Carla's Project

While I was in Brisbane, Carla decided to start giving her furniture a bit of a facelift. It was looking dark and heavy and tired, and she's young and pretty and vibrant, so it just made sense. We decided to start with a big piece - her dining table. Here's Kai helping out with the sanding - he did a great job!

She has a gorgeous new dinner set which is where we chose her colours from, and look how fantastic it turned out!

We gave it two coats of the turquoise/green colour, and then two coats of antique white and distressed it along the edges. It's just so fresh and pretty.

I can't wait to see what she does next!

Sanding Sanding Sanding

So the last couple of days have been floor sanding, broken up with a bit of veggie gardening and a bit of pool filter installation. Thanks to my very uneven floor, I think I'm going to be doing a lot on my hands and knees, as the Beast is not getting it all. Here we are so far.

Yes, still a long way to go. The veggie garden is looking like a garden now. Look!

This trough has been very handy - we first dragged it into the garden for our wedding - we filled it with ice and it was our giant esky/bar. Did a pearler of a job, too. And we've never quite gotten around to removing it, so I decided it was time to put it to good use.

I'm most proud of this effort - look, she's all plumbed in!

I had to completely redo the pipes between the pump and filter, the salt-thingie and filter, and the waste pipe, plus I spun the salt-thing around to make the back more accessible for cleaning the cell. It has to sit for 24 hours for the glue to dry (yes, I was quite liberal with it, also messy), and then I can give it a test run. Fingers crossed it all goes to plan and I don't end up with leaks or explosions. I'm pretty happy with that!

 

Meanwhile, while I was playing plumber, Vicki was asleep and Harry was playing inside. Or so I thought. When I went to check on him I found this.

My first thought was that he'd fallen off the loo, but no, he'd settled down for a snooze. The loo paper? Can't explain that!

I really realised today that Vicki is now not a baby. She's a little girl. Look at her... isn't she gorgeous??!

Our final adventure of the day was once again rescuing a bogged lamb. This time I managed to get bogged myself, too, so we shared a moment, the lamb and I. I'm pleased I took my phone out of my pocket first - I've only just had the last one replaced after it fell into the toilet. Don't ask...

The small puddle to the right of the board is mine. I think the lamb must have made his way in, spun around and tried to come back out. Luckily we got to him before the crows plucked his eyes out, the nasty creatures.

 

So that's quite enough adventure for one day. Think it's time for a glass of wine!

 

 

 

 

And a bit of catching up!

Hubby was away mustering in South Australia a couple of weeks ago, so I took the opportunity to head off to Brisbane for my beloved catchup with friends and family, and for a refreshing bustling city boost. It really is lovely out here with the peace and quiet (said as Vicki stands at my knee, bawling), but I do need to experience that city vibe every couple of months. We had a lovely time, came home exhausted (as usual), left those back in the city exhausted (as usual), but it was well worth it.

Harry helped me pack..

 

We witnessed a crash along the way - talk about frightening! It came around the bend rather fast and next thing we knew it was somersaulting into the air, hit a stand of trees, rolled in the air, hit a star picket, and ended up like this in the paddock.

We were first on the scene, followed by a tourist couple. We found the driver further out in the paddock and eventually he was able to talk and other than a sore arm and some cuts and grazes he seemed fine. Very lucky young man. I do hope he was ok and didn't have internal bleeding or anything. By the time I left the ambulance was on the way and there were lots of people there, including the bloke's best mate, which was great. Tell you what, I was very leisurely for the rest of the drive!

 

Harry got the chop... doesn't he look older!

Vicki got her first hair cut too.

Adorable. She loved her first Sushi roll, as well. Harry used to eat them like they were lollies.

 

I had a pamper day - so good. I had a facial, followed by a hair cut - and I'm back to brunette, and loving it so far. The salon was lovely, peaceful and quiet rather than one of those loud busy nightclub-like ones - they're anything but relaxing! I highly recommend Suzina Melina in Paddington - they were great. The pampering didn't end there, I met my sister at Chermside where we each had a mani/pedi, which was lovely, although we were bounced from technician to technician for some reason. Then off to the movies - a winner of a day. We forgot to take a selfie!!

Friday was "my" day/night. My birthday gift this year from hubby was a night to myself at a hotel - the kids stayed with Mum and Carla, and I caught the train down to Southbank and had a night where I didn't have to take care of anyone except me. It was bliss! I did a little shopping in the city, caught up with a dear friend I hadn't seen in years, and we went out for Turkish. As you do. It was brilliant, one of those friendships where it feels like we only talked last week. Best type of friend, I reckon. We didn't eat much, too busy talking! Here we are...

Isn't she gorgeous? *sigh*... but she's that way inside, as well, and I didn't realise how much I'd missed her until I saw her again. We went for a bit of a drive to the Valley for dessert, it's how we roll. Freestylers. I chopped her head only to squeeze in dessert...lol... (forgive me Ky!)

When I got back to the hotel room, I found this - a perfect end to the evening along with a bit of reading.

Next morning was brekky with another dear friend at Southbank - and of course we had to indulge in a little NitroGenie icecream. Sooo good. Did I mention I carried a little extra baggage in the butt/thigh department on the way home? Oh dear...

Actually, it's all about food really. Look...

Looks pretty pleased, yes? We were at our favourite Paddington cafe, garnering up energy to raid our favourite antique store. And raid we did.

Not all these were MY treasures though...this time...

Fun with the kids at Southbank, painting Carla's furniture, shopping, coffee coffee and more coffee (I actually spent most of one night staring at the ceiling - oops!) - it was a fantastic week.

Aaand... here's a bit more food.

Ciaou!

 

A list...

Oh hello blog. I remember you. We haven't talked in a while, have we. No good! I thought I might snatch a few moments in between ticking off the epic list of tasks I've set for myself this week. Of course, one cup of tea will lead to two, and before I know it it'll be lunch time, but I'll try to control myself.

Speaking of epic tasks, I thought I'd make a little list. The man of the house is away mustering for the next 11 days or so, and boy do I have plans! Here we go...

 

Install the new sand filter for the pool. Ok, I don't have any experience whatsoever with pipes and whatnot, but I reckon I can figure it out.

Speaking of the pool, I need to transforming it from a swampy cesspool of horror to a blue sparkly thing of beauty. Once again, not really in my skillset, but I guess it soon will be, right?

Continue sanding the office floor and get that room set up once and for all. Then I might be a little more organised with the little things, like paying bills. And filing.

Plant a little vegie garden. Just a nice small manageable one within the garden fence, until we have our proper one set up with fencing to keep the pesky sheep out.

Get over and paint the huts - not a big job, but just awkward with Vicki as there's nowhere really suitable for her to play.

Set up the second sitting room.

 

Ok so I'm exhausted reading my list, and I think I'll go back to bed.

 

Just kidding!