Spring weddings - and fashion dilemmas

I know, most of you visit this little bit of the www for the hard hitting, hot topics of the day. I'm sorry to say, today you've come to the wrong place.

We've been living a quiet old existence, school and the usual - although there was the local show which I have neglected to share and possibly something you are just DYING to see more about. I will remedy that soon I promise.

But, back to the matter in hand. We've been invited, the whole family, to a spring wedding. Very touched and surprised to get the invite, and quite excited that we might be able to attend. A spring garden wedding, by the waterfront! But ...but. My friends tell me they are ALREADY working on (or know) what they are wearing! Oh. My. Gerd. Its not even the end of June yet and they've worked it out for September. This has put me in a bit of a flap (well, mentally)...I need to get organised obviously!

So I went to my favourite shopping place (whilst mentally cataloguing my wardrobe which is of course, deadly boring and full of nothing-to-wears) seeking inspiration. Have then wasted good time making a little "mood board" of my inspired choices. Help needed. Cannot make up my mind.

TOP: (the cardy's are a basic that will be included, as it could be cool) Classic more formal cocktail length black dress. Flat bling sandals (bride recommends flatties for the guests)  Bling earrings...OR a more casual but still smart black and white number. Both may require an event that has happened very rarely - a visit to a hairdresser for a 'do. (my husband should be so thankful for my low maintenance head, although I fear it possibly shows - the lack of hair maintenance!!)

BOTTOM: the basic cardy (in pink this time) - a spring like floral dress, teamed with cheerful pink wedges! Pearl earrings I think. OR (and I already own this) a long - floor length - black maxi teamed with the pink accessories. I put this in as an alternative as my friends are all going day-to-evening long dresses. And Bugger it, hair do required. Have long wanted to try an Adele style 'do (google it friends) but very much lacking in the skills which are required to carry out.

Am confused. Spring wedding experts please chime in. 3pm wedding with outdoor reception at the same venue. (on the lawns).

I await your considered advice!

Country Style Racing

Up here, its not just about the horses when its a race meeting. Its far more about the socialisation, anyone with racehorses provides the reason for the gathering!  And Kooroorinya Races is no different although this race meeting is pretty special. Its a grass fed meet (in that the horses can not be fed anything other than grass hay or run out in the paddock - no lucerne, no chaff, no grain) that has run for the past 96 (yes NINETY SIX) years. So many families have been involved over generations and so its quite the tradition for many to attend. As relative new comers to the district (only 40 odd years) and not into race horses at all, I still remember attending as a child, and although we haven't gone every year, we've made an effort the past few as the children are older, and therefore (in theory at least) much easier to cart out for the day!

Of course we had to have the obligatory family photo - all clean and tidy - before we left. The getting ready process was made more interesting by the fact that we had NO POWER (apparently notified, which we received in the mail this morning, two days after the fact) from 9am and course no ironing was done. However am pleased to note that the generator does run the iron nicely, and the hairdryer too, which brought Miss Mac scampering up the road with her ironing and un-done hair.

I made my own fascinator with a five minute tutorial from my friend Kat (its easy! and if you dont' get third degree burns on your fingers your doing it wrong!) However I made an error in judgement, whilst loving the sculptural pokey uppy bits, I did  not calculate car travel in my equation. Did not fit in the car, and after five minutes of weird posture and head angle, pulled out my carefully arranged hair and pins (and looking at the photo, the darned thing had already slipped backwards on my head. Ran into tree branch) I also broke not one but TWO necklaces in my haste to get ready, so this one was the last one that sort of went, thinking I needed SOMETHING around my neck.

The fashion was indeed high...with local milliner showing her wares, and the aunt and niece combination below taking out the Mare and Filly of the Field respectively.

  The lolly drop was again done by air, and my kids carted home a heap of lollies in their hats/shoes (yes shoes) which I will proceed to chuck in the bin when they aren't looking. (hello sugar high)

The day finished with a Ringers Challenge, which suffice to say did get a little messy, but provided GREAT hilarity to the assembled crowd.

 Entertainment factor ramped up a good amount when some bright spark snuck over and shook up every beer that had to be drunk on the completion of the hay rolling/foot race.

We were home by 7pm, and in our warm jarmies with eggs on toast for tea, as we were mustering the next day (oh the contrast?!). At which time I proceeded to get myself thrown off my four wheeler (hit a stump) which didn't hurt nearly as badly as I thought it would. Witnessed of course by the chopper pilot (who apparently expressed concern for my well being at the time, although I am sure he will use it against me at a later date. Husband saw me pick myself off the ground, but didn't come to inspect me - she got up, must be right! ah the romance!)

And yes, mothers day was in there somewhere too. How we roll in the country, from races to mothers day and mustering, all in one weekend! Hope yours was a good one too.

home and away

I was going to NOT postpone dentist appointments come hell or highwater (and with or without husbands) so late Sunday afternoon, after a birthday party and feeding the poddies, we headed to the city. On reflection the birthday party with lollies and cordial wasn't a good choice given the hi-jinks in the back seat, but a bit of bawling when Dad hit the roof never did anyone any harm before ;-)

We drove through the fire area, smoke billowing here and there (but all under control). We did the dentist thing (feeling poorer for the privilege) and visited a sweet little newborn baby girl. All of the kids got to have a cuddle of Isabelle Grace, who belongs to my lovely friend Mel. Mel, despites some misgivings about lack of maternal instincts, seems to be coping just fine (the fact that her husband is a nappy changing machine may be of some help!) Ah, the adventure of ones first child! And you know what? I loved holding her, and snuggling her little body close to me, but certainly no clucky or pangs to have some more. They've plumb worn me out ;-)

We managed to squeeze a visit to the Rockpool for an early morning swim. I decided to spectate..oh the thought of wrassling into my togs in the sticky morning (oh the humidity!), and then sticky and salty and damp in the car back to the unit...The kids and dad loved it though. I enjoyed the very slight breeze and the view.

Going to town means one gets to wear ones pretties, and I brought a few of them out to play. And of course, one cannot do so without sharing on Instagram!

I'm really really loving wooden beads at the moment, and I had some time at Spotlight (and a whole lot of fun!) to gather some supplies to have a play making a necklace or two myself, and get some fabric to recover the cushions my cane tub chair on the front verandah (I bought some other stuff earlier but have repurposed it for another job). Although after wandering around looking for something that I really didn't know the name of (still don't) it sometimes really IS easier to shop online at home!

Speaking of cushions...holy moley. Priced new cushions for our 9 year old, sturdy metal outdoor setting....nearly the price of a whole new setting!!! More research is required.

AND HOT OFF THE PRESSES: in most exciting news, as I type....rain on the roof. Now I won't get too excited and say the wet season has set in, but hopefully even a few showers might offer some relief against the fires in the National Park that have been bothering the men over the past few days...and if its offer, we'll take at least an inch or two of the wet stuff to freshen things up til the Big Wet arrives. And purely selfishly, just the drizzle we've had this evening will do my garden no end of good!

With that, and the sweet sound of heavy raindrops (albeit slow drizzle) on the tin roof, I bid you adieu and head for bed. Is there ever a more relaxing sound (and accompanied by thunder is nice too, the lightening tonight seems to be all sheet which is nice to look at and far less likely to lead to more fire fighting escapades!)

and OH! hello Megan! ran into a lovely old friend in the shops this morning...haven't seen her for a couple of years, but she tells me she feels like she kept right up, reading the blog. Love my mates who read and comment verbally ;-) And mates that don't ever seem to age (slightly depressing that part). xo

Rainfall report tomorrow. Having to resort to old fashioned rain gauge instead of new fangled weather station which apparently has gone into shock at the thought of rain and refuses to register any precipitation. Do hope the kids haven't filled the old style one with the hose! ;-)

Thinking about Fashion

So Melbourne Cup is rolling around again, and while we don't sip champagne and rub shoulders with celebrities at Flemington, we do celebrate the race in style (oh, how I wish it were a national public holiday!)

And as much as I love to stay at home and watch the action on TV, I also enjoy going down to our local pub where we all dress up and have a lovely afternoon out. And don't worry, just because its not Melbourne, doesn't mean the fashion isn't as cutting edge or stylish!  (especially our publican, who would not be out of place on the Melbourne Fashions of the Fields).

You may remember I did purple last year.  It was quite comfortable and cool actually.  (although I need to find a nice purple cardy thing if to wear that outfit again...I have decided that I Need Sleeves).

After trawling through my wardrobe this morning on a whim, I then went searching on ebay (where else?!) for the perfect accessories....

I started off with a nice plain black shirt (with sleeves!) and a white and black skirt, and then out of nowhere ORANGE appeared in my head, and I thought how nice it would be to throw some colour into my black and white.  I don't own any orange at all (red another matter!) so what a perfect excuse! ;-)  And I found a black and white skirt as well (six bucks!) which I think will work better than the white and black I have...and decided on a black fascinator instead of orange (remembering I am a red head!) which will be more versatile.

What do you think? Too much? Stay away from orange? Does anyone else enjoy rounding up these fun little details? (living closer to real shops might make my job easier!)

A Post Totally Dictated by Low Blood Sugar Brain

I am running that far behind (and starving, incidentally) today that a quick blog post isn't going to make any difference to what gets done.

This just came into my inbox  - lurrve the colours and fabric pattern in this tankini. 

And bummer, I've not long purchased a very plain, demure and "supportive" (I so wish I wasn't on speaking terms with that word! Oh for small bosums!) black tankini (becuase black is slimming and hides a mulitude of sins, but I should have gone for ruching as well - according to Today Tonight last night! - as apparently that can disguise some extra bits as well! who'd thought!) along with some rather groovy black and silver boardies to cover the rest of the not so svelte bod.  And boardies without velcro and buttons that pop open to boot! (can I hear an angels chorus?!) They have a wide sort of shirred, but firm, elastic waist, and I love 'em.  Hopefully the tankini top and the boardies will stay together and no stray muffin top will see the light of day...so, as much as I love the colours and the body covering properties of this tankini (though my body isn't anywhere CLOSE to the shape of the model's!! cue hysterical laughter) , I won't be rushing out to get it.

Anyhow, where was I?  Oh the colours!  and the cute ruffles on the bikini (though who wears a white bikini, cute floral and ruffles or not?)  Delicious patterns, yummy colours and swimmers - does it feel like summer yet?

So, this post has gone totally ALL over the place and I have totally forgotten the point I wanted to make. If indeed there was a point to be made.  That's low blood sugar for you I guess!!

Have quite a few bits of photographic offerings to share with you, but of course it is SUCH a chore to download both cameras...one day soon, I promise!

Too much?

Quick post in between chores - no rest for the wicked, as they say!

Our local hotel, run by a very fashionable young-ish couple (remember the gumboot/fairy lady from our bike ride?) is running a little "do" for Melbourne Cup - nothing too flash or big, but still a nice get together of locals. And of course, being quite a few girly girls amongst us, we have to dress up.

My question is this, ladies,  as with your scrapbooking eye for colour - is this TOO much of a good thing?

I am not normally a skirt person, but loved this a line white and purple number (not normally one for purple either!).  I found a simple little sleeveless (bugger the fat arms, its HOT!) cotton tshirt, and then on ebay - a purple fascinator AND shoes!  (love the shoes, cute little flats, just what I needed to wear with jeans etc)

Obviously, they are all slightly different shades of purple, but when on, they are far enough apart not to notice.  BUT, is it all too much? Perhaps not the purple T, but a white one instead?  Or loose the fascinator? Or  save the skirt for another occasion and go back to my old favourites, the white linen pants?

Oh, the descisions that I have to make!  Lordy, hopefully this will be the biggest and most stressing decision I will have to make for awhile! 

Oh wait. I forgot.

Root Canal or Extraction?  Now there's a decision just lurking around, waiting to be made.

But until then - is too much purple too much of a good thing?