tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955310272269917382024-03-13T13:39:34.090+10:00hester's gardenhesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-14786901265497447362012-12-27T13:37:00.001+10:002012-12-27T13:37:48.386+10:00Belated Christmas wishes<br />
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I wasn't organised enough to send Christmas wishes to my faithful few bloggy mates before Christmas but I was thinking of you all and enjoying checking out what you are up to. I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas and wish you all happy adventures in 2013.<br />
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We have had a lovely relaxed Christmas. Our girls seem so big now that they are both at school and that helps make the day easier when there are no naps etc to worry about and they cope better with driving to and fro the various family celebrations. They really loved hanging out with their big cousins. Although the ipads/iphones etc came out now and then, there was also chickens, a trampoline and games to keep them all amused.<br />
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I saw these little reindeers made of corks and twigs last year in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine and couldn't find any corks to make them. This year I was more organised and begged a few from friends who have a wine importing business. On Christmas Eve, the girls and I collected twigs and sat down at the table to create some little Rudolphs. Now they are living on the mantelpiece with our other favourite Christmas decorations.<br />
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My big girl knows the truth about Santa. I have never been very comfortable with perpetuating the myth even though I know it is part of the magic of Christmas for children. It always feels like lying to me. I said to our big girl "Let's not make a big deal about Santa coming" but of course our little girl was still keen to leave out carrots and biccies. We had to move the fireguard out of the way so Santa could get down the chimney. In the morning, she said "Why did Santa use our gift tags?". Perhaps next Christmas she might winkle out the truth.<br />
hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-21145149485200543552012-11-08T17:43:00.000+10:002012-11-19T09:53:44.878+10:00Halloween etc<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little Halloween witch ready for "trickle treating"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful rag doll (who raided my wardrobe)<br />
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A girl, a cavalier (not ours) and a flock of seagulls</div>
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Life is crazy busy. Happy busy but photos and quick captions are all I can manage. Keep smiling, bloggy friends.</div>
hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-8825577243003796102012-10-31T16:24:00.002+10:002012-10-31T19:05:06.780+10:00Mini quilts for sale.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby quilt for a special girl</td></tr>
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I have been having so much fun making tiny quilts lately for our school fete and to give to friends that I have decided to make some to sell. I've also been making table runners for friends which has been great, as I've enjoyed the change from bright child type prints to something more grown up, like Kaffe Fassett fabric. I still have my little rainbow obsession (as my almost 10 year old daughter calls it) but the beauty of quilting is the endless possibilities of colour combinations. Here are some of my quilts. If you like the look of one, or have something different in mind, let me know, and I'll whip one up for you.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">baby quilt for my nephew (with a seafaring daddy)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stars and stripes toy quilt</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaffe Fassett table runner (wrapped in cellophane)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow mini quilt (toy size)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helen's garden lap quilt</td></tr>
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I also received my first stippling foot for my birthday in September so am excited to be able to start doing more complex quilting designs. It's been so freeing to move away from quilting straight lines and "in the ditch" and start doing curves and squiggles. Who would have thought cutting up pieces of fabric and stitching them back together could bring such an endorphin hit.</div>
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So...the upshot of all this is that I will soon hopefully have some mini quilts for sale and am happy to take orders. The little dolly sized quilts and table runners will be $20 and I haven't yet decided on a price for the larger cot sized quilts which are lovely on the floor for babies to lie and sit on. Perhaps around the $60 to $80 mark. I might get organised with an ebay or etsy shop down the track but for now, if you are interested, just contact me by leaving a comment.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rainbow tablemat</td></tr>
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Many of these photos of quilts I have made have appeared on my blog before but here are some of my favourites together in the one post.<br />
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The quilts are made with 100 percent cotton fabric and are machine pieced and quilted. The binding is sewn on by machine and then stitched around the back by hand.<br />
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I hope there is someone out there who needs a little quilt for a child, a dolly or a teddy. Or a tablemat for a friend's table. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">baby quilt showing backing fabric</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby quilt featuring Beatrix Potter fabric</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">baby quilt showing size</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">table runner (Kaffe Fassett fabric)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dolly quilt</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqzzSZ7sWYg/UJDKoknPqQI/AAAAAAAABQU/Z4WoyIsdbIo/s1600/Mrs+C%27s+quilt+cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqzzSZ7sWYg/UJDKoknPqQI/AAAAAAAABQU/Z4WoyIsdbIo/s320/Mrs+C%27s+quilt+cropped.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">boy's rainbow baby quilt</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ7caCzr7b0/UJC7U9Xw-FI/AAAAAAAABO4/YPlU5VctSmA/s1600/P4171060.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-50538742777457543642012-10-10T21:20:00.002+10:002012-10-14T07:19:18.206+10:00Catching up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's been quite a while between posts so I thought I'd just upload some of my favourite photos from the last few months to give a glimpse into what we've been up to. Looking back over the photos, I feel lucky to have had so many happy times with my friends and family. I guess we don't tend to photograph the bad days, do we? Nevertheless, I have been feeling the most relaxed and happy I have felt for a year or two and I am enjoying it so much. I think I have let go of a lot of my expectations of life, myself and others and am making peace with the messy, beautiful, chaos that is my reality. I even loosened up on the recent school holidays and stopped obsessing about how much TV/computer time/junk food the girls had and how untidy, and dusty the house was and taking home baked goodies along to get-togethers in the park with friends. Surprisingly, without any nagging from me, the girls still turned off the TV/computer and played outside climbing our bottlebrush tree and doing plays with their friends</span>. The world didn't end because our house was untidy and nobody cared that I took chocolate chip cookies from Coles to the park for playdates.</div>
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The girls enjoying a ride at Movie World while Scott did some heritage work at the Gold Coast for a few days</div>
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Dress rehearsal for a planned production of Alice in Wonderland. (Can you guess which character this is? "I'm late....I'm late....for a very important date").</div>
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I nearly burst with pride when my big girl played Dorothy in a Fame musical.(That's her in the blue gingham dress with Toto in a basket)</div>
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I had a picnic with old friends at my old uni for my 47th birthday and the best part was watching the girls and their pals playing for hours in this enormous tree. The other best part was sitting by the lake, watching the ducks and their ducklings trot in and out of the water and chatting and eating yummy food with a handful of very precious old buddies.</div>
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Some photos to show you what has been growing in my garden lately. How beautiful and cool is the green of this maidenhair??</div>
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Most mornings I get up and go outside to see the morning sun on my flowers.</div>
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Finally....some sweet peas! Is there any smell in the world more redolent of the innocence of a happy childhood?</div>
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My newly planted little garden complete with lots of rocks to deter the Kipster from burying his bones. Fat lot of good that did!</div>
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The kids in our street come to one of the G girl's regular free homemade lemonade stalls.</div>
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With a special friend at Alma Park Zoo.</div>
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Hanging out at the dog park with Kip (which we do maybe once every three months. Such slack dog owners!)</div>
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The dog pog with a new chewy boney thing.</div>
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My new hobby is making table runners for friends. All the fun of choosing fabric and playing with colours with a fraction of the time and money involved in sewing a quilt. I fell in love with this Kaffe Fassett fabric and am on my third table runner from three fat quarters.</div>
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Facepainting at the Ekka</div>
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The girls chilling out at a friend's birthday party </div>
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With friends at the Medieval Fair</div>
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I've been making dolly quilts for our school fete and this one went wonky as some donated fabric wasn't 100 percent cotton. Never mind. After it was test driven by this rather surprised looking dolly, it went to a special little friend as I didn't like to sell a wonky quilt at the fete.</div>
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My beautiful Dad with some of his girls at Nudgee Beach on Mothers' Day.</div>
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I hope life is good at your place, bloggy pals.</div>
hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-26051616980843920822012-07-31T17:55:00.001+10:002012-10-14T20:38:44.740+10:00Hello again<br />
Hello my lovelies.<br />
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I have got some weird errors happening with my blog and have been unable to get into it to do anything for weeks. It seems to behave better accessing it via Firefox than Internet Explorer but I've no idea why that would be. Anyway....I finally managed to find my way in and found that I had 5 comments awaiting moderation. Hmmmm! Don't remember switching that on but probably a good idea. So....a belated thank you to my bloggy mates who dropped by and left a comment. So good to see you.<br />
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Now that I have managed to do a post, I'll pop in a photo or two. I have just discovered the pixlr website which has lovely "Instagram" type filters that allow you to play with photos when you don't have an iphone. I finally have an iphone but strangely, I prefer pixlr to Instagram. Anyway......here's one of the photos I have been playing with.<br />
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My girls are growing up so fast. My big girl is nearly 10 and my little girl has just turned 6. We had a huge party with all her friends and a good time was had by all. After we did the usual "pass the parcel" (with notes saying "to a girl with a happy smile" etc instead of the old stopping the music thing which I couldn't face with 16 children), birthday cake etc, everyone just hung out and kept eating and playing with hoola hoops, scooters, etc. It was lovely.<br />
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Not sure when I'll be back as life is full of "things to do",
including writing a school history but I'm still visiting my favourite
blogs to keep up with your doings. I just haven't been able to comment
due to technical glitches with my Google account.<br />
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Take care <br />
Hester<br />
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<br />hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-20177733415697881932012-02-23T15:08:00.000+10:002012-10-13T18:16:04.137+10:00Just photos<div style="text-align: center;">
Just a couple of photos for this post. </div>
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And these lovely masks are from Venice. My sister-in-law brought them back from a recent holiday and gave them to the girls who thought they were just magical</div>
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It's a lovely rainy day where I am. The only thing is I threw all the sheets and the towels in the wash and have no dryer. Might be a good time to go home to my mother for a visit.</div>
hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-81908717841411945682012-02-15T11:35:00.003+10:002012-02-17T19:18:11.293+10:00A new chapter<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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One of the highlights of the school holidays for me was catching up with my oldest best friend who was visiting from Sweden with her family. It's wonderful for us to sit and chat while our four little girls (who have only met a handful of times over the years) hang out together, playing, reading and giggling. Makes me very happy. Funnily enough, our two oldest girls are quite similar in nature and so are our two youngest scamps. I guess it's maybe something to do with where you come in the family. It's comforting to know that big sister/little sister angst is not just happening at our place. And of course, we know how much they love each other really (Isn't that right, girls?)</div>
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Now we are into week 4 of the school term. I already feel like a different person - I am really benefitting from a big dose of peace and quiet five days a week. I feel very lucky to have a year off work to get myself together, get things around the house organised, cook more evening meals and iron more shirts for my hardworking husband who does so much more than his fair share around the house. And taking the girls to school and picking them up every afternoon without the added stress of rushing to and from work twice a week makes life so much easier. As everyone predicted, the hours when they are at school go very quickly and there isn't always time to do some quilting or have a nap. But I have already been to the movies a couple of times, caught up with my school mum friends and done a bit of reading/meditating so I am feeling really recharged.</div>
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<br />I hope you are all having a happy and relaxing week.</div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-81953043923243435922012-01-17T16:15:00.002+10:002012-01-20T16:19:16.253+10:002012<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well...finally 2012 has arrived. The year in which my youngest child starts school and I will have some time that is officially "mine" for the first time in some nine years or so. I have a long list of lovely things I want to do like have naps, make more quilts, enjoy having coffee with girlfriends without being interrupted, browse peacefully in book/antique shops. I also have a longer list of things I need to do like housework, writing a history with Scott of the girls' school for its 50th anniversary, paperwork, selling things on ebay, getting a new laundry tap etc etc etc. Still.....I can feel the excitement bubbling up at the thought of only a week to go. I am on long service leave for a year which is a lovely gift from the universe. My new year's resolution this year is not to take any rubbish from anyone and to say "no" to anything I don't want to do. Sounds selfish but I need to do it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christmas was lovely. I hope yours was too. Like everyone I spoke to, the fortnight which preceded it was a mad rush but I tried not to get too carried away with trying to make it perfect. I bought the presents late but wrapped them early and managed to stick to our budget. I let the girls do the Christmas decorating of the tree and the mantelpiece and then enjoyed looking at their efforts. (I am still looking at them as my children NEVER want to take the decorations down). I was slightly stressed about the prospect of fitting in the usual morning presents and ham and eggs for breakfast, lunch with my family at my sister's, and then the afternoon and dinner with Scott's family at our place but I did all my cooking the day before and the day was a really happy and relaxed one. Fewer presents this year (cousins getting older and budgets getting tighter) but just as much love and food and music as ever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been trying to eat healthily for the last few months but in the post-Christmas recovery felt the urge to eat one of my favourite comfort desserts from my childhood days. We had an elderly lady called "Mrs Nutting" (It was the 1960s-70s.... we didn't call adults by their first names) for a babysitter and she used to make us this chocolate blancmange and meringue pudding that we all loved. The chocolate part is made from bread, sugar, milk and I forget what else and you simmer it in a saucepan for a while before baking it until it is firm and then whacking on the meringue mixture and baking it for another hour or so. I can't be bothered posting the recipe right this minute but if you are tempted, let me know and I will stop being lazy and type it up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Scott was on holidays we just relaxed and did simple things. We went to beautiful Shorncliffe once or twice and let the girls run around like crazy things on the mudflats and fly their kites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought Gret was going to break a rib she laughed and squealed so much with the joy of all that freedom. She ended up soaked in water with sand in her knickers and had to be completely rinsed and changed into dry clothes. She has an ink stamp on her forehead which adds to her general air of craziness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It's nearly always incredibly windy at Shorncliffe so perfect for flying kites. All you have to do is hold the string and stand still and away they go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best wishes to all my bloggy friends for a lovely year in 2012. May life bring you many many happy moments.</span></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-53570795918598803012011-10-25T15:43:00.000+10:002012-07-31T17:54:57.474+10:00Thankful for....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I am a bit in survival mode this month. A much loved young mother, wife and friend in our street has passed away and she has left a very big hole in our lives. I know if she were here she would want me to pass on this really important message. WEAR YOUR SUNSCREEN!!! And have your skin checked. Queensland has the world's highest death rate from melanoma so be aware of our hot hot sun. </div>
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So....I am trying to live in the moment and suck up all of life's goodness because that is how Helen lived and she has inspired me to try and do the same.</div>
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So...here are some of my favourite things from the last week or so.....</div>
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Glorious glorious jacarandas. This is my favourite time of year and always makes me high.</div>
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Coming home from lunch with my old nursing buddies and finding these three laughing on the trampoline</div>
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My little girl finally getting the hula hoop moves</div>
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My wondrous hollyhocks finally flowering</div>
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To get some idea of their height (over 2 metres), the wire fence is about as high as my chest.</div>
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My new petunias. I have a tendency to be morose in the mornings so I go and open the front door and drink in these colours in the morning sunshine. They always put a smile on my face.</div>
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The flower garden outside our study. I tried to get Kip to pose for this photo but he had a fat juicy new bone and wouldn't cooperate.</div>
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I hope everyone is having a lovely week.</div>
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<br /></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-55463882727823615112011-09-18T21:28:00.007+10:002011-09-19T10:14:35.895+10:00Joy pockets<br />
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For many months, I have read just my favourite 4 or 5 blogs - the ones that feel like old familiar friends that I miss when I don't drop in to see what's been happening. Tonight I rediscovered the delights of just hopping from blog to blog via the favourites of my favourite bloggers, attracted by a name such as "<a href="http://milk-moon.blogspot.com/">milkmoon</a>" or "<a href="http://dreamfarmgirl.blogspot.com/">dreamfarm girl</a>". What an amazing thing blogging is - to be able to peek into the lives of other women (for I never seem to end up at a man's blog, with the exception of "Quilt Dad"!) and read their thoughts about life, love, mothering and the rest of the universe. Sometimes, I check out a blogger's profile and read their lists of favourites books and music and think "Ooh....she loves "Room With A View" AND "Cold Mountain" AND "The English Patient" AND Fleet Foxes!!! Will I send her an email to say I love them too? No....that is like stalking my inner shy blogger says to herself.</div>
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Anyway....I know lots of my favourite bloggers like to list what they are grateful for, and I do mean to do it, and sometimes do it the old fashioned way with a pen in a little notebook my big sister gave me earlier this year, but often I forget to do it for weeks at a time. I should definitely be at least thinking of what I am grateful for as I tend to be a glass half empty person and dwell on life's little and big difficulties. I came across a thing called "<a href="http://bohemiantwilight.blogspot.com/p/joy-pockets.html">joy pockets</a>" which is a lovely idea, but trying to do the links and copy the html code thingy etc was all too hard so I shall just make my own little list of things I am grateful for today.</div>
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- Watching "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" on DVD with my two girls who love Narnia as much as I do and letting them stay up late to see the ending. (And then having a quick, painless bedtime as it was an hour past their usual time for lights out).</div>
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- Having my husband rub cream into the knots in my back and shoulders while I watched "Grand Designs Revisited" on the TV in our bedroom instead of on iview on the computer when I get a spare few minutes.<br />
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- Making biscuits with the girls and cutting out all sorts of shapes and then icing them with pink and white icing and hundreds and thousands.</div>
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- Watching my hollyhocks grow taller every day and their spires of buds uncurling. Oh...the anticipation!</div>
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- Living in a street with lovely neighbours who look out for each other and happy children who like to chat over the fence.</div>
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- Waking up this morning and feeling spring in the air and not needing to wear slippers on my feet.</div>
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hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-29724947764720395342011-09-12T21:08:00.000+10:002011-09-17T19:20:16.731+10:00Time with my big girl<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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My big Squidgy Girl and I have been trying to get some special time together for weeks. Finally, on Sunday morning we headed off to the Petrie Markets, just the two of us. The Petrie Markets are a happy place for me. I used to go them with my big sister when they were the rough and ready Closeburn Markets near Samford and we would scoff home made ginger beer and dutch pofertjies (sorry - can normally spell quite well but that has defeated me) and buy little antique blue and green bottles from the "bottle man". Later in the 1980s, when the markets moved to Petrie, my sister and I were both renting rooms with a guy in a lovely cottage at Clayfield and on Sunday mornings we loved to head to Petrie and buy ourselves a second hand book to read, a few avocados, a bunch of roses, some fudge, some strawberries and maybe a bottle from the Bottle Man. Then we would go home, enjoy our flowers and food and lie around reading our new books for the rest of the day. When my sister married and had a little boy, I used to steal him and take him to the markets and return him asleep at lunchtime, thinking she was such a generous sister to share him with me. Now I realise it was probably a gift to a tired mother. </div>
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I have gone to the Petrie Markets with so many friends, a boyfriend or two, and now I take my own family. Once, I was there with my close friend, Suz, our little girls and a pregnant belly when I ran into my ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. We chatted under the sunshiney blue sky and enjoyed seeing each other happy. Gee....that wasn't what this post was going to be about.</div>
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Anyway, big girl and I needed some time together and we made the most of every moment. When we arrived we were in awe of this amazing bougainvillia.</div>
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Then we spent some time at an artisan's shop with a man doing traditional Japanese weaving. I forget what it was called but he said it was a traditional pastime of Samurai warriers waiting for battle (or something like that). My girl was entranced and wanted to try it. I said I didn't think she could but on our return visit a bit later, the nice man must have noticed her longing glances as he offered to let her have a go. She LOVED it! One of the things I love about this girl is her zest for life, for meeting new people and bonding with them, for trying new things and having new adventures. She sucks up life like a little anteater devouring ants.</div>
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There used to be pony rides (and sometimes camel rides) at the Petrie Markets years ago and then they disappeared. I was told the insurance cost became too high. So we were delighted to see a lovely horse and two gorgeous tiny Shetland ponies giving rides for just $5. Can you see the tiny white dog watching the horse and girl go by? </div>
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For some reason (they said it was the gorgeous weather) there were heaps of lovely stall holders with antiques, vintage wares, collectables etc so we had a lovely browse. My Squidge spotted this lovely painted parasol for $10 at the stalls of <a href="http://bearsandoldlace.blogspot.com/">Julie</a> and Pam. After the price was kindly knocked down to $8, she parted with some of her pocket money and was a very happy customer. Apart from looking beautiful, the parasol was very handy for balancing on tree roots.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7VIpouIj5jg/Tm3GtxK5cgI/AAAAAAAABE4/Pe3-GLNDZsE/s1600/em%2Bwith%2Bparasol%2Bsmall.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651391597015298562" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7VIpouIj5jg/Tm3GtxK5cgI/AAAAAAAABE4/Pe3-GLNDZsE/s320/em%2Bwith%2Bparasol%2Bsmall.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 181px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a> Julie and Pam had some fantastic things for sale. I had only $20 of my housekeeping left and had already bought food and some vintage tablecloths so was being very strong. I loved this wooden box full of old pegs and lace.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nwURPwCxMLA/Tm3GiN0niAI/AAAAAAAABEw/DJFPRyt8iVY/s1600/box%2Bof%2Bpegs%2Bsmall.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651391398548047874" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nwURPwCxMLA/Tm3GiN0niAI/AAAAAAAABEw/DJFPRyt8iVY/s320/box%2Bof%2Bpegs%2Bsmall.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 181px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a> I also fell in love with this funky red china jug which I think looks sort of '50s and would go in our '50s house but, even after it was knocked down a couple of dollars to a very affordable price, I still didn't have enough cash. Do you take layby, Julie? You can't quite tell from my photo but it doesn't have a handle. Cool, hey?</div>
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Special love to all the mothers and daughters out there, especially to my wonderful friends who help me mother my girls and to the amazing woman who has changed my life and is soon to leave this life behind. You are an awesome mother, my sweet friend, and have made me a better one than I was before.</div>
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hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-33094876115907905042011-08-27T16:27:00.011+10:002011-08-27T19:49:06.459+10:00This and that<div align="justify">Life has been marching on as it does since I last made a post, several weeks ago. Things are pretty much back to normal as we don't have to have my girl reviewed by our various medical teams now until September/October. It has been lovely getting up in the morning and not having to keep medical appointments.</div>
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<br /><div align="justify">I still think a lot about our experience in hospital and what it has taught me and how it has changed us. I feel more like a grown up - finally - at 45 going on 46. One change has been a superficial but symbolic one. I had been talking about letting my hair go grey for months and months. I was finding it really hard to let go of my inner twenty-something self who had thick long dark hair which made me feel feminine, and on a good day, pretty. Since I turned 40, it has been shorter but still dark - thanks to regular dyeing. When I was in hospital with my girl, I stopped caring about what colour my hair was. I was actually glad it was short as I didn't have a comb for a week. I finally felt good about letting my hair be the colour it actually is. I still didn't like the idea of grey regrowth, so I have just been cutting it shorter and shorter with each haircut. When I went to the hairdresser last week, she suggested going really short - "If it's grey, you want it to be edgy, not mumsy" she said. So here I am with short grey hair. I like it - it feels liberating and my husband loves it, but I did shed one last little tear the other night (when feeling fragile about other more important things that are going on) as I bade farewell to my youth and said hello to the next chapter of my life.
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<br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m7sJUajW4QQ/TliR2YMQ9hI/AAAAAAAABEY/fiWNwXVxzc0/s1600/h%2Band%2Bgret%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645422496301774354" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m7sJUajW4QQ/TliR2YMQ9hI/AAAAAAAABEY/fiWNwXVxzc0/s320/h%2Band%2Bgret%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>I also learnt how important it is to be truthful with my children, especially about really important things like pain and love and fear and sadness. </div>
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<br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qhJPrbhXPMY/TliQmV3i2WI/AAAAAAAABEQ/15CyO6789hg/s1600/g%2Bwith%2Bkangas%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645421121288460642" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qhJPrbhXPMY/TliQmV3i2WI/AAAAAAAABEQ/15CyO6789hg/s320/g%2Bwith%2Bkangas%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>When coping with a sick little girl, Scott and I learnt that truest of all truths - the importance of living in the moment and sucking up all the love and joy you can. So...I decided to take extended leave from my historian's job so that one of us can be home with the children instead of both of us juggling work and home like a crazy circus act. Even though I only worked two days a week, those two days were so rushed and busy and I felt like I was always thinking ahead to whether there was a clean school uniform ready and enough bread to make a vegemite sandwich for a school lunch. And we both had less patience, less energy and less time to do fun things, or even to do nothing occasionally. The universe has kindly stepped in and made my job disappear in a work place restructure so I may not even have a job to go back to anyway. Normally, this situation would have caused me considerable stress, but in the light of what has happened, I have been content to go with the flow and look for the good in however things turn out. I took G into the city this week to attend a the launch of a website I was working on for the year before G got sick. I had noone to leave her with so she came along and was beautifully behaved. I felt proud of her for sitting quietly on my lap during the two speeches and letting me catch up with my colleagues and other people from the heritage field that I hadn't seen for ages. She was a bit disappointed though that there was no game of Pass the Parcel. It was nice to pop into my work world for an hour and then nice to leave it again. Then we went and said hello to the kangaroo sculptures in King George Square.
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<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5TaIzMaFtZc/TliPuXK0S1I/AAAAAAAABEI/BI7lfPMN7ug/s1600/em%2Bas%2Blucy%2Bwith%2Bg%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645420159565056850" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5TaIzMaFtZc/TliPuXK0S1I/AAAAAAAABEI/BI7lfPMN7ug/s320/em%2Bas%2Blucy%2Bwith%2Bg%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>My big girl just gets bigger every day. I swear her legs grow longer every night while she is sleeping. Here she is dressed up for "book week" at school. She is dressed up as Lucy from "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" as we have been reading the Narnia books at bedtime together. Is there anything more lovely to do than to reread your favourite books with your children? She is holding her magic cordial that Aslan gave her to heal the wounded in battles. I was stuck for a suitable potion bottle but then we found the bubble bath the girls gave me for Mothers' Day and added a few drops of red food colouring.
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<br />Not working has given me the time and energy to get more involved with our local school. We love hanging out and getting to know the other families and helping out with fundraising etc. I have met such lovely parents who have a real sense of community. Every day when G and I arrive to meet E after school, there is always a mum who is keeping an eye on someone else's children because they are running half an hour late. I love that. The kids play on the playground and the parents sit around and talk and then we wander off home. One of nicest things is that I have met some crafty mums who meet regularly for what they call "Yarn Night". I went along this week and we sat around, drinking tea and eating cake and knitting, sewing or crocheting and talking about life, school, birth and who bought some of those ruby grapefruit that were on special at the local fruit and vege shop last week. It may sound a bit boring but it was just lovely - very relaxing and nice to feel like I belong. I really want to spend more time with the women I know who I can relate to, who feel the way I feel - that we are meant to live in villages and share our food and our sewing machines and our childcare. I hope that doesn't sound really po faced. </div>
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<br /><div align="justify">Obviously, not working means a tight budget but I'm hoping we'll manage ok and can find ways to spend less money. I have resolved not to buy any new clothes for six months (except maybe at fetes or thrift shops!). And I think having more time will make up for having less money. Well...that's the theory. And if I can cook more meals and iron the odd shirt, that makes Scott's life less stressful and busy. He has cooked the majority of our meals for years (I cook most of the children's as he gets home from work late) but I think it's time I relieved him of some of his duties.
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<br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YkneQYgz3UU/TliPDEPKXII/AAAAAAAABEA/ZVbyg7tr744/s1600/kip%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645419415748631682" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YkneQYgz3UU/TliPDEPKXII/AAAAAAAABEA/ZVbyg7tr744/s320/kip%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>Our dog pog was sadly neglected for the last few months and had become very very shaggy. He had a dreadlock in his tail and big knots under his colour. I finally got myself organised and took him to the vet as I was tired of sweeping up dog hair from the floor. He now looks so tidy and puppylike that I have a whole new love for him and don't mind him snuggling up to me for some cuddles. He came home with a smart red scarf tied around his neck and looked like a doggy pirate.
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<br />I hope all my bloggy friends are well and happy. I haven't been posting but I have still been peeking at your lives as always. </div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-56112110703233245972011-07-22T18:00:00.008+10:002011-07-22T18:46:02.815+10:00Belated birthday celebrationsThree days after our girl came home from hospital, she turned 5! We were so grateful to be home and be able to celebrate together. As with all good birthdays, the celebrations spread out over a week or so. (The photos are out of order sorry as I was a bit disorganised uploading them).<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KrHgdoDVRKI/TikykZdq4NI/AAAAAAAABD0/U8CqDTlcdF4/s1600/sand%2Bart%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632088409895526610" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KrHgdoDVRKI/TikykZdq4NI/AAAAAAAABD0/U8CqDTlcdF4/s320/sand%2Bart%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>Some special friends organised a little private birthday party with some sand art. We all did some and I have to say, it was great therapy for Mum and Dad! Thanks for all your efforts, H. We had a lovely time!<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-edGZlap9f7A/Tikxm-Op3cI/AAAAAAAABDs/FH7_vjcZNak/s1600/cakes%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632087354612768194" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-edGZlap9f7A/Tikxm-Op3cI/AAAAAAAABDs/FH7_vjcZNak/s320/cakes%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> Some pattycakes for an impromptu birthday cake and candles. (Made by Nana - thanks Nana! and iced by the girls)<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dqcvWjJ_3a8/TikwRuqmW9I/AAAAAAAABDk/uuYpak6SdMs/s1600/presents%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632085890146130898" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dqcvWjJ_3a8/TikwRuqmW9I/AAAAAAAABDk/uuYpak6SdMs/s320/presents%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> Opening presents on the birthday morning.....<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E9irVz5nonI/TikvV7FWTTI/AAAAAAAABDc/z7oIE0Jivp8/s1600/IMG_6206.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632084862687399218" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E9irVz5nonI/TikvV7FWTTI/AAAAAAAABDc/z7oIE0Jivp8/s320/IMG_6206.JPG" /></a>A long anticipated visit to Cold Rock with some special friends to celebrate our girl's birthday. Aren't they gorgeous? And look at that little baby girl taking off her party hat! Such a cutie!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ix-9zrN_NJo/Tiku273ckHI/AAAAAAAABDU/hDyzaoah61U/s1600/DSC02311.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632084330321580146" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ix-9zrN_NJo/Tiku273ckHI/AAAAAAAABDU/hDyzaoah61U/s320/DSC02311.JPG" /></a>After Cold Rock, the friends came back to our house so the girls could blow bubbles. We threw some rugs on the front grass and sat in the winter sunshine having tea and biccies. So good to be alive and happy and in the company of good friends.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">There's probably more posts coming re adjusting to life after the hospital drama. I think it is helping me process what happened. Just as I thought life was getting back to normal this week, our girl had a temperature last night and was whimpering in her sleep. A flash back to a month ago when the ear infection which caused the clot must have been grumbling away despite the antibiotics. Back to the GP today to have a check up but can find no source of infection. Just a little temperature but I ended up crying in the GP's office for 15-20 mins while my girl was in the toyshop with my mum, reliving some of the events of the last few weeks which I thought I had dealt with. We are so lucky to have had such a good outcome so I keep reminding myself of that when we have little setbacks. </div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Hope all my bloggy and real life friends are well and happy. Hope to talk to you soon.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /></div></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-29614917906539223382011-07-13T14:11:00.006+10:002011-07-13T14:20:50.235+10:00Grateful for....After purging some of the medical details of the last few weeks on my blog, I think it's time to try and count my blessings.<br /><br />Grateful for.....<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drjSSJUb2KA/Th0cifgetUI/AAAAAAAABDE/9lJHLcGwdyU/s1600/DSC02264.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628686488181847362" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drjSSJUb2KA/Th0cifgetUI/AAAAAAAABDE/9lJHLcGwdyU/s320/DSC02264.JPG" /></a> seeing my girl home with her doggy pog</div><br /><div align="center"><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4p-KflgNY_s/Th0ca8K8kUI/AAAAAAAABC8/QSrDb5LIimE/s1600/washing%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628686358437204290" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4p-KflgNY_s/Th0ca8K8kUI/AAAAAAAABC8/QSrDb5LIimE/s320/washing%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>hanging out the washing myself in my own backyard in the sunshine<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUcQlg8AfHI/Th0cQB0hJXI/AAAAAAAABC0/lGCe1PCmt9k/s1600/flowers%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628686170975184242" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUcQlg8AfHI/Th0cQB0hJXI/AAAAAAAABC0/lGCe1PCmt9k/s320/flowers%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>seeing how my garden has grown and picking a posy of flowers<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d-53WQGmt44/Th0bn_9wKHI/AAAAAAAABCs/10vCTq0s0oc/s1600/em%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628685483282278514" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d-53WQGmt44/Th0bn_9wKHI/AAAAAAAABCs/10vCTq0s0oc/s320/em%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>being able to wash my brave big girl's hair and let her watch an "Avotar" movie marathon<br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div></div></div><br /></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-66951662526413120042011-07-08T20:55:00.003+10:002011-07-08T21:10:27.699+10:00Our girl doing wellIt's been a tough week and I couldn't find the heart or the time to post anything. Finally, this afternoon we had some good news about our girl. Although she had been improving and was full of beans, the twice daily injections of anti clotting drug into the cannula in her leg were causing her a lot of pain to the point where she could barely lie still for me to safely administer it (and both parents were in tears). On Wednesday, we had a day at hospital for a CT scan which involved going via the Emergency Dept to have an IV cannula in her hand for the contrast to be given (Pretty traumatic, needless to say). The CT scan was to check on the progress of the blood clot. To top it all off, she became sick the day before the proposed scan with tonsilitis and had to start on penicillin mixture which was making her gag. Today, after hearing that the clot had improved but was still there, we had to go back to hospital to change the cannula in her leg (the existing one was bruised and bleeding) in order to continue with the anti clotting drug. We had the numbing cream on ready to insert the needle part when the neuro registrar came in and examined our girl to check how she was going. He went off to talk to the haematology team and then returned and said we could stop the injections. I was ecstatic! Joyfully, we jumped in the car and came home. The girls stayed up late to celebrate no "medicine in the leg" at bedtime, Scott and I had Thai takeaway and all was right with our little world. We go back to the hospital on Monday afternoon for a proper "review" with the head neurologist. The other drugs are continuing for the present and there may be another scan in a few weeks but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. No more waking up and feeling sick at the thought of facing another painful injection for a brave little girl. Yippee!!!<br /><br />Thanks again to everyone for their support and love. We feel very lucky to be surrounded by such caring friends and family (and bloggy mates!). A special thank you to <a href="http://quiltingforhappiness.blogspot.com/">Melissa</a> for all her tips on minimising the physical and psychological trauma for little people and being a strong advocate for my little girl. You really helped me get through the last few days.hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-19530223589062876842011-06-29T21:14:00.011+10:002021-04-24T10:33:29.315+10:00Sudden onset of squint<div align="center"><br /></div><div align="justify">
This is a quick note to update you on our week. I'll be doing a longer post about it soon as it will be therapeutic for me to write about it but here is a shortish version.<br />
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About 13 days ago, our little girl suddenly developed a 'squint' - by that I mean that one of her eyes started turning inwards so that she looked cross eyed. I immediately knew that this was potentially a very serious medical situation and took her to a hospital to be assessed. To cut a long story short, it took six days, two hospital visits, two GP visits and a visit to a paediatric eye specialist before she was properly assessed. The specialist found that her optic nerves at the back of her eyes were 'swollen' indicating that she had increased intercranial pressure. This means that the pressure in her brain was rising for some reason - possibly a brain tumour, haemorrhage, abscess etc. It then became an emergency sitation and we rushed to hospital. After 30 awful hours that included an emergency MRI (for diagnosis) and lumbar puncture under general anaesthetic (to check for infection and relieve some of the pressure on the brain) they found a 2-3 cm blood clot had blocked off one of the veins that drains the cerebral spinal fluid from the brain, causing the CSF to build up in her brain - causing raised intercranial pressure which caused the optic nerves to swell. She was given (and still is on) serious drugs to reduce the brain swelling and stop further clotting and this has worked very well. After 7 days in hospital, we came home last night, still on the drugs which include injections twice daily to reduce the risk of further clotting. She is out of danger and the brain swelling has mostly gone but her optic nerves are still swollen. We went back to hospital today for her to be reviewed and they were very happy with her. She needs another brain scan on Wednesday to see if the clot is gone yet.<br />
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The clot was caused by an ordinary middle ear infection which caused inflammation in the vein near the ear which drains fluid from the brain - a very rare complication.<br />
<br />
Obviously, it was a very serious condition but as we were facing the very very real possibility of a brain tumour diagnosis, we were absolutely ecstatic that it was 'only' a blood clot. We had an absolutely out of this world medical team taking care of Greta - well, actually - several medical teams. We had a team of eye specialists looking after her eyes, a team of neurologists looking after her brain (they were in ultimate charge), a team of ear, nose and throat doctors making sure the underlying infection in her middle ear/mastoid bone was cleared up and a team of haemotologists supervising the drugs for the blood clot and clotting issues. We actually saw one of the top neurologists in Australia soon after we arrived, who has been working in neurology since the 1950s and retired this week. So we were extremely lucky to have him in charge. He was an expert long before the technology of MRI, CT scans etc and was able to tell us what he thought the most likely diagnosis was based on her symptoms/history before it was confirmed by the MRI. (The longest 30 hours of my life while we waited to rule out brain tumours).<br />
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I want to reassure everyone that she is doing really really well and say an enormous thank you to all our wonderful family and friends who have been supporting us with love and meals and visits to hospital and helping take care of my big girl while Gret and I were in hospital.<br />
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I am veering from elation at being home to exhaustion, but it is all good. She is safe and sound and in a few more weeks, we can hopefully be finished with the drugs and procedures and back to normal life.<br />
<br />
If anyone out there happens to google "sudden onset squint" (as I did) and finds this post, PLEASE if this has happened to your child (or you), get an immediate medical assessment as it is potentially a symptom of a life threatening condition. One of our neuro specialists described it as a "red flag" event.<br /></div>
<div align="justify">
Will post more soon including a photo of my girl with the turned eye so you can see exactly what I mean. Her beautiful eyes now look normal again and her vision does not appear to have been damaged. The swelling of her optic nerves is going down and should continue to go down over the next few weeks. </div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-10921847457962375962011-06-14T15:17:00.015+10:002011-06-17T11:30:36.851+10:00Weekend at O'Reilly's GuesthouseBack in May, we had a wonderful weekend at the famous O'Reilly's Guesthouse in Lamington National Park. It has a quite a history as it was established by the O'Reilly family on their dairy farm as a guesthouse back in the 1920s. Lots of lovely historical photographs on the walls of the guesthouse for the historians in our family to pore over. The reason we went was to celebrate my Mum's 75th birthday. My sister and her family went as well as my parents and it was the first time we have all had a holiday together since we were children. (Only downside was that our brother and his little family couldn't come as well). Luckily, we all had our own accommodation and space and couldn't drive each other nuts!<br /><br />Our girls were so excited about going away with their cousins and seeing the rainforest. It was a two hour drive from our place and the last half an hour or so was going up quite steep winding hairpin bends which I found pretty hair raising. It was a relief to get there and have our first walk in the rainforest.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r2yMZD0rpjE/TfcPcQQL1NI/AAAAAAAABCc/qHTnL7-xQg0/s1600/em%2Bin%2Bforest%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617976038241588434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r2yMZD0rpjE/TfcPcQQL1NI/AAAAAAAABCc/qHTnL7-xQg0/s320/em%2Bin%2Bforest%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> The guesthouse is quite a big complex with a central lodge type building with a restaurant, cosy bar, games room, fireplaces, shelves of books etc etc. Then there were separate buildings for accommodation all of which had gorgeous views of the mountains and valleys. The most wonderful thing was no phones, no TV, no computers and no proper mobile reception (though we did manage to be text each other and say things like "What time are you going to breakfast". It was SO peaceful! <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LwlL1EJePjs/TfbydSNUQzI/AAAAAAAABCU/qR6SfOp9mmg/s1600/breakfast%2Balfresco%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617944170109092658" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LwlL1EJePjs/TfbydSNUQzI/AAAAAAAABCU/qR6SfOp9mmg/s320/breakfast%2Balfresco%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> Speaking of breakfast....it was an absolute feast. All you could eat from the menu or the smorgasbord. That's my kind of breakfast! The second morning, breakfast was outside, complete with chefs cooking eggs etc and all the other breakfast goodies you could wish for. It was chilly but we rugged up and just ate extra to keep our bellies warm.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tDbHVNGt6zA/TfbxRc25FuI/AAAAAAAABCM/OjeZ5Uj5vm0/s1600/girls%2Bin%2Brainforest%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617942867297769186" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tDbHVNGt6zA/TfbxRc25FuI/AAAAAAAABCM/OjeZ5Uj5vm0/s320/girls%2Bin%2Brainforest%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> The rainforest was just magical.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hwm54K4EOro/Tfbw88flurI/AAAAAAAABCE/nC4PdlhgAuI/s1600/e%2Bwith%2Bmoss%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617942515012713138" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hwm54K4EOro/Tfbw88flurI/AAAAAAAABCE/nC4PdlhgAuI/s320/e%2Bwith%2Bmoss%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> Here's my big girl communing with a mossy boulder. She was in seventh heaven and got completely hooked on birdwatching. She soon knew the names of the local birds flying about and their habits and was especially fascinated with the bower birds and their nests fall of blue treasures.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HvEUR437w6g/TfbwtDbg8UI/AAAAAAAABB8/CKgL6VyqK0Y/s1600/em%2Bwith%2Bbirds%2B2%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617942241996763458" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HvEUR437w6g/TfbwtDbg8UI/AAAAAAAABB8/CKgL6VyqK0Y/s320/em%2Bwith%2Bbirds%2B2%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> Although not ecologically PC, O'Reilly's has special permission to feed the local birdlife as it has been done for so many decades that the birds are dependant on it. The crimson rosellas were another special favourite of my big girl.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_qiE-AJlc40/TfbwkF7V6yI/AAAAAAAABB0/sci9yRtWdwE/s1600/gret%2Bbehind%2Bfence%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617942088048306978" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_qiE-AJlc40/TfbwkF7V6yI/AAAAAAAABB0/sci9yRtWdwE/s320/gret%2Bbehind%2Bfence%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> My little girl was not so keen and preferred to stay outside the feeding enclosure with her Daddy.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Swzd8UAZV7U/TfbwbsnggSI/AAAAAAAABBs/dMNdsQkTnSw/s1600/heath%2Bem%2Band%2Bbirds%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617941943815274786" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Swzd8UAZV7U/TfbwbsnggSI/AAAAAAAABBs/dMNdsQkTnSw/s320/heath%2Bem%2Band%2Bbirds%2Breduced.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PkrBV4K4Lxs/Tfbv5uyjNTI/AAAAAAAABBk/FJynAy_kg1o/s1600/em%2Bwith%2Bowl%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617941360282907954" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PkrBV4K4Lxs/Tfbv5uyjNTI/AAAAAAAABBk/FJynAy_kg1o/s320/em%2Bwith%2Bowl%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> My big girl even got to hold a barn owl which was an exciting experience.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H_JnA2pXDXc/Tfbvck_e9FI/AAAAAAAABBc/fM0_1TaG5cs/s1600/view%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617940859436594258" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H_JnA2pXDXc/Tfbvck_e9FI/AAAAAAAABBc/fM0_1TaG5cs/s320/view%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> Even though the weather was sometimes overcast and misty, the view was just gorgeous. So relaxing to just look at it, breathe in the clean mountain air and listen to the birds.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0bs21u222CM/TfbvD_64fJI/AAAAAAAABBU/W4DZchEKbG8/s1600/cousins%2Band%2Bview%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617940437168323730" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0bs21u222CM/TfbvD_64fJI/AAAAAAAABBU/W4DZchEKbG8/s320/cousins%2Band%2Bview%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>It was extra special to be with my extended family. Life is so hectic for everybody, it was wonderful to just talk and walk and eat and laugh and play board games together.<br /><br />Thanks for having us, O'Reilly's. Hope we come back soon.<br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-49479941927349485022011-05-29T08:16:00.009+10:002011-05-29T08:43:51.847+10:00Lemonade stallI've been very slack on the blogging front lately. Sometimes life takes so much effort, there's no energy left over for blogging about it. Life has been extra busy with jazz ballet, giving history talks here and there, school working bees, friends coming to play. All good stuff.<br /><br />One of my favourite things we have done lately was have a lemonade stall one sunny day during the Easter break. It was my little girl's idea. She asked her Daddy to help her make lemonade for a stall, so lemons were squeezed, juice and sugar were boiled on the stove, a table, jug and cups were taken out on to the footpath, a quick sign was made and we knocked on some neighbours' doors to invite them over for free lemonade.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Llc5IN2_Z9U/TeF27awQ7yI/AAAAAAAABBI/hHocImc7VWA/s1600/sign%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611897373846466338" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Llc5IN2_Z9U/TeF27awQ7yI/AAAAAAAABBI/hHocImc7VWA/s320/sign%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>Soon we were joined by our favourite families in our street. It is one of my all time favourite things to sit in the sunshine, chatting with our lovely neighbours, watching the children entertain themselves.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611897108474302002" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IjhOo02MiHM/TeF2r-KnDjI/AAAAAAAABA4/Z3IIlxC3No4/s320/mmmmmm%2Breduced.JPG" /> Mmmmm.....so good!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611897206692968770" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K-WEYRqyNEA/TeF2xsDw-UI/AAAAAAAABBA/-V6uO-TnOqE/s320/queuing%2Bfor%2Bseconds%2Breduced.JPG" />Time to queue for seconds.<br /><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611896861193551586" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rdmt3uYFJ-8/TeF2dk-SPuI/AAAAAAAABAw/28jgqCkP9SA/s320/kipper%2Bjoins%2Bin%2Breduced.JPG" />Kipper joins the party. Unfortunately he has to stay on the lead or he would gallop off and explore the neighbour's gardens before heading down the laneway to the nearest busy road.<br /><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611896719376865042" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DE8_2XvJdsg/TeF2VUqjVxI/AAAAAAAABAo/yXjYkcoaCig/s320/girls%2Bwith%2Bbook%2Breduced.JPG" />Our girls had watched "The Sound of Music" for the first time the night before so my big girl fetched her pop-up "Sound of Music" book to show her friends.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D_P6CS7IYDM/TeF2MlhBLzI/AAAAAAAABAg/GPwBIxWt0Fo/s1600/sound%2Bof%2Bmusic%2Bbook%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611896569281457970" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D_P6CS7IYDM/TeF2MlhBLzI/AAAAAAAABAg/GPwBIxWt0Fo/s320/sound%2Bof%2Bmusic%2Bbook%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>The book was a big hit and the girls are still singing "Edelweiss". (Makes me cry every time I see it)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kwe0841CGpQ/TeF2E65ZGtI/AAAAAAAABAY/q9CkgI68lUQ/s1600/girls%2Baround%2Bpole%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611896437581880018" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kwe0841CGpQ/TeF2E65ZGtI/AAAAAAAABAY/q9CkgI68lUQ/s320/girls%2Baround%2Bpole%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>Moving on to other games.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div align="justify">Thanks for coming along everybody. See you on the footpath soon.<br /></div></div></div></div><br /></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-6735460159802761322011-04-23T12:33:00.013+10:002011-04-25T09:18:35.615+10:00In the garden, in the Easter sunshine<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j6CuWCgc-VI/TbJiCv0ZivI/AAAAAAAAA_4/8rurcTvUT48/s1600/sun%2Bjewels%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598645086110452466" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j6CuWCgc-VI/TbJiCv0ZivI/AAAAAAAAA_4/8rurcTvUT48/s320/sun%2Bjewels%2Breduced.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>After heaps of rainy days we have finally had some gorgeous sunny weather just in time for Easter. Before the school holidays, our school had an easter hat parade which is always great fun to watch. Over 800 kids marching around in the sunshine in their Easter hat creations. I took lots of photos at school but promised the school office I wouldn't publish them on my blog. Such a pity that the world is the way it is. But here are my two bunnies at home before the parade. My big girl wanted to wear one of my sister's and my old dresses from 40 years ago. We used to call it the "stained glass window dress". She loves wearing it. "What's vintage mean, Mummy?".<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CoT25qNzWwU/TbI-pkweCrI/AAAAAAAAA_w/PrV9-yOtQoQ/s1600/girls%2Bin%2Beaster%2Bhats%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598606170737478322" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CoT25qNzWwU/TbI-pkweCrI/AAAAAAAAA_w/PrV9-yOtQoQ/s320/girls%2Bin%2Beaster%2Bhats%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>I finally found the energy and a spare (sort of) $20 to buy some potting mix and extra flower seedlings. We never seem to have enough flowers. While I pottered and potted, the girls amused themselves for a couple of hours making a train out of bikes to deliver flowers.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nB5Id3e-ZGI/TbI8vWGwJ7I/AAAAAAAAA_o/Wp5gql8oYqc/s1600/girls%2Bwith%2Bbikes%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598604070860367794" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nB5Id3e-ZGI/TbI8vWGwJ7I/AAAAAAAAA_o/Wp5gql8oYqc/s320/girls%2Bwith%2Bbikes%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> All aboard the flower train!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UiCJU5r30_Y/TbI7LjQ-8iI/AAAAAAAAA_g/8bD7Nbwh6nU/s1600/flower%2Btrain%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598602356406022690" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UiCJU5r30_Y/TbI7LjQ-8iI/AAAAAAAAA_g/8bD7Nbwh6nU/s320/flower%2Btrain%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> I love it when they play outside in the fresh air, using their imaginations. That's how childhood should be.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-weZYz75ufeg/TbI6qVQ8svI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/lp91kQMpCds/s1600/hanging%2Bbasket%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598601785712095986" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-weZYz75ufeg/TbI6qVQ8svI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/lp91kQMpCds/s320/hanging%2Bbasket%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> My hanging baskets have been hanging empty for months and they finally have some new little green babies in them. Now I wish I had planted them up months ago. I'd have lots of colourful petunias and lobelias to enjoy now if I had.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0u5YoehliG4/TbI6imVVciI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/0F-_NaJoCV4/s1600/rock%2Bgarden%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598601652854944290" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0u5YoehliG4/TbI6imVVciI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/0F-_NaJoCV4/s320/rock%2Bgarden%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>My rock garden soldiers on. Sometimes one shocking pink sun jewel appears among the pale ones. You never know what Mother Nature will give you. We often find new little surprises in this garden that have self seeded - there are baby nasturtiums and sweet alyssum popping up at the moment.<br /><br /><br /><div></div>I haven't been to church on Easter Friday for about 20 years. I don't miss it. I find the Easter story unbearably sad. Probably everyone does. Now I prefer to think about more pagan, traditional celebrations to do with new life, fertility, nature, and, of course, chocolate! Happy Easter everybody!<br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-21036780599981581632011-04-12T20:49:00.022+10:002011-04-19T20:25:16.851+10:00This and that<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8eBOuI_n0c/TaQ2V6RFpEI/AAAAAAAAA94/ebj26qpXeZI/s1600/fairy%2Bin%2Bgarden%2Bweb%2Blarge.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594656387147080770" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8eBOuI_n0c/TaQ2V6RFpEI/AAAAAAAAA94/ebj26qpXeZI/s320/fairy%2Bin%2Bgarden%2Bweb%2Blarge.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>Ever since I started this blog for fun on my birthday in 2008, I have had the same photo of a fairy nestled in amongst blue lobelia flowers for my header. I never found another photo that seemed the right one to replace it, one that summed up my life/outlook/philosophy. But then, while flying my big girl's kite in the park the other day, I managed to hold the camera with one hand and the kite string in the other and snap a picture of it flying above me. Every time I look at this photo, I feel happy. It makes me feel hopeful and reminds me that the world is still full of beauty and simple pleasures despite earthquakes, floods, and other bad things that happen to good people. Plus..... I do have a little rainbow obsession.<br /><br /><div></div></div><br /><br /><div>I don't know where I used to find the time to do more posting on this blog. Suddenly, I just don't seem to be able to manage to find a spare 20 minutes to find the camera, upload the photos and stick them in a post with a few sentences. I could only find one of our two cameras tonight so some of the photos I was planning to post will have to wait until another time. I know I had our camera at Gallery of Modern Art on Friday and don't think I have seen it since, which is a worry. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>A few posts back, I mentioned a quilt I was making for a special friend who has taught me so much about mothering, loving kindness, living in the moment and "letting go". After a couple more weeks of stitching it was finally finished, wrapped up and delivered. This quilt pretty much made itself and I loved making it. I loved the colours and the pictures of herbs and the simplicity of good old squares and rectangles. I love that it has gone to a happy home where the door is always open to friends, even when they have wandered down the street after dinner in their pajamas.<br /><br /><div></div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AMEtDobzIpw/TaQw6M85U-I/AAAAAAAAA9w/aaQ53ezNBJc/s1600/quilt%2Bsmall.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594650413568185314" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AMEtDobzIpw/TaQw6M85U-I/AAAAAAAAA9w/aaQ53ezNBJc/s320/quilt%2Bsmall.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qOWqLCi5FMM/TaQw0HXue-I/AAAAAAAAA9o/WBumswD93fc/s1600/helen%2Band%2Bgirls%2Bwith%2Bquilt%2Bsmall.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594650308990893026" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qOWqLCi5FMM/TaQw0HXue-I/AAAAAAAAA9o/WBumswD93fc/s320/helen%2Band%2Bgirls%2Bwith%2Bquilt%2Bsmall.JPG" /></a> (I apologise that there is a tiny bit too much of me showing in this photo, but, hey, it's only the internet).</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L08ZWufMHQY/TaQwM6TqeSI/AAAAAAAAA9g/nwOeWv5kiuw/s1600/gret%2Bmonkey%2Bbars%2Bsmall.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594649635469293858" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L08ZWufMHQY/TaQwM6TqeSI/AAAAAAAAA9g/nwOeWv5kiuw/s320/gret%2Bmonkey%2Bbars%2Bsmall.JPG" /></a> The autumn weather has made it a joy to be outside, especially in a park. A few weekends ago, we went to our local park with our friends to fly a kite and get in some extra monkey bar time.</div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWK9Gv1GthA/TaQv2MjCD5I/AAAAAAAAA9Y/MXP6v6V2OfY/s1600/park%2Bsmall.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594649245228601234" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWK9Gv1GthA/TaQv2MjCD5I/AAAAAAAAA9Y/MXP6v6V2OfY/s320/park%2Bsmall.JPG" /></a> Can you see the kite disappearing over the bridge?</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>When I sat down at the computer this evening to upload the latest batch of photos from my camera, I came across a bunch of gorgeous photos that I had never seen before. What a gift! Not sure what I was doing when my husband snapped them but I can't resist showing them to you. This is the side of our house where the weeds run rampant and we never seem to get around to making it beautiful. When we bought the house, the architect friend who did our building inspection warned that the landing didn't meet safety standards and we should add a railing. We did get a quote but never followed through on it. Nearly four years later, no-one has fallen off it (touch wood). Somehow, an old geranium has grown in a neglected corner and enchanted two girls having fun with a beachtowel and an umbrella. Thanks Scott for the photies!</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fWuGalU-X7g/TaQvPtgZwwI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/RHOHTZk4WxY/s1600/gret%2Bcloseup%2Bsmall.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594648584061043458" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fWuGalU-X7g/TaQvPtgZwwI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/RHOHTZk4WxY/s320/gret%2Bcloseup%2Bsmall.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bwQNUJINWlA/TaQu7MLKg0I/AAAAAAAAA9I/NoB0M3Lb7Ts/s1600/girls%2Bback%2Bsteps%2Bcloseup%2Bsmall.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594648231516209986" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bwQNUJINWlA/TaQu7MLKg0I/AAAAAAAAA9I/NoB0M3Lb7Ts/s320/girls%2Bback%2Bsteps%2Bcloseup%2Bsmall.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BklCIGEG5t0/TaQum-5cfJI/AAAAAAAAA9A/XEPdKHtPKQw/s1600/girls%2Bon%2Bback%2Bstairs%2Bsmall.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594647884354845842" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BklCIGEG5t0/TaQum-5cfJI/AAAAAAAAA9A/XEPdKHtPKQw/s320/girls%2Bon%2Bback%2Bstairs%2Bsmall.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>Thanks Universe for two happy, healthy children (who didn't fall off the landing!)</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-21068337912606232692011-03-16T17:19:00.015+10:002011-04-19T20:29:16.331+10:00More everyday stuff<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584585494347186754" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TGe5_piTZkY/TYBu6zBdAkI/AAAAAAAAA8w/UW8cumBdBtI/s320/hollyhocks%2Breduced.JPG" />Baby hollyhocks sheltering beside the eggplants.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TvkyrjHruhI/TYBuzi27YNI/AAAAAAAAA8o/2GeSAIaYPT4/s1600/sweetpeas%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584585369748988114" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TvkyrjHruhI/TYBuzi27YNI/AAAAAAAAA8o/2GeSAIaYPT4/s320/sweetpeas%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> Baby sweet peas. (Sorry...these photos belong further down. I'm having trouble getting my photos to move around. Cutting and pasting doesn't work and clicking and dragging will only move them a centimetre at a time if I am lucky. Any suggestions gratefully received. I also can't get the spaces to appear between paragraphs. They are there when I write the post but disappear when I publish it. Editing does not fix the problem and yesterday I went into my format settings thing and thought I fixed it, but no. As someone who writes for a living, this is driving me completely nuts!!!!!)<br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Nothing earth shattering going on at our place - just the same old same old. Sometimes that is lovely, but sometimes it seems a bit like ground hog day. But how can you possibly complain about life's ordinariness when you see what has happened in Japan? So.....I am thankful that my little world is safe and ordinary and full of normality and love as well as dishes, children with mouth ulcers (is there a virus going around or something?), doggy doo doo to pick up from the backyard. You get the picture.</div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>So here are a few scenes from our ordinary life in the quiet suburbs.<br /></div><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584585277772414754" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IH9o-NCSBJU/TYBuuMOAPyI/AAAAAAAAA8g/8yholpQjxM8/s320/hydrangea%2Breduced.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584575849664757042" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kztgEzt7Dn8/TYBmJZx-PTI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/Y9aJTbScu08/s320/girls%2Bgardening%2Breduced.JPG" /></div><br /><br /><br /><div>My big girl wanted to make a little garden on the weekend so transplanted some sun jewels into a shallow pot and decorated it with pretty stones and a little pond. Her friend made one too. I love to see them with their hands in the dirt (well.....in the potting mix). My little girl just played in the soil and made a fine mess in the carport. (It was too hot and sunny to do this on the grass).<br /></div><br /><br /><div>I've been neglecting my garden for months. My poor old lavender bush was surrounded by weeds and one of my no-dig vege patches was completely overwhelmed by weeds and is now a vege garden no more. So I headed to the beautiful garden shop at Carseldine on the weekend with the girls and bought some flower seedlings. I do love growing veges but have been hankering for flowers. I have hardly any at the moment and cannot survive a minute longer without them. All I have at present is the occasional hydrangea flower and some sun jewels. I have always LOVED sweet peas but have never had the right spot for them. So this year I am determined to grow them in the vege patch against the fence. The nursery only had medium height and little bijou ones when I really want the standard tall ones that go right up the fence but I couldn't go home without them so bought a punnet of the medium height ones and some lime to dig into the soil to make it sweet pea friendly. I also saw some hollyhock seedlings. I have never grown them but I love them and couldn't resist so I have just planted them next to our raging eggplants and have my fingers crossed that they will get enough sun and goodness to grow and flower for me. I saw several earthworms in the soil so that's a good sign. It never ceases to amaze me that when you put layers of newspaper, compost and sugar cane mulch in layers that it turns into beautiful dark rich composty soil. What a miracle!</div><br /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584575628199380866" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2kS_43UX_Qc/TYBl8gwgx4I/AAAAAAAAA8I/ly7b4x0vWD0/s320/pirate%2Breduced.JPG" /></div><br /><br /><div>My little girl has been exceptionally good lately at amusing herself for hours on end, just pottering in her room or in the playroom. Mixing up all the toys and packing them into various containers. Such a big job to sort them out again later but never mind. This week she got into the dress up box very quietly and then suddenly found me and announced that she was a pirate. Funny creature, she is.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EK8TvtBaMyo/TYBmDxrVWTI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/y9mXMNAyGzA/s1600/kippy%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bwrong%2Bmat.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584575753000147250" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EK8TvtBaMyo/TYBmDxrVWTI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/y9mXMNAyGzA/s320/kippy%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bwrong%2Bmat.JPG" /></a>Kipper made us laugh this week. We have an old bathmat next to the fireplace where he is sometimes allowed to sit and be with us in the evenings before he goes to bed in the laundry. When we let him inside and say "mat", he trots to it and sits down. If he's tired he lies down and will have a sleep or just watch what we are doing. Because I had been vacuuming and mopping I had put his mat in the wash and one of the girls' little TV couches was sitting in his "mat" spot. Suddenly we realised Kipper had parked his bottom on what he thought was his lovely new comfy mat! I think he has a very worried look on his face.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Hope all is well in your worlds.</div></div></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-62996657272517981402011-03-03T20:01:00.015+10:002011-03-03T21:51:20.322+10:00Baking, sewing, lovingAfter a few weeks of resting up after the thyroid surgery thing, I am starting to feel like myself again. The swelling around my throat has gone down a lot and I have finally got enough energy to get back into normal life a little. Having some extra time on my hands has been a real gift. After not touching my sewing machine for months, I decided to do some quilting. I wanted to make a quilt for a much loved friend and found the leftover fabric my sister gave me after making me a surprise wedding quilt. It has lovely pictures of herbs on it and I have always really loved it. With some help from the wonderful Claudia at <a href="http://www.quiltessentials.com.au/">Quilt Essentials</a>, I picked out some colours that matched in well and started cutting out big squares. I want this quilt to be beautiful but nice and easy. I couldn't wait to start playing with those beautiful squares of fabric. Here's a sneak preview.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TArfWpcvw9o/TW94IbhmlyI/AAAAAAAAA70/Yu3XgOYuZBU/s1600/helen%2527s%2Bquilt%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579810549558318882" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TArfWpcvw9o/TW94IbhmlyI/AAAAAAAAA70/Yu3XgOYuZBU/s320/helen%2527s%2Bquilt%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> I was going to put in a few blue and purple squares but they didn't look right, so I'm saving the contrasting colours for the borders. I want the finished quilt to be like having a little garden inside.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wkX-ehSWeoQ/TW920Hy8gXI/AAAAAAAAA7s/2i3MpOz25uk/s1600/tablemat%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579809101153337714" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wkX-ehSWeoQ/TW920Hy8gXI/AAAAAAAAA7s/2i3MpOz25uk/s320/tablemat%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> Because I hadn't quilted for so long, I felt really rusty so I tried making a table mat first, using some of my rainbow baby quilt stash. I thought I'd be brave and try triangles, again with some timely advice from Claudia. She showed me how to place two squares right side together, draw a pencil line from corner to corner and then a line a quarter of an inch on either side of the first line. Then you stitch up the two outer lines and then cut up the middle line and, hey presto, you have two half triangle squares. (I think that is what they are called). That part was easy and so was stitching them together. Then I sewed on the binding, thinking I was mitring the corners properly, but somehow the corners went out of whack and now they don't match up properly. I guess I'll stick to right angles for a bit longer. I also am having trouble with joining the two ends of the binding together using the method where you poke one end into the other and then sew along the edge. My binding always ends up too bulky and looks like a snake which has swallowed a mouse. (See the little bulge in the middle part of the binding at the top?) <a href="http://quiltingforhappiness.blogspot.com/">Melissa</a>, Queen of Quilting, - if you read this and have any hints for me, that would be great. But, I loved making it and quilting rainbows always makes me so happy.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K0jhoG0HQPM/TW92s_R_ygI/AAAAAAAAA7k/2kmAOl_JZ54/s1600/gret%2Bbaking%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579808978608572930" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K0jhoG0HQPM/TW92s_R_ygI/AAAAAAAAA7k/2kmAOl_JZ54/s320/gret%2Bbaking%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>Apart from some sewing, I was inspired by <a href="http://dandelion-beck.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html">this post </a>at Beck's Dandelion blog to try my hand again at muffins. I have tried once or twice before but they didn't turn out so well. Yesterday, the little girl and I made strawberry and chocolate chip muffins for us and gluten free banana and choc chip muffins for the coeliac Daddy. We had a lovely time cooking together and my girl loves to say "check...check...check" when I read out the ingredients. Doesn't she have a funny grown up look on her face?<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eHHvWRbHSrc/TW92mOeSExI/AAAAAAAAA7c/G0DOpnDGsu4/s1600/gret%2Bwith%2Bmuffins%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579808862427550482" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eHHvWRbHSrc/TW92mOeSExI/AAAAAAAAA7c/G0DOpnDGsu4/s320/gret%2Bwith%2Bmuffins%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> Yummo! They were so good, I made another batch today. Thanks Beck!</div><div><br /><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579808498490601122" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--AkLU9pSIAs/TW92RCs87qI/AAAAAAAAA7U/ohQPkjwS9vY/s320/rhino%2Brampage%2Breduced.JPG" /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z43AVSTsl2w/TW91kD1DjHI/AAAAAAAAA7M/Kta1YomR9UM/s1600/DSC01651.JPG"></a> On Sunday nights we try and keep up our tradition of a family game after dinner. Last time, "Rhino Rampage" was chosen and it was really lovely to sit together with the TV off and play a game. I'm looking forward to the day when we can move onto Scrabble. My big girl can play but my little girl can only spell one word - L...O...V....E - thanks to the Hi 5 song.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-776HDR354PA/TW9odTk05_I/AAAAAAAAA7E/tdvRD13L8n4/s1600/greta%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579793316015564786" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-776HDR354PA/TW9odTk05_I/AAAAAAAAA7E/tdvRD13L8n4/s320/greta%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> In the meantime, "Rhino Rampage" is fine.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vWyb2g6TIjw/TW9oX6eonHI/AAAAAAAAA68/9gdFKzZxGEM/s1600/emma%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579793223379360882" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vWyb2g6TIjw/TW9oX6eonHI/AAAAAAAAA68/9gdFKzZxGEM/s320/emma%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> My big girl is finally getting her two front teeth. A tiny bit crooked but still beautiful!<br /><br />So.... a lovely week of healing, sewing, baking, playing and loving.<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KCbakAE7vOA/TW9oJ-kE00I/AAAAAAAAA60/V23JXzgaYeI/s1600/daddy%2527s%2Bgirl%2Breduced.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-7588839827612316752011-02-16T20:27:00.022+10:002011-02-17T09:57:28.649+10:00Taking it easy...<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8aFIhLzVy7M/TVuuKkIiagI/AAAAAAAAA6U/OttxX51nKxE/s1600/dollies.JPG"></a>These hydrangeas are from our garden and almost match the lovely card I was given by one of my sweet school mum friends. I must put flowers in my room more often as it is so nice to lie in bed and look at them.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jlfM7AnWOC0/TVuqwtPpkCI/AAAAAAAAA6M/Mn-5_vis9uE/s1600/DSC01595.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574236717556797474" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jlfM7AnWOC0/TVuqwtPpkCI/AAAAAAAAA6M/Mn-5_vis9uE/s320/DSC01595.JPG" /></a>Life has been settling into a new pattern of resting and recovering and enjoying being home with my girls (and my husband and the dog, I suppose). As usual, I am constantly fighting to turn the TV off after a few hours because a) the noise of it drives me insane and b) I know the girls could be doing better things with their time. I don't mind them watching an hour or two on school days and a couple of hours on the weekend but if I left it to my family, the TV would stay on ALL DAY. Anyway...I digress. I have been enjoying doing nice quiet things with the girls. I got out my stash of quilting squares left over from making baby quilts to think about making a table runner for a friend. Both girls love playing around with the coloured squares and 'making quilts' and it occupied them for ages. Here is the little one creating.</div><br /><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T2lX36PCQLM/TVuqoteCX9I/AAAAAAAAA6E/cyr0Tj02h2Y/s1600/DSC01594.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574236580178190290" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T2lX36PCQLM/TVuqoteCX9I/AAAAAAAAA6E/cyr0Tj02h2Y/s320/DSC01594.JPG" /></a> My big girl literally spent about 2 hours arranging squares in endless variations. I was amazed. (Note the TV remote is not far away in the shot below showing where she was sitting).<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vkUZKNsZTt8/TVuqe37fVMI/AAAAAAAAA58/05PrgDDkFFU/s1600/em%2527s%2Bquilting%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574236411187385538" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vkUZKNsZTt8/TVuqe37fVMI/AAAAAAAAA58/05PrgDDkFFU/s320/em%2527s%2Bquilting%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> One night, we had a quick game of dominoes before bed which was lovely. The girls even managed to have a game by themselves without one of us needing to participate and sort out the fights (usually caused by the youngest girl not following the rules, but what can you expect from a four year old?). I listened to them happily playing and wondered "Is this a new phase of parenting? I sure as hell hope so". Not that I don't like playing games - I'm a big fan - but sometimes I'd rather be doing other things. Here is the little girl watching her sister's domino moves. She has this sweet old fashioned nightie from Peter Alexander that makes her look like something from a period movie.</div><div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-reGecVPt_Wk/TVuptMaBy3I/AAAAAAAAA50/6Vvzvf_vOM8/s1600/gret%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574235557690723186" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-reGecVPt_Wk/TVuptMaBy3I/AAAAAAAAA50/6Vvzvf_vOM8/s320/gret%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> And my big girl, lolling around on the little couches, suddenly gave me a glimpse of the teenage girl she will be in 5 years. (Yikes!) What a knowing little face she has.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TFA1CZNQ3XY/TVupJ4yL26I/AAAAAAAAA5s/xEWPqouT00A/s1600/em%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574234951127915426" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TFA1CZNQ3XY/TVupJ4yL26I/AAAAAAAAA5s/xEWPqouT00A/s320/em%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> The game continues.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxisxFTtFt4/TVupEW6z7gI/AAAAAAAAA5k/4EjXd7hEAFk/s1600/dominos%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574234856137944578" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxisxFTtFt4/TVupEW6z7gI/AAAAAAAAA5k/4EjXd7hEAFk/s320/dominos%2Breduced.JPG" /></a></div><div></div><div>Yesterday, I had my first day at home with my little girl for since mid-December. Because of school holidays, working, my big girl having 2 weeks off school sick and me going to hospital last week, I have either been with both girls, or at work, or home alone recovering. So my Curley Whirl Girl and I had a really lovely quiet day together. I enjoyed drifting from activity to activity with her and we spent ages looking at her baby scrapbook album and the backlog of photos on the digital camera. We tidied up the playroom and it's truly amazing what you find when you start putting things away and looking in baskets and boxes. Some little things that were missing turned up in the cash register where they were doing duty as toy money.<br /></div><div>After lunch we had a teaparty with the dollies. Check out these cakes! (Yes...we are a bit partial to buying wooden food. I'm a bit of a toy snob. I put the cheap plastic food toys away in a drawer and like to play with the pretty wooden ones).<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e_92Wl6vEvc/TVuo2ArFF4I/AAAAAAAAA5c/mZO5SKUywZs/s1600/cakes%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574234609648211842" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e_92Wl6vEvc/TVuo2ArFF4I/AAAAAAAAA5c/mZO5SKUywZs/s320/cakes%2Breduced.JPG" /></a>The picnic tablecloth was carefully laid.....<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--77D59BrhPM/TVuoU6s8rCI/AAAAAAAAA5U/mPBBujUrgg0/s1600/setting%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574234041109752866" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--77D59BrhPM/TVuoU6s8rCI/AAAAAAAAA5U/mPBBujUrgg0/s320/setting%2Breduced.JPG" /></a> The guests were seated and the teaparty began! "Mummy, would you like to be one of my guests, she said?".<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j_X3FQFE1TY/TVuoNMAX6VI/AAAAAAAAA5M/U7Zr6Yyr9sE/s1600/dolly%2Bteaparty%2Breduced.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574233908315679058" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j_X3FQFE1TY/TVuoNMAX6VI/AAAAAAAAA5M/U7Zr6Yyr9sE/s320/dolly%2Bteaparty%2Breduced.JPG" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br />Hope everyone is well and happy at your place.hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-52865926388115940522011-02-10T16:30:00.003+10:002011-02-10T16:33:25.599+10:00home and hosedJust a quick note to say thanks for the good wishes. The surgery went well and all my results are clear. Such a relief! Thank you, Universe! I'm feeling very lucky and loved and have been home just an hour or so. Home has never looked so beautiful.<br /><br />Thanks again to everyone for their support, especially the wonderful friends who have helped looked after my girls.hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-395531027226991738.post-32091464643255125232011-02-07T06:29:00.002+10:002011-02-07T06:46:49.099+10:00Off to see the thyroid wizardJust a quick update today. I'm off to hospital early tomorrow morning to have some nodules (lumps) removed from my thyroid. (Actually, the plan is to remove half my thyroid). The nodules have been slowly growing for a couple of years and the specialist suddenly decided last week that he would like to take them out "as we wouldn't want to leave them there for another year and then find they were cancerous". Mmmmm. Thanks Mr Surgeon. So reassuring. I thought that biopsy I had last year was all ok. Oh....it's not 100% reliable??? Oh...you forgot to tell me that part????<br /><br />Anyway...won't bore you with the details but today I need to get my head together, pack my little bag and organise life for my family for the next day or two. (Should only be in hospital a night or two). Chances are the lumps will all be fine, but I am a worrier by nature (thanks for that, Mum) so am looking forward to having the whole thing over and done with. Thought I would write a quick post to ask my lovely bloggy friends to send some positive thoughts my way.<br /><br />In other news, my big girl has had the first two weeks off school with a chest infection. She's better now but a bit thin and pale. Back to school today and jazz ballet after school. My mother-in-law is coming over this afternoon to stay which is a huge help. Not that my husband isn't extremely capable but I would like him with me at the hospital until I get those results.<br /><br />My girl also had her first violin lesson on Friday and brought home her own instrument on loan from the school for a year. She is overjoyed with her new friend and is walking around the house making beautiful music already. I can't wait for lesson no. 2.<br /><br />My little girl is growing up and quite a handful sometimes. But such a cutie and so loving. One more year to hang out with her before she is off to prep next year. I want to do some special things this year, like gymnastics or something, as her big sister did all sorts of stuff, but my little scamp has mostly been dragged around to everyone else's activities. Despite the fact that she likes to yell a lot from excitement (or rage) at home, she is very quiet when out and about and hasn't really wanted to do lots of socialising /activities.<br /><br />Brisbane is busy recovering from the floods and we are now having 30+ degree heat. Very sticky and lots of cold baths required.<br /><br />Take care everybody and I'll let you know how I get on.<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570677555022908754" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pyHYMlEJ7Rw/TU8FuLlhzVI/AAAAAAAAA5E/RtVyHKnvncQ/s320/DSC01475.JPG" /><br /><div></div>hesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11704387657735915636noreply@blogger.com3