Tag: Cross Stitch

Cross Stitch, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Happy Mail!

Anne S

Finally I can share with you a couple of amazing gifts I received last week from two very generous online friends.  After such a stressful time, it was amazing to open up my PO Box and find two envelopes bursting with goodness sitting in there!

First up was a scrummy skein of Gloriana silk from Susan – it might be a bit fuzzier than it originally arrived, as I kept stroking it at work haha.  For anyone who hasn’t fondled a skein of Gloriana before, it’s a sheer joy!  Thanks so much for your lovely thoughtful gift Susan, it’s been a pleasure to call you “friend”, and your gift really touched me! {{hugs}} 🙂

friendship-gift-from-susan-

Next up is an absolutely exquisite biscornu from Andrea – this is so perfectly “me” in every sense of the word!!  Look at those scrummy colours and that beautiful finishing … isn’t it a real stunner?!!  This was a gift to welcome me into my new home, and it’s now sitting on display in the lounge with my other smalls – it will always be treasured, Andrea, I really love it to death! I love the personalisation on the back too! 😀

andrea-heath-feb08-front

andrea-heath-feb08-back

See, I told you last week the piccies would be worth waiting for … and I was right, huh? 😀

Thanks again to my two dear friends for making last week a wonderful one!

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A quick update on the car is that it’s running nicely again – everything requested was fixed … although admittedly it was a bit more than I expected in the end, as the alternator ran into a few difficulties so it ended up costing an extra $100 – anyway, all up it was just over $750 so it didn’t quite hit the $1,000 horror mark … and I’m so happy that everything is now fixed, including the airconditioning and aerial … I’m one happy camper!!! And to top things off I’ll be using it to drive down ‘south’ next weekend to my first stitching weekend in Sydney – I’m really looking forward to meeting a few more stitchers up here 🙂

We have a friend from work coming up from Melbourne tomorrow morning to stay with us for 2 nights until Friday, which will be fun. That means we’re off out to dinner for the next two nights – tomorrow night we’re just popping across the road to the local RSL, then Thursday night we’re heading into the city for the first time. I still haven’t worked out what to do for my birthday yet, hmmm … no doubt I’ll make my decision on Friday night – 24 hours notice is OK right? haha.

I’ve also just been very bad and organised Mum’s birthday gift … we’re now off to see Phantom of the Opera here in Sydney.  Mum’s never seen it before, and she’s always wanted to see the live show, but we’ve never managed to organise it before.  It’s so awesome to finally get tickets for her to see it … and of course I get to share the gift as well (even though I saw it in New York years ago, I’m looking forward to seeing it again).  I hope it lives up to your expectations Mum! 🙂

Rightio, time to quickly run around with a vacuum cleaner before hitting the hay for the night, as I think we’ll be having a late night for the next two nights, and I’ve spent most of tonight in the kitchen cooking … time to quickly cram the entire night’s housework into 15 minutes hmmm 🙂

Cross Stitch, Needlerolls, Works in Progress

A WIP and Car goes to the Dr

Anne S

Sorry I haven’t been online much but quite frankly I just haven’t felt like posting at all – the move was quite exhausting, both physically and mentally … I can’t believe that even my knuckles felt bruised and aching after all the lifting!!!  Yesterday was the first day I could lift a box up off the floor again without groaning – geez it felt good 😉

Anyway, today I had an early morning start – my car is finally off to the mechanics on the other side of town.  I really need my car, and to finally have a decent and fair mechanic looking at it is a blessing in itself.  Brenda and Nigel have recommended their mechanic to me, and he seems like a really nice bloke so far.  I’ve documented the entire history of what’s been going wrong with my car over the last 2 years, which will hopefully help shed some light on what’s wrong … if nothing else hopefully he can get the car windows to open again, which will be a bonus in the Sydney heat!  And most importantly I hope he can get the dashboard light working again!! I upgraded my RACV membership to the “total care” package, which gives unlimited towing and breakdown assistance … but unfortunately it doesn’t exactly copy over to the NRMA in Sydney (which I didn’t realise) – I only get 8km free towing, and have to pay $4.40 per km over that … considering the mechanic is possibly just over 50km away, that’s gonna be a hefty towing bill!! Supposedly I can claim that money back from the RACV though, so that’d better be true, or I’ll be spewing big time!!

I have to admit I feel quite nauseous and ill thinking of all the money that’s being incurred lately – it’s all going on a credit card, but it’s still extra money I have to fork out every month in repayments.  Our dramas with the removalists haven’t finished either – it turns out they delivered the wrong bike to us (I had no idea, as it was Lisa’s and she didn’t see it until she arrived) … and I’m missing one entire box, so I’m trying to make a list of all the things I can think of that were in it hmmm.  Lisa’s away this weekend, but next week we’re probably going to write down a time line of everything that’s happened and send it to all and sundry, including possibly the TV show Today Tonight!

All this hassle and drama has seriously impacted on my stitching – I looked back at what I’d achieved in January stitching-wise and the only thing was that paltry little Xmas ornie stocking that I finished in one day!  That’s very very unlike me!!  The only other thing I started was Sweetheart Tree’s Wildflower Needleroll … the photo is basically the sum total of 3 days stitching (2 days from when I was sitting in an empty apartment, and 1 from a couple of nights ago) … it’s all quite pathetic really!

st-wildflower-needleroll

I get really enthusiastic and excited about all the designs I could be stitching, then feel exhausted about 5 seconds later and don’t end up doing anything – perhaps once the boxes etc are all entirely unpacked and I can move in my bedroom easily, then I’ll feel more settled and can get into a normal routine again.  The lounge is a bomb site at the moment as well, as Lisa’s things are all piled up there, as well as some of my stuff that needs to be sorted out, so the clutter everywhere is probably affecting me.  Lisa put her back out last weekend, and she’s been in agony all week, so we haven’t been able to do much around the place … but hopefully she’ll be back to normal again by the end of next week and we can make a concerted effort to get the place tidied up and organised.

The main challenge for me this weekend is trying to set up the video to Lisa’s TV … and get the legs onto the dining table, so the dining area can get uncluttered.  I’m going to try and make an effort to take a couple of hours out to do some stitching – and need something quite ‘easy’ to stitch to help get me back into the swing of things (which won’t be the ST needleroll … that backstitching of all the leaves is doing my head in at the moment!! – mind you, once that’s finished there’s not much left before it’s totally stitched). It’s likely that I’ll either choose a small freebie or Xmas ornie, or start a new LHN or CCN design … but I must stitch “something”, or I’m going to kick myself hard!!!

Once the place is fully de-cluttered we need to invite our elderly neighbours up for morning or afternoon tea … I’d guess they’re both in their 70’s to 80’s, and seem really lovely old dears (Norma on the ground floor, and Barbara in the middle of us on the 2nd).  We’re also setting up a calendar in the kitchen where we can keep track of all our house guests that will be coming over the coming year, so we don’t double-book … it’s going to be quite a social year if everyone comes that says they will be! 😀

Anyway, time to sign off for the day as I need to head to the Post Office before it closes … I’ve found out there is a tiny local branch just up the road at the shops, which is open on Saturday mornings – I haven’t been able to get to the PO since my car has been broken down, since moving here, to post some changes of address etc, so it’s great to find I can do all that on Saturdays now!  I can still clear my mail in the mornings at Mascot before work, but the actual shop for postage etc isn’t open then.

Rightio, time to ‘shake a tail feather’ and do the morning duties … with luck Lisa’s bike will be returning this afternoon from Dodgey Brothers R Us, and I need to make sure I’m home all afternoon for their arrival … geez, they’re the last people I want to see today!!

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishes

A small happy dance

Anne S

Yesterday’s plan of taking the day/afternoon off was a perfect one!  I did a lot of tidying up in my bedroom late at night, then today I’ve pulled out all stops and almost finished off the kitchen by packing away all the Tupperware and baking trays etc (believe me, the Tupperware in itself is a massive feat haha).  I also rearranged the lounge furniture today, and ironed the duvet and pillowcases to make Lisa’s bed up for her arriving tonight.  She won’t be arriving until about 8pm, after spending the entire day driving from Melbourne on her own, so at least she doesn’t have to worry about where she’s going to sleep when she arrives.  I’m also going to cook a roast chicken and baked potatoes with a salad ready for her arriving – and the wine has been chilling ever since the first day the fridge was switched on 😉

Anyway, following is the sum of my stitching efforts yesterday – it was a bit hampered by the fact my threads were all over the place, so I had to ‘un-kit’ a project to find the DMC 814.  The only GAST threads I had were Flax and Raspberry Parfait, everything else was substituted with a DMC equivalent.  It’s stitched on 28ct mystery Cashel linen (in a light taupe colour) from my stash – which means I’m now up-t0-date with the Christmas Ornie SAL on the XSers Yahoo group – yay 😀

fill-with-love-designs-by-c
“Fill With Love”
Designs by Cathy Jean
2007 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue

I’m unsure what the next project will be … I should probably finish the Sweetheart Tree needleroll I started last week, then I think a wee LHN or CCN project might be in order before I start committing myself to my CA Wells class pieces – now I (will soon) have my own stitching space again, I guess it’s time to start tackling those class pieces when I can concentrate on them properly 🙂

Hopefully next week I’ll also have time to start sitting down and catching up on everyone’s blogs again! 🙂

Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Another wishlist enhancement & Australia Day

Anne S

Oh boy, I knew it was a bad idea to pop online and read a couple of blogs while taking a break from unpacking – have you seen the latest chart from Little House Needleworks?  This absolutely MUST go on the wishlist … I absolutely adore it!  (Mind you, I seem to love almost ALL of their designs at the moment – they’re like chocolate, one piece isn’t enough LOL.)

lhn-home of a needleworker
Home of a Needleworker by Little House Needleworks

OK, back to unpacking again …

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Actually, I just realised what day it is today – it’s Australia Day here in the land Down Under … so the very best wishes go out to all my friends in this beautiful country, however you choose to celebrate it!  I’ve actually just decided that I’m calling the packing quits today, and instead I’m going to curl up with a Christmas ornie to stitch – my energy levels have been really flagging over the last couple of days, and it’s taking me twice as long to do everything, so perhaps this is what the doctor ordered?  It’ll help to recharge my batteries anyway, and I still have tomorrow left for unpacking before Lisa arrives … the boxes that are still left to be done are tidied up in one or two areas in the ‘common’ areas of the flat (don’t ask about my bedroom, as I can barely move in there!), so now I’m off to make a special treat for myself for lunch … toasted bagels with cream cheese, capers and smoked salmon … I’m salivating already! – Then it’s time to kit up my ornie and start stitching with a DVD on the laptop! 😀

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Cross Stitch, Stash

A teensy bit of stash

Anne S

Today I spent a wonderful few hours browsing and chatting with Karen at Dragonfly Dreams (soon to be renamed as The Stitching Post) in the Blue Mountains.  As always, I feel as though we’ve known each other for years, and feel really comfortable in their company.  I managed to come home with a few guilt-free goodies … guilt-free ‘cos I’ve finished the 50 project challenge!  I haven’t taken photos, as I can’t be bothered trying to find the camera right now and uploading the photos … I might update this post tomorrow with piccies if I get time … maybe 😛

Anyway, following are the goodies that followed me home today:

I’m really excited at the prospect of stitching again – since my last finishes I haven’t lifted a needle at all … while I’m here in Glenwood I usually only have the time and energy to put a few stitches in on Sunday nights.  By the time I do my 5 x 12-13 hour days, I’m ready to collapse in a heap on Friday night, and I’m sure if I did stitch, I’d just have to rip out all the errors again on Saturday, so I avoid it big-time!

In less than a week, though, I’ll be sat merrily stitching away until my hands are ready to drop off, and I really can’t wait – I’m so incredibly excited at the prospect of all the projects that I really really want to start (and also those that I want to finish).  I’ve even taken an extra day off work just so I can sit around all day and stitch for one day … I’ll have no furniture in the flat at that point, but I intend propping myself up against the wall, while sitting on my duvet inner and blow-up mattress, listening to DVD’s and/or talking books on the laptop, and celebrating the fact that I am no longer having to commute a million miles every week … I’m feeling all dreamy now just thinking about it!  As for the furniture truck, it can take its merry time to arrive, as then I’ll be flat out unpacking instead of stitching haha.

I’m looking forward to meeting a few more stitchers in Sydney in 2008 as well – and over the last couple of weeks I have been considering opening my flat up for a stitching day … I just have to work out how many people we can fit it as it’s such a small flat – it might not end up being an option, but it’s worth considering anyway.  It would be lovely to meet a few more stitchers up here – spending time in Karen’s company, surrounded by those wonderful goodies in the shop, makes me realise how much I adore being in contact with other stitchers.  I have been missing my good friends Tannia and Sharon very much over the last few weeks for that reason (although I’d love them if they weren’t actually stitchers!).

Rightio, time to head off and kit up a couple of ornies for our ornment SAL challenge on one of the Yahoo groups – I’m hoping to get one of the ornies stitched tomorrow night (or close to being stitched anyway), but it takes me forever to kit it up then start stitching, so much better to get organised in advance!  Plus I also want to kit up Ladybug, Ladybug (Little House Needleworks) – I’m itching to start the Sampler Lady by LHN, but I’m still waiting for the threads to arrive from back order … then once my Ladybug, Ladybug piece is finished I need to start some serious stitching on my CA Wells piece – so far I’ve managed a whole 2 flower heads, because I’m having to stitch in hand (need my sewing machine to sew on some side strips so it will go in the Qsnaps), and I detest stitching in hand.  That’ll be a much better project to start concentrating on when I settle into the new place.

Rightio, time to get cracking ‘cos I’m starting to get heavy-eyed … time to move the body … and maybe time to get a chilled glass of Chardonnay to help with resuscitation haha.

Cross Stitch

Happy New Year!!!

Anne S

Here’s hoping 2008 is a wonderful year for all of us – filled with everything our hearts desire 😀

As it’s now 2008 ‘down under’ in Australia, I’ll finish the year with a photo of the Sydney fireworks over the harbour last New Year – compliments of the online Sydney Morning Herald.  Unfortunately I’m not out at the harbour seeing the fireworks first hand (that’s the plan for next year though!) – I’m seeing the New Year in with Mark and Leisa and some of their friends at home … where I’ve been happily supping Jim Beam and L&P all night after finding a small asian supermarket near work that sells L&P … I’m a happy girl 😉

new_year_2_wideweb__470x305,0

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Not only that, though – I’d also like to offer something, in way of thanks to everyone who has been supportive and a regular reader of my blog throughout the last two years, especially when I haven’t had chance to reciprocate with regular reading and support of my own.  I am going to hold a prize draw for something stitched by me … I can’t guarantee it will be received by the winner this side of February, but I would like to give something back in thanks for the friendship I’ve received, especially during my most stressful times in 2007!

So, if you’d like to go into the draw for something stitched by me, please leave a comment in this post – I’ll leave the draw open until the end of January, when I’ll draw a name out of the proverbial hat, complements of random.org 😀

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishing, Works in Progress

Oh heck – I made a big boo-boo!!!

Anne S

Note to self – don’t post your new address on the blog until you’re 100% concentrating and awake!!!  My address is NOT PO Box 1306, but rather PO Box 688!!!  Sorry ’bout that – a seriously major blonde moment!!  Now you know why I don’t blog at the moment – I’m usually too shattered to think about it … and that’s the result!!  Doh!!!

Anyway, just a really quick post again, to post some stitching piccies while I get the chance – I finally managed to put the finishing touches to these FUFO’s a week ago:

xmas-wallhanging-finished

vicki's-wallhanging-finishe

starry-starry-night-finishe

That may end up being the only ornie finished by me this year … such is life I guess …

Also, here’s the latest two finished blocks of Snapperville, plus the teensy start on block #5 – you’d never believe it’s taken two weeks to stitch just this part, would you?  Yep, smokin’ needles is definitely a thing of the past for me for the timebeing – the only stitching I’ve been getting is about 2 hours on Sunday night ho-hum 😦

snapperville-blocks-1-and-2

snapperville-block-5

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Travel

Katoomba & Blue Mountains

Anne S

First of all, my apologies if this post is a bit ‘abrupt’, but I’m pretty shattered … I do want to put our ‘journey to bed’, though, so here goes …

The final expedition of Mum and I was last Tuesday – my final day of freedom before starting work on Wednesday … I was originally going to drive to Katoomba, but needed to drive to the train station to pick up a timetable and work out where I’ll need to park my car etc for the commute into the city.  In the end we opted to take the train into Katoomba instead of driving – and I have to admit I do regret the decision!  It would have taken us approx 1 to 1 1/2 hours to drive there, but instead we were on the train for almost 3 hours (there were some track works, it seems, which slowed things up a wee bit) – it was a lovely train trip, but very very loooooong.  Coming home was a much shorter 2-hour trip!

I’m very glad we decided to head out there, though – I really wanted to take Mum to see Karen and the shop at Dragonfly Dreams (as well as being very keen myself to say “hi” in person).  It was a very hot day, and Mum and I walked from the station to the shop … when we got there I was thrilled at what a wonderful haven Karen has put together – we loved every minute of being there!  Karen was an exceptional hostess, and it is so easy to chatter away to her as if we’re long lost friends, instead of strangers … and every room we entered at Dragonfly Dreams I’d say “but wait, there’s more!!!” … every room hosted a treasure trove of goodies … sheer bliss to a stitcher’s soul! 😀

After spending a couple of hours with Karen, Mum and I headed off with goodies in hand to the end of the street where we were most impressed with the sight of the Three Sisters.  Unfortunately by the time we got down there it was too late to do any of the tourist trips, but we enjoyed the scenery for a while before starting the arduous trek back to the train station again.  Brenda has offered to go with me again one weekend to do the cable car trips with me … which is awesome!

Following are some photos of the Three Sisters – and the first one shows the cable that the cablecar travels over … with a glass bottom car!!!  I might need a stiff drink to get into it, but it’s just gotta be done one day!! 😉

three-sisters-3

three-sisters-1

three-sisters-12

We got home around 8pm, and just had time to eat dinner before having to hit the hay for bed – and thus it has been ever since I’ve started work!  On the previous weekend, though, I did actually have time to put a couple of stitches into fabric, and finally managed to finish off It’s Halloween by The Drawn Thread.

it's-halloween

Here endeth the fun part of moving to Sydney … from now on the drudge begins … 😉

I’ll tell you about the arduous task of getting to and from work another day – ‘cos it’s now almost bedtime … already! 😦

Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Works in Progress

There will be no hope for me in Sydney!

Anne S

Oops, I just realised I’d started this post days ago, and I haven’t finished it off!!! …  So I’ll start off with my original post ..

Check out what I’m going to have to contend with when I move … how am I going to keep myself amused?  Check out all these lovely stores I’ll have on my doorstep in Sydney:

And I already have a few offers of people that are going to come visit me while I’m up there – I’m really looking forward to having visits from my good pal Sharon, who was my first real stitching pal in Melbourne (I’m gonna miss you heaps!).  Also one of the girls at work who is no longer talking to me ‘cos I’m leaving haha, is already planning a girls weekend away so we can see the sights during the day, go to the theatre, then party the weekend away – I’m excited already at all these upcoming social occasions, and I haven’t even moved yet!  Of course, I’m sure I’ll be visiting Melbourne occasionally at the weekends as well … it’s only 11/2 hours by plane, which is great 🙂

Now I must say today I also spent more money that I shouldn’t be spending (yeah, so what’s new lately? haha) … and it’s all the fault of Rebecca (that friend from work who’s coming partying in Sydney) and Mel – I went on a buying spree to buy some Bud Ducks for them, as Highpoint Shopping Centre have an awesome selection … well, I walked in the door and found they’d just received shipment yesterday of some brand new designs … whaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!  Yes, I have to admit, two of them came home with me … well, what’s a duck-mad girl to do???  The two that I bought for myself are these ones – International Duck and Angel Duck … how could I resist them??  The International “Mile High Duck” I just thought was so appropriate for me and my new job – travelling interstate, but also working in the travel industry … just wish my passport had all those visa stamps haha.  And I also bought some teeny weeny little ones to come travelling with me – well, I gotta have at least ONE duck in my new room right?  But then it’s not fair to let one duck make the journey all on it’s own, and it just HAD to have company!  I really LOVE the blue Angel Duck – the colour is gorgeous.  Check out these new little additions to my travelling kit:

ducks-18oct07

And there are sooooooo many more that I really really want!! I guess you could call me the Imelda Marcos of ducks!!! 😀

As you can tell, there’s also no stitching happening at the moment … I just can’t stop yapping on here instead – plus spending 2 entire hours yapping to Mum on the phone today haha.  Now I’m sat in front of the TV watching So You Think You Can Dance … perhaps I might find a needle to pick up … perhaps … 😉

Rightio, going by the TV reference to So You Think You Can Dance, I guess I started typing this on Thursday night last week …  Now it’s time to update with the latest news!

As a matter of fact there has been a little bit of needlework happening out here in Pascoe Vale South – I’ve managed to finish off another block of Snapperville, and almost managed to complete the border around as well … a couple more hours and I’ll knock that off pretty easily.  I must say after not having much stitching mojo for a while, I’m absolutely LOVING stitching Snapperville … I just don’t want to put it down!  I think the Winter Snappers will be jumping on the Q-snaps quite quickly after I make the big move up north as well – I just love these little charts! 🙂

snapperville-wip-2

As for what else is news … I’ve spoken to someone from work who moved to Sydney a while ago, to see what his flatting arrangements are now (he used to flat with the girl whose job I’m taking over), and it seems he’s just bought an apartment and prefers to live on his own for now as his partner may be joining him in the future … but he’s said it’s OK if I get desperate that he’ll never see me go without a roof over my head and has offered ’emergency housing’ if I need to while I’m searching (Brenda has family coming over in the middle of December, so I have a maximum of 4 weeks to find somewhere).

BUT, I just had a phone message out of the blue today from someone else who worked with me 3 years ago – he’d just had lunch with a friend from my office who told him my news, and apparently he’s moving to Sydney as well and wanted to know what my planned living arrangements were going to be … I’ll have a chat to him over the next few days about it, as that could be another option – but that would probably mean having to freight my belongings up north … probably …  Herc should also find out about his interview results by the end of tomorrow as well, which might be another living option (probably my preferred one overall, as Matt is quite young and a bit of a party animal, and I’m that much older and just looking for a simple quiet life) – anyway, time will tell, and at least there are a few more friendly faces in Sydney that I know from work … yippee!! 🙂

As for work itself, they haven’t approved my leave that I wanted, because it’s Melbourne Cup week and they can’t afford more people off the phones.  They’ve given me Fri 9 Nov only, which is cr*p … let’s just say I’m a bit disappointed to say the least – it just depends who you are, I think, whether they want to make an effort to help out or not … and all I’ll say is that “I’m not Greek” … one of the Managers has a bad reputation for that – she’s Greek, and has a few family and friends that work there, and let’s just say they can get away with murder … that’s one thing I’m not going to miss – the office politics!  I don’t usually let it get to me and turn a blind eye, but everyone thinks their decision is appalling due to the circumstances, especially after doing so much for the company during my time there – but there’s no point getting cranky about it, it just gives you ulcers and doesn’t change anything.  Anyway, I’ve sent an email to the “big boss” in our office stating that if I can’t be given the extra two days leave, could I please use my 8 Luv Ya Work Awards in one day (the maximum is supposed to be 4, ie 2 hours off work) … that would let me leave 2 hours early which means on a 6am shift I could be hitting the road at midday.  Now all we have to do is work out if it’s still worthwhile having Mum fly over and driving up the coast, seeing as we’re two travelling days short.  Oh decisions, decisions …

As for Muffy here, I have to admit over the last few days she hasn’t exactly been endearing herself, and while I think she’s a beautiful dog on the whole, I have had the urge to turn her into a winter coat a few times … usually at 1am and 3am when I’m answering her pleas to be let outside.  The occasional night isn’t too bad, but I had a moment there when it was 4 nights in a row, and I was feeling severely deathly because of it.  Luckily the late night shifts have been perfect, because she goes outside as soon as I get home, and today I even got a sleep-in until just after 8am … 6 1/2 hours straight sleep … sheer bliss!!  The fleas still seem to be a problem, but not quite as bad … I have managed to track down and drown 3 of the little b*ggers over the last couple of days though hmmm.  Mind you, today she woke me up again at 7am, after 5 hours sleep, and I feel dreadful … I started losing my voice at work last night and getting bunged up, so I fear I have picked up a head cold … Muffy just decided it was time I should be up, and didn’t want to go outside at all … I nearly strung her up from the nearest fence!

I went to meet the menagerie of pets at the next housesitting job on Sunday night, and it’s going to be ‘interesting’ to say the least haha.  Two dogs, two cats, two birds, and an aquarium of fish, all of which have various eating routines etc – but afterwards I can relax in the spa with a glass of wine, and watch Foxtel movies … I’ve told them I may change the locks and never leave! LOL.

Anyway, I’ll finish with a photo of a gift I received at work yesterday from groups organiser (this was for customer service over and above the call of duty for some VIP customers returning home … you can make up your own mind as to who) – I laughed at the card that came with it … that I’m allowed to hide it away when the Bledisloe Cup is on … but personally I think I’m going to pop an All Blacks beanie and scarf on old Wally and sit him on my desk – a perfect blending of my ‘two down under cultures’ 😛

wally

Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

The countdown is on …

Anne S

All going well, and I get some annual leave approved by work (assuming I can get 3 shifts swapped from 6am starts to 9am or 10am ones, that is), I’ll be hitting the road to Sydney two weeks on Wednesday (straight after Melbourne Cup day).  That is also assuming that Gail is still OK to come home and relieve me from housesitting duties early as well, of course …

I’m really struggling to find the time to catch up with everyone that I know in Melbourne in the short time I have left – even though I know only a handful of people, I only have a handful of days where I’m not working 4pm or 3pm shifts, meaning only a few days left to catch up.  If I had my own home, I’d offer an ‘open day’ at home for a day where anyone can come visit, but the only weekend I have free is when I’m moving between housesitting jobs, and it’s just not an option – so instead I’ll be driving to and fro to the opposite ends of the city on a regular basis until I leave.

I was hoping to catch Tannia singing last night, but ended up chatting on the phone for ages to Brenda in Sydney – but the great thing is that Brenda and Nigel are happy to put me up for a couple of weeks while I’m looking for new, and more permanent, lodgings.  There’s probably not much point organising anything else before I arrive – although I’ll be scouring the local papers for flats in the Mascot area pretty quickly on arrival 🙂

My threads finally arrived today from Dragonfly Dreams, although they were sent some time ago – Australia Post can be quite spectacularly slow for local deliveries, which is annoying.  Anyway, it means I can now probably finish off It’s Halloween this week – yay!  Yesterday, during the day, I started – and finished – one more block of Snapperville, and started another block.  I guess that means I’m approximately half-way through the stitching of that one now … double yay!! 😀

This coming week is probably the last chance I’ll get to put some stitches in before hitting the road … it’ll be interesting to see how regular working hours will affect my stitching time – the good thing about shift work sometimes is the plentitude of peace and quiet for stitching … hmmm.

Anyway, no piccies tonight ‘cos I’m too lazy to take one of Snapperville – and I’m supposed to be heading out to a ‘wedding reception’ party of one of our gay guys at work.  Kevin and Peter got married in Vancouver a few months ago, but only a few people were able to attend the ceremony, so they’ve organised a local shin-dig for us all tonight instead … to be absolutely honest I’d rather be curling up in bed early thanks to the Muffster giving me wake-up calls every night for the last 4 nights (twice in one night!) – thanks to having very broken sleep … it’s soooo hard to get back to sleep properly after being woken up at 1am or 3am! … I’m pretty shattered and so “not” in party mode.  Anyway, I’m going to jump in the shower and see if I can wake myself up a bit – it’s also awkward using public transport out in this part of town, as I don’t really know where I am, but I suppose I should at least make an effort … after all, this is probably the final shin-dig with work colleagues in Melbourne! …

I’ll close by saying it was fun seeing my Photo Hunt today … I loaded all those posts up so long ago now, even I get a surprise each week with the choices LOL 😉