Mmmm... massage!

It's been faaaaar too long since my last massage.....

But finding a good masseuse is not that easy. I have a funny hip - and over time one side moves up and starting making walking hurt and giving me back aches.

The first guy I ever saw tried to tell me my hip problem was caused by my kidneys and I had to buy his herbal remedies to fix it - I don't think so!

The next lady was lovely, but she started to move into other remedial therapies too - hot stones, cupping.... and I wasn't getting a full massage - which is what I needed.

I then starting seeing another lady - on recommendation of my mother in law - and she was wonderful too.... But as I discovered the other week she has moved to the main land.... so that's no good either.

So last week I booked in with a reputable business in town. They cost a few $$ more than I usually pay. Today was my day for going in.

First off though - yesterday I got a reminder text message about my appointment. But I swear they got my time wrong - I rang and they said the same time that the text message had said - only half an hour out, but I wrote the time in my diary and was SURE I had the right time - but enough quibbling.

The girl who did my massage was lovely - figured out what was wrong with my hip within the first 10 seconds of me being on the table! Amazing!

The massage itself was wonderful! But the surroundings could have been more peaceful..... I was in the room right behind the front desk - and I could hear the phone ringing and people talking and laughing over the music being played in the room - kind of off putting...

But then came the pushy bit - she recommended that I come back next week for follow-up treatment of my leg - which she also seems to think we caught 'just in time' before it got 'really bad' - my leg's been like this for most of my life, and really noticeable for the last 4-5 years....

And then the sale of the product that she used on me - some spray that relaxes your muscles....

If she hadn't spoken very loudly to the lady at the front desk about booking in another appointment and the spray stuff that I might want - very unprofessional as far as I'm concerned.

So no next appointment booked, no spray stuff.... But I feel better :)

Give me inspiration!

I have photo's scattered all around the house in frames - but we will be re-decorating soon - new furniture and small renovations - but this means we will be losing quite a bit of space that holds our photos.... New TV unit, meaning no space, and taking out our mantle piece as it serves no purpose and will be in the way with the new couch (*happy dance* - NEW couch!!)

So I was thinking perhaps a photo wall.... I have empty walls....

Do you have a photo wall? Care to comment and post a link so I can have a looksie? Or know of a website or blog with inspiration?

If you have a photo wall to you just add new photos? Or do you change the photo's from time to time?

Blog This Challenge: The Dinner Party

The Dinner Party

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to plan a fabulous dinner party. You've been given a healthy budget, so don't scrimp!

Guest list - 8 people, dead or alive, real or ficticious.

The menu - will this be your very own masterchef moment, or is outsourcing more your style?

Is there a theme? What will be the entertainment for the evening? What will you wear? What will you talk about? Don't forget the wine!

Have fun planning, be as creative as you like. If you're creative, maybe even design the invitation. Make this an event not to be missed!


Although I haven't participated in all the Blog This challenges so far this one caught my attention.

I would love to throw a lavish Dinner Party and invite knowledgeable and exotic guests.... But that's not my scene.... So here is me.

Guest List:
1. Stephen King - the author. I adore his books and would love to know where he gets his inspiration form.
2. Mark Skaife - I'm an avid V8 Supercar fan, and Skaifey has always been one I've watched.
3. Tom Hanks - I think he is an amazing actor - simple as that.
4. Patrick Dempsey - he's just a cutie...

Notice a theme?? All guys so far.... maybe I should balance it out a bit.....???

5. Katherine Heigl - I love her work.
6. Jodi Picoult - I have quite a number of her books and I love reading and re-reading them.
7. My mother in law - because she is just such a lovely person!
8. My sister in law - who lives in the UK, because I haven't seen her in 5 years..... :-(


What would I serve?
A starter?
Something light? Some nibbles. I have BOOKS full of little cocktail nibbles, so I'm sure I'd find some inspiration there. I was thinking mini-spring rolls, but I think that would be too much of a difference from the main dish to come....

For mains?
I'm thinking either a chicken dish..... Stuff chicken breasts wrapped in bacon maybe? With some vegetables on the side.
OR
Do I go a pasta dish? Some homemade ravioli? I have a delicious recipe that has salami in the middle (amongst other things).

Dessert?
Something chocolately.... I have no idea what.... But chocolate is always good.

What will be the entertainment for the evening?
What will you talk about?
I put these two questions to answer them as one as I think the entertainment would be the guests themselves and the stories they could tell.

What will you wear?
I would have to buy a little black dress especially for the night. Team it with my matching silver earrings and necklace that I just adore.

Don't forget the wine!
Oh can't forget the wine! I'm in LOVE with Muscato by Brown Brothers. So plenty of bottles of that please!

And as for the idea of designing an invitation.... I'm better with real cards and embelishments than I am on the computer..... So we might leave that one...... I'm sure other artistic people will have a field-day! :-)

Find Blog This here

Why Is It....

When it's sooooooo cold that any plans and motivation that you had, seems to vanish???

I wrote a list of things I would do today - no matter what the weather happened to be doing.

I have been known to sit on the couch all day and watch whatever dribble is on tv instead of doing anything resembling housework.

So the list that I wrote yesterday was:

* Change bed sheets and bathroom towels - and wash them.
* Clean out the kitty litter
* Fold and put away mountain of washing
* Put away magazine pile in loungeroom
* Vaccum house
* Mop tiled areas
* Wash car (depending on weather)
* Tidy lounge - put away the d@mn PS2 games that are on the floor and tidy up my knitting stuff.
* Finish off the current square I am knitting (when I finish this one only 2 to go!!)

So what HAVE I achieved so far?

* Change bed sheets and bathroom towels - and wash them.
YEP - well at least I've washed the towels. The sheets will have to wait as it's now raining and all the clothes horses are full.
* Clean out the kitty litter
YEP
* Fold and put away mountain of washing
Nope... That's still sitting here next to me - it will get done though...
* Put away magazine pile in loungeroom
YEP - all gone!!!
* Vaccum house
YEP
* Mop tiled areas
Nope - figured it's raining, DH's going to come home with dirty boots so it's a pointless exercise.
* Wash car (depending on weather)
Nope - it's raining.... pointless....
* Tidy lounge - put away the d@mn PS2 games that are on the floor and tidy up my knitting stuff.
YEP - Yay! We have our lounge back now! We can sit on the chairs!
* Finish off the current square I am knitting (when I finish this one only 2 to go!!)
Not yet - I'll finish that tonight while I'm watching Grey's Anatomy.


But I also have:
* Downloaded all the beautiful photo's my sister in law e-mailed me.... not a big thing you think? They're all about 5mb photos.... and we're slowed to dial-up speeds.... so a long slow process.
* Spoke to the nice man at the local council about the dog next door that never shuts up - even at 3am....
* Dishes are done - they just have to get out of the dishwasher now.

For once I'm happy with what I have achieved in a day (or half a day anyway).

My Turn

I was reading through some of the blogs I follow - and found the 'getting to know you' questions where you are tagged just by reading! I decided that instead of ignoring them I should instead take the plunge and answer them. So I take my tag from Chantelle at Fat Mum Slim

What is your current obsession?
Knitting - crazily to get these last few squares finished.


What’s for dinner?
Pizza - home made... I'm working today, so by the time I get home and the kids are starving it's easy to throw together a pizza on a bought base.

What’s the last thing you bought?
Ugg boots for the kids and toothbrushes for hubby and me - exciting huh?


What are you listening to right now?
The sound of silence.... I'm the only one in my office. I can hear the computer burbling away next to me if that counts as noise.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
To the UK - to see my brother, my sister-in-law and my neice Caleigh.


Which language do you want to learn?
French.

What do you love most about where you currently live?
I love our house, it's gone from being 'his house' to being 'our house'.


What is your favourite colour?
Purple


What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
My jeans.


Describe your personal style?
Style? Is daggy a style? If so then that would be it.


If you had $300 now, what would you spend it on?
A massage and part of a weekend away.

What are you going to do after this?
Some work.........


What are your favourite films?
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Armageddon
Independance Day
The Devil Wears Prada
27 Dresses
Dirty Dancing
Cloverfield
Any of the Terminators

The list could keep going.....


Your favourite smell?
My Spider-Lily Perfume from hubby for my birthday.


Do you collect anything?
Stamps - not an ongoing thing - but there is a collection in the cupboard.

What makes you follow a blog?
If the blog draws me in, makes me feel like I can empathise with them, or give me a laugh.


Do you like to comment on blogs or just lurk?
I'm more a lurker


What’s one thing you dream of doing?
Finishing our house renovations.....

What is your biggest regret?
That it takes a while to learn from your mistakes.

What is your favourite thing to do on a rainy day?
Snuggle on the couch with a DVD or a book with hubby and the cats.

Do you have a tattoo?
No.

What are you favourite books?
Any.... Too many.... Just ask my poor overflowing bookshelf!

Are you left handed, right handed, ambidextrous, or a little of both?
Right.

What is the single most defining moment in your life so far?
Having my kids... so that was 2 moments, but they are my biggest loves - along with hubby.

Four to go!

I learnt to knit as a child - if you can call holey scarves knitting....
I branched out as an adult - to knitting more scarves - these ones without holes...
And then when the children came along I got as far as knitting booties - I was too afraid to knit anything more - the patterns looked too complicated for me.

Nearly 2 years ago a magazine subscription came out called "The Art of Knitting."

Every week you get a ball of yarn and pattern for knitting a15cmx15cm square - and at the end of 90 weeks you end up with a throw rug.

As well as the square pattern you get different patterns for knitting things around the home, clothing, bits and pieces, plus step by step instructions for creating certain patterns when you knit, how to fix any problems you may have - it's just such a complete reference and resource!

I decided that the throw rug would look gorgeous on our daughters bed and discussed with her that I would complete it for her as a birthday present (this August). She was excited by that.

I now only have 4 squares left to knit!!! YAY! That will be one project finally finished!

A few photos of the work in progress.

With 54 of the squares all sewn together.

The remaining squares (minus the last 4) partially sewn together.

Our Nephew

Dante Exley

Born 7th July 2009.

Weight 3188gm (Just over 7lbs)

Photo's at 2 weeks of age.

With Grandma

With Grandad

With Uncle Gerrard

Weekends Cooking Fun!

We combined Fun and Science in the kitchen!

Well the science part was making Honeycomb... we've made a volcano and watched the reaction when you added vinegar to bicarb soda before - so this was watching the same kind of reaction, but then we get the fun of eating the end result, rather than cleaning up the mess!

This was the end result - YUMMO!




Then more fun! We made some biscuits - they were supposed to be choc chip, but I discovered that the choc chips weren't chips they were melts - so they ended up going on top of the biscuits instead. I used a new biscuit recipe from here.



Then finally we made our own pasta! After having watched MasterChef the other night where they made their own pasta Alex suggested that it would be fun to make - so I dragged out the pasta maker and we made our own! More YUMMO!

Renovation Progress!

When the kids are at Grandma and Grandad's - it's amazing how much Mum and Dad can do in 4-5 hours of solid work (and now sore knees and backs).

From this.... really bad bench-tops and lovely painted cupboards circa 1960's....



To this.... doors off and paint stripping started.



To this.... stripped and new drawer liners! Blue - no more pink!



And this - the last step before staining and varnishing!



There is still more to be done........... but it's progress!

Scenes from Carrie...

Ever seen this movie?

Well that's what our place looked like this morning.
OK so slight over exageration, not quite like Carrie, but we had red hair dye all over the place this morning... but not in a bad way.

I now have two kids with pink hair - red hair dye and blonde hair make a fun colour pink!!




And the pictures from after their hair was washed and dried..... Looks less like Carrie now.






Carrie Photo from LazyDork

Yesterday and Hair Colour

So did I get done what I wanted to do yesterday before I went to work?

Yep!

Now to keep up the good work.... we'll see how long that lasts for. Positive aren't I?


When I last got my hair cut and coloured Alexander was amazed by the copper colour in my hair (which after a few washes turned a pretty cool pinky colour) and asked if we could colour his hair. I said 'of course' - as all sane parents of 8 year olds do.... and asked 'what colour?'

The answer???

Green.......

Unusual, but hey why not?

I did tell him he'd have to wait until school holidays - which have started this week - as I didn't think the school would like him going to school with green hair (or green tips anyway).

I went yesterday to buy green hair colour.... only to find that you can get it in hairspray type stuff - which is a bit scary to use when you just want to do streaks. I could get various shades of red, pink, blues and purples in 'Fudge' - which is kind of like a cream product. So I had to phone him at his Dad's and ask him what colour they (as Olivia wants hers done too)...

Red was the unanimous answer - and then I had to explain to their Dad what they were talking about. I think he was a bit unsure about what their crazy mother was doing - but was reassured somewhat when I told him that it will wash out (hopefully after about half a dozen washes).

So that will be our fun day this Friday! I will post pics for you to see the kids with red streaks... we could end up with a scene from Carrie though!