fish mornay

Well, today went looking for a bit of fish! Not any old fish, but a special fish to replace chilli. After almost 30 mins looking for parking in Westfield, we finally got ourselves a spot and joined the masses inside.

We not only trudged around the majors within, but found a plentiful supply of chocolate goodies for tomorrows 'Easter' binge. We had made ourselves a list of 'to-do' items, one of which was to find a suitable replacement for the dearly departed chilli. On the list of attributes required, was a long whispy fins & tail, pretty colouring and attitude! Well, we got two out of three, it remains to be seen about the attitude and if he will allow Jasmine to share HIS living space!

So long Chilli

After much discussion over names (Chilli, Bok Choi, Jalapeno, Jesus (prouounced 'hey zeus' & it is the Easter Weekend!!) ,and Lavender due to his colour), we introduce Mornay!

Mornay

chilled out

Chilli the siamese fighting fish has passed away. Chilli has been a good pet, causing us no trouble, just quietly doing laps of the vase and tolerating Jasmine (the cat) drinking his water. Chilli was our second siamese fighting fish, our first fighting fish was also named Chilli (I liked the name) although Chilli the first met his death through an unfortunate circumstance, which goes something like this:

The scene - winter, it's cold in the loungeroom
Me to B and the Next Sister Down who is visiting: Do you think Chilli is feeling cold?
B: I think he's all right
Me sticking a finger in the water : He's a tropical fish isn't he? The water is cold!
So I turn on the new MicroFurnace ceramic heater and place the vase (fish bowl) in front of the heater.
B: What are you doing?
Me: I'm warming the water up a bit for him
Next Sister Down: I don't think that is such a good idea
Me: It's all right
A couple of minutes later...
Next Sister Down: I think that's enough, you'll end up cooking him
Me: Don't be silly, it'll take ages before it heats up, look he's swimming around now, he was cold
Next Sister Down: I think you're wrong..... I think he's in the throws of death
A few kamakazi dives later and I had to admit she was right.

Chilli the second, was not given any such helping hand from me apart from a sprinkling of food each day. He had lasted 2-3 years, and we kind of expected he would be with us for while yet. We had a bit of a chuckle earlier in the day when Nat, who will be houseminding for us in a couple of weeks, said we had better get her a photo of the fish cause she couldn't see him in the bowl, and should he die on her she would need to know what to replace him with. We just laughed it off. So it was with some suprise to find him dead this evening.

Blogging friends

Today we finally got to meet 'N'! What was supposed to be dinner, ended up with a late night (thanx 'A') and an early morning (THANX 'A') and before we all knew anything else, it was arranged for both 'A' and 'N' to come over for morning tea, which naturally carried over to lunch!
Today we had 'Spicy Fish' on a bed of 'Cockroach (in joke after My Restaurant Rules) Rice, and veges of Carrots, Peas and Brussel Sprouts YUK!

A good time was had by all, and cant wait to do it all again!!!

Blogging friends

bloggerbot bother

There is something wrong with bloggerbot! I have a couple of posts waiting in the wings, and about half a dozen photos to illustrate however, bloggerbot is stuck at please wait, loading.

I think I might go back to my less than weekly postings....

yummy little cupcakes

we returned to the Royal Easter Show today and came home with our own little stash of cupcakes from the My Little Cupcake stand.

cupcake anyone?....too late they're all gone!

These are the best cupcakes, besides the one's the Next Sister Down makes of course. The self-appointed taste tester also agrees...

Macc: Who left that cupcake outside my (dog)house?

Macc, did his usual trick of helping himself, when B and I were distracted by a loud noise out front.

We were only at the Show for a few hours, we covered some old ground but also said hello to some geese and chooks.

curly feathered goose

pretty chook

secret women's business

the women folk gathered at the Littlest Sister's place for the Kitchen Tea today. The Next Sister Down had devised some good games although, one which involved putting on a wedding dress and picking up smarties with chopsticks, was a too much of a challenge for most.

silly smartie game

B is with the men, who have gone to play lawn bowls and have dinner at the Lowenbrau. This should provide me with an opportunity to get some study done, or not.

a right royal day

apart from the early start - having to drop B off at work and pick mum up before heading back almost from where I had started - and despite the rain, it was a good day. But then, I always love the Royal Easter Show.

I could've done with a spare couple of thousand dollars though to buy a beautiful pair of pearl drop earrings from the Pearls for Girls stand; a wool and cotton felted wrap (I might still go back for that one); a pale turquoise/aqua leather briefcase/bag; a 'frayed shade' lampshade; and Dick Bruna Alphabet needlework (and I might still go back for that too).

With a budget of $150 or thereabouts I did get a vintage mirror lidded glass box from 'The Shed', a cake decorating book from Better Homes and Gardens, gourmet biscuits (to take to the Littlest Sister's Kitchen Tea Party tomorrow), a beaded throw from My Little Cupcake, as well afternoon tea (coffee and cupcakes) for mum, B and me.

Highlights of the day, were the treasures found, bumping into the 'Princess of the East', fashion and style pavilion and the fashion parade, Miffy's garden (so cute), and the Woolworth's Fresh Food Dome. The Horticulture Pavilion was a bit disappointing this year but apart from that the quality of the exhibitions at the show was much improved.

doing the hedges in Miffy's garden

Miffy: Excuse me while I water my flower.

favourite district exhibits

B and I hope to return on Sunday, B only had an hour with us after he finished work, so hopefully we can bring you some photos.

let me reacquaint you....

too many commitments are distracting me from blogging. Work is busy, and uni is back for both B and Me, so we are in competition for the computer. I have been so busy that no quilting, x-stitch, or other creative pursuit has been done either.

So at my desk, over a sandwich, before my next meeting at 1.30pm, a brief update:

• the faulty toaster has been returned and a replacement is yet to be purchased
• a new breakfast has been discovered 'Spicy Date and Cinnamon Museli'
• B is a year older, and although I forgot to wish him a happy birthday, he did get a good pressie from me, and enjoyed a B'day BBQ with his 'adopted family', mum, and A
• the icing has been purchased for the Littlest Sister's wedding cake (the wedding being just over 2 weeks away)

And, in case it is over a week before I blog again...

Tomorrow, I am going to the Royal Easter Show with mum, Saturday, is the Littlest Sister's Kitchen Tea, and beyond that I have a few days annual leave which require some serious attention be given to uni work.

toaster tantrum

I got off to a really bad start today. Our new(ish) toaster kept shorting the house out. The first time it happened I was only partly dressed which meant when the power shorted out, I needed to get dressed to go outside and 'flick the switch'. On the way back in the radio needed to be turned back on, the microwave clock reset, etc if you ignore the video and other appliances that flash at you when there has been a disruption to the power. This process (apart from the getting dressed) was repeated a couple more times, with the exception of the last time when I decided to plug the toaster into a powerpoint in the loungeroom. I was trying to eliminate the kitchen and kitchen powerpoints as the problem, but had the same result, at which point it was deduced that the new(ish) toaster was solely to blame.

Already running late at this point, I determined the toaster had to be returned, so wasted a ridiculous amount of time searching for the receipt and getting myself even more worked up......and of course cranky with B, who was blissfully unaware on his way to work. To clarify I was cranky with B because of poppyseeds and breadcrumbs left on the kitchen bench after he made his lunch this morning, and wasn't it B who had discouraged me from getting my dream toaster in the first place because it was ridiculously expensive. If we had bought the dualit I wouldn't be having grief this morning, now would I?.

It wasn't till I was on the road and still trying to calm down, as I hadn't found the receipt, had left the house in a mess, hadn't had breakfast, and was late for a meeting at 9am, that I thought to go through the centre console of my car and found the receipt I was looking for. Now the toaster can be returned and I was calmed by the decision-making process required for deciding which colour(petal pink, mint green, glacier blue, lavender blue, utility cream.......) dualit toaster to purchase. Surely, the expense is worth avoiding another morning like this morning?

A, B & C

Last night, (Sunday), we went and had a lovely dinner with A, B & C.... In case your wondering, A is expecting the C!

We had a lovely night, up until B got out the old Trivial Pursuit, Special edition '80's style! Well, I totally sucked at it, and didn't even get 1 piece of pie, L got 2 (from memory) and whilst the other B got two, one was 'stolen' from A as in this game you can gasump from other parties if the question itself has a symbol on it and your roll of the dice matches the symbol, so A's piece of pie was quickly taken and he had three bits. But as the night was getting on, I made the suggestion we have a race to the middle and if you get the question right, then you're the winner. Well done A for your quick 'B-line' to the middle and an easy question to win!

Thanks A, B & C for the invitation for dinner!!

should a cat cry over spilt milk???

Or what about L crying over spilt coffee????

Ok, you now need to create a mental picture, ok!!

Your sitting down in a 'Posh Nth Shore' coffee shop (see last post)...

You are dressed in a nice crisp white dress ready to go into the 'Posh Nth Shore' shop and then later in the afternoon to 'B's specialist...

You are thorughly enjoying a coffee with a cinnamon roll...

You are sipping at you coffee, and (insert expletive ........ HERE!!!) it spills all over you front, even into your lap!!

Now, rather embarrassed, we leave somewhat hurriedly to the car to fully gauge the damage, and yes you guessed it, disaster has run rife with a coffee stain about the size of Tasmania on the dress!!!

Now what comes next is the icing on the cake, as we had come that far, yes we did do a packed lunch ALL the way over the the Nth Shore, and we were not to leave empty handed so off to the shop we go. But wait, it was rather crowded, so we retreat to the comfort of a rather large tree that will give us a strategic view of the ladies leaving the shop, allowing us to gain entry without being noticed by the passing crowds. Once we had gained entry, with handbag strategically placed too I might add, we surveyed the store and located items to be purchased with minimal fuss when all of a sudden, DAMN, a lovely shop assistant came to assist. We engaged in dialogue for some minutes, when we had to let the cat out of the bag and disclose that L has had a 'Cappucino' malfunction... Laughs were had by all, purchases made, and a hasty exit back to the car and we were once again homeward bound!

So yes, dear readers, it is ok to cry over spilt coffee as L did today, even if it was tears of laughter AFTER the event!!

please read disclaimer first!!

Disclaimer: Views expressed in the following blog, are NOT those of the writer, but in fact the writers (ex)brother!

Put another strike against the brother from hell! Last night, when calling the mother to see how she was, and I get loaded up with questions about bloody land tax!!!

When I tried to express my thoughts, for what it was worth as when ever I have something to say, it is assured that he will go the opposite, I get forever spoken-over, so the easiest thing is to just hang up!! This is a common thing mind you, so don't be surprised!!!

Anyway, when I open up my email this morning, there it is, an email from him titled 'Thank you' and I thought, hang on, who stole my brother as he has never had anything to say about me that is nice, EVER!!!!

Well upon opening it, it was full of utter CRAP! Yep that's right, outright rubbish! And what's more, he goes on to say 'how I fell about us Western Suburbs Type', well hello, I was born in the bloody western suburbs and still live in the western surburbs you idiot!!

Now, to protect those of you who live north of the western surburbs, I will not go on to saying what he said about you, but bring it on, let me out of the WESTERN SUBURBS if it is self centered idiots like him in there!!!

Anyway, enough ranting and raving, I want some good news.....

So tell me about it and I will tell everyone else as I have nothing other to say but I will be having surgery in April, either the 5th after L's littlest sister's wedding on the 2nd, or on the 19th!

quilting injuries

I have almost finished the rose gingham quilt....


quilt quality control in progress

In Saturday's class, I pinned... and only a small amount of blood was spilt (when I stuck a safety pin into my finger, as the blood did not come immediately I did not realise until it smudged a corner of the quilt).

The larger amount of blood was yet to come whilst machine quilting, and you guessed it, I sewed through the side of my finger. So that was the end of quilting for Saturday.


the quilting process (before sewing my finger)

Managed a few DVD's over the weekend - The Terminal, excellent and thoroughly recommended, and Exorcist, The Beginning, absolute rubbish.

anyone for cake?

it comes highly recommended by the non-approved taste tester, who has been banished to the backyard for his gluttonous sampling. Before accepting this generous invitation for a piece of cake, I feel it my duty to advise that since being tasted, it can not be guaranteed that all pieces will conform to public health standards.


cake take 1

If however, you would like to wait, a second cake is currently under production and will be served tomorrow, morning tea time at B's work. Happy Birthday, Stevie.

And B, the taste tester asks for your forgiveness, and has apologised to me for eating my breakfast this morning.

Busy day

Cleaned carpets first thing, washed dog, attended quilting class, visited IKEA, and hung out with A.

It has been a very satisfying day.

My quilt is nearing completion.....


Nearly finished my quilt...

And I love this cushion, which I found at IKEA, it is all embroidered, and right in the centre is a Blue Bird which reminded me of the Bluebird of happiness, and embroidery my mum did many, many years ago.


Bluebird of happiness

Stitches and Craft

This was the first day spent with mum in ages. She has been busy with Christmas, school holidays and the littlest sisters wedding and I have been busy with work, uni and being moody.

(BTW I've been asked to do a reading at the littlest sisters wedding, so am over my moody. For now anyway.)

SOOOO, it was with much anticipation that a day was planned for an outing at the Stitches and Craft Show at Rosehill. If it wasn't so good to have mum all to myself for a change, I think I would have asked for my entry fee back. I wouldn't really, but you know what I mean. I don't think we have been to the February one before, and I don't think I will bother again in the future. There wasn't much there and what was there seemed all the same. The highlight of the Show was bumping into A(milly-molly-manda).

Aside: Too many A's for friends, it was discovered that this A was named by her mother after one of my mothers favourite children's books (Milly Molly Mandy, by Joyce Lankester Brisley). This all came out over a discussion about maps - don't ask.

The day was not completely a shopping disaster however, as I made the following purchases at a shop in Willoughby.


tiny tired elephants...

Indian rolling pin

And actually, it wasn't a craft disaster either as the backing fabric for the Rose Gingham Quilt arrived from Ballarat patchwork today, ready for quilting class tomorrow.

snippets of discussion

Heard about this site? It might make you laugh....it did me and I can be a moody cow.

The purpose of the site is described by its makers as

"...dedicated to the English language, that complex tongue spoken by a large chunk of the world's population and by several communities in the American South. Specifically, it's dedicated to unusual quotes, strange statements, bad writing and other oddities of the language. Things that are funny because of the specific choice of words. Things that sound great because of the context, or that sound even better when given no context at all. (Like the name of the site, for example.) "

Go check it out, wemadeoutinatreeandthisoldguysatandwatchedus.

tiffin

Tiffin? n (in India) a light meal, esp. at midday. According to my 'Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus 21st Century Edition'.

Although refers to a purchase off wishlist made last week (after eyeing off the Sister-in-Laws one), and arrived today.


my 'Tiffin'!

Don't say you don't learn something from this site.

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.

canal walk

come on, lets go!

Yesterday, B and I took the boys for a walk along the Lower Prospect Canal walk/cycleway from our place as far as the Cumberland Hwy, one-and-a-half hours in total. It was fantastic, we have walked in the other direction but thought it might be nice to explore somewhere new. At one point we could see Chatswood and the City and whilst we had beautiful weather the rain was coming down in these areas.


lower prospect canal reserve

Yesterday, Joe also got to meet some of the members of his new family (the mum, son and daughter). Apparently, apart from the dad, there are three more children, a live-in nanny, and a cat. He got on really well with them and they loved him, which is keeping at bay the panic that was beginning to rise in my stomach at the thought of him going.

Today, we did another part of the Lower Prospect Canal walk/cycleway, one hour this time, and starting from Gipps Rd towards the Reservoir. Unfortunately, we got just short of the Reservoir as the gates were being shut at 6.35pm. I asked the security guard how far it was to the reservoir and it was only a 5 minute walk. If we had been 5 minutes earlier we would have made it!

When we got home, we were greeted enthusiastically by Jasmine.

"You could have taken me with you on the walk".


Sleepy Boys

something different

view from the pool

We spent the night as the guests of Star City Hotel last night. After the last few months of juggling work and uni, and the late nights over Christmas, it was really nice to have dinner cooked for you, a quiet nights sleep, only to wake up and go for a swim, and not have to make the bed or breakfast. It was strange but I felt more refreshed from that one night at the hotel than I have from having just had time off over Christmas/New Year.

Today, I picked up the cottons for my next x-stitch L'Ete and ordered Le Printemps, and Garden Cat, also by Birds of a Feather. I bought L'Ete off ebay, however, I have since discovered that The Crewel Gobelin generally stocks them. They also kindly supplied me with a wholesalers website, that if I see anything I want on it, they will get it in for me. I have been to the site briefly, and it is truly enormous. I was so pleased we dropped into The Crewel Gobelin before going to mum and dad's for a cup of tea. I was going to order the threads I needed from them online (they are the cheapest for them by as much as 50%), but then I wouldn't have been put onto such a great resource.

news of a new home for joe

Joe will be going to a new home next week. He has been with us for two weeks tommorrow and already I am really attached. Actually, I was attached to him from day 1. I really admire those who foster dogs regularly, and like my friend Lynne who looks after the furry family member in her home whilst people are away, sometimes for weeks at a time. I know she gets quite attached, and now I can appreciate how difficult it is for her to say goodbye.


Joe

a year has passed..

it is now 2005, and although it was only last week since we updated the BLOG, it does seem like a year has passed. Our New Year celebrations were a bit of a let down in some respects. We were supposed to be going to the City to watch the fireworks display with A, meeting up with Auntie C and Little L. But as luck would have it, B was sick again with stomach cramps (they have been on and off since mid December) and somehow an evening in the City mixing with the millions didn't seem such a good idea. Soooo,it was a night at home with DVD's, and the company of A (who had also not been feeling great).

We have not spent New Years at out place before. Intermission and finale fireworks were provided by Sydney City, whilst hours of intermittent local displays were provided by our neighbours in the park next door. In some respects it was just as well we weren't able to go to the city and were at home, as Slow Joe our foster dog and Jas the cat were absolutely terrified by the explosions taking place just metres from our tiny abode. Macc, on the other hand dealt with the whole ordeal in his own unique way, marching up to the back door, with a 'let me at it' attitude.


the Boys

After a good sleep in on New Year's day, the boys (Macc and Joe), B and I went to the Pittwater Dog Beach for a bit of sunshine and sand. Macc was not too impressed with the aspect of a swim, that 'let me at it' attitude from the night before was nowhere in sight. Whilst Joe was in his element rushing in and promptly dropping into the water. He loved it, and mixed with the other puppies large and small. It was a shame the boys had to wear their muzzles, as it puts some other dog owners off, they jump to the conclusion that because they are wearing muzzles they must be biters or dangerous, which couldn't be further from the truth. Regardless, the boys created a lot of interest and quite a few people came over to talk to us, they had seen the Greyhound Adoption Program at the Royal Easter Show. One lady from Greysteynes, and her friend spent a considerable amount of time with us, which was great, as the friend had a small maltese terrier and people could see that 'the Boys' were just happy to play with the smaller dog, and were not interested in eating it.


at the beach

Sunday we took a trip out to Bali Gardens and had lunch at Windsor, followed by an afternoon sojourn to the new IKEA at Rhodes Waterside. The new IKEA is HUGE, but it was also really packed full of people. Too many people for it to be a truly pleasant experience. It was a super late night with A and B playing X-box into the wee hours. I checked out at about midnight, after finishing the main part of my rose gingham quilt and pondering my next project, which is either to be a felt creation or Le Ete (I think this means 'Summertime') a Birds of a Feather X-stitch pattern I purchased off ebay. I am going to use Stitches and Spice linen and the Weeks Dye Works, but may not be able to get started for a little bit yet, as the size of linen required will need to be made to order, and I still need to pick up the cottons in order to determine exactly which colour sensation is best.

Monday, after a bit of a sleep in, it was back to my assignment, which got finished today.