Things come in threes... Hope not!!

OK, so why is it that SOME things, come in threes? Well, I hope that this will not be the case for now!

You see, this time last week, the dishwasher had started to 'pack it in', and we were shopping for a new one. L looked out the Choice website to see what was the most Water & Energy efficient, whilst I looked for these at special prices on the net.

The recommendation (from Choice) was the ASKO, but at a list price of $1800, I was horrified! So, I went to task to see what/where I could grab a bargain. The best we could find was for $1399, and I was almost on my way to go and make the purchase. I had sent l an SMS of this, but this went without being answered. I then made a call to 2nds World (forever hopeful) and low and behold, they had it listed at $1149! Again, an SMS was sent, and as it was nearing the stores closing time, headed off to make the purchase. With about 15-20 mins to spare, I got the call to BUY, BUY BUY!!! Got it home, and installation was a breeze and we could not be happier with a nice new, stainless steel dishwasher...

But, then it came, the computer in the upstairs study, decided that it did not want to start up anymore... It boots up, but then simply hangs with a black screen... I mean, it is fairly old, so it was off to see if the previous weeks special at ALDI was there and managed to get one...

So, there is TWO problems we have had this past week, lets hope there is not a third...

Wordless Wednesday # 29: - Its SPRING!!

Spring has sprung downunder...

Tulip

Tulip

Rhubarb

Pink Rinunculous

Callistemon

Bromiliad

wordless Wednesday

We have a new PC!!

Well, after 8 glorious trying years, the old PC had finally given up the ghost! Over the years, I have replaced hard drives, video cards, RAM and even installed a Wireless Network Card not that long ago (6 mths) so as it can work with our new provider. BUT, alas, on Saturday afternoon, it finally 'spat the dummy' with it not wanting to boot up.

So, what were we to do? I went off to get another one of course, and even though it is an ALDI model (MEDION), I could not be happier!

The specs are as follows:

• Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
• Phenomenal performance - Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q6600
• Massive - 2048 MB DDR2 SDRAM
• NVIDIA® GEFORCE® 8600 GSgraphics with HDMI connection
• Huge 500 GB SATA hard disk
• High Speed Wireless LAN 802.11n Draft
• 8 Channel High Definition Audio
• Network controller Ethernet LAN
• Integrated USB memory card reader
• ...and much more

So, now with access renewed upstairs, I will need to put it onto the home network, and the I have more than enough storage and speed, for the photos etc, so normal blogging will resume shortly.

Here are a couple of pics of the old beast, cabling and of course, the new beast!


Old PC

Cabling

New PC

Thematic Photographic: - Colourful! (Commelina cyanea)

Thematic Photographic: - Colourful!

Commelina cyanea

So this is how it works:

1. Every Wednesday evening, he will post a new Thematic Photographic entry.
2. Each entry has a unique theme. This week's is...colorful.
3. You post a similarly themed image over on your blog.
4. You paste a link to your entry in a comment over with Carmi, or here as well.
5. If you've already posted something that fits (on a blog, Facebook, MySpace, wherever) simply post the link to the existing entry.
6. You may post one per day, many per day, one each day of the entire week, whatever suits your fancy. This is all about sharing, so feel free to share to your heart's content!
7. Please share this link with friends, too. He wants this thing to being photographic happiness to lots of people - and we need your help.

Thematic Photographic: - Colourful

Carmi (WrittenInc) has done it again with his Thematic Photographic this week. His installment is 'Colourful'.

No I was wondering do I go down to our Spring Walk and grab some shots of the bulbs flowering, but no I have done that already, so I thought I would show you all something a little, well, weird...

Titan

Titan

Titan

Titan

It is colourful, but in a different way, and it smells kinda like rotting meat, but I really do like it for it's somewhat uniqueness. Do you agree?

So this is how it works:

1. Every Wednesday evening, he will post a new Thematic Photographic entry.
2. Each entry has a unique theme. This week's is...colorful.
3. You post a similarly themed image over on your blog.
4. You paste a link to your entry in a comment over with Carmi, or here as well.
5. If you've already posted something that fits (on a blog, Facebook, MySpace, wherever) simply post the link to the existing entry.
6. You may post one per day, many per day, one each day of the entire week, whatever suits your fancy. This is all about sharing, so feel free to share to your heart's content!
7. Please share this link with friends, too. He wants this thing to being photographic happiness to lots of people - and we need your help.

We've been awarded the “Brilliant Weblog Award”!!

We have been awarded The “Brilliant Weblog Award” by Maribeth at Dackel Princess.

Her award came from over at DianeCA’s Metamorphoses. I have been a fairly long time reader of the "Dackels", and I just love to read about the trials and tribulations of the posts. I have also been inspired with how 'M' has been going with her weekly trips to WW and her successes every week.

I have also enjoyed seeing how other countries spend their time in the opposite climatic conditions to what we have here 'downunder'! Whilst she had endured the snow, thick snow, we basked in summer, and now that we have winter, it simply does not compare to her winter in the USA!

So, thanks mate for the award, its a beauty!!

Now it is time for me to nominate a few people that I enjoy reading.

The rules for this award are:

• The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
• Link to the person you received your award from.
• Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
• Put links to those blogs on yours.
• Leave a message on the blogs of the people you have nominated.

I now have the honor of sending the award on to seven other bloggers. Seven?? Hmm, let me think...

I, WE have very different choices here at burntofferings, but here are my picks: Expatmom, Authorblog, Canberra's Got Style, WrittenInc, mr.monkey.suit, The Toy Society & Meet me at Mikes.

A birthday celebration x 3!!!

Yesterday, we had a celebration... Not only ONE birthday, but a total of THREE!!!

The day started out lovely, sun was shining, birds were singing... We even had a spa nice and early at 8am! Our Chinese visitors were having a sleep in, and we had a peacful breakfast. After the visitors had their breakfast, we loaded up the car and headed down to Bicentennial Park for the Birthday Parties.

When we got there, Tables were being set up, and nibbles weree dispersed around at each table as people were arriving. Both the babies were here already, and naturally, we took over baby holding duties!

BBQ was alight and 'The Boys' were over cooking, and I was sitting back and thought, as it was getting a little cloudy, to check the radar on my mobile phone... It was not looking very pretty, as there was a cloud front coming from the NW, and a similar front from the SW, both heading for Homebush! I mentioned this to the organisers, and we started to move the Grandparents into the undercover area, just in case! Food being served and a gust of wind, and slam bam thank you mam, it POURED down! Not only this, but the wind made the rain almost horizantle as well! With the wind, the temperature also plumeted, and it was very bitter, so the decission was made to go to Ya Ya's house near by for desserts and coffees (YUMM), as well as the opening of presents...

Now you can watch a slide show here or here are some shots to see anyway...

Birthday x 3!

1. Rosie..., 2. Rosie's 'Ice Cream Cone' cake, 3. Rosie 1st B'day, 4. Hat-Riley....-MOB, 5. Riley walking, 6. Riley's 'Blue Bear' cake, 7. Lou & Rosie, 8. Nan's 89th B'day, 9. Oh-Paddy.... Blowing out candles, 10. Riley and Alexandra rolling, 11. Will riding his bike..., 12. Rosie, kiss from mum...

The owner of the bed is...

Macc has, stricken ALL over the house, various beds of all shapes, colours and sizes. He even has 'ownership' of the sheepskin that is beside the bed! This is not the problem, however, but it is more of a problem for Jasmine! You see, she will look longingly at it, but look out if you were to pick her up and try to put her on it! She will wriggle, squirm scratch at you if she even thinks you're going to place her on the bed. She will even be so quick as to be off it in less than a millisecond!

BUT, the other day, I was upstairs in the study on the computer up there, it has a better sitting position for me. I turned around to find miss Jasmine on HIS bed! I thought, who took my kitty?! Anyways, Macc must have known something was amiss, as about 20-30mins later, he came up to find HER on HIS bed! He looked, sniffed, looked at me as if to say... "well go on, get her off MY bed..." In the end, he gave up, and sat himself beside it, and dropped his nose on it just to rub it in that he was still the OWNER of the bed!

Bed owner is...

An update....

Well, the transfer happened last week, the medications have (and still are being) taken, and this morning was an early start...

5.25am, Macc was barking at something (most likely a bat in one of the fruit trees or a neighbours cat helping its self to his bowl) outside as he was enjoying the warmth inside. I got an sms from my brother saying last night it was -4.5 in the Blue Mountains! So, at 5.30am when the alarm went off, a quick breakfast of a coffee and toast (with Vegemite) get dressed and it was off to have the blood test at 7am!

Normally, by this stage, things had started to happen that were NOT meant to happen, but so far, all is good. I will not get a phone call from the clinic until around 1pm, so we are waiting on tender hooks at the moment...

Update to follow...

UPDATE: (1:45pm AEST) A big fat NEGATIVE... L is distraught... At least we have another 5 in storage. The thing is, how long do we wait and rest?

Thematic Photographic: Patterns

Ok, so here we go again with Carmi's (WrittenInc) 'Thematic Photographic.

Everyday, I come to work and have to endure some amazing sights. If not Sydney Harbour, the Harbour Bridge, Opera House etc... but that of WHERE I actually work. It really is an amazing site with lots of really cool things all happening at different times throughout the year.

So, here are a few shots of this weeks theme of 'Patterns'. The pattern being replicated throughout the shots, is an arch. In the 'Greenbow', you can see how the flower stem from the giant Agave is arching under the weight of its stem.

Greenbow

In this shot, the soft arching lines of the lawn under the Ficus Tree is there to somewhat protect this old girls root lines. It is also a different species of turf to that of the main species that does not require as frequent mowing, and is also shade tolerant.

Tree of Light

And finally, in this shot, you will notice that the fungi have a somewhat phallic appearance about them, however, they still have a very arch appearance about them as well.

Fungi Sydney

So, don't forget to go over and see Carmi (WrittenInc), comment there (and here as well) just to share the comment cheer and to see some wonderful interpretations of 'Patterns'!