A picture's worth 1000 words … week 26 ...

A photo a day … every day … in 2014.

Day 173:  Just a candle.

Day 174:  Mr Busybody.

Day 175:  A little bit windy.

Day 176:  My dinner … vegetarians proceed with caution.

Day 177:  Terracotta graveyard … where old flowerpots come to die.

Day 178:  Not a cloud in the sky.

Day 179:  Master 14 … living the hard life.

Oh blogger … you've done it again ...

Dear Blogger,

It appears you have hijacked my reading list and despite waiting patiently for over 24 hours you still haven't given it back.

Only one new post shows at a time and the "view more" button is as useless as a pocket in a pair of underpants.

I am exceedingly displeased by this turn of events.

Could you please try to play nice?

I'm bound to be missing all manner of excellent posts from excellent bloggers.

Blogger, I would really appreciate it … if you could get your act together … and fix this little issue before I hitch up my ranty pants and blow a gasket.  Believe you me …  you do not want me to blow a gasket … it can get very messy … very messy indeed.

Thanking you in advance,

Kind Regards,
Jo

A picture's worth 1000 words … week 25

A photo a day … every day … in 2014.

Day 166:  I spoilt myself with a new set of pastels … how very delicious!

Day 167:  Buzzzzz!

Day 168:  Through the garden arch.

Day 169:  Blue sky moon.

Day 170:  Sunrise @ Soldiers Beach.

Day 171:  Master 14 asked for risotto … his wish is my command.

Day 172:  I've got the home fires burning.

While the cat's away …

Hubby's away again!  He's gone outta state or is that interstate?  Whatever!  All I know is that he has gone out of this state and into another one.

So I waited with baited breath to see if anything would go wrong … you know Murphy's Law … after last week's little financially damaging adventure.

But all was calm and well functioning … and as he's back late tonight I thought I was home free.

Until there was a knock at the door … and a handsome young chappy informed me he had a delivery organised by my Husband.

He had arranged for his absence to perfectly coincide with this delivery.

Which meant this job had to be done by me.

Well played Hubby … well played!

A picture's worth 1000 words … week 24 ...

A photo a day … every day … in 2014.

 Day 159:  A pensive pose.

Day 160:  Fresh as a daisy.

 Day 161:  Self Portrait.

Day 162:  EEEK!  Unidentified scary monster … except that thanks to Google I identified it as a Saunder's Case Moth emerging from it's cocoon.

Day 163:  Three clear bottles sitting on a shelf.

Day 164:  I baked … lemon cake anyone?

Day 165:  I spy ... a hole in the ozone.

A fool and his money are easily parted ...

There is one thing in this life of which we can all be certain … as soon as Hubby goes away … something will go wrong.

I mean Murphy wrote a whole law about it.

No sooner had Hubby jumped on a plane and headed off out of the state than I smelt an ominous burning odour emitting alarmingly from under the hood of the car.

Whatever should I do, I wondered.  So I rang Hubby.  Cause that's what you do …. even when they happen to be a thousand kilometres away.

Now don't misunderstand me … Hubby is NO mechanic … Hubby wouldn't be able to fix the problem … heck Hubby wouldn't have the foggiest idea what the problem even was … but a) a problem shared is a problem halved and b) he can at least advise me on how to open the bonnet and c) he does an exemplary job of phoning the mechanic … no matter what state of Australia he happens to be in.

On a side note, are you one of those folk that open the hood when you are having problems with your car … and intensely inspect that enginey thingamajig inside … hoping that it's going to hold up a sign telling you what's wrong with it … cause I am.  After Hubby tells me how to open the hood that is.

But back to the matter at hand … at this point Hubby and I earnestly discussed the issue.  We decided that under no circumstances should I attempt to drive the vehicle.  Upon his return Hubby would organise to have it towed to the nearest mechanic … and we'd go from there.

So come Thursday morning Hubby was back … and it was time to get that car to the vehicular surgeon.

Feeling extraordinarily brave … and a little bit cheap … Hubby decided to take a chance and drive it
to the auto shop … given it was only a few kilometres away.  I followed behind in Hubby's car … at a safe distance of course … after all I didn't think it was fair to leave the children orphans if there happened to be a grisly explosion.  I made sure Hubby's life insurance was up to date before hand … I mean you just can't take any unnecessary risks now can you.

Thankfully we arrived without incident.

"So, did you smell it?" I queried.

But he hadn't.

We decided this was due to the car being cold … because we are very clever, mechanically minded, logical people.

So Hubby took it in and requested the works … a full and total overhaul, service and investigation.  No stone was to be left unturned … or gasket unplugged  … or filter uncarborated … or whatever.

At the end of the day we returned to pick it up.  We eagerly awaited the dramatic results.  What disaster had I narrowly escaped?  Just how many seconds had I been from certain death in a fiery carnage?

Hubby was presented with the account … the total was just shy of $400.  They had serviced and tuned, replaced filters and spark plugs.  They had rotated tyres, filled things with fluid, nipped and tucked.  I'm pretty sure she had a full facial and body massage.  But most importantly of all … they found the source of the acrid aroma.

A plastic shopping bag caught around the cat converter!

Sooo …. ummmm … better to be safe than sorry … right? … Hubby? ... right?????

Happy belated birthday Lizzie …

So we've just had a long weekend.

Us Aussie's really love a long weekend … and we'll make just about anything a good excuse to have one.  This time it happened to be the Queen's birthday.  The Queen's actual birthday is sometime in April … but we don't let a little detail like that get in the way of an extra day off.  And we can't really have it in April … because we have the Easter long weekend then … and we're not THAT greedy.

But I digress … it was a long weekend … and here's a little wrap up of our activities … cause I do like to bore people with inane and mundane details of my life.

The weather was subject to some mercurial mood swings.  We had bright sunshine and warmth … we had torrential rain and frigid temperatures … and that was in the space of 10 minutes.  This see sawing continued on for most of the weekend and was enough to give a person whiplash.

On the subject of mood swings … Master 16 enjoyed a few … and if he happens to read this little mention will no doubt enjoy another.  But hey … I like to live dangerously.  Can anyone see a passing resemblance?

Spot the difference

The weekend included a little purchase.

Back on the 13th of May, 2013 I requested an "arbour in a kit" for Mother's Day.

Hubby pooh poohed the idea … decided the "arbour in a kit" I had chosen was of inferior quality … and declared that he would instead create the arbour of my dreams with his own two hands.  I was a little dubious … as Hubby is not renowned for creating things with his own two hands … or for getting things done that he says he will get done.  Turns out my dubiousness was well founded … because fast forward 13 months and the promised bespoke arbour was still conspicuous by it's absence.

So long story short … I returned Hubby to the original hardware shop … showed him the original "arbour in a kit" … which by the way had now increased in price by 25% … and suggested we follow my original plan and purchase it.  So we did.

A bit of paint and a few screws later we had an arbour.

Hubby was heard to mutter the words "You were right" … and I have recorded them here for posterity.

Now of course an arbour is not complete without something pretty to ramble picturesquely over it … so a trip to the nursery was in order.  I decided this was just the thing.

I mean it's going to create the perfect vision of cottagey charm … don't you think.

I may need to hold onto that vision for a while … because at the moment it looks like this …

… and they could have sold me a couple of sticks and a label for all I know.

In other weekend news I gatecrashed a party on Saturday night … like you do.

My neighbour mentioned a few weeks ago that she was holding a birthday party for her husband on the long weekend … and we must be sure to pop in for a few drinks.  Saturday night the arrival of cars and loud music heralded the start of the party.  So Hubby and I set off with our bottles of booze in hand.  The party was in full swing out the back so we let ourselves in … and made a dramatic and grand entrance … into a crowd of strangers.  Turns out Neighbour's Hubby had forbidden her from giving him a birthday party and she decided to host an engagement party for someone she works with instead. It was a little awkward … but hey … a couple of wines later and they were like old friends.  I'm fully expecting to be asked to be a bridesmaid … anytime now …

Which leads us to Tuesday and the return of normal programming.

I've an overflowing laundry hamper demanding my attention.

But some ominous grey skies telling me it isn't a good idea.

I could use the dryer.

But there'd be hell to pay when the electricity bill comes in.

Best just stay by the fire and read my book instead.

Hubby's away with work till Wednesday night … so that means toast for dinner and the bed to myself … HURRAH!!!!

A picture's worth 1000 words … week 23 ...

A photo a day … every day … in 2014.

Day 152:  Sunday afternoon in the garden.

Day 153:  Night.

Day 154:  Day.

Day 155:  Sweet.

Day 156:  Sour.

Day 157:  Dark and moody.

Day 158:  I've been busy … and I can prove it.