Birthday parties and choo choo's

What a busy weekend I have had and two very contrasting days they were too.

Saturday, my beautiful grandgirls joint birthday party, was grey, windy and miserable - not that the kids noticed, they were too busy having fun, I wish I could bottle their energy. My son ended up lighting the big fire pit and all us sooky adults huddled around it while the kids ran themselves ragged.

Sunday was the Tumoulin stations 100th birthday.The day was warm bright and sunny from sun up to sun down. A friend and I played at tourists, ate steak sandwiches with heaps of fried onions, walked along the railway track, bought plants from a market stall and throroughly enjoyed ourselves. I noticed a pyrex dish (the oval ones with the seperator in the middle) - it was turquoise with a star design, two japanese girls grabbed it, turning it over and getting excited over it - the price was two dollars, I hung around in the hope they were going to put it down but no, they bought it. I think that was the only downspot of the day.

 

 Indiginous dancers preparing for a dance display.

 We watched how to boil a billy at the fettlers camp.

The track towards Ravenshoe,  now only used for the restored steam train as a tourist attraction. We've promised ourselves a ride one day.  Doesn't look bad for the middle of winter.  Wanting to make the most of this glorious day we headed off towards Ravenshoe for coffee and cake, despite being about 50 miles away from where we live the area is so different, dryer, more open. Ravenshoe is the highest town in Queensland and boasts the highest pub in queenland, I suppose since the towns second pub is only a couple of hundred metres down the hill from the first pub its the second highest pub in Q'land.  

                                                                                 The highest railway station in Queensland, nearly 3000 ft above sea level.  This is at the end of the railway track at Tumoulin. I love Ravenshoe, it has a reputation though of being a bit of a ferally town, it has a wide main street and lots of clues to its history of being an old timber town, it just has this wonderful  atmosphere, its like stepping back in time.  Its set right at the top of the Great Dividing Range.

I love this picture, a lot of americans were stationed here during WWII, I can just imagine them gathering here, waiting to catch the train, the young girls of the town in their pretty dresses all waiting to go to a dance in the next town, blushing and giggling. The old railway station is a museum now, the outside area littered with relics of the old days, its so pretty and we found a little second hand shop nestled away in one of the old carriage sheds, Barb bought a cute sundae dish from the 30's or 40's, it would be nice to think that one of the G.I.s and his 'girl' shared a sundae or a banana split before being shipped out 'up north'.

We weren't ready to go home just yet and still had plenty of energy left so we drove out of town and head towards the Millstream Falls - the widest (when in full flood) in Q'land, if not australia). A few years ago it was possible to walk down a track and walk across the top of it a short way (in the dry season) but now you walk down a winding bitumened path and have to view it from a special platform, despite being a fair way from the falls we could still feel the spray on our faces.  This used to be a popular swimming place as well. I seem to be obsessing about those american soldiers, can you see them diving off the rocks in the middle, giggling girls spying on them  from the bushes.  I was obviously born in the wrong era and the wrong place. This place seems to hold onto its past and occassionaly glimpses are caught of a bygone age.  Can you imagine living in this house overlooking the falls, on top of the world.

Well the scenic tour of my weekend is over. It will probably be a while before I get to have another day like this.  Its back to a normal week now, job hunting and cleaning and sorting out my life.  I feel rejuvanated though, ready to tackle anything that is thrown at me - wet kippers and bricks aside though LOL.

okay, thats it I've had it with Blogger

I've been trying to post comments, but it won't let me, I have to log back in everytime I come back to my blog, I am seriously thinking of moving somewhere else. Perhaps WordPress or Typepad. I am so sick of having to keep logging in to post anything. C'mon blogger get your act together.

Teased by the sunshine

It did it again, bright light shining through the bedroom window, a blue sky with little fluffy white clouds. By the time I had filled up the jug, made my coffee, put my porridge on and opened all the curtains and windows it was grey again with a smattering of rain.
Big family birthday party today for all the people with birthdays within a few weeks of each other. All us oldies will be huddled round the fire pit if the sun doesn't come out.  The kids won't be still enough to get cold.
Wild dreams again last night/early morning - being attacked by a wolf in a footy jumper (Cowboys). Now I think of it the wolf did look a bit like Jonathan Thurston (the only footy player I can name !), I was running along a busy highway the wrong way to what I wanted to go, falling out with a close friend over buying a victorian bungalow covered in graffiti which turned into a warehouse when I got inside, everybody wanting what I had and trying to take it off me, forgetting where I had put my car, forgetting my mobile (in the car I couldn't find),  trying to get to a dump to get rid of all my rubbish.  Just realised the front of the house was the front of the little school I used to go to back in the UK (something which is in my dreams quite a lot).  I lucid dream, I know I am dreaming and it would have been easy for me to let go and release, especially with the wolf attack, I knew I should submit and relax but I fought everything in the dream, i felt hopeless, angry, overwhelmed, intimidated,
I was running towards a town, everyone else was leaving, they were all waving at me telling me to go back the way I had come, I had to get to that town, I would be safe there.  Then I was in a room and the wolf was trying to get me, it was behind a door I was holding closed then the door turned to rubber and the wolf got in, I started to beat it as it circled close to me, I could feel its rough fur on my legs, it was getting smaller and smaller as it circled, then i got behind something and it couldn't get me. A woman came in and asked if I had seen her dog, she said it was a gentle dog and wouldn't hurt a fly, I felt guilty cos I had hurt the dog and I told her it had run off somewhere else. She offered me a lift which I refused.
No wonder I am always tired when I wake up.
Better go do my hair and get ready, yes I know its early but if I don't get my hair right at least there will be plenty of time to start again.

Okay who turned the sun off

I awoke from weird dreams to the sun streaming in the window, I snuggled down under the covers for 15 more minutes in dreamland and when I resurfaced it was dark, miserable, windy and drizzling with not one little itty bitty patch of blue to be seen anywhere. Oh dear thats means I won't be able to mow the lawn or clean windows (like I was going to do them anyway LOL).
Looks like I'll have to stay in the warm and crochet lots more lovely flowers, after yesterdays depressing mood and post I need to brighten up a bit. 

This is the bunting I made after I was inspired by the wonderful and talented Alice at Crochet with Raymond, this is definately top on my blogs to drool over list, she has a great way with colour.  The tie-backs on the drapes are my design, just a rose attached to a white crochet band with a button and loop at the back, I found some silk leaves and wove the stems around the stitches on the band at the back. The bunting doesn't live in my bedroom, its just that the light was better on that side of the house. I might put it up in the guest bedroom when I finally get it painted and new drapes put up.
But first before I can get back to creating I have to scan the jobs, I wish I could make some money at this crafting lark, I think I would have to hook and stitch my fingers to the bone though to make a living at it.  I thought of an etsy or madeit shop or even on facebook, Is it possible to actually make a living doing it that way.  I need at least $250 in my hand after tax a week to be able to continue the way I am. I have no mortgage to pay and the usual electric,gas, rates, petrol, food and other living expenses which I have pared down to a minimum.  I am cleared to work 14 to 20 hours a week, no heavy lifting. As soon as I mention the health problems prospective employers aren't that eager to take me on.  I can't lie about it and I am always upfront and honest.  So short of finding a rich man (or any man) or winning the lottery its up to me to get out there and find something.  My housekeeping job is coming to an end this week as the owners of the house I clean have decided to rent it out short  term out till the holiday season picks up, the mystery shoppy job  is only a few hours a month if that. 
I suppose rather than talking about it I better start looking and getting some resumes sent out.

Jan

July Update

 July is nearly at an end and I am proud of what I have achieved this month.  I'm on top of my bills, everything is falling into place, my family are all ok, I'm sleeping at night and I'm busy creating pretty pretties. I'm happy with my life as it is.

So what are my August goals:

1) To continue to create - flowers, hearts, pigs, dolls and      whatever takes my fancy.
2) To continue to keep those bills under control.
3) To find a job.
4) To start some new volunteer work.
5) Walk more, eat less and get out more into the garden.
6) To socialise more, meet new people.
7) Do one thing that I would not usually think of doing - climb out of the square box I've been hiding away in this year.

8) To get my stash down
9) Make something different, try a new craft
10) and best of all - Be Nice to Myself, I'm not to feel guilty when I treat myself.

A few of these things go hand in hand, I'm starting to be reclusive again, I like my own company and sometimes I get a bit stingy with my time and resent other people wanting it. I need to get out there and share.  I need to look at new ways of doing things and new ways of thinking.  I'm not exactly in a rut but I know if I let myself it would be very easy to dig myself into one.  This year has been a year of looking at things differently. Two new hair cuts and a colour change in 4 months, a new wardrobe, wearing purple nail polish (even on my toes), playing the pokies (only once and I found it boring) and spending money on myself - its all been an eye opener year so far.
I have always marched to a different drum than every one else and yet these past couple of years I got 'normal'. Or did I finally grow up.

Jan

Purple pigs

I ran out of pink yarn and I was soooo into making pigs.  I might even make a green one.
My bedroom is bedecked with garlands and bunting and my very tidy craft room is starting to creep back to being a mess again as I search for colour combinations for triangle grannys. I wasn't going to buy anymore yarn but looks like I will have to, oh dear what a shame.
I have the banner to make for the market stall, well the banner is made, Jude dropped it off yesterday now I have to do my part and decorate it with crochet chain stitch wording and crochet flowers. I have to clean next door ready for the new tenants next week and see a friend for her birthday and then rush into town for an appointment.  No rest for the wicked aye.. So I'm taking five and writing up a post before I start the big rush around.
The sun is shing so as the weather is so unpredictable at the moment I stripped the bed and now have lines full of bedding blowing in the wind.  I love the smell of line dried sheets. I just hope the cockies leave me out of their flight path. They are currently stripping the orange and kumquat trees of what fruit there is left.  Its all right the council getting rid of them out of the Mabi rainforest but where do they go - the towns, wrecking havoc there and destroying trees.  I'm all for nature and the wildlife but I wish the council would think about these things before they do them.  Now we have the flying foxes - so much of their habitat has gone thanks to the  recent cyclones and storms.   The Hendra virus has raised its ugly head again and thankfully there has only been one horse dead from it up here in our area. I noticed there are more and more flying foxes coming into the towns for food.  I had bat poo on my car roof which means they are in the kumquats and bananas at night.

Well better get off and make a start before the afternoon runs away from me.

J

OKay so I hate cleaning the oven more than anything.....

..........I buckled down and sorted all my yarn out, tidied my desk and table and crammed every nook and cranny with yarn. The next few days will see me finish a couple of orders then I'm going to tackle more brooches and garlands.  Winter will soon be over here such as it was, I'm already thinking of spring garlands and light colours.
The portuguese chicken is sending out the most delicious smells, lets hope its tastes as good as it smells. 
I feel very satisfied that the craft room is tidy, lets see if I can keep it that way, though for those of you that know me I can hear you you know, i can read minds......... ROTFPML.

I had a break from the cleaning and went and mowed half of the back lawn until I ran out of petrol, pulled a few weeds, raked up a few leaves.  Its amazing what a bit of blue sky and sunshine does for one. 

You know, I think I'll go and sit on the back verandah now with a glass of wine.

J

My name is Janet and I am addicted.........

.................to yarn, threads and crochet.  Here I sit in my chair, surrounded by my addiction, this is actually quite tidy for me.  The TV remote close at hand, my coffee cup hidden by the arm of my chair, the biscuit crumbs vacummed up by the dog.

My big table and my desk , again I had a quick tidy up, see the long cloth covering the table, hahah - thats hides everything underneath. Which reminds me of a little story when we first came here - we lived in a half built house in the middle of the rainforest, wooden floors with big cracks in between - perfect for sweeping all the rubbish through and since it was a high set all the dust and everyday muck went back to where it had come from in the first place, the only problem being if there was someone underneath at the time of sweeping.  Nowadays in my little low set I just sweep everything out the back door and hide the big stuff under tables and beds.

 Under the table is 4 boxes full of yarn from my stash.

This is also quite tidy, bags of yarn still to be unpacked, boxes - I also have an addiction to boxes, I buy them and just throw stuff in, then stick the lid back on and I don't have to look at it.  All my embroidery threads, beads and findings are in these boxes on the shoe rack and would you look at that, another bag of yarn bits and a box full of yarn and hidden behind it all is another bag of yarn and unfinished projects.

Oh dear, this is what happens when you just don't think.  All this yarn is what I bought after I had made a vow not to buy any more yarn till I got my stash down, this is all the stuff that won't fit in the boxes (yes Boxes).  I have a 50 ltr box that is crammed full of yarn or I did have, I now have 4 20 ltr boxes full as well and will have to buy a few more to accomodate all the new stuff.  Considering the 50 brooches I've made, the 6 flower garlands, at least 15 pr of mittens and hats in the past two months I've got it down a lot else i would have had to take 4 pictures to get it all in.  Now my friend tells me there is a yarn sale on.  Please, please someone come and tie me to something heavy, take away my car keys and wallets, hide my cards, put a restraining order on me forbidding me going anywhere within 10 klms of a yarn shop.

Helppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp.........

J

Little things that give us pleasure....

For me - its a new pruning saw, such a pretty little thing, unfortunately they didn't have it in pink (but I'm going back for the pink secateaurs next week) so I had to get the green. Its blade folds up into the handle and it is so light to use.  Needless to say yesterday  I pruned every stray little branch in sight. I'm eying up my neighbours garden now. I wonder if the council would mind if I just pruned these trees a little!

My craft room is a mess, no - that is definately an understatement, it is a terrible mess, its the worst its ever been. I am ashamed with myself. I go in to grab some yarn and then beat a hasty retreat.  Today is Show Day, everywhere is closed, there is nothing to do, I shopped yesterday, I'm about to put a chicken casserole in the slow cooker, the rest of the house is clean, the plants are watered and I am sat here reading blogs. I've even cleaned out the microwave and the kettle.  This is avoidance tactics at their best - the oven really really needs cleaning and it is a job I hate but I would rather do that than venture into the craft room.

Everywhere is sooooo quiet, tooo quiet.   I know what we need - Meatloaf, Bon Jovi, Guns and Roses, Metallica. If I've gotta clean then I might as well have some loud music to go with it.

J

How very strange......

I wrote a post complete with piccys the other day and it has disappeared. I'd updated rantings and thought I'd better update here as well.  Gremlins again.

Oh well, I can't remember what I said so I'll make a new one.

Its showtime - for the first time ever I went to the Malanda Show, the rain held off (which is very strange). I really don't know wether its me being jaded or just everyone, the craft exhibits seemed lack lustre, nothing jumped out and said WOW, it seemed like no effort was made at all to do something different, it was the same old same old. Its the Atherton Show on Monday and I don't know wether to go to see if its the same, its usually bigger and a bit more showy.

Flowers are all over the house, blossoming their little hearts out, I just love making them or am I actually addicted to  making them - just a couple more before bed, just one more  to balance out the arrangement before I go to the shops, perhaps we'll see what this colourway will look like..............

They have brooch backs added, they are sewed onto hats and scarves, the lie scattered amongst the ornaments on the book cases, the bedroom curtains are adorned with them, my grandgirls wear them in their hair, my snazzy new market apron wears them, I might not have inherited my mums green fingers but I certainly inherited the love of flowers from her.

So what to do today, the day is quickly passing and only one pig made, my fingers are itching to do something new, winter doesn't last very long up here so I don't really want to make any more hats and mitts, though the mitts have been doing very well. I know the craft room is in dire need of tidying up, despite uttering somewhere in blogland that I would not buy any more yarn I have bought more yarn in the past 3 months than I have ever bought.

I do have three hats on order that I have to make and a couple of pairs of mitts, maybe I should do those this weekend and then thats all the winter stuff out of the way and I can start thinking about what to make next (and can I stick flowers on it)

Okay so I think maybe I'll go be creative for a while , uploading all these piccys has whetted my appetite, maybe just a few more for another garland, maybe I'll sew a couple on a pair of mitts...........mmmmmmmm, wheres the dog gone!