In which we get to go out like normal people

They say it never rains but it pours.

I hardly ever get to go out for a meal, let alone a movie,
and then suddenly I have three days of
restaurants and movies.
Yey!

While the girls were at camp Steve and I had two date nights.
On Wednesday night we had a delicious dinner at a local bar & grill.
I had Morrocan Lamb Rump, (on a stack of grilled vegetables and a bed of hummus).
Steve had a Seafood Mornay Pie.
(unfortunately I didn't take any photos of our yummy meals,
just one of the pretty lights in our mall).

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Then we headed to the cinema and saw Edge of Tomorrow
with Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.
I panicked a little when I saw the ads before the movie,
firstly because they were so loud 
(especially for someone who recently got her hearing back in one ear!)
and secondly because the movies advertised were all very sci-fi.
Thankfully the movie was at a more reasonable volume
and the sci-fi element was only a small part of Edge of Tomorrow.
 We liked the action/Groundhog Day mix.
It was pretty quiet out,
seems that all the normal people were home,
watching the State of Origin match.
There was only one other person in theatre,
we enjoyed our back row seats ;-)


On Thursday night we went to our favourite local Thai restaurant,
and enjoyed Garlic Lamb and Satay Chicken, on Saffron Rice.
Yum.

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At the video shop we found the movie I was looking for -
Populaire.
I loved this movie.
Think: 1950s, France (and in French!), secretaries, typing competitions,
50s songs and 1950s style title animation.
Loved.

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What more can I say?  See it.

On Friday I had lunch out with my good friends Fiona & Tanya.
I don't think I've been out for lunch since my birthday in September!

Over my gourmet chicken burger (GF!)
and their fish & chips and barramundi
we (quite unintentionally) came up with plans to
reorganise all sorts of things at church.
Now we just have to persuade our minister. Lol.

After lunch I rushed to collect the girls from school,
and found myself in a traffic jam of about 10 buses, 700 girls and
250 parents.  Not sure why the school thought it was a good idea
for all the camps to finish at the same time...

And on Friday night (while eating a good steak with the yummiest butternut pumpkin ever)
Steve and I watched 12 Years a Slave.

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Which was also really good.  Powerful. But harrowing.

Yesterday, we returned to normal life.
No fancy meals, no movies ... just some good memories.

Winter morning

I wake to the alarm, the sound of flute arpeggios, and hit snooze.

My face feels cold, and I snuggle my nose under the heavy doona,

but a few minutes later, I feel too hot.  

I push the doona off my left shoulder and that 10cms of cold is enough

for me to float quickly back into slumber.

Steve takes Emily to band practice, and I open one eye to say goodbye to them.

I see golden light outside, the warm cloud cover has gone,

yesterday's red sunset was right, today is a shepherd's delight.

I hit snooze another couple more times, but finally I step out into the cold house

and am soon in a hot shower.

Laura, determined to go to school today,

is hopping around on her crutches. 

She offers to make her lunch and I don't say no.

I realise she can't manage the bus with crutches, 

so at 8.15 I drive her to school, and stop off at Coles afterwards

for milk, remembering to bring the milk home this time.

I am tired from the weekend, but thankfully not dizzy, 

and looking forward to sitting and resting.

By 9.00 I am finally eating my breakfast of boiled eggs,

and reading Down to Earth. 

 I see Rhonda has sorted out her laundry,

something I was planning to do today. 

Ahem.

Maybe tomorrow ...

After just 5 minutes of reading without glasses (oops) I have a headache,

so I head outside to hang out yesterday's washing,

which has been on clotheshorses in the living room for 24hrs.

It is about 12 deg by now, but since the washing is already half dry, my fingers

don't get too cold.

I stop to admire my patterned legs.

And, back inside by the heater, the scarf I crocheted last year to match my jeans.

The phone rings, it is Steve, and I find out that while I was outside,

Laura was trying to contact me from school, she is just too tired and sore

from her scooter stack on the weekend.

So, I drive back to school to collect her at 10.00am.

We come home and have morning tea,

the inside temperature is just 13deg.

I turn the heater up to 'high',

and finally get to sit down for half an hour,

I sign up to this newsletter

and email to Mum on my ipad,

this time wearing my glasses.

I hang out another load of washing,

and head to the computer to upload my photos, 

wanting to hold on to the morning, and its goodness,

despite the few hiccups to the plan.

***

Emily will be home at lunchtime, and then I will go and do some stamping

with a small group of primary students, at the school where our church meets.

I will be teaching  them the joys of brayering.

Then I will come home and teach 6 piano students.

I'll be even tireder tonight

 - but tomorrow there's another winter morning 

to look forward to.

Winter Evening

Brrr! It's cold outside.

The girls and I came home this afternoon

from a church weekend away,

not far away, just a couple of valleys over, really.

We had a wonderful time.

Talks on Ecclesiastes (and Hebrews, for the girls)

by visiting speakers; getting to know a young African man

our church is sponsoring through bible college;

chatting, crocheting and a campfire;

a family fun night that really was fun;

a walk in the late afternoon sun past lovely properties, 

with more chatting, as we spotted scarecrows and vegetable patches;

late-night port and playing Articulate;

camp food that even I could eat;

good times reading the bible, thinking, discussing and learning.

And now we are home,

which is always a good place to be.

There's a bit of unpacking mess around,

and some rest and sleep to catch up on.

After a sit on the sofa reading some favourite blogs

I felt energetic enough to do some baking.

Steve and I made these carob cookies,

which are super-easy and yummy.

Emily has been finishing off an ancient history essay,

and Laura is nursing a sore foot, she had a scooter stack

while we were at the campsite, a sock and shoe were casualties,

as well as her foot, which has a sort of burn from the bitumen.

(At the time of Laura's spill I was frantically doing a jigsaw puzzle of 

Romans 1:16 with ten or so other people, to earn 30 points

for our team, so much more fun than it sounds, 

especially when we won ;-)

Just as well we have those crutches Laura chose once at the op shop ...

It's not often I would wear a polar fleece jacket inside

and still be sitting or hovering right by the heater, 

but this afternoon I am.

There has been a gorgeous sunset,

I braved the chill winds to get some photos.

Tomorrow we go back to normal routine, 

but just for two days,

then the girls head to school camps,

leaving Steve and I home alone in the old house ...

... I guess we'll manage somehow ...

So, it's been a good weekend.  Lots to think about
and lots to appreciate, both there, and back home.
God is good.

Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, 
and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot 
and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. 
They seldom reflect on the days of their life, 
because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

- Ecclesiastes 5:19-20

A birthday card

A card for a friend's birthday.

Despite my best intentions, there have not been 

cards for all occasions this year.

There have been some more spontaneous cards, though,

some "hello" cards, and "get well soon".

This particular friend with a birthday this weekend 

will be amazed to receive her card on time for once.

Unfortunately she had to move to the other side of the country

for it to happen :-(

I've been tidying my craft room lately,

and am determined to use up my scraps.

This card was put together using a flower

I made a few years ago,

and some pretty patterned paper from my stash,

all retired Stampin' Up! products.

The fact is, I have way too many scraps of retired and current card

not to mention lots of stamped images and embellishments and pretty papers.

I'm planning to make cards all year and then hold a stall

with all proceeds going to Compassion.

That's the plan, anyway.

* * *

In other news, today is the 6-week mark since my ear surgery.

While I'm mostly better, I am still dizzy occasionally and tireder than usual.

I'm expecting it to take another 6 weeks or so to get back to my full strength,

and am holding off getting back into some activities until next term.

So I'm still taking each day as it comes, and am enjoying ...

slower mornings

crocheting & knitting 

sitting on the verandah in the cool late afternoon, under a rug

sunshowers

working through shorter to-do lists

reading in the afternoons by the heater

watching some old shows

feeling more relaxed with a few less activities on.

What are you enjoying these days?

Afternoon Tea Party

Afternoon tea today for Mum's birthday.

Chips, crackers and dips

Sausage rolls and party pies,

Cheese and spinach savouries.

Homemade gluten-free sausage rolls

(yum)

Sandwiches: egg, chicken, pesto, cream cheese & sultanas

(gluten-free & regular varieties)

Blueberry Almond Birthday Cake GF

Swedish Chocolate Cake GF

Caramel Creams GF

100s and 1000s biscuits GF

Armenian Nutmeg Cake GF

Choc Chip Cookies

Peach and Date slice

Chocolate Cupcakes

Everyone brought a plate of food or drink,

I made most of the gluten-free foods.

We decorated the table with some butterflies

(cut from an op-shop copy of Pride & Prejudice)

and pretty labels for each dish.

I pulled out all my pretty vintage china

and a vintage embroidered tablecloth.

I bought some pretty pink-edged lizianthus,

and my aunt & co. surprised me with a lovely

arrangement of proteas in a gorgeous pot.

(a late "thinking of you" gift for my surgery!)

It was lovely to see most of the family again,

there were about 20 of us, and to celebrate Mum's birthday

A good way to spend a winter afternoon.

And a good way to spend this winter evening:

eating leftovers and watching To Kill a Mockingbird.

Out and about again

The last few days I've started to go out and about a bit more.

After 5 weeks it is finally getting easier.

On Sunday I drove us girls to church.

About a block from home I started feeling dizzy already,

it was not an easy drive, and I didn't feel that great in church.

But I felt better than the previous Sunday, so can see progress.

Yesterday I needed a day at home, and was teaching piano from 4-7pm.

Today ... drumroll ...

I drove and shopped and drove and shopped.

I drove to the orthodontist, then to school.

I drove to Coles to buy some milk.

$85.00 later (you know how it is?) I left Coles.

I drove home, and realised I'd left the milk at the checkout!

Of all things to leave ...

I drove back to Coles.

This afternoon I drove the girls to the shops

and to the library.

I drove home.

Later I drove Emily to ballet in the dark.

I tell you, it is like getting my Ps all over again.

Lots of 'firsts'.

First time in the dark.

First time in traffic.

First time in the shopping centre carpark.

First time letting the girls chatter in the back seat while I drive 

Hopefully after today I can just move on and not think about it anymore.

I'm feeling less dizzy and more energetic

and I think the brain fog has left for good now. 

Thank goodness.

On Saturday I'm hosting afternoon tea here for 24 or so family members,

for Mum's birthday. 

It's good to have a project to work towards.

At the library was an exhibition of knitted and crocheted scenes

called Yarning Our Country - apparently a cooperative effort of 

200 knitters of all ages from all over NSW, including some local knitters.

I was glad I could take a few quick photos on my phone,

they were really cleverly done, and one can't stand staring at them forever at the library.

There must have been thousands of knitting-hours put into these creations.

The first one above was a water and tree scene, complete with leaf garland and knitted birdlife.

And I just noticed the Kermit-style frogs in the background, very cute.

This one was a picnic scene with an amazing backdrop, more leafy bunting,

 bush critters, trees, and people looking a bit uncertain about their picnic.

And look at the chicks in their nest!

I loved this farm scene with another amazing (but smaller) embroidered background.

I just wanted to sit down and play with this one, to be honest.

This scene was much smaller, but very effective, with so many colourful flowers.

Loved the tulips and daffodils.  

You can see more of this exhibition here.

On the kitchen bench

I was rewarded for forcing myself out the door this morning to go for a walk.

I'm hoping that if I keep pushing myself to be active in the mornings

the dizziness might improve.

(The plan doesn't seem to be working, but it does help to alleviate boredom).

So I dragged Emily out for a walk around the block

and we came upon a garage sale - the most interesting kind

where the entire c1960s contents of the house are on sale.

I was most restrained and just bought this cute Pyrex casserole dish ($2)

- I've always wanted a snowflake Pyrex casserole dish :)

and I love the size of it, great for veges and small dishes;

and a sweet little jug ($1), just a cheap reproduction, but it makes me happy.

And we bought a wheelbarrow, but that doesn't fit on the kitchen bench.

And actually, now I remember that it's still at the garage sale,
waiting for Steve to collect it later.
I couldn't wheel it home, and Emily wouldn't.
Lucky for her - when we got home there were two cute boys on the doorstep
collecting for the Salvation Army.  Bad enough to be seen carrying a casserole dish, 
let alone pushing a wheelbarrow!

Also on the bench today,

pears in a cute white bowl given to me by my mother-in-law,

and a finger.

A plaster-cast, creepily realistic mold of Laura's finger,

complete with Laura's favourite turquoise nailpolish,

made in a science class some time ago ...

which somehow last week appeared on the bench 

and seems in no hurry to leave.

Adding a certain something to the everyday kitchen vignette.

* * *

Hope you are enjoying your Saturday.