A Chinese week...

This last week, we have been 'looking after' 2 very kind gentlemen from Chin, 'Peter' and 'Mr Day'! They are part of a group of about 40 students and teachers visiting Australia (Sydney) whilst on school holidays at home. We picked them up last Monday evening, and gave them some dinner at home and they pretty much 'hit the hay' as they were tired.

Their week with us consisted of 5:45am wake up call to leave by 7am to catch the train to Central. Then off to UTS for a morning lesson on English. Afternoons were touring around the city itself. This was also the week that L was up in Cairns, and did not return until late Friday evening!

However, on the Saturday, it was a long coach ride down to Canberra (approx 4 hours) for only a 2 hour visit! Needless to say, they were exhausted, and we treated them to an 'Aussie BBQ' of Sausages (bangers).

Yesterday, we treated to a visit to our local Gardens where the Council have some Kangaroos, Wallaby's and Emus. Off into Westfield for some shopping, where we had to find a Chinese speaking shop assistant, as the lady at the Lancome counter was getting a bit 'short' shall we say...

We then headed off to visit my 'In-laws' for an afternoon coffee down at Balmoral Beach. It was a really beautiful, mild Sydney Winter, and apart from the overcast conditions, we did not get any rain.
On the way over, we stopped in at Sydney Olympic Park to show them where we had the Olympics in 2000. First the main Stadium, then the Olympic Boulevard and finally the Cauldron that held the flame for the two weeks of the games. I showed them that ALL of the medal winners, had a small plaque with the event, country and name in the same colour as the medal they had won. BY CHANCE, the first one they found, was not only from China, but from their CITY!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A flickr game...

I needed to something a little 'different' after coming home from work and painting. So, at work, I followed ExPat Mom's meme and did the Flickr Meme.

Flickr Meme...

1. Mini Beethoven, 2. Asado al Palo - Roasted Lamb, 3. The Singing Ringing Tree, Burnley, England - April 007, 4. FACE 2 FACE, 5. SERIAL KILLER, 6. Passiona my ABe - SOLD, 7. Kids, 8. Heirloom Tomatoes, 9. Il Figo del Podere di Greyskull, 10. Northwest 3, 11. Reflex, 12. TinTastic Bracelet

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Here is what you do:

• Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
• Using only the first page, pick an image.
• Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker).

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name

Have FUN and let me know if you do it!

Thematic Photographic: Andrew 'Boy' Charlton Pool

Andrew 'Boy' Charlton Pool

This weeks installment for Carmi's 'Thematic Photographic' is of Sydney's Andrew 'Boy' Charlton Pool, whic is next to us at work. This photo was from when the Kittyhawk was in town!

There is a large composition of 'SKY' within this photo, which is wht I picked it (not to mention that it is raining today, so it would be just grey!).

Why we have not been blogging lately, sorry!!

Ok, we know we have not been blogging lately, but we have been kinda busy. The renovated bedroom is finished which led us into the entrance hall, the the hallway to the lounge/kitchen area and then we thought, maybe do the dining room as well! So painting has been very much the process as soon as getting home, and there has not been much spa action either! But that is all about to change, as we are on the downward run, it's almost finished!

So, here is a couple of pics of the entrance hall BEFORE we got to it with its cracks and all showing... Even Jasmine got in on the act!

Entrance View

Bathroom View

All sorts, but not licorice...

Ok, so this is a bit of a long term catchup on things... A bit of craft (a lot actually), a bit of house work and a birthday wish thrown in for good measure!

First, a couple of weeks ago, L and the MIL went to the Quilting and craft show at Darling Harbour. They had such a great time and here are their goodies:

Crafty Goodies

And this 'little' piece of Japanese Linen, was a hefty $5 for 15cm!

Japanese Linen Trim

Owl close up

Then, it was a piece that had been 'sitting around' for a couple of years. L got it when we were in the UK. Wye, in Nth England near Furness Vale and Stockport.

Wye Fish Tapestery

It sat for a while, before going off to an upholsterer to make into the cushion it is today.
Now, apart from L having eBay as her FAVOURITE store (it is even in her phone for some reason), her next major website is etsy where she purchased this fish after a tip off from meet me at mikes. The crafty goddess that made it must have gotten her inspiration from Sydney Water I think given it has three eyes!!

3 Eyed Fish

3 Eyed fish!

We have been really busy of late, between all of this, and repairing some cracks in the bedroom. That is now complete and painted and is looking really good. It is only the fiddly bits of painting the windows and a door and paint the ceiling (more on that in another post...)

Today, we had a busy day between doing a meat market research (a take home pack to cook and assess; tonight was Pork Belly!), and going over to Pa's birthday afternoon tea. I thought he was 94, L thinks 95 but the MIL (eldest daughter) thinks he is 93! So happy 90 something Pa!

Happy 90 something B'day Pa

After getting home, putting dinner on going to the bedroom to look at the painting to do, and thought I will not do anymore tonight, and that it time for a cuppa:

Cuppa Eye

Here's looking at you...

Thematic Photographic: - GLASS (Laundry Door)

Carmi, over at Written Inc, has created a new theme challenge, Thematic Photographic, with this week's theme of glass. Now where I work, I have lots of inspiration of cityscape glass buildings, horticultural glasshouses and the like. But, alas, I am now at home when I see what the theme is. So what do I do?

Well, I simply grab a shot of our laundry door, of course! As you may remember, we renovated this a few months back. The Leadlight glass work in the door, fights in well with our 1928 Bungalow, so it seemed fitting to put this in. L wanted it more than me though...

Laundry Door closeup

Laundry Door

Now his rules are pretty simple, he says:

1. He will post a new entry every Wednesday evening (his local time, NOT Aust EST).
2. Each entry has a unique theme.
3. We post a similarly themed image over on our blogs.
4. We paste a link to our entry in a comment on his blog in the weeks theme. If we've already posted something that fits, simply post the link to the existing entry.
5. Delirious photo sharing and happiness ensues.

So, if you want to play, leave a comment/link over at Written Inc (or in our comments as well if you like...)

(WWW WW) Wet Wonderful Web Wordless Wednesday

These are a 'challenge' if you like to my friend Carmi at writteninc...

(WWW) Wet Wonderful Web

Wet Grasses

Wet Grasses

I believe these to be a species of Pennisetum, but unsure as to which! There are so many of them, and I was only there for a second with my camera at hand!!!

WW #27: - Under Construction, the Spa Pavillion...

Spa Pavillion

The 'de-nailers'

Spa Pavillion

wordless wednesday
And don't forget to view my fotoblog as well, for another WW hit!!!

The next project...

Now that the laundry & bathroom are complete what's next to do in the burntofferings house? Well that's easy, no resting that's for sure!!

Well, the gazebo we are doing for the spa (on order) is underway. We 'won' this wonderfull gazebo on an online auction website, and after an inspection on the day of it finishing, we placed our bid... Then came the fun part, the dismantle works began with the FIL on Friday marking ALL of the pieces of wook and the removal of the roofing and the BIL on the Saturday for the final dismantle of the structure.

Gazebo 'Before'

Gazebo 'Before'
These next shots are of the two day dismantle works...

Gazebo 'Roofless'

and a little further along...

Gazebo dismantle
Now, the question remained, that whilst we now have to dismantle the old shadehouse, what do we do with Wally?

'Wally' on Shadehouse

Old Shadehouse
So, we now have a spa, a gazebo and the old shadehouse removed, what else is there to do but to do a slab! A quick call to a concretor and an electrician saw a length of conduit installed and the slab down within 24 hours!!! WOW!

Slab formwork

Our SLAB
Now all we have to do is make sure both Jasmine & Macc STAY OFF!!!!

Pelican Post

Pelican Post

WW #26: - Pelicans on a post...

Sleepy Pelican Post

Two Pelicans

Two Pelicans

I was on my way home from work the other day, saw these, and HAD to get a shot... Enjoy!


wordless wednesday

100yo Dracaena draco... RIP

Last week, our 100+ year old Dracena draco fell over... May she rest in peace...

Last photo of Dracaena standing

How sad...

WW # 24: - A "Silver Princess"!

Eucalyptus caesia "Silver Princess"

Eucalyptus caesia "Silver Princess"

Eucalyptus caesia "Silver Princess"

Eucalyptus caesia "Silver Princess"

This is a flowering gum (Eucalyptus caesia "Silver Princess") that is in our front yard. It is 'supposed' to flower in spring, but we are in the middle of autumn here, so I think it is a bit confused!

wordless wednesday

Our 'New' bathroom...

Well, after such a long time, we now have two fully functional bathrooms... Remember this?

Bathroom Reno: - before

Well, we now have this:

Finished Bathroom 18-04-2008

All we did, was having the tiles 'Repaired & Painted' thanks to Bathroomwerx, they also re-enameled the bath, and a new screen for the shower that replaced the curtain. We also added in a new end glass screen as well, as the old brown one looked... well... UGLY! Both of these came from the RenovationBoys.

We were also the lucky recipients of a Council Clean Up (Kerbside Garage Sale; take it if you want it before it gets collected as rubbish) Vanity. After replacing the bowl and giving it a paint, it also came up a treat!

Pumpkin Barrow

Pumpkin Barrow

WW #23: - A Country Road Trip

Sorry, but this will need a few words...

Last Sunday, we took a break from bathroom renovations to go for a 'road trip' down to the New South Wales, Southern Highlands town of Berrima.

Berrima Country Church

Berrima Autumnal Colour

Vintage Cars

Farm Gate

Pumpkins

wordless wednesday