Forward planning....

I've bought nothing, wrapped nothing and decorated nothing, but my Easter Holidays are under control. DH and I were discussing which way to head for the first of the two camping trips we do each year, (rather than do something constuctive like Christmas shopping) and we've decided to head north. We've made a tentative booking at Rainbow Beach for 6 days over Easter, and we're hoping to do all the fun stuff we did a few years back when we were last there....horse riding, feeding the dolphins, zen by the sea.....gotta love it. Unfortunately I have to survive Christmas first.
I love having the kids home and not having to be up at the crack of dawn every day, but the heat drives me mental....I turn into a hermit, hiding in the air conditioning and growling at anyone who makes me go outside. I'm seriously considering online grocery shopping this summer, that way I won't have to stick my nose out the door until March. Works for me!!

Fairy Facts

Direct from PLant Freak Texas (thanks Kimberly)....

My fairy is called Hex Jupiterfrost

She is a mysterious and secretive fairy.

She lives in places hexed and tainted by black magic.

She is only seen during the first snow of winter.

She wears black feathers and rose petals. She has soft mauve butterfly wings.

Get your free fairy name here!

Figures!!



Would you be surprised to know that I had a dress very similar to this many years ago??? I knew the eighties would be back to haunt me!!!

Little Drummer Boy

Remember when you were a kid and you had a performance for something and your parents would come and totally embarrass you by cheering really loudly and taking photos at inappropriate times?? Apparantly it's an inherited disease. Sebi had his first ever recital on Saturday and Bruce and I were front row centre with the camera, lol. We're actually lucky we got to go, because we didn't realise the times had been changed until Saturday lunchtime, and we were setting off for the Coast that afternoon, but fortunately we managed to squeeze everything in. And before you ask, yes I did choose that shirt, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to see him behind the drum kit. Too cool for this planet!!

Hulking Out.

Greetings from the recently returned Gold Coasting party animals. No, we weren't at schoolies, with the toolies and the moolies and the woset in the closet and the bofa on the sofa (sorry....Seussed out there for a moment). We (DH & self) were attending his social club's annual slapfest and booze up at Sea World, with the penguins and the dolphins and you get the idea. Although we did drive through schoolie central on our way home this morning and I have to say, I was highly disappointed. Where was the debauchery I was expecting??? Where were the head banging hooners?? At this point DH reminded me that it was ten past nine in the morning and all the schoolies were busy doing their mandatory practice upchucks in preparation for another night of "OMG did you SEE what she DID???? I swear, I would SO not do that in a public phone box. Unless he was WAY hotter than that", so I gave up trying to spot wildlife in order to deal with the fact that DH was turning green and gruesome in the drivers seat. He has a problem, poor man. He's subject to random attacks of Hulking Out, if the other drivers on the road fail to read his mind. And I gotta say, I am OVER IT. Big Time. Frankly, if you're gonna Hulk Out, then get an appropriate vehicle. Like a tank. A 12 year old two door festiva with cling wrap windows does NOT cut it. But try telling that to DH who cursed his way merrily up the motorway pausing only to laugh at the guy next to us in the silver Chrysler who got his portrait painted courtesy of the highway patrol at Yatala. My husband, Hulk Hartwell, terror of the open road. I'm SO proud.

Ho Ho How did I get myself into this???

I can't put it off any longer....today I shop for Christmas presents. I have the brochures, I have the money (thanks Kevin....sorry 'bout that whole voting misunderstanding) and I have my secret weapon. Nanna. Guaranteed to strike fear into the hearts of even the most dedicated bargain hunters. Add a trolley to her ferocious five foot frame (ouch...swallowed my dentures) and she's a force to be reckoned with. Wind her up and let her rip, then follow in her wake, collecting the spoils of war....that Nintendo Wii is in the bag!!!

Storm Season

has hit with a vengeance....yesterday while we got rain and a bit of thunder at Mt Gravatt, friends of ours at The Gap lost their roof in the worst storm in over 20 years. They are foruntately OK, although their entire house is several inches deep in water. They had a beautiful native garden, where I spent many happy hours exploring as a child, which has been completely destroyed. They are nothing if not resilient, though....as soon as they can hoist their caravan back onto it's blocks (HOW strong was the wind??) they're planning to live on site while their house is rebuilt. Not bad for a couple in their seventies!!

Hee Hee

Check Out my Chick

I've been marketing again....look what I picked up at the local flea market this morning....isn't she GORGEOUS???? And a total steal at $4. In her previous life I think she was a cookie jar, but now she sits on my workbench and holds all my alcohol inks. All I need now is a cow and a pig and I'll be completely happy.