Another Exciting Episode

I've got the blues and I'm wondering if it's because I haven't found any roadside treasure in such a long, long time.

But that's not why. No friends, it's not.

I have the blues because life can be so damn complicated sometimes. Just when you think you're back on top of that beautiful palamino, and ready to take a jump, the palamino sniffs an apple, and off it runs, tossing you into a big muddle (which is Tiny's version of puddle).

I'm dreaming of a holiday. It's a fantasy holiday. I'm somewhere hanging out with my smalls, and Matt. Meandering through warm days together, burying our feet in the sand. Making big lazy breakfasts together. Playing games and puzzles. Simple things.

What are you dreaming about?

Meltdown? Help!

Do you ever feel like you're heading straight for a meltdown? Right now I do.

- New job
- My computer died (so I am stealing time on my husband's - high five Matt) (Spare a thought for Pip, she has no space bar)
- Madly house hunting (rent is RIDICULOUS!)
- Navigating in-laws
- Trying to keep the house clean for inspections
- Regular parenting
- Regular wife-ing
- Being overtired due to an over-exuberant night owl

What do you do when it all feels overwhelming? I've been hanging the clothes out. With intermittent tears being blinked back.

I do have one thing going for me. I am not green. And I don't often wear a pointy hat.

The Croupinator

via

Last night we spent over three hours in emergency at the hospital. Fear not, we're all good in the 'hood. The Doctor seems prone to croup and woke up coughing and coughing and coughing and couldn't stop.

Of course once we got to the hospital the Doctor perked up. Because there are bright lights, cold stethoscopes, 'swineys' (people wearing masks) and trolleys being wheeled this way and that way.

I'm tired and have a headache due to lack of sleep. Times like these we're lucky to live with my in-laws because Tiny got to stay home while we went out. Otherwise we might have had a tiny little zombie baby pouncing around the hospital.

The Croupinator (aka the Doctor) got a big fat syringe full of steroids and we were on our way.

Be Very Careful What You Wish For

The other day, when it was super chilly, I twittered about my lust for not only an ugg boot, but an ugg suit. Now friends, take this as a warning. Be very careful what you wish for.

I didn't verbalise this to anyone in my family. I did google it, but apparently no one makes ugg suits. But imagine how warm you'd be - however unsightly you may be. You might even look like a troll that skinned a sheep. How apt!

Anyhoo, my FIL brought me in something - very excitedly last week. A sheepskin jacket. My wordy, it weighs a ton. It's pretty darn cool, though I can't imagine I would wear it without 'baaing' at passers-by. But here it is. In all its glory. I think I might sell it on eBay (fear not, I have in-law permission). Or maybe I can start looking for the matching pants.

Knitting: On A Roll

I have news to report people. In the time that I've been away I've watched the entire second season of 'Love My Way'. Man oh man, do I love that show or what?

And - my MIL taught me how to cast on. Did I tell you that I always required either my mum or my sister to do this for me? Well now folks, I am doing it! It probably doesn't look like much, but I've been knitting up a storm. In the photo is what I've managed so far. Slow far, slow good. The Doctor has selected that pale blue for a scarf for him. I'll aim to get it done before the end of Winter.

I now also have developed a mean yarn fetish, while Debbie Bliss is definitely a firm favourite, who could deny that ridiculously addictive soft touch (?!), when I graduate to something a little tricky, I have my sights set on the impossibly cloud-like softness of Alpaca. Sheesh, is that soft or what?!

In other news I've dumped Ashton and Demi on Twitter. We weren't seeing eye to eye. I just never knew what they were banging on about. You know when you hang out with people and they seem to have a plethora of in-jokes? Well it felt like that. Ashton and Demi, it's not me, it's you.

Swing Low: Thank Goodness There's Always Sewing

It's frightening how quickly Christmas is coming. I've got sewing to do peeps, and I haven't even started. I've got presents to buy. I've got reindeer poo to make. I've got lists to source. I've got things to do. Places to be. A beard to grow (ok, perhaps I won't go that far). I've got a hot date with a gingerbread house coming up soon. I've got the house to decorate. I've got to ho-ho-ho and hurry up.

I'm pleased the weekend is over. Another one I wished away. You might think I'm crazy. But you may have also forgotten that I live with my in-laws. Yep. Three years + 10 months. Not that I'm counting (or hitting my head against the wall). Not much anyway.

So today, perhaps I'm meant to be doing something else. But for me, I need some therapy, and today - thankfully, it comes cheap. Today it comes in the form of cutting out more pyjama pants (soon the Doctor is going to have more size 4 pyjama pants than there are days in a year), and getting ready to embroider something special for someone special for a special day this year. Read: Christmas Day.

Tiny is on the verge of an ear infection. I've got the antibiotics if it flares up. The Doctor has a cold. And me, I get the mandatory sore throat that seems to creep up when everyone else is sick and I'm running around looking after them. Bah humbug!

Hoorah for my sewing class tonight.

Puff Mama

Another big pile of suffolk puff yo-yos.

Originally uploaded by knittingand

Noah's favourite song at the moment is Puff the Magic Dragon. It's a pity I don't really know all the words, so I've just been ad-libbing. Did you know that when you mishear lyrics it's called a Mondegreen?

American writer Sylvia Wright coined the expression after she misinterpreted the line from the 17th century ballad 'The Bonny Earl O' Murray'. She heard:

Ye Highlands and ye Lowlands,
Oh, where hae ye been?
They hae slain the Earl Amurray, [sic]
And Lady Mondegreen.

The actual fourth line is 'And laid him on the green'.

There are loads more hilarious examples here and here. That's if you have some spare time and want a silly laugh.

Back from my tangents - the reason I was thinking about 'puffs' - before our baby girl was born I started learning how to make Suffolk Puffs (also known as Yo-Yos) from Heather Bailey's tutorials. I've only done fifteen. A bit crummy I know, but it's a start! So now I am resuming my mission. I need to make over 200 to complete my project. It's rainy and grey, so no good for photos, but when it's sunnier, I'll take a snap, and hopefully I will have more than fifteen little puffs for show and tell!

Wouldn't it be beautiful to have a whole bedspread made of them?!

Back to the ranch, I think it's funny how things start to go right. For a long time we've wanted to move out. I've mentioned before that we live with my in-laws. This past week things have started to go really awry, and it's definitely feeling like it's time to go. There have been tears and arguments, both of which I could do without. It's definitely been a trying three years.

We've been looking for months for places to look at. Yesterday we found a place online that we liked and I rang the real estate agent this morning but they'd already taken applications. Poop!

It had also been a stress that I had to start finding work, and nothing seemed to be coming up. It started feeling as if even though we were ready to move, the universe was working against us.

In short, everything was going backwards.

But it's funny how life can turn around in just a few short hours...

Late this morning some work came in for me. Yipeeee. In fact, not one job, but two.

And at 5pm this afternoon the real estate agent called me to ask if we were still interested because no one had bothered calling her back so she was going to have another inspection.

Yes please!

So fingers crossed tomorrow continues to be a good thing... Here's hoping.

- And I am having an issue with my flickr upload.. I can't get it aligned. Please forgive my formatting issues!

Thrifting Is Not a Past Time, It's a Blood Sport

I mentioned over the weekend that I had been thrifting.. Here's the proof of my spoils.

A gorgeous tea cup and the three hand-painted dishes.. The necklace was a separate score from E-Bay a few years ago.

The store I visited was super busy on Saturday morning.. I was glad I got there when I did, shortly after I had arrived a couple came in and worked their way over everything - luckily I'd already nabbed what I wanted and was ready to pay and go. Just proves you have to be there early, otherwise you miss out!

Sadly the weekend, as always went too quickly.. Though there were a few crazy-funny highlights, such as my father-in-law's clothesline banter about his underwear (yes, it's true) - I mean, what do you say to that?? The fact that Matt and I had to camp out in Noah's bedroom because the house behind us was throwing a huge 21st birthday party complete with mega-watt amped music (thanks for that guys). Noah naming his goldfish - the black one is Dang (!), the gold one is Mummy Fish, and the silver one is Nemo - and his palpable excitement at cleaning out the tank in preparation.

Yesterday we went to playgroup in the morning, much to Noah's delight. I had to wake poor Scout up to go, and she was a little displeased after her sleeps were interrupted, but we had a good time. It was craft week, so Noah got to make a cat and a lion from some shapes. They're now stuck proudly on the wall on his art corner above his newly acquired fish tank. Noah loves showing people his artworks.

Today I've been priming a canvas for him to work on over the week. It's meant to be for Scout's wall, so we'll see how we go. I've opted for a soft lilac and rose pink. I'll keep you updated on the progress but for now it's a small canvas with lilac - nothing too exciting - yet!

As for the little gal in my life, she's been having great sun kicks when she's up, and loves this great book I discovered pre-Christmas at Bray's Kids in Balmain. As is recommended for small babies, the book is made up of gorgeous photographs of black, white and red objects. Its graphic content keeps Scout amused for long periods of time (well as long as a 10 week old is interested, say 10 minutes?!), plus it's good for brain development too.

Designed by NZ photographer Kimberley Kent, there are a couple of other different types you can get. I think it's such a great idea, and is in such a format that you can tuck it in beside them during change time, or down the side of the bassinet for baby's viewing pleasure!

I was also madly looking for a mobile to hang above the change table. When Noah was a babe we had one, but sadly somehow it got a little broken in his cupboard. I found a graphic black and white baby mobile that's designed to entertain and stimulate the new baby. Scout also loves these shapes too - tracking them from one side to the other - they're very interesting to her!

I am still waiting for my husband to put it together for me, so for now it's in pieces near her change table.. But I did just find this so you can put your own together very easily. Dang - now why didn't I find this earlier?

But for now I am enjoying just being at home alone. Both my parents-in-law are away for 10 days (yeehaaaa!) and the freedom that comes with that is sweet.

Since we moved in with my parents-in-law (three years ago - today!) I've felt a little under the thumb. Or more likely under surveillance. As soon as we walk out our front door (we have a separate section) they come out theirs to find out where we're going. As soon as we come into the garage, they come out to see where we've been. Matt tells me it's good material for my writing.

Having had so much independence since I was 18, to give it away is hard to live with. While we're very fortunate to live here, it comes at a high cost ie my sanity. But onwards and upwards, we are looking for a place to move to, and thankfully we don't have to hurry.. So the search continues.