The Beginning of a new year is always a time of reflection for me. I never make New Year's resolutions because I'm an absolute bitch at keeping them! But I do like to sit back and think about what may happen, what could happen (if I got my butt into gear!) and what may be the surprises along the way. This year is no exception. It could be a very different year for Peter and me, or it could just be the same year in business as it has been for the last nine years.
We've been in business at Artisans on the hill for nine years. Peter made the comment last night that we are in our TENTH year! Where this time has gone is unbelievable - blink of the eye stuff! However, having said all that, we have put our business on the market!
A kaleidoscope of emotions accompanied our protracted decision to sell up and move on. It was prompted by an equally diverse number of reasons to do so. Probably the first and foremost reason has been my physical health, nothing major, but a combination of a whole cavalcade of small niggles (the most interesting thing to observe is that once we made the decision to sell, most of these have either improved or totally gone! Hmmmmmm!) My ability, and somewhat Peter's, to cope with the physical strains of running our diverse business are taking a toll on us, physically, mentally and emotionally. The sheer size of the property, the five bedroom accommodation, the grounds and general ongoing maintenance are constant, and sometimes overwhelming.
Peter was ambivalent about this decision far longer than I was and remains so. It is an emotional rollercoaster making this decision as we have instilled so much of ourselves into this crazy dream of ours that we created, in our own imaginations, over twelve years ago. I have spent the last few months feeling sad, happy, excited, afraid, doubtful, enthusiastic, confident, exhausted, troubled, but overall a sense of calmness that we are making the right decision.
To sell a business such as ours is quite difficult. We established it to be unique and that's exactly what it is. That's all very well, when you own it and are running it for it's unique purpose, but when you come to sell, you have to find someone who has the same vision you have. We decided that was probably not possible, so we are selling a four-bedroom, three bathroom home with an attached two-bedroom, two bathroom unit, or a six bedroom house with three living areas, and a study.... so many options to offer, hopefully we can find one buyer, who is willing to pay our price!
Monday 2 January 2017
Tuesday 14 January 2014
January
January at my place is an interesting month. While everyone else is out there celebrating the New Year, I am contemplating being open in our business for seven days a week until the end of the first month of the New Year. I find this quite difficult having been a teacher for most of my adult career. This is the time of year when I am usually looking forward to a Summer break. It fills me with mixed emotions.
My first, and sometimes overwhelming, emotion is, "Can I do it?" Can I last four weeks straight, seven days a week, without a day's break. After all, I'm not a young'un any more, I am in my sixties. I become quite anxious between Christmas and New Year.
Other emotions come as the days pass. This year, Peter and I came up with what we thought was a brilliant idea to run kid's classes every day from 2 till 4 p.m. every day. I wasn't really sure, even a little apprehensive about every day but Peter convinced me. We brainstormed how we could set it up on a trip home from Sydney at the end of November. We were excited!
Over the next couple of weeks, we put together all these cutesie little kits that kids could use to learn eight different crafts. Peter designed and made French knitting dollies, cut up lengths of dowel ready for stick weaving, stuck pop sticks together for Ojo de Dios, designed a kit to make Jacob's Ladders and experimented with Paper Marbling. While he was busy, I worked how much wool was needed for each of the French knitting, Stick Weaving and Ojo de Dios kits, designed and produced some simple Paper Tole kits using some gorgeous cartoonised Australian animals.
With the kits all prepared, I waited apprehensively for the first day to see what would happen. We weren't expecting many as we had not been able to publicise it extensively, but we were quite happy to start quietly. We had a booking for two kids the first day, who turned up with mum and grandma. As they arrived, 6 more kids with 7 adults came too. I panicked! But they all started with Paper marbling and Peter in his usual manner just went with the flow and it all happened. Possibly not as quickly as possible, but all the kids and adults had a great time. Several of them also did the second craft session and completed several Ojo de Dios.
The classes have been slow but we are getting the word out there. The B&B has been busy and I am sometimes so tired that I cannot think any longer. The gallery has been reasonable particularly post Christmas which is often slow. The cafe has been its usual unpredictable self.
January is passing and most days I am coping, happy and feeling fulfilled in our business. It is moments rather than hours or days, that I have doubts, I feel I can't cope, I crumble and hide. Halfway through the month and I think to myself, "Yes, I will survive, yes I will actually enjoy, yes I will be here till the end of another January.
My first, and sometimes overwhelming, emotion is, "Can I do it?" Can I last four weeks straight, seven days a week, without a day's break. After all, I'm not a young'un any more, I am in my sixties. I become quite anxious between Christmas and New Year.
Other emotions come as the days pass. This year, Peter and I came up with what we thought was a brilliant idea to run kid's classes every day from 2 till 4 p.m. every day. I wasn't really sure, even a little apprehensive about every day but Peter convinced me. We brainstormed how we could set it up on a trip home from Sydney at the end of November. We were excited!
Over the next couple of weeks, we put together all these cutesie little kits that kids could use to learn eight different crafts. Peter designed and made French knitting dollies, cut up lengths of dowel ready for stick weaving, stuck pop sticks together for Ojo de Dios, designed a kit to make Jacob's Ladders and experimented with Paper Marbling. While he was busy, I worked how much wool was needed for each of the French knitting, Stick Weaving and Ojo de Dios kits, designed and produced some simple Paper Tole kits using some gorgeous cartoonised Australian animals.
With the kits all prepared, I waited apprehensively for the first day to see what would happen. We weren't expecting many as we had not been able to publicise it extensively, but we were quite happy to start quietly. We had a booking for two kids the first day, who turned up with mum and grandma. As they arrived, 6 more kids with 7 adults came too. I panicked! But they all started with Paper marbling and Peter in his usual manner just went with the flow and it all happened. Possibly not as quickly as possible, but all the kids and adults had a great time. Several of them also did the second craft session and completed several Ojo de Dios.
The classes have been slow but we are getting the word out there. The B&B has been busy and I am sometimes so tired that I cannot think any longer. The gallery has been reasonable particularly post Christmas which is often slow. The cafe has been its usual unpredictable self.
January is passing and most days I am coping, happy and feeling fulfilled in our business. It is moments rather than hours or days, that I have doubts, I feel I can't cope, I crumble and hide. Halfway through the month and I think to myself, "Yes, I will survive, yes I will actually enjoy, yes I will be here till the end of another January.
Saturday 14 December 2013
Mothers
I think a lot about mothers. I have one! She is 96 and still has all her faculties, lives alone in her own independent villa in an Old People's Village setting. You know, she's still so quick that my brothers gave her an i-Pad for Christmas last year and she can still beat it at Scrabble.
The other day, I was relief teaching a kindergarten. First thing in the morning, one of the mums brought her 5, going on 6, year-old daughter in. Mum was pushing a stroller that had a newborn bub in the back and a young toddler in the front. As well, there was an older toddler clinging to the side. Yet she was quite calm and controlled and was busily organising her kindy daughter's lunch order and making sure she had everything she needed for her day at school. I watched her in amazement managing her four children under 6 with such ease. She walks her kindy daughter to school every morning.
As I thought about her management skills, as I went about my morning planning, quite suddenly I realised that when I was a newborn baby, my mum was in exactly the same place. When I was a newborn, my next brother was just 2, my older brother was 3 1/2 and my sister was 5 1/2. My mum walked her to school every morning and collected her each afternoon, with the rest of us in tow! And home to school was about a kilometre down and up a very steep hill. As well, the last 10metres was up and down about 40 steps from the street to our house. I call it a street - it was more like a rough and rugged dirt track in those days. Yet she did this twice a day! Wow, it must have felt like a marathon on most days!
As well as doing this, she was an incredible housewife. Our home was always clean, although rarely tidy - it always looked lived-in. The curtains at the windows and the cushions on the couches were the ones she had created and sewn. Our clothes were mostly made my mum. She knitted, she sewed, she crocheted, she smocked and all those skills were put to good use clothing all of us.
She was also very resilient and courageous. She married my dad (that's another story!) on June 1st, 1940. Dad went to Army Training Camp ten days later, went to the Middle Eastern Conflict later that year, not to return home till June,1944, called back to the Asian conflict six weeks later, leaving mum pregnant. Just recently, when I was visiting my mum in Tasmania, she said to me,
"I never doubted that he would come home. There was never a moment when I felt he would be killed!"
She lived through those 5 1/2 years, bringing their first daughter into the world on her own. My father's family had very little to do with her during those years as they did not approve of the marriage, which made it even harder for mum. A couple of her sisters-in-law were there for her and, of course, her own family. She also worked in a local department store as a milliner during the war years too - her creations still win her First Prize at the Melbourne Cup and Easter Hat Parades at the Old People's home!
When you live with a mother like this all your life, you don't often appreciate the strength of character she possesses. She worked beside my dad when he took on a failing Returned Servicemen's Business, building it into an immensely successful proposition, rarely complaining about the hours that she and dad spent working it. About the only time I have ever heard her complain about Dad not being at home enough was actually after he retired!
It is only in later years, that I began to appreciate how much she had done for all of us, her creativity, her ability to make ends meet (especially in the early years of the business, before it actually started to 'make money').
As we grew a little older and more independent, she took on several other hobbies. She ahd always loved flowers and grew the flowers that she then used in the most amazing floral arrangements for special events of any kind in our local church. As well, She and her best friend went and learnt how to decorate cakes. From that time on, mum's fruit cake was beautifully iced for weddings, birthdays, Christmases and any other occasion where a beaut fruit cake was needed. Mum then decided to take up China painting and she managed to become very good at that too, nearly always drawing her own designs, rather than using commercial patterns. I treasure the native flower ones she has painted for me over the years.
She fitted all of these things into her life, as well as singing (with her beautiful alto voice) in a trio and the church choir, and yet she was still home for us every afternoon when we arrived from school, even high school - rarely were we latch-key kids. There was nearly always some freshly-baked goodies waiting for us too! Because, of course, she was a brilliant cook!
Growing up for mum was not easy. Her mother had a stroke when mum was quite young and mum had to assume quite a few of the household duties. As well, as a teenager, she lived through the Depression years. I think it is for these reasons, she does not demonstrate her emotions towards us easily, but we all know very much that our mother loves us and would die for us at the 'drop of a hat'! I feel very humbled by my mother's life and I consider myself very fortunate at 63 to still have my mother, with her mind and her dry, acid wit still intact! Even though I don't remember her saying it, I say it to her at the end of every 'phone conversation - "I love you Mum!"
The other day, I was relief teaching a kindergarten. First thing in the morning, one of the mums brought her 5, going on 6, year-old daughter in. Mum was pushing a stroller that had a newborn bub in the back and a young toddler in the front. As well, there was an older toddler clinging to the side. Yet she was quite calm and controlled and was busily organising her kindy daughter's lunch order and making sure she had everything she needed for her day at school. I watched her in amazement managing her four children under 6 with such ease. She walks her kindy daughter to school every morning.
As I thought about her management skills, as I went about my morning planning, quite suddenly I realised that when I was a newborn baby, my mum was in exactly the same place. When I was a newborn, my next brother was just 2, my older brother was 3 1/2 and my sister was 5 1/2. My mum walked her to school every morning and collected her each afternoon, with the rest of us in tow! And home to school was about a kilometre down and up a very steep hill. As well, the last 10metres was up and down about 40 steps from the street to our house. I call it a street - it was more like a rough and rugged dirt track in those days. Yet she did this twice a day! Wow, it must have felt like a marathon on most days!
As well as doing this, she was an incredible housewife. Our home was always clean, although rarely tidy - it always looked lived-in. The curtains at the windows and the cushions on the couches were the ones she had created and sewn. Our clothes were mostly made my mum. She knitted, she sewed, she crocheted, she smocked and all those skills were put to good use clothing all of us.
She was also very resilient and courageous. She married my dad (that's another story!) on June 1st, 1940. Dad went to Army Training Camp ten days later, went to the Middle Eastern Conflict later that year, not to return home till June,1944, called back to the Asian conflict six weeks later, leaving mum pregnant. Just recently, when I was visiting my mum in Tasmania, she said to me,
"I never doubted that he would come home. There was never a moment when I felt he would be killed!"
She lived through those 5 1/2 years, bringing their first daughter into the world on her own. My father's family had very little to do with her during those years as they did not approve of the marriage, which made it even harder for mum. A couple of her sisters-in-law were there for her and, of course, her own family. She also worked in a local department store as a milliner during the war years too - her creations still win her First Prize at the Melbourne Cup and Easter Hat Parades at the Old People's home!
When you live with a mother like this all your life, you don't often appreciate the strength of character she possesses. She worked beside my dad when he took on a failing Returned Servicemen's Business, building it into an immensely successful proposition, rarely complaining about the hours that she and dad spent working it. About the only time I have ever heard her complain about Dad not being at home enough was actually after he retired!
It is only in later years, that I began to appreciate how much she had done for all of us, her creativity, her ability to make ends meet (especially in the early years of the business, before it actually started to 'make money').
As we grew a little older and more independent, she took on several other hobbies. She ahd always loved flowers and grew the flowers that she then used in the most amazing floral arrangements for special events of any kind in our local church. As well, She and her best friend went and learnt how to decorate cakes. From that time on, mum's fruit cake was beautifully iced for weddings, birthdays, Christmases and any other occasion where a beaut fruit cake was needed. Mum then decided to take up China painting and she managed to become very good at that too, nearly always drawing her own designs, rather than using commercial patterns. I treasure the native flower ones she has painted for me over the years.
She fitted all of these things into her life, as well as singing (with her beautiful alto voice) in a trio and the church choir, and yet she was still home for us every afternoon when we arrived from school, even high school - rarely were we latch-key kids. There was nearly always some freshly-baked goodies waiting for us too! Because, of course, she was a brilliant cook!
Growing up for mum was not easy. Her mother had a stroke when mum was quite young and mum had to assume quite a few of the household duties. As well, as a teenager, she lived through the Depression years. I think it is for these reasons, she does not demonstrate her emotions towards us easily, but we all know very much that our mother loves us and would die for us at the 'drop of a hat'! I feel very humbled by my mother's life and I consider myself very fortunate at 63 to still have my mother, with her mind and her dry, acid wit still intact! Even though I don't remember her saying it, I say it to her at the end of every 'phone conversation - "I love you Mum!"
Saturday 7 December 2013
The beginning of the Christmas Season in our house
I have been remarkably absent from my blogging for a month as life has been particularly hectic here on our Hill. It's great that we've been busy, but some days I feel as though I don't even have time to take that extra large breath to make sure I have enough oxygen in my system to keep me awake!
So, quite suddenly, December has arrived and with it, Christmas. In an earlier post, I touched on some of our family's Christmas traditions. The first tradition our family has always observed is putting up the Christmas tree. This has to happen on the first FULL weekend in December. So during this last week, I nagged Peter until he got all my boxes of decos down out of the manhole space, then I put together the skeleton of my latest tree - a black wrought iron one! I say my latest tree because I have owned quite a few different ones since the first green plastic one that I inherited from my ex m-i-l! The next one I bought was when the children and I returned to Tasmania to live and I had a bit of cash left over that we spent on various luxuries, including a 6 foot high artificial Christmas tree. Over the next few years, it was lovingly adorned with decorations that I made in cross stitch or beaded felt or crocheted plus the addition each year of the decos made by the children in Day Care then school. We had a single string of fairy lights and a bit of tinsel and it was beautiful in all our eyes! Unfortunately, we lost the lot when we had our house fire (but that's another story!) After that I didn't have the heart to re-make all those handmade beauties and the children were nearly into high school so the decos stopped on that front as well. For the next few years we had a very traditional green tree with red, gold, blue, green and silver baubles - it was a tree with very little heart actually. Then I discovered purple and silver.... much excitement the first year I had a themed Chrissie tree, all purple and silver. In those early years, it was really difficult to find decorations outside the traditional colours - not so nowadays of course. Seven years ago, I discovered optic fibre trees and I had a white skeletonized one made of wrapped optic fibres, which received mixed reviews from the family. I loved it! After several years of service, it started to look quite tatty so it was 'back to the drawing board' to find a new tree.
So last year and this, it has been the black wrought iron tree. Last year, the purple and silver adorned the tree, but just to added a little extra spice, I've included a bit of red this year. It has certainly brightened the overall perspective. I love my tree, in fact, whatever tree I put up each year, I love my tree! There is something about having the Christmas tree up that puts me in the mood for Christmas to commence. Once I have our tree up and decorated then the festivities may start in full swing.
The last couple of years, as a family, we have decided that the 'gathering' is more important than the gifts, yet we can't give them up completely. My two children and Peter's are both at the stage in life where mortgages and such like are high on the agenda, which means we are all 'as poor as church mice'! So last year My son James and I came up 'with a plan'! At our Christmas gathering we would bring each person a gift who was going to be present. This gift was not to be worth more than $10 and it also had to fit into our Christmas stockings. It is amazing what kinds of useful items can be purchased for less than $10 and be small enough to fit in a Christmas stocking. It is almost more fun and definitely more thought goes into it than when we used to 'lash out' and 'spend up big'! Of course some smarty pants in the family have worked out that if they get together with somebody else they can spend $20 on a joint gift!
I try to complete my shopping by the end of November (my own little tradition) and this year I did and I'm very proud of my efforts! Now all I have to do is wrap them up prettily and add them to each person's stocking. I sorted out all my little Christmas bags, wrapping paper, curling ribbons and tags today as well ready for the day I get enthused enough to 'do the wrapping'!
So, quite suddenly, December has arrived and with it, Christmas. In an earlier post, I touched on some of our family's Christmas traditions. The first tradition our family has always observed is putting up the Christmas tree. This has to happen on the first FULL weekend in December. So during this last week, I nagged Peter until he got all my boxes of decos down out of the manhole space, then I put together the skeleton of my latest tree - a black wrought iron one! I say my latest tree because I have owned quite a few different ones since the first green plastic one that I inherited from my ex m-i-l! The next one I bought was when the children and I returned to Tasmania to live and I had a bit of cash left over that we spent on various luxuries, including a 6 foot high artificial Christmas tree. Over the next few years, it was lovingly adorned with decorations that I made in cross stitch or beaded felt or crocheted plus the addition each year of the decos made by the children in Day Care then school. We had a single string of fairy lights and a bit of tinsel and it was beautiful in all our eyes! Unfortunately, we lost the lot when we had our house fire (but that's another story!) After that I didn't have the heart to re-make all those handmade beauties and the children were nearly into high school so the decos stopped on that front as well. For the next few years we had a very traditional green tree with red, gold, blue, green and silver baubles - it was a tree with very little heart actually. Then I discovered purple and silver.... much excitement the first year I had a themed Chrissie tree, all purple and silver. In those early years, it was really difficult to find decorations outside the traditional colours - not so nowadays of course. Seven years ago, I discovered optic fibre trees and I had a white skeletonized one made of wrapped optic fibres, which received mixed reviews from the family. I loved it! After several years of service, it started to look quite tatty so it was 'back to the drawing board' to find a new tree.
The last couple of years, as a family, we have decided that the 'gathering' is more important than the gifts, yet we can't give them up completely. My two children and Peter's are both at the stage in life where mortgages and such like are high on the agenda, which means we are all 'as poor as church mice'! So last year My son James and I came up 'with a plan'! At our Christmas gathering we would bring each person a gift who was going to be present. This gift was not to be worth more than $10 and it also had to fit into our Christmas stockings. It is amazing what kinds of useful items can be purchased for less than $10 and be small enough to fit in a Christmas stocking. It is almost more fun and definitely more thought goes into it than when we used to 'lash out' and 'spend up big'! Of course some smarty pants in the family have worked out that if they get together with somebody else they can spend $20 on a joint gift!
I try to complete my shopping by the end of November (my own little tradition) and this year I did and I'm very proud of my efforts! Now all I have to do is wrap them up prettily and add them to each person's stocking. I sorted out all my little Christmas bags, wrapping paper, curling ribbons and tags today as well ready for the day I get enthused enough to 'do the wrapping'!
Wednesday 30 October 2013
Doing Stuff and Enjoying Life
Today has been a day full of doing stuff. The kind of day when you start out in the morning with a couple of things planned then a couple more get added and you fit in a few more things and suddenly the day is full!
When I arose from my bed this morning, I had a plan in my mind of what I needed to do. The calendar told me that we were expecting 16 gentlemen from the Men's Shed at Halliday's Point for the morning and lunch. Peter and I had that under control. Peter had organised the workshop yesterday so that they could spend time up there. First up was a wood turning demo, then the men would be able to explore and experiment with all the other boys' toys!
Before they arrived, I had to do some (as Peter calls it!) 'hunting and gathering', which necessitated a trip to the supermarket in Wingham. I don't usually like supermarket shopping, in fact, it is one of my least favourite chores (running a pretty close second to the laundry!), but first thing in the morning, I don't mind doing it for a variety of reasons.
The first is that it is pretty mindless. For those of you who know me well, you will know that I am not a morning person, so getting up and getting going is a huge effort at the best of times! At least going to do some shopping I don't have to think, as long as I have my list!
The second reason I don't mind is the drive. I love driving! I turn out of our drive and head eastwards towards Wingham. It is a lovely country road drive. It is always interesting and always different. This morning, the very first thing I saw before I even left the property was a lolloping kangaroo making his/her way across our paddock. It always give me a thrill to see them. We've seen a few lately because it is so dry! The scenery is beautiful, driving between dairy pasture land and then up through the rising hills. I try to take a moment at the breathlessly beautiful Brushy Cutting lookout. The vista is so magnificent it is hard to describe, but especially in the morning when there has been mist or fog in the valley below. Sometimes the mist rides right up over the road in an arch which is truly incredible!
The third is arriving in Wingham itself. It is so pleasant to drive into this sleepy little country town, where peak hour is three cars at once at the roundabout and the streets are populated by kids walking to school, mostly on their own 'cause it's safe enough for them to do so.
So the shopping was done, the crusty bread purchased and I returned home - shopping trip over and done with in about half an hour!
Then I prepared the dining room for the men to have lunch - barbecue style to pretty easy to do. I was pleased with myself because all I had to do now was put together a tossed salad and make sure everything was out and ready to serve when it was time, which meant I could relax and take my time for the rest of the morning, until I remembered...... bother! I have done relief teaching for the last two days and as we had full house over the weekend, all the bedrooms had to be restored to rights ready for the next guests. That was the end of my relaxing morning. Not a housekeeper, but there is satisfaction in seeing the three bedrooms set to rights, looking beautiful ready for the next guests. Again it is a pretty mindless task. So my mind tends to wander as I work!
Which brings me to the highlight of my day (other than entertaining our 14 men)! Whenever I make up the rooms I always think of my bestie Kathy, as she created the patchwork quilts for each of our bedrooms. Yesterday, I sent off a parcel to her and for once the Post Office Fairies got it right and it arrived in Tassie this morning.
I have been holding on to this little surprise for a couple of weeks now and it was great to hear Kathy on the other end of the phone so excited. It wasn't anything totally spectacular that I had done, just a record of her o/s trip, but I was hoping she would enjoy. The timing of its arrival was perfect too which made it even better. So pleased she enjoyed!
Now you might think the day has finished, but no, tonight it continues. Peter and I are involved in our local Chamber of Commerce and it's the monthly meeting this evening - means we get to have a lovely meal out at the local pub as well and the networking is great.
By the way, the lunch went off really well and all the blokes had a fantastic time!
When I arose from my bed this morning, I had a plan in my mind of what I needed to do. The calendar told me that we were expecting 16 gentlemen from the Men's Shed at Halliday's Point for the morning and lunch. Peter and I had that under control. Peter had organised the workshop yesterday so that they could spend time up there. First up was a wood turning demo, then the men would be able to explore and experiment with all the other boys' toys!
Before they arrived, I had to do some (as Peter calls it!) 'hunting and gathering', which necessitated a trip to the supermarket in Wingham. I don't usually like supermarket shopping, in fact, it is one of my least favourite chores (running a pretty close second to the laundry!), but first thing in the morning, I don't mind doing it for a variety of reasons.
The first is that it is pretty mindless. For those of you who know me well, you will know that I am not a morning person, so getting up and getting going is a huge effort at the best of times! At least going to do some shopping I don't have to think, as long as I have my list!
The second reason I don't mind is the drive. I love driving! I turn out of our drive and head eastwards towards Wingham. It is a lovely country road drive. It is always interesting and always different. This morning, the very first thing I saw before I even left the property was a lolloping kangaroo making his/her way across our paddock. It always give me a thrill to see them. We've seen a few lately because it is so dry! The scenery is beautiful, driving between dairy pasture land and then up through the rising hills. I try to take a moment at the breathlessly beautiful Brushy Cutting lookout. The vista is so magnificent it is hard to describe, but especially in the morning when there has been mist or fog in the valley below. Sometimes the mist rides right up over the road in an arch which is truly incredible!
The third is arriving in Wingham itself. It is so pleasant to drive into this sleepy little country town, where peak hour is three cars at once at the roundabout and the streets are populated by kids walking to school, mostly on their own 'cause it's safe enough for them to do so.
So the shopping was done, the crusty bread purchased and I returned home - shopping trip over and done with in about half an hour!
Then I prepared the dining room for the men to have lunch - barbecue style to pretty easy to do. I was pleased with myself because all I had to do now was put together a tossed salad and make sure everything was out and ready to serve when it was time, which meant I could relax and take my time for the rest of the morning, until I remembered...... bother! I have done relief teaching for the last two days and as we had full house over the weekend, all the bedrooms had to be restored to rights ready for the next guests. That was the end of my relaxing morning. Not a housekeeper, but there is satisfaction in seeing the three bedrooms set to rights, looking beautiful ready for the next guests. Again it is a pretty mindless task. So my mind tends to wander as I work!
Which brings me to the highlight of my day (other than entertaining our 14 men)! Whenever I make up the rooms I always think of my bestie Kathy, as she created the patchwork quilts for each of our bedrooms. Yesterday, I sent off a parcel to her and for once the Post Office Fairies got it right and it arrived in Tassie this morning.
I have been holding on to this little surprise for a couple of weeks now and it was great to hear Kathy on the other end of the phone so excited. It wasn't anything totally spectacular that I had done, just a record of her o/s trip, but I was hoping she would enjoy. The timing of its arrival was perfect too which made it even better. So pleased she enjoyed!
Now you might think the day has finished, but no, tonight it continues. Peter and I are involved in our local Chamber of Commerce and it's the monthly meeting this evening - means we get to have a lovely meal out at the local pub as well and the networking is great.
By the way, the lunch went off really well and all the blokes had a fantastic time!
Thursday 24 October 2013
Melbourne - my surprise trip
I think I'm really spoiled sometimes. I've been with Peter for twelve years now and we have this amazing relationship. Life has been an incredible roller coaster over the years, especially with my health, yet he has stuck in there like Super glue!
Granted I have had to teach him a few things, especially about springing surprises! This last week, he excelled himself. For my birthday (earlier in October) he organised three days away this week. We ended up going to Melbourne. I didn't know where we were going until the day we left! We haven't been to Melbourne for about 11 years, so I was very excited. We flew out of Newcastle Airport just two days after it had been closed because of bushfires! I was very excited passing through the Security checks because my hip set off the alarms for the very first time - I know, small things amuse small minds! The flight was uneventful, which suited me down to the ground! We sat with an interesting guy who writes for a couple of auto mags and was going to Melbourne for the launch of the latest Holden 4WD!
We were able to go upmarket with our accommodation because several month's ago, I won a competition for which I earned enough Hilton Honour's points for us to stay two nights in Hilton Park View on the edge of Melbourne city. She's a grand old lady, subdued splendour. We had a 16th floor room overlooking Fitzroy Gardens and the city itself.
We ventured out using the Myki tickets on the trams. I just love using the trams in Melbourne! They kind of trundle along at a pace that you can sightsee as you go. The trams that passed the hotel took us right into the middle of the city itself onto Collins Street or to the transport hub of Flinders Street Station - couldn't have been better.
We arrived in Melbourne by mid-morning so we hit the shops before lunchtime. The weather was rather patchy but this didn't stop our exploration of the laneways of Melbourne. We went from the north to the south and east to west and found some fascinating little nooks and crannies. My favourites places were the Royal Arcade and The Block!
The Royal Arcade is beautiful and full of the most amazingly different shops. Gog and Magog guard one entrance on either side of the clock. Down one side we found this interesting shoe accessory shop where one wall was covered in small sections full of every kind of shoelace imaginable. Several other shops could be called 'Bits and Bobs' shops and their window displays were fascinating. The best shop of all was, of course, the 'Babushka Shop'. I resisted the urge! I also found a shop totally devoted to everything miniature and by miniature I mean extremely tiny. While I was perusing this, Peter was in a shop opposite full of Australian-made craft.
I loved The Block as well. Definitely a window shopping arcade. The architecture is spectacular and the floor mosaics equally so! I found a shop totally devoted to everything miniature and by miniature I mean extremely tiny. While I was perusing this, Peter was in a shop opposite full of Australian-made craft.
We ate afternoon tea in The Causeway.
Monday evening we used trams to get to Lygon Street - where else would we go for dinner! We found a nice little restaurant called 'Seasons Providore'. I think the choice was made because of the platter of homemade gnocchi in the window! The food was beautiful. Peter had the gnocchi and said it was as good as his mother's and nonna's - high praise! I had a tasty chicken roulade. Dessert was tken next door in the Gelato Parlour!
On Tuesday, we ventured further afield, out to the Docklands area, again by tram! We spent a while in Harbour Town - a DFO -, breakfast at Le Cirque ( beautiful little coffee lounge, with purple tables!, found an unusual UGG shop and then wandered around the foreshore. The weather was unkind! We found this most incredible mural of Past and Present Entertainers, huge but finely detailed full of perfectly recognisable talent. Several detailed statues stood nearby as well.
Then we returned to the city and on the outskirts we ventured to the Fox Car Museum - a collection of collectible cars which belong to Lindsey Fox of Linfox fame. From Mercs, to Jaguars, Ferraris and Porsches and even the humble Volkswagen. Even I found it interesting, especially some of the prior ownership of the vehicles. However, I wasn't reduced to drooling as Peter was!
Because the weather had closed in, we returned to the hotel and had a lazy afternoon, reading and enjoying a dip in the hot spa pool. We then left to go and eat in the city before going to the Regent Theatre.
King Kong the Musical was the highlight of our trip. The music and storyline were quite good, but what the production incredible and very clever were the special effects. The stage sets were a combo of solid construction and lighting you would not believe and the major use of lasers and lighting throughout was extraordinary. Then there was King Kong - a full size (as in I reckon approximately 9 metres high) puppet. Unless you see it you cannot imagine how inventive it was, the movements from the big arm and leg movements right down to the nuances of facial expression. It was the most amazing thing I have seen in a long time. You could see the puppeteers but having said that, you could almost believe King Kong was alive!
Wednesday morning was a write-off unfortunately as I had a migraine - bugger! Peter looked after me so well. At one point I didn't know whether I'd be able to travel home, but eventually it eased enough.
The return trip was a bit of a blur as I slept on and off until we arrived back in Newie. Home was a beautiful place to see. As we entered the Manning Valley I said to Peter, "Thanks so much for taking me away, but thanks so much for bringing me back home again!"
If you want to have a look at what we got up to, click on the link!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2EuPpbePcc
Granted I have had to teach him a few things, especially about springing surprises! This last week, he excelled himself. For my birthday (earlier in October) he organised three days away this week. We ended up going to Melbourne. I didn't know where we were going until the day we left! We haven't been to Melbourne for about 11 years, so I was very excited. We flew out of Newcastle Airport just two days after it had been closed because of bushfires! I was very excited passing through the Security checks because my hip set off the alarms for the very first time - I know, small things amuse small minds! The flight was uneventful, which suited me down to the ground! We sat with an interesting guy who writes for a couple of auto mags and was going to Melbourne for the launch of the latest Holden 4WD!
We were able to go upmarket with our accommodation because several month's ago, I won a competition for which I earned enough Hilton Honour's points for us to stay two nights in Hilton Park View on the edge of Melbourne city. She's a grand old lady, subdued splendour. We had a 16th floor room overlooking Fitzroy Gardens and the city itself.
We ventured out using the Myki tickets on the trams. I just love using the trams in Melbourne! They kind of trundle along at a pace that you can sightsee as you go. The trams that passed the hotel took us right into the middle of the city itself onto Collins Street or to the transport hub of Flinders Street Station - couldn't have been better.
We arrived in Melbourne by mid-morning so we hit the shops before lunchtime. The weather was rather patchy but this didn't stop our exploration of the laneways of Melbourne. We went from the north to the south and east to west and found some fascinating little nooks and crannies. My favourites places were the Royal Arcade and The Block!
The Royal Arcade is beautiful and full of the most amazingly different shops. Gog and Magog guard one entrance on either side of the clock. Down one side we found this interesting shoe accessory shop where one wall was covered in small sections full of every kind of shoelace imaginable. Several other shops could be called 'Bits and Bobs' shops and their window displays were fascinating. The best shop of all was, of course, the 'Babushka Shop'. I resisted the urge! I also found a shop totally devoted to everything miniature and by miniature I mean extremely tiny. While I was perusing this, Peter was in a shop opposite full of Australian-made craft.
I loved The Block as well. Definitely a window shopping arcade. The architecture is spectacular and the floor mosaics equally so! I found a shop totally devoted to everything miniature and by miniature I mean extremely tiny. While I was perusing this, Peter was in a shop opposite full of Australian-made craft.
We ate afternoon tea in The Causeway.
Monday evening we used trams to get to Lygon Street - where else would we go for dinner! We found a nice little restaurant called 'Seasons Providore'. I think the choice was made because of the platter of homemade gnocchi in the window! The food was beautiful. Peter had the gnocchi and said it was as good as his mother's and nonna's - high praise! I had a tasty chicken roulade. Dessert was tken next door in the Gelato Parlour!
On Tuesday, we ventured further afield, out to the Docklands area, again by tram! We spent a while in Harbour Town - a DFO -, breakfast at Le Cirque ( beautiful little coffee lounge, with purple tables!, found an unusual UGG shop and then wandered around the foreshore. The weather was unkind! We found this most incredible mural of Past and Present Entertainers, huge but finely detailed full of perfectly recognisable talent. Several detailed statues stood nearby as well.
Then we returned to the city and on the outskirts we ventured to the Fox Car Museum - a collection of collectible cars which belong to Lindsey Fox of Linfox fame. From Mercs, to Jaguars, Ferraris and Porsches and even the humble Volkswagen. Even I found it interesting, especially some of the prior ownership of the vehicles. However, I wasn't reduced to drooling as Peter was!
Because the weather had closed in, we returned to the hotel and had a lazy afternoon, reading and enjoying a dip in the hot spa pool. We then left to go and eat in the city before going to the Regent Theatre.
King Kong the Musical was the highlight of our trip. The music and storyline were quite good, but what the production incredible and very clever were the special effects. The stage sets were a combo of solid construction and lighting you would not believe and the major use of lasers and lighting throughout was extraordinary. Then there was King Kong - a full size (as in I reckon approximately 9 metres high) puppet. Unless you see it you cannot imagine how inventive it was, the movements from the big arm and leg movements right down to the nuances of facial expression. It was the most amazing thing I have seen in a long time. You could see the puppeteers but having said that, you could almost believe King Kong was alive!
Wednesday morning was a write-off unfortunately as I had a migraine - bugger! Peter looked after me so well. At one point I didn't know whether I'd be able to travel home, but eventually it eased enough.
The return trip was a bit of a blur as I slept on and off until we arrived back in Newie. Home was a beautiful place to see. As we entered the Manning Valley I said to Peter, "Thanks so much for taking me away, but thanks so much for bringing me back home again!"
If you want to have a look at what we got up to, click on the link!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2EuPpbePcc
Thursday 17 October 2013
Well, I have been spurred into action by Fat Mum Slim. My mind meanders all the time and I need an outlet to process these meanderings. Today seems as good a day as any to start so here I am.
Last week I turned 63. Next week my darling husband Peter is whisking me away to a mystery destination for three days to celebrate the occasion.
He has not always been good at 'surprises'. That is something that I can claim I have taught him in the 12 years we have been together. When I first met Peter in March 2001, he did not celebrate any occasion particularly well. His family rarely celebrated birthdays in a big way and certainly not anniversaries or even Christmas, except with copious amounts of food (must have something to do with the Italian background!).
I love making a fuss, springing surprises and generally making the most of any occasions that I can dream up, even if it means I have to plan my own birthday parties!
Right from the beginning of our relationship we celebrated Lunarversaries - we've just passed our 500th! We did that every month until we got married in May 2003. From then on, we celebrated our relationship twice a year, in March for when we met and May for when we married.
Birthdays are always celebrated with some ceremony, some kind of celebration and Christmas!!!
I love Christmas. I come from a home which was full of little traditions surrounding the celebration of Christmas. My home growing up was a religious one so there was always church on Christmas Morning. Before church we had Christmas pillowslips full of stuff (mostly stuff we needed as the incoming wages allowed). After church, we sat around our Christmas Tree and my father would read the story of the Birth of Christ from one of the Gospels, then we would sing some Christian Christmas Carols (no Santa in those days) then he would distribute the gifts. Mum would prepare a feast, which included the most amazing home-made Christmas pudding. It was one of the rare occasions there was alcohol in our teetotal house. Several weeks before, she would send my Dad to the Bottle Shop to get the required Brandy!
As I have grown up and acquired my own family, I have instilled traditions in Christmas that have survived through the years even though both my children are both adults. One tradition they will never give up is their Christmas Stockings. When they were very small, I made them patchwork stockings that survive to this day. They have puffy gold fabric paint names on them! As each new family member joins our crew, a new individualised stocking is added. However, tradition prevails and to have your stocking filled, you must be with me to celebrate Christmas! Now there's an incentive!
I love celebrations!
Last week I turned 63. Next week my darling husband Peter is whisking me away to a mystery destination for three days to celebrate the occasion.
He has not always been good at 'surprises'. That is something that I can claim I have taught him in the 12 years we have been together. When I first met Peter in March 2001, he did not celebrate any occasion particularly well. His family rarely celebrated birthdays in a big way and certainly not anniversaries or even Christmas, except with copious amounts of food (must have something to do with the Italian background!).
I love making a fuss, springing surprises and generally making the most of any occasions that I can dream up, even if it means I have to plan my own birthday parties!
Right from the beginning of our relationship we celebrated Lunarversaries - we've just passed our 500th! We did that every month until we got married in May 2003. From then on, we celebrated our relationship twice a year, in March for when we met and May for when we married.
Birthdays are always celebrated with some ceremony, some kind of celebration and Christmas!!!
I love Christmas. I come from a home which was full of little traditions surrounding the celebration of Christmas. My home growing up was a religious one so there was always church on Christmas Morning. Before church we had Christmas pillowslips full of stuff (mostly stuff we needed as the incoming wages allowed). After church, we sat around our Christmas Tree and my father would read the story of the Birth of Christ from one of the Gospels, then we would sing some Christian Christmas Carols (no Santa in those days) then he would distribute the gifts. Mum would prepare a feast, which included the most amazing home-made Christmas pudding. It was one of the rare occasions there was alcohol in our teetotal house. Several weeks before, she would send my Dad to the Bottle Shop to get the required Brandy!
As I have grown up and acquired my own family, I have instilled traditions in Christmas that have survived through the years even though both my children are both adults. One tradition they will never give up is their Christmas Stockings. When they were very small, I made them patchwork stockings that survive to this day. They have puffy gold fabric paint names on them! As each new family member joins our crew, a new individualised stocking is added. However, tradition prevails and to have your stocking filled, you must be with me to celebrate Christmas! Now there's an incentive!
I love celebrations!
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