Monday, December 29, 2008

SALE SALE SALE!!


Wow, check this out for some super bargains!

http://hdscrapbooking.com.au/forum/index.php

the Tree

I can never get a really good shot of our tree. This year I took photos of our ornaments instead, and scrapped it for our Christmas album.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

it's the season....

This is the time of year when even total strangers will beam at you and wish you well. It's nice isn't it? I love hearing people wish each other a Merry Christmas in the post office, or down at the supermarket, or wherever. I love the feeling of goodwill that abounds at this time of year.
And I would like to add my measure of goodwill too - I hope everyone has a wonderful day tomorrow -- that they'll be spending it with loved ones and enjoying each others' company. I wish all the world were so fortunate, and that there could be just one day of complete peace and prosperity.

But closer to home my most fervent wish is that everyone I know stays safe. People, be careful on the roads, watch those fishbones, use your sunscreen, stay off the kids' skateboards!

And may God bless each and every one of you.

xxx

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Levi

We drove up to Kalgoorlie last week, to see Pete and Lindell, and deliver Levis' Christmas and birthday presents.
Here's a LO I did today, of him with his new Mr Potato Head.

Friday, December 19, 2008

THANKFUL

Today I'm thinking about being thankful.

I am a SAHM, and I'm so grateful that I have that luxury. I don't WANT to go out into the workforce, I LIKE being at home -- and thanks to my husband, I can do exactly that.

I'm looking at all the luxuries I have in my home -- electricity, running water, airconditioning -- and I'm thinking of my grandmother and great-grandmother, who had to contend with shacks, dirt floors, wash tubs, lamps, heat, snakes, carting water, constant worrying over money....
They worked so hard all their lives and were just amazing women (well, my Nana still is!)
Makes me think I'm a bit spoilt, and take so much for granted. Having all these luxuries isn't a right, it's a privilege. I've been blessed, and I need to keep that in mind, especially the next time I'm whinging because the linen cupboard is too small to hold all our winter blankets, or because the kitchen sink drains a bit too slowly!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Christmas



This is my challenge for the Dec CC at Hybrid, using a Christmas card I bought years ago but couldn't bear to write in. (weird I know)

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

A LUMPY UPDATE

Whew, I am one relieved little chickie today -- turns out the lump on my arm was a solar keratosis (no cancer) so YAAY!
People - get your lumps and bumps CHECKED!!!

I've been TAGGED!

ooh tagged by Rachy -- so let me see if I have this right ----

5 things you don't know about me:

1. I don't like milk from a plastic carton - and yes, I CAN taste the difference
2. I've been bitten by a crcodile
3. I got my drivers' licence when I was 32
4. I've never had a speeding ticket
5. I sometimes waltz around the lino in my socks

Okay, so now I tag these 3 people --
Caroline, Keryn, and maree!
xxx

Saturday, December 6, 2008

PROPS to ME!!

I'm so pleased with myself today -- cos of the banner up top! I did that! Last night - took me ages fiddling around in Photoshop, re-sizing, adding the scratchy lines around the edge, picking a font etc etc.
It's not easy for me to learn new things -- that would be because I'm impossibly old and feeble-minded, according to my darling children -- so I'm very impressed with my tiny bit of techiness.
Now I'm off to do some knitting in my rocking chair with a nice cup of tea....

Friday, December 5, 2008

Shipping News

My cousin Jo is the family researcher, and from time to time she comes up with some amazing stuff.

Like this - our paternal grandfather died well before we were born, so we never knew him. But Jo managed to find some kind of distant inner-spring relative of ours who had these images on his on-line tree.

This is the Orsova, the ship my grandfather (Earnie) sailed to Australia on in 1927



and the passenger list showing his name and age -- he was 18! and is recorded as a plumbers' mate.



Seeing these documents (absolute GOLD for a scrapbooker!) has led me to search the National Archives of Australia (naa.gov.au) for my maternal great-grandparents records - if any.
I wasn't sure there would be - they came to Australia from Germany (coincidentally, also in 1927)
But yes, I found the passenger list (possibly) and also - possibly - my greatgrandfathers' naturalisation papers!
I have requested copies so won't be sure what is actually contained in the files until they come through (which could take a few weeks)

The most astonishing thing was my reaction to seeing my greatGrandads' name on the site - I burst into tears! I wish I had known him better. They were both amazing people.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

The Lump

Still no word - results aren't back yet. No news is good news, eh?

The hole in my arm looks weird and stings all the time, like a medium bad sunburn. But it's healing over -- looks like a mini bullet hole so I might take to telling people it's where I was shot in the war.

Monday, December 1, 2008

UH-OH!

I've had a funny-looking lump on my arm for quite some time now. It was pink and very small (not noticeable to anyone but me) but I kept knocking it on things and it developed a rough top and got to be quite sore if it was bumped (stinging)
So I went and saw the Doc on Saturday and had it chopped out.
See, the scary thing is, I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my forehead a few years ago, and I have that white white skin that goes with red hair - and I grew up in an age where NO-ONE wore a hat or used sunblock. I used to get badly sunburnt on a regular basis - we all did!
So I have to be super careful of every little bump and blemish now. Should have the results back on Thursday, so fingers are crossed that all is fine.