Hey there...a very quick post just to say hello to everyone. Am actually taking 5 mins at work to do this one...naughty I know but I will take it out of my lunch hour I promise!!!
As I said this is just a very quick line to say hello before we dash out of town for a couple of days. I think I have mentioned it before - the Chief Clansman is meeting up with a bunch of old school mates for a day of golf at the illustrious Bonville Golf Course at Coffs Harbour - well that is happening this week. The children and I are tagging along purely with the hope of catching some sun and surf after what has been a long, cold winter (which continues I might add). So I hope to get away from work on time, duck home and start packing....YAY!!! I am really looking forward to it and aim to do not much more than lie by the pool and read a book while the children swim, eat some beautiful fresh fruit and veg bought along the way from our favourite fruit and veg shop just outside of Bello and that is about it...who could ask for more!
We have been busy at home over the last few weeks doing what started as a few jobs around the house but has ended up being a relatively major reno project!! I will post some photos around that on another day - but I have to say that it is looking pretty good.
Well I guess I have used my five minutes up now so had better get back to it...but I hope to bring you some photos of our fun in the sun when we return from our little getaway!
Cheers
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Wee Waa 40
I know, I know, finally a post about the WW40.
For those of you not in the know there is a group of fantastic people that I am blessed to be able to call my friends. These are people that I have known since kindergarten, with a couple of newer ones thrown in, and despite all living in various parts of the country we all still keep in touch and try very hard to stay involved in each others lives.
Over the last 18 months we have all turned 40 and so we organised recently to all meet back in good old Wee Waa and have a combined 40th birthday celebration. It was fantastic - after the first 5mins, once I realised that none of us have changed and it was like we had never been apart. A great time was had by all (from all accounts anyway) and we have all promised to do it again very soon....can someone else organise that one though please?
Following are some photos - and I would like to acknowlge the work of Paul, Jo, Michael and Merredy in getting these out so quickly -I haven't even managed to download mine from my camera yet - I have, however, finally managed to unpack my suitcase!!!!
the WW40 Crew
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the cake
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a few of us 
a few more of us
There is nothing quite like your old friends...
In a couple of weeks we are off to the beach to join up with the Chief Clansman's old school buddies as they partake in their "Tour de40" so we get to do it all again. I will let you know how that one goes...
early morning...
Well here I am in the very wee hours of Friday morning. Can't sleep...again! This is not entirely unusual for me and can be attributed to any number of things. This morning it is work related and that really annoys the crap out of me to say the very least. Too many hours are wasted on work as it is without adding the early morning hours as well - anyway I thought that perhaps a cathartic "blechh" on the good old blog might see me right. I would ask you all for advice but am still processing a few things, so maybe later...
The Chief Clansman is sleeping quietly next to me, wearing the sleep mask that normally adorns my face to protect him from the glare of the computer - yep, am typing this in bed...way too cold to sit up in the lounge room at this hour of the night/morning - the heater does not click on until 5.40!! Anyway, he doesn't really need the mask as after years in the navy (that was in another lifetime) he has the amazing capacity to sleep in any conditions - but he is humouring me...bless!
Number one son has just switched off the TV after watching some Olympic style basketball, so the house is,once again, blissfully quiet, other than the annoying tapping of the computer keys...oh hang on, that's me!!! Ahh well (see previous post)
Sooo, what to tell you all I wonder. I have been very busy lately, not just with work but around the house as well. I have been painting - and once I finish scraping the paint off the windows, hang some blinds back up and hang some curtains I will have officially finished my second room. I do feel a bit pleased with myself. Mind you it does come at a cost - the rest of the house has been completely neglected for the past four weeks and as per previous post it is still largely not fit for human habitation - but I am getting there and can now see some light at the end of the tunnel...thank goodness.
My piggy queen is coming to visit this weekend which I am so looking forward to. The Piggy Queen, Lynnoi, MrsShortz and myself, have been lucky enough over the last couple of years to get away on our own for a "Girls Weekend" - this has so far seen us driving to Brisvegas where we saw "The Boy From OZ" and became Hugh Jackman's 'Armidale friends' (I will tell you more about that another time) and last year we had a weekend in Melbourne where we shopped, drank, ate and laughed and laughed. This year though we all seem to have way too much on to commit to going away anywhere so the Piggy Queen is coming to us and we get to have our weekend close to home this year - before she and her family wing their way to Africa at the end of September (lucky ducks). It will, unfortunately, be a very quick weekend and will actually be not so much a weekend as a dinner and maybe a movie - but I am totally grateful for whatever time with them I can get.
Hmmmm what else can I tell you. The children are all well. The Number One son (previously referred to as the recalcitrant one) finally got a job yesterday. He has been employed by Subway!! To say that he has finally got a job is not entirely fair I guess though as he does have his basketball refereeing that he has been doing for awhile but is only three (sometimes four) sessions a week. But use of the word finally is justified I think when you consider that he signed himself out of school at the beginning of term and has been hanging around the house ever since - completely, I might add, ruining my two days a week leave from work, that were meant to be my first childfree days in almost 17 years!!!! So I have made it very clear he is to seek shifts (double if necessary) on Thursdays and Fridays so that I can get back to enjoying some "home alone" time!!! Anyway, we can only hope that this is the start of great things for him.
First born daughter is still doing well at holding down her three jobs and keeping her grades up at school at the same time. She has recently chucked in piano though which has lightened her load a little I guess. She was supremely frustrated with piano lessons as they were just not challenging enough for her - she is one clever cookie that one, has a great ear, great voice, great composition skills and will, no doubt, go far.
The rest of them are all doing well at their things with the "little" boys coming to the end of their soccer and hockey seasons and the "little" girls coming to the end of netball. They are an interesting mix to say the least - all very clever in their own way - and all very different, which is of course as it should be...six children is an awful lot really, when you think about it...and I say that seriously I am not trying to be funny - but they are all so different and all need different things from you that when you stop and think about it, it is no wonder that most of the time the Chief Clansman and I feel stretched to the limit. Which is, I guess, why we don't stop and think about it too much - for one thing, who the hell has the time to think!!!
Ahh well...
The Chief Clansman is sleeping quietly next to me, wearing the sleep mask that normally adorns my face to protect him from the glare of the computer - yep, am typing this in bed...way too cold to sit up in the lounge room at this hour of the night/morning - the heater does not click on until 5.40!! Anyway, he doesn't really need the mask as after years in the navy (that was in another lifetime) he has the amazing capacity to sleep in any conditions - but he is humouring me...bless!
Number one son has just switched off the TV after watching some Olympic style basketball, so the house is,once again, blissfully quiet, other than the annoying tapping of the computer keys...oh hang on, that's me!!! Ahh well (see previous post)
Sooo, what to tell you all I wonder. I have been very busy lately, not just with work but around the house as well. I have been painting - and once I finish scraping the paint off the windows, hang some blinds back up and hang some curtains I will have officially finished my second room. I do feel a bit pleased with myself. Mind you it does come at a cost - the rest of the house has been completely neglected for the past four weeks and as per previous post it is still largely not fit for human habitation - but I am getting there and can now see some light at the end of the tunnel...thank goodness.
My piggy queen is coming to visit this weekend which I am so looking forward to. The Piggy Queen, Lynnoi, MrsShortz and myself, have been lucky enough over the last couple of years to get away on our own for a "Girls Weekend" - this has so far seen us driving to Brisvegas where we saw "The Boy From OZ" and became Hugh Jackman's 'Armidale friends' (I will tell you more about that another time) and last year we had a weekend in Melbourne where we shopped, drank, ate and laughed and laughed. This year though we all seem to have way too much on to commit to going away anywhere so the Piggy Queen is coming to us and we get to have our weekend close to home this year - before she and her family wing their way to Africa at the end of September (lucky ducks). It will, unfortunately, be a very quick weekend and will actually be not so much a weekend as a dinner and maybe a movie - but I am totally grateful for whatever time with them I can get.
Hmmmm what else can I tell you. The children are all well. The Number One son (previously referred to as the recalcitrant one) finally got a job yesterday. He has been employed by Subway!! To say that he has finally got a job is not entirely fair I guess though as he does have his basketball refereeing that he has been doing for awhile but is only three (sometimes four) sessions a week. But use of the word finally is justified I think when you consider that he signed himself out of school at the beginning of term and has been hanging around the house ever since - completely, I might add, ruining my two days a week leave from work, that were meant to be my first childfree days in almost 17 years!!!! So I have made it very clear he is to seek shifts (double if necessary) on Thursdays and Fridays so that I can get back to enjoying some "home alone" time!!! Anyway, we can only hope that this is the start of great things for him.
First born daughter is still doing well at holding down her three jobs and keeping her grades up at school at the same time. She has recently chucked in piano though which has lightened her load a little I guess. She was supremely frustrated with piano lessons as they were just not challenging enough for her - she is one clever cookie that one, has a great ear, great voice, great composition skills and will, no doubt, go far.
The rest of them are all doing well at their things with the "little" boys coming to the end of their soccer and hockey seasons and the "little" girls coming to the end of netball. They are an interesting mix to say the least - all very clever in their own way - and all very different, which is of course as it should be...six children is an awful lot really, when you think about it...and I say that seriously I am not trying to be funny - but they are all so different and all need different things from you that when you stop and think about it, it is no wonder that most of the time the Chief Clansman and I feel stretched to the limit. Which is, I guess, why we don't stop and think about it too much - for one thing, who the hell has the time to think!!!
Ahh well...
Thursday, August 7, 2008
touching base
Just to let you all know that I am still here! Have been very busy lately re-constructing our house - children are on the move, rooms have been painted, curtains have been hung, heaters have been installed, ovens have blown up, cooktops are missing bits, new ovens and cooktops have been ordered, snow has been waited for, soccer has been played, netball has been played, hockey has been played, work has been attended, school has been attended, mice have been caught, other nocturnal visitors have been heard, gardens have been watered, skips have been filled, Austar boxes have blown up, Mystar has been ordered, clothes have been washed, birthdays are being counted down, knitting has been done, coffee's have been had, red wine has been drunk, inventive meals have been created...and all that just since last Thursday!!!!
Whewww no wonder I feel tired!!!
And unfortunately it is not finished yet...I would show you a picture of what the house currently looks like , but truly, it would give you nightmares!!
See ya.
Whewww no wonder I feel tired!!!
And unfortunately it is not finished yet...I would show you a picture of what the house currently looks like , but truly, it would give you nightmares!!
See ya.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
ahh well...
This is always being said in our house and is slowly encroaching its way into the vernacular of a few family members and several friends. It is a very useful little saying...you fell over pet...ahh well, cricket rained out AGAIN...ahh well, I didn't get the job I went for today and really wanted...ahh well (I can only think that the universe has something else in mind for me - we will wait and see I guess).
I am in real need of serious blog time but alas alack I do not think it is going to happen tonight. I am in the first stages of a cold (you know how horrible that is don't you?) and it is perhaps the most cold, miserable night of the winter so far - so things are a little bleak here...ahh well.
Maybe tomorrow the sun will be shining and I may well be seduced by a spot in the sun where I can perch my trusty laptop on my knee and tap away to my hearts content and tell you all what I have been up to...maybe, maybe not...ahh well.
I am in real need of serious blog time but alas alack I do not think it is going to happen tonight. I am in the first stages of a cold (you know how horrible that is don't you?) and it is perhaps the most cold, miserable night of the winter so far - so things are a little bleak here...ahh well.
Maybe tomorrow the sun will be shining and I may well be seduced by a spot in the sun where I can perch my trusty laptop on my knee and tap away to my hearts content and tell you all what I have been up to...maybe, maybe not...ahh well.
Friday, July 11, 2008
sombre...or joyful?
Listening to the Rufus Wainright version of Hallelujah (yes ok, it is a favourite of ours...any version) - but this one is a little more sombre than others I think (bit ironic considering its origins)...anyway at the same time reading another Blog about knitting and it reminded me of my current project (well one of anyway). I was terribly affected by the recent passing of the beautiful Jane McGrath - I don't know why, I didn't know her personally, but her strength, her courage and her obvious commitment to her husband and family has always struck a chord with me and while I guess I knew her illness would have its obvious conclusion it hurt and upset me more than I thought anything like that would - (to the point where the boss offered me compassionate leave because he could see I was so upset!!) To be fair though I was less upset and more just plain cross that this woman had been taken away from all who loved her... anyway the upshot of this is that the first born girl and her friend Ezzy Mez are in the process of organising a girl's night in and I am knitting pink socks for all attendees (see the connection now to the blog re knitting...sorry if it took a while). Anyway we are working toward a great night with all of us in snuggly pink socks and raising lots of money for a great cause. I look forward to showing you many photos of the night when it happens.
Just wanted to get that out there!
Cheers
Just wanted to get that out there!
Cheers
And so to Friday...
Soooo...finally it is Friday AND it is the school holidays. So the past week has not been quite the nightmare it usually is. The Chief Clansman and first and second born boys arrived back home to much frivolity on Monday night...will add the photos of that later...the camera is soooooo far away and so cannot possibly download!!! Ahh well. I have had my three days at work...I still cannot help but say that smugly...working three days a week is simply sublime...but alas, alack I am sure it will not last forever, so please forgive me if I crow about it a little more...and have now commenced 11 days leave!! Yeehah!!! That is of course 11 days in total...really only 5 work days (thanks to the new arrangements) BUT 11 days nonetheless!!! The true beauty of all this is of course that the children are on school holidays so we have been able to kiss goodbye to the whole school/work routine!!! YAY! No yelling to get people out of bed in the mornings, no lunches to pack, no extra curricular activities to get them to and (the best of all) NO WEEKEND SPORT!!!!!!!! Life is truly good!!
The hols have been quiet so far. Have just, however, farewelled our Canadian friends for the evening...have had a lovely time with them (they are truly hilarious and I do so enjoy educating them in the Australian way) - as well as getting some free psychological advice from Mr Canada (who lectures in the subject) re recalcitrant youth - with the added delight of a free firework show courtesy to 1. Holy Smoke who put it on, and 2. Our location which puts us in perfect viewing sight of O'Connor Catholic College where the festivities were taking place for, you guessed it, WYDSYD08 - yes it even affects us out here in the boondocks!!! Positive so far though! Well, come on, who doesn't love fireworks?
We are now sitting back and continuing to imbibe and listening to a few tunes on my poddy. Oasis on at the moment...what can I say?...it has been an eclectic mix so far though with KD Lang's version of Hallelujah (indeed), Dire Straits, The Smiths, Oasis and now a bit of Chisel....the fun WILL continue with possibly a selection from High School Musical!!! Well, I did say it was eclectic!!!!
The holidays will continue next week when myself and a couple of offspring (still to be confirmed) are off to the home of my birth...good old WW...
We are onto Crowded House now on the hit parade.....VERY nostalgic to say the least...
The hols have been quiet so far. Have just, however, farewelled our Canadian friends for the evening...have had a lovely time with them (they are truly hilarious and I do so enjoy educating them in the Australian way) - as well as getting some free psychological advice from Mr Canada (who lectures in the subject) re recalcitrant youth - with the added delight of a free firework show courtesy to 1. Holy Smoke who put it on, and 2. Our location which puts us in perfect viewing sight of O'Connor Catholic College where the festivities were taking place for, you guessed it, WYDSYD08 - yes it even affects us out here in the boondocks!!! Positive so far though! Well, come on, who doesn't love fireworks?
We are now sitting back and continuing to imbibe and listening to a few tunes on my poddy. Oasis on at the moment...what can I say?...it has been an eclectic mix so far though with KD Lang's version of Hallelujah (indeed), Dire Straits, The Smiths, Oasis and now a bit of Chisel....the fun WILL continue with possibly a selection from High School Musical!!! Well, I did say it was eclectic!!!!
The holidays will continue next week when myself and a couple of offspring (still to be confirmed) are off to the home of my birth...good old WW...
We are onto Crowded House now on the hit parade.....VERY nostalgic to say the least...
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