Quiet Saturday

The weeks are flying by, I'm settling down into my alone life. I'm finally getting some sort of routine going.  Up early in the mornings, take advantage of the coolness and doing a bit of housework.  Catching up with my emails and then off to TAFE for the day.  Theres not much cleaning or tidying up to do - things stay where they are put.

Things have gone slightly awry this week though. I've sailed through spreadsheets, I love Excel.  I do my assessment next week.  Well, that is if I can get my car fixed.  It chose to break down in the supermarket car park yesterday late afternoon - it seems to have a thing for breaking down in the car park at IGA.  I managed to ring No.2 son just before my phone battery died.  He came and got me and took me and the shopping home.  Then he went round to his older brothers and they went to get the car.  Luckily No.1 son knows someone with a breakdown truck. It was 7.30 before they got home.  Looks like its going to be a big job.  I have no money to get it fixed for the next few weeks.  I was worrying over getting one more portfolio done on my certificate course before TAFE finishes at the beginning of December.
I wasn't sure wether i had time to fit another one in.  If I can't get my car back on the road within the next couple of weeks then my problem is solved till next year.  I'm doing the OHS part online so thats no problem and I think I can get a lift next week on one day so I can do my assessment.  I've got some practice exercises to do over weekend to prepare myself. 
Wednesday, I don't go to TAFE so I get all the big stuff done at home, vacumming, mowing, ironing etc.  The side lawn needed doing badly so I waited for the sun to go in and I shot outside and fired up the mower.  I then decided since who knows when we would get another fine day I lowered the blades and did the rest of the lawns, they could have been given a miss till next week but while I had the energy I did them.  I left a small area near the car and intended to move the car and mow but took the opportunity to have a cuppa. A friend rang and asked if he could borrow the mower. He came and took it and fetched it back the next day.  I've just finally finished the one last strip (probably as big as my mums whole garden back in the UK.  The mower sounded absolutely sick as anything, chugging and huffing and puffing, threatening to die at any moment.  I wonder if the friend put the wrong petrol in.  So now I wait for the third thing to go break down.  I used the electric leaf blower very carefully with fingers crossed. I am sooooooo dangerous with that thing, never ever stand near me when I am using it.  I've blasted the poor dog across the verandah and decapitated flowers.
Its our villages centenary celebrations today, I think I'll stay home, I'm feeling very anti-social at the moment.  I just want (and need) to relax.  I've a good book to read and some sewing to do.......oh yes that reminds me.  I was told yesterday arvy that my DIL needed a cape making for Halloween.  No.1 son went home after dropping my car off and went back and got the family.  So nine last night I was quickly making a witches cape.  Its been so long since I used my sewing machine it took a while to get all the dust out of it. I also discovered I had a go faster switch for  straight stitching.  I had grandkids running around (eating all my biccys). So now the machine is out and running I'll get a few sewing jobs done.....they've probably been in the sewing pile for a couple of years and the UFo list.  It might even get me motivated. 
Well I've spent long enough on the puter, I've got a few dirty jobs out in the garden that need finishing so I'll go and get those out of the way and then get cleaned up for an afternoon of stitching.

hugs, love and light

jan

Rain, Rain go away......

Its done nothing but drizzle for the past few days. Grey dreary days. We feel like we are back in winter, not spring.  Its the annual Yungaburra folk festival and the little town is buzzing.  I feel sorry for the poor campers, my neighbour rang and asked me to open up their holiday home for them as friends of theirs should have been camping but its just too wet and they asked if they could use their place as a refuge from the storm.

The nice weatherman just told us they we are going to get a bad cyclone season - oh great.  I'll have to send one of the boys up on the roof to check everythings okay up there, start cutting trees down that are near the house and make the shed secure for all the power tools. We don't usually get the cyclones in our area till after christmas but its better to be prepared early.

I'm struggling to get back into crafting again, I've had a week or two not doing anything and I just can't get back into the swing of things.  My patterns are selling and people are asking for new ones so I need to get my finger out.  All I seem to be doing is homework and going back and forth between the TAFE college and home.  My brain just seems to switch off once I get home and all I want to do is go collapse in the chair and watch tv with a cup of coffee.

I suppose it will all come good soon.  I need something to fire up the passion in me again. I haven't done any embroidery for ages, once I would embroider well into the early hours once the bug got me.  But then it had a purpose - I needed to destress after looking after my hubby, something to take my mind off the endless doctors visits and treatments, it soothed my mind and soul and I could lose myself for a few hours in the peace and quiet of a dark night.
Now I have to find that passion again.

Life seems to be in limbo, I feel like I am waiting for something big to happen. There is this intense feeling that I can't seem to shake off.  I can't move forward.  I know I should just ride it out patiently, that this pause is serving a purpose. But I've never really been a patient one.

Depending on what the weather is like tomorrow I might push myself to venture out garage saling.  I have this urge to rummage through old things and find a bargain, I need a project that doesn't involve hook, needles, threads and wool.

One one of my quiet places, a pleasant place to sit and watch the pelicans float by.  I take myself off and just sit by the water with a book or just let myself chill out. 

Jan

Thank you Cuz

So now I know, funny i can't think of a body part that rhymes with pluto.......I do know which one you mean though, ha ha.

Yesterday I went to market, it was only to be a short trip, in and out with veggies and seedlings.  I saw a gorgeous bromeliad that I had recently admired at the garden show, I ummed and r'd. It was $13, there was another i liked as well for $5 with an unusual flower, I couldn't afford the two. The $13 one won but then at the last minute I said bugger it I'll have them both.  This meant I had no money for veggies but the call of the brom was too strong and I never really treat myself anymore.
Walking back to the car outside the park what should blow across my feet but a brand new $5 note. There was nobody around and there was no wind blowing.

I've never been a fan of broms but they are growing on me - mainly cos they are easy to grow, don't need much mainenance and they are easy to propogate.  I'm all for easycare gardening at the moment.  Things that seed themselves, ones that thrive on neglect.  I have a couple of friends that are into them as well so theres always swappsies for the pups. 

The sun has decided to come out again, I want to see if I can finish off the mowing of the back lawn. Theres never a son around when you want one, perhaps I should bake a cake or some biscuits - they always turn up then, or maybe I'll settle in to do some craft instead, guaranteed one of them always turns up.   But knowing my luck I'll just be putting the mower away and thats when they will come round.

Well I'm off to make hay while the sun shines.

Jan

Bipiness

What is a bippy, I remember Goldie Horne or Judy Carne on Martin and Rowens Laugh-In saying You bet your sweet bippy( Defo showing my age here). The other day i read a blog and someone mentioned bippy. ....... and now I have just left a comment on Creative Breathing's blog and the security word I had to write in the box was bipiness.  All these years later and I realise I never did find out what a bippy is. Somebody please put me out of my misery and then I can get on with the rest of my day.

I sailed through the assessment, too easy I thought, then I had a huge mental block and completely forgot how to block centre a bulleted list.  I couldn't even remember where to find the information. Der...... written down on an information sheet I had in my file.  I still finished within the alloted time. Probably made loads of stupid mistakes.

Playing hookey today, no fuel in the car and no money till tomorrow, but I'm making a start at home.  Excel is next.  Then Powerpoint if I have time. 

Got a cleaning job today as well, I really shouldn't be in here.  Mum just phoned from the UK, had a nice hour long chat.  Seems to me, without naming names that one family member is getting a bit confused over an issue.  I'm being told two different stories from two different people and a third that tells me neither know what they are talking about.  Unless of course, its me thats the confused one.

I'd better go get dressed and make a start on the day, its grey and wet (but warm) and I really don't want to do much, but I'd better make an effort.

Hugs

Jan

One last cup of coffee before I go out the door.........

I've got time for one last coffee, should keep me going till smoko now.

I've going in late, got to rush around and get some faxing done and bits and pieces that need doing.  Then I relax and get this assessment out of the way.  I've got to phone Ergon and tell them I can't pay this week, they'll probably kick up a fuss, I forgot I had promised Telstra I would pay their bill this week.  Its all right these companys saying I should budget better but without a job and relying on Centrelink, its bloody hard.
I get roughly $13,000 a year to live on. I don't owe anything (apart from this months utility bills).  Thanks to a good doctor who occassionally bulk bills me when I am stuck for cash and a health care card which means I get cheaper meds I can just about get by.
Not for me the dreams of gold and riches, a great big house and a fancy car.  My dream is to get a bill and pay it straight off, to have a house that is comfy and welcoming, a car that is reliable. To buy things at full price and not have to scurry round the shops looking for the twofer sales or specials, to be able to give generously to people in need and not apologise for the measly coins I donate.
I am happy with my life though in general.   I love op-shopping and getting a bargain and I always give where I can, all the scurrying around is exercise and the bills get paid eventually. So why worry. Life is sweet.

The bear now has five arms and six legs - I cannot get any two to be the same, I know ami's aren't necessaryly perfect and it won't matter if one is a little bit bigger than the other but I have this inner perfectionist that insists on doing it just right.  Her heads a bit small now, so i'll do another tonight and maybe I'll do her another body and I'm not happy with the colour, it doesn't really work with a small bear so maybe I'll just stitch up all these body parts and make the pattern for a bigger bear.  A friend and I are planning on doing a couple of christmas markets so all the bears made as try outs will go for sale there, or I might open and etsy or madeit shop.

Jan

So glad I didn't stick to my list

....of course I knew I wouldn't, all those pretty blogs, I just couldn't neglect them they were crying out to me.  So glad I did. Hi there Maggie, I love your blog........and yes bubz I won't forget you, I wanna see that rose.

I woke early this morning, pootled and pottered around for a bit, did the bears legs (three times), packed my school bag and went for my shower, noticing that the time was 7.45, quick shower, time for brekky and coffee and get there early to grab a computer by the door (I get the one by the door cos I sneak out five minutes early to put the kettle on in the kitchen for smoko). I'm walking dripping through the kitchen and just happen to glance up at the old wind up kitchen clock - 8.30. There is no way I was in the shower that long. I check the puter clock and its right. I look up at the other wall clock and it seems to be running way slow. I threw clothes on and drove like the wind with the windows down to dry my wet hair. I looked like a wreck - unironed and damp and I suppose now is not the time to notice that I have toothpaste down the front of my shirt.
I have finally done the last exercise in the book, I've done the mock exam and a couple of revisions exercises so hopefully tomorrow I should do my assessment. I forgot how to do leader dots, I had this mental block, I couldn't even remember where to look for it in help and I couldn't just cheat and do a row of fullstops cos the teacher checks our formatting and it shows up on the tab bar.  I tend to do my own thing, think outside the box and not go by the book.
I can do the formatting (my way) and I can do powerpoint and access and excel (again my way) but because I have to learn it the correct way I'm struggling. I feel such a thicko at times. I'm 52 and feel like a 10 year old some times (yes I know I act it most days). I suppose one of the good things about being a mature age student is that we are all in the same boat, all the younger ones seems to have dropped out of class leaving us old fogeys the majority.  They just couldn't keep up with us and I suppose hearing all the lectures of what it was like in our day and you young things don't know you are born might have scared them off.

I'm away to wash the pots and then settle down for a night of tele.

Jan


I'm down to scraping together all the pennies.  Looking in the sofa and under car seats, I've emptied out my money boxes.  I've got enought petrol in the car for tomorrow and maybe thursday to get me to TAFE.  I've no bread left and enough milk for coffee and cereal in the morning. For tea tonight I had oven bake chips and fish fingers and at the back of the cupboard I found a tin of mushy peas.  Perfect meal - fish,  chips and mushy peas with lashing of tomato sauce.  Not in the least bit healthy I know, but I enjoyed it.  I've got strawberries ripening up in the garden and lots of corn ready to be picked and little cherry tomato's running rampant over the garden so i won't be going hungry.

I've been sat here prattling away about nothing in particular and its gone dark and i never noticed. 

blogland

I have so many blogs that I love to read it sometimes can be a bit overwhelming. Which ones do I read first, how can i stop myself from link hopping. 
Okay, so I love roses so today i will only read blogs that have Rose in the title.  I love shabby, vintage so tomorrow i will read all the shabby chic vintagey ones...........and if they are shabby vintage rosy ones then all the better.   I will only allow myself four link hops per blog and 10 blogs a day.   Perhaps tuesday i will read all blogs that have an abode in the title, like cottage, house, villa etc etc, wednesday might be a foody one. I seem to like a lot that have a bird in the title so those can be friday. I know I probable won't stick to the list and if you creep up behind me I'll probably be still in blogland about 30 links away from where i started.

What is it with boys and mud........no matter how old they get they see a big puddle of mud and they just have to dive straight in.  I wish i had the photo to show you what the eldest (27) and the youngest (21) got up to yesterday.  Needless to say, it took the elder 2 1/2 hours to tow his brothers ute out of a big muddy overlarge puddle (aka a creek)    He opened his door to see how deep the water was after he got bogged and the water flooded in the cab.  Teach him to have everything on the passenger side floor.  The look on his face on the video was a picture. 

I started another teddy, a small one and fuschia pink to boot.  She's going to have a pretty dress and bag if I get around to it.  I wasn't in the mood for dinasaurs or robots or even lions. Their body parts are scattered over the lounge room floor awaiting assembly.  Its been drizzling off and on all day and quite windy, I was going to finish the mowing but its a day for cozying up and stitching with a bit of homework thrown in for good measure.

Coffee break over, back to the grindstone,  I've got to get my head round spreadsheets.

love, light and hugs

jan

At a loose end.....

and no money left after I've paid the rates, so I can't go garage saling and its a toss up wether I go use the last few coins in my purse to go get milk or drive out to Second Chance, a lovely place full of vintage clothes, old things and unloved things in need of homes.  I bought this very pretty cup and saucer from there - well I tried to, my pesky sis in law paid for it before I could get my money out.

I had fully intended to spend the weekend in Blogland, no family hassles, no friends coming over, just having a a ME day. Travelling the world, visiting all the wonderful places out there.

Just settled in for a visit and then Skype goes off......so thats my quiet afternoon done for - a girly couple of hours with a friend, putting the world to rights, discussing craft topics, drinking coffee and hopefully eating cream cakes. Then number 3 son hoons up the driveway, he uses the last of my milk for his coffee, uses the bathroom, dumps something in the big shed and after a quick convo, hoons off again.......and I reckon since he hasn't been back he's forgotten he said he would go down to the servo and get me some more milk.

So I've got an hour or two to kill before friend gets here so I might just go for a quick jaunt around one or two blogs.

Love, light and lots of hugs

Jan

OH YES, I HAD A BIRTHDAY AS WELL AMONGST EVERYTHING ELSE.

But don't ask me about it, cos I've slept a few times since then.  I seem to remember lunch at the Botanical Gardens in Cairns, the family coming round, a day out with friends and something else.  My mom phoned me to wish me happy birthday, normally she's about a month late but this time she was a couple of weeks early.  What did I get - a three legged gold tiny gold pig, a pretty rose patterned china mug, smellys, a bottle of wine, a tarot book, a cook book, a plant book and fushcia pink towels.
I am blessed with a wonderful family and good friends.

How can you accidently mistake my car for yours.

Got a phone message - Er Mum, I accidently put a big rusty cylinder in the back of your car by mistake, sorry.   His car is a silver Magna,  mine is small white Laser hatchback. How can you make a mistake, and when I checked it wasn't there anyway. So where did he put it.  Who's car did he put it in.

He noticed yesterday (when he was going through my food cupboards for things he could 'borrow') that I had a new cheese grater. No dear one, that my nice new one to replace the old battered one you borrowed and never returned - you can keep the old one.

His parting remarks was - It would be really nice if you would invite me round for dinner a couple of nights a week, we could catch up, spend time together.

Note to self - Get all the house locks changed, put a barbed wire fence up (no make it an electric one) and a security gate.

I love my kids, I really do. But this is my time now. You gotta fly my little birds.

The one thing my boys do know is that I really love them and despite my naggings, that there is always  a home for them here if ever they need it. 

Its been a miserable past few days, weatherwise, the sun can't make up its mind what to do, its been a grey old day, drizzly, but luckily it stopped enough for me to get back to my car after TAFE.

Tonight I will make a start on the new designs for the robot amigurumi pattern, the first robot I made up as I went along, now I'll tweak and write it all down as I go. 
Then the lion gets done and another bear and maybe a dinosaur.  

My craft room is back to its old messy self again, definately time for a declutter.  My yarn stash has grown again.  But I have plans for that.

Love, light and hugs

Jan

So Sorry - I've been very remiss

No excuses.  I've just not been in a very bloggy mood.

Updates..........passed the first part of Myob, not going to do anymore, passed my customer service, passed writing documents, assessment for creating text documents next week. Start spreadsheets next week as well.
School hols been and gone, did stuff with the grandgirls - they came armed with a list of things to do with grandma - it was a very long list and I think we will still be working our way through it during the summer hols as well.
Matt has moved out finally into his own place. Ryans split up with his girlfriend, Liams changed his job.
I've finally got my ami patterns up and running and in the shops, I have a crochet ami  in January's Handmade mag. I'm still decluttering, I've had a few job interviews and thats about it.
Discovered that one of my ancestors was Myles Standish, won't mean anything to the brits and aussies but it will to the americans.  Theres also a Prescott ancestor that has a big statue erected in his honour somewhere in Mass. 
Well i promise i won't leave it this long again. I'll be in at the weekend and post some piccys.

love, light and lots of hugs.

Jan