Persuader by Lee ChildI've had a good couple of days, very busy, but I've had time to stop today and yesterday too, which was much needed as I'm in for a busy weekend too.
I took Billy-Joe for his x-ray this morning and then I headed out to the Plaza to buy birthday gifts for him and Julia. I got Billy-Joe the Wii Monster Tri game, which he's been wanting for ages, and I know Mickey will enjoy it too. I bought Julia a gorgeous pair of silver ear rings with a purple hearts made of a stone inside them, they're just gorgeous and purple is her favourite colour. I didn't want to buy her jewellery seeing as she works in a jewellery store and her Dad sells the stuff, but I know she'll treasure it, and let's face it, a girl can never have too much jewellery!!! I bought myself jammies from Myer that were on special. I can't stand the BigW pjs anymore, and the Myer ones are always understated and just really nice. They were 40% off which was great, as they're a bit dearer than what I like to spend.
We went to the accountant on Wednesday, we'll both get good refunds and I"m sweating on my Centrelink refund, because I seriously underestimated our earnings. My CCs are both sick, so they'll get paid out again and my rego will be paid for 12 months. I'm hoping I'm left with enough to buy my Thermomix. I'll be able to claim the iPad on my tax, but I'm still on the fence with that one. We want to get Billy-Joe a new bed and chest of drawers, so we might go and have a look on Sunday.
Tonight I'm going scrapping and I'm looking forward to it. It's my night to debrief with Barbi, she's like a balm for my soul. Tonight there'll only be her and I at the table, so we can hash out a few things about the store, which will be good. I'm feeling guilty because the site isn't going as well as we'd like, but we're going to meet up with a business mentor to see what direction we'll take with it, plus it's what I'm using while I'm doing my e-commerce course. Barbi is happy for me to use Daisy's as a sample. I've done a few things to make the site better already as far as Google is concerned. There's traffic on it every single day which is fantastic, we just want to increase that though. The Facebook fan page is growing too, slowly but surely, there's over 90 people on it now which is fabulous.
Not much else to report, I've got a few thoughts running around in my Labyrinth of a mind, but I've run out of time.....until next time.
The last few days have been a little bit more in holiday mode, which for me has been really nice. I've been so busy of late, I think I just needed a few days a bit quieter, with nothing pressing on my schedule.
On Thursday I had a cable man come and put in some new connections for me. Billy-Joe now has a working TV in his room and I have a TV point in my room. Lenny also set it up so the kids (and I) have Austar in the rooms, and we put in another cable connecting the DVD player to the Austar box so we can record sport games or movies off Austar. When I set up the new DVD player, I couldn't figure out how to do it, am happy it actually required another cable, so it wasn't something I did wrong. It was expensive to get this done, but so worth it as there's no headache, and it's so complicated in our house now with lots of gadgets. Peter and I made the decision years ago, that while we can't afford to buy/build a house of our dreams, we can make our little abode as comfortable as possible.
Many years ago in a former life, I had a passion for a certain style of house and garden. I let those dreams go, when my second marriage failed, it was difficult to do that, but the best way to protect myself. Having moved to this state has helped those dreams be shelved as it's not practical up here. The house styles are so different and much of what was available down south isn't even available here. I loved all the old fashioned stuff, when it was done properly. Sometimes it's attempted here, and it doesn't look quite right. Actually I've only been inside one house since I've lived here, where they've managed to capture the elegance with the quaintness of the country feel. I combined that dream with having a real cottage garden. I already possessed about 60 pots of plants which were for my cottage garden. I still feel an ache in my heart when I think about those plants. I hadn't only bought then with a view of having them in my own cottage garden, I'd researched them, and knew about them all. Most of all I loved them. I had some old fashioned roses and some peonies but most of them were medicinal or culinary herbs. I had beautiful books at that time given to me from my husband. Books with loving messages written on the flyleaf. Maybe now 21 years later, I'm ready to revisit the books and I can read the notes with the lack of emotion and feeling they deserve.
On Thursday Billy-Joe and I went and visited a friend of the family's. He and his wife have an amazing garden, not a cottage garden, but there are parts of it which are left for the plants to grow where they seed. I always liked that about a garden, no structure, or order, something which is an antithesis of how I like everything else in my life. I like the idea of plants meandering through each other, rather than lines and order. Whilst at our friends' house we were fortunately given lots of seedlings and plants. We came home with two rose bushes, lots of parsley plants, mint plants, winter and summer savory and lemongrass. Billy-Joe was inspired and excited and so was I.
Unfortunately our herb garden isn't in the best spot. So I was very pleased when my dear Bunny suggested making a new garden bed. I'm so rapt, it's huge. They started on Saturday morning, and then I suggested to Billy-Joe that we go up to the herb farm and get some more herbs, seeing as we were both inspired and we now had a much bigger garden in a better position. I showered and got ready and then remembered with thunderbolt that the Garden Show was on so the herb people would be there. I wasn't interested in the Garden Show......I hadn't been there in years and baulk at paying high entry fees. Thankfully Billy-Joe was free. I really didn't want to go, I was looking forward to a lazy afternoon at home lol...... I was quickly coerced into going.
We had a lovely few hours walking around and soaking up the soothing winter sun. Our herb farm people were indeed at the show, and we came home with a spanish lavender, my favourite herb of all time, a greek basil, thyme and a delicious smelling lemon pelargonium and a lemon balm too for its fragrance and culinary uses. The man from the herb farm, gave us lots of good advice about our garden. We constantly have trouble growing greek basil and lavender. This sub tropical climate is not good for plants which love a dry heat. My dear Bunny set up the garden with gravel and stones to try and emulate the Mediterranean heat, as advised by the herb guy.
Peter laughs and says how funny it is that we have an idea and he has the work lol... I remind him that we are a good team. I am going to enjoy tending to our herbs, and will especially love using them in my cooking. Nothing compares to the use of fresh herbs in cooking, It can make a simple meal something exceptional. In the coming weeks, I'll add more herbs to the garden, we want sage, dill and tarragon too. I'm going to buy some chamomile daisies and a feverfew plant.
Bunny and I had a nice date night last night. After the Garden Show, I came home, had a shower, put on my jammies and laid down for a bit. I upped my arthritis tablets again yesterday and have been plagued with a headache ever since, so the lie down was much needed. I was going to make a Pasta Funghi but decided to make stuffed field mushrooms instead. They were delicious, and it was just the right quantity for me. Bunny made some delicious garlic bread which was a great accompaniment. Mum had given me some Chocolate Mousse cake that she'd frozen after my Dad's birthday, so that was dessert. Normally we're too full, but after a light dinner, it was just perfect. I only ate a small portion, and Bunny scoffed the lot!! It was divine.
Today I had a quiet day, with chores and washing in the morning, after a late lie in. I did my groceries online, after perusing food magazines and then laid on my bed for a couple of hours watching some eps of 'The Tudors', which is fantastic.
I cooked Mickey a yummy pasta dish with my homemade pasta, bacon, egg, onion and parsley, and I'll cook us our Pasta Funghi a little later, after the kids have watched Merlin.
Tomorrow is the last day of the holiday. I've got my lessons to peruse and a webinar in the evening. I've got some ironing to do and I will enjoy my last sleep in. In the first week I organized the kids' room, and their cupboard, something which I've been wanting to do for ages. I still want to organize my room but am not sure when I'll get to this. Adding the study to my schedule, makes my days very full now. So I'll see how I go with that in the next few weeks.
Mickey had to cover his eyes as his gifts weren't wrapped.
His present from his Oma and Opa
Mickey with is other gift, he was rather spoilt today.
Opa helping Bunny to put up the basketball hoop didn't stop the kids from trying it out.
Eating our lunch
Like the look on Mickey's face
Love this, how Opa is trying to help Mickey
My favourite photo of the day, a bit noisy because I didn't use a flash, so upped the ISO.
Cool photo, but Mickey's smile is a bit stale here lol...
My Choc Ripple Caramel and Chocolate tart.....divine!!
I've not stopped since I was ill. Actually with the craft fair and helping Barbi, it's probably before I was sick that the busy times began. I have enjoyed them though, glad that I've got more energy, and happy that I'm not working outside the home, as I know how much this has always added to the stress levels before.
I still find changes in my outlook and state of mind every now and again, which is really exciting for me. I still feel happier on a consistent daily, all day basis, so I know that it's not a placebo effect from my new medication. It's been too long now, the artificially created joy, would have long dissipated if it was something that I was just telling myself, or just feeling out of desperation and hope, something I've done so many times before, when I think a solution has been found for me.
Just as an aside, my cat, Izzy is running around the house like a lunatic. She does not like it when her boys are all downstairs and she's stuck up here. She misses them so much and cries for them. It's holiday time and she spends a lot of time with them. At the moment, my four boys (or her four boys) are downstairs watching the footy, so Mummy can watch Masterchef and Izzy is meowing and crying because she can hear them talking......but can't find them lol, it's quite funny. I can't believe how this cat has wheedled her way into our hearts. I was always a cat lover, ever since I was a child and have always had a cat in my adult years. When I decided I was ready to have a cat inside again, because I no longer had small children, little did I realize how much I would grow to love her. She's such good fun. She actually plays with the kids, they can play hide and seek and she comes racing up to find them and taps them on the head, it's so cool. Sammy and Mickey go to bed at night and Izzy goes in there to create havoc. I usually have a cut off point, where I shut the door and Izzy has to come out, when I think they've spent enough time, hiding under the doona, with and without Izzy lol.... MInd you she's not very happy when I take her out of there, and will usually hang outside the door whinging and sticking her paws under the door as she's dying to get back in. When it's all quiet in there, I open the door, and, like a good girl, she hops up on Sammy's bed and goes to sleep, and she stays there all night. On a scrapping night when I'm home late, I have to feed her and she goes back to bed. I'm so happy that the kitty litter isn't inside anymore, she just goes out in the morning, ah those pussy cats are so clever lol.... She is however, extremely spoilt and the MOTH aka Bunny is the one who spoils her the most. He cried so hard when Charlie died, I didn't think he'd take to Izzy like he has, but he has, and how everyone is with her is just beautiful to watch.
I had to relent and take her downstairs, I've had enough of her caterwauling......
Back to the regular program.
I started my small business e commerce course last week. It's everything we need, and I'm so excited and so grateful that I was accepted. I've already worked ahead in the lessons and have already set some things in motion, they're behind the scenes stuff, but it's all geared toward making our site more 'Google friendly'. In the coming weeks I'm going to complete various analyses, of our own site and also that of our competitor's. By analyzing successful businesses you can create a better one for yourself so this is a valuable learning tool. I felt like I was floundering with the site because I am not armed with enough knowledge. Let's face it, knowledge is power, and being a control freak, I need this to feel like I'm doing a good job. I had two full days in Maroochydore and I had a webinar this evening. I've already covered three weeks of e lessons, as the first two are introductory and are basically catering for the complete novice. I'm happy that I have some net savviness already. I was excited this morning, when I actually went in and added some html coding to our site, so that Google can verify it.......can you imagine how excited I was when the verification came through. I actually got up at 7am to do this, something that's unheard of, me getting early of my own volition. I didn't have anything I had to be at, or anything else pressing, I just wanted to get some work done early. That's the most awesome advantage of working from home, I can do my work when it pleases me and in chunks big or small...just love it. The flexibility is fantastic.
I was very lucky that dear Bunny had a few days off, so he spent precious time with the boys and I didn't have to put them into holiday care, which they have well and truly grown out of. It also meant that he was home today, for my baby's birthday. I still can't believe that my youngest is now 9 years old!!!! We all had a lovely, fun day. We decided that we were going to do the food easier than normal, in light of my recent obligations, I was happy to make cakes, but wanted a bought lunch. Going out would have been too dear, and we'd bought Mickey some awesome gifts, that an extra $150 or so on food for us was out of the question. The KFC deal, was a huge success with all of us. We just bought extra chips and exchanged the drink for another coleslaw. Mum and Dad thoroughly enjoyed the lunch too, there wasn't anything left. I made a Caramel tart, on a choc ripple base with a dark chocolate ganache and it was beautiful. I'm looking forward to a cuppa a little later, with a small piece of it.
I went shopping on Saturday with my Mum. Something that we used to do all the time, when I had littlies and didn't get out much, walking around the shopping centre all day was a nice way to spend some time with my Mum. She wanted to get MIckey a gift and wanted my help and I was looking forward to spending time with her. We had a good day, and while I thought I'd be exhausted when I got home, I still managed a lovely date night with my husband. I made a Masterchef recipe, the Beef Stroganoff and Parsley and Pepper fettuccine. The pasta was a bit fiddly this time, but we got it working, with adding in more flour and it tasted delicious. I wasn't as happy with the Beef Stroganoff as I was when I made it a few weeks ago from the www.taste.com.au site. We had a great night, and suffice to say that my darling husband is much happier these days. Happier wife and Mama makes for a happier husband too. He's currently feeling very loved and I'm enjoying watching his contentment. It's like we've fallen in love all over again, and it's a wonderful feeling. Thankfully we've always been close, so our downs only make the ups even better. We've been together nearly 20 years and are the best of friends.
Sammy and Mickey are heading off to golf clinic for the rest of the week, and Billy-Joe is looking forward to spending time with me. He can have a friend over to visit and we'll do stuff together. I'm looking forward to spending some 'chill out' time this week. I've nothing on my schedule other than house chores and Daisy work, so that's achievable this week. Mickey is very excited to test out his new golf clubs. They look amazing, with their red shafts, he's one very very happy little boy this evening. I need to edit the white balance on some pics and then I'll upload.
I already had all this info when I posted about my Dad's party, but I didn't want to add this info there. I like to keep certain parts of my life compartmentalized. It helps with the coping mechanisms. I like to deal with the negative aspects of my life and then try and move on. I like to keep all the positive elements separate too, so nothing is marred with the negative. This is, however only possible when the negatives and the positives don't blend over, making the lines blurry......ahh, but I digress again, I'm so good at that.
I went and saw my Rheumatologist on Friday, to hopefully finally have a diagnosis for this chronic pain I've been suffering for years. She was lovely and checked me over thoroughly and came to a diagnosis rather quickly, without thankfully submitting me to yet another battery of tests. She seems pretty convinced that I have Seronegative arthritis, an inflammatory arthritis which attacks not only my joints but my tendons too. She has prescribed me with Sulphasalazine, which will help with the pain but also help my joints from further deterioration. I just about floated out of her rooms, even after I was hit with the $220 bill lol...... Relief from pain, I'd barely dared hope that this could be a possibility. I have started on the regime of meds, and even with the side effects of yet more headaches and a queasy stomach, I'm feeling positive. It will take four weeks before I'm on the full dosage, and I will need a blood test in two weeks time and then once a month. My specialist will keep close tabs on liver and kidney function and also that my inflammatory markers will come down.
I have been walking on the treadmill and have been feeling good. This week I've been lax though with the kids home from holidays I seem busier than ever. Yesterday I finished cleaning out Sammy and Mickey's room. I think it's the first time in 9 years that I've got the room to where I want it. I've done the cupboards of all toys and clothes. The room looks tidy. We moved beds and vacuumed and cleaned walls, Sammy and I had cleaned the day before and the fan and blind was cleaned too. It's so cool that the kids help me nowadays. I also went through all their old school stuff and culled much of it. I like samples of their work, but with three kids it's impossible to keep everything they bring home. I'm happy with what I've kept now. I need to get stuck into Billy-Joe's room. His room is the one they spend so much time in and yet it's in dire need of a face lift. The walls desperately need painting as does the ceiling as it still has those awful little stars and planets on the ceiling from the previous owners. My kids think they're great, but they look quite old and daggy now, and are going to be a huge job to try and prise off the ceiling.
It's Mickey's birthday on Monday and the he and Sammy are doing a golf clinic next week, so it will be Billy-Joe and I at home together. I should go into Daisy's one day and play with my markers. I can't get distracted there and decide all of a sudden that the bath mat and toilet mat need washing, or that the sliding door needs windexing lol....... I could just sit and play!!
We'll celebrate Mickey's birthday on Sunday. We are going to order KFC buckets and just have a take away feast. It's something we don't do very often, and as I've got a couple of busy days ahead with my business course starting, I felt this was a good way to go. I would have liked to go out somewhere for lunch but this actually works out to be very reasonable.
I'm currently sitting in Laserzone, a dark building where the kids go off and shoot each other with lazers!! They're having a ball. It's noisy, the coffee is crappy but I've got my MacBook and the internet and the kids are having a ball, so all is good.
Tomorrow I start on my e Commerce course, so I'm looking forward to that. I'm nervous actually but I think I have enough knowledge not to be 'lost' with what I'll learn. I want to learn stuff, so that our site makes a sale. Can't believe the site has been live for two months, has good traffic, but yet no purchases have been made. I know that people are going into the store after reading the site info, but that's not all we want. I'm getting paid money to make money.......and at the moment, it's not enough coming in from it.
Where do I begin to update about my week last week. It was so full of great things and not so good things. I barely had time to think!!
Last Monday was a holiday due to the Queen's birthday and I was very grateful for this day at home. I was also glad that I'd only gone down to the craft show on the Sunday and that I wasn't there the entire weekend. With no chairs in the stall, my back wouldn't have coped. As it was the few hours I was there was enough for my body and the Monday gave me time to recoup and do my chores.
I awoke on the Tuesday earlier than normal, actually I didn't sleep that well the night before, the anticipation kept me awake. Barbi picked me up at 7am and we were on our way to Brisbane for our Copic Certification Class and all of a sudden I felt quite ill. I never get car sick but was sitting in the back of the car and not very comfortable. I rolled up my cardigan and had it in the small of my back. I had to open the window as I needed the fresh air. I couldn't look at my iPhone, and had to hand it to Norma in the front seat as Barbi wanted the GPS. (Which I might add, worked fantastically well). We arrived at our venue with plenty of time to spare, only to discover we were at the wrong hotel!!!! Barbi had quickly read the email and had read the Sydney venue...........so by the time we went cross town to the RIGHT venue we were about a half hour late. Thankfully they'd waited for us a bit
I really enjoyed the course, but in hindsight, and after discussion with Barbi, there were a few shortcomings. It would have been fantastic if we could have completely coloured in one image. I'm really happy that I've already been playing with them for a while and that I've watched lots of Youtube videos and have been reading blogs. It gave me a good head start. I did learn new things though. Morning tea and afternoon tea was supplied and we walked to Southbank for lunch. My tummy was not good and I just bought a yoghurt for lunch and Barbi ate most of it. I was very very happy when I got home at 6.30pm. Bunny made me a cup of tea and some toast. I slept soundly that night, thinking and looking forward to playing with my Copics.
I awoke on the Wednesday morning, still not feeling well, I'd developed a headache the night before and it was still there. I had errands to complete and decided I needed to do them, and then I could rest when I got home. I dropped in to Daisy's to pick up an invoice and then headed to the Plaza to find out about having my glasses replaced. The manager of the store advised me that I couldn't have a refund, but he adjusted them again, and changed the nose pads. Because I was so ill the following days, I never tried them .........but this Monday just gone I wore them all day.......and...........no headache!! So I've spent $1000 on glasses and I won't be needing frames for a while lol....and I have a choice too as one pair is red, black, metal and blingy and the other ones are tortoiseshell pair, which I love too.
I cooked dinner on Wednesday evening and ate very little. I had to eat something as I'd not eaten all day, actually I only ate dinner so I could take a couple of Nurofen Plus. The next morning I got up and felt so bad, I rang Bunny to come and take the kids to school. I managed to feed them and get them organized but I went back to bed, and stayed there. By 1pm I decided that I needed to go to the doctor. I'd had as much analgesia as I dared take, and nothing was touching my headache. I'd vomited I felt so nauseous. My parents took me to the GP, as there's no way I could have driven. I was given an injection as it was obvious I was having a migraine. I'd never had one before!! Headaches, I have heaps of, but I've never had a migraine before.
The next morning I awoke, and my headache was still there!! My Dad took me to the doctor again. They gave me a wafer and had me lie there for nearly two hours waiting for it to take effect. I had a maxolon injection too as I was still very nauseous. I didn't respond to the treatment and was sent to emergency where I had a CT scan and was thoroughly questioned by the wonderful doctor there. Thankfully the CT showed nothing sinister and the headache actually started to ease while I was there.......... That evening I felt weary, my muscles in my head ached from being in constant pain, but I was on the mend. Bunny cooked me some dinner and I managed a little steak and potato. The relief of my boys was just precious. Even the downs have their ups though. My parents took such good care of me, I'll always be their little girl. Billy-Joe looked after me, asking me what I wanted and helping where ever he could. He said to me 'It's so good Mum, even though you're older, your Mum still looks after you. He said you look after us all the time and now we're looking after you'. Ahh, my beautiful boy.
I spent the weekend, basking in the feeling of improved health and catching up. Can you believe, it's now a week later and I only just feel caught up. Even though my family kept everything going, so many things didn't get done. My Daisy work was behind, errands and house stuff....... I have had a great week though. Incredibly busy, but I'm happy because I managed to do it without an afternoon nap. My sleep is almost back to normal now, I'm sleeping well at night, and going back to sleep easily after I've been to the loo, no longer is 2.36am wake up time!! I awake later in the morning and to get back to sleep, I listen to my book for about ten minutes and drop off again.
I decided to make Dad the Black Forest Cake from Masterchef. I don't make many 'fancy' cakes, so this was a challenge for me. Suzy gave me a blog address during the week and it was of a girl who loves to cook as her blog was mainly food oriented. She made the cake, but didn't bake the cake, and it took her over four hours to make it. I was a bit worried at this point. I even looked for another recipe, but this one appealed to me. I was happy with the result even though it wasn't easy to make. The assemblage was actually the trickiest, with my layers threatening to slide off!!
I was so excited about today. Today we celebrated my Dad's 80th birthday. I can't believe he's that old! He certainly doesn't act it!! My brother and his wife came down from Moura, a huge undertaking for a weekend, the girls were there, and some close friends of Mum and Dad's. It was an intimate group and we had so much fun. Mum did a fantastic job of the food and it was absolutely delicious. I've already put in my order for Christmas Eve. She and Dad are the most gracious hosts and we were filled to the brim with lunch, dessert, cakes, champagne, wine, Jagermesiter and scotch.....( please note I didn't have all these lol). Ricky videoed much of the day so it will be good fun to watch this.
I finished Dad's card last night and I couldn't put the words together to write in it. You know when you want to write something really special, but there aren't words to even articulate what you feel? When I love you, just doesn't seem enough, because I feel so much more than that. I wanted to say how proud I was to be his daughter, how happy and blessed I feel that he's in all our lives, and what a wonderful man he is. I did give a speech. Ricky couldn't do it because he wouldn't have been able to speak. I said I would. I wanted so badly to give a speech when he and Denise were married, but I was so emotional at the time, and so happy to have him back in our lives, that I couldn't have done it, and I've regretted that ever since, so today, I wasn't going to renege.
Today was great great fun. So much laughter, and cheekiness, and love floated around in the air, it was truly therapeutic to bask within it. Added to that we bought Dad an iPod Touch which he was very very pleased with. Can't wait for him to 'play' with it.
I came home this evening with a wonderful feeling within. A feeling of family, there's nothing else like it.
I had a very eventful weekend. It all began when I picked up the kids from school, and Billy-Joe showed me his finger and said he thought it was broken, and I thought it was too. Needless to say I didn't make it to work @ Daisy's until nearly 6pm!! Between going to the GP, then going to get the finger x-rayed, then going back to the GP and then a fruitless journey to the chemist for a splint when we found out it was broken, (which I'd already diagnosed from viewing the x-ray myself), and I ended up making a splint out of a paddle pop stick which I'd obviously kept out of a set of rub ons. Billy-Joe was comfortable although his finger was very swollen and throbbed a bit. He was mucking around and fell back on his finger. I'd only told him a day before, if ever you fall the worst thing you can do is put your hand out to stop you!! I'll have to do some googling because I'm not sure how long to keep it splinted for, the doctor wasn't exactly full of info!!
Then we flew home and I showered and did my hair and then went to work. I was quite weary by the time I left at midnight. The shop was quiet, so it was a good night. I didn't create, just talked and played on my MacBook, catching up on some reading. Barbi was away setting up the craft show, so when she returned to pick up Suzy and Norma, I helped them get their things together and then saw them off. It was late when they left, not sure what time, it was around 9 though. They still had a drive to Brisbane and then an early start in the morning, to add the final touches of stock for the stall.
I didn't know what I was going to do on Saturday, but Billy-Joe wanted to head to the Plaza and my wonderful husband gave me some spending $$$$ so off we went. I'd picked up my new new glasses the day before, so I took the opportunity of this trip to go and see the place where I bought my beautiful glasses to see if I could get my money back. They hurt me so much, I can't wear them for long. I end up with a wicked headache. I've had them checked, the script is spot on and the lenses are very good quality, but they hurt my entire head. I know it's the glasses, because I've been wearing them less and less, resorting to my readers for computer work and not wearing glasses much at the other times. When I did wear them, they would make my head ache, and I noticed that within about ten seconds of taking off the new glasses, my head would stop hurting!!! I just felt ill with this predicament. I've spent $1000 on glasses in the last little while and can't even wear the dear pair! As it turned out the owner/manager of the store wasn't in, but his employee said I should come in and see him on his days and he would work something out. I know I won't get money back for the lenses, but for the frames would be good, they can resell them anyway. I couldn't even get any money back on the second pair because I've maxed out my insurance and am not entitled to claim a new pair until next year ( I doubt I'll be buying a pair next year though, maybe some new prescription sunnies would be good).
I bought Sammy some new runners, and Billy-Joe a new pair of slippers. I also got a pasta machine as I've been wanting to make my own pasta. Can't wait to try it out on Thursday. I wonder how hard it will be to do, I'd like to make it quite often. The lady at the shop said the cheaper machine would be good, but if we were making heaps, we'd need the dearer Italian one. I'll see how I go. I didn't see the point in spending a lot of money on one at this point. I'm quite excited about this and can't wait to try it. One of my girlfriends has one and has assured me it makes good pasta and is not difficult. I'll report back later in the week and let you know.
I'd put on lamb shanks in the slow cooker before I went out. They were done in red wine, rosemary and plum jam and were very very nice. I made some polenta on milk and added parmesan cheese, it was very tasty. We had a lovely Saturday night, lots of talking and romance, was great fun. I went to bed late, well not as late as I often do on a Saturday night, but late for the fact that I was leaving home at 6.45am to go to Brisbane for the Papercraft Show. We were bringing stock and had to bring it before the Show opened, but also we allowed more time than we needed. It was okay, at least we weren't stressed. Parking was easy and the traffic was light, so we made good time.
The show was busy and I'm glad I went. I found another Anya stamp, which I'd not seen available in Australia before. The one's I have I bought from www.thegreetingfarm.com and I just love them, they're gorgeous. I also bought some chipboard cats which will look gorgeous on cards. I can glitter or glimmer mist them, can't wait to have a play. It was a long day and I was very happy to be home, it was almost 8pm when I got home. I was very happy to see my family and I slept well last night.
Today I've been on a declutter and cleaning rampage. It felt good, to purge some old kids' clothes, and toys. I vacuumed and washed and tidied, now my house feels good. I was only gone for a day, and Peter did vacuum, but it's technically two days that I've not done anything, so it needed a tizzy up. Once I was able to relax it was nice to sit down and chill out. I updated Facebook and tweeted for my Daisy stuff and then set about doing my Coles order and working out my menu for next week. I'm still looking for a pasta dish to do for Thursday.
I chatted with a friend on iChat for a bit, talking about the pros and cons of the iPad. Dear Bunny has said I can have one, which totally blows me away because I haven't even asked for one!!!!! He does know though, that I'm pretty impressed with it and would love one as an e-reader. I'm not interested in a KIndle, but love my MacBook for reading my e-books, but the iPad would be much more user friendly for reading. I've also done research during the week for a Thermomix This kitchen tool is an amazing thing. I've eaten quite a few foods made in it and am very impressed with it.
I've got left over chicken soup for dinner and bread in the bread machine, which is currently smelling delicious. This time tomorrow, I'll be a Copic Certified Instructor . I'm really excited to learn all the techniques and look forward to using my new Anya stamp with my markers and the new skills I'll have.
My friends will be pleased that the show is over, although the job of packing up is an onerous one. I take my hat off to them, as it's hard work and a very long weekend. They will all be very happy to be home tonight. Barbi and Norma are backing up with yet another trip to Brisbane tomorrow as we're all going to the Copic course together.
Our Stall
Suzy, Barbi, Nellie and Norma
Moi
Me with my kit of a layout I did of Izzy in the background.
I've had a good week at home. Enjoying cooking and baking and doing my Daisy work. It's winter now, and I'm enjoying the respite from the heat. I set the timer on the oil heater and when I get up in the morning, it's toasty warm in the morning. I set it so when Peter eats breakfast at 5am it's warm for him too. I always love this time of the year.
Last week Bunny made me something which I've been after for ages. He felt guilty because I always remember when he wants something done, and I reminded him thus! Two days later he came home and presented me with my menu board. It's probably not as ornate as what I would have bought, but he made it for me with his own hands, and that's what makes this so special. I love the idea of having a board where I can write on the board - no more - 'Muuummmm what's for dinner???', this especially from Billy-Joe two seconds after he's civilly asked me how my day was? Now I have a board where the week's food can be documented, and they can look forward (or not) to the meals. I love cooking for my family. I always try hard to cook different things and to make their diet interesting and never boring.
The board was hung up on the weekend, and while the family was out I wrote all our initials on it inside a big heart. The kids got a real buzz looking at it, and seeing their initials. I even had to include Izzy as they said I'd forgotten her! (So ISO isn't just a setting on a camera, or netspeak for in search of lol.......)
When I wrote the week's menu on it, I wrote All meals served with <3 on the bottom of the board, in keeping with 'All meals served with salad and chips'. Billy-Joe thought it meant 'served with hearts'. So when I was in town on Monday exchanging a handbag with a broken clasp, I went to a lolly bar and bought heart shaped lollies for my boys. I served these alongside Monday night's dinner. They naturally laughed and I was so pleased I went to the effort.
I've had a busy week at home, it didn't start well as on Sunday night I tried a health shop remedy for insomnia which did sweet FA!!! I was awake at about 3.30am after finally falling asleep after midnight. I got up with Bunny at 5am and sad with him while he ate breakfast. I went back to bed and dozed for 20 minutes until my alarm went off. Needless to say after I went into town, and did some jobs at home, I laid down. Whilst out I bought some chemist sleeping pills. I will have to go back to the doctor and see if there's any ramifications of taking these long term. I sleep so well with them. I wake up after about 3 and a half hours, take two Dozile and then I sleep again until about 5am, but I can go back to sleep. I feel much better during the day, although the drowsiness side effect of my antidepressants often catches up with me. Often I try to work through it, I'll get up, and do a job or even go out, but sometimes I give in to it, it depends on how weary I am.
I had a physio appointment this week. My shoulder is strapped. It's hurting me so badly. Even just hanging by my side the pain through it was almost unbearable. I currently have it strapped and yesterday it felt much better, although today it's giving me a bit of trouble, but I have ironed for about an hour. It's frustrating when all the normal tasks are just too much for the wretched arm!! I also had my achilles treated yesterday and the physio has advised me to walk and start at 5 mins a day, so I did that, and have no ill effects today. I'm to do 5 mins daily and then increase it a minute a day. Sounds painfully slow, but I'm willing to give it a try.
I've used the slow cooker twice this week, the cooler weather is just perfect for this type of comfort food. I've got lamb shanks for Saturday night and my mouth is already watering thinking of it. I'll do them in the slow cooker too.
On Sunday I'm off to the Papercraft Show to help Barbi and the girls. It will be a good day. On Tuesday next week I will do my Copic Marker course and come away as an accredited instructor which is pretty exciting. I'm so fortunate for this opportunity to do it. I've seen some gorgeous digi stamps which are just crying out to be coloured in. The sky is the limit. New stamps are always coming out and it's so much fun.
My shoulder is paining me, I will have to stop typing as I've procrastinated long enough and my Daisy work does not get done by itself.
I'm having a very quiet day at home today and I'm pleased about that. I've done my chores and am a little down because my shoulder is giving me a lot of trouble today. Whenever I do something a little repetitive it hurts so much. I had to put the MacBook down, take some painkillers and lie down :( Not good. I've been using the Emu Oil a bit again of late, for my shoulder and my achilles, hoping for it to work and help.
I've enjoyed not having doctor appointments in the last two weeks, well that's not completely true - yesterday I went and had my spots checked at Solarderm, and again got the all clear which is always encouraging. I'm sure my sun worshipping days of old, will come and bite me in the bum one day. I'm just thankful for my olive skin, I'm sure that's saved me.
I've got letters to go and see an exercise physiologist and I have some free visits to go back to the physio. And I've done neither. On the exercise front, with a sore shoulder and painful calves, there's naught I can do at home, and I just don't have the money or inclination to attend a gym. I know it would be good for me and if I really wanted to go, I'd go. The money is a slight issue, but I could put it on the fantastic plastic and then pay it off when my Tax comes back. I want to walk and then jog again on my treadmill. I want the pain in my calves to get better. This is now the longest I've ever had it. I've even started wearing shoes again inside, as getting around flat footed in slippers is actually making the pain far worse.
Other than my onging pain issues, I'm feeling really good. I am good within me, and while the pain is frustrating and it does hurt, I'm coping okay with it.
Thank goodness for blogo, I can write my blog, and forget about it. That was started four days ago
It's now Sunday and I will finish the post. My shoulder is still not good, although my calves feel a bit better. Wearing shoes with my orthotics inside is definitely helping. Would be good if I headed down to the treadmill this week.
I changed health funds during the week. Bunny and I have had the same cover for 19 years, two single basic ancillary covers. I well and truly get my money back each year, between physio visits and my glasses. I wanted a better extras cover though, as I want new orthotics. Mine are ten years old and they really updating. Peter needs his checked too. It wouldn't surprise me if the kids will need them too one day. Their shoes always wear unevenly which isn't a good sign. The kids don't go to after school care anymore, so I invested the extra money into health insurance that I'd be saving from the after school care. I don't need it anymore, not working away from home.
I'll finish this post with some photos.
Only Sammy can eat a cake that's dusted with icing sugar and have it look like I dusted him as well.
My gorgeous boy raising his eye brow at me.
And they never used to eat my baking!
Techno family. What have I started??
Dinner last night. I cook something good every Saturday and they don't often enough end up on my recipe blog. These lamb cutlets are encrusted with a potato rosti mixture and then served atop rosti. The sauce is a green peppercorn and horseradish cream. Deliciously divine!
The boys are at golf today. Billy-Joe and Mickey are playing in the Junior Open Competition and Sammy and Bunny are caddying. I'll go out later for the presentation.
I'm such a slack blogger! I guess once a week is better than not at all. Through the blog I've posted the cards I made on the weekend.
I'm still working on the website and it's looking good, but there are more things we're trying to do. We've got a Facebook and a Twitter account, and it would be good if I could post one thing everyday. I aim for at least twice a week though. We've launched a competition to attract more Facebook members, but this hasn't done much yet. A sale with some stock seriously reduced hasn't generated any orders yet either. The site always has someone online though, which is great. It's obviously a reference point. What I'm being paid though, makes it expensive advertising. Retail is not in a good place at the moment, so I'm concentrating on finding ways to promote the site and store. I am lucky I have friends who are happy to advise, it's a good feeling when our ideas are being affirmed. At the moment, it's all systems go for the Papercraft Show in Brisbane on the long weekend. I'm involved in some way with this too. It looks like I'll go down on the Sunday and help pack up. This will give the girls a break who are there for the Saturday and Friday. These days are so full on, but it's great exposure for Daisy's.
On the weekend we had another retreat. They seem to come around so very quickly. It was pretty special as Karen and I only get to spend one together a year. We sat together, and chatted and scrapped together for the whole weekend it was great fun. I tried to take care of her, and give her a break. She does so much for her family and rarely does anything for herself. I wanted her to feel like she didn't have to worry about anything for the short time that we were there. We had Alaine and Sheree and Kim on our table too, I don't get to see these girls often enough, so it was lovely to catch up. The retreats are so good for hooking up again with distant friends and spending more time with the ones who live here too. We always talk about a variety of subjects, and it's good to have that 'girl only' time.
It was a very relaxing time. I made cards and actually created by myself, not copying this time. It's like my head is clearer and the creativity has room to blossom again. It's Tuesday evening, and I'm happy with how I've recovered from the weekend with little sleep, although I've had a nap both today and yesterday. I'm lucky that I can do that. My sleep has been a bit disturbed still from the initial dose of medicine but thankfully isn't any worse with the increased dosage.
The happy time at the retreat was tinged with sadness on the Sunday morning. Alaine had a call that her poodle was having seizures. He was put to sleep yesterday. Such a sad day for her and her family. They have suffered so much of late, it's just not fair. Alaine is very fragile, and I fear that this is not good for her. She wrote and told me they are thinking of getting a new puppy. I know when Charlie died the idea of a new cat, was the furtherest thing from my mind, but I too quickly realized that having another pet to love and care for was going to be good for the entire family. Alaine and her family have made the same decision. I'm sure this new pooch will bring joy and love into the household again.
This blog has taken me since Sunday to write. I hate that most of my blog posts are never published as they are left in my mind.
The website has been busy, as far as traffic to the site and it's generating traffic to the store, which is great. But we've still had no online orders. The retail sector is suffering at the moment, people don't have the extra money. I'm always very happy though as I go onto the site many times each day and there are always people online.
I've been doing a lot of reading and research this week, about ways to make our website more attractive, how to entice people to come back and also advertising. I've also been toying with the idea of learning web design myself. I've bought some Joomla videos and have watched those and was both sad and happy when I watched them. Happy because I knew almost everything that the movies showed and sad because I'd paid $10 to find this out lol...... Watching the videos amazed me as to how much I'd actually taught myself. There is still so much I don't know though and it really frustrates me. I find it easier fixing my computer than actually fixing something on the site. I often ask Kimmy, the girl who set it up initially to help me out. Thank goodness as she gets me out of strife some times.
I feel the site needs a point of difference. Our retail store has a huge point of difference, in the way that the girls are very helpful and friendly, the classes are fantastic, and the store has a real homely feeling with the urn that's always hot and the free home baking that's available for morning and afternoon teas. I think the site and online store needs a point of difference too. I need to talk to Barbi about this.
Barbi has her head full at the moment though with the upcoming show. This is a huge investment in both time and money. We'll be away on the long weekend, hoping to see many people and meet lots of customers, new and existing. On the Tuesday, I'll be heading back down to Brisbane with Barbi and Norma to do a Copic Certification Course. I'm very excited about this, can't wait to learn some techniques. At the end of the month we will be celebrating my Dad's 80th birthday. It's going to be an exciting day and I'm looking forward to helping my Mum on the day. We have to sit down and plan the food that we are going to have. In July we have two more birthdays, Billy-Joe will be 14 and Mickey will be turning 9. I am also teaching another photography class, which I haven't done in ages.
Sheree and Alaine.
Lisa H
Lynne
Kim
Karen and I
The Daisy girls all dressed up for the 'Mexican Fiesta' theme
