10 random facts about ME #LeapBlog

in honour of February 29

(which has already come and gone!)

My childhood nickname was - i didn't have one, but my sister did.  she was called 'noddy' (from the children's book) because she would literally fall asleep ANYWHERE.  i felt left out because i didn't have a nickname so dad gave me one, but it never 'took'.  i guess you just can't force these things!  looking back, i don't mind that i didn't have one.

If you want to spoil me rotten, buy me a cabin on a cruise liner with a deck and porthole (and a private butler wouldn't go amiss either!).  less expensive options for spoiling me include: breakfast in bed, flowers or any other kind of unexpected treat.

The television character i most identify with is - GRACE from Wil and Grace.  just the dorky and funny and creative bit tho.  i have bigger boobs than her and i'm definitely not as lazy!

If i had a whole day to go shopping and money to spend, i would go to TIFFANY's.   just because i could.

The most wild and crazy thing i have ever done (that i can admit to publicly) is jumping on a plane and flying half way around the world to meet total 'strangers'.  3 times.  blog friends aren't really strangers tho.  they're just friends you haven't yet met in person.

The one thing on my bucket list that i am most eager to do is going on a cruise - see above.  i'd be happy with a small one around the pacific islands, but then i'd like to 'graduate' to one around the greek islands.

My family will always be loyal to each other.  family is everything.

If i could spend a day with a celebrity i would choose OPRAH.  she's awesome.  enough said.

In my opinion, the best invention in the history of the world is - well, PRACTICALLY speaking, REFRIGERATION was pretty damned handy, but for me - it'd have to be the made-at-home-but-tastes-just-like-a-bought-one COFFEE MACHINE!

When life hands me lemons, i look for a kid with a paper cut - KIDDING!!!!!  it'd have to lemonade.  being positive is so much more fun than being negative.

wordful wednesday and what i know for sure

a visit to our office by the women [whose job i am filling], to show off her gorgeous new baby got me thinking

now that i've been a parent for almost 22 years

i can look back and know that at the time, i spent a lot of time worrying about a few things that, with the passing of the years, weren't THAT worrisome
(of course at the time, they were EVERYTHING!)

like the MAGIC LINE in the baby book.  the line that indicated NORMAL height, weight and whatever else we need to plot to make sure our babies were 'normal' or 'average'

we plotted every 'weigh-in' and poured over every little gram and millimeter as if our lives depended on it

we worried about how much sleep they were getting
when they'd start eating solids
when they'd be nappy trained
how they'd go at daycare, kindergarten and school

if they'd eat their lunch
if they'd eat their dinner
if they'd eat!!!

whether they'd get a good report
be able to cope with homework

who they'd be friends with
who they'd be dating
how late they'd be staying out
whose else was at the party they were going to
how they'd get home
WHEN they'd get home

if they'd pass their drivers' licence
their MOTORBIKE licence
would they be able to handle their bigger and more powerful bike

we worry about sleepovers with the neighbours
with their friends who live on the other side of town
when they fly overnight to another city for a concert

and you get texts like this one i got this morning at work:

"sooooo keen to have a shower.  you can't comprehend just how soaked i was in other people's sweat'.

 



yep - what i know for sure, is that there will ALWAYS be something to worry about.

ten on tuesday

#1 - i'm so very grateful for our 19 year old daughter who came to collect mr scrappy and i on saturday night after an afternoon of food and wine.  i do love a full circle moment

#2 - i am SO SICK of waiting on/calling tradespeople.

right now i'm waiting to get my camera lens back, my daughter's laptop back, and for my dishwasher to be fixed

#3 - i'm not in the slightest a BATTLESTAR GALACTICA fan, but because i have had to listen to seasons ONE through i-don't-care, i know the whole frakkin' plot line

#4 - i'm very excited about seeing robin williams live this friday night

#5 - miss 12 got her braces fitted today.  she was busting to return to school to show them off, but she didn't last long before they started to hurt.  i've just got back from collecting her (and i was in the middle of a dr phil!!!)

#6 - i love zumba

#7 - i don't so much like spring winds

#8 - i'm very excited about the mini album class i'm doing next monday

#9 - also very excited about the barn dance we're going to next month

#10 - the same daughter who collected her 'very-happily-merrily' parents on saturday night, has just returned from my favourite cafe with 4 slices of freshly made espresso slice.  the owner texts me when she makes it fresh - now that's service!

HAPPY TUESDAY PEOPLE!!!

bad blogger: again

what can i say?

i blame facebook.  again.

i've just realised i'm only updating on wednesdays and fridays, so thought i'd thrown in a monday update just to keep you (my 19 readers) on your toes.

i'm in my third week of unemployment (not that i'm counting) and am enjoying ZUMBA classes.

for women 'of a certain age', they are the most freeing thing

that's the only way i can describe them

i've sent packages of bloggy love to some long-time blog friends

do let me know when they arrive!

i've loaded anything that isn't nailed down onto trade me (ebay) and i'm doing a lot of laundry (ok, that's not new)

i've applied for SEVERAL jobs, but most of them are through recruitment agencies and well, i've not found that avenue, PARTICULARLY helpful.  at all.

i'm off to my first hen's night in ...  years (she has 3 kids now, so it's been a while!)

and a 25th birthday on saturday

after mum and dad's 50th last saturday and an engagement party in the weekend, i feel i have all the bases of milestone celebrations covered for now.

i've posted this video before, but it makes me smile every time i watch it, so i'm going to share it again

we were on our way home from a fathers' day breakfast (2 years ago).

take 2 minutes out of your day to enjoy my 4 girls singing sara bareilles' "love song".

the quality is a little fuzzy due to compression, but enjoyable nonetheless

happy monday!

awol (on facebook among other places)

i remember being supremely surprised when my blog friends went AWOL then showed up on facebook, and now i'm doing the same thing.

what can i say - it's facebook

even though it has the crappiest user interface EVA, it's instant and everyone's always at home when you wanna say hi!

changes are in the works in the scrappy household

nothing i can share for a few days, but it's all good

i celebrate my first year back in the paid workforce tomorrow - and what a year it's been!

whoever said change is good is mostly right, but several times during the past year i wanted to slap the author of that comment!

i've got a 4-day weekend coming up and i plan to pamper myself, load some more trades, get some exercise, and answer some of the 571 emails in my inbox.

the sistas wore me out!!!

check back here on wed for cute kitty pics...

ugh

these past 2 weeks have been nothing short of an out-of-body experience for me

a couple of days after christmas tara told me that her family was moving back to australia to be close to family

this is great news for them, and sad for us

let's face it - it sucks to be left behind, because no matter where or what, or who you're going to, it's easier to look forward than behind

michelle too, is moving to australia

this is also good for her and sad for us

so basically, i've spent the last few days cramming in as much 'tara time' ( and our girls have too) as possible

i had 2 days away in the hawkes bay this weekend with my SIL (pics next month - awesome) and that short break was great to 'get out of my head', but it was back to my sucky reality today (with weather to match)

tara and i had a sleepover at her place last night with the girls, and she had a garage sale this morning

today was spent garage saling, saying goodbye to michelle, packing up for our own 2 week camping holiday, then saying goodbye to tara

picture me, tara, misses 11 (x 2), miss 12 and miss 13 all standing in our garage - surrounded by half packed camping gear - hanging onto each other for dear life, all bawling our eyes out

(and it's pouring with rain outside)

to top it off - i got an email from heather saying ' it's your SITS day on monday!'

how can you invite everyone to a party at your house and not be home?

what sort of hostess would i be lol
so the darling heather has deferred me for a few weeks

watch this space - my day is almost here!

thanks for listening and reading
it really helps to know you're all out there

PS: silver lining: customs prevents alcohol being shipped INTO australia, so between tara and michelle - we have been gifted enough 'plonk' to share with the whole campground!

photostory friday - hello and goodbye

goodbye 2009

hello twenty ten

hello molly

hello sid

goodbye tara

good-bye michelle

(back/off to oz)

goodbye 28 (yes, TWENTY EIGHT!) year old STILL WORKING cassette clock radio bought in singapore on my first ever overseas trip

hello new hi-tech i-pod dock speaker thingee with the most annoying alarm EVER that doesn't even have a RADIO!!!

hello shiny new coffee machine

goodbye rusty, yet trusty old coffee machine

(don't panic, we taking you camping!)

good-bye scotch chest

hello dresser

hello mac

(yet another bleeping apple product has somehow wormed its way into the house!)

goodbye crap wellington weather

hello camping

not the uneventful new year i had planned, but change is good, right?

Hosted by Cecily and Carrie

photostory friday - some random thoughts from a tired working mum 7 days before christmas

...i only have 2 and a half days to work before christmas. that's a mere 13 hours, but it's 13 too many as far as i'm concerned!

being at work while the girls are out of school is hard.

...i gave today. i gave a bunch of christmas gifts to the women's refuge and i gave myself some treats: a massage, then a trip to the movies to see 'julie and julia". even though i'm not a fan of meryl streep, i love, love, LOVED this movie. i'd see it again tomorrow.

...i also received....from shirliana! some tootsie rolls for miss 18, a beer bread mix and a minnesota passport full of fun facts. thanks shirliana! much appreciated :)

...i'm very excited about my 2010 365 project. i already have the photo album and inserts ready to go!

...i wish the wind would stop blowing. even just a little.

...a letter to all the stupid people:

dear stupid people... why must you insist on walking behind me while i'm REVERSING? do you not see me? my car? my reversing lights? ...do you have a death wish? are you blind? do you think i have eyes in the back of my head? ...and why do you feel it appropriate to give ME the stink eye? was it not YOU that walked into the path of a reversing car?

love, sue

...christmas dinner is here this year and i've done nothing about it. mr scrappy is taking off for 2 days on a motorbike thing and gets back late on the 23rd. i can hardly complain about not getting away (hello, 2 and a half weeks in new york!) - but honestly, i resent how easy it is for guys to just take off like that - and return on christmas eve eve!

i feel like it's all being left to me and my inner 4 year old just wants to stamp her feet and pout and drool and not do anything to make it happen!

...we went to carols by candlelight was on wednesday and it was lovely. just lovely.

tara's miss 11, "J" and miss 11

tara's mr 7 and mr tara
tara came up with this very cool idea to use chippie cups to hold the candles
...this girl finished intermediate (middle school, well - our version of it) yesterday. she had her leavers' dinner, a sleepover and a big next day and slept FIFTEEN hours last night.
fifteen. being 13's tough.

...these girls will be at college next year (high school). i love that they took this picture. if i'd been there, i so would have suggested the same thing.

next PSF - Boxing Day!

Hosted by Cecily and Honey Mommy

a few random thoughts to add weight to my 400th post

outside my window.................it's almost dark, low cloud creeping down over the hills

i am thinking..............some things just aren't meant to be

i am thankful for.............an adaptable 18 year old

from the kitchen...........leftover lentil soup sitting in the slow cooker waiting for mr scrappy to get home from squash

i am wearing..............work/office clothes. still! MUST get into my pjs!

i am creating............finishing off the journalling on several scrapbooking layouts i made over the weekend

i am going to...........have some 'girl time' tomorrow with misses 20, 18 and miss 18's bestie

i am reading..........'people of the book' by geraldine brooks. recommdended by blog friend cat

i am hoping.............that miss 18 bounces back ok from her non-acceptance of the degree she wanted to take at university (college)

i am hearing..............the dishwasher!

around the house...........all is quiet (except for the dishwasher), even though 'space jam' is being watched rather loudly in another part of the house

one of my favourite things.....when my kids teach me

a few plans for the rest of the week/weekend.........girlie day tomorrow followed the girls' music academy concert tomorrow night, visiting a friend who's recovering from surgery wednesday, work, work, then a mini break with mr scrappy on friday night!

a picture to share..........and it's a giveaway!

my lovely real life, scrapmate and blog friend mandy makes these gorgeous necklaces and she gave me one to give away!

simply tell me something. something random. something fabulous.

whatever takes my fancy, that's who wins.

OPEN INTERNATIONALLY - for one week.

happy 400th post to me and happy monday to you :)

ten on tuesday aka i'm bored

1) i should be cooking dinner right now (a new meatloaf recipe), but i can't be bothered

2) i really enjoyed co-hosting photostory friday (on friday), but feel bad i didn't get around and say hi to everyone

3) i have that pre-christmas BLAH - anyone else have it?

4) i've forgotten half the things i was going to write on here because i got distracted post-dating several blog posts

5) my 18 year old had her last exam today. it was physics and it was "shit" (quote unquote). i'm now ever hopeful that she'll use her spare time to help around the house while i'm at work.

6) i only put #5 in for your benefit and to give you a laugh on a monday, coz i know it ain't gonna happen!!!

7) is it bad to want my 2 weeks off at christmas without having to go through the whole 'christmas thing'?

8) my 18 year old STILL hasn't heard whether she's been accepted into the degree she wants to take and it's really starting to tick me off - imagine how SHE'S feeling!

9) this is my first christmas/holiday season as a 'working mum' and i think i might be feeling a little overwhelmed

10) i'm going away scrapbooking with girlsfriends this weekend - wahoo! (and i'm getting a new hair cut and colour first!)

thanks for listening - here's a funny to finish

six word saturday (on sunday), the weekend report and an apology

let's start with the apology. i'm not visiting as many blogs as it'd like. i participate in wordful wednesday and photostory friday, and between the two of them, there are over 100 bloggers linking up! that's a whole lotta blog hopping, and basically there aren't enough hours in the day for all the hoppin' i wanna do!

PLANNING CHRISTMAS PARTY

THIS WEEKEND ROCKS

so there's my 6 words. it's sunday afternoon and i'm lovin' this weekend, even though i had to work friday - i consider fridays (my day off) the start of my weekend!

yesterday mr scrappy and i dragged misses 11 and 13 into the waterfront to the french food festival.

three words

FRESH CARAMEL CREPES

[that's all i'm sayin']

the sun was out, and even though it was a little windy, it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.

we even saw a dude that looked like he'd got lost on his way to the people of walmart websitelast night we chilled out at home by watching wellington lose a rugby final (boo hoo) and nz (the all blacks) win (yahoo) - against wales. poor wales, they haven't beaten us since 1953. that's like, a REALLY long time.

this morning tara and i walked all the way into town (10km maybe?) to the waterfront (again) to the sunday morning city food market. we have a friend who was 'plying her wares' - hazelnuts and hazelnut products. we've since devoured some of her home-made pesto. yum.

the market was full of free tasters; gourmet sausages, snail croquets (you know you want one), caramel cupcakes, cheeses, chocolates - you name it.

misses 11 and 13 would NOT be dragged back into town, so i made doubly sure to rub their noses in the fact that they missed out on a tonne of free food and gave them the least tasty cupcakes (which let's face it, ISN'T really a hardship). one had a lemon cupcake and the other had a vanilla bean.

their life is SO TOUGH.

i don't remember having to drag miss 18 and miss 20 around at the same age. they still wanted to DO STUFF with us. lately i feel like i have to beg. i keep telling them, you should be thankful we want to spend time with you!!!

anyone else have this problem?

"i'm sorry i can't come to the market with you mum, i'm slammed right now..."

mr scrappy and i have also decided [on the spur of the moment] to throw a 'come as you are' christmas party on dec 12th, so if you're around on that night, throw on something green and red and glittery and come have a drink with us (you know where we live, right?)

...and here's some weekend pics to finish with...

cultural display at the french food fair
miss 11 has been working very hard on some guide badges, and this weekend so far she's gardened, cleaned windows, re-programmed things, changed batteries...
and sewed this...
pretty cool huh?
a cushion - and she did it all by herself
and miss 13 and miss 20
aren't they gorgeous?

yakety knack, the big shwop and blind bunnies

last week my blog friend, scrapmate, real life friend and hopefully soon, my neighbour mandy took me along to yakety knack. yakety knack was created by jacq and anna who gather crafty minded women (like myself and mandy) together once a month in a room at the back of a central city pub; ply us with a free hot drink of our choice and a KIT of crafty goodness all ready to make!

the kit comes with everything you need to make that evening's project, including instructions! it's genius!

here's what we made:

the white bag was already sewn, we just cut out the circles and did all the stitching. i luuuuuuurve hand stitching. it's sew theraputic. SEW theraputic - get it??? haha - i kill me!

here's mandy, diana and myself at our table

and here's me trying to cut out perfectly round circles for my bag
some days, near enough is good enough!

then today it was onto the BIG SHWOP
you can read all about it here and on their blog here

their blog actually has some very interesting videos, like what goes into the making of a pair of knickers, and one video of a woman who wore the same dress for something like 206 days (and how she changed her outfit. 206 photos all run together, very cool actually).

basically, you take high quality used clothing (bags and shoes too) and for every item they accept they give you a 'voucher' - they used puzzle pieces which i thought was fun!

i have to say there was a little of 'label bashing' happening, in that they refused some very good quality stuff based on label alone, but the concept itself is fantastic.

they have sponsors now, so we got wine beforehand and nibbles too
i had 11 puzzle pieces to start, but i gave 2 away to a woman who had all her items rejected!

it's all being prepared behind THE BIG RED CURTAIN!

i was starting to freak out a bit! you could see women scoping each other out in a
" i could take her in a shake down for a pair of size 7 jimmy choos" kinda way

i was worried that i'd have to deal with some badly behaved women, but it never came to that. even though there was a mad dash at the start, it was all quite civilised...

and they're off!!!

every item you 'buy' costs you one 'voucher' (puzzle piece) so no money changes hands
this apparently makes us 'ECO SHOPPERS'

there was also goodie bags which was very cool
(peoples' fair trade coffee and trilogy hand cream)

here's my with my stash (i came prepared with a big bag!)

and here's mandy with her lone skirt
at least she got something!
and here's some of my stash back at home

yes, i like red shoes - so what of it???
this is my favourite 'find'. i'm going to wear it tomorrow over my new bootleg flare jeans to MAMMA MIA - after yum char lunch with my scrapmates
see that welcome home sign? it's been there a YEAR - since i got home from new york. it's not there to remind me that my family missed me and that they were glad to see me home...

...nope - i just can't be arsed taking it down...

a closer look at the red dress
cute green top
i might just have to take this baby out dancing one night soon

and now for the sob story of the day...

the fat bunny on the left (oscar) has run away not once, but TWICE

he came back on monday after THREE weeks away looking thinner but fine, but today miss 11 noticed one of his eyes was totally milky white and weeping (note i have not photographed this)

i went straight to yahoo answers and read that it was probably an infection (that can come on slow) due to stress (or a poke in the eye) and that he should GET THEE to the VET

which we did

it's a BAD infection and now mr scrappy has to inject oscar every day for a week and put cream in his eye THREE times a DAY!

poor oscar is now BLIND in that eye, and it may swell even further and actually EXPLODE, at which point it will have to be removed.

i know! totally gross and he had to have pain relief too!

not mr scrappy - the bunny!!!

he seems calmer now. the bunny AND mr scrappy!

fingers crossed for a full recovery please my bloggy friends!

we're off to the rugby tonight - wellington are in the semis of the NPC

wish us luck and have a happy halloween everyone!