Man (and Woman's) Best Friend

Another picture from the e-mail my sister-in-law sent me. I thought it was beautiful.



I have had a little shadow following me this week. Mum and Dad have been overseas for 3 weeks so far, and I picked up my shadow last Friday from my brother.... She's a 12 year old long haired chihuahua named Gromit. My brother was minding her for my parents but I thought I should do my part for the last week before they get home - and I like having her around - she's more 'friendly' than the cats are.

She doesn't get along very well with the cats.... but they seem to have reached an arrangement where they can now all be in the same room without playing noisy chasies.

She won't leave my side for a minute - has to follow me absolutely everywhere - including to the loo......... amazingly like a small child! There are certain phrases that she understands (or at least appears to), like "biscuit", "tea time", "walk" and "want to go outside?" and she's excited to see me when I come home - was completely ecstatic this evening as I'd been at work all day.

The house will be quiet when she goes back home on Saturday - no more trips outside, no more puddles or surprises on the carpet - so there are the things I won't miss........

But there'll be no more of these snuggles on the couch while I'm reading either - but I think Mum will want her back - so I can't keep her.

Tidying Up & Sorting Out

As I run around after the kids - which seems increasingly less and less as they become more and more independant - this picture was sent to me as part of an e-mail and it stood out to me.



As the kids have grown I've dutifully folded away their outgrown clothing - put it in bags and stored it away..... Why?

Well to be honest I have no idea why.... why keep clothing from when your child was 2, but is now 6 and will be 7 in a few months? Posterity? Holding on to the past?

Dunno, but I did.... Until last Sunday I had each piece of clothing - that didn't end up holey - kept away. Sunday I decided that I had to do something about it - a whole huge cupboard space filled with old outgrown clothing.

Looking through the clothes their were pieces that were never worn and barely worn. And the memories attached to clothing! I'd never have imagined looking at a t-shirt and thinking 'I remember when I bought that for Olivia.' But I did.

But the clothes are packed up - some have gone to the Salvo's, some will be posted to my brother, sister-in-law and niece Caleigh who are in the UK - if they were closer I would have given them the whole jolly lot of girls clothes! And some of the near new are up for sale on a forum I frequent (so far no takers, so they'll probably end up going the same way as all the other clothes)

So some of their clothes may have been worn out - including pairs of shoes - but as a parent, am I worn out? Some days at the end of the day after the kids have gone to bed I feel worn out.... But the next day is a new day... with new energy to be used up by the kids!

I Love....

Rivers!!!!

No, not the long watery things. But the clothing store!

Here in my neck of the woods we have only a clearance store - our nearest 'Concept' Store is a 2 hour drive (short drive for some I know, but at the other end of the state for me).

I LOVE their clothes! It's so nice to buy something where the quality is brilliant - you can wear, wash and it's still as good as new! I don't think I could justify shopping at their normal store with the wage I earn, but the clearance store prices are good - sometimes very very good! (I love their $10 t-shirts)

I vary where I shop, because sometimes I've been after something specific and Rivers doesn't have what I want - like when I wanted a plain white shirt - imagine no plain white shirts in a store!!!???.... So I do shop at K-mart and Best&Less.... But you notice the difference in quality - like the pair of black work pants I bought the other week from K-mart and the front button fell off after the first wash (like is seemingly normal for their clothing).

So today I went in to Rivers to get a coat - saw the sale ad on TV last night and went - "I need a new coat". Let me re-phrase that - "I need a coat." I have one 'coat' in my cupboard, if you can call it a coat - it's an 'housecoat/long cardigan' - which is about 7 years old. Although it was nice to begin with - and the picture in the magazine was nice with the lady lounging on the couch.... once I got it, wore it, washed it many times (like you have to when you've got two mucky kids) - it was just never the same - the fabric pills and it's not 'coat like' - so if it rains you get wet and cold - so I need a coat.

So off I toddle this morning to Rivers to pick up the coat - I came back with said coat, plus a new pair of pants, a top and two windcheater/hoodies....... oops....... But I must admit that when I put the new wincheaters in the cupboard I did take out some older ones to send elsewhere (there is one that is about 13 years old and never gets worn, it just takes up the space to make it look like I have lots of clothes)

Now I'll wait until hubby gets home - and I'll try to pass the clothes off as 'Oh these are AGES old, I just haven't worn them for a while'..... Doubt it will work, but I can try.

Car Runs! Busy Lives!

We headed out on Sunday morning to catch up with friends from the Torana Owners and go for a bit of a drive - to get out and about together and to give our toys some time out.

It was nice to get out with my car - she doesn't come out all that often - both the fact that she's got SI rego (which means I can only drive her 52 times a year) and the fact that she's my baby.... I have a family car for family driving - although the kids LOVE the cars.

So some pic's from the run - photos were taken at the Batman Bridge when we stopped for a break - we had lunch at Exeter Bakery - but we were all spread out as there were so many of us and the Bakery is such a busy place.




Again work has been very busy. I'm doing a few extra days this week - this is really good! I'm working in a different office - doing a whole different job. It's certainly been different, but it has most certainly been good!


It's not long now until my sister-in-law's wedding. Just over a month now. They're getting married the day after my birthday - so I'll never forget their anniversary. I think they're in the frantic last minute arranging stage - and organising hens night and bucks nights. I can't say too much more in case someone stumbles upon this - as it's all very secretive (well the hens is anyway).


But apart from that it's not been too busy - the housework just never seems to end....... probably should be doing that instead of doing this.... but what's more fun?!???!

Easter, Flannies and Work

So Easter...... Bunny hunting!!! Oh well maybe not Bunny hunting - but Easter Egg hunting.

The kids Grandma has an Easter Egg hunt each year - the kids look forward to it - I think the grownups look forward to hiding the eggs.... this year the grown ups got a bit too adventurous, being 6 foot tall gives you a good advantage for hiding eggs - but little ones generally don't look above their own head height....

Photos for you all - kids running around like mad things hunting for eggs - please excuse the picture quality - I forgot my camera so had to use the camera on my phone (which is not the best)

Alex with one of the many eggs!


Eggs grow on trees! Did you know that? Cameron found that out!

Olivia with a Chocolate Bunny!


Kartia before running off to find more.

Easter Egg Hunting!!

And Flannies??? Well the Easter break brought out our 'We must do some things around the house' side. So out came the hedge trimmer - my new (and now favourite) toy. Something that used to take me 2-3 hours, was done in about 30 minutes! Woohoo!!!

But hubby wanted (demanded) to be allowed to wear his flannie while he was working - one of our friends is never seen without a flannie and they have dubbed their 'racing team' "Bogan Racing" - go the Flannie!

So here is hubby in his beloved flannie (he's going to die when he realises that I've put this here for all the world to see) - see Andrew he DOES own a flannie!

And work? Well work's work! Always there - pays the bills and keeps me busy!

Until next time!!!! (I will be back)

A Mates Car

From You-Tube.... Nos' car. A Methanol 308. His car ran just after Hubby did his last run for the night.

Some Pics and Vid

The video is from a few seasons ago - but given that it's probably one of the only videos we have of the car on the drag strip I won't complain!




These are some photo's of Hubby's car. Currently uploading some more from this last weekend... stay tuned!

Painting, Drag Racing and Life......

Well my nephews room is nearly painted - I'm heading back this morning to add the last coat of yellow! Then my work is done! I won't be putting the wall frieze up because I have NO idea how to do that..............

Hubby took the car out to the drags on Saturday - the last meet of the season. I had to work so wasn't able to go out for the full day - but I went out when my work closed for lunch (we have a two hour break on Saturday's) and then went back out after work.

Hubby ran a Personal Best of 11.4 - the NOS is working properly now (YAY!!) But the downside is now the transmission is stuffed (well for Drag racing it's stuffed, for normal street driving it would survive at least a bit longer) - so that means a new gearbox needs to be ordered and put in the car. But considering the box that's in there has been in it for the last 5 years - and has put up with a fair amount of punishment - it's not too bad.

Today my parents leave for a holiday in the UK - they're off to visit my brother and my sister-in-law/penpal and their granddaughter (my neice). It's been about 2 years since they went over (I think....) so they're very excited..... very very very excited..... and that's probably still an understatement.

Anyway I best get moving if I'm going to do anything I want to do today - last week was a write-off for doing anything 'household-like' - I will openly admit I didn't even get a chance to vacuum............ and that is bad for me.

More Projects?!???!!

I was asked to paint my nephew's bedroom. He is not due until July, but I thought I'd get it out of the way in plenty of time for them.

The fact that my own kitchen, laundry and the kids bathroom as still waiting to be painted seemed to just flit out of my mind when I said yes to my brother's request.

I was EXHAUSTED yesterday when I'd finished - I'd only done one coat, of just over half the wall (they're having a two tone wall with a Pooh Bear frieze running through the middle). And with only one coat of one colour on the wall how am I going to feel on Friday when I go back?!?

Maybe it will be the motivation I need to at least finish the kids bathroom - all that needs is painting - no holes to be filled or things to be moved, just paint.........

Let's hope the painting motivation sticks around and I can see what I can do next week!