Stash

Stash splurge and ‘stuff’

Anne S

Thanks for the supportive and caring comments over the last few days – they’ve all been very well received 🙂 Sounds like we all have some horror stories to share with GP visits over the years! I have to admit, I’ve kept going back to this GP/Medical Centre ever since I went to her with high blood pressure about 1 1/2 years ago, as she had a really professional and efficient manner, and she was the one who diagnosed my gallstones after a few years of pains and no-one ever diagnosing it … so I try to go back and see her. It means I have to drive 1/2 hour to get there, but for ‘important’ visits I’d rather have her treat me, with a good knowledge of my medical history, than some quack like I had on the weekend – she doesn’t have bulk billing, so we have to pay for our visits with her, but I haven’t found a decent bulk billing GP since I moved here … I’d rather pay the money myself and get a decent diagnosis. All the GP’s I’ve had there have been really good, until this last one – I guess I should look locally for a Dr in my area for those ‘quick’ visits.

I have to admit, my day back at work on Sunday was a bit rough in the morning, as I still felt a bit ‘crook’ … but it was such a hectic and full-on day with unusual and time-consuming scenarios to fix, the day flew by and after lunchtime I felt a bit more ‘normal’. I’m now on my final day of my ‘weekend’ and can’t say I have much to show for it … I went back into work yesterday for a free ‘flu shot, then called into a LNS to pick up some extra threads as options for my exchange – I especially loved a Silk ‘n Colors thread, but put it back again when I found out it was going to cost $12.95 for one skein! Still struggling with what to make for these exchanges, but I can’t post ‘why’ as it will give the recipients away … oh well, still plenty of time to go yet 🙂

Even though I’m on a tight budget, I have had a bit of a stash splurge this week, though, thanks to Nicki’s generosity, plus the generosity of my last two houseguests … I was going to hold their money as ’emergency money’, but I ended up splurging on some stash (you can start getting the lecture ready now, Mum haha). I ended up using some of the money to order the Stitching Leporella kit of threads and beads from European XS (I already have the fabric coming from Jenna’s gift certificate), which still gave me some money left over. So, thanks to Nicki, I’ve managed to have a wee stash splurge on some other items that I really wanted from SB&B … the Judy Odell finishing book for the Stitching Leporello, some small Q-snaps, some Drawn Thread charts, Floss-away bags, LHN Coffee Menu chart, and Quaker Friendship Sampler by Samplers & Such … phew! And boy, oh boy, it felt good!! My clicky finger has been suffering from serious un-use, but it finally got a good workout haha. I’ll post piccies when it all arrives. I decided to get in quick with my order, as there is a 25% sale off at the moment.

I have to admit, I also did spend some of my own money too, as I had 9 hours of overtime coming in last payday, so I treated myself (that was before I had the option for a big splurge-fest) … after seeing them on other blogs, I ordered some thread keepers from Jodi … they’re just magical!! I’m sure no-one will be surprised when they find I ordered one in the shape of a bird! haha. It’s not a duck, but I’ve already told Jodi if a duck one ever becomes available, I’ll be first in line! LOL. I was originally going to post some of my fave piccies of past holidays overseas, seeing as I can’t post piccies of my stitching progress for a while – but then the thread keepers arrived, so at least I can post something stitchy-related 🙂 My fabric also arrived from my FOTM with Country Stitch – this is the only regular shipment I didn’t cancel, as the benefits are too good (all existing customers got automatic 20% off any fabric purchases, without having to work up to that level of loyalty – too good to resist!). This month’s shipment is a 32ct linen “blue ice” … pictured with last month’s shipment I forgot to post about, a 28ct linen “haystack” (I think this could be perfect for my Coffee Menu sampler).

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to start the needleroll SAL with Katrina et al this last weekend due to total lethargy, then work, but I’ve been scouring the internet for different designs, as it’s starting to become an obsession to find new ones … since I made my first needlerolls last year, I’m dying to have a basket set aside just for needlerolls … I just have to find some more charts first – I have a few sitting in my future wishlist now for a splurge some time in the far future, and in the meantime I’ve managed to find some Sweetheart Tree ones to start working my way through. So, next month, I’ll be able to join in properly, and I’m getting my first two all kitted up ready for starting 🙂 My first three candidates are Summer at the Ocean by Jeannette Douglas Designs, Strawberry needleroll by The Sweetheart Tree, and Sun needleroll by M Designs.

OK, time to sign off and get some errands done – it’s finally a beautiful day outside with blue skies (had started to forget what that looks like!), so I might take a walk up the bay to get some fresh air after getting some mail in the post. It’s my first official day as a day-shift worker tomorrow, so I have to work an extra 24 minutes each day, and fight the peak-hour traffic, so I think I might have use of public transport if it’s fine weather – it means I get extra exercise to/from the train station (about 10-15 mins walk each way), plus I get chance to read a book on the train (it’s only a short trip, so my travel sickness is relatively safe – but it’s not long enough to try stitching, plus the train is sometimes standing room only) … I want to make sure I make the most of my last day as a shift worker haha (fingers crossed it won’t be for long, as the Supervisor job is being announced either today/tomorrow, and I can hopefully moved into their spot if it’s a shift Hotliner that’s chosen for the job).

Geez, I’ve waffled on in this post – so much for ‘not much to say’ … or so I thought! I’ll finish with a fave piccie of mine from Santorini, Greece from about 7 years ago 🙂

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Weekend GP’s suck!

Anne S

A very juvenile thing to say, but pretty much how I feel right about now. I just drove 1/2 hour away to my not-so-local GP for a doctors certificate for work, and to get checked out, only to see a different GP I’ve never seen before. When I called up to make an appointment the Receptionist seemed reluctant to make an appointment with him … now I know why! What a jerk!! The last thing I felt like doing was jumping in my car and driving for 1/2 hour just to be told I should get back to work tomorrow (it’s my last working day before my ‘weekend’, which is Mon/Tue this week), as I should at least work for one day … then if I still don’t feel well I’ll apparently have to take some more time off work and I have to go back again and get some blood tests done, because “we’ve had to rush you through tonight” … what the?!!! I just drove all that way just to be told the equivalent of ‘take an aspirin and call me in the morning’ – I’m disgusted! The whole time I was talking to him about what my symptoms have been he barely looked at me. My mutterings to myself on the way home weren’t particularly complimentary! Can’t say I’m looking forward to my 6am shift tomorrow … Oh well, only one more then two days off again, I guess. I do have to admit, my muscle aches are a lot better than they were – but I haven’t eaten properly for two days, so I’ll try to get some proper food into myself tomorrow.

But today hasn’t been all bad – I still have my coat on from walking in the door, as I had to reply straightaway … I just came home to find an email from SB&B saying my pal Nicki has sent me a gift certificate in celebration of my job promotion – wow!! You could knock me over with a feather! What a wonderful email to come home to – I’ve sent you a personal email, Nicki, but thank you thank you thank you once again for such a generous gift – you’re a real sweetheart! And it really cheered me up after my GP visit 😀 And there just so happens to be a sale on at the moment … 😀 I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again … blogging has really introduced me to some of the nicest people in the world! Thanks Nicki! 😀

On the blogging front I managed to catch up on about 60 blog feeds today, but got fed up sitting in front of the PC, so tried to get some more stitching done ready to get my exchanges finished … but I found my stitching last night was out by one thread on the border – I couldn’t bear ripping it all out (over half of it!), so I just found a different thread and started a new one … this time I’m 3/4 of the way finished so I can try the finishing method I have in mind – and also see if the design will work OK with the thread I’ll be using for the ‘official’ exchange piece … have to admit, I love it in this new thread, it’s definitely very “me” – can’t show and tell yet, though, so it won’t ruin the surprise for the recipient … I’ll show you later, though.

Well, it’s soon going to be bed time for me if I’m going to have a 5am wake-up call, so I’d better start getting things ready for the morning. At least I can be comfy in my jeans at work tomorrow … ;P

Hope you’re all having a lovely weekend so far 😀

SBQ

Stitching Bloggers Questions

Anne S

For some reason my Yahoo group emails keep bouncing, and I’m not receiving a lot of posts, including the SBQ’s, so I just remembered to go get them from the website …

Been off colour the last two days, so took the day off today, and probably will tomorrow as well – I feel like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck … I don’t have a head cold yet, but I’ve had really bad chills at work, and my muscles really hurt especially in my thighs, along with a mild headache, and my concentration was appalling at work yesterday … after calling in sick to work today I managed to finish off 11 hours sleep! Crikey!! To say I’ve done no exercise whatsoever this week, my muscles are killing me, and I’m walking around like an old geriatric. I couldn’t even bear to put on a DVD to watch, so I obviously am not well in the slightest! LOL. I tried stitching for a couple of hours later tonight, trying to work out what to stitch for my Melanie’s Exchange gift on the SBEBB, but haven’t had much inspiration yet … it ended up turning out to be a great project for a biscornu, but that’s a different exchange … back to the drawing board again. Maybe I should leave that one until my head is back on my shoulders properly!

Anyway, I thought I’d jump online and check emails, and just remembered the SBQ’s, so here goes …

22 March – Today’s SBQ was suggested by Carol and is:

“Have you ever participated in a needlework mystery (ie, a design that you started before knowing how it will look in the end and by which you receive parts of the design via the internet, magazines, or leaflets at spaced intervals)? If so, why did you decide to do the mystery? What appealed to you about it? Did you enjoy it? If you have not done a mystery, would you ever do one?”

I can honestly say my first ever mystery I signed up for was Chatelaine’s recent Sea Quilt – I signed up for the first 4 squares, thinking the description sounded perfect for my best friend who’s a fish nutritionist (among other things) and loves diving … but I’m sorry to say I was definitely disappointed when I saw a glimpse of the whole project, and it stopped me signing up for any more – it was totally different to what I expected … I expected everything to be ‘underwater’ things, but there are ships wheels and lighthouses etc, and not an actual fish in sight. It’s still very nice, just not what I want to stitch. No doubt I’ll make one or two of the squares up one day, and probably turn them into pincushions for my smalls basket maybe. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about mysteries on the whole – I do like the idea, and as long as the outlay isn’t too bad for the materials, I’d be keen to try another one. I love the idea of receiving a set amount of stitching every month, or at a specified interval – and I love seeing everyone else stitching the different mysteries …

5 April – Today’s SBQ is:

“Do you stitch “on the go?” (On the commute to and from work, during your lunch break, waiting for the kids, etc) If so, do you have aspecific “travel” project or do you just grab whatever you happen to be working on and take it with you?”

Unfortunately I only get 30 minutes lunch break, so I don’t get time to stitch during the day as I take the time to walk down to my PO Box to get my mail on weekdays, and I drive to work so don’t have time during commuting either – I also get really travel sick, so stitching during a commute probably wouldn’t be a great option anyway. The only time I can get away with stitching at work is on the overnight shift, ie 9pm to 5am – if the calls are quiet, I can take a small project into work to put a few stitches into it – I usually have a small project in a plastic pouch that’s ready to be picked up and taken with me, but I rarely have the opportunity to stitch it.

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Thanks for the nice comments

Anne S

The feedback on my echidna is very much appreciated. It’s amazing how many wonderful creatures are only in Australia – when I first started looking for XS charts to stitch, I was astounded at all the weird and wonderful critters out there in this huge land.

Well, today was a very challenging day in more ways than one … in sympathy with Isabelle with her migraine, I started to get one too – thankfully a few tablets knocked it on the head, and it didn’t worsen to a full-blown migraine. It did keep me off work, though, which gave me chance to eventually get quite a few things done … especially two chores I hadn’t been looking forward to. I managed to put Mum out of a job, and got about 4 weeks worth of ironing done – I absolutely detest ironing with a passion … and the only reason it got done tonight, is because I was running out of clothes for work! LOL. I was joking to Mum on the phone yesterday that it was time she came back over ‘cos I was running out of clothes … Mum adores ironing, and it’s definitely one thing that didn’t get passed down the gene pool!

The second onerous chore was to apply for debt consolidation – I really hate discussing finances etc, but found out I could apply online, and got the response back immediately. Turns out I have ‘preliminary’ approval for a personal loan, so I could pay a few things off and just have to make one payment – which will make things a LOT better for me financially … I’ll probably end up paying more in the long run, but at least it won’t be as crippling in the short term. I’ve had to ‘make do’ for so long now, it will be nice not to have the same constraints around my shoulders … but I shouldn’t be counting my chickens before they’re hatched, as I still haven’t go the ‘official’ approval yet. Fingers crossed I’ll find out in about two weeks time …

I was going to drag out an old UFO tonight, but it’s 9pm already, and I’m pretty wrecked, so will have an early night so I can try to keep this headache at bay. I think perhaps I may have overdone it with stitching that echidna yesterday hmmm.

Charity Stitching, Finishes

Echidna happy dance

Anne S

Woohoo, managed to get my little Echidna square finished … but it took me all day, literally!! I was exceptionally lazy today, and didn’t even get out of my PJ’s all day … and spend the day superglued to my recliner and my needle 🙂 I just have my Batman logo to chart up and stitch, then all my current charity blocks are all finished. I’ll stitch some more later, but I really need to get back into my rotation again. It’s gonna be hard to give this little guy away … he’s so cute! 🙂

Thanks everyone for your supportive comments, as always 🙂

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Stitching progress

Anne S

It was nice to pick up a needle again yesterday, and see some progress at the end of it … I managed to get amost halfway through my charity quilt block for Dylan H with Quilts4Kids. His theme is Australian animals and sites, and thanks to Sharon and Gina I had a few to choose from after sharing their Aussie stitching books with me – I opted to stitch an Echidna from “Sourcebook for Australian Cross-Stitch” by Vivienne Garforth. I hope to get it finished today, and I’m ignoring the much-needed housework today in order to get it done … and Fraze’s staying for a few nights this week again, so he says, so it’ll only need doing again afterwards, so probably better to leave the vacuuming etc until later … see, I can find a good excuse for anything! LOL.

I’d like to keep doing charity stitching when I can – and I’ve included a spot in my new rotation for just that … it might be only every couple of months I get to that rotation slot, but I figure every little bit helps – and there’s nothing stopping me adding another one in every now and then, as the rotation police won’t call around and arrest me for breach of rotation 😉 Unfortunately a lot of my charts that are perfect for this sort of stitching are still back home in NZ … so Mum had a phone call from me on Friday asking her to flick through my chart folders to see if there are any charts in there suitable for the latest group of quilt themes, and I’ll pay for the postage for them to be sent to me. You have no idea how much I miss being able to flick through my old folders! It’s not that I don’t have enough here to keep me in stitching projects for years to come, just that I love to flick through them for inspiration – and for ‘quick stitches’ like these charity blocks. One day I’m going pay for the whole lot, along with my Inspirations magazines etc, to be shipped over by freight … one day … 🙂

Carina, I’ll send you an email shortly – it would be great to see you in August 🙂 I wondered how you went about getting your ticket changed – at least when I get to my ‘proper’ shifts on the new job, I can tell months in advance what days I’m actually working, so we can slot something in. I’m not sure about Luna Park – I know there’s one in Sydney, so perhaps it is just owned by the same people? Not aware of any others in Aussie, but then again I’m not an Aussie, so nothing would surprise me! haha.

OK, back to my stitching again … it’s a grey overcast day, and a bit chilly, so a perfect day for sitting inside stitching! 😀

Melbourne

It’s finally the Weekend!

Anne S

For most of you your weekend is already started, but Sunday is Saturday for me this week, as it’s my first day of two days off, yippee! Just went and spent some time with Roseanne and Laure before they headed back to Auckland again – it was lovely to wander down to St Kilda and have a leisurely brunch and coffee … and managed to watch some fighter jets doing acrobatics in the sky, no doubt entertaining the Grand Prix audience just up the road – gave us some added excitement for the day! 😀 I just decided to give you a little piccie of Luna Park, a well known landmark in St Kilda, just for the sake of showing a picture in my blog … I certainly don’t have any stitching updates to show this week 😦 The photo was taken when Mum was here over Christmas – today it is quite overcast and I had to drag the winter clothes out, as the temperature has plummeted overnight … one day the weather is 30C, the next 15C – go figure!! I guess that’s just life in Melbourne! 😀

On a stitching note, if any of you are interested in canvaswork, you have to take a look at this piece on the ANG website … it’s just stunning! Called Bargello Symphony by Loretta Spears, it’s to die for … it’s even in pink, and I still love it haha.

Nothing else to report, really … I’m planning to start my next charity block this afternoon/evening, as I really want to get my commitment stitching out of the way so I can get back to my rotation – I’ve also just added more and more things into my rotation, which might work out to be totally unmanageable, but we’ll see … Fingers crossed I’ll have some stitching to show you tomorrow – I’ve got 3 DVD’s on hand from Homescreen … hopefully something will be worth watching this time – and if not, it’ll aid with my stitching, I guess LOL. OK, off to start kitting it up …

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Silkweaver is redeemed

Anne S

Silkweaver are very kindly completing a small order of plain fabrics that I’d been wanting for some upcoming ornies – I approached them, thinking there would be fat chance of it happening, but I’d already had a partial list ready for ordering, just never got around to it thinking there was ‘plenty of time yet’. Looks like my backorder from the middle of January is finally on its way too … so my first birthday stash from Jenna’s certificate will be on its way soon, along with my backorder – as soon as I know what the final cost is, I’ll make up the balance on some hand-dyed fabric 🙂 What I’ve ordered so far:

  • 40ct meadow rue Lakeside Linens (13″ x 18″)
  • 32ct opalescent raw Belfast linen (fat 1/4)
  • 36ct sand Edinborough linen (approx 12″ x 15″)
  • 40ct summer khaki Newcastle linen (9″ x 13″)

I was also very very bad last week … I shouldn’t be spending any money at all with the new job starting in a week and a half (well, actually I’m already doing the job, but I don’t move to day shift until then) … but I slipped up! I have a NZ Amex that I’ve been trying not to use, so I can get it paid off – but I put something on it to celebrate my promotion … I was going to buy flowers, but Mum agreed they would just die quickly in our heat … then we thought about a plant, but I’m not really very good at keeping them alive! … then Katrina mentioned the Chatelaine Stitching Leporello on her blog … well, I’ve been drooling over this ever since I first saw it when Mum was here – and I’ve signed up for it! I just thought it was the perfect design to commemorate this occasion for me … mind you, I want to stitch it using the silks, and I won’t go that mad just yet and get them … I’ll get the kit later on when I’m back on shift work again, and the credit card is looking a bit healthier. The first instalment arrived in the email inbox today and it’s just gorgeous!! It would be lovely to be able to stitch it each month, but it’s not going to kill me ;P And I’ll just content myself with seeing every else’s progress 😀

Gifts TO BE FIXED, Stash

Disappointing news about Silkweaver

Anne S

Just a quick post to say how disappointed I feel about Silkweaver’s announcement that they won’t be selling plain fabrics etc any longer, but will just be selling hand-dyeds … Normally it wouldn’t worry me so much, but I had almost completed my ‘mental’ order of fabrics that I wanted to buy using Jenna’s birthday gift certificate, and they were all plain/opalescent fabrics for upcoming projects. When Country Stitch did this recently, Linda had her stock of plain fabrics at discounted prices, so you still had chance to try and get the fabrics that you needed – I knew I wouldn’t be able to get a lot of them, but you at least had a chance to quickly contact her to see what she was still holding in stock. Silkweaver have just sent an email saying that’s it, no longer available for sale 😦 I’m sure I can find some lovely hand-dyed fabbies to spend my voucher on, but I just feel a bit disappointed in the whole thing {{pouting}}. A lot of the local suppliers down under just don’t have the same range, and I can understand the business reason behind it (Linda and I discussed this at length over a few emails, and I don’t blame her for not stocking plain fabrics anymore). Thank goodness I still have Karen at Dragonfly Dreams – but geez I wish you were in my home town, as you have the best selection down under of everything!

I still can’t believe what we pay at my LNS for threads etc … to give you an example, that quite frankly shocked me senseless, and I’m tempted not to set foot in it again without taking smelling salts to help with the shock of the bill! I really, really wanted to use the right threads (well, as much as possible, anyway) for my recent Christmas ornies – but there were a few colours I didn’t have in GAST … so I called into my LNS on the way home from work, as it’s only a 5-minute detour from my route home – they had the main 3 colours I really needed, so I trotted up to the counter with them. To be honest, I expected them to be expensive, but not nearly as much as they were – I ended up paying $16.50 for 3 skeins – that’s $5.50 each skein!!! Bl**dy hell, my brain kept thinking all the way home – I was in shock! I know you have to have mark-ups on your products, and I know us down under have to pay for the shipping/customs charges in the long run, but I don’t understand that sort of mark-up whatsoever! Unfortunately for them, in the future if I’m buying locally, Dragonfly Dreams will be getting all my local business – at $3.50 a skein for GAST, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out why … aside from that, Karen’s service is exceptional and very personalised! (and I would have said that, even if I didn’t know you were reading my blog now, Karen! LOL) Once I get back to being confirmed as a shift worker again, I’ll be getting an order in, that’s for sure! I really needed some fabrics for some upcoming Christmas ornaments, but perhaps I just need to have a hunt through my stash and become a bit creative, or just choose a different ornament to stitch in the meantime … Geez, I’m a bit of a grizzle-guts at the moment LOL.

BUT on a much brighter note, I have to say I had a wonderful surprise in my PO Box on Wednesday, but haven’t had chance to acknowledge it online on the computer at all … my apologies for the delay in making an official acknowledgement! I had a wonderful belated birthday prezzie from my sweet angel, Tobie – thank you so much, Tobie, it was a wonderful surprise and a wonderful gift, from a wonderful friend 🙂 Thanks heaps and HEAPS!! It had a wonderful chart from my wishlist – Sun needleroll by M Designs, and a gorgeous skein of blue Anchor pearl cotton with a metallic thread through it …. it’s just gorgeous! But wait … there’s more! … there’s also a
packet of my absolute favourite needles – some #26 Piecemakers, and a packet of 14ct aida, which is absolutely perfect for my charity quilt blocks – and you’ll never believe it, but I’ve just been thinking I was going to have to buy some more ‘cos I was short of fabric for one block I’ve committed myself to stitching – talk about perfect timing!! Wow, Tobie, I was well and truly spoilt rotten!! Thank you, thank you, thank you my dear friend! :)))

During my last bit of stitching, I managed to finally watch the last DVD’s I got sent by Homescreen (they’ve only been sitting there for 2 weeks!) … and they were all dreadful – “Breaking in” with Burt Reynolds; “The Brush-Off” – an Aussie movie, and semi-watchable; and the worst one of all “The Good Girl” with Jennifer Aniston – what a load of rubbish!!! Let’s hope the 3 movies heading out my way this week are a bit better … “The Program”, “Boat Trip” and “Memories of Me” … ‘cos the ones I’ve been choosing lately have been appallingly bad! Maybe I should just start closing my eyes and pointing my mouse at the screen, and selecting whatever it falls on, ‘cos that would have to be better than the drivel I’ve been choosing myself!! On the latest stitching front, I managed to get about two more inches stitched on Marine Elegance, so I’m just around the bottom point and heading back up to the top … don’t think I’ll attempt any more today though LOL.

And unfortunately that’s all I have time for today – I’m absolutely exhausted … it’s only 4.10pm and I can hardly keep my eyes open … only managed to get about 5 hours sleep last night ‘cos I was up all night chatting, which is not very clever on a 6am shift LOL. Tonight Rox is out to dinner, leaving me and Fraze on our own, so hopefully I can get an early night to make up for it … but I’m seriously thinking of having a kip right about now … But hopefully Fraze will get home early enough for us to go for a beach walk for an hour before dinner – that should tire me out even more LOL. Tomorrow night I’m off to dinner with Rox on our own, to have a proper catch-up and girlie night out … it’s been so wonderful to see her – I still can’t really believe she’s here in this country!!! 😀

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For Coral …

Anne S

Sorry Coral, I had forgotten to answer your question about framers in Melbourne – but the truth is that I don’t know any yet. I’m actually an import from Auckland, and can recommend some there ;P but I’ve never had anything framed since moving here … sorry, not much help to you, I’m afraid 😦

Apologies for the brief post, but I just wanted to answer that question – am just popping online quickly to check emails while Fraze drives Laure back to her hotel room and to pick up Rox’s suitcase … then when they come in it will be time to say goodnight and go to bed – 2 x 6am’s down, 2 x 6am’s to go! 🙂