The "man flu" and super Mum.

Dear friends

If you have not met the man flu, let me explain:  this is when your other - sometimes better - half gets sick.

He sighs.

He sniffles.

He sighs some more.

He is pitiful.

Well,...truth be told, the "man flu" this year is pretty extreme.  What gave it away as "real" man flu was the pile of many blankets, a wool jumper, a heat pack ALL in front of the fire.

But never fear!! With his incapacitation, life went on.

I took 3 children to the airport at 5am on Saturday so the boys could go to Queensland for their holidays.

The little Bella Boo enjoyed her early morning trip - I bet no one had heard a more excited 3 year old at 6:30am, than when the planes took off.  

And yes, I mean "planes"...plural.  

Because when the boys plane took off...

we had to stay for the next one as well.

Thankfully Bella Boo also went back to bed once we got home, so I could also steal a few more winks before I got up and into....

Prepping the ensuite!!

As a bit of background, our ensuite has had a change in vanity and loo, 

 the walls were in desperate need of attention

with peeling white paint over

the dreaded 80's apricot.

I had bought myself a new power tool to help with the job: the all powerful sander, with multi speed, multi attachments, multi everything...I was excited!!

When I bought the sander, the boys were still here on holidays.  Knowing they were happily ensconced in front of the TV for hours of Wii Indiana Jones Lego fun, I adorned my safety costume of mask and goggles, primed the ensuite and attacked the walls with a fierce and noisy vibrating abandon.

When I stopped to admire my first sweep of sanded art, I turned to find two bewildered sons staring at me.  Wii controllers gripped still, their mouths slightly ajar!

"What are you doing", asked my eldest genius.

"I'm sanding" I said with glee!

Though perhaps that was muffled by the mask I still wore.

Again, my eldest stared at me as if an alien.

"You're building!" he said.

"No!" I reassured him, "I'm sanding".

They were a touch confused by my activities.  But then again, I reasoned with myself, perhaps the combination of their holiday hang-time and my inspired behaviour with a power tool...perhaps, this was the first true opportunity for them to realise I am a woman of action AND many talents.

Yeh, whatever.

Anyway, back to the "man flu".

So I had already sanded the ensuite and had puttied.

Once the boys flew away - a quiet relief as their concerned glances at me "building" was not doing much for my "I can do it all" confidence - I needed to perform further sanding...further puttying.  Without watchful, concerned eyes, I took to my task like a seasoned pro - I had little idea what I was really doing, but it felt good. It felt right. And I was a little OCD about making sure everything puttied was smooth...that all previous signs of peeling paint were obliterated.

By the end of the weekend I was ready to make the most of the extra holidays I had taken to paint our ensuite.  Bring on the completed task!!

Then guess what happened.

I got "girl flu".

Naturally, it is not as bad as "man flu".

(seriously!!)

But it has involved alot of this:

Simply Me

I will finish the ensuite...it may not be as quick as I would like.  I certainly hope though, it is before the boys return from holidays.

big hugs

Cath
xx

Family history

Hi all my beautiful, and patient, friends

Can you guess what this is?

Or, perhaps the question should be: who did this?

Before I tell you, I do need to apologise for my absence.  Short and sweet: work is busy.  So please stick with me;  you aren't forgotten.

Now, on to the exciting news.... 

Recently my lovely Dad sent an email to family members with a link to this beautiful sampler.

On the reverse it reads:

Phillis Dixon 1873, Prestatyn, born 1863 Melide Flint North Wales. In 1881 listed as unmarried & living with her parents Thomas & Catherine on their 250 acre farm, with two sisters Catherine Jessie & Emily Jane & 4 servants, her father born in Scotland.

What is so fabulous is that it was done by my great, great Aunt!  Another way to look at it is, Phillis (Phyllis) Dixon's niece, Katherine Dixon, married my paternal Great Grandfather.

I don't know how Dad found this trawling for family historical information, but somehow a search popped this sampler up for sale here!

Hmmmmm, maybe if it is still for sale when I do my holiday later this year I can go and take a look. :-)

I think it is so wonderful that technology allows to take a glimpse like this into the past.

Looking at it I can't help but wonder:

Where did Phillis choose to do her work? Did she do this on a beautiful Spring day in the garden, or by the light of a window on a cold Winters day. 

Did her mother Catherine sit patiently by her side guiding her with each stitch?

How long did it take, I wonder, for a 10 year old to do this?

Can you picture the happy face when she had finally completed it? I can; a smile big and proud.

The mind but can't help but imagine and it is such a lovely step back in time.

Til next time, big hugs!!

Cath
xx

Our wedding anniversary!

Today is our first wedding anniversary.

We were married in the beautiful gardens of Mona Estate in Braidwood, New South Wales.

It was the most beautiful Autumn day.

My beautiful sons walked me down the "garden aisle" 

Our gorgeous daughter ran across the lawns to meet me,
then walked with us the rest of the way

(that wasn't planned, but oh my, it brought a tear to many!)

The light was perfect for some most beautiful photos

We then celebrated our wedding with a bush dance in a renovated wool shed 

with our family and a small group of friends;

It was fabulous fun! 

Everyone danced, everyone laughed; 

it was everything we had wanted in a celebration.

How did we celebrate?

Not how we planned.
We spent it here...

In the theme of "in sickness and in health" 

we spent the night of our anniversary eve

in the emergency department

 with suspected appendicitis...

I even got to spend the night!

But you know what, it doesn't matter where we celebrate; 

we were together;

we are as in love today, 

if not more so,

than we were this time last year.

Love you babe! It just keeps getting better.

Hugs

Cath
x

It's my birthday!

Hello my lovely friends

Today it was my birthday.

Normally this is the one day of the year that I can indulge myself by staying put in bed and have my family wait on me. What's not to love!

This morning was particularly special, because my lovely children are old enough now to make me breakfast in bed without guidance from an adult.

Spoilt!!

Normally I am not *all about the presents*: I'm more of an attention hound, soaking up lots of love.

Well today, I admit, I was all about the present. But I think after I tell you about it, you will see why.

(insert melodic "earlier that day" harp music)

There I was, propped up in our bed with my lovely husband Mark next to me, the children were all excited about giving me my presents.

I should mention, Mark spent all last night giggling to himself about his present, so I knew he was pretty chuffed with his efforts this year.

First up, Boo hands me a beautifully wrapped present; being three, she took it straight back instructing that she must open it for me!

What do you know, a book!

Woo hoo!!

I love books.

I love French stuff.

Happy days!

Next, my two little men gave me a hand made card with a beautifully drawn Eiffel Tower on the front.

My eldest little man and I had been printing Paris maps on fabric together over the weekend, so I was proud he was paying attention to what I like.

You know.

French stuff.

My present was a new scarf and beanie. Beautiful! We are coming into cooler weather, so this is perfect for watching them play their outdoor weekend sports. A beautiful, logical and thoughtful gift.

Finally, my lovely husband handed me a gorgeous card with some cryptic message that the squirrel with nuts on the front (the card itself says "that's nuts, your not that old". Bless him.) is a distant hint to the present. Okay....?

He hands me my present. It's another wrapped book.

What?!

Eloquent, I know.

Now I have to explain that Mark has this way about him, that when he knows that he has me completely speechless, he just blinks at me.

I kid you not.

He has these big blue peepers; he gets this look on his face and he blinks.

The truth is, behind those big blue eyes is a man performing a happy dance, giving himself a hi-five and yelling out "score!".

I finally managed to squeak out a few incoherent questions which enabled me to properly put the puzzle together.

The scarf and beanie are actually (if I looked closer), a scarf and BERET.
There are squirrels in Paris.

There may have been a little grinding sound as my caffeine deprived brain finally moved into gear.

It turns out, we are going to enjoy Paris in Autumn this September as a combined birthday and anniversary present.

Yup!!

Now, I won't lie, I spent my birthday a little bit dazed and stunned.  Mark on the other hand; well, the little dancing man in his head had finally escaped, so he was proudly strutting around, proud as punch!

I love Autumn. I was born in Autumn. We got married in Autum. What's not to love about Autumn!! Forget Spring; for me, Autumn is the season of love.

And I am in love with my husband who is,...well, he is the bees knees!!

Love you baby!!

Have a thoroughly happy day everyone,

Hugs

Cath
x

PS - all tips, hints and recommendations for where to go in Paris are *very* welcome. x

Proud Mumma stopping by....

Hi all

This is only a quick post as I am just out of bed (I have a lovely ear and sinus infection - hopefully I am the last sickie in the family for the rest of Winter!) to share exciting news.

Yesterday at school assembly my little man was awarded a "White Card" - THE card of recognition - for:

"An absolutely Awesome 'S' day costume"

for his Shredder costume!

Way to go little man - you may be a little left of centre and think way out of the box, but THAT is what makes you, you!!

Have a super day!

Cath
x

Paper shredder to wear!?

Good afternoon everyone - how is your week treating you so far?

Mine has been quite lovely and I was excited to take our little chicklette to her first dance class this morning - though today it is raining, which is lovely, but certainly makes for a very sleepy day. Now she is having a nap and I just want to snuggle under a blanket and have a nice nap too - but I am happy to settle for a cup of coffee and a chat with you lovely folks instead :-)

Now this week, whilst waiting for the paint to dry (literally), I had a different creative challenge to keep me going: I was informed yesterday that this Friday at school is dress as something starting with "S". My eldest lovely said he was going to go as a Sports player...he refined it to Soccer player once he realised he could wear shin pads to school ;-) My youngest little man tells me:

"I want to be a Shredder!"

Hmmmm,...

"A paper shredder?!" I ask.

"Yup! I thought I could go as the Sock man, but I think a shredder is way cooler!"

Awesome!!

So we put our creative hats on and together came up with his costume.

You will need to excuse the very (VERY!) dodgy photos; my phone is taking all my photos at the moment, until I find the charger for the camera!

We used a box from Aldi; lots of black paint; some milk bottle lids for our ON and OFF buttons; some coloured cardstock; white ink and some printed "lines" - I thought what would be better to shred for a school dress-up, than some "lines"! I admit I pinched these from Barts "blackboard lines" on the Simpsons.

So my little man is shredding;

"Funny noises are not funny"

"I do not have power of attorney for first graders" (he is in first grade)

"I will not teach others to fly"

"The boys toilet is not a water park"

...you get the drift ;-)

I did tell him that I could also do the Sock-man, if he wanted to do that - afterall, I have oodles of single socks in the "single sock" basket that we could use! It would certainly put them to use ;-) But no, paper shredder it is!!

The really fun part of this process, was that I bought myself a glue gun!! I can't wait to start sticking lots of stuff now... LOL

Have an awesome day and be back with you soon.

Cath
xoxo