Home Again!

We're back and we had the one of the best holidays ever. I thought for the next couple of days I'd fill you in on what we've been up to for the past week.

Travel Diary Day 1 (Sunday)

Up at 4.45am (which was actually 3.45am as it was the start of daylight savings).

Caught the train from Blaxland station to the airport and onto the plane for Adelaide. We were supposed to catch the Indian Pacific down to Adelaide, but that got too complicated so we jumped on a plane instead.

By 10.30am we were in sunny Adelaide. We collect our car and drive to our accommodation for the next 2 nights - the Big 4 caravan Park at West Beach. We are booked into an Eco tent. The facilities are fabulous - lovely and clean and plenty to keep Rhianna amused.

Here are Bill and Rhianna at the start of our trip.

Here is our accommodation - the Eco Tent

Inside the Eco tent.

We are only at the park for 10 minutes before Rhianna has made a friend. This is Rhianna and her new friend Alissa watching a DVD.

The inside of the Eco tent. Bunks, a double bed, table and chairs, and a small kitchenette.

First day's lunch is a picnic on the grass next to the tent.

Rhianna is quick to make use of the park facilities including the go karts.

After lunch we head into Glenelg a lovely seaside town near our accommodation. This place is fantastic. We grab an ice cream and soak up the sun.

Every beachside town has it's tacky tourist traps and we lap them all up.

Glenelg has a pier that people can swim and fish from so we have a nice long walk along the pier after our ice creams.

On the boardwalk there is heaps to do including a fly motion ride which Rhianna loves.

We are exhausted after all this and head back to our tent. It's school holidays in SA as well so there are plenty of families around and we get to meet people from all over Australia. Finally we fall into bed around 9pm.

Ta Ta Everybody.

Just popping in to let you know that things will be a bit quiet here for the next week or so as we trundle off on our little holiday.

We are over the moon excited to be going away - especially to places that we've never been to before.

We have been packing and cleaning and packing and ironing and..... oh so much more.... just so we can be ready to leave at 5am in the morning. Yes, you read that correctly. We have to leave at 5am to catch a train to the airport.

I am dreading to think how tired we are all going to be tomorrow night and tomorrow night's accommodation is going to be "glamping" in Adelaide. That's glamorous camping if case you were wondering near the beach. Don't worry I'll take lots of pics for you to see.

Take care my lovelies and I'll be right back.

Around the House Today

We spent the whole day out yesterday with friends having a bit of fun at the park and lots of yummy eating at my friend Linda's house. After leaving Linda's we had a bit of retail therapy at the local shopping complex. We straggled in the door about 5.30pm completely exhausted.
So we dedicated today to a make and do day. Which means we have to stay at home and amuse ourselves and "make do" with whatever we have around.

Our course that meant a bit of crafty fun first up in the morning.......

I found an old jumper of Rhianna's so we started to sew up some hearts to hang. Why? Well you're definitely reading the wrong blog if you're asking why we do anything around here.

Here are the hearts all cut out and ready to be sewn up.

Here is our first one done and hanging on some tortured willow we got last week. We plan to hang some more crafty treasures on the branches throughout Spring.

This was our work area today. It was so beautiful outside that we decided to do some alfresco sewing. Miss R decided to paint a sign as well. All in all, a good mornings work.

Here is one of my newest vintage finds. Now I know this won't be to everybody's taste but we love it. It's a 1960's retro lamp set. It's a bit Day of the Triffids isn't it? But it's such good light to read, sew and knit by. These two seats are mine and Bills and where we sit after dinner to chat about the day.

And finally this afternoon I spent some time gardening in the front garden while Miss R rode up and down the street on her bike. Such a nice way to enjoy the afternoon sunshine.

Tomorrow is going to be all about the housework as we leave for holidays on Sunday. As well as packing I need to make sure my 18 year old son and silly as a cut snake dog are going to have everything they need to survive while we are away. In other words, I'll be flat chat.

Introducing my "new baby"

Well here she is - the new toy. Bill and I have bought an MG. Isn't she too cute for words. Once I get my head around driving it - it's a 4 speed manual and you have to use a choke to start it, I will be zipping around the streets in this little beauty.

Yes, we have completely lost our minds, it is a very frivolous purchase and the front yard now looks like a car yard with all 4 cars out there but oh the love...........

School Holidays - Day 2
A Crafty Play Date

I have the privilege of knowing a very clever young lady by the name of Emma Clark. She is into all things stampy and papery. Not only is she into it, but she's just so good at it. And today she turned up at my place with all her little card making goodies for a morning of crafty fun. Well........, it started off as a morning and turned into an almost all afternoon day of crafty fun.

Emma has a daughter the same age as Rhianna so while the girls were busy running from one end of the house to the other and creating havoc, Emma and I got stuck into some card making. (And lots and lots of nattering :: as you do!) Here's our work table about half way through.

We had a wonderful time and the girls thoroughly enjoyed their playdate as well.

In the letter box today was the latest Cath Kidston catalogue - oh drool, drool over all her beautiful bits and pieces. I think I'll try and find an Aussie stockist first before I start buying from the UK. Although our dollar is doing very well against the greenback, it's still a long way from being equal to the pound.

Speaking of currency conversions, it is a great time to be buying from the USA and I bought myself these two little lovelies from Etsy last week. They are two little crochet purses. One is an apple and the other is a cupcake. I didn't buy them for any particular purpose other than I thought they were cute.

Some exciting news for you all tomorrow - there is going to be a new addition to the family - more details later. Have a happy hump day tomorrow everybody.

School Holidays - Day 1

I count today as the official first day of the holidays as it's the first day Bill is back to work and I am nominated Chief Fun Maker.

I can't do anything fun though, until the kitchen is clean. The rest of the house can look like a spanish bull has gone through it, but I can't leave the house until the kitchen is clean and tidy.

Does anybody else have a funny little habit like this?

Oops :: spotted these bananas that need to be made into some banana bread pretty quick smart I'd say!!!

First stop today was some bowling. Found a great deal at a local bowling alley of 2 games, hot chips, drink and some game tokens for the pinball machines all included.

We love to bowl. We like the bumper bowling where no balls can go into the gully and we use the super light ball to make things easy.

After a quick stop in town for some musk essence and some craft supplies at Spotlight we got home in time for some candy making -( this is where the musk essence comes in.)

We love our Frankie magazine at this house and Rhianna spotted this recipe for musk sticks in a back issue last night. Who am I to say no to some candy cuteness?

Let's just say that they look easier to make than they were. But as we have a lot of leftover musk essence, we'll have a go at them another time. We managed to make about 10 good ones.

But we did have some laughs trying to get the nozzle on the piping bag to work properly.

A close up of the action.

We also dug out a hammock that some friends gave to us a few Christmases ago and used the monkey bars to string it up. Rhianna's been out there all afternoon swinging away in it with Finn (our dog). Has kept her amused for ages. I love it when you find something good for the kids to do - and it hasn't cost you anything.

Hope everybody has a good week.

Book Review

Revolutionary Road

Although this is a classic, I have only just got around to reading it.

I have to admit that I watched the movie first with Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio. I found the movie just amazing in every way. I went out and bought the novel the same day. And having studied Thoreau at university I was constantly replaying his famous lines through my head as I read the book.
"..most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to their graves with the song left in them".

Of course his quote really applies to the woman in the story - April. Married with two children, she feels trapped in her suburban life with an unambitious husband and the same daily routine slowly eroding her happiness in life.

April and her husband decide to throw it all in and move to Paris. But Frank resists at the last moment and April finds herself again with child - a child neither of them really wants. This is where the "quiet desperation" of April becomes a deafening roar to all those around her.

If you can get a copy of this book, I highly recommend it for a thought provoking read.