Thursday, July 30, 2009

More Renovation Stuff

I mentioned before about our loungeroom reno - see here if you want to read or see dodgy paintbrush pictures.

So we've made a start - OK hubby and my Dad made a start and removed the fireplace and mantle piece and hubby then put a new piece of plaster board to cover the hole. And we've started patching it up!

I'm now at the point where it needs one last sand back (hopefully only one anyway) before I can undercoat and then paint. I'll need to pic a warmish day to paint.... but who knows when that will happen given that it's the middle of winter and we're in Tassie.... were it's very, very cold.

It should only be about 2-3 weeks before our new couch arrives - *happy dance* so I'd LIKE to get it finished before then.

So here are some pics of the before and after...

Before ^^ (Excuse hubby head in the photo)



After ^^ No more mantle piece or fireplace!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Feeling Crafty

With the blanket that I did for Olivia I ended up with a mile of leftover yarn - in various colours.

Alexander - in his own special way - managed to lose one of his gloves... Just one, not both.
So I decided with the leftover yarn to knit Alex a pair of gloves.


Then hubby sees the gloves and he decides that a fingerless pair for him would be good. So I've done half a pair for him.... The other half is coming :)


It's also coming up to some of my families birthday - so I dragged out the scrapbooking/card-making box and made some cards. I love making cards! I love going to my local craft shop and seeing what's new there - but I have to use some of the stuff I've already bought before I can do more ing there....making box and made some cards. I love making cards! I love going to my local craft shop and seeing what's new there - but I have to use some of the stuff I've already bought before I can do anymore shopping.


So lots of crafty stuff has been happening around here!

Our Kitty Cat Thinks.....



He's pregnant....

Yep, you read that right. HE thinks he's pregnant.

Timmy was getting very, very jumpy... He would jump up literally 2 feet in the air and do a backflip at any 'strange' noise - skulk around the house looking for 'something'. He nearly ripped the vets arms off when we took him to be vaccinated.

So the vet suggested giving him some synthetic hormones that 'mimic' pregnancy - thus making him more relaxed and less jumpy.

It's worked SO well for the last 4 1/2 months.... But then today I found a lump... Then I found another lump.... Our BOY cat has boobs!!!!

The vet thinks that because Timmy was given the hormone, and now the hormone is wearing off - his brain is now telling him to prepare for kittens.... The vet seems to think it's unusual side-effect - but we do have a very odd cat, so it fits him

So we've given him another round of the hormone treatment.... And will figure out what to do next time - because, like all good injections, they are expensive.


And the expense (along with having another cat already) means that this beautiful kitty that I found last week at the RSPCA when I went with the kids, shall remain at the RSPCA.... Sorry Furby :( I hope you find a nice home soon.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Is it Madness?

On Tuesday our son Alex came home with a notice - an excursion to the local RSPCA and to a local charity. They've been doing Civic and Citizenship at school.

So yesterday I ask if the teacher if he would like Parent Help for the day - sometimes an extra set of eyes when your out and about with kids can be helpful.....
And working in the Community Services sector had me interested in exactly what they will show the kids at the charity service.

I half expected the teacher to say 'No' - but he didn't. He said I was more than welcome to join in, explained what he was doing with them and said he would see me tomorrow.

So I'm going for a day out with 26 grade 3/4 students....

Wish me luck!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Now I've Stained!!

Yes it is something to be excited about. I've stained something - in a good way.

Our on-going kitchen reno took another step this morning.

I decided I was going to try my hand at staining our cupboards - the ones I've sanded back and hubby re-plyed the fronts of. During the course of our reno's I have plastered (well filled holes and cracks), painted, varnished, done enough sanding to create a saw mill pile... So staining is new and exciting.

The first section has come up beautifully if I do say so myself. I now have to wait 2 hours (or so) for them to dry and I'll put the handles back on them - until I varnish them. But I won't be varnishing until I've finished sanding back the rest (I have 4 more drawers that need stripping and sanding).



The stain is Jarrah - it matches in with the blackwood benchtops that we have so well! Can't wait for it all to be finished!!!

The one downside - must remember to wear gloves next time.... I have a few fingers that are a funny colour now.... :-)

Saturday, July 18, 2009

More Pics

My fortnightly update of Dante.

He's such a cutie - sleeps lots, well he does when he's at Grandma and Grandad's! And lots of cuddles and kisses given by all.






Wednesday, July 15, 2009

I've been tagged - Happiness to me is....

Carly-Grace from Everyone Wants This tagged me.

I now have to tell you 6 things that make me happy - and then tag 6 others.

So narrowing down the enormous list to 6 is a bit of challenge!

1. My hubby and kids - of course they make me happy! The giggles from the kids, the love from hubby.... it's all happiness.

2. Our furbabies... Timmy and Bouncer. When they climb on my lap and snuggle in for a cuddle - it's nice to know your loved, even though they can't say it.

3. Reading. I can lose myself for hours in the magical world of Harry Potter or in the dark and and sometimes sinister world of Stephen Kings work. I love crime novels, some science fiction and one of my greatest loves is John Marsden's 'Tommorow' series.

4. Cooking - creating a lovely meal, something divine either sweet or savoury.

5. Creating. So a bit of an open field, but I like knitting, sewing, cross-stitching, scrapbooking, card making. And spending some 'me' time creating a project or completing a project, gives that sense of satifaction.

6. Being me. I'm not your run of the mill person. I enjoy some things that other people don't enjoy - data entry being one that I love. I also couldn't care less about things that as a woman I'm supposed to - like makeup and clothing.... (I make sure I look OK, but clothing labels and brands are meaningless to me).
I love who I am - and people love me - so that makes me happy!

Now to tag six people.....

Alyssa's Journey
Sparsely Kate
Just Us
BabyMac
What! There's No Instruction Manual
More Than Mum

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

And I'm Back....

I really hadn't gone that far away..... I usually only work 1 day a week - but last week ended up working 3 days - two different jobs.... and the week just vanished.

This week is a bit quieter. So I've been catching up on the neglected housework - and also spending a bit of time in the very neglected garden.

The amount of rain that we had on the weekend has made it a lot easier to pull the weeds out - but there are just so many of the darn things!

I also had to re-plant my cauliflower and broccoli plants - they were planted in the wheelbarrow as the vegie garden is an overgrown nightmare.... But the wheelbarrow ended up looking more like a swimming pool - and I don't think the plants were swimming really well. So now they're in the garden - it may not be the vegie garden, but at least they're in a garden.


Speaking of swimming - Alexander had two weeks of swimming lessons with the school. He's been in a pool since the age of about 3 months - but CAN NOT SWIM - that is a WHOLE other gripe that I won't bring up here.

I started teaching him last summer - and we made progress! But in the two weeks of 1 hour lessons a day Alexander can now swim 8 metres! I am so proud!! So more swimming will be on the cards for this summer (and hopefully someone else will try to teach him to swim too - not just to splash around).


Tax time is upon us again - and people are deciding what to spend their refunds on (if they are lucky enough to get a refund). This year I decided that part of my refund would be going on a new couch!!!

Hubby had one when I moved it - it was (and still is) rather brown and worn - it's supposed to be brown, but I think there is a lot of brown dirt there too. I brought two couches with me - but they didn't suit hubby has he is a lot taller than me - and they weren't comfortable for him - so they went to my brother.... and then to my parents..... and now I'm not sure where they are....

Then we took my brother in laws old leather lounge - which was worn and cracked in a few places, and the cats LOVED to scratch! Darn creatures have got 3 scratching posts but are never satisfied to scratch them!

So two 3 person couches, plus two arm chairs in our smallish lounge/dining room has been cramped.... And if the kids bring anything in, or the clothes airers are up there is no room to swing a cat (not literally people - I wouldn't swing my furbabies!).

So a new modular 5 seater couch has been ordered - and should arrive in 5 more weeks! Along with the new tv unit as we have to move furniture around to fit the new couch in! And get rid of both old lounge suits!

This is what our loungeroom looks like now (sorry about the dodgy paintbrush pic)


And this is what it will be like with the new couch! So much more space! We can pull the dining table away from the wall and from the bookcase - so hubby can sit properly instead of being squished!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Finished Projects

Just a couple of quick photos to show some completed projects! I'll be back later when I have some more time - just don't seem to have enough hours in the day at the moment.



Photo wall! Went ahead a purchased a few (lots) photo frames - and then set to with a hammer and nails! Lots of fun!!!!



My mothers birthday present (shut your eyes mum if you find my blog before your birthday!) Not as big a project as it was when I started it nearly 12 months ago - finshed in less than a week! Just have to get the hot water bottle to fill it now.... not that she needs a hot water bottle.... it's just a pretty decoration for the bedroom.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

New Photos!

Some more photos of our nephew Dante - he is now 4 weeks old.



Dante with Daddy!

Dante - sleepy time.

Dante with Grandma and Alexander (cousin) looking on.

Dante with Grandad

Dante with Grandma

Dante sleeping

On the playmat

Saturday, July 4, 2009

New Blog This Challenge!

Tell us fifteen facinating, far fetched, frightening, funny or frivilous facts about yourself. Those bits of trivia that are floating around in your life.

Can you eat 10 burgers in one sitting? Do you sleep with your eyes open? Can you tie a cherry stalk into a knot? Speak 5 different languages?

All those things that you've bored your friends and family with for years - We want to know.

1. I snore..... my poor husband.....

2. Inside I am a computer nerd - it just gets hidden away well.

3. I LOVE knitting. I love watching things coming together as I knit.

4. I suffer from anxiety - which makes some days better than others.

5. I can change the oil and spark plugs in my own car - but generally choose not to as hubby is a mechanic - and he ALWAYS needs something else to do!

6. I'd love more kids, but due to medical reasons having any more requires lots of $$$.

7. We own a car that my husband drag races... I have every opportunity to join in and am allowed to race the car. I'd love too - but am scared of something going wrong, so don't... I've seen accidents and I don't want that to be me....

8. I own far too many cookbooks..... Some I've never even cooked a recipe out of - bought the book because it looked nice.

9. I love the song 'Copperhead Road' - I will play it on repeat endlessly in the car...

10. I'm a trained primary school teacher - but have never taught in the classroom - but I LOVE going in for parent help....

11. I love the John Marsden "Tommorow" book series and will read them over and over and over again...

12. I'm a great procrastinator.

13. I love cheeses - all different sorts of cheeses - except blue cheese BLUGH!

14. I don't drink much red wine - not after the last time I drank far too much - it was 4 years ago now, but I still can't face drinking it.

15. I love cats - we have two, but I want more.... I'd be like the crazy cat lady from the Simpsons if I could (without the crazy bit)....

There we go - 15 things about me.... And it's amazing how hard I found that!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

I've FINISHED!!

From this a week ago...

To this today!!!!
Two rounds of double crochet around the edge - first round in cream, second in purple - as per the daughters request!

But it is FINISHED!!!

This is the biggest single project I have ever attempted!

Next project? Must finish the hot water bottle cover for my mother that she asked for 12 months ago.....