birthdays, beach and babies

With eleven days between postings, quite a bit has happened.

8-11 days ago

study partner

My time was consumed with studying for an exam, which incidentally was horrendous. Although on the eleventh day, after my exam we found a house we liked, and might be moving.

7 days ago
We had an appointment for electrical conductivity tests on B's back, this was not pleasant but he was strong and stayed brave. Met with the bank, looked through the house for the second time. Visited mum and dad and stayed for dinner, an indian banquet.

5-6 days ago

On the beach at Budgewoi

Went up the coast to stay at the Next Sister Down's Beach House and celebrated dad's B'day on the Sunday. It was a great weekend, A was able to join us, and she provides a good rundown at Blue Monkey Jammies.


keeping watch, Macc the lifedog

4 days ago
Munchkin1 (of Blue Monkey Jammies fame) had her birthday which, she now shares with Special Friend P and husband M's new baby. Welcome Liam Mustafa, and congratulations P and M.

3 days ago
Visited Special Friend P, husband M and little Liam.


new fence

Also this week, we got a new fence which ment that Macc got a sleepover with L and C. We didn't get much notice that the fence was to be erected and as our yard was exposed for most of the week. B managed a couple of days at home to keep the pooch indoors but L and C came to the rescue at short notice on the days that B had no choice but to go to work.

vintage catwalk

vintage catwalk

This is my contribution to Loobylu's Month of Softies. It is a vintage fabric collage, braid and sequined embellished gift bag.


fabric collage


sequined eyes and lashes

Inspired by Jas the Cat, created whilst watching Dr Phil, and intended to house a present for a little persons birthday in a weeks time.

I wasn't going to participate this month, what with a uni assignment and exam but, coming across the gift bag in Big W, it was a sign for me to.......get a life!

cry baby

It was an up and down kinda weekend.

The ups

• one of my longest standing friends (since primary school) had a second baby on Thursday, a little girl. B and I visited Meagan on Friday, and stayed long enough to both disgrace ourselves as baby hogs, although I think B may have been worse than me. We also got to catch up with her husband Neil and little Jordie, their no 1.
• visit with the endochronologist, the good news being my pesky companion is only 3mm and blood tests are within the normal limits
• B has been invited to be MC at the littlest sisters wedding

The downs

• I have an exam this week to study for.
• I had a visit with my endochronologist, and although the blood tests done last time might be within normal limits, some are too low, so other tests needed to be carried out. My endo was very sweet and reassuring and is going to get a second opinion, B asked lots of questions, I however, dealt with it in my way and had a little cry. It was much simpler when the blood tests were out of range - they treat that with a pill that I'm familiar with.
• Did I tell you that I'm not a bridesmaid or whatever the one is when you are married, for the littlest sisters wedding,? It's stupid really, because I didn' t expect to be one, I've already got my dress, and I'd rather sit with my husband at the reception. So what's the problem? I would like to have been involved somehow. It seems anyone who has rubbed shoulders with the littlest sister lately is involved and I feel left out.

Poor me.

australia day

Started early this morning with a trip to Parramatta Park for the hot air balloons.


hot air balloons in Parramatta Park

kooka

still seeing double

We took Happy and Macc with us to the Park, they seemed to enjoy themselves, and then it was back home for breakfast. Unfortunately, that was the extent of our Australia Day celebrations as I had study to do. My exam is less than a week away. B caught up with a few chores.

it's a feotus!!!

Well, last Sunday night, both B & A (not me and the other A that gets a mention from time to time from BMJ fame) came over for a long awaited dinner.

Dinner consisted of:

Entree
Mango and Prawn Tarts

Main
Orange Roasted Chicken with a Vegetable Rissotto with a side of Chilli Cheese Bread

Desert
Warm Berry Pudding with Vanilla Yoghurt and Cream

But before we got down to the above mentioned feast, both the spermanator (as B was calling himself) and L's new eBay conspirator, drop their bundle! Not figuratively of course as this would have meant a very quick trip to the near by Westmead Hospital, but the news of there upcoming parentage!

We, or at least I did, had to keep it quite, thus the timely posting of this post now, as the family had to be notified.

So well done guys!!

seeing double

guessing competition

We have a house companion for a few days. We are looking after Happy, a black male greyhound who at a glance looks just like our Macc, and also sports a red collar. Happy's family have gone away for a few days, and having 3 GH's, each has been billeted out amongst the GAP fraternity.

pesky companion

my pituitary adenoma is back, I don't know any more than that. Having had an MRI before Christmas and having not heard anything, I took it upon myself to contact my doctor yesterday. His lovely secretary Ange was suprised and very apologetic that my results were missing, having not been forwarded by the hospital, and she had forgotten to follow them up. I left it with her, and not too much later got the call that my pesky companion is back. I didn't get much detail, she did tell me how big, but it didn't sink in, my mind went to another place. She rang again this morning to book me in for an appointment in a couple of weeks. I think she knew I wasn't really listening/taking things in. At the time I was shocked, although not really suprised, sad but at the same time relieved... it explains a few things, and again I have an excuse for being a 'moody cow'.

Raw

It was a teary farewell on my part when Joe was collected Thursday PM. Macc and I have been feeling a bit miserable since, although a message from Denise that Joe's new family are very happy with him and that he has settled in well, puts the whole thing into perspective.

B was not as affected in the same way, as he was able to maintain focus with regards to the fostering process, and that it is temporary care. I on the other hand was not able to do this, and well Macc, I don't think we explained the process to him.

A suitable distraction from such self absorbtion was provided by A when she visited on Friday night, and brought a scary movie 'The Village' with her. Thanx A.

Another distraction included getting 4 exemptions from USQ for my MBA, which means I will be finished by the end of this year!

d day

Oh Joe.....

that's 'd' for..... dog (Joe); desperate (me), do we have to hand him over?

The day has arrived for Joe to move one step closer to his new home. We got the call last night that he was to be collected this evening to have injections updated and whatever else needs doing, so that he can be given to his new family on Saturday. After the call, the mood was a bit sombre, and I am sure that our four legged friends could sense that something was about to change. Both and Macc and Jas have really bonded with Joe, and Joe with them. We have noticed that 'the Boys' as they are affectionately known, have been picking up on each others characteristics and copying them. Joe in particular has become a little more crazy this week, expressing more of his personality, and even playing with some of Macc's toys which he wasn't too interested in at first.

After the call, we went on a special night walk around the block (I think this was more for B and me) and a nightcap of milk was served to the boys at bedtime. This morning toast with vegemite was their added treat, along with a dog chew before I headed out the door.

I wished I didn't have to go to work today.....I am sick as a dog (well at the thought of losing a dog).

the lazy kings

As a pick me up to the news of the afternoon - it looks like B is going to have surgery on his back - we took ourselves into Sydney Olympic Park for The Lazy Kings. The production is by French company Transe Express and is described on the Sydney Festival website as an epic production based on a traditional French fairy story of nomadic kings, debonair charlatans and witty jokers.

You join one of the processions as six lazy kings are borne aloft on fantastic chariots in three separate musical journeys from faraway fantastical lands. Led by bells, percussion and brass bands, each procession winds its way through Sydney Olympic Park amidst a blaze of flares.


Lazy Kings Bells

The Witch on Wheels, encircled by her coven of Bicycle Witches,


witch on wheels


coven of witches

and Stabil of Padock, the gypsy voyager with his numerous offspring on a rolling bed approach from the West.


rolling bed

From the South comes Suzerain of the Alps, searching desperately for his true love atop the Royal haystack,


cows

and the Mermaid Olanor on her deluxe iceberg.


mermaid

Finally from the North, emerging from water comes a dashing young Prince perched on his aquarium

prince perched on aquarium


aquarium

and Mortibus Orgiac celebrating his own funeral in a hearse drawn by two zebras to the sounds of a brass band.

skeletons

They converge in the shade of a 20-metre high coconut tree where a breathtaking finale unfolds. The branches reach out to the kings, lifting them high above the crowd for a fantastic display of trapeze, sky-high derring-do, and musical delight!


palm tree finale

Last year B and I had stumbled across their production 'Angels of Light' and were totally mesmerised by it, so when we saw an article about it this time in Sunday's paper we decided it was the thing to do Monday night. It was the perfect pick-me-up, providing a distraction to B's bad news.