Saturday, July 31, 2010

Thank you for the music

My sister Jo was in Melbourne today visiting her in laws - but there was important items to attend to for two children of the 70's. Yes, that's right ABBA World needed exploration!
So we met up and split into groups - boys went to the Tim Burton Exhibiton and the girls went to ABBA World!!!! We couldn't wait to get in! Oh the costumes! The Arrival helicopter! The Karaoke (I rocked) then we got on stage and our dutiful daughters applauded and screamed....IT WAS SO MUCH FUN AAAAHHHHH! Then the gift shop! My sister went absolutely bonkers and spent a small fortune, I was a bit more conservative and bought a bag and a t-shirt and Martha and her cousin Olivia scammed a teddy wearing ABBA t-shirts each.








Unfortunately Jo and I only got a few hours of Sisterly ABBA goodness before she had to return to in-law duty. It was a great morning and the cousins had a ball together. After parting my kids and I had a wander up and down some arcades that Melbourne is famous for, Angus our young artist; loved the street art in alleys. Then it happened, I found them! The shoes! The shoes I have been dreaming of!! 
But that's another post I will save for tomorrow! 

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Thursday's fare

The cold has really hit me. I have tried very hard to ignore it, it usually goes away with this strategy. But this lurgy is a stayer and it has manifested itself into a severe head cold.  This meant another day at home, which for me was good, the kids less so and I do feel a bit guilty as we were looking forward to doing some fun stuff.  On the other hand I cannot be court jester forever, their absolute source for entertainment, they must, at some point be able to find things to keep themselves amused, possibly without computers, Nintendos or PS2....So they did a bit of reading, playing in the yard, kicking the ball out front, craft and of course TV watching.

Martha made this great Wishing Jar and using Trixi's pattern for a travelling dolls house made a number of them by herself. I am sure Trixi will enjoy this post as she designs these patterns specifically for kids to make themselves. So Trixi, thank you! Martha was chuffed to make her own to add to the one I made her some time back.







Meanwhile, I have been trying to use up more of my wool stash. I made these crocheted balls. I love the texture and how they resemble coral. They have been a big hit with the kids.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

sick but still making



I am out with the flu today, my feet were cold so I made these slippers for myself this morning and now I have snuggy warm footsies!

2nd week of school holidays

I have taken a week off work to hang out with the kids over the holidays.  Determined not to be focussed on "having" to do stuff, I have let each day take its course. Monday was official Pyjama Day - when the kids were little Monday was the day that we never had kindy or child care, no where to be; so we always "slothed" around. I remember 3 year old Angus telling me he wanted to spend "two weeks in my pyjamas" ....what an idea mmmmmm.


Tuesday we caught the train into the city and just poked around. We caught some fun street theatre at Federation Square (Fed Square is rapidly becoming my fave place and I'll tell you why in a post later). We walked and wandered the parks, discovered that the Vic Gallery does not open its general doors to the public on Tuesdays (how bloody stupid in the holidays).  We wandered through bookshops as the boys have run out of reading material and fleeced me for a stack of paperbacks which are now being devoured today.  We bought art supplies, tried on hats in posh shops, ate sushi and drank rainbows of milkshakes.  Walking around one of the beautiful parks, checking out sculptures and ponds, we discovered one called the Genie. it was date 1973 and labelled for "children".  It instantly had me reflecting on that period.

I had just begun my schooling in the ACT; a city that had an abundance of funds at that time and our schools were magnificent for that era, the following year we returned to Sydney and I recall being horrified at the state of the school (even though it was seen as a "good" school) 'what! wooden floors! Where is the carpet? The art rooms? What no kiln in the infants school's art area?!!!!" I was later relieved to be back in a carpeted ACT school that had a dental surgery room, a nurse and an incredible and healthy tuckshop!

But what this statue reminded me of was how lucky our generation was, it was a time when kids were really being thought of within the arts and the government agreeing with that thought and offering plenty of funding. I remember seeing so many amazing theatre productions at school :a million puppet shows (Octopollutus was my favourite :an environmental message), excursions to operas, Los Machachos (A spanish circus of male orphan acrobats trained by spanish monks and the abhorred capitve animals except their beloved horses), interactive theatre, and so on....what a lucky generation!

On the train

Here are some pics from our day exploring our city of Melbourne


Monday, July 5, 2010

CRAFTY DAD

You might remember a few weeks ago I mentioned I had to make a banner for our eldest son to commemorate his 50th game of footy.  Garrett is a total footy Dad and is great, he actually made the banner himself and he did such a great job! Sadly Garrett couldn't be there to see Angus run through the banner and this task was left to me...and I feel like I failed big time as I did not manage to get a photo of him running through the banner.

Actually, the parents standing around were quite unhelpful and were actually forced to hold the banner, one complained about it as he did it and they completely ignored me in spite of know exactly who I was.
I was ignored for virtually all the match by groups of footy parents UNTIL someone worked out my husband was their child'd Cub Scout Leader and only then was I spoken to!  It amazes how exclusive some community groups are, especially in cases like this and I wonder what our kids learn from these kinds of exhibitions....anyhoo Garrett rocks as a footy dad, Cub Leader, dad in general, crafty Dad and my man! 






Catching up with you dear friends

I haven't been posting for a little while. I have been blogging, just not on my own and I can't explain it - I just haven't had the inclination to sit down and spend the time required to make a decent post.  I have been around other blogs and I don't think I am alone as this seems to be a common cry from other bloggers. Anyhoo, I am posting now but I am afraid it isn't very exciting...

I have been knitting and crocheting and most importantly finishing off UFP's (un-finished projects) I know some folk call them UFO's but I don't get that - I keep that for green men in flying saucers (I like to be provincial with my science fiction).

Here is a hat for a little friend in SA, a flower bud hat - a free Spotlight pattern that was so easy. I used my own flower pattern though to top it.


And a scarf for her Mummy. I used some lovely pink mohair from my stash, I made the scarf a while back and couldn't be bothered finishing it. Today I added the frill and rose in lipstick pink. Voila!


Eldest boy made these wonderful biscuits yesterday ALL by himself! I wasn't too far from the kitchen but it is a wonderful milestone for him to reach being able to bake something by himself and for them to turn out so beautifully. Well done Ango!


We also have some new family members move in, meet toothless and rocket : our resident axolotyls
I realise some of you are cringing saying "yuck! so creepy! Fish with legs!" - I have to admit ROcket (yellow) is kind of creepy but Toothless (black) has a really smiley face and loads of character...I guess like people some are creepy and some are endearing visually! These are Tully's new pets.




Oh and I have some new vintage Pyrex to add to the collection too!