And they're off....

Hubby and Master M are heading to a property north of Richmond in the Gulf for a couple of weeks. 

My brother and his boys have gone too so it's certainly a boys only trip they're all looking forward to.

little Miss R and I are looking forward to some special girl  time at home although she still has school next week. We'll make surely we do some nice things though. 

Have a great time my boys!

Beach Days

We're really lucky to live only a 15-20 minute drive from the beach.

On gorgeous days like we've been having, it's lovely to be able to pack a picnic & head down to Caloundra with it's multitude of beaches to choose from.

Yesterday was pretty windy & there were a few jellyfish around but it was still lovely.

I love going to Golden Beach as it's protected by Bribie Island and is very child friendly. 

There's plenty of lovely spots along the waterfront with lots shady trees & areas to explore. 

After spending time playing & exploring with the kidlettes, it was nice to be able to sit & relax while keeping an eye on them as they swam.

Hubby's home next weekend so we've decided we need to have more beach picnics & daddy can bring his fishing gear.

Xx Susan 

The circle of life

Last week was quite big when I look back on it.  

My cousin Trish and her husband John have just become the proud parents of two little girls.

It's been a long road since this photo was taken at their wedding.

They now have two little darling girls, born at 30 weeks and a day apart (those rare twins that won't share a birthday).

Our heart wishes and thoughts are with you all.

....and a candle lit...

...for my husband's Uncle John who passed away on Saturday after a long illness.

The weekend in pictures

It was lovely.

A weekend away

We're at Hubby's Aunty Rob's again in Clifton for a few days. 

The kidlettes have been loving feeding the chooks, cows and goat as well as playing with the dogs. 

Being on the Southern Downs it's wonderfully chilly and the fire has been on since just after we arrived yesterday.

This morning has been spent exploring and now a little drizzle has set in so we've plonked ourselves in front if the fire with colouring in & boardgames.

Xx Susan

Winter is trying to get here

Wednesday continues to be our Knit and Natter day at Mary Cairncross Park in Maleny and both my sister and I have been desperately waiting for the cooler weather so that we can enjoy the fire at the cafe.

Well the cooler weather has arrived, even if it is only in the mornings on some days before it warms up, but at least we have been able to enjoy this....

Because it's an outdoor cafe and there's often a sneaky cold breeze it's nice to be able to cover yourself in you latest project of pure alpaca wool as you sit and chat.

This is the time of year when we can rug up in our creations made the previous years.

Our dear friend Jodi has been joining us recently.  She doesn't do any hooky or knitty type crafts but she makes up for it in the nattering.  She has been our friend and virtually part of our family for well over 30 years now and we love her!

Did I mention that it's cool enough that we can now enjoy the fire?  I know I did but I'll tell you again as it's sooooo lovely.

xx Susan

On my camera (phone)

I'm having a bit of a day where I want to connect back to the world.  That means that I've actually decided to upload some of the photos I've taken on my phone for the last little while because I certainly haven't dusted off any of my cameras.

I was a little shocked to realise not only how long it has been since I've last updated my blog but also how long it has been since I've caught up with anyone else's blogs.

I sometimes go a little AWOL.  Not just from my own blog but I often like to be a little hermit and disconnect from pretty well everything if I can.  I don't know why and we won't got into an analyzing frenzy about it either.  Lets just say that it's nice to just have a break from things and concentrate on your own family for a bit.

Don't get me wrong, I really do LOVE reading so many different stories about the everyday lives of people around the globe.  It brings home to me that even though we may all be leading very different lives on the surface, most of us have very similar experiences with relationships, children etc.  It fascinates me.

I digress and will just update you on a few of the highlights during the last 6 weeks.

There was  a birthday three-quarters of the way through May....

...yes it was MINE.  It was also a BIG one and the start of a new decade.  

I had a lovely lunch at the local pub with a few family members and a close friend from when I was a child.  It was really lovely.

The birthday cake was bought as I couldn't be bothered making one for myself and the kidlettes loved it.  As I was only sharing it with them it really only mattered whether they liked it or not.

Hubby was away at work of course.  He very rarely is home for any birthday's or special occasions so my kids are very resiliant when it comes to celebrating.

(Oh and it's nearly a month since my 40th birthday and I still haven't got a present or anything special from my family except for the cake I bought.  Hubby promised me we're going out for breakfast or lunch this weekend as it's the first one he's been home since my birthday but we'll see!!!.....    I've given up on a present.)

The school also had they're annual fete appropriately name the Big Night Out.  It's usually held on a Friday night after school from 3-9 pm and it goes off with a bang at the end with a pretty spectacular fireworks show.

There was pony rides.....

...fun rides...

...lots of stalls and of course the fireworks.

I've also been busy growing some seedlings and doing my best to get a bit of a garden growing.

I decided to start off on a few things that we actually eat and will nurture them all as they grow.

Things did start off well but unfortunately the photo below is all that has come up of 4 trays full.  Even though they were well labelled, I really have no idea what is growing in the tray in the photo below.

You see my brother has sold his house because of the divorce settlement and is currently living with his boys in my sister's granny flat until they can find a place for themselves.  

That means that we are looking after one of his dogs who decided that spreading my potting mix and my newly sprouted seeds all over the yard was a fun thing to do.

I was NOT happy.

That's a little bit of an understatement actually.

So the above seedlings are all I have right now and it will be a few weeks before I can work out exactly what it is I'm growing.  At this stage I'm suspecting spinach but I'm happy for a surprise.

For those family friends that know of our family situation with my brother and all the stress and court goings on that we have had in the last year.  We've been to court again recently and  I hope I'm not going against any legal things here when I say that my brother is still the primary carer of the children.

There are still lots of other things going on though as the other party is STILL breaching court orders on a semi-regular basis so we are not sure when the stress will end.  At the heart are two gorgeous little boys who we are doing our best to protect and to help give them a reasonably normal life while all this chaos surrounds them.

I've also been doing a little sewing and crocheting (not much), but I do have a few things to show you another time.

xx Susan

A cool change

If you know me or have been reading this blog for any length of time you would know I don't really like the heat.  Considering how long summer has lingered on in these parts I really don't think I can be blamed for dreaming of cooler climates even though hubby just rolls his eyes when I mention it (probably because I bring it up A LOT).

Well the cool weather is finally here!   Yay.

Last night it got down into single figures (celcius) and I was warm and snug in my pj's and under the doona.  Thank goodness it was Sunday so we all slept in and didn't get out until we really had to.

It's a gorgeously clear day but quite blustery which is helping to keep it cool.

A few days ago it was still quite summerish, so you can forgive some for dressing up like they're now living in the arctic.

I've been quite busy lately in my sewing room and it's really been lovely to be able to finish some projects.

Another ruffle bag has been made like the one I gave my sister for her birthday.  She says that people ask her about her bag all the time so I've made this one and have another in blues, pinks and purples cut out.

They're cute and the possibilities are endless as to the colour combinations that can be used.

I've lined this one with a pretty red gingham.

I've also started on my first quilting project.  It's made up of leftover fabric from other projects and cut up jeans and 3/4 pants.  I had so many pairs that are worn out in one area but are otherwise in great condition.

I decided to cut them up to make a sturdy picnic blanket and I'll be using the pockets to make smaller hand bags like one I made a couple of years ago and get comments on.

I've also made a couple of scarves.  One in a beautiful blue/green wool and the one below in a lovely soft alpaca.

The stitch for this one is really easy to do and it was so lovely to work on.

Now that the weather has turned it's the perfect time to be able to wear some of these lovely scarves I've been making.

It's also time to start using some of the blankets I've been making over the years.  They stack up brightly on our blanket shelf with the one that my aunt gave me when I was little.  They all sit together quite cheerily I think.

xx Susan

Anzac Day 2014

Every year there is an Anzac Day march in our town.

Each year it grows bigger and bigger and that's not only because the weather has been pretty amazing on 25th of April for the past few years.

It also comes down to the younger generation and their enthusiasm and interest for participating in ceremonies that mean so much to our nation.

Little Miss R has been very much at the forefront of re-newing our family pride on this special day.

Growing up for me, I knew Anzac Day was important but it was more significant that I got a day off school.

It's always been a special day but it's taken my daughter to truly bring about a family spirit and special occasion that had been a little lacking.

For the past three years she has INSISTED on being a part of the march in our town.  (She is still only 

8 1/2 years old)

The vintage cars that transport the less mobile of our veterans passes through first.

They are always greeted with well wishes and cheers.

Then come the service men and women who have served.  

For all those who march there are probably at least one or two at home who aren't here for various reasons. 

 My Uncle is one who has never been a part of a march and has no future interest in participating. 

 He also has no objection to my children proudly wearing his or their great-grandfather's medals.

He is proud of Little Miss R marching each year even though he can't bring himself to march himself.

During the ceremony each year there is always a flyover from a WWII plane.  It's usually a Wirraway and this year was no exception.  

There's a brief pause in the wreath laying so that everyone can cast their eyes skyward and the kids can wave and cheer at the 'old plane' that flies close overhead.

Can you see it?

I'll zoom in a bit...

It made four passes during the ceremony but considering the sun blinded me on most of the passes, this is the best shot you're getting.

Once the ceremony is over it's then time to go home and enjoy having the extra time off school to just be a kid.

As well as the excitement of knowing that Daddy will be home from work late afternoon and will be home for a very rare WHOLE weekend.

 xx Susan

Project Ruffles...

I did give you a slight preview of this project in THIS post but I never explained what it was for.

Mainly because it was a gift for my sister for her birthday which was at the end of March.  She basically told me most excitedly one day that she wanted a handbag with ruffles and could I make one?  

Of course I could!  Not that I thought so at the time but why would I tell her the truth when she was so excited.  Also I thought she was a bit bonkers because if anyone knows my sister they would know that Ruffles on a handbag was something that we never thought she'd ever seriously want.

While waiting for the lighting to strike on my dearly beloved sister,  I googled and reviewed and plotted and did lots of maths things that didn't work out.  In the end I found what I thought would be perfect although I knew it wasn't quite what my sister had been imagining.

What I came up with was something that I LOVED  and something I knew that my sister would love.

 Actually I really intended the bag I made to be a prototype and not the final gift but time got away from me and Sandy did visit a couple of times while I was in the process of making it.  So much for being stealthy and sneaky!

She LOVED the colours and LOVED the strawberry lining so the prototype became her very own bag.

Happy birthday sweet sister!  (even though it was a couple of weeks ago!)

xx Susie

I'm now adjusting the original pattern and making another bag that's equally as fun and useful.