Escapees............................

Yesterday morning while going quietly about my routine I heard a noise! familiar but not one I really wanted to hear from just behind my closed curtains! Oh no there were escapees - again!!

Thelma, Louise, Peep, Henny, Ping and Pong have a lovely residence at the back of our block but for some reason always think the grass is greener on the other side!! and spend all their time (instead of laying eggs) planning breakouts assisted by Jess !

I think the girls need a warning ! stay in your yard, and start laying or risk being replaced!!!

A weather report and a new purchase!

Only a few days left of autumn and we had our first proper frost yesterday morning! It was followed by the most beautiful crisp sunny day. By the feel of the air this morning I think we have a repeat today. Sorry but I was not venturing outside the door to check!! Our seasons seem a little out of kilter and the change of color I associate with autumn has been very gradual this year. Our little weeping tree in our front yard seems to have changed all of a sudden, with a huge hurry !

A new purchase of fabric arrived yesterday that I had ordered online - it is just so easy ! love it ! The 'horsey one' is making boxer shorts at school in art in the next few weeks and needed some fabric. She found the one she just HAD to have in the local fabric shop. Didn't matter that it was a quilting fabric and $26m........................well we went home without it, thats a lot of money for a pair of boxers she may or may not use! The other night I was browsing online and lo and behold they had the same fabric for $8 a yard and yes I know I still had to add postage and the exchange rate but I justified it by adding a yard of fabric just for me! One very happy girl when the parcel arrived yesterday - just what she wanted!!

How lucky am I ????

A little while ago I won a giveaway on Ruth's blog. While I was very excited , being so new to this blogging world I wasn't quite sure what to expect! The postie delivered yesterday and I am blown away! Ruth was just so so so generous! The first wonderful gift were these beautiful postage stamps..... (no I don't collect myself but I know someone who does , I still love seeing them rather than just a post office stamp!! ).

The next part of the parcel was the most gorgeous little bag that Ruth has made. I feel so privledged to have some of her handiwork. I will use it - a lot! She also included some fruit sweets and a gorgeous postcard.

The next part of the parcel ( I told you she was generous!) was 5 gorgeous pieces of fabric. The mind hasn't stopped ticking since I saw them - what am I going to do with them??? Don't think I'll rush a decision as I think this is the fun part .......I keep changing my mind as to which is my favorite.

Thank you so much Ruth.

Milo Energy Biscuits

I've been asked for a few recipes so thought I'd start by posting the one for 'Milo Biscuits' this morning. Not sure if I've mentioned before but I get up at 5am every morning. It's the best time of day and I actually manage to get a lot done before the house awakes!! (have tried getting up later but still crash at the same time in the evening so came to the conclusion I am a morning person). Anyway most mornings there will be baking happening in our house for the school lunchboxes and these biscuits are a favorite. Very easy, the kids love them and even better they sometimes last more than one day.......................

MILO ENERGY BISCUITS

Ingrediants :

125g butter (needs to be quite soft)

1/2 cup sugar ( I use white sugar)

1/2 cup brown sugar ( you can use raw sugar)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cups self raising flour

1/2 cup Milo (powder)

Method:

Beat butter, sugars and vanilla until light and creamy.

Beat in egg.

Fold in sifted flour and Milo ( mixture will be quite stiff depending on how soft the butter was)

Roll mixture into balls and place on greased tray. Flatten with fork.

Bake in 180'C oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 40 or more depending on how big you make them.

ENJOY!

New project!

Well as the title suggests I have a new project on the go!! I don't need a new project , I have plenty others on the go, in fact I really did not need anything new!!! I had 'monkey mind' over a photo appearing on another blog of socks being knitted with this fancy wool that has an inbuilt pattern which magically appears as you knit! If I'd had to order the wool online I may of been sensible and just listed it on the 'to do one day' list but no! our local store had the wool in stock and was more than happy to sell me a pattern and needles as well. I should of perhaps taken as a warning the fact that I couldn't even understand the first instruction and stopped there but no - 2 phone calls later to relatives who knit and I was on my way.....................I will keep you posted as to the progress!!

I bought the new issue of 'Australian Quilters Companion' magazine this weekend. The last few issues have come with free DVD's and this one was no different. This one is an instructional - learn foundation piecing. Haven't had the time to put it on yet but am looking forward to watching it.

My darling children have exams this coming week! The stress level in our house is rather high! at the moment. I will be so pleased when next Friday afternoon comes around. I didn't manage exams at all well when I was at school, I left everything until the last minute and then made myself physically ill worrying. My HS has inherited my poor time management skills and hate of exams! The 'horsey one' doesn't enjoy them but has obviously inherited different genes and is as we speak studying hard! I think the fact that I refill 'study jars' twice a year with chocolate and lollies sweetens the deal. It will be a long week!

A Bargain!

Well I'm feeling a little better and was back at work yesterday! Still not 100% though! Had to go to the supermarket on the way home from work and it was not a chore I was looking forward to. However I found a 'bargain'!! A whole display of boxes of Lindt chocolates for only $1.00 each!! Oh my goodness, it was like christmas......I LOVE chocolate and Lindt would have to be a favorite. They are not out of date until the end of June. I grabbed 3 boxes then went back and got a few more and then a few more and think I came home with 12 in the end and today I'm regretting not getting more. I gave 2 boxes to my supervisors at work today to say thanks for their support and friendship and 1 to the family where 'the horsey one' keeps her horse. I've planned to thank a few teachers who have been particularly good to HS while he has been on crutches and also spoil my Mum on her birthday with some chocolates!! It is so nice to be able to share a bargain like this around!! I will confess now that I have earmarked just a box or 2 for my own consumption!!!! (Did I remember to say they are large boxes!?)















Mum received her invite to her 70th birthday lunch in the mail yesterday and was thrilled with it. Thank goodness! (not sure what I was going to do if she didn't like it!!). I made them on the weekend and was really pleased with the finished product. A bit hard to see in this photo but the patterned paper is blues and gold and mounted on a matte gold card. I have then printed on transparent paper and fixed it with a blue heart pin.













At work on a Wednesday each department takes it in turn to provide morning tea. The gold coin donations are then donated to various charities. Of course it was our turn today! I like to make an effort but must admit it was almost chocolate biscuits bought on the way to work today!! Instead I tried a new recipe (also not a good idea when on a tight timeframe - although it paid off today!) and made a 'Ginger Pear Cake'. It was a huge success and I have already promised the recipe tomorrow. Great cake for a gathering as it is quite big and even better nice and easy!!

A little under the weather.......

Not much to report here. I have the 'cold', yes a good old common cold which has made me feel miserable! Am not going into work today, think one more day at home and I may just about hit it on the head!! Saturday I ventured out to my quilting group, drugged up and armed with a family size box of tissues, tried to sit myself away from everyone else and although I enjoyed the company for all I achieved think I should of stayed in bed and stitched! Yesterday I had to take the 'Horsey One' to a competition out of town. Left at 6am!! and were gone all day. We were very lucky with the weather, the forecasted rain and hail stayed away and with coats on we enjoyed the sunshine. I didn't feel up to it but I like one of us to be there in case something should happen - horseriding is dangerous and unpredictable ( I tell her this often in case it encourages her to rethink her love of the beasts!) and SH was working so it was me. The only other thing I achieved for the weekend was the making of the invitations to my Mum's 70th birthday lunch we are hosting in June. I am really pleased with how they turned out. The invites will go in the mail today, another tick on the list of things to be done!! Hoping to do a little sewing today, sure it qualifies as 'good medicine' so may even have something to show tomorrow!

Nice and Clean!

Well the excitement level in our house is very high - mine anyway! The house is clean!! Yes even the bathroom! I am no longer in danger of having the house condemmed by the health department or the children removed by community services.....and it is the whole house at once not just a room or a floor or whatever I've managed on one particular day. Okay I will confess I had help. Last year we tried a cleaning lady on the weeks I worked full time but she picked up other work and it just didn't work out but for whatever reason she phoned this week and asked whether I needed her as she had a few spare hours. Best money I have spent lately! I don't drink or smoke and I can willingly go without my chocolate and fabric this week......I am so happy.

Little Miss Muffett Complete!

Hurray! Today is going to be a good day - I have this morning completed 'Little Miss Muffett'. Realistically I don't think there is anyway I will make my July deadline for having this quilt complete but you never know...... I think 'the Owl and the Pussycat' is next.

What an amazing achievement!

On Saturday we celebrated my husband's parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. What an amazing achievement. 'Super Husband' and his 3 sisters organised a surprise lunch at a boutique hotel in the seaside town of Queenscliff. Part of their present was a night's accomodation so they spent Friday night there and then the trick was to get them to the dining room at just the right time. I might add for the last week I had continually distanced myself from the 'surprise' aspect and advised against it!! My Mother-in-law does not like surprises... Anyway it was easier than we thought and all the guests were waiting when they arrived. They had a lovely day and did not stop smiling. I'm not sure they could quite believe all of their children, and grandchildren and special friends were there in one room because of them. They received congratulatory telegrams from the Prime Minister and various other politicians. We found out later that my Father-in-law had actually seen plans for the day at a daughter's home while babysitting so it was no surprise for him!!

Although 'SH' and the 'Horsey one' stayed down to celebrate Mothers Day on Sunday with all of his family 'Handsome Son' and I headed back up the highway and home as he had his school 'dinner dance'. He really lived up to his name 'HS' in his suit, looked absolutely gorgeous. Didn't manage a good photo as he was running late and you can't keep a girl waiting!! Hoping he will get some photos from others at school this week. School policy means that parents must collect children from the hall so at midnight there I was.....and no even though I threatened I did not wear my pjs!! He had a great night and I'm sure we'll keep hearing snippets about it over the coming week.

Mother's Day was a quiet one with just the two of us at home. I managed a sleep in for the first time in months and months which was lovely. We all enjoyed a roast dinner together in the evening when 'SH' and the 'Horsey one' got home. I got the best present, pjs, slippers and a DVD - 'Gilmore Girls series 7'. Can't wait to watch that one. I finished the day with some hand stitching on 'Little Miss Muffett' so finally making some progress there. All in all a good weekend.

Hope everyone else enjoyed their Mother's Day.

Looking, looking, looking..................

If it is a normal week (and hurray it is!) I finish work at midday on a Thursday. I find this particularly handy to run around and pay bills, do any bits and bots in town that need doing. Yesterday however I had an appointment and a challenge! The appointment was for my first 'breastscreen'. A mobile service visits our area for 2 months every two years and the screens are offered free for any woman over 40. The last time they were here I was too young!!!!!!!!!! It was very quick and uncomfortable but not painful. They are recommended every 2 years particularly for women over 50.
The challenge was not so easy. I needed to find a new outfit to wear to a special lunch on Saturday to celebrate my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary. Yes ,this Saturday! I honestly do not have anything appropriate in the wardrobe. I am hardwearing on clothes and like so many mothers out there I am the bottom of the chain when it comes to purchasing new things. My other problem is that I am not at all realistic about being overweight with lumps and bumps everywhere! This is usually when I have a huge reality crisis, decide to go on a health / fitness campaign and then realise there is no hope of it working in 2 days so I have to find something to wear and fast!! I usually resort to chocolate at about this point..... Anyway I brought home a skirt........and a vest and skivvy for with my jeans during winter ...........but no shirt and no shoes. Guess what I'm doing today??? As I was waking I remembered a shirt I saw yesterday that may work so thats where I'll start.
On the craft side of things there is none to report - again! I set myself up last night with the light over me and everything within reach (SH was not home), 'Kitty' jumped on my lap and promptly fell asleep and I joined him within seconds and not intentionally. That is how SH found us when he got home!!

Another new recipe...

Well I tried another new recipe last night, 'spiced beef and almond pilaf'. Not as successful as the night before however SH and I liked it and I especially liked that it was a one pot meal.

Problem fixed I think!

Yes, I think my problem of 'no reply' when leaving comments on other blogs is now fixed, thanks to all the advice I received , especially from 'upstate Lisa'. Please let me know if in fact it's not and I might give up right now!!!

Didn't have to work yesterday and after the magic hour when my colleagues would both of started their day I stopped avoiding the telephone and enjoyed my day. I was so sure that one or both of them would be sick and I would be called in. Didn't cross much off my list of things that had to be done and didn't get ANY sewing done (that was no. 1) but did make 'milo muffins' in time for school lunches (a favorite in this house), did make all the beds in the am, did some ironing (but the remainder of the pile is threatening to take over the house), did watch the end of a crappy reality show I'd taped that the rest of the family had no interest in and I did do some blog reading while doing some internet banking!! I was able to catch up with a friend for a coffee. Her children are in the same classes as mine at school and as she has a daughter in my son's year she often lets me know what projects etc are on the go and as my daughter is in her son's year I do the same there. Girls are so much more ready to talk!!! We try to catch up about once a fortnight but it rarely happens that frequently. I made a quick dash into a shop I generally only visit if I need something for a bit of a browse around. It is a bit of a discount shop that sells absolutely everything but if you find something good you need to buy it straight away, it will never be seen again. They do have great storage boxes and I picked up some lovely ones. Could of bought more but decided I shouldn't go overboard. Have plans for the black and white ones but the others I know I'll use at some stage and I just needed them! I did manage to get the groceries done so there is actually food in the house (for a short time with teenagers) and last night was declared the 'best mother in the world!' for buying 'cookies and cream icecream'. Oh if mothering was that easy!!!! I will remember this for future bribing power though. I tried a new recipe for dinner , creamy chicken pesto gnocchi, which was declared a success so a good day all round. It is here I will confess 'SH' does most of the cooking and my meals are not generally enjoyed like his!!!

This posting every day business means I need to look back at my day to see if anything of note actually happened!! After work I managed to change all the sheets on the beds, nothing special about that although I love sleeping in fresh sheets. While doing that I cleaned up 'Handsome Son's' bedroom making the excuse to myself that he couldn't do it while on crutches!! I then read the riot act to the other two to please do some cleaning up themselves. 'HS' had an awful lot of homework last night but he has taken after his parents and leaves it till the last moment. Of course I will not be admitting that to him that I was the same at his age!! Think he still needs to get up this morning and write an english essay......and I thought the terrible twos were bad! I headed off to bed earlyish last night to read the paper and watch Desperate Housewives (I have already confessed on this blog to having somewhat dubious taste in television!), this way 'SH' could watch what he wanted on the other tv. I think it was a bright idea of mine to tape the show while watching because I think I saw about 5 minutes if I was lucky before my peepers shut!!!!!!

Any advice gratefully received..... apparently if I am leaving a comment on someone else's blog I am coming up as 'no reply'. This is not on purpose! I have tried tweaking my settings.... any ideas???

I had a few requests for the Anzac biscuit recipe I wrote about a few posts ago so here it is. There is probably a similar recipe with a different name in most countries. It is very easy and yummy.

ANZAC BISCUITS

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup plain (all purpose) flour

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons golden syrup

125g (4oz) butter

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1 tablespoon hot water

Preheat the oven to 160'C (325'F). Place the oats, flour, sugar, and coconut in a bowl. Place the golden syrup and butter in a saucepan over low heat and allow to melt. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the water and add to the butter mixture. Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well.

Place tablespoonfuls of the mixture on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing room for the biscuits to spread, and flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks. Makes 22.

A Busy Sunday!

I promised yesterday I would try to find something interesting and post every day this week!! Mmmm.......We'll see.......

Had an early start to the day yesterday as the 'Horsey One' and I headed off to Pony Club. We have a rally once a month on a Sunday and it is a full day. Our club's home is out of town at a very small community. There is a hall and an oval there along with a disused tennis court. A few community groups use the facilities along with the CFA and they run a country 'show' every year. We usually serve a shared bbq lunch outside on picnic tables. It is only a small club, around 20 members. The farm that backs onto this land is privately owned but for the last 20 years has allowed pony club free access to it. We have our cross country course built here. The farm has just been sold and although at this stage we have been told we have the same access we are nervous for just how long. It is very scenic if not dry at the moment. There is a creek running at the bottom and rolling hills. The horses quickly have to get used to sheep as there is often some in their way!! At lunchtime I swapped with 'SH' and came back into town to take 'HS' on crutches to the football to support his team. They were absolutely flogged!

An early night by all, fresh air does that to you!

What a week!

It's a week since I posted and I wish I had an exciting reason!! I don't! All I can say is time was at a premium this week and nothing out of the ordinary that I thought warranted a post was happening. Have decided this coming week I must find something special to post about each day!!
Started the week with another trip to the doctors for 'Handsome Son'. No not about his foot that's still in plaster or the mole he'd had removed the week before but the lump that had developed on his cheek! After an hour wait (when I'd forgotten to pack my stitching in the rush after work) diagnosed as an abcess and a course of antibiotics prescribed. Finished the week with another trip to the doctor with 'HS' to have the stitches removed and the pathology relating to the mole. 'All Clear and OK' ! Hadn't realised how much we'd been holding our breath waiting for the results. Mum's brother was the same age (16) when he was diagnosed with melanoma and his original mole was in the same spot. Mum and her sisters were scared they were going to have to relive that nightmare.
I had a full week of work with 2 specialist clinics that I provided reception for. One was my favorite , the Paediatrician, where I have plenty of time to stitch and read!! and of course I love the kids coming in, and the other was a new clinic for a neurologist who does 'nerve conduction ' testing. He came with a reputation of being a little difficult and yes he deserves the title. I ran for the whole clinic and earned every cent.
Yesterday was a day spent with sport! The 'Horsey One' played 2 games of netball in the morning then hockey in the afternoon. Needless to say she put herself to bed last night and is still sleeping very soundly. She has Pony Club today so another early night will be needed tonight.
Wondering if 'Super Husband' and I are being unreasonable?? The 'Horsey One' has a good friend in her class and hockey team whose parents are often busy. The mum asked us last week if she could come home with us after hockey for a while as Dad was out of town and Mum would be busy....when we get to hockey Mum tells us she expects to pick her up at 9.30pm but actually arrived at 11pm and really didn't apologise for being late!! We are having her again on Monday after school (already organised) and I think I will suggest she stays the night and goes to school from here this time! This Mum is definately not the way I work.........
Apologies for not more quilting news or actually any news of interest but can only improve in the days to come!