Thankyou, Thankyou, A Million Times Thankyou

I got a package today.  And it was a package all for me, no sharing or anything!  I opened it and squealed at the deliciousness that spilled out (literally spilled out cause the packaging had to be taped and bagged somewhere along the way cause it was stuffed full!).  It was a dress full of summer picnics on green grass, Saturday mornings spent at markets buying baskets of fruit and sun dappling on little rushing brooks-everything that is opposite to the grey, drizzly weather outside my window.  Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for sending a ray of sunshine my way Big Sister.

Tea for One, Not Two

Like the tea girl?  She's a newby to add to the collection of girls playing in my suitcase (that's where my collection of Queen's Day stuff is living).  And she has a new dress, wallpaper samples are so my newest best friend.  Her little quote says 'each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage'.  I like that.  And I'm trying my best to start drinking tea (superfoods are my other newest best friend), perhaps I can make up a little story to go with each cup of tea that I drink, it'll be more fun that way!

Saturday Shenanigans

My boy has been away for a few days.  He brought home some things for me.  Pictures, pretty, pretty pictures (the red house was the hotel he stayed in, nice eh?  I think Mum would call it 'quaint').  He was frolicking around Sweden snapping here and there in between a bit of work.  And then he came home to me.  Aah, it's so good to have him back.  To celebrate I made bagels.  Honest-to-goodness bagels.  Wow.  And you boil them.  Seriously.  This was the bestest kind of celebration.  My boy is back, and we've got home-baked bagels.  Saturday's don't get much better than this.

Queen's Day

A few more things to send me on my way to making my first million.  Andrew and I think it's quite amusing that the packaging takes more time to make than the product.  But I think they're pretty so that's what it's all about right?

One Grand Ol' Lady

This is Heulwen.  I spent a crazy, beautiful and hilarious afternoon with Heulwen late last year.  I also camped out on Heulwen's living room floor in front of the gas fire for a few nights.  She's the one who had chickens on her tiles like Grandma Mac.  She's Andrew's great aunt.  Or I think it would be better said that she is Andrew's Great aunt.  She had us in fits of laughter as we dodged pieces of flying welsh cake and reminded her for the fifth time that her coffee already had sugar in it (we missed the first 3 times she added another spoonful).  We had to trot to keep up with her and her trusty walking stick.  I was ordered to put her washing away in her nursing home cupboard.  And then asked who I was again.  She thought it might be fun to be strapped to the top of Andrew's car and be driven to her tea shop.  She exclaimed numerous times 'Oh, you're Antony's son! And where is Antony?' (Mike is called Antony by his family.)  She fondly abused all the tea shop staff who knew her and anyone else within hearing distance (which was the whole shop).  Heulwen was a fine, fine lady.  Her life is worthy of a book, or two.  Sadly, we just found out she headed for the big city in the sky this morning.  Looks like she'll have more audiences to amuse and keep on their toes now!

Third Time Lucky

Kati is the third child in our family.  You know the saying 'third time lucky?'  I think Kati gets a little extra luck every now and then because she's the 3rd child.  For example, things happen to her like flying from India to Australia for a ridiculously low price.  Or buying a car without seeing it, and then it actually works.  Or ordering glasses over the internet that look totally great on her.  I, on the other hand, am the fourth child and my luck doesn't always extend as far as Kati Mac's.  I bought glasses on the internet.  And they don't look so hot.  The frames I wanted were discontinued so the company asked if I wanted the second option in that range, I said yes because I thought they'd be the same just in a different colour.  They are kind of the same, but they're green and wider.  The green is fine, but the wider?  My eyes now look like tiny, piggy eyes squidged into frames that extend past my ears.  Not my greatest look.  However, I can now live up to the challenge of trying to make something not-so-hot look good, it's all about wearing it with confidence right?!

A Small Visit

I am working for the next two weeks so you will see little of me, although I may need to debrief in that case you will see lots of me - either way I needed to tell you this. It doesn't quite line up with Russell and the great cheese eating scheme, but it is funny all the same. It was my first day of work today and i had everything set out with uniforms etc. I hadn't got to the shoes but thought they would be a no- brainer. However I arrived home this afternoon to be regaled with stories of shoes flying off and hitting unsuspecting teachers, shoes flying off in the middle of being walked across the road by Aunty Kati. After further research, we discovered, that Kenzi Ruth had worn Connor's old school shoes to school today. They are only 5 sizes too big for her. Ronald McDonald comes to mind!
Oh my, The wheels have fallen off already and it's day 1!!!!t

The Wedding

Remember the aprons that I made a while back. Well, they were put to good use over the weekend. We catered for a wedding. It was fun and busy. I had two very good off -siders and the wedding venue was beautiful.Kati was the runner up in the egg peeling competition. We had to peel 4 dozen boiled eggs. I think I was on my third, Kt was on her 8th and Mum was on her 22nd. We had all started at the same time. It must be one of those years of experience things! The master in actionThis is how Kt drove to the venue. It was rather hot, but really kust she flash them everywhere!I am glad Mum decided to opt for the clothes option. She was our trusty driver for the day and did a great job, even when my directing went out the window!It was so hot that guests and caterinf stuff were given cute little asian fans to cool us down. We did some of the fanning but then hung out in the cool room.The marques and tablesThe bride painting on fencing panels that the groom had written on when he was 16. It said he loved her. Yep, when they were 16.The salads. They were delicious. My favourite was the watermelon, Spanish onion and Feta Salad, with the roast pumkin, egg and baby spinach coming a close second.I made up labels for all the salads and had them on plate stands. It looked great, even if I do say so myself.

And just so you know she looks good in clothes too!
Thank you so much Mum and KT. I couldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks to Pobj and Connor and Kenzi who soldiered on without me for the day.

Skies Alight With Pink

Yesterday, when I got up to do lunches and iron uniforms the sun wasn't up. It had kindly waited for me and it put on a spectacular show. It's beautiful Autumn mornings like this that make making lunches and ironing a job that is drenched in splendor and magnificence.

After a Shaky Start

School starting for Kenzi has been somewhat shaky. She doesn't fit the box. She learns differently. She is different. And I like it that way....but it has been difficult, for me especially seeing her struggle with some things. We will reassess at the end of the year and see if we need to look at an alternative.
However, today she ran out of the classroom and said, "Mummy, I can read!" and "I have homework." She was so excited. It was so exciting. And so here she is...warts and all...reader extraordinaire..the girl that doesn't fit the box, but learns anyway.

Stockpiling

It's less than two months til Queens Day and I'm madly making bunnies and bears.  Actually, I've finished making all the bunnies and bears and I'm thinking about my next crafty endeavour.  I love that these little guys are made from new fabric, fabric out of Mum's big trunk, fabric left over from our Christmas stockings, a cut up fluffy koala, a belt, a tea towel, two skirts, a tablecloth and a cushion.  They're mix and match in the best way possible!

My aim is to make enough money to pre-order Soule Mama's new book (out in August).  When Andrew asked me how much it was he laughed, my grand aim is to make US$12.89.  There's nothing like aiming for the stars.

PS Did you guys realise that the blog is now 1 year old?  Seriously, that's so crazy I think we may need a blog birthday cake!

A little visit from Anon

Kati was staying with us and had started the Stir Fry in the kitchen (I know that is the obvious place to cook dinner but story explains my clarification) and I was in and out doing a few things with the kids. I can’t remember now, but a few things hadn’t ‘gone to plan’ and then I went in to join Kati and turned the jug on to boil the water for the noodles (should be simple I know) but when I did that, the kettle blew up – sparks, bangs, the lot! It took with it half the power in the house but your inivative sister wouldn’t be deterred….and carried the stir fry to the garage where we did have power and continued cooking our dinner!

It was quite funny and as the kids each discovered us cooking up a storm in the garage….the smell was enough to draw mice from under the house….it got funnier and funnier.