Morgans new hat band

How cool is this hat band?

I spied it at the show and bought it for Morgan as his bush hat had no hatband.  the leather worker is an old dude who works from his tent and goes round the shows.

I've just sewn it on ( you know the stuff you do when you have nothing to do.. I still have a pile of mending glaring at me from the corner.. I think i'll throw a box over it to save the guilt.

Anyway-  its kangaroo leather and is so unique... am thinking I might have to buy one for me too!

Lilly and the Lizards

Birthday Planning

Don't let it said that my two aren't planners... Morgan has already insisted that this is the design he wants for his birthday cake.. in April.

Kinda cute huh?

Stanthorpe Show

It was too hard to choose just one photo to typify the day - so I have gone with a few... and yes - its a little late - but with no internet access up there - kinda makes things a bit more interesting to keep in contact...

The first one is my hat and stewards badge. I spent the morning assisting the judges in some of the sheep categories.

Whats a show with out the clowns?

or in that vein - facepaint?

or fireworks..

Teacher in a Box

Got a call at 7.55 am this morning.. and I am not embarrassed to say - I was sound asleep.. class started at 8.30 and its a 15 min drive.. so it was skates on all round.

I still had my teacher in a box stuff from last year  - and am kicking myself that I wasn't more organised ( as I had planned..)

Had an awesome day - which is saying something as its one of the schools I swore I'd not go back to and it was with the class that .. well - most needed something stronger than the discipline the state school could hand out.

Just goes to show huh?

This is a photo of my box and prize box of goodies at lunchtime outside the classroom.

Australia Day Drinks

The Exploding Teaching Cupboard

humm might have to do a story about this for kids....

and there I go again - procrastinating.

This is my shame - my teaching resources cupboard which I swore I was going to sort out, get into files and have all beautifully catalogued by the new year.... and its here ... about to explode out the door.

Its on my list.. really...

First Day back

I hadn't planned to post a photo of my kids on their first day back, but its sort of the overwhelming theme on Aussie blogs and FB at the moment.. so will go with the flow.

I've found it delightful to look at other mothers facebook pages and see their little cherubs all bright and scrubbed clean in starched uniforms ready for a new year.  Even if it is remotely, I like to share the experience and thank FB once again for being able to connect people.

However, I have been having issues loading photos onto blogger all night and can't seem to do it..

so, I'll publish this post.. and will have to come back later and add the photo..

I did do it - honestly!

.....much later.... got it to work...yay

The start of my day

As I have been assisting with the 100 Stories for Queensland, I usually start my day opening up the submissions page and reading while I sip a cuppa.

I love my cup and saucer set. (given to me for my last birthday.) Elegant and functional - and huge..

Note to self - I must take a photo of my really fancy cup and saucer I reserve for being super posh.

Birthday Gifts

The great unopening is always a highlight of any party.

Morgan and Lilly - although they knew what was in the present - were so excited they wanted to open the gift they had brought to the party themselves.

City Sights After the Flood

We spend today wandering around the city. In parts, I was amazed at how quickly normality had returned. In others, horrified at the damage and long term issues the flood has caused.

A week on and carparks are still filled with water.  Basements filled with water.  These trucks are working 24 - 7 pumping it out.  The streets are lined with trucks and workmen, all slathered in mud

Pay it Forward ....Made by me with love.

In August, I came across a 'pay it forward' craft thing over at  Miss Money Quilts .

I'd been feeling pretty guilty about not 'creating things' once a day - as I had intended to earlier in the year, so posted my intention to create something beautiful for people if they replied to my post.... and got nothing... 

Another friend of mine - Rachel has also become involved on FB with it - so  that was my signal to try  again...

Below is the 'official' note about it.

The first five (5) people to respond to this post will get something made by me. 

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully : 

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. What you get is what you get. 

2. What I create will be just for you, with love. 

3. It'll be done this year. Yay.. got most of the year to procrastinate and get it done.. no .. seriously...

4. I will not give you any clue what it's going to be. It may be weird or beautiful. It might be edible, or wearable, or tote-able, or readable. Who knows? 

5. I reserve the right to do something strange or quirky, but I promise not to embarrass you in public ... well, no more so than usual. I also reserve the right to do something fairly predictable and boring, but with, you know, thought and love. 

6. In return, all you need to do is post this text into a note of your own and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to your note. 

IMPORTANT: This offer is null and void if I do not see you post your own note to pay this forward. You MUST tag me in the note so I know you have posted it up.. ok?

Ping me on a message with your postal address - just so I've no excuse NOT to send it.. ok?

So,
You can either blog about it - or put it up as a note on your facebook - or both - as I have.

To be in the 'running' of getting one of my fabulous.. umm things... 

• you need leave your comment here, 
• write up a pay it forward post on your blog or note on your facebook
• Tag or email me to let me know you have done that
• Send me your address 
• Keep the fun going. 
• take a photo of what you are sent and blog about it!

I am looking forward to this sooo much....I hope you can join me  :o)

Getting Ready for School

Ok, I've been unmotivated and in a dream like denial phase - but I can't escape it.. School starts on Monday.  I need ot get all the books covered and named and sort a heap of stuff out for the kids.. I can't even begin on what I *should* have been doing for my teaching resources and all my plans on being super organised for relief work this year.

At least I have it all laid out on the table.. and I will think about starting...

Fruit and Veges run low everywhere

This is a note that is popping up everywhere.  Its at one of my fav juice bars - nothing available as there is no fruit or vegs to be had to juice.

Just seems unbelievable and I think I am still getting my head around it all

Yum Cha

Ok - I am cheating here a bit. This was taken on the weekend but is a memory I wanted to share.  Two familys huddled round tiny table on itsy bitsy stools, drinking chinese tea and sharing yum cha items.  This one was particularly tasty - a savoury rice wrapped in a leaf.

Due to the Floods... a note at Woolworths

And this is just one sign in one shop I am sure shared all around South East Queensland.  Produce lines affected include milk, fruit and veges and alot of the dairy and fresh juice stuff.

It just seems incomprehensible that our suburban shops have empty shelves and will do for days.  Again, something that you expect when you travel - but never in your back yard.

Lilly and the Giant Donut

No - its not James and the giant peach.. its Lilly and the hugest donut I have ever seen!!

We are at the Byron Markets and these are a speciality.  My chocolate filled one was beyond words... hot creamy melted choc inside a light fluffy cinnamon encrusted donut.. oh my word!!!

Trucks still stranded

On the back streets near us, we have dozens of trucks, stranded still - waiting for the waters to drop so that they can get going.

ROAD CLOSED

Plenty of these types of signs around our town.

The High Mark

I am hoping I have not tempted fate by posting that this is the high marker for the flood of 2011.

This is a street less than 10 mins away, behind one of the schools I teach at. The smell is pretty ordinary and I can only imagine what its like further down stream and in the homes where only the roofs still show.

Drying Out

My brother stayed with us last night and as I said - came soaked through.

Here is a picture of the contents of his pockets attempting to dry out on the desk.

Bread stocks

No doubt you will have heard about the flooding in Queensland and of the evacuation of people from homes in Brisbane.

My brother turned up with 4 loaves of bread and 8 litres of milk.  He has been stranded as the creeks rose so quickly, he had to abandon his ute as he was trying to drive home.  He made it to our place - completely soaked.

Reports by neighbours - and many pictures on FB has confirmed that people have gone a bit mad with stockpiling. Our local supermarket had no milk, UHT or fresh, the bread section and most of the tinned section had been cleaned out.  There was no bulk water either.

Anyway - a snap of the bread sums up today.  I'd like to photograph some of the flooding, but it upsets me too much.. and its too dangerous to get anywhere close in any case.

blue reflections

Kids ready to go to battle in Lazer force.  I only had my iphone with me ( no flash or zoom) but I really like the way the blue reflected up on their faces.

Sunshine and rain

In a tiny window of sunshine, I went out into our garden to survey the damage of the recent rains.

I wish I was a better photographer - these rain drops looked so beautiful balanced on the leaves.

and just for a change.. its started to rain again.. yay.

Flood Damage

My heart goes out to those communities who have lost everything in the recent - and ongoing floods. WE have been very lucky and only had water damage as the torrid of rain overflow our gutters and back up along the garden. Our pool has over flowed more than once and its a constant job maintaining the levels... but all of that is nothing compared to the heartache suffered by those whose homes are still under water.

We have made a start on clean up and found a plastic box - sealed and secure - so I had thought - but half full of water.  I am still curious as to how that much water found its way into the garden shed and into that box - which was on a bottom shelf. The shed was still in two inches of water - but the box was above that level.  Anyway - the box contained a bunch of things I used to use as table dressing and props for shows and fetes and the like.  I had a lot of daisies and fruit.  I am not sure if I will persevere with the fruit - its so mouldy and gross. But I remember how hard it had been in finding plastic fruit which was a good quality.

Anyway - a photo of some of the fruit in a bowl in the laundry - awaiting my clean up.

Packing up Christmas

The lights have been pulled down and stored. Wall decorations and calendars put away.  All that remains is the tree and decorations to be carefully wrapped up and stored for next year.

Perfect afternoon retreat

Boats for Hire on Beach

500 vatu an hour ( $5 an hour.) Impossible to sit in.. Impossible to row.

Tiny Bird

very quiet little bird we found on our walk

kids meet the surf

They lay there for an hour - letting the surf swoosh them about.. giggling my mad things.

who is checking out who?

glass bottom boat.. who is checking out who here?

Alone in the Sand

A rusted anchor lays in the coral sand beach on Pele Island.