We Are Getting There

I've been working on fixing up the blog disaster that I created yesterday...I'm not sure that I am liking this look - not as much as I one I can't work :-(, but it certainly is one thing - WIDE!

Any comments, you few wonderful readers? (or advice!)

I will work on a refreshed header soon. Though, I have to say, I am not feeling too refreshed - sick girl last night(as well as a naughty non-sleeping baby boy!), so there was a fair bit of wandering around in the dark, as well as attempts to banish two new kittens from their newly discovered playground on our bed (they kept breaking into the house!)...so not enough sleep. And here I am fiddling around with my blog instead of sleeping!

As side note : the kittens are Trevor's plan to keep the mouse and rat population at the LC hut down to a dull roar (they could just about carry him away at nights!). They've got some growing to do though, before they move down there!

Some visual stimulation for you, as the camera is too far away in the kitchen for me to be bothered about fetching it. Oooh, the things I will have to share when I download that baby! Anyhow, the delicious Pottery Barn email once again yielded some eye candy...

Oh, I love any combination of colour with that chocolate brown! I must have the colour on the brain, as we have been enjoying some yummy dark chocolate after a recent trip to the next town to do some grocery shopping, and FINALLY get my haircut!

Luckily I had the prescense of mind (there's always a first!) to have my husband take a photo before I washed the newly created look away, because I can tell you, it hasn't looked the same since. I do own a set of straighteners, but my ability at using them is NOT good! (can you tell I wasn't a girly girl growing up? I never owned a hairdryer until I was in my 20's and grew my hair long, and needed to dry my hair for work - and I mean DRY not STYLE!)

I'll share the new 'do soon!

Update

I've found a more user friendly "built in" template, until such time as I can work out how to edit that other bloody thing. Which, incidentally, I like better than this one - but this one is wide like I wanted, so it will do!


I am also about to design a nice new header, so we shall see how THAT goes - I'm not good at getting things the right size.

Here's a little something to see how the images post in this new template.

This is an old photo, from a wedding we attended last year, but I don't think I shared it with you. I did some fiddling with it, as its colour was blah, but I quite like this version.

And ladies, thanks for your comments on the last post. I need some friends with some technical know-how obviously! ;-)

Reconstruction ...aka PLEASE HELP ME!

I decided, without much thought, to redesign the old blog. "Time for a change!" she said. Well now, I wish I'd thought longer about that.... so please bear with me as I go through the whole process of re-loading all of the bit and peices (like - where are the archives?)

And can some wonderful, computer savvy person, please tell me HOW I can replace that mountain range up there, with my own header image?

I used "Frozen Age" blogger template, which was easy enough to load, but that was only just the beginning...

Though, I do like the wideness of this new look. Matches my bottom - w-i-d-e!

Any advice at ALL would be greatfully received.

Thanks in advance

A-MAZING

Just a quick post to share with you these two amazing links

This gorgeous family video {bringing the old daggy family video time to a whole new level):

Click HERE - trust me, its worth the wait if you have a slow connection.

That was in turn the inspiration for this one, which is fantastic as well.

Click HERE

In this modern day and age, I think that this is totally do-able, with a little technical guidance and advice for those not quite up to speed - like me! (Don't even own an ipod, and you might notice the lack of musical thingys on the side of my blog!)

Trust me, it is worth checking out both of these links.

My "old" Fuji camera has a movie function (how good, I'm not sure)...off to check it out!

I so would love to do one of these - what great once a year (at least) project to capture the family! And special family celebrations (ooh - how would this go on a digital frame?!)

I'm giddy with the possibilities! Just need someone to tell me HOW!

Better late than never!

This is the well overdue post of internet goodness, the stuff that's made me go "ooooh" (as opposed to OWWW, as in my last post!) Before I start, my ankle is recovering nicely, though I am not sure purple is my colour. At least not on my feet anyhow! I never ended up going to the doctor - my husband came home on dark the day AFTER it happended, and asked THEN if I wanted to have it x-rayed (I declined, with vigour!) So much sympathy and caring in that man!

Anyhow, settle in for this visual feast!

I want this house: the glorious natural light, the gorgeous timber floors, the furniture...I love it all. And that kid occupying blackboard wall is a great idea...but where is the cleaning lady to clean up all that chalk dust?

Cute project, little frames inside the big frame. I don't think this is one I will do, but I like the concept!

Now for some utter girly-ness!

These paper flowers are divine, are they not?

More buttons! Would be a real dust collector in this house, in this part of the country, but cute non-the-less!

Another cute, impractical button idea. I'm feeling practical this week. That is why I've acheived practically nothing so far!

What little girl (or not so little girl) wouldn't love this room! Love the white furniture. I'm a fan of white. Just doesn't seem to stay white in my world!

What a great way to highlight a particulary special peice of kids art - some bright, matching glossy paint around a cheap timber frame. Totally doable!

Another strippy quilt. I like the combination of patterns and colours.

my favourite colour combo at the moment, that I know Di will tell me to channel into a scrapbook layout. I love these colours for home decor, but haven't really used them in scrapbooking at all - I wonder why?

Can you tell dust and cleaning are on my mind at the moment? House looking like a bomb hit it after a few days of restricted mobility, and an outing to school swimming carnival for most of the day.

Anyhow, Trevor is home, so best go and look really busy! ;)

Bugger

is one of the words (that I can share!) that went through my head yesterday afternoon, when I turned my ankle with an agonising crunch. Well, actually, truth be told, I didn't think for awhile, more like gasped and groaned while the kids wondered if their mother had completley lost the plot!

I'm not sure what I've done (I have no exciting tale to tell of how this happened - I was simply bloody WALKING!) but I know this: my ankle is swollen, and sore. I can put weight on it and hobble about, but please don't ask my to bend the darned thing.

So, things aren't happening too fast around here today, and I certainly didn't stroll to school with Kate - I put her on her bike and watched her ride the 250 metres to school. This was a big thing for her - I've drummed into them to not go out on the footpath (we live on a major highway) telling them that "someone might take you!" - so I had to allay her fears that she wouldn't be "taken" when I was watching!

Anyhoo, moving on. I thought that seeing as I haven't had the time to focus on any paper scrapping, surely I could fit in a quick digital page. Hah! It never seems to happen like that - quick! I'm even more indecisive with digital, not sure why. Anyhow, this was inpsired by the battle that's been happening on and off all day with the two youngest kids. Georgie has been slightly bored with my un-mobileness, and when she gets bored, she annoys the be-jesus out of her little brother, AND me in turn.

Oh, I've realised that today should have been Internet Goodness Day, or what ever I will call it - and I do have some things to share. But right now I need to go and umpire the current battle that is waging, and then put myself horizontal with foot vertical (or at least UP!), in that order.

I will endeavour to do some more digital pages soon, as long as it took, as was fun and keeps my "eye" in!! Look out Nicole and Di, I shall be looking at your pages for inspiration! (they are over there on my side bar, if anyone wants to check 'em out!)

Note to self: I need to find some free digital brads...a page doesn't feel right without them, whether it be paper or digi!

Hobbling off to make grand plans...I so need wireless in my house!

Oh My

Its 10am and they are both naked...already. This normally happens at some stage during the day with the boy...but not normally this early! (I think some skuldugery involving the sprinkler has occured)

What I to do with a child that adopts this pose whenever the camera comes out?! (by the way, I changed this photo to black and white so as to hide the fact that he is wearing his sister's hand me down pink shorts. We don't discriminate by colour here...in fact, I think he quite likes pink!)

And who pulled his shorts up like that? And the shirt tucked in? Surely that would be his fathers' doing? His father is a man who refuses to wear ANY shirt untucked.

He's not a fashion follower, is Trevor, in fact, swears that shorts with a pocket on the leg may give him a life threatening condition.

:)

Introducing

Bruno. He was found wandering around at LC, looking very sad, lonely and hungry. And sans-mama. It was touch and go whether he would survive for a bit, seeing as he hadn't had a feed for awhile, but he seems to be good now. As evidenced by the way he was trying to suck my leg just moments after this photograph. Doesn't take 'em long to work out who provides the tucker around here! He has a girlfriend, Patsy, but she's not so user friendly. She's camera shy.

Actually, it was an action filled weekend, and not in a good way. One of the kids ponies got ill on Friday afternoon, just before dark and the whole bath & getting tea ready saga. It was a long evening, but with the assistance of some good friends (and their great horse drugs) Mr T has survived to see a few more days.

In other news, my duck went missing. My wood duck, one of the trio that we rescued last wet season, and the only one that didn't fly away. Well, he did fly, but always came home for breakfast (smart animal that). I did think it strange he hadn't been around for tucker for two mornings straight, but just thought he might have been having an extended outing. This is until Georgie looked a little closer at a pile of feathers left by the bloody maniacal cat, that we found in the spare room (under the bed). She pointed out the bit of green on the feathers, tearfully noting that Woody the Duck had some green feathers.....

So let me introduce you to Sooty, before he leaves home for LC, where he can hunt his horrible little bloodthirsty heart out.

Sooty is Georgie's cat, who once was a playful, bed lounging bundle of mischeif, not unlike Slinky Malinky. However in the past few weeks, he has turned into a maniacal bloodthirsty hunter of all things mobile. Should have realised, by the liking he'd developed for chewing on our toes (a taste test, no doubt, for when he had built up the necessary skills to take on larger prey!)

A result of so much rain has been an influx of frogs in all shapes and sizes, living throughout the garden and outbuildings (we rather discourage them from living in the house, apart from that little bloke in the bathroom) and Sooty has made it his personal mission to keep those numbers under control. This wasn't so bad, until he started leaving little piles of legs and other bodily parts on the lounge room floor. Apparently only one breed of frog is yummy (brown ones) - leaving the good old green tree frog alone (my favourite). Then he moved onto birds, though with much active discouragement on our parts. Bird feathers in my house? NOT ON.

But now, after eating MY DUCK? Sooty is going to live at Lyons Creek, leaving my chooks and budgies and other garden birds in peace. At LC there are rats and mice and bunnies to be caught, so good luck to you Soot. Not feelin' the love for you at the moment.

Homicidal cats...who'd want to live in the country?!

More Goodness

I thought I would "try" and do a weekly post of some of the yummy images I come across that inspire me, whether they be scrapbooking, home decor or just yummy-in-general - my friend Kirsty does a Friday Faves, so I guess its something like that. But on a Thursday.

First, I know I was going to share some photos of our recent brand up of the calves (a very long, hot and sweaty day, I have to report - but not too bad on my behalf, as we had 4energetic 10-11 year old boys penning up the calves, so I all had to do was supervise and direct traffic!) but my camera is currently bouncing around the front of my husbands utility, from where I keep forgetting to retrieve it when he gets home each evening. So, I will share, soon. As soon as I get my hands on the camera!

I have also resolved today, to try and clear my desk today and tomorrow, of some of the work that is pressing on me, so that I can give myself a "guilt free" leave pass to do some scrapping on the weekend - or at the very least, put my stash into my new set of drawers. The new drawers may not hold as much as the old ones, and that might mean the need to purchase some upright cardstock storage containers!! I found the plastic magazine-type holders at Craftainers , but I have a dust problem, and need something with a lid or cover. Any suggestions?

Anyhow, without further ado, look at what's had me ahhing and ooing this week. Apart from my sore muscles, that is!

This lovely new (pattern not released yet) bag and needle book from Janelle Wind. Love the flowers - wouldn't they lend themselves well to a mini album cover. Love the fresh colours.

These cool hanging lights. Given that I have 12 foot ceilings, I don't think these would work in my house! But I still like 'em.

This is for Yvonne, the orange lover - the chairs - the rug (Oh, the RUG!) Hmm, another colour combo for scrapbooking inspiration - orange, brown and cream!

This cute, clever handmade ring from madeit . Not sure how it was made, but was very, very tempted. But I can't exactly wear it in the cattle yards, and as my next major outing is to the campdraft in a few weeks (as its secretary - yay! NOT), I can't see this being right at that event. Its all blue jeans, tucked in shirts and cowboy boots there I'm afraid. Though I don't do tucked in shirts anymore. And as I won't be riding, I will forgo the boots for more comfortable footwear suitable for a disorganised and frazzled secretary. So the ring might have to wait until I can justify its purchase!

Aren't these clips so cute? As I have a rather substantial stash of largely unused buttons (much to my husband's disgust - he wants me replace missing buttons on his work shorts) I think I might make some of these for my girls, our neices and the myriad of other little girls having birthdays etc. I've even begged some yummy patchwork fabric scraps from a friend who sews (as opposed to me, who just reads about it!), so that I can cover some buttons as well. Actually, I can even see BIG girls (like both my brother's girlfriends, who are young and hip and skinny) wearing these.

No other exciting news - husband trucking cattle today (defined - loading cattle onto truck with cattle crate trailer) from LC to my in-laws place, where we keep our weaners (defined - calves that are approx 5-6 months of age and are removed from their mothers so that their mothers can go "whew", stop making milk, have a rest and eat some grass, then have another baby). Two youngest kids wandering about playing and fighting, in no particular order; oldest one at school where evil, maniacal teacher is teaching them to play the recorder. My nerves begin twitching when I see that instrument of tortue protruding from her backpack, to be brought home to practise.

On that note, I end, and go in search of nerve calming medication in readiness of oldest child's return from school.

A Land of Sweeping Plains

I really should be in bed right now, considering I have to get up insanely early in the morning, to complete my normal chores, as well as prepare for a day of drafting at LC with my happy husband and his equally chirpy brother. Can you tell I'm excited?

But I thought I should pop by to tell you that I did indeed survive my day of mustering by horse (funny, considering about 6 years ago, it was nothing for me to spend days on a horse without breaking a sweat...now? I need someone to help me get ON the bl#$dy horse!).

In fact it was a glorious day, and my brothers' girlfriend, mounted on her blue steed (breed of Yamaha!) kindly took charge of my camera. I was riding one of my brother's horses, and quiet as Ding was reported to be, I wasn't keen on finding out his reaction to that little click-burr-beep noise!

Anyhow, this is what Chelsea, dear girl, had to face for the best part of the trek home.

But she had us - me and my youngest brother's girlfriend (keeping it all in the family, folks!) to keep her company. In fact, it has been said that we really didn't do any thing but talk the entire time. I think that statement could be debated, myself!

Look at that grass. I can't remember seeing this much grass, ever. Maybe I wasn't paying attention in years gone by. But I know one thing, I think this is something like what Dorothea McKellar was talking about. Don't you? Oh, by the way, that's Lauren, my youngest brother's skinny girlfriend, on the left. That's me, the most unskinny one, on the right. Chelsea, the OTHER skinny girlfriend, was taking the photo.

This is the mustering team - left to right, from the back: Chad (on grey horse), super agent extra-ordinaire, helping muster the steers he was in charge of selling. He had a big feather in his hat, which apparently was meant to stop him from being bucked off his horse. It must have worked, as he didn't fall off, but I heard that there was a fair bit of daylight between his bum and his saddle at one stage. I really wouldn't know, as I was working hard doing my job, down the back.

Anyhow, then there's me, then Lauren, then at the front, my middle brother Ashley (he must have had a sore bum, he's off his horse), and then my long and lanky husband, standing (dismounted from his motorbike - NOT a horse man!) I have to say he - AND his two mates there - were quite rude about my requests for assistance in mounting my horse.

All I have to say, fellas, is this: people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!

Mum brought out lunch for us - with the kids, who she was in charge of while I was mustering. They thought it was great, having a picnic. We don't normally require lunch when mustering, but it we still had nearly two hours walk back to the yards, and that would mean lunch at 4pm. Not that it would have hurt anyone to wait, but one is always better natured and enthusiastic when fed and watered on time!

Did I mention that grass before? I could nearly eat it myself.

Anyhow, off in another direction tomorrow, to deal with our own cows. Granma is once again in charge of the kids, a thought that thrills them to bits, as she doesn't make the clean their room, or pick up stuff. And she takes them up the road for an iceblock from the pub (it doesn't just sell beer!) and she brings cream buns with her too. So no one is upset that their mother is away for the day!

I'll be back with tales of drafting, and branding! Hope you've enjoyed this post! I would Love it if you would leave a comment.

I"ll be back soon, I promise

I really should be in bed right now, given that I have a huge, potentially incapacitating day tomorrow (I will mustering for hours on horse back, something I haven't done since, say, this time last year....lets just say I found muscles I had forgotten I owned), but I just wanted to pop by and tell you that I will be back. One day.

Its extra busy at the moment, especially as our cattle work has been delayed from the wet weather, so on top of doing the branding (scheduled for over the weekend, all going well!) we have also been sending cattle away to sale, and tomorrow, helping my brother get some of his in - a big mob that required a few hands to help out, as they are normally quite frisky, and quite enjoy a lovely run around. As much as the steers enjoy their run around, their musterers, quite frankly, don't appreciate them going in 600 different directions, especially when there's normally only about 3 of them! So the more hands the merrier, and the more controlled the mob will be.

Mind you, normally all hands are only required for the first hour, and then most of us could go and have a nap under a tree or go home to the airconditioning, and then come back when required to yard up. That scenario would be MUCH kinder to my bottom, instead of plodding along behind them for about 6kms and hours and hours in the hot sun and getting a "nice" covering of dust.

Just a quick share of what we got up to over the weekend just past - preparing some of our steers for sale. I don't have many action shots of this, as I was busy for most of the time (and marital relations tend to get strained if I pull up in the middle of drafting to take a photo of a pretty steer or how drafting works!) Here's one of the work force. Help is hard to get, I can tell ya! (and Bob the Builder work boots are the ONLY footwear to be seen in this season..didn't you know?)

And speaking of covering with dust, here's a god awful one of me, double chins and in-need-of-haircut-desperately-bad-hair and all, that my oldest daughter took. Just to show that I do get in front of the camera some days. Just wishing that it wasn't THIS particular day. And also wishing that dust didn't stick to sunscreen QUITE so much.

Oh lordy, I bet you're wishing that I hadn't shared that one with you! Anyhow, like I said at the start, I shall return, hopefully one day this week, but with helping out tomorrow, and needing to try to get-ahead for being away from the house this weekend, it probably won't be until next week. Hopefully I will have lots of action shots to share.

I need to go to bed now, and prepare myself and my bottom mentally for what lies ahead tomorrow. You'd think with all of this padding that it wouldn't be a problem! Well, it doesn't help at all.

Bye....galloping sound effects fading away into silence.....