Buttons....

I think I may just have enough buttons for a little while!!! These bags of buttons were on sale at Aldi today for $6.99 a bag. I was working all day so sent SH in to buy them for me!! He did well getting me the brights, pastels and random collections.

My new knitting bag.

Here are the gifts I received from Catherine when we met, a beautiful bag and a doll pin cushion which is too nice for that so I am going to use it to keep my brooches pinned in my bedroom. The bag is being used for knitting, only until I finish the vest both Catherine and I are knitting together then it will become a special everyday show off kind of bag.The only problem is that is a long way off happening, no Catherine, I haven't even started yet!! Oops!! I am working at the boarding house this weekend so hopefully I will be able to sit and knit for hours!!!

A funny tale about my meeting with an 'axe murderer'!

There was a funny story to go with my meeting with Catherine in Bendigo (at least we thought it was funny!!!). The 'horsey one' was very concerned when I said I was meeting one of my 'bloggy' friends. How did I know who she was and whether she was in fact who she said she was or was she an 'axe murderer' or a 'dirty old man'!!! I hope this means that the internet education they are receiving is working although I think somehow teenagers forget that facebook is the same thing and knowing someone through association is not actually knowing them, that is a topic all of its own and one I am continually talking about at home!! I assured her and the rest of the family that were somewhat amused by the whole meeting that I 'knew' Catherine was who she said she was and why on earth would someone set up a web of lies around a crafty blog. After we met and within a few minutes it felt like we had known each other for a thousand years I told Catherine she had been suspected of being an 'axe murderer'!!We decided at least this showed concern by the 'horsey one' whereas her family had been more than happy for her to meet a stranger. After leaving Spotlight we were in the car on our way to get coffee and a muffin and I received a text from SH wondering what I was up to,
my reply was 'in the car with the axe murderer'
his response 'stay calm I've called 000'
my reply 'thanks, you have passed the care factor test'
Well there were many many laughs after that exchange and I think Catherine will always be known as the 'axe murderer who wasn't' in this house.

I have just reread this and realised it is so not funny or entertaining for anyone perhaps other than Catherine and myself but this blog is to be a record to look back on and remember days gone by and I just know one day I will reread this and giggle all over again!!!!

Peas in a pod!

I spent the weekend in Bendigo as HS was refereeing at a basketball tournament. He could of driven himself except for then he would have to pay for fuel, food and accommodation (and his car is DEAD - another story altogether) so he worked out if he took his mother that I would pay for fuel, food and accommodation and he would get to keep what he earned over the weekend!!!! Smart kid!!! I didn't mind, we spend a lot of time and $ on taking 'the horsey' one to competitions and it may be one of the last times he'll be happy to hang out with me like that! It did leave me though with a lot of spare hours to fill in, what better way to do that than meet up with one of my blogging buddys who I had never met before. Catherine from Calidore drove 2 hours to spend the day with me and gosh we are similar!!!I am sure noone would of guessed we had only just met, we did not draw breath and swapped from one subject to another without finishing a conversation. It was 4.30pm by the time Catherine headed for home! We met at Spotlight where I became the Queen of shopping (they had a lot of fat quarters that spoke to me and a certain someone encouraged me!!! I returned the favor later in the day!), we then headed off for a coffee and shared a muffin before heading off to Bendigo Woollen Mills where Catherine took over the Queen of shopping title!!! I can't wait to see all of her shawls knitted up! She 'encouraged' me to make a purchase and we both bought the same pattern to knit up a sleeveless vest. Mine will be blue and hers green and the plan is to both have them finished to wear when we head to Ballarat for a weekend in a few months!(Watch out Annie, Jodie and Rachel - we are on our way!!!)A long time since I've knitted a garment - if ever! There was so much eye candy there, the colors and wools were amazing. Lunch followed this and a few hours of chatting over tea, coffee and lemon meringue. We had each brought gifts , Catherine had made me the loveliest bag which will get a lot of use. For the time being (and hopefully short time) it will be my 'knitting' bag! She had also made me an 'angel' which I will hang in my bedroom and use to keep my brooches on. Of course I don't have photos as I am at work at the moment.
It was the most fantastic day and good for the soul. Can't wait till we meet again.

Easter....

We have had a busy but enjoyable Easter break so far. Today will be a day of trying to tick jobs off the list and hopefully a 'nanna nap' this afternoon!!! Luckily SH and I don't return to work until Wednesday so still have another day up our sleeves.
On Friday morning I realised I hadn't done any Easter 'decorating' yet so found a basket and filled it with some chocolate (very important) and a few bits and pieces. The sequin covered eggs were a new find this year and I'm just sorry I didn't buy more. I'm really pleased with them. The table centre now has a lot more chocolate but I guess not for long!!!
On Friday we made the trip to Mums to have lunch and celebrate Easter with her. I made a pavlova which was delicious. We had a lovely day and a special friend called in while we were there which was a bonus. We brought home far more chocolate than we had taken with us!!!
Saturday I spent most of the day cooking while SH and the 'horsey' one spent most of the day playing at pony club. In the late afternoon the 'horsey' one and I went to the movies ( I had to sit with her friend's mum, we weren't allowed to sit with the girls!!!). We saw 'The Last Song' and I can recommend it. No you didn't need to use any brain cells and yes Miley Cyrus was in it ( we are fans, the 'horsey' one and I went to her concert in the USA) but the story was not entirely predictable and I guess the only thing was it was sad!!!! Like box of tissue sad, the sound of sobbing and nose blowing sad!!!! We enjoyed it and yes I would watch it again when it comes out on DVD.
We headed off to Geelong on Sunday to celebrate Easter with SH's family. We had a picnic down at Barwon Heads on the river. The weather was perfect and there was a slight breeze which was lovely. Good food and good company made for a lovely day. It was late when we finally made it home last night. We had taken down 'pizza pinwheels' which the 'horsey' one made, half vegetarian for herself and the other half definitely had meat for her brother!!! We had also made a new chocolate brownie recipe - yum!!! The only improvement SH and I thought could be made to it is perhaps to add macadamias. Our pear and ginger upside down cake was enjoyed. We find this is a great cake to make for gatherings as not only is is easy but it is quite a large cake. We have brought left overs of this home so will enjoy it today, maybe even heated up with cream!!!!! The biggest success though was the 'Potato, Chorizo and Spinach' bake I made. I got the recipe from 'Recipes + - Nov 2009'. Not only did it work but it came out of the tin okay and looked like in the magazine, it travelled well, cut well and was delicious!!!!

It has layers of potato, sweet potato, chargrilled capsicum, spinach, cheeses and chorizo sausage and onion on the top. Even better there was a little of this left over too to feed us today!!

Peer pressure.....

The school my children go to is a private school. To hold a leadership position in years 11 and 12 you must be a member of one of the school's choirs. This ensures there is always a well attended female and male voice choir!!!! Quite clever but not always a popular policy. HS was not interested in holding a captaincy but 'the horsey one' has always said that when she got to year 10 she would join the choir. The beginning of the year came and went and she changed her mind and decided she would wait until next year. This is where the peer pressure came in!!! One lunchtime there was only her and one other friend 'not' at choir so they decided they would have a look and see what they thought! They are now happy members of the choir!!
The choir performed at the school's annual Easter service and 'the horsey one' actually asked me to attend if I could. My work was kind enough to let me pop out for an hour. It was special and I am just sorry this was the first year I was able to attend. The church was full to overflowing and the students actively took part in the service by doing all of the readings. There were a lot of hymns ( I am tone deaf but love singing, especially in church, it would be very unchristian of anyone to criticise my singing!) and prayers and the Junior School Choir , the Junior Chamber Choir, the Male Voice Choir and the Female Voice Choir all performed. The Female Voice Choir sang Servant King / Al Shlosha D'Varim, it was very special and I was a very proud Mother.