yes sir (raised eyebrow, duh! who uses a stick these days?)

OK well the store must have frothed your paint by over shaking it, that colour should be hand stirred...you'll have to let it sit for few days to settle out then try using it again.

What the! A couple of days! Yeah right. This jobs been put off for months, I'm not waiting a few more days. Did I mention the chunks of rust inside the can? Perhaps the quality of the paint has deteriorated. It was an old can after all.

And what about what's on the wall already??????? Let it dry and then sand off. Arrrrrrrrrrrggggghh! Looks Good doesn't it....NOT! Back to the store....

Over the course of almost a week this became several visits back to the store (and others). Several visits included several cans of paint and several attempts for the same red using different brands of paint only lead to a very frustrating and disappointing week. That's the problem with using a colour that requires a neutral base as opposed to a 'True Red' base. You don't have too many options with other brands. The paint appeared to be 'off' somehow with the dye separating from the neutral base and causing the blistering effect no matter what technique was used. My options were to wait for the Rep to turn up and inspect the paint... Order more cans of Neutral base to try (at least a week wait)... or change colour and brand.

Stuff it, I'm not waiting any longer. Give me that Dulux 'Red Box'. That should be red enough for me! Just hope it's not too red for hubby!!!! LOL.

Well tonight we finished the painting and although I'm not that thrilled with the Antique White chosen for the lower wall and ceiling (it's a bit too yellow for me) the red is 'bloody' awesome against the kitchen. And hubby thinks it's pretty nice too.

Next job is to complete the installation of the top kitchen capping and paint the top coat enamel around the window surrounds. Then get the timber floor sanded and sealed.... hang some window furnishings... a few pictures on the wall...

February's follies

Over the past few days I've been busy spending quality time at school with my two girls, assisting in their classrooms and helping them adjust back into their school routine. The day was destined to be pretty warm but started out very overcast and gloomy. I didn't plan to stay at school and had full intentions of going home to spend quality time on me, relaxing, posting blogs and surfing for quilt ideas. But I hung around to help settle them in and before I knew it, it was 3:30pm.

While I sat with the kids over lunch one of the boys who had gobbled up his vegemite sandwich and was eyeing off my daughters 2 minute noodles. The kids like to eat them raw as a snack, with or without the flavouring sprinkled over them. I had to go down the street to get my own lunch so I offered to buy him some. The order quickly became more packets for other mates. Whilst in the supermarket icy poles were on special and since the temp has risen decided a packet of 20 was a nice treat for their hard work and good behaviour. Come hand out time and it was like having hot chips at the beach and being surrounded by screaching seagulls, all swabbling for some scraps. Kids are so funny with some trying their best to trick me into giving them one. I had a great day helping them out and have put this on my must do more of list for 2008.


January Jobs update...
I did get the BBQ finished and although she's not the newest and flashest model, we were so pleased to have her back in action. And like all good friends, having her back was almost like she'd never left us. It felt really good. The BBQ was a wedding present given to us by my side of the family and was pretty flash back then (10 years ago) with it's wok burner. Considering I've only used that part once or twice, who needs a big fancy BBQ with all the bells and whistles.


As you can see hubby was extremely pleased and grateful for it's return. The timber's been sanded and oiled, the gas hoses replaced and everything painted and rust proofed. To complete this little job and to protect my hard work I even bought it a rain coat. Here's to many more good aussie BBQ's in the future!

Hmmm... finish painting the tin fence should be on Februarys list! But I won't be too over ambitious with feb's list as I'II be returning to work next week. That should put a slow to the job completions around here.

January's Jobs

• BBQ - Almost There!
• Quilt Frame - Just waiting for the paint to dry
• Baste Quilts - Haven't started yet. Just waiting for the paint to dry
• Plastering - got side tracked and plastered the kitchen instead. I consider this an exchange. Will tackle the Laundry in February instead.

We've had such nice weather the past three days just ideal for painting. So that promise I made to the whole wide world that I would acheive a few things by the end of January is well underway. I'm just so pleased with myself. Let me show you a few pics...

Here we have a rather elegant quartet of solid maple quilting legs, lightly coated in a rather disgraceful cocktail of dust, cobwebs, bird poo and fly droppings. The master craftsman responsible for their lovely appearance would be horrified that I let them sit for so long. I wanted to create a simple adjustable quilting frame, but wasn't happy with their very plain appearance so I decided they needed a touch of decorative moulding around the base? Good idea Josephine, but in my haste I bought the wrong size moulding and it was too big for my saw. Crap! Time to pull out a favour. My woodworking friend... let's call him Mr Perfectionist, happily abilged and returned to me four beautiful legs with just the right nip and tuck here and there. The detail is lovely. Thank you D.

I have two quilt tops waiting for this project to be finished and I refuse to start any more until they're done. Unfortunately my stash just keeps growing with potential projects and must have purchases and it'll be grounds for divorce if it continues much longer... never mind the fact that at the rate I've been going, my two girls will be lucky to receive their baby quilts by thier 21st birthdays! As a quilter, I'm a complete disgrace when it comes to finishing things. Recap... That last line may as well apply to most things in my life. Oh but that's right... I'm attemping to fix that. See...

Four beautifully oiled, three coats (8 hours dry time between coats) each coat lovingly sanded with 400 grit wet and dry paper and wiped smooth just as the instructions detailed. They must rest for a week to fully harden, so unfortunately I can't finish the rails until then. I just need to staple calico to each four rails so that my quilts can be pinned and pulled square (or not) to finish. It looks like I may not achieve basting my quilts by end Jan after all.

But I will have the BBQ finished. Tomorrow in fact! (which will actually be today now that I've looked at the clock) Just after I make a quick dash to Bunnings for two spacers and some leather washers that I lost in the grass today, I mean yesterday. That's the only thing stopping me from putting it back together. So tomorrow, i mean today, let me show you how I turned this pile of crap (destined for the tip on the trailer) back into our once loved BBQ!

6 days old (So cute!)

Today was the very first day that the girls were able to have a hold of their beautiful bunny babes. They were so excited, right up until they we'd all over them. It was at this stage I realised this probably wasn't a good move. I'm not fussed about the girls change of clothes or extra washing, but more the fact that little babes such as these are toileted by their mother (stimulated to go to the toilet) normally at feed time. And as a mother rabbit only feeds them once a day, their little full bladders most likely assist in keeping their little bodies warm throughout the day until their next feed. The day is rather chilly, not the sort of day these little babes need to be struggling to keep warm . We've had good steady rain for the past two nights. I even pulled up my bedspread over my doona last night. I'd love to bring them all inside, but I know this would not please hubby, who's not fond of our ever increasing back yard population.
But this is how I grew up and I don't mind looking after them all. Kids need pets and it's a great way to learn about the birds and the bees, responsibility and although sad, even death.
Yesterday I decide to give their bedding a little clean up even though Angel has been a great little house keeper since their arrival. I found, stashed in the opposite corner to the nest another little bunny, obviously still born or had died soon after birth. Angel had cleaned up and buried it. She had 5 babes in total. This little one I believe would have been completely grey or ginger just like Angel and weighed 22 grams. The smallest live bunny was 21 grams. The girls were disappointed and had a little burial under the orange tree to say goodbye.
We haven't named any of them yet or checked to see which are girls or boys. Plenty of time for that. All are growing just fine.

Phew! I'm Plastered!

Well you know those goals I set... I made a great start but as usual got a little side tracked. I believe the original intent was to complete the plaster cornice in the laundry, a potentially simple not too difficult task cutting 45's and squaring corners. HA! too easy... so I bypassed that room and started in the kitchen instead where the level of difficulty far outweighed my capabilities.

There were 45's and 30's, internals and externals, stopped ends and corners which butted up to existing old cornice to match. After much swearing and cursing, followed by another trip to the plaster store for an upgrade to my plaster miter box... we have success. Rather rough success, but success all the same.

After a sand, perhaps a little more filling and some paint, know one will ever know it was tackled by a complete (tight arse) renovator amateur.

It does look pretty rough like this, pre-sanding, doesn't it? You know it took me all day, inbetween childrens demands and food requests? Probably would have taken a professional one hour. I'm such a tight arse. The cornice only cost me $13.50 and I didn't fancy paying several hundreds for some bloke to whack it up and overcharge me being I'm just a woman. As they generally do round here. Well next time... this little woman is going to ring a professional. After the laundry that is... then we'll get a builder to totally build our next house.

No more renovating for this little duck. Hubby duck didn't take to it like you know what to water very well. I've had my fun, time to clean up the brushes and hang up the hammer... sanity and a secure marriage is a far happier place to be.

Did you like the colour sample I'm test driving? It's called Autumn Rust by Taubman Paints. At this time of night it's a gorgeous rich red whilst other times of the day or on the opposite side of the room it becomes a rusty brown. It's growing on hubby who's always cautious of my bold colour ideas. He's just not good at visualisation.

I better be visualising some sleep in the not too distant future... got to get up and play lawn bowls in the morning.

Bunny Love

I forgot to mention yesterdays surprise. Four beautiful little baggy skinned wobbly baby bunnies in the hutch bedding. I knew there was a possibility that Angel (a ginger hymalayian lop ear) was 'with bunny' but not sure exactly when. Last week we had a couple of stinking hot days 42 deg C so Angel was in a different run with more space and lots of shade. She was extremely happy to be back in her hutch and immediately started ripping out great chunks of fur for nest building. 2 days later this little bundle was found.

The nest contains two black rabbits and two white and grey or black mottled babes just like their dad 'Floppy', a dwarf lop eared bun. All have been weighed, tipping the scales at 33 grams with the girls eager to watch and record their progress. This explains Angels severe case of PMS and bad behaviour!

Where does the time go?

Where on earth did it go? I know I haven't used it all up so someone else must be! I still have a list as long as my arm of jobs to do, quilts to start... ahhh... quilts to finish and where did that bit of 'Me' time go. My time managment skills are slowly slipping away as is my enthusiasm for life which currently fits into the pointless category.

This year is going to be the year of change. I'm not going to make any new years resolutions... I won't make promises I can't keep, but I do intend to discover something new and vibrant, exciting and uplifting.. something that will make me look back on 2008 and think... What a Fantastic year it's been!

I guess I'II need a few goals and a couple of simple jobs that shaould have been finished eons ago that will give me that sense of accomplishment once ticked off.

• Put the BBQ back together. Some three winters ago our BBQ (a great wedding present) was starting to look a bit shabby. The timber was dry and some rust was starting to appear, so I thought I'd pull it apart and give it a spruce up for the coming summer. Good idea 99.. I made a good start, but time laying about the shed has undone those good deeds. Time to get out the sander and wire brush and finish it. The smell of BBQ's cooking in some not to distance backyard is just torture.
• Stain and Danish Oil my Maple Quilting Frame. I love to quilt, I just don't have the time or space available to do it. But that's another excuse that I have to overcome this year. About five years ago I started making a quilting frame to stretch out and layer my quilt tops, wool wadding and backs. I like big quilts generally. I had finished the tops for both of my girls quilts and was excited to start hand quilting. Problem is, after using a quilting frame previously to assist stretching out someone elses quilt top I was determine that this was the only way to go. They're still tops and the quilt frame has been a day away from being finished since then. I just need to purchase a decent staple gun to finish the job.
• Baste Quilt Tops. Once the frame's finished the top's can be basted and then I can start hand quilting each night once the kids are in bed. Peace and quiet!
• Plaster and paint the Laundry. I've nearly finished the bathroom - that took four days last week. Plastering and paint is done, just needs a new window, mirrored cabinet, new external door including frame and new internal door hung to finish. I'II leave those bits up to the brother in law's building skills. The Laundry is a cupboard style quite a bit smaller than the bathroom (actually used to be the toilet). The plaster cornice needs to be cut and fixed, then sanded and prepped for painting. Shouldn't take long, probably 2-3 days from start to finish inclusive of drying times. Once that's done the professionals will come in and install an automatic roller shutter for the door. Being that it's in a main hallway, outward doors would have cause more problems than they worth and there's no walls for sliding cavity doors to disappear into. Should be nice in the end.

Now that should do it for now... Start small and aim high. Fingers crossed I get this all done by the end of January! LMAO! Unfortunately I'm deadly serious.

Stay tuned for Februarys Goals!