tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32935477622413465472024-03-19T21:18:12.965+10:00The White Housebreathing new life into our old girlFionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-21395203959247983542012-09-17T21:05:00.001+10:002012-09-17T21:05:19.884+10:00(Not quite 50) shades of grey: exterior house colours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I am living vicariously through several friends who are embarking on medium to large scale</div>
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renovations. One of my friends is about to have the exterior of her Queenslander painted, and </div>
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we have been talking about colour shemes. I wrote <a href="http://thewhitequeenslander.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/all-greys-and-whites-of-rainbow.html">here</a> about choosing the </div>
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colour scheme for the old girl, and it's much nicer thinking about this when the pressure is off .....</div>
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I think I am enjoying the process a lot more than my friend is!</div>
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We both love all the shades of grey that are popular right now. She has decided on</div>
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a medium grey, with the verandah railings and the window sills a glossy black.</div>
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It's funny how once you start looking at certain colours, you see them everywhere. These</div>
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are just a few from the streets around the old girl:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3_ld2xO-nPXrUk58hwMS9VOcgCgBZiO6pgKEA50EyYPsP3KY__OYKjTLlWGLYB2QuFx4eNHRRg-qID8vxgbIGSV3KSsOlbDReak1IQUy42LQxxmRXg3WHwBEcDwVm6K3LxHSl8L6b0w/s1600/grey2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3_ld2xO-nPXrUk58hwMS9VOcgCgBZiO6pgKEA50EyYPsP3KY__OYKjTLlWGLYB2QuFx4eNHRRg-qID8vxgbIGSV3KSsOlbDReak1IQUy42LQxxmRXg3WHwBEcDwVm6K3LxHSl8L6b0w/s320/grey2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxmvndgMuZGTRvJCOUa4z3bDn-2iXQL-Kfyued3YJGREchMmf7a-ljKnrKuyRQJk7DWrz1Z1Q5-z-wrCXzL6W5ImWnBkUbJGkTxT4PuY3QgO_ZWZxxCFpKcaG1_sGxerZx3YG5H6No1E/s1600/grey1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxmvndgMuZGTRvJCOUa4z3bDn-2iXQL-Kfyued3YJGREchMmf7a-ljKnrKuyRQJk7DWrz1Z1Q5-z-wrCXzL6W5ImWnBkUbJGkTxT4PuY3QgO_ZWZxxCFpKcaG1_sGxerZx3YG5H6No1E/s320/grey1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldYjDWvrMtT1AyiFk9w-U8uHPHCwqJKV_7tjdXy6w9AUnipbUNq6ITf-FosYvLZdAZuJdhRyD-5cQy57_b169A1AA67JzEwmQv1dI8dER03xVDX25S6dib46Mz40oSqBDP2QXjG_Ct60/s1600/grey3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldYjDWvrMtT1AyiFk9w-U8uHPHCwqJKV_7tjdXy6w9AUnipbUNq6ITf-FosYvLZdAZuJdhRyD-5cQy57_b169A1AA67JzEwmQv1dI8dER03xVDX25S6dib46Mz40oSqBDP2QXjG_Ct60/s320/grey3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>This is really white but the contrast with the darker trims is </i></div>
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<i>stunning. There are some black and white striped exterior blinds</i></div>
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<i>along one side of this house and it looks fabulous. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPX8-GOXEG4GWcPJbOuMosEOiP8qQtt6N2-nrMRnwj81ngG5VlsChbXHH_7uteBHTGbXhDyNjxDZVqF0VUIqJ5lPusphXIIQ3Dl6ksTya4YIV2txv3mopbPoJVbtkt6rmvZET9x5-CRc/s1600/grey4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPX8-GOXEG4GWcPJbOuMosEOiP8qQtt6N2-nrMRnwj81ngG5VlsChbXHH_7uteBHTGbXhDyNjxDZVqF0VUIqJ5lPusphXIIQ3Dl6ksTya4YIV2txv3mopbPoJVbtkt6rmvZET9x5-CRc/s320/grey4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>in real life this is a greenish grey </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpcvSKgOypKgKXbaf2p_mVSsjeBlUY_g9ccVNDhWM7LhC6oM_2XuD6BeW7kdUE40Ryp4cgPwOmU9YYkq_BrEg8NdQWFS2FiIDPA16dhQl7T8VTFzO5pjhRlcCI8W1Cyq61ruKbcGGmK8/s1600/grey5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpcvSKgOypKgKXbaf2p_mVSsjeBlUY_g9ccVNDhWM7LhC6oM_2XuD6BeW7kdUE40Ryp4cgPwOmU9YYkq_BrEg8NdQWFS2FiIDPA16dhQl7T8VTFzO5pjhRlcCI8W1Cyq61ruKbcGGmK8/s320/grey5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>another beauty just around the corner. I was mortified when </i></div>
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<i>the owner came from behind the fence with the lawn mower</i></div>
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<i> while I was surreptitiously taking a photo. He was actually very </i></div>
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<i>flattered and wrote down the paint colours for me - the main </i></div>
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<i>colour is Flint Smoke and the trim is Western Myall. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH1bYEjlUFPl_6k22NeMpTCqrMr3EHdE9JLuQhOKhZxV_T7OsNk7FK9qVvnT8PvkJKWAPvvu3dPq0m3pXtbxlKXCwX2504hDn816Z_VcDqp2XSDDAZooETfLANIaFZ13q_K4EVX48WZM/s1600/grey6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH1bYEjlUFPl_6k22NeMpTCqrMr3EHdE9JLuQhOKhZxV_T7OsNk7FK9qVvnT8PvkJKWAPvvu3dPq0m3pXtbxlKXCwX2504hDn816Z_VcDqp2XSDDAZooETfLANIaFZ13q_K4EVX48WZM/s320/grey6.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>same house - I love the dark front door</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhLNR6F2PZFllV5iJSl58wuHe0lyQ9LAMpbWHDRikWPe28fejb0mq_PkdibL-4CirWk7KZe1L4XAZLfSNPaPbaN3nc9Z3VLg9jtlv-BkiYNWk9kqLSMLC63WM9eAz6NOy_Q7N3adPP5M/s1600/grey7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhLNR6F2PZFllV5iJSl58wuHe0lyQ9LAMpbWHDRikWPe28fejb0mq_PkdibL-4CirWk7KZe1L4XAZLfSNPaPbaN3nc9Z3VLg9jtlv-BkiYNWk9kqLSMLC63WM9eAz6NOy_Q7N3adPP5M/s320/grey7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>another lovely grey </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vcOJ7p4m5msGRPyToLOdBSdXOb06QlTqjQ9-5qQB7KChoGZ3eSSbkKZnqf4CQu8lKBsuLXB7B1UPOVvNzyabJ2Gq1oJLRSkbytscmfJIQqhsngItU5I3LUGf19igHKK94eHdm-tHWXs/s1600/greyish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vcOJ7p4m5msGRPyToLOdBSdXOb06QlTqjQ9-5qQB7KChoGZ3eSSbkKZnqf4CQu8lKBsuLXB7B1UPOVvNzyabJ2Gq1oJLRSkbytscmfJIQqhsngItU5I3LUGf19igHKK94eHdm-tHWXs/s320/greyish1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>this is one of my favourite local houses - it's a </i></div>
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<i>beautiful soft grey with crisp white trims</i></div>
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I know that colours schemes come in and out of fashion, but somehow I think all </div>
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these shades of grey will stand the test of time. I guess we will have to wait</div>
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and see.</div>
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And an update on the chicken front - still no eggs. </div>
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Two blog posts in three days - I need to have a lie down!</div>
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xx</div>
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Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-48198165895236412152012-09-15T00:05:00.003+10:002012-09-15T00:34:10.899+10:00Anniversaries and Instagram<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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September always makes me reminisce - especially this year.</div>
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I arrived in Australia in September 1992 - twenty years ago.</div>
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Typing that sentence, it seems incredible to me that it has been two decades.</div>
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I still remember the days leading up to leaving Scotland, packing up my flat and alternating</div>
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between excitement about the adventure ahead, and tears and anxiety about </div>
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leaving friends and family behind. My parting words to my darling Mum in Glasgow</div>
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were "don't worry, I'm only going for a year". And yet here I am, 20 years later.</div>
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That guilt still stays with me, and I wonder if it's just me, or if anyone who has</div>
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made a new life for themselves in a different country, leaving behind loved ones, </div>
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ever feels completely at home in their "new"home . </div>
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Even when the new home has been home for 20 years.</div>
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It was however a great time of year to arrive: not too humid, gorgeous sunny days</div>
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and a city coming alive in spring. For the first month in Brisbane I lived in accommodation </div>
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at the hospital where I was employed in South Brisbane. This was close to everything, </div>
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especially South Bank, which seemed idyllic to me at the time. It's Jacaranda season</div>
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soon and I remember that year seeing them for the first time and falling in love</div>
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with their beautiful colour, and the carpet of violet petals they would leave </div>
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on the ground.</div>
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On another note, it's the one year anniversary of me starting this blog.</div>
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I don't post as frequently as I'd like, and I've mentioned before that I have been</div>
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enjoying Instagram which is like a condensed but more immediate form of blogging. </div>
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Turns out I have Instagram to thank for my most recent furniture purchase too!</div>
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I had been keeping an eye out for a table to fit a long space in our living room upstairs.</div>
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I hadn't seen anything at all that would fit the space.</div>
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Lo and behold the lovely <a href="http://theoldboathouse.blogspot.com.au/">Katherine</a> posted a photo on Instagram and my </div>
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eagle eye spotted it. A flurry of measurements later and I became the proud</div>
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owner of this table:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsoAmYgFT_qkV2feLcNLNPhL_abspGKnaEfRNcYB-wH-hJze9qU3JZsNhCXBt5_r3sa3KKcp-ElB7XZMGo1631ztExnDPPJ48GLBhTepcMTcXpVUdcQ8WoJYk4pgMEThVwPx02Sa3IE8/s1600/photo+2-790562.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788020299278861362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsoAmYgFT_qkV2feLcNLNPhL_abspGKnaEfRNcYB-wH-hJze9qU3JZsNhCXBt5_r3sa3KKcp-ElB7XZMGo1631ztExnDPPJ48GLBhTepcMTcXpVUdcQ8WoJYk4pgMEThVwPx02Sa3IE8/s320/photo+2-790562.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCMrLdnG-YEM8YUuE5IkjOCbMYGE-qAaZJEs_E3gOjugFDt2hhyphenhyphenop2_9cb6t8wNt_fMfD9RYsHw_4TR9PXxHzU8tEWyrsy6m-2eguxRAXCEQW1kflRQjzFYgwECrFt9gVOAf27OX9PTY/s1600/photo+1-787244.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788020285285280690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCMrLdnG-YEM8YUuE5IkjOCbMYGE-qAaZJEs_E3gOjugFDt2hhyphenhyphenop2_9cb6t8wNt_fMfD9RYsHw_4TR9PXxHzU8tEWyrsy6m-2eguxRAXCEQW1kflRQjzFYgwECrFt9gVOAf27OX9PTY/s320/photo+1-787244.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I love the fact that this table has been pre-loved, and that it's my turn to give </div>
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it a home. Many of you know Katherine, she is such a helpful, kind and warm </div>
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person. She often puts photos of her lovely items destined for either the WAC or the </div>
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shop at the Cottage Garden Nursery on her Instagram feed.</div>
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You can follow her there: @katherinetheoldboathouse</div>
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And in the latest chicken news:</div>
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escape attempts : five</div>
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eggs laid: NONE</div>
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Those statistics better start turning around soon........</div>
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Have a good weekend</div>
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xx</div>
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<br />Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-41239047135901394252012-09-03T20:29:00.001+10:002012-09-03T20:29:35.415+10:00Taj Mahal for chickens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Well, we have taken the plunge and have added 3 feathered girls to </div>
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our family. Meet Sophie, Matilda and Gracie.</div>
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We have taken an area at the back of our garden that is very shaded - nothing </div>
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has ever grown there - and have turned it into a chicken run.</div>
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They have plenty of room to roam and peck and whatever else they like</div>
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to do - and when they need a bit of down time they have some</div>
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nesting boxes and a lovely bespoke timber ladder to roost on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXh7hyphenhyphenZtAw9dnip7QDyLsSPR0FFdg5BygLTMaY0no0gEEtzVuv60Gf8tkqT3rXsamEs3gYLWfXn0oWaaUw5TrV-gOnJqusujb729UCS64SqZfx9e_aE6tQE2whYpFFVd2zJw73vx7DSeo/s1600/chook1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXh7hyphenhyphenZtAw9dnip7QDyLsSPR0FFdg5BygLTMaY0no0gEEtzVuv60Gf8tkqT3rXsamEs3gYLWfXn0oWaaUw5TrV-gOnJqusujb729UCS64SqZfx9e_aE6tQE2whYpFFVd2zJw73vx7DSeo/s320/chook1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>boy wonder is of course beside himself and has been </i></div>
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<i>spending almost every waking moment with them</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xMl3gxATyZBHW6tt9O62Ugrc4vZkESpZ3veFMyluUYgVqRKK2iY5BD1W4RQAIamjkCmug0Ho6X0aWIsE5dKFzfjMFxDmQyHDtFDgENgmunq18KjsFMEBAM_MfH10lWZW8Vw41HFAfcA/s1600/chook2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xMl3gxATyZBHW6tt9O62Ugrc4vZkESpZ3veFMyluUYgVqRKK2iY5BD1W4RQAIamjkCmug0Ho6X0aWIsE5dKFzfjMFxDmQyHDtFDgENgmunq18KjsFMEBAM_MfH10lWZW8Vw41HFAfcA/s320/chook2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNOv62mK5zGfOnkU1h2mZ3sdNa2xt09hJS1iFhqVXQeV9uzEhKad7RQGSRBLZl0cbS9_ZBv91k-N0f0FyJphw6UzW0e_61lMh7r_V-cUrwvMJJhad-Mumdb3iio6e_Xytshynx2xn6OE/s1600/chook2A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNOv62mK5zGfOnkU1h2mZ3sdNa2xt09hJS1iFhqVXQeV9uzEhKad7RQGSRBLZl0cbS9_ZBv91k-N0f0FyJphw6UzW0e_61lMh7r_V-cUrwvMJJhad-Mumdb3iio6e_Xytshynx2xn6OE/s320/chook2A.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17G7to8xY68AwV6RDcnDYmHxpP9l71UbFD8Fx4pNBRDETuSZlyuF8FdNSp30Qj0pZvaaGOUq4aYX5c1Ce2584Jirax9Hqof-PnFxS-VSoLVxGgWjnZw1Lgtsgtde1J6QKrnaJ_qUoPgk/s1600/chookdog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17G7to8xY68AwV6RDcnDYmHxpP9l71UbFD8Fx4pNBRDETuSZlyuF8FdNSp30Qj0pZvaaGOUq4aYX5c1Ce2584Jirax9Hqof-PnFxS-VSoLVxGgWjnZw1Lgtsgtde1J6QKrnaJ_qUoPgk/s320/chookdog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>there was a lot of indignant barking from the spotty dog</i></div>
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<i>when they arrived in what she felt was HER garden</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBq8zvtm939L3Lv5hPJP8fruck_Y30Mrm8OOKGyZdh6YvhmnF251N9LhctwgLHeVbFQT0npb8HjiJZgK0fZW2KrnmJmtTVROUQXh3nxk927biFky_9tywcwOosO9__ZAHAvH_Wnc5PRyo/s1600/chookwistfulruby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBq8zvtm939L3Lv5hPJP8fruck_Y30Mrm8OOKGyZdh6YvhmnF251N9LhctwgLHeVbFQT0npb8HjiJZgK0fZW2KrnmJmtTVROUQXh3nxk927biFky_9tywcwOosO9__ZAHAvH_Wnc5PRyo/s320/chookwistfulruby.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>I think she's worried about where she is now in the </i></div>
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<i>pecking order</i></div>
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Our three girls are Isa Browns. They are supposedly very hardy, don't mind all the</div>
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man-handling that is inevitable with children, and are profuse layers of eggs.</div>
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I say supposedly as so far we haven't seen any eggs. </div>
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We got them from <a href="http://www.heritagehatchingandhens.com.au/">here</a> - they were extremely helpful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOvJ5uRxKFEQ_OnvDDA4SXA2U27s9ViEBPvgXen6_3pa2_bGgqdHPVQe-s8l5iebxzAZZc1wFJpG0V4y2bJvnH1iCoLi4CGhIqeAX5IfmqkGTNRHNuDDvIYoiPsqpVa9QxohhqktF6Eo/s1600/chookspotty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOvJ5uRxKFEQ_OnvDDA4SXA2U27s9ViEBPvgXen6_3pa2_bGgqdHPVQe-s8l5iebxzAZZc1wFJpG0V4y2bJvnH1iCoLi4CGhIqeAX5IfmqkGTNRHNuDDvIYoiPsqpVa9QxohhqktF6Eo/s320/chookspotty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>I fell in love with these lovely little hens - they are </i></div>
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<i>Silver Spangled Hamburgs. I thought they would look good</i></div>
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<i>with the spotty dog, and had to be *patiently* reminded</i></div>
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<i>by the man of the house muttering under his breath</i></div>
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<i> that we were looking for chickens </i><i>that would give us lots</i></div>
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<i>of eggs rather than designer chickens....</i></div>
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Spring is well and truly here. It's been glorious these past few days.</div>
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I just wish we'd get a bit of rain as the garden needs it.</div>
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It has felt good though to open up the house and use the verandah fully again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH0cfC6jxhND7Ad43IMi4Rsm1dTOhEd7NpDr8jsMncb0HS17aCQ5X5BeEiCfNq9-sRKlBWx3fXzjlYy3kgU3XOsb9hprYfu0H1tImLaNFK3a3hlwrr2auUWkobISKwRgtl_ejaaexpgU/s1600/chookspring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH0cfC6jxhND7Ad43IMi4Rsm1dTOhEd7NpDr8jsMncb0HS17aCQ5X5BeEiCfNq9-sRKlBWx3fXzjlYy3kgU3XOsb9hprYfu0H1tImLaNFK3a3hlwrr2auUWkobISKwRgtl_ejaaexpgU/s320/chookspring.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Sunday was the first day since winter that we have </i></div>
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<i>fully opened up the bi-fold doors from the kitchen to</i></div>
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<i>the verandah. The spotty dog looks so well behaved</i></div>
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<i>in this photo - maybe she thinks she's been put on </i></div>
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<i>notice now that the chickens are here.</i></div>
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I had almost finished this post and then boy wonder called me out to the</div>
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garden as the chickens were squawking a lot. We ventured out to their coop</div>
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and found not three but only one chicken. Disaster! I had visions of a monster</div>
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snake having eaten them, or a cat having carried them off. We then found the</div>
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escapees - one of them had ended up on the fence between us and our</div>
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neighbours, and the other one was up the macadamia tree. The chicken run has</div>
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a fence that is 6 feet high - not sure how that happened. We need to add a roof asap.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDIlqPF21ThGs2fsOl2GU1qqr4x9qmp0CbT-g_BD3iysVWt871f7ThFFO64IMKAuCiAzqPGZuFwSb8yIeUN879kkoxDvhIF2FUe7SYS8v5ci2GDEX9mBeaRjKc5vCOoQX4N0P3kMJVIQ/s1600/chookescape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDIlqPF21ThGs2fsOl2GU1qqr4x9qmp0CbT-g_BD3iysVWt871f7ThFFO64IMKAuCiAzqPGZuFwSb8yIeUN879kkoxDvhIF2FUe7SYS8v5ci2GDEX9mBeaRjKc5vCOoQX4N0P3kMJVIQ/s320/chookescape.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>escapee one</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4UlPypCNuSk1ZnskV05S9iFs_Eu7i629bu_mWW9A_swadV58w8KhNMUMGvoqdBgZ72K2qh6Om_46PwWljlF355mhqKCXUn29hP79FBWe17pDK5shlZ_0Tag4oBM8MrqubU9PC_8FAc4/s1600/chookescape2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4UlPypCNuSk1ZnskV05S9iFs_Eu7i629bu_mWW9A_swadV58w8KhNMUMGvoqdBgZ72K2qh6Om_46PwWljlF355mhqKCXUn29hP79FBWe17pDK5shlZ_0Tag4oBM8MrqubU9PC_8FAc4/s320/chookescape2.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>escapee two</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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After all this late night drama and chicken rescue, I need a glass of red.</div>
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xx</div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-48241045256712165262012-08-27T21:14:00.004+10:002012-08-27T21:14:42.599+10:00Roman Blinds and Christmas in ....... August<div class="mobile-photo" style="text-align: center;">
Some of you may remember me posting <a href="http://thewhitequeenslander.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/plantation-blinds.html">a while ago</a> about my dilemma</div>
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over blinds or window coverings in our main bedroom.</div>
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I love the look of the Plantation blinds, but had some issues around the door handle </div>
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of the French door getting in the way.</div>
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Turns out I had some husband issues too - when broaching this topic the man</div>
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of the house decided that "We don't live in a beach house. Or the Hamptons. So I don't like </div>
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those Plantation blinds". Ok, I may have made up that Hamptons bit, </div>
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I'm pretty sure the man of the house doesn't know about the whole Hamptons vibe, but</div>
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if he did, he wouldn't like it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So I turned my mind to Roman Blinds.</div>
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After much discussion, and patience on the part of the lovely people</div>
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<a href="http://www.blakeandtaylor.com.au/">here</a>, we now have some beautiful Roman blinds.</div>
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It's hard to photograph them as the light is very bright in the bedroom, but</div>
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we love them. They are a white linen (look creamy in the photos but </div>
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they are white) with a grey linen trim at the sides </div>
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and along the bottom. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And I can safely say this as the man of the house <i>never</i> reads the blog - </div>
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I think these blinds are a softer look than the Plantation blinds would </div>
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have been, and I like them more. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYU_dasdDdP0Ekg__b1-PPxvODJHun6aXABxn_GxJ5y6jAxEDwLKLieXOiO337-CiKN-xaYDwC4be_AiKt6Gn9koyBgHJdwCA69Xg5M-eVRW7FHjNVZat4-sh7Kfm8r0Xq5mvutA-C5Vs/s1600/photo+1-705336.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781301744159924866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYU_dasdDdP0Ekg__b1-PPxvODJHun6aXABxn_GxJ5y6jAxEDwLKLieXOiO337-CiKN-xaYDwC4be_AiKt6Gn9koyBgHJdwCA69Xg5M-eVRW7FHjNVZat4-sh7Kfm8r0Xq5mvutA-C5Vs/s320/photo+1-705336.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXgZnetmHc1SzrbLBVZYmuC6wvtO0IogTJM1Bx3fNl6RN3rRCCzqLIGcy8Y1WijiGe6iVX6r_nZPe08QRSzGM2dgRd7yk9-VHTDO0CIPnTu5RhE5eh3VETaDzdypyHKSVQoNXJL7Ulw4/s1600/photo+2-708286.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781301755561471586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXgZnetmHc1SzrbLBVZYmuC6wvtO0IogTJM1Bx3fNl6RN3rRCCzqLIGcy8Y1WijiGe6iVX6r_nZPe08QRSzGM2dgRd7yk9-VHTDO0CIPnTu5RhE5eh3VETaDzdypyHKSVQoNXJL7Ulw4/s320/photo+2-708286.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbf_cu-1iQMkQkT91D6H9aE4vLRHvnBzslqhWUEUhxOeMQi9gZLad2Br1NTMa1kVIGMrY7d72waurAveIhHB5kPGE9EB9KOuLWBX7ycFAx7FIuxOHqZLcmt3As4JyNwiVophoYH24PDms/s1600/photo+3-710419.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781301761606135618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbf_cu-1iQMkQkT91D6H9aE4vLRHvnBzslqhWUEUhxOeMQi9gZLad2Br1NTMa1kVIGMrY7d72waurAveIhHB5kPGE9EB9KOuLWBX7ycFAx7FIuxOHqZLcmt3As4JyNwiVophoYH24PDms/s320/photo+3-710419.JPG" /></a></div>
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Where did the weekend go? I love this time of year so much, everything </div>
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is coming alive again but it's not too hot and humid yet. I was in David Jones at Carindale</div>
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on Friday and was shocked to see their Christmas displays and store were up and running.</div>
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In August! I took a photo as evidence and very quickly someone scurried up to me telling</div>
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me I needed management approval to take photos in the store. I deleted the photo as I</div>
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didn't want to argue with this poor person who was no doubt only acting on orders from</div>
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above - but this must be some sort of record surely? Christmas in August ?!?</div>
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<br /></div>
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I've been reluctant to have any personal photos here on the blog - but</div>
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we went to our babysitter's 21st party this weekend and I thought I'd share this</div>
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one. The dress code was "Masquerade". We had a great time and it was lovely</div>
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seeing our babysitter - who we have known since she was 12 - as a beautiful young woman</div>
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celebrating with her friends and family. I had a tear in my eye at the speeches. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmycP0ATgcj3VSyzSXUv-kzdzhUEbDsF_16ThYGWRNgPLyseZsxUhs1v-D7LUgTqwvZ2_W5pfxLsRVpeBHcgn634lw1kp5QS5Wi72E34mvQ70nFw1Vv10kjERKM9g8BDZRtnOoKS30wY/s1600/photo+5-714784.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781301785661849826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmycP0ATgcj3VSyzSXUv-kzdzhUEbDsF_16ThYGWRNgPLyseZsxUhs1v-D7LUgTqwvZ2_W5pfxLsRVpeBHcgn634lw1kp5QS5Wi72E34mvQ70nFw1Vv10kjERKM9g8BDZRtnOoKS30wY/s320/photo+5-714784.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i>so here we are, the man of the house and I</i></div>
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<i>in all our masked finery. I will say that the </i></div>
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<i>man of the house was a bit too keen on the sparkly </i></div>
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<i> spiderman mask for my liking......</i></div>
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<br />Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-28155036658874277352012-08-19T20:33:00.000+10:002012-08-19T20:33:38.929+10:00white picket fence <div style="text-align: center;">
It's been a beautiful weekend here in Brisbane. It really</div>
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feels as if spring is here - and I feel much more energised and motivated</div>
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to get things done in and around the old girl. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I've been channeling <a href="http://www.funandvjs.blogspot.com.au/">Brismod</a> this afternoon and have started painting our fence. </div>
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It last had some attention in the late 90's when the palings were undercoated.....</div>
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Somehow I never got round to painting the fence properly. We've just had our front gate </div>
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fixed (it closes properly for the first time in about 12 years), and with the now mismatched </div>
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palings, it was high time to tackle the job. We are using a Resene colour,<br />
White Pointer, in quarter strength. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qaZ_PDknC6hrGVzIygbUnFofXLZf94o59-us1i4lrGDCSMlTm7qSZ0uRJh52HpILOS2Hsm8YgwDtPdPaHOu59R8kOQgyTBdbd3VJQ655OFD042WYbpbav_0QROeHxgi1qN3osSbnpBk/s1600/photo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qaZ_PDknC6hrGVzIygbUnFofXLZf94o59-us1i4lrGDCSMlTm7qSZ0uRJh52HpILOS2Hsm8YgwDtPdPaHOu59R8kOQgyTBdbd3VJQ655OFD042WYbpbav_0QROeHxgi1qN3osSbnpBk/s320/photo+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>there's a lot of fence to cover</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7S1M2ExaA9-ax3G6QNqsq23YNjDXFRDgKkCVVEJqKZSPyFL2a8S93t5ksxMWLgDjUnXAP_gHfaMHsS21kLsL2cRT9c2nIEDKPEKxNostZOpK-kuvPR53lGhh_K3TNsYbl4kpHksI59Y/s1600/photo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7S1M2ExaA9-ax3G6QNqsq23YNjDXFRDgKkCVVEJqKZSPyFL2a8S93t5ksxMWLgDjUnXAP_gHfaMHsS21kLsL2cRT9c2nIEDKPEKxNostZOpK-kuvPR53lGhh_K3TNsYbl4kpHksI59Y/s320/photo+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>functioning front gate at long last</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikedgRx8Tydfesv6LjuNuagmDXG5_LQPD5pPEB_BLmycMK0lkz_FyCFvCHyLijdvZWFiLiTNOhr-ImFtZ7m9uVRJjofpDrEIfWiYLSUJrcIAzkMaMU0K-mVrQMgULTgO9wUAKo3XEMzr8/s1600/photo+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikedgRx8Tydfesv6LjuNuagmDXG5_LQPD5pPEB_BLmycMK0lkz_FyCFvCHyLijdvZWFiLiTNOhr-ImFtZ7m9uVRJjofpDrEIfWiYLSUJrcIAzkMaMU0K-mVrQMgULTgO9wUAKo3XEMzr8/s320/photo+3.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<i>man of the house putting in some hours with the paintbrush.</i><br />
<i>I noticed he didn't quite look the part the way Brismod's Jason does - </i><br />
<i>but thought it prudent not to mention this given this paintbrush outing was </i><br />
<i>the first in a long time...</i><br />
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<i>I've been sprucing up other areas of the old girl too. Boy wonder's bedroom </i></div>
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<i>has been in need of a de-clutter and I started doing that with him this weekend. </i></div>
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<i>I found a great bookcase at the WAC, and went to Freedom to buy a bedside table</i></div>
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<i>for him. They didn't have it in stock which was fine, it can wait, but the relief of</i></div>
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<i>the staff was palpable when I said I didn't mind waiting for 10 days. I asked them</i></div>
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<i>surely people understand that you can't keep everything in stock? </i></div>
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<i>They said that most of the time customers get very rude and impatient</i></div>
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<i>if the furniture they want is not in stock and available </i></div>
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<i>there and then. Made me wonder what the world is coming to.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVcGTjb6jf8VLmBfS2776erIzq9kyJEBy81yWybIwLjoUKm54DqMOSU59mGj8Q0c38vsDL_t3SuTCLi_y2SD-HavdAFA6ExTllnDFyZOBsfsBH9HPQxo0FcxcFvEsodP41S1znmfAMCA/s1600/photo+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVcGTjb6jf8VLmBfS2776erIzq9kyJEBy81yWybIwLjoUKm54DqMOSU59mGj8Q0c38vsDL_t3SuTCLi_y2SD-HavdAFA6ExTllnDFyZOBsfsBH9HPQxo0FcxcFvEsodP41S1znmfAMCA/s320/photo+4.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<i>wonder if boy wonder will keep it this tidy.....</i><br />
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<i>Boy wonder had a friend for a sleepover this weekend and we all went for a bike ride</i></div>
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<i>via ferry over to New Farm Park. Too early for the Jacarandas but it won't </i></div>
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<i>be long.</i></div>
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<i>boardwalk at Tenerife</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZCQ0HbS348Zmvz_7BjntAE-EwhpCCWFBpaiiplPvnJl26oK4D6uKmU-ftLTB4STw-7PcF9Oru7yEbS8G36gVbuFRFuVKfv92-WdtnowDdAMTQCCVNWFUTNM4qA2OAMiVc8fB7_1EG4A/s1600/photo+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZCQ0HbS348Zmvz_7BjntAE-EwhpCCWFBpaiiplPvnJl26oK4D6uKmU-ftLTB4STw-7PcF9Oru7yEbS8G36gVbuFRFuVKfv92-WdtnowDdAMTQCCVNWFUTNM4qA2OAMiVc8fB7_1EG4A/s320/photo+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>Most Brisbanites will recognise this "flood" sign</i><br />
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<i>12 months ago we had moved out of the old girl and were about 6 weeks into our</i></div>
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<i>renovation. There's still lots to be done, but in some ways it feels like we've been in</i></div>
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<i>the house forever. I guess that means it feels like home. </i></div>
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<i>back of the house taking shape</i><br />
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Have a good week everyone</div>
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xx</div>
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Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-74695512101910624182012-08-13T20:40:00.001+10:002012-08-13T20:40:43.517+10:00perth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been ages since I have written a blog post. We have been really busy with </div>
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day to day life, and I've been <strike>just a little bit obsessed with</strike> really enjoying</div>
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Instagram in lieu of blogging - much more instantly gratifying. </div>
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We have been doing some work around the house and in the garden - (actually I use "we" loosely </div>
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for the garden work - both the man of the house and I have two left thumbs when </div>
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it comes to anything vaguely handy) - we now have a small vege patch and </div>
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a Taj Mahal style chicken coop and run - I'll have some visuals soon.</div>
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Boy wonder and I have just returned from a week in Perth visiting my brother and his </div>
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family. We had such a great time catching up with </div>
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them all, and the boy of the house had lots of quality time with his cousins.</div>
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Perth turned on the nicest weather for us - lots of dry, sunny days.</div>
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There is something about the light and the space over there that is very special.</div>
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Not to mention all the older cottages of weatherboard and brick. I loved it, along with </div>
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the plants and flowers that you see in their more Mediterranean climate: roses,</div>
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camellias, lavender, rhododendrons, all fabulous.</div>
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My brother lives near the beach - how fantastic would that be?</div>
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I wonder if you tire of that if you see it every day..... they still love</div>
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it after almost three years there.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BHrLMH9FmTADk0l2RbBC__89tgYgqqnNazuBO81IGH-9tG7BfADzPtgHbQ44wCHUG35fouVgYk48hdWrRoE4WZDg0t9_qF_0AK8xxFppDteX8CbOMtWop01F6p_-iTUu6LZgstbU5ZM/s1600/photo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BHrLMH9FmTADk0l2RbBC__89tgYgqqnNazuBO81IGH-9tG7BfADzPtgHbQ44wCHUG35fouVgYk48hdWrRoE4WZDg0t9_qF_0AK8xxFppDteX8CbOMtWop01F6p_-iTUu6LZgstbU5ZM/s320/photo+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We left the man of the house to his own devices in the old girl for a week.</div>
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I was a little bit apprehensive about what I would find on our return - he is great in the kitchen</div>
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but the more mundane domestic tasks tend to fall to me.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTfo52epp3B4DAw7LGqxeC0QqVtl4-LKOyuHupyslTnVR0JwI86BMnzR30DpF5SElPAP7BpL-tyyqr1e1rQSGmc5wRdX0537N2wL0dW1qFa99HSSCyXzH0fYiPpJ_5eEN-RsY88hzi5A/s1600/photo+1-750543.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775728787967660530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTfo52epp3B4DAw7LGqxeC0QqVtl4-LKOyuHupyslTnVR0JwI86BMnzR30DpF5SElPAP7BpL-tyyqr1e1rQSGmc5wRdX0537N2wL0dW1qFa99HSSCyXzH0fYiPpJ_5eEN-RsY88hzi5A/s320/photo+1-750543.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>this was our bed before we left - I have to admit I am just a<br />bit particular about making the bed in the morning......</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbVt1IRuGHWr7AcxZW_wKDBZ9NAS0hoTqGwmQVYC-EDz5ZzXQ3q7mK6zzDO979iNd_Gh2svmKFbO3BzydrhLNb7hXn5xETEeUZN8tJSGOaUF8WKPUzT76Sk4AtfmKkGLDywMFz1uoDEs/s1600/photo+2-752933.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775728795620691090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbVt1IRuGHWr7AcxZW_wKDBZ9NAS0hoTqGwmQVYC-EDz5ZzXQ3q7mK6zzDO979iNd_Gh2svmKFbO3BzydrhLNb7hXn5xETEeUZN8tJSGOaUF8WKPUzT76Sk4AtfmKkGLDywMFz1uoDEs/s320/photo+2-752933.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>some poppies I bought just before I left for Perth not<br />really thinking I wouldn't be around to enjoy them</i><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF1S311gAN8m3LiB0-5kjM1OJFxmMbOd5VoDBAJ5qxp9BkpCiDra_4kW1S51Wj9Fo7bpCSywWwLWnNxaXhDOyQxpLN_SxmmqDKwUnDVywqwxIsH3SgkN1794_cOHzNbF3EaHHhjeho04/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF1S311gAN8m3LiB0-5kjM1OJFxmMbOd5VoDBAJ5qxp9BkpCiDra_4kW1S51Wj9Fo7bpCSywWwLWnNxaXhDOyQxpLN_SxmmqDKwUnDVywqwxIsH3SgkN1794_cOHzNbF3EaHHhjeho04/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="239" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijyn093-PRXTkWc_A7T8L-MhcG8SuZLfixu-d16iRQEZypUn1IxlQvenJR14oF9wBnQHWjo2ER_PnGEtjFIHSYSSJ0ejFfy0STh7p8ZFlfTNnXxMFMVtYv2mQHu-Qv5nFNXJff508-uAA/s1600/photo+3-753953.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="239" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775728801673551938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijyn093-PRXTkWc_A7T8L-MhcG8SuZLfixu-d16iRQEZypUn1IxlQvenJR14oF9wBnQHWjo2ER_PnGEtjFIHSYSSJ0ejFfy0STh7p8ZFlfTNnXxMFMVtYv2mQHu-Qv5nFNXJff508-uAA/s320/photo+3-753953.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>the bed when we got back - looks hastily made<br />methinks just before we arrived home! And the cushions<br />on the floor of course......</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGGMb9sI0EUa2MCOVgmkrr7SrFt0Qy4ofEmsG4y8xA2fMInm1jqqKgrLdq88411x8GDdXuHgTLTOJn5EqmWkZSyPhcOLsEz3y3atdI5V2CDmjDKi_txD1dSHxfA8ugFFVs30j-i1iEcs/s1600/photo+4-754777.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775728802421789666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGGMb9sI0EUa2MCOVgmkrr7SrFt0Qy4ofEmsG4y8xA2fMInm1jqqKgrLdq88411x8GDdXuHgTLTOJn5EqmWkZSyPhcOLsEz3y3atdI5V2CDmjDKi_txD1dSHxfA8ugFFVs30j-i1iEcs/s320/photo+4-754777.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>my poor poppies after a week</i><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-5452887903188831822012-07-09T00:22:00.001+10:002012-07-09T00:22:03.368+10:00holiday bits and pieces<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm watching the tennis and trying not to think about the fact that school is back tomorrow</div>
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and I'll have to face the morning routine of cajoling and lunch making with only a few hours sleep.</div>
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By rights, being Scottish I should be supporting Andy Murray, but I've been a Roger fan for a long time. </div>
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It's still only the first set and it's a nail biter so far. </div>
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I had a big list of house related stuff I wanted to get done over this past week.</div>
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Needless to say most of my little jobs didn't get done, but none of those jobs are going </div>
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anywhere. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9MU_G7_A1xbR8a2j59PyyCwcSe2FN8WwM5SN594nIvVu04nA7brYU3y7ZzyvXcUZmiVcW8c-m7JNFc5u1b__BA-SisqmbNw2YQa2HlIG_zRkPUHu6hjwBxn80ACkZBNKRzNX1Imd-rA/s1600/blogphoto1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9MU_G7_A1xbR8a2j59PyyCwcSe2FN8WwM5SN594nIvVu04nA7brYU3y7ZzyvXcUZmiVcW8c-m7JNFc5u1b__BA-SisqmbNw2YQa2HlIG_zRkPUHu6hjwBxn80ACkZBNKRzNX1Imd-rA/s320/blogphoto1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>I did find time to visit the lovely Black and Spiro where I </i></div>
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<i>bought this bedspread - blue, white, red, and polka dots -</i></div>
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<i>what's not to love?</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_31ZIf_8qNhBx45ObvN5_SpVqrYn0a-ed1uAHm-weg4584uy92CcquGr9fcoqDHCZAZl2ea7QX_vKHErXtzXdG5IH8EAo5lJ3YRdkDvGDISOqADsvMt2RGuNOsfr3sutKx0u2CX6OyUA/s1600/blogphoto+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_31ZIf_8qNhBx45ObvN5_SpVqrYn0a-ed1uAHm-weg4584uy92CcquGr9fcoqDHCZAZl2ea7QX_vKHErXtzXdG5IH8EAo5lJ3YRdkDvGDISOqADsvMt2RGuNOsfr3sutKx0u2CX6OyUA/s320/blogphoto+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>holidays are always a good time for some </i></div>
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<i>sleepovers</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>crafty stuff at GoMA</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZXxRX1CqP9aubP3WmtoxFnMUybWm9pvDZbgBxByPL0wqtH5SQc6_gt9H1Ie0WlCLBf_A0alu_Kdfbi2m0bGeKjzgfjrhqpKKrx0o-1BgrKVKjZFB8rZxIohMKlTFgwAQeZGg1H3zCJk/s1600/blogphoto+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZXxRX1CqP9aubP3WmtoxFnMUybWm9pvDZbgBxByPL0wqtH5SQc6_gt9H1Ie0WlCLBf_A0alu_Kdfbi2m0bGeKjzgfjrhqpKKrx0o-1BgrKVKjZFB8rZxIohMKlTFgwAQeZGg1H3zCJk/s320/blogphoto+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>the rules get relaxed when the man of the house</i></div>
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<i>isn't home....</i></div>
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We went camping for a few days in the second week of the holidays. Friends were </div>
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generally incredulous when they heard of our planned adventure.</div>
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The comments I heard the most were all along the lines of </div>
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"mmm, never quite saw you as a camper".</div>
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One friend said to me (in mock seriousness, but of course there's</div>
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always a grain of truth in these comments): "but how will you manage</div>
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without your GHD?" What can I say, my friends know me well.</div>
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Anyway, I am pleased to report we had a great time. Thanks</div>
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B for including us in your trip xx</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvesQ8g9yqRjKSEEmvMRbP3QHD3rPsfKHLYzRxoS-dAEH1Gp_g6CW27m9Y9a9eIFc7-JdV06WQKQrguIUEowXxEcbZTnPtoiwE9UAtLhUb-W2qrdyR7dPnxt2O5UvW03WDaQpiYDWP_E/s1600/blogphoto+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvesQ8g9yqRjKSEEmvMRbP3QHD3rPsfKHLYzRxoS-dAEH1Gp_g6CW27m9Y9a9eIFc7-JdV06WQKQrguIUEowXxEcbZTnPtoiwE9UAtLhUb-W2qrdyR7dPnxt2O5UvW03WDaQpiYDWP_E/s320/blogphoto+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>perfect weather</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOECWDYuYWINT_GRS4j2H0Q3f20ZbhbDGEy3w5A9dm7Fsito-Ujf77FkWy0q16H-Dj2rZ9K0UYkUfoXDs5N8AECIySJAC-DN7mXRT2AViG7Qun9Gk8CYPblW0nSK262nfIqjnJF4e8Nw/s1600/blogphoto+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOECWDYuYWINT_GRS4j2H0Q3f20ZbhbDGEy3w5A9dm7Fsito-Ujf77FkWy0q16H-Dj2rZ9K0UYkUfoXDs5N8AECIySJAC-DN7mXRT2AViG7Qun9Gk8CYPblW0nSK262nfIqjnJF4e8Nw/s320/blogphoto+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>how blue is that sky?</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSLc8Z9Y9wOnWdetVg0UWX6XEMvkZYRRhD6KQ9HJr5lbCyc4yBLb4-prUIgD7JU7WBeKexJRM3k8rvxz1Fg_C9P6GRwjZ5_KLPax3IbcmeCVa8Ul9edfctNO5keFoXdqNx2ZLlEWqlqD8/s1600/blogphoto+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSLc8Z9Y9wOnWdetVg0UWX6XEMvkZYRRhD6KQ9HJr5lbCyc4yBLb4-prUIgD7JU7WBeKexJRM3k8rvxz1Fg_C9P6GRwjZ5_KLPax3IbcmeCVa8Ul9edfctNO5keFoXdqNx2ZLlEWqlqD8/s320/blogphoto+7.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>tolerant guinea pigs at the camp site.</i></div>
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<i>they were on the receiving end of a lot of </i></div>
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<i>love from all the kids - whether they </i></div>
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<i>wanted it or not</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkY7d4sFAIX89nt4sVNqsPZK9jtJbR53eK1ps9sdvFsaugUf_0NgJjhtE0M-h2EFmDK7WvKbbbXcH1nkypdP5vx9cFxujZRzCnMRAe1Gv19n_0XtCyxl5bXgf6AhZz7qY-62r0PaWetY/s1600/blogphoto+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkY7d4sFAIX89nt4sVNqsPZK9jtJbR53eK1ps9sdvFsaugUf_0NgJjhtE0M-h2EFmDK7WvKbbbXcH1nkypdP5vx9cFxujZRzCnMRAe1Gv19n_0XtCyxl5bXgf6AhZz7qY-62r0PaWetY/s320/blogphoto+8.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i>beautiful weather for a bush walk</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27cHH8U1-_jcsnjcV_z5znutGJfC9OPjjVT_67csXvWmc7szakUVY5FIR7usOi7wReubL3nz1PpMbduZZZNs7o0hNnE9W0hn3MgStfYOYJTkhpSvwXzM1O2SqzMmEZP9BN2AWUnsRJ8g/s1600/blogphoto+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27cHH8U1-_jcsnjcV_z5znutGJfC9OPjjVT_67csXvWmc7szakUVY5FIR7usOi7wReubL3nz1PpMbduZZZNs7o0hNnE9W0hn3MgStfYOYJTkhpSvwXzM1O2SqzMmEZP9BN2AWUnsRJ8g/s320/blogphoto+9.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjyAB3qV4tliH7cM0UT6LPQG_nl6lCQZgys_dIBumGBlmeBbV-oYLgO5Xi8HAMKBPOnceQzyL4v1t7hO9B7NyYzTDZ_RvJ4WCkgcGbAYLjtcG2PSOyQthTCJJIjBufJecMMQexcKk_30/s1600/blogphoto+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjyAB3qV4tliH7cM0UT6LPQG_nl6lCQZgys_dIBumGBlmeBbV-oYLgO5Xi8HAMKBPOnceQzyL4v1t7hO9B7NyYzTDZ_RvJ4WCkgcGbAYLjtcG2PSOyQthTCJJIjBufJecMMQexcKk_30/s320/blogphoto+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>nothing beats a fire, red wine and conversation</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3UI7SQnbcStVMRbfloat9UA3Wpe3HYJUrBdGwrIVLfFlY1ni6MThh_5BzaIzn6V9TSuPz2yjhVZEUXaOc1YwFRWOU5KqO5t2GA1UosRE_EHQaKoyfvyxeIj8XCfXYrt7YX3UiEcAHMlE/s1600/blogphoto+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3UI7SQnbcStVMRbfloat9UA3Wpe3HYJUrBdGwrIVLfFlY1ni6MThh_5BzaIzn6V9TSuPz2yjhVZEUXaOc1YwFRWOU5KqO5t2GA1UosRE_EHQaKoyfvyxeIj8XCfXYrt7YX3UiEcAHMlE/s320/blogphoto+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>I even managed to make it to the finders keepers</i></div>
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<i>markets today and picked up some </i></div>
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<i>lovely ceramics.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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I'm not back at work until Tuesday so am aiming to tackle some of those </div>
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jobs tomorrow. First on the list is trying to finally sort out the window coverings </div>
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in the bedroom. </div>
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As I finish this, Murray has just won the first set. I hope I have </div>
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the stamina to stay up and watch this match as it's going to be a cracker.</div>
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Caffeine will be my friend tomorrow.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Night all x</div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-35188947564107793962012-06-19T21:06:00.000+10:002012-06-19T21:06:03.787+10:00happy camping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcysmtTwfi4wC84_gxpen9yIK4ULbjXdMo09oLxvpXw3siJJAyQwQM__OFMw-FanA4cUz9j8Zf8nKiCPwO_cqNoX-oVRkjJBpAYty_Wkke6_VFyn9sUw0KYRfsaxn36YcV1xH4FbEzvyw/s1600/photo+1-786062.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5755689049751514674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcysmtTwfi4wC84_gxpen9yIK4ULbjXdMo09oLxvpXw3siJJAyQwQM__OFMw-FanA4cUz9j8Zf8nKiCPwO_cqNoX-oVRkjJBpAYty_Wkke6_VFyn9sUw0KYRfsaxn36YcV1xH4FbEzvyw/s320/photo+1-786062.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i>our spare room slowly taking shape</i></div>
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School holidays are almost upon us, and I think we are all looking forward to the end</div>
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of the week when we can exhale. It's always nice to have a break from the routine of homework, </div>
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and the nagging in the morning to get ready. Though I have to say that by the end of the holidays</div>
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I'm usually really glad to have that routine back again and for school to resume....</div>
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We are going camping with some families over the holidays. I'm looking forward to this but</div>
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I'm also filled with slight trepidation - you see, I am (hushed tones) - <i>a camping virgin</i>. </div>
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Shocking I know. How have I escaped it for so long? </div>
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Most of my trepidation actually relates to how cold it's going to be.</div>
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You'd never believe that I lived for 23 years in Scotland. We had a trial run </div>
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in the back garden of putting up the tent. We have borrowed all the gear from</div>
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some friends which is fab - but they are a family of five so it's like the Taj </div>
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Mahal of tents for us. The man of the house and </div>
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I only swore at each other a few times and were still talking to </div>
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each other once the tent was up so I guess that was a success. </div>
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<i>let's hope it all goes this easily in the real world rather than</i></div>
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<i>our back garden</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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I've had the past two days off work and have been domestically pottering around the house, </div>
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cooking and baking and enjoying being in the house during the day. </div>
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There is a different feeling in the house when the sun is up and it's quiet - I love it.</div>
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Wish I got to enjoy it more but work gets in the way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTdmLLd_ufz4rVtD7GCqIIQKvcie-KlANFVHE4Q3RchaUJcfP8ROBu6J8qoy_NZLeO5yHJYlCM0QpOciTA_tlBFFrCWQ-xkvdcFK8U4scKm8cxKFRuhvDnoxenOaAckm6RHcGunat9kw/s1600/photo+3-789968.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5755689068793726402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTdmLLd_ufz4rVtD7GCqIIQKvcie-KlANFVHE4Q3RchaUJcfP8ROBu6J8qoy_NZLeO5yHJYlCM0QpOciTA_tlBFFrCWQ-xkvdcFK8U4scKm8cxKFRuhvDnoxenOaAckm6RHcGunat9kw/s320/photo+3-789968.JPG" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I'm training him early - nice to see he is thorough and is vacuuming</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>the inside of the storage cupboard. Love that Dyson.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Have a good week everyone </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
xx</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-16717880027558770872012-05-30T20:36:00.001+10:002012-05-30T20:36:53.435+10:00kitchen<div class="mobile-photo" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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The kitchen is my favourite room of the house. We spend most of our time here and the space</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
works just as we had hoped it would.We wanted lots of bench space, <br />
somewhere to sit, higher bench tops and a space that was warm and inviting. <br />
We chose white cabinetry and after much deliberation</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
grey benchtops - thinking that otherwise it would be too white for us. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXN9PuAeLbgKM3te_pRKdTWb0aDrwGcilF_fAqWXIlZQve9CU7CJBqo_qZnBjQW2bU2ONBSl_Vo_Ga0DW8vY2WFxzv9Leh-wN8BnaRwD9grBO5srqlxm152W9FaKeezE42ib_fNXUNgg/s1600/blogkitchen1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXN9PuAeLbgKM3te_pRKdTWb0aDrwGcilF_fAqWXIlZQve9CU7CJBqo_qZnBjQW2bU2ONBSl_Vo_Ga0DW8vY2WFxzv9Leh-wN8BnaRwD9grBO5srqlxm152W9FaKeezE42ib_fNXUNgg/s1600/blogkitchen1.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<em>looking down into the kitchen with my much</em></div>
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<em>loved antique scales in the foreground</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQw5loInNY7zHpkFzpgsKR7AQApu2YpexD18Vc809EgrB9jnGVv7arq70oN_t4h4wJSeQzPW2jLc7NWSxL9l4ZXXTjVXKL7UUsMbW3cGeYzEftEUdRJp5xoMohe95Qg6h2C4hBO6-H1g/s1600/blogkitchen2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQw5loInNY7zHpkFzpgsKR7AQApu2YpexD18Vc809EgrB9jnGVv7arq70oN_t4h4wJSeQzPW2jLc7NWSxL9l4ZXXTjVXKL7UUsMbW3cGeYzEftEUdRJp5xoMohe95Qg6h2C4hBO6-H1g/s1600/blogkitchen2.JPG" /></a></div>
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<em>looking back down towards the front of the house.</em><br />
<em>we chose Corian over Caesarstone as it comes as one solid </em><br />
<em>block rather than having to have joins.</em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLrBuqftwCIbHCMkXoc3pGimIYeGvWfx4ibT7ReHYew3o9VCmy8jIl_jN_Nhg9gMyEXwCj-f9pfxqbFwbaBpB97VVr84zgfEHjqoJxsG3yWUZYn5Y_0cM_wzTATwRN-i4_zUPeE3OOns/s1600/blogkitchen3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLrBuqftwCIbHCMkXoc3pGimIYeGvWfx4ibT7ReHYew3o9VCmy8jIl_jN_Nhg9gMyEXwCj-f9pfxqbFwbaBpB97VVr84zgfEHjqoJxsG3yWUZYn5Y_0cM_wzTATwRN-i4_zUPeE3OOns/s1600/blogkitchen3.JPG" /></a></div>
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<em>searched high and low for these lights and </em></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<em>found them at Ici et La in Sydney. </em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4ch3mA872sn8g9N90PRmUlkogMLCOps1p4vY638-jGe8j1RlIk5ZPV8Ucpe6cUWgJPjDTf1T0jyuiyLxhrQTBN9JYC81x40U0DetlEocIqYQGclvZOyczFYum_Zj0SiM3WamYqO2lbs/s1600/blogkitchenviewtooutside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4ch3mA872sn8g9N90PRmUlkogMLCOps1p4vY638-jGe8j1RlIk5ZPV8Ucpe6cUWgJPjDTf1T0jyuiyLxhrQTBN9JYC81x40U0DetlEocIqYQGclvZOyczFYum_Zj0SiM3WamYqO2lbs/s1600/blogkitchenviewtooutside.JPG" /></a></div>
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<em>behind the stools we have a row of bi-fold doors that open </em></div>
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<em>up to the deck. It makes entertaining so easy</em></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<em>as you can feel part of everything while still working in</em></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<em>the kitchen</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqqQ6acLRqQZ5Y0klENG17nSn4ET5k9XFCkiI1nvAH51UyBK4Tq8DzFApyfIX9qkGN25RbHamKFEo8JxUqH8ZuM3gtz4H3-KZ10Dy9Ukg9wpnaNVNu1GVyfjaaL6eB6dgpj1UFh1JGUo/s1600/blogkitchenfromoutside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqqQ6acLRqQZ5Y0klENG17nSn4ET5k9XFCkiI1nvAH51UyBK4Tq8DzFApyfIX9qkGN25RbHamKFEo8JxUqH8ZuM3gtz4H3-KZ10Dy9Ukg9wpnaNVNu1GVyfjaaL6eB6dgpj1UFh1JGUo/s1600/blogkitchenfromoutside.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<em>view from the deck looking back into the kitchen</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3yGDEpkbNs_-WFzDi8YLFCsvTa53_7yIJKbD6v2p-EiK_HZpt0znoGtC_kQgRL9n5cxWNkEf4UQTXJlsXhbjaUxt7Oq2_RND1FLoFtv82cwlF61e4ssT3_4uiEt0c_13MYEyzIKFcNM/s1600/blogneff1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3yGDEpkbNs_-WFzDi8YLFCsvTa53_7yIJKbD6v2p-EiK_HZpt0znoGtC_kQgRL9n5cxWNkEf4UQTXJlsXhbjaUxt7Oq2_RND1FLoFtv82cwlF61e4ssT3_4uiEt0c_13MYEyzIKFcNM/s1600/blogneff1.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>both the man of the house and I are tall, and so in addition to </em></div>
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<em>higher benchtops, we wanted a wall mounted oven. I know</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>ovens underneath the stove top look lovely, but I was sick of bending </em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>down all the time. We chose a Neff oven.</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oEc36AD9Mj4D8eFNYycu7y6LMpq8Si-LOjWPKBNCggodufa9Ua2t0n5MMS3wxgciaVvUOt_znusovqSMN63_Rm44vJucRlZc1gAJAPUWChAQZLvB7wbAYtguyCuKP8yUxKgO51reVgk/s1600/blogneff2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oEc36AD9Mj4D8eFNYycu7y6LMpq8Si-LOjWPKBNCggodufa9Ua2t0n5MMS3wxgciaVvUOt_znusovqSMN63_Rm44vJucRlZc1gAJAPUWChAQZLvB7wbAYtguyCuKP8yUxKgO51reVgk/s1600/blogneff2.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>this was one of the main selling points for me for</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>the Neff. It has castors and you can slide the </em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>trays out very easily to check on what is </em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>cooking</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyVL-5GoOOUfVwmXpAnMR5AUf_EsHDbkjEMeAghvQtYwjyYbSnrM2CV6FfFeceGpRpUv25nqORKKvRv8sZ35_kZ-XSnOXDucTRESVIXkxUSLGIajF9JmwyldslYvT4FhS7Nzzc9MwPo8/s1600/blogneff3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyVL-5GoOOUfVwmXpAnMR5AUf_EsHDbkjEMeAghvQtYwjyYbSnrM2CV6FfFeceGpRpUv25nqORKKvRv8sZ35_kZ-XSnOXDucTRESVIXkxUSLGIajF9JmwyldslYvT4FhS7Nzzc9MwPo8/s1600/blogneff3.JPG" /></a></div>
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<em>the magical "Slide'N'Hide" door was the second selling point.</em></div>
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<em>Going.....</em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlBd_FI4ffOH6zryzmfXMImakXqdaMeHWCyHpGv1Cbej8Mw5v_DPWcBSR4G7-ffshAqHFL0mwbOZhONg0CN6ybW2JEzRMkxtEp5l2vwRvaNQd41HBSeWsM-oIZq9V5mfqxL1YMprnwco/s1600/blogneff4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlBd_FI4ffOH6zryzmfXMImakXqdaMeHWCyHpGv1Cbej8Mw5v_DPWcBSR4G7-ffshAqHFL0mwbOZhONg0CN6ybW2JEzRMkxtEp5l2vwRvaNQd41HBSeWsM-oIZq9V5mfqxL1YMprnwco/s1600/blogneff4.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>going........</em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUFEJsbOLChNMztUUONOld5h-NB89nCVfhxMCmlrBCkXbYXOsDFV95ciMn_akdhOaeqxleltZA6tKzXoBS-gJW2ORHUzaYjLtktBU-sPdA2QOjq8YKNram5rybo8qpAcJEonkO8hqs40/s1600/blogneff5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUFEJsbOLChNMztUUONOld5h-NB89nCVfhxMCmlrBCkXbYXOsDFV95ciMn_akdhOaeqxleltZA6tKzXoBS-gJW2ORHUzaYjLtktBU-sPdA2QOjq8YKNram5rybo8qpAcJEonkO8hqs40/s1600/blogneff5.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>gone!</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>I seriously love this and it is so convenient.</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>If the man of the house was reading this (he doesn't read the blog)</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>he would harrumph loudly and grumble under his breath</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>"you'd want to seriously love it for the amount of extra money</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>that door cost". </em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Our builder talked us through a few rough ideas for the kitchen and then</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
sent us to his cabinet maker who spent a lot of time with us, finding out what was</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
important to us and then guiding us in the right direction. I'd be very happy<br />
to recommend them (and my builder) to anyone in Brisbane.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We chose</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2Pak cabinets painted in Lexicon</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Corian bench top in Lava Rock<br />
Dorf Kytin mixer<br />
Waden reverse osmosis water filter<br />
Highland gas stovetop<br />
Neff oven<br />
Miele dishwasher<br />
<br />
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAPvnEiEBgMNu_ExpPusQUGIOZaRh99jAyQK3u5v2heFx2fYv4qR85Owz2jrusPolXlZmsII0DViGoWuMPVCHFoeLbWvCrpQQA8LI3tXRuoolgXC-LeNncTsKAGDm_kauvyKq7a9kdoY/s1600/blogsickboy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAPvnEiEBgMNu_ExpPusQUGIOZaRh99jAyQK3u5v2heFx2fYv4qR85Owz2jrusPolXlZmsII0DViGoWuMPVCHFoeLbWvCrpQQA8LI3tXRuoolgXC-LeNncTsKAGDm_kauvyKq7a9kdoY/s1600/blogsickboy.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Boy of the house was home sick from school today.</em></div>
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<em>That meant I got a day off work to mop his</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>fevered brow. Everything feels better after a </em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>cup of chai tea in the big bed</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em></em><br /> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirV5nvc5BVsynmwdVcZCVRHcEqH2vdtiZhaM3mnPrsJicaDeuQeRK78g-SJsqawVlHHsQ4MFoPB6cOQg8WbUWIludYq5MsmSgsQY2u3oY2ouDLMEGdydaCv_MHBHVNrKNMSV5_hNZJQd4/s1600/blogautumnleaves.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirV5nvc5BVsynmwdVcZCVRHcEqH2vdtiZhaM3mnPrsJicaDeuQeRK78g-SJsqawVlHHsQ4MFoPB6cOQg8WbUWIludYq5MsmSgsQY2u3oY2ouDLMEGdydaCv_MHBHVNrKNMSV5_hNZJQd4/s1600/blogautumnleaves.JPG" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<em>loving this weather at the moment in Brisbane.</em></div>
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<em>We have a Japanese maple in the front garden</em></div>
<div align="center">
<em>which provides us with some glorious autumnal colours</em></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8NUSb5WmixPfwa5rvgWGngprpQV6i7Ixu-myNHuePodlXET5HRW5X_-UIg7ltsBQCgQMWt0NKck6_Px6qyn4FNAp7VB4EHrg0AYNZ6l-hiVM9GR06qs9uJer2TJPmXjx3fWJ8flqo3jU/s1600/photo-729156.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5748263665105941362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8NUSb5WmixPfwa5rvgWGngprpQV6i7Ixu-myNHuePodlXET5HRW5X_-UIg7ltsBQCgQMWt0NKck6_Px6qyn4FNAp7VB4EHrg0AYNZ6l-hiVM9GR06qs9uJer2TJPmXjx3fWJ8flqo3jU/s320/photo-729156.JPG" /></a></div>
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<em>just as we are heading into autumn here, everything is coming</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>alive in Germany - my Mum sent me this photo of </em></div>
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<em>one of the peony roses in her garden. So lovely.</em></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-53915341395374467702012-05-22T22:38:00.001+10:002012-05-22T22:38:33.166+10:00a singular sadness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2Pc_zP_n6hSvlcGBxw0WfR4N6lGgCLyROyn96Cz6PoteieXs461cZ4wpbpO66iOhv4_ozKKjn_5E7YoG6MU0jT4wf5KuUng8z8h28Erhyphenhyphenn8HKIOoboxtIuWmTui0XdxS0xF5cm7U08E/s1600/IMG_1929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2Pc_zP_n6hSvlcGBxw0WfR4N6lGgCLyROyn96Cz6PoteieXs461cZ4wpbpO66iOhv4_ozKKjn_5E7YoG6MU0jT4wf5KuUng8z8h28Erhyphenhyphenn8HKIOoboxtIuWmTui0XdxS0xF5cm7U08E/s320/IMG_1929.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>boy of the house at about 11 months of age. In some ways</i></div>
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<i>it seems like yesterday. He's now at school.</i></div>
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I haven't felt like blogging for a while. Some of that has been because I've been busy - in a good way.</div>
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Work has been flat out, I've been to Sydney twice in 2 weeks, and we've had lots of catch ups with</div>
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friends at the old girl which has been lovely.</div>
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I've been a bit sad though too. The cause of my sadness is something that may be hard to understand for a lot of people. The boy of the house is an only child - not by choice, but that's what happens when you leave it until your later thirties to have a baby. I know we were very lucky to have him, when so many people are not able to have children at all. While I had a lot of sadness a few years ago when we were in the thick of trying hard to have another baby - with the emotional roller coaster that comes with assisted fertility - in more recent times I had come to accept, happily, that our little family was complete. </div>
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So I wasn't prepared this week for the emotional outpouring from the boy of the house.</div>
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He's not been himself these past 2 or 3 weeks, and it all came out on Sunday night when I was tucking him in to bed. He spontaneously started crying and asked me why he didn't have any brothers and sisters, how sad he was that it was just the three of us, and why couldn't it be different. "Friends are great mum, but a brother or sister is what I really want". The conversation went on for a long time, and it transpired that he has been sad about this for a long time and has been bottling it up. He is one of only two only-children at his school, and I hadn't realised how perceptive he was about the situation. Never under-estimate your children.</div>
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Of course in the grand scheme of things, we are such a lucky family, all living safely and healthily. On a daily basis at work I see children who are coping with acute or chronic illness, and am reminded constantly that good health and a loving family - whatever its size or composition - should never be taken for granted. However I think the thing that is making me especially sad about this is that it is a terrible thing to see your child so sad about something that no one - especially me - has the power to do any thing about. This is one thing I can't make better for him. I'm all for promoting resilience in our children, but he can't change this situation by working harder at something, or by applying himself more. </div>
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I am sure we will navigate this sadness, the boy of the house and I. In the meantime I've got plenty of house related things I can post about...... in due course.</div>
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<br /></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-13540373205974812612012-05-03T21:55:00.000+10:002012-05-03T21:55:25.268+10:00some favourite corners of my home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrKzXxRJDk4ecQrrZMWWksr_c-HVK-l5dbhbeLSizNu7RmmFmgCXmPGp57q3rv6moMGWyttETKy5YZTfX7cmjSgDalun63OJNnlUqUoatdG-xFzCxWsXY37yoMqt-SykwFt9xRv61Ofo/s1600/favourite1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrKzXxRJDk4ecQrrZMWWksr_c-HVK-l5dbhbeLSizNu7RmmFmgCXmPGp57q3rv6moMGWyttETKy5YZTfX7cmjSgDalun63OJNnlUqUoatdG-xFzCxWsXY37yoMqt-SykwFt9xRv61Ofo/s320/favourite1.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i>all the big names are here including Ruby</i></div>
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<i>the wonder dog</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWmfcmux8k9ZBoLGhvFx2qBba-Pj8k1tj7aQ4_xbHj4t4KVKtmZHiCuCjsRUE3GP6AJeeKi8CpHLKSJrDUiBSWNGnYtfHwYOe2UziIGMwF-x60hN3-VDnQqF_9GMDpvFW_s_o0k2JvpY/s1600/favourite2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWmfcmux8k9ZBoLGhvFx2qBba-Pj8k1tj7aQ4_xbHj4t4KVKtmZHiCuCjsRUE3GP6AJeeKi8CpHLKSJrDUiBSWNGnYtfHwYOe2UziIGMwF-x60hN3-VDnQqF_9GMDpvFW_s_o0k2JvpY/s320/favourite2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>WAC bookcase with some birds made by Shannon Muir, </i></div>
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<i>a Qld ceramicist</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eacENwzobn7GQ2K6BAegq_LeYWE3yINb5kMAGw79Qiq7o6xgjrH3lzcRYT9IWqpw3kyTgqciT0w3s3Oylfm41GWmjKBWyLEl2B95PKz0xYtsErKyKYU8Y_vmE3pM5_PcE-NKh-di0kU/s1600/favourite3.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eacENwzobn7GQ2K6BAegq_LeYWE3yINb5kMAGw79Qiq7o6xgjrH3lzcRYT9IWqpw3kyTgqciT0w3s3Oylfm41GWmjKBWyLEl2B95PKz0xYtsErKyKYU8Y_vmE3pM5_PcE-NKh-di0kU/s320/favourite3.5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>doors of our ensuite vanity</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPM3v4Pewh1rtp26dU6IlHhUsTzX6YzNtsqOcnZHlPymN9sgNehrx9SxSNzKGHGVWzjoYiU34X1hItaGIp81gY_juhTlhqhyphenhyphenCPBnHzK5fbjwJ2r4tsSMY68K1154pZzimEso4q-_Q4po/s1600/favourite3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPM3v4Pewh1rtp26dU6IlHhUsTzX6YzNtsqOcnZHlPymN9sgNehrx9SxSNzKGHGVWzjoYiU34X1hItaGIp81gY_juhTlhqhyphenhyphenCPBnHzK5fbjwJ2r4tsSMY68K1154pZzimEso4q-_Q4po/s320/favourite3.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i>north eastern corner of our verandah complete</i></div>
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<i>with Ruby the spotted dog</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YkeYuBjIJvZJM_xJXeyvvVNrIWtYscyXJttsHQc2G6e_ovSnv8gy5gQkIDw2i32WXz6monrB8lgKRQOX1-U5EvPcOo_5Ey_7hzVGtLHJmZS8FanGAU6VQCsFKqFkr6M8yXhuaQE_aGA/s1600/IMG_2636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YkeYuBjIJvZJM_xJXeyvvVNrIWtYscyXJttsHQc2G6e_ovSnv8gy5gQkIDw2i32WXz6monrB8lgKRQOX1-U5EvPcOo_5Ey_7hzVGtLHJmZS8FanGAU6VQCsFKqFkr6M8yXhuaQE_aGA/s320/IMG_2636.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i>corner of our bedroom with old family photos and</i></div>
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<i>my family tree</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YHESCG8SxLmE28Qlm6gqAR4z5ZCnBITD_-IPO_C2QEzdudyKyQ5v51Sp8X9Z5QikedTsDskWmgacQ1BYliH2528YL5SFeujYoFEv1UL-li8-YkB2CslKJG4NWmwTVppZqzK1PcCz1mY/s1600/favourite5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YHESCG8SxLmE28Qlm6gqAR4z5ZCnBITD_-IPO_C2QEzdudyKyQ5v51Sp8X9Z5QikedTsDskWmgacQ1BYliH2528YL5SFeujYoFEv1UL-li8-YkB2CslKJG4NWmwTVppZqzK1PcCz1mY/s320/favourite5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>my little brother with me in one of those old family </i></div>
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<i>photos (1972). Can't believe he is turning 40 next week</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnagM2htwRKn5sEpxY8Xq-vErW5aC5SXwjIgsrVVQTfrJ7_D-donW20d1EvyJ5hMSET42YAcxmW7bxNY2P3dqHyfmF08rTqbOovCRKRK8Q71cwO2-lzANWXsNagRqJ6NP0hf6zudWKWc/s1600/favourite6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnagM2htwRKn5sEpxY8Xq-vErW5aC5SXwjIgsrVVQTfrJ7_D-donW20d1EvyJ5hMSET42YAcxmW7bxNY2P3dqHyfmF08rTqbOovCRKRK8Q71cwO2-lzANWXsNagRqJ6NP0hf6zudWKWc/s320/favourite6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>my favourite spot</i></div>
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<br /></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-33527613717051401362012-04-28T20:03:00.003+10:002012-04-28T20:03:50.640+10:00Plantation blinds?<div class="mobile-photo">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_E562GYvfXvqwGMvDo1BXPcGmU5ce-AIena3RT-aWRGBb8MQYNep38pUqLWwub9WoHr_JUXRhy3iZFMZUM2Uz2IpD0Cw5JEjsa_Uk20W8pNw6CQtIJrLBnpbl-eG2FMtrWbXj9U5K5k/s1600/IMG_2648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_E562GYvfXvqwGMvDo1BXPcGmU5ce-AIena3RT-aWRGBb8MQYNep38pUqLWwub9WoHr_JUXRhy3iZFMZUM2Uz2IpD0Cw5JEjsa_Uk20W8pNw6CQtIJrLBnpbl-eG2FMtrWbXj9U5K5k/s320/IMG_2648.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have posted <a href="http://thewhitequeenslander.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/bedroom-update.html">before</a> about the window covering situation in our bedroom.</div>
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We are still deciding what to do, but the man of the house is getting pretty grumpy about</div>
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waking as the sun rises every morning.</div>
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I love the look of the white Plantation shutters - but they are so expensive....</div>
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Also, I am not sure if there is enough space for them on our French doors at the side:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFYCvSMYzYs3udh1B-MBZII85nt6aoKbeLrPo_X8jr2QfzLphMsUm_6to1A9Q8OJiEAM13F5jng6NPCzAAaPjbj_RLPB8pBzhf-7qGApSPZEx1zY1jV4O_5w6z-H4C8MRK9-6bhIm_cg/s1600/IMG_2646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFYCvSMYzYs3udh1B-MBZII85nt6aoKbeLrPo_X8jr2QfzLphMsUm_6to1A9Q8OJiEAM13F5jng6NPCzAAaPjbj_RLPB8pBzhf-7qGApSPZEx1zY1jV4O_5w6z-H4C8MRK9-6bhIm_cg/s320/IMG_2646.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i>This is the current state of affairs. The doors open out onto </i></div>
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<i>the verandah and we are not using it at the moment as it's too</i></div>
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<i>much hassle to keep moving the sheet out of the way :(</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRWBjSkjz5m96ieGLmct9WAK8KTh162Bx2GW0LmrJvNJ5Eykwy83SoFlDOWO2-zyAaCfpq31OzjST5Cl21agRuQLtwHaArjojwL94B36BatV_mvrdC13tNyJ5paKo01OtJ6rem2PnDKc/s1600/photo-795116.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5736384930992551410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRWBjSkjz5m96ieGLmct9WAK8KTh162Bx2GW0LmrJvNJ5Eykwy83SoFlDOWO2-zyAaCfpq31OzjST5Cl21agRuQLtwHaArjojwL94B36BatV_mvrdC13tNyJ5paKo01OtJ6rem2PnDKc/s320/photo-795116.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i>I think this old but functioning handle juts out too far so that the shutters</i></div>
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<i>would not be in line with the wall, and would not be able to </i></div>
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<i>be attached to the inside of the window frame.</i></div>
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If anyone has recommendations for Plantation shutters let me know :)</div>
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Rain, rain, rain here. I'm so glad our friends got married last weekend and not today.</div>
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The boy of the house has a friend for a sleepover tonight so the usually</div>
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quiet house has been full of giggles and loud play. I love it.</div>
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Have a good weekend everyone</div>
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x</div>
<br />Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-66043900821912094302012-04-23T02:42:00.003+10:002012-04-23T02:42:47.119+10:00feeling the love ♥<div class="mobile-photo">
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I will state here at the outset that this post has nothing to do with Queenslanders</div>
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or renovation, so don't say you haven't been warned. </div>
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It's been one of those weekends where you feel that everything in the world is as it should be, </div>
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and I feel like sharing the love!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5NEdoqCvIpWAXpOFzMRpNoh1_osWYLF1kvYsUYbI7BHFVE_gGZdLev3EaWqT7QnYxQxxX8j3zhcvvlNIOkv_KiUPrX2FoYKJ48IdfRASYE_YvbkzNBmuIIXleTp5se-BH3WpqTVBDlo/s1600/photo+2-728085.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734254766527825890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5NEdoqCvIpWAXpOFzMRpNoh1_osWYLF1kvYsUYbI7BHFVE_gGZdLev3EaWqT7QnYxQxxX8j3zhcvvlNIOkv_KiUPrX2FoYKJ48IdfRASYE_YvbkzNBmuIIXleTp5se-BH3WpqTVBDlo/s320/photo+2-728085.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i>corner of our kitchen with the all important caffeine dispenser</i></div>
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I think all this warm and fuzzy talk has been prompted by the wedding on Saturday of a good friend of ours. He is a dear friend who went to school with the man of the house and they have remained close for all of these years despite us all being now in our (very) early 40's (anything under 45 is early 40's isn't it?). We all wondered over the years if he would ever find the right girl to get married to, and lo and behold about 7 months ago he got engaged to his now brand new and beautiful wife. It turns out they had known each other for over 20 years and romance blossomed all of a sudden last year, taking them both by surprise. Our group of friends has all been <i>beyond</i> excited about this wedding - weddings at our stage of life don't happen that often (or at least people taking the plunge for the first time at our age doesn't happen that often). A fabulous day and night was had by all, most importantly by the bride and groom. It was an evening filled with love, warmth, reminiscing, humour, tears and laughter, and none of us wanted it to end.</div>
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April is also the month that the man of the house and I got married in - back in 2003. We had a small</div>
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church wedding and then had our reception back in the old girl in the back garden. Time flies... </div>
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<i>the man of the house and I on our wedding day</i></div>
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From now until about October is the best time of year in Brisbane I think. It has been glorious weather these past few days - clear blue skies, without the searing summer heat. It's hard not to be happy walking in the dappled sunlight with a trusty canine companion by your side :)</div>
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<i>the highlight of the day for the spotted dog is the her walk</i></div>
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<br />Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-40061816563252372302012-04-16T20:22:00.000+10:002012-04-16T20:22:31.128+10:00keeping it clean - naturally<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Before this big renovation, we had the luxury of having someone clean the house </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">every week. Such luxury I know, but as a full time working mum I never stopped </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">appreciating the fact that I didn't have to spend my time at home </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">cleaning the bathroom and kitchen and mopping the floors.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since we have renovated, I have been reluctant to go back to having a cleaner - </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">for many reasons.The first reason is that it will be a lot more expensive </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">now given that we have more floor space and toilets/bathrooms.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I also am still fairly precious about the house and am not yet over the novelty of all </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the sparkly new basins and toilets..... and I have this lofty idea that</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> it's good for the boy of the house to see that we keep the house clean ourselves </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and don't just pay or expect someone else to do it. Sounds good though in</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> practice I end up cleaning when he is fast asleep - but </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I guess it's the principle that matters.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have a whole new range of cleaning dilemmas though - more bench space, tiled</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> showers, and glass shower screens. I have written before about wanting to </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">find some sort of more "natural" way to clean at home. It's not the</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> most exciting or blog worthy of topics of course, but I figure we </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">all have to clean.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">My quest to find a more natural solution to cleaning started with the shower screens -</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">after our builder recommended a product that they use on car windscreens to keep them</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">shiny and water repellant. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">No thanks.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Shannon Lush has the following suggestion for them:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">mix 1 part methylated spirits with 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Rub the mixture over the screen with a cloth.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyFRe9iM5YrWc6ht64HgQ_e3OOfdAJzHygOIRjhlmXemwsyz9EMVp5gR_qAUu6YhGPJBPBBQOQK4EikOufcDoObB5sNSHN6scuCk2Tsnz8X6PmMPySDDMzDl3mvN1Vj-T1IABG2i297g/s1600/shannonlush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyFRe9iM5YrWc6ht64HgQ_e3OOfdAJzHygOIRjhlmXemwsyz9EMVp5gR_qAUu6YhGPJBPBBQOQK4EikOufcDoObB5sNSHN6scuCk2Tsnz8X6PmMPySDDMzDl3mvN1Vj-T1IABG2i297g/s320/shannonlush.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Shannon Lush is a bit of a domestic goddess where cleaning is concerned. It seems</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>there is nothing that can't be cleaned with a bit of bicarbonate of soda and </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>vinegar. Sometimes I yearn for less of the vinegary odour though....</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7B8NFIlao7Nihw3RN45-LF2dQe14z2VHAqg8Xzt1LdP9GwwnzFeX2-ZgkeLxg2dTXNQhcE-mjJYGB1ManSaCwu4ETFfdpw7fSqLzuDhVndCVI7xwZcDgheJZP7-Qk59aAVGzFyrAupA/s1600/gumption.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7B8NFIlao7Nihw3RN45-LF2dQe14z2VHAqg8Xzt1LdP9GwwnzFeX2-ZgkeLxg2dTXNQhcE-mjJYGB1ManSaCwu4ETFfdpw7fSqLzuDhVndCVI7xwZcDgheJZP7-Qk59aAVGzFyrAupA/s320/gumption.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>I have always thought that Gumption was a great all purpose</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>cleaner with very little in the way of "nasty" ingredients -</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>though there isn't much on the tub that tells me what's in there.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Maybe I have been led astray by marketing.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrY92Ur-yl408nsRFDnOOEcoVovdH0b9UMik9hVW7XZs4Bads2byk-Ss-5j1DCBCumnd1L9YX3XoVDTT-S1lPQvZ14jNxxLrGnaupReK3u0ioFklki-ywwW-44ycIVMiaNbGYu1zoaHsc/s1600/method.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrY92Ur-yl408nsRFDnOOEcoVovdH0b9UMik9hVW7XZs4Bads2byk-Ss-5j1DCBCumnd1L9YX3XoVDTT-S1lPQvZ14jNxxLrGnaupReK3u0ioFklki-ywwW-44ycIVMiaNbGYu1zoaHsc/s320/method.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>This UK brand was recommended to me by a friend who had used </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>their products while working over there.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The glass cleaner in particular seems to be lovely and works </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>a treat on the shower screens - nice minty smell and </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>no big nasties</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidk8z4Hh_nQVWQ_-JVleaJAl1MDifqsiwClmHaIFxCzpX6Pe9dim2FWWZLaGgHEUFcP0oNP-ukv2p9_HevWhDf-uKlDrwZNOcvqH-X7dQ82otUleLkroK7VCy36tnsirdRSvGrwybiNv8/s1600/murch1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidk8z4Hh_nQVWQ_-JVleaJAl1MDifqsiwClmHaIFxCzpX6Pe9dim2FWWZLaGgHEUFcP0oNP-ukv2p9_HevWhDf-uKlDrwZNOcvqH-X7dQ82otUleLkroK7VCy36tnsirdRSvGrwybiNv8/s320/murch1.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3hdIEuakUbIw4LCqTFmvGk_f99HELtAlsQj81pA0P5tj3yTSFUMXuo6mTGiK5tG_5H_R_T1NDDY_XVr1hOPmkdhmUE3k6OalGGlAjrpApS59JCcjIFceXpbcPW2CH5-9nb5kwu_xlqE/s1600/murch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3hdIEuakUbIw4LCqTFmvGk_f99HELtAlsQj81pA0P5tj3yTSFUMXuo6mTGiK5tG_5H_R_T1NDDY_XVr1hOPmkdhmUE3k6OalGGlAjrpApS59JCcjIFceXpbcPW2CH5-9nb5kwu_xlqE/s320/murch2.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I only discovered this brand - Murchison Hume - by chance</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>last month. It is like the holy grail of "natural" cleaning products -</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>smells lovely, safe around food, and you don't have to wear gloves.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>$$ though :(</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">So for the time being I am using a combination of the Shannon Lush approach, with intermittent use of </div><div style="text-align: center;">either method or Murchison Hume products. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll report back :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Method products: UK website <a href="http://www.methodproducts.co.uk/">here</a> and Australian details <a href="http://www.methodhome.com.au/">here</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Available at selected IGA stores in Australia </div><div style="text-align: center;">(I found them in the Ritchie's IGA in Westfield Carindale)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Murchison Hume website<a href="http://www.murchison-hume.com/site/index.html"> here</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-28938792320866409912012-04-13T16:39:00.000+10:002012-04-13T16:39:04.693+10:00bathrooms: traditional or modern ?<div style="text-align: center;">In the first round of renovations of the old girl, we only had one bathroom with the toilet in the bathroom.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We opted for a fairly traditional bathroom - that seemed to be what everyone was doing back in the 90's - clawfoot bath, with white bath interior and dark heritage green exterior. Brass taps and fittings. And a tiled floor in that heritage pattern of little hexagons. I loved it at the time, but after 15 years (!) it was time for a change.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We were going from our one bathroom/toilet to one ensuite, one main bathroom, one powder room - all upstairs, and one toilet with shower downstairs. Seems ridiculous for three people doesn't it? We had an eye on resale as eventually (though hopefully not any time soon) we will move on from this house and I imagine a bigger family than ours would buy the house.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I decided to have all the bathrooms the same - mainly because I found choosing tiles and fittings for the bathrooms somehow the hardest thing of all to do, and I couldn't bring myself to do it three or four times. We wanted to have more of a clean look, and while I don't think what we chose is "modern" it is a lot more contemporary and hopefully won't date so quickly. A clawfoot bath has remained in the main bathroom upstairs, and we took some care in choosing the taps and fittings in that bathroom - it is the bathroom that the boy of the house uses, so we wanted mixer taps that didn't look too modern.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I made all these choices before I discovered this world of blogging - I wonder if my choices would have been different with all the wonderful inspiration that is on the web....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLHAwY0VqPjlrbSPbLIJ_E8Ji78s8h4jgYwqfmLFQ80BSygaxjonBiIl9Z0HXDzz__-JU_y6NFeUcV7JArsaxcWklTnDLPbHfXTHguHae7PcJY1nvyG5264k-li9OKr7oZoLSWQkSwTc/s320/IMG_3118.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>ensuite vanity</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHynyoazJDTiAPdoenT_ui6Bdpn6yy7U_aEkIw1qhYrGgNHlLxembH2E-r9G4CHrYOa16enJ_CfAdP_WvMJtivKGZvTMd_cezhFcKkHKpQ0dhO7LwTAGPk-KtvaagqmpgLvPlN1VHCk4/s1600/IMG_3126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHynyoazJDTiAPdoenT_ui6Bdpn6yy7U_aEkIw1qhYrGgNHlLxembH2E-r9G4CHrYOa16enJ_CfAdP_WvMJtivKGZvTMd_cezhFcKkHKpQ0dhO7LwTAGPk-KtvaagqmpgLvPlN1VHCk4/s320/IMG_3126.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>ensuite</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8IA3wmC0iHNW1jDmF7kySfqpsBTIsbnlVFLK9xvazNoAs0OqSyWPeSQ1Loy2qxZ9m0_KvRkdxATKswfQq5MVjoa7Yy4DEIYQZmwVd6TCKeekoxPfyleDgalqVjbL9dMyLqQQOOajxp8/s1600/IMG_3129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8IA3wmC0iHNW1jDmF7kySfqpsBTIsbnlVFLK9xvazNoAs0OqSyWPeSQ1Loy2qxZ9m0_KvRkdxATKswfQq5MVjoa7Yy4DEIYQZmwVd6TCKeekoxPfyleDgalqVjbL9dMyLqQQOOajxp8/s320/IMG_3129.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>we didn't have enough room to put a sink in the </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>powder room without it being too cramped, so used a </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>stretch of hall for a basin and storage underneath.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tORpedj2jvdYbxtpLTLHI23KwskDuihF_NXvkg-OdWGqnIILKNwya-6MFSLihb_xiDwSw024R8TLMa6E7Rd1d7X58rREv4LViT1Bj2xcWagS5hyphenhyphenpFKtotJ3O5CwuNRoERHhVP4Jy1Gs/s1600/IMG_3128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tORpedj2jvdYbxtpLTLHI23KwskDuihF_NXvkg-OdWGqnIILKNwya-6MFSLihb_xiDwSw024R8TLMa6E7Rd1d7X58rREv4LViT1Bj2xcWagS5hyphenhyphenpFKtotJ3O5CwuNRoERHhVP4Jy1Gs/s320/IMG_3128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>a little bit of <a href="http://www.mondocherry.blogspot.com.au/">mondocherry</a> loveliness</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZUV6-_ZLNHCaihq9klV70mRu3qPbHnxLY1csNoqjqMT3W_ePaf3GVPYj3Vwdu0fEPexTjNb6-TunxNEYNdMeWCSIWr9avEL-oPewc0BIWhejVPw4C5Uz8wBXiIillOOjwyowSTSpjD8/s1600/IMG_3142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZUV6-_ZLNHCaihq9klV70mRu3qPbHnxLY1csNoqjqMT3W_ePaf3GVPYj3Vwdu0fEPexTjNb6-TunxNEYNdMeWCSIWr9avEL-oPewc0BIWhejVPw4C5Uz8wBXiIillOOjwyowSTSpjD8/s320/IMG_3142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>main bathroom</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oCivOW484qSux-FGOfEmTbcrFzQYYu2KIMkO45-nt6hKWHVCjFcrCakEhfUFs8blTzOq0jDrclU0q84NLYLAhsyQCvKWLwX6sGO_L6wAHDmJFu93C73WQ3xzoGBcLQOeTFB5Rbw310Y/s1600/IMG_3140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oCivOW484qSux-FGOfEmTbcrFzQYYu2KIMkO45-nt6hKWHVCjFcrCakEhfUFs8blTzOq0jDrclU0q84NLYLAhsyQCvKWLwX6sGO_L6wAHDmJFu93C73WQ3xzoGBcLQOeTFB5Rbw310Y/s320/IMG_3140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>basin in main bathroom</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0nFJ0t6bVG01tmcwDqQ796bhbjRjNj4liyirHzzmxyAEE2xxPHbTt2La7-60JUsxqo7ow-fiu2t5kNoN3d_JaWewl6dNc5e9iTi5LD17Gbn3jpgQk01Q0Gzktbp3136sqZHSqr_Ka2QM/s1600/IMG_3141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0nFJ0t6bVG01tmcwDqQ796bhbjRjNj4liyirHzzmxyAEE2xxPHbTt2La7-60JUsxqo7ow-fiu2t5kNoN3d_JaWewl6dNc5e9iTi5LD17Gbn3jpgQk01Q0Gzktbp3136sqZHSqr_Ka2QM/s320/IMG_3141.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>basin in main bathroom</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Our final choices were:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Dorf Tempus taps for ensuite and powder room vanity</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brodware Neu England mixer taps for main bathroom</div><div style="text-align: center;">Corian benchtops for all bathrooms and laundry in Sagebrush</div><div style="text-align: center;">Doors 2Pac in Resene Tea</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-46593544890151833222012-04-09T19:54:00.000+10:002012-04-09T19:54:27.221+10:00the changing face of Queensland houses and the traditional Queenslander<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We live in a beautiful riverside suburb just east of the city, and like all inner city suburbs it</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">has undergone a significant transformation over the past 10 - 15 years. Since I have lived here for</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">such a long time, I have seen a lot of these changes. Initially when I moved here in the mid 90's, there</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">were a lot of single dwellings on double blocks. These have progressively been renovated, or more recently the blocks have been split, with two houses being built on the block. As well as the replica "Queenslanders" that are built, there are many different styles that are now being built, though they</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">are supposed to comply with the character code. Thank goodness the trend for the Tuscan style villa has passed - I always thought they were not suited to the Queensland climate.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are about to head into my favourite time of year in Brisbane, the heat and humidity of summer will </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">soon fade, and I love walking the spotted dog through our local streets and seeing the changes that </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">are happening. I think of Queenslanders as being the traditional timber and tin houses, but they are </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">reducing in number.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBA51_La3uwaqcsEYNqHApSX-vxmVmrN-XbYE0Jcb9-Ueey0KUP1Dss249mcUtOyY4IEeYz1oCtIfHGgOsDuLgzCSTFn8Hs_Q6HsuWxMJ9muzUcF0nPkHWyztkOPCwcc5rwyht3Eas51g/s1600/IMG_3063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBA51_La3uwaqcsEYNqHApSX-vxmVmrN-XbYE0Jcb9-Ueey0KUP1Dss249mcUtOyY4IEeYz1oCtIfHGgOsDuLgzCSTFn8Hs_Q6HsuWxMJ9muzUcF0nPkHWyztkOPCwcc5rwyht3Eas51g/s320/IMG_3063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>this is a classic Queenslander near our house, and it has all</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the features that I love: low set, on a larger block, set back from the</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>street, large poinciana in the front garden, and it's white :)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpXbDpXhokWz1xstYISRV2vQUIhbzPRb191-XNbbaKizQsTEvRgnq2ZSbnFK9QysaFtVJKGkBzFhY8u4HDdIlMmECzqDHyBDoAs_R-rmXNOxyiKB4zz_ucts-LwJAj25HQ2xEmzMFayc/s1600/IMG_3056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpXbDpXhokWz1xstYISRV2vQUIhbzPRb191-XNbbaKizQsTEvRgnq2ZSbnFK9QysaFtVJKGkBzFhY8u4HDdIlMmECzqDHyBDoAs_R-rmXNOxyiKB4zz_ucts-LwJAj25HQ2xEmzMFayc/s320/IMG_3056.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>this house was renovated two years ago and has some </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>contemporary touches but maintains the traditional </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>symmetry</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dSAgT_F2p9YYvZoSYnMZWUGxmT8CvhPygdo_JdaO5H1ldvZy1zOLxAFD4FC0ZQfuLmBybjugd8EgMl71GJ-HuLYbm2Q4zG59b4X2419zqXazL9r4xBPcuzC1NetBoyk7e7B3KnjZMv8/s1600/IMG_3054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dSAgT_F2p9YYvZoSYnMZWUGxmT8CvhPygdo_JdaO5H1ldvZy1zOLxAFD4FC0ZQfuLmBybjugd8EgMl71GJ-HuLYbm2Q4zG59b4X2419zqXazL9r4xBPcuzC1NetBoyk7e7B3KnjZMv8/s320/IMG_3054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>another local favourite</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwKYws0MtqB_lsrWDymD9Th1chWlx_eqDHYacSrzz__zm1m4D3Lyw7B_DozYMzVUuOIrkWIHvqc1Ha5PkHS1NGSsWgrNGumdfU3GRF3ugP5r95pKyGM1zJJlyTuecU2xsxIxBgvgyTow/s1600/IMG_3060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwKYws0MtqB_lsrWDymD9Th1chWlx_eqDHYacSrzz__zm1m4D3Lyw7B_DozYMzVUuOIrkWIHvqc1Ha5PkHS1NGSsWgrNGumdfU3GRF3ugP5r95pKyGM1zJJlyTuecU2xsxIxBgvgyTow/s320/IMG_3060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>the house above from the side</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p73YS_V5Wab2EOgjbarx6qgpzqa5nfIHejhVP5_xmhdHk_tDKp21nto5mo2pcx69095zTFYcN8DoGdX9Wq3u4rW7nSh6JZ21S0pqTVMs5DOnKAMnnn0NO6n8JxGNJAO4rparioBakDU/s1600/IMG_3061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p73YS_V5Wab2EOgjbarx6qgpzqa5nfIHejhVP5_xmhdHk_tDKp21nto5mo2pcx69095zTFYcN8DoGdX9Wq3u4rW7nSh6JZ21S0pqTVMs5DOnKAMnnn0NO6n8JxGNJAO4rparioBakDU/s320/IMG_3061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbBNDtvjUgT6B84cBSKicdjsUxFjtSzAXgI7EADIktVmnhem3Gf3d8rvA_p1mUgVhlZXt2wIWMJ5X4mC7bXEMmCZYqCL3WzPDtmq8VlRq2-nRm3dnCf7SVuagxc-Xy_IXOEgOjRmPsI8/s1600/IMG_3055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbBNDtvjUgT6B84cBSKicdjsUxFjtSzAXgI7EADIktVmnhem3Gf3d8rvA_p1mUgVhlZXt2wIWMJ5X4mC7bXEMmCZYqCL3WzPDtmq8VlRq2-nRm3dnCf7SVuagxc-Xy_IXOEgOjRmPsI8/s320/IMG_3055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>this house is directly across the road from us - it has been repainted last year</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>and has been transformed - it used to be a peachy/apricot colour</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06-OsuH0EotBppp7tYSJrAk7mwHE7XiCezgPvjRi-lKcFy_sYsR_tSbau-XSJGuEygiEt0-XT70Q0_-SWJCzEyvDESL9vjFoHufoDTxicMFY2_i7jwbuHzhOqDpoHtfB4YN2s08fcPMk/s1600/IMG_3050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06-OsuH0EotBppp7tYSJrAk7mwHE7XiCezgPvjRi-lKcFy_sYsR_tSbau-XSJGuEygiEt0-XT70Q0_-SWJCzEyvDESL9vjFoHufoDTxicMFY2_i7jwbuHzhOqDpoHtfB4YN2s08fcPMk/s320/IMG_3050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>another renovation - bringing it up to date but</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>maintaining the traditional features too</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some of the new builds are amazing, you would think the house had always been there:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nxkYEjtlUEpoZh4IJY7OSjs0aXdPSnzYNHIvywpYW67_kyfgZauN_i5OdqG0YYPcIhBU_LIG-A9N88E91Wti5-32BS6IOmmN1u8n64HQthD0LA0EiW4lqoSuWLLKk-bzfNzw9tQG_bk/s1600/IMG_3065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nxkYEjtlUEpoZh4IJY7OSjs0aXdPSnzYNHIvywpYW67_kyfgZauN_i5OdqG0YYPcIhBU_LIG-A9N88E91Wti5-32BS6IOmmN1u8n64HQthD0LA0EiW4lqoSuWLLKk-bzfNzw9tQG_bk/s320/IMG_3065.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>this house makes me think of <a href="http://www.thehousethatA-Mbuilt.blogspot.com.au/">A-M</a> - I love it</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZh438HuQ2JS7Kd9cXMbmIvwTEfnczy3Ed2T72kFxAoR2HiI0UnZOe0B7_wHZHsnu72tyVwCBMd8lrpRZXZmxnPUZnzp2iXD-FSIBb4d9z6z4OaEo5oQrbi3_8H1CB7SUHc5R5SgBl65Q/s1600/IMG_3062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZh438HuQ2JS7Kd9cXMbmIvwTEfnczy3Ed2T72kFxAoR2HiI0UnZOe0B7_wHZHsnu72tyVwCBMd8lrpRZXZmxnPUZnzp2iXD-FSIBb4d9z6z4OaEo5oQrbi3_8H1CB7SUHc5R5SgBl65Q/s320/IMG_3062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>another new house that I love - plenty of verandah space, natural </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>light in the house, and a feeling of openness</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Y-fzqr3VJs16j-Z7rqThAX1rRGWrMJETMq6a0MQ0VE2l8KlXagZU8R5fTwdGjD_WyGPA0iL8FANoSf_BA6rr1bQXi0pkvdpe5hrVstWNGuqkDRwOrPq3YO1mLJhODmgh4t2ROqiC_yM/s1600/IMG_3052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Y-fzqr3VJs16j-Z7rqThAX1rRGWrMJETMq6a0MQ0VE2l8KlXagZU8R5fTwdGjD_WyGPA0iL8FANoSf_BA6rr1bQXi0pkvdpe5hrVstWNGuqkDRwOrPq3YO1mLJhODmgh4t2ROqiC_yM/s320/IMG_3052.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>this house was built around the corner from us about 8 or 10</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>years ago. I remember being surprised at the time that it was approved.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Now a few years on it doesn't look so stark as the landscaping has softened it, but</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>it's still not a favourite of mine</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1YO0ocCGowrhdm6LiQyenJzMJeVTDR-941OFOj30yhoYnhABGgaUisfWIYiXVPoudqeibmlddSCW3iCYNi4gowGyfdPt8fdDEnPTE6va8kmdFw2sCqLxfI88JhvdoY4p-PGyJyjVmq0/s1600/IMG_3064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1YO0ocCGowrhdm6LiQyenJzMJeVTDR-941OFOj30yhoYnhABGgaUisfWIYiXVPoudqeibmlddSCW3iCYNi4gowGyfdPt8fdDEnPTE6va8kmdFw2sCqLxfI88JhvdoY4p-PGyJyjVmq0/s320/IMG_3064.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>I'm sure these houses are very practical and low maintenance</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(everything that traditional Queenslanders aren't) but it's not a </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>style I like</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4QJnhsvCudmJdzSF4IEiLM7crKWsW2mJT5A8cz-netqJsQuaPFtLxWcuAj8owQ1jz-Trjd5N4q9Jkwdh0wUXEuOQHnMPFfOzOpMIyv6VXieJpUZBPbDFXj0COXHB3AJOUlTdG6dLW5Q/s1600/IMG_3058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4QJnhsvCudmJdzSF4IEiLM7crKWsW2mJT5A8cz-netqJsQuaPFtLxWcuAj8owQ1jz-Trjd5N4q9Jkwdh0wUXEuOQHnMPFfOzOpMIyv6VXieJpUZBPbDFXj0COXHB3AJOUlTdG6dLW5Q/s320/IMG_3058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>this recently completed house has polarised my friends in the area -</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>it's a dark grey and black and is quite arresting. I actually love it. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>How blue is that Queensland sky?</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAQegOJ__KoaHqb8hI9N1-OwE4sQcJB1LMRzd5Hp0CgtPzAc_oUyhQ3SLbX6RAYL5XKK97qoWbpOOW9glxPfUjTwpImMBlx3Md5oZ_qqbemVs9CTNClI9D6-wnR4zAfMTPBCBUaBbszg/s1600/IMG_3049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAQegOJ__KoaHqb8hI9N1-OwE4sQcJB1LMRzd5Hp0CgtPzAc_oUyhQ3SLbX6RAYL5XKK97qoWbpOOW9glxPfUjTwpImMBlx3Md5oZ_qqbemVs9CTNClI9D6-wnR4zAfMTPBCBUaBbszg/s320/IMG_3049.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>these seemed to have popped up in gardens everywhere</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this afternoon when I was on my walk. They still</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>make me smile when I see them in all their</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>ridiculous beauty.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-40909056257443951662012-04-07T13:26:00.000+10:002012-04-07T13:26:54.135+10:00Happiness this Easter ♥<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> some little things making me happy this Easter:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WwqmMcfRIsBCKPhtrDQCH-nXcMuw0BxdVX4biQDb_5uJP5VYKk4F73Uz7zGXLnDg3Qs8U7XVf5n4HxZMeUltLvY7TYEkSPkkjc34FTzz-qDFrWj8owqRufJhGN13DTu47oXBOCYH2ho/s1600/IMG_2969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WwqmMcfRIsBCKPhtrDQCH-nXcMuw0BxdVX4biQDb_5uJP5VYKk4F73Uz7zGXLnDg3Qs8U7XVf5n4HxZMeUltLvY7TYEkSPkkjc34FTzz-qDFrWj8owqRufJhGN13DTu47oXBOCYH2ho/s320/IMG_2969.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTh3UquT776Ip9lNQRk0fpHE1jqL6WIEG6WFZwwzzlqIM4PaujWs4gprwCN5h7-vbxNVVyEYPEMkW6OAXJZIus3POcnUElycu4UBP3GESG-ZEZLz5HejBg8xx1HJCdgPu82O1HAt7uWs/s1600/IMG_2970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTh3UquT776Ip9lNQRk0fpHE1jqL6WIEG6WFZwwzzlqIM4PaujWs4gprwCN5h7-vbxNVVyEYPEMkW6OAXJZIus3POcnUElycu4UBP3GESG-ZEZLz5HejBg8xx1HJCdgPu82O1HAt7uWs/s320/IMG_2970.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2BB_o5_yXEgg1aFyx4EPSNeUhejgB0IJs66aL13GjLPx1A9T-xEyKyR_h-vk3uk1051CyPFPYMZnS_XUPFMC10QBGmPqyX8uXO9aESclMMuPc5Q-_M2HyT4A8o8FbINqJzdbYK5KzLk/s1600/IMG_2971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2BB_o5_yXEgg1aFyx4EPSNeUhejgB0IJs66aL13GjLPx1A9T-xEyKyR_h-vk3uk1051CyPFPYMZnS_XUPFMC10QBGmPqyX8uXO9aESclMMuPc5Q-_M2HyT4A8o8FbINqJzdbYK5KzLk/s320/IMG_2971.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyI8s0hSDnaM3oFp6-rPThx_CQR_J_9lgFbTvOvQUo1FzGlelc9HDerS1iT499ZNeiT-09pm7dBoRncDokk849Q-UegGtdToyvzYNEZAyOVbQsYxO6PRYZraye0Fyhp4hfaGiwBUHUdk/s1600/IMG_2978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyI8s0hSDnaM3oFp6-rPThx_CQR_J_9lgFbTvOvQUo1FzGlelc9HDerS1iT499ZNeiT-09pm7dBoRncDokk849Q-UegGtdToyvzYNEZAyOVbQsYxO6PRYZraye0Fyhp4hfaGiwBUHUdk/s320/IMG_2978.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>master of cool</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvfh08fqEZDRzgoBH1n2bD2__dhVugvK2eW8Bsdm7Fdg4Q85ePVJqWO0wHrKeNkiD_QMhvNf7mpgfP9WoYQ_6MP5GOD9p6hfCL65HHluxVXIYLcYzSlotKyAbZ8VfSyrEm33wLROiEtE/s1600/IMG_2977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvfh08fqEZDRzgoBH1n2bD2__dhVugvK2eW8Bsdm7Fdg4Q85ePVJqWO0wHrKeNkiD_QMhvNf7mpgfP9WoYQ_6MP5GOD9p6hfCL65HHluxVXIYLcYzSlotKyAbZ8VfSyrEm33wLROiEtE/s320/IMG_2977.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuh4wL5NaaVq5kq0lfLu9x07cdReDXc2yU3FiPkKcXMcbOHX-IScN_f1lrHN1_tSJYz1trSZAWao0IV1ac6patVRceqSAJ1Y32X7wdEr2DRTjymmqdKAi3eMUJKGBoUZmFfxuH0fEtL4/s1600/IMG_2975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuh4wL5NaaVq5kq0lfLu9x07cdReDXc2yU3FiPkKcXMcbOHX-IScN_f1lrHN1_tSJYz1trSZAWao0IV1ac6patVRceqSAJ1Y32X7wdEr2DRTjymmqdKAi3eMUJKGBoUZmFfxuH0fEtL4/s320/IMG_2975.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>there is nothing better than the sound of laughter from </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the garden - it also drowns out the whining from the </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>spotted dog who wants to get in to the trampoline</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8zVHZCeDNbIQlIhUn5_7yr1FuV21LVbvp6C5lBxAnXRwad-0V2OKeLdEs1tSIyf-komLQ5zXIcAdONHxXMMF1JC93OfIOqmx-bAsPThu686PgcAmECK2p8yM9zC8FOfmNyTLnPjxWcQ/s1600/IMG_2899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8zVHZCeDNbIQlIhUn5_7yr1FuV21LVbvp6C5lBxAnXRwad-0V2OKeLdEs1tSIyf-komLQ5zXIcAdONHxXMMF1JC93OfIOqmx-bAsPThu686PgcAmECK2p8yM9zC8FOfmNyTLnPjxWcQ/s320/IMG_2899.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>delicious home made rocky road - grown up style</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), pistachios and mini marshmallows.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>even gets the stamp of approval from my resident nutritionist....</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5y8cza6d7Eyr19LE9tKhgU-0TMJ7WEDAY1M_3Fbl3cK58NHpPjvG68piBfDtGj_ShksVDMFUIzaTH4wy2ROWPtLzlwWXjK8O3mYzMC6TrVLPVoBxS1t1hW-3oqQKvNHQiavRb9phNDMw/s1600/IMG_2908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5y8cza6d7Eyr19LE9tKhgU-0TMJ7WEDAY1M_3Fbl3cK58NHpPjvG68piBfDtGj_ShksVDMFUIzaTH4wy2ROWPtLzlwWXjK8O3mYzMC6TrVLPVoBxS1t1hW-3oqQKvNHQiavRb9phNDMw/s320/IMG_2908.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>heading in to work this weekend doesn't seem too bad</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>when there is plenty of this waiting for me</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Easter with family and friends!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">F xx</div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-88271086058078492052012-03-24T19:45:00.007+10:002012-03-24T19:55:02.440+10:00a little bit of danish vintage<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">This week I became the proud owner of this lovely sofa that I </div><div style="text-align: center;">bought from dansk vintage at the Wooloongabba Antique Centre.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I wanted to have an area without a television upstairs, where the focus </div><div style="text-align: center;">would be on reading or quiet activity. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I originally saw this sofa when I had just popped into the WAC for a coffee. It </div><div style="text-align: center;">was displayed in the entrance foyer and almost stopped me in my tracks. My mum </div><div style="text-align: center;">was still over at that time from Germany, and rather than having a coffee</div><div style="text-align: center;">I turned straight around, hopped in the car and drove to get her so that </div><div style="text-align: center;">she could have a look too before I bought it - all the while </div><div style="text-align: center;">fervently hoping that no one would buy it while I was collecting her. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Luckily it was still there when we returned, and I have been diligently making</div><div style="text-align: center;">payments since then until this week when I finally was able to bring it back </div><div style="text-align: center;">to the old girl.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWerWRe9XbzhIO0xxDdPjlsRZ8gMN4J8ydQ_VygpACZvRoB0Xg_wXkwhycq2xEzwGyjLXTn38qaKZWfsKUyaB5KQEyuTea1_RMc_WC4xncFEmTEujvQ0ZF7crkZALqnEBAND4tox8KVBc/s1600/IMG_2884.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWerWRe9XbzhIO0xxDdPjlsRZ8gMN4J8ydQ_VygpACZvRoB0Xg_wXkwhycq2xEzwGyjLXTn38qaKZWfsKUyaB5KQEyuTea1_RMc_WC4xncFEmTEujvQ0ZF7crkZALqnEBAND4tox8KVBc/s320/IMG_2884.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723382142711591570" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>pride of place</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLHyP0Q1E64kMSxQTRfcMnmLla1zKx3ScUA8xwkWNWWUQxLzHb1615DblkaZs4_yl7xI-Tq_P9WMy_K18Pd1n3bpRAU1DLpo591O7ZLme-yIGtqU_8NENY-6UbSHrJh4iwu5nDllVqoA/s1600/IMG_2883.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLHyP0Q1E64kMSxQTRfcMnmLla1zKx3ScUA8xwkWNWWUQxLzHb1615DblkaZs4_yl7xI-Tq_P9WMy_K18Pd1n3bpRAU1DLpo591O7ZLme-yIGtqU_8NENY-6UbSHrJh4iwu5nDllVqoA/s320/IMG_2883.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723381962896266402" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>it's hard to photograph but there is some beautiful detailing</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>in the upholstery</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTmRzgFwNGxgjtv8Z_PdKsI71mpBML4cKCF6Efm5CSF88nWof8Bz-Y7FEh4uC6czsy_hVoyGMWKR1S28uKw0Gwrfq2FE7t6HHBPESNhcSIsHtIEDaHVhWu-fl4Cx5yxs5FO0lClyVg64/s1600/IMG_2882.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTmRzgFwNGxgjtv8Z_PdKsI71mpBML4cKCF6Efm5CSF88nWof8Bz-Y7FEh4uC6czsy_hVoyGMWKR1S28uKw0Gwrfq2FE7t6HHBPESNhcSIsHtIEDaHVhWu-fl4Cx5yxs5FO0lClyVg64/s320/IMG_2882.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723381953193953378" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this is the view looking into the room from behind the sofa -</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I have had these two little antique tub chairs for about 15 years.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I'll get them reupholstered at some point. The table is</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>an earlier purchase from dansk vintage too.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTTwE50v1DrOXkiQvyI2peIc8n33vO_yUsddvHBOPJy7bwSmJBR2EkFrOmoJomDxYLyQgVpD0MMc3gKhZRQpnlHDoJ01_AUCQUAellmn8jdi-qZz2sWnlbTysd2mEb16T96v-pAuR7oE/s1600/IMG_2885.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTTwE50v1DrOXkiQvyI2peIc8n33vO_yUsddvHBOPJy7bwSmJBR2EkFrOmoJomDxYLyQgVpD0MMc3gKhZRQpnlHDoJ01_AUCQUAellmn8jdi-qZz2sWnlbTysd2mEb16T96v-pAuR7oE/s320/IMG_2885.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723381935886778226" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the little box with compartments is another </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>WAC find</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's always worth a visit to the WAC to have a look around - and the </div><div style="text-align: center;">cafe is excellent too.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">dansk vintage</div><div style="text-align: center;">shop 37</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wooloongabba Antique Centre</div><div style="text-align: center;">22 Wellington Road</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wooloongabba Q 4102</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">or like them on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/danskvintage">here</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-88808286711347288952012-03-10T16:59:00.009+10:002012-03-10T17:34:03.292+10:00some photos from the archives: the old girl in the 90's<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; ">When I started this blog, I recounted <a href="http://www.thewhitequeenslander.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/beginning-long-time-coming.html">here</a> how it all started in 1995, with the first wave of renovations, and about how I seemed to have lost all my photos from that time.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">As luck would have it, while unpacking boxes this week - and trying not to focus on the fact that over 3 months in, we are still unpacking boxes - I found some photos that chronicle some of the</div><div style="text-align: center; ">initial renovations. They are all pre-digital and I have no idea where the negatives are, so I have taken photos of the photos - a bit grainy, but they were an amazing trip down memory lane for me.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtSIj9izuLbz_dn_MB1w56ln3hN0RejtB2XCLGqZb-9Q4AC-ov-ESH1vlAYy_CM1VSNklU0w0ttmT4aKXUQAN5IUjgdJt6IgfUNlNqF1NYdz0TGF0lghAnqhP0xzrPkscdyor2_KLbiY/s1600/IMG_2787.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtSIj9izuLbz_dn_MB1w56ln3hN0RejtB2XCLGqZb-9Q4AC-ov-ESH1vlAYy_CM1VSNklU0w0ttmT4aKXUQAN5IUjgdJt6IgfUNlNqF1NYdz0TGF0lghAnqhP0xzrPkscdyor2_KLbiY/s320/IMG_2787.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718163289069671490" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this was what the old girl looked like when we bought her.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>There were three flats and six sets of stairs. The verandahs had</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>all been closed in, and there was a big tree in the front garden </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>that we removed fairly quickly.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc37ttBWf-UksdbBYK8A2oyg34PWIyU7bP_vx_GwcW0oC3E_Q3xDFs7aUdjCLo1ezSFITCyctO0n90g4fYijPJYOBJpFOiSAmTWr8UV1-gddc0Xm4v564EL2gO38F4yKUWY2XbUgJB26Y/s1600/IMG_2785.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc37ttBWf-UksdbBYK8A2oyg34PWIyU7bP_vx_GwcW0oC3E_Q3xDFs7aUdjCLo1ezSFITCyctO0n90g4fYijPJYOBJpFOiSAmTWr8UV1-gddc0Xm4v564EL2gO38F4yKUWY2XbUgJB26Y/s320/IMG_2785.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718163287932214226" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>another view of the house</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikh4clNjEJO91VdEbqO9t9IupccIBvv7qExv8y1xqXcYQk4yeHC1lE7_iDMCqsXgBWOPrk9WeW989g7SjkOhlJ-u3MgbNOu0sxC1P9nVLc9F-d6B9WDJVIdXmT-YGeeJFviiT3ix7Sbd4/s1600/IMG_2777.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikh4clNjEJO91VdEbqO9t9IupccIBvv7qExv8y1xqXcYQk4yeHC1lE7_iDMCqsXgBWOPrk9WeW989g7SjkOhlJ-u3MgbNOu0sxC1P9nVLc9F-d6B9WDJVIdXmT-YGeeJFviiT3ix7Sbd4/s320/IMG_2777.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718162763132635842" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>one of the first priorities after settlement was to build a fence </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>as we had dogs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_JMwLZBY5kSxvLEe_ttI5T-YYLVBQ8YLwbBJ4oJQSsXe3HuGxs5mEF7Vdyfifr_S6DCB6oxgaTLsngxzforkHYu4kcsBTIWun7oN3sceRCjbsK9_DhdQfdOmGSQhfPPTvilAsuKL3s4/s1600/IMG_2776.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_JMwLZBY5kSxvLEe_ttI5T-YYLVBQ8YLwbBJ4oJQSsXe3HuGxs5mEF7Vdyfifr_S6DCB6oxgaTLsngxzforkHYu4kcsBTIWun7oN3sceRCjbsK9_DhdQfdOmGSQhfPPTvilAsuKL3s4/s320/IMG_2776.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718162751584660818" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>me with one of the dogs sitting on the old stairs.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>we had opened up the verandahs by that stage.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBUit6iZLvCC6BGrONTTdkwZ69RF408qOOXnnENUQTUTY1yOq3Ovksa-UhgpcT3g2JPfq2W-ZpV3Hc0_j1XIR6RGumXmafe7QTevKDJCB8gj_9uOg7o7GLXntgOhWHpBqgg4n2ITPjTc/s1600/IMG_2769.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBUit6iZLvCC6BGrONTTdkwZ69RF408qOOXnnENUQTUTY1yOq3Ovksa-UhgpcT3g2JPfq2W-ZpV3Hc0_j1XIR6RGumXmafe7QTevKDJCB8gj_9uOg7o7GLXntgOhWHpBqgg4n2ITPjTc/s320/IMG_2769.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718162739057414706" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>verandah railings starting to go up</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2APESnSMhoCsGc-TEwo1S_pBt5Scj9WZCD5j3LLRKW6CUSMuUkDtzA4hQs-ft8DfEM_vdI9_LXXblO4maT_70ieJDI3FBXWrjKRdC_ru2Vqe4mGtfg7SJ_tGhctKU4Wn9hGyI0_Ehslw/s1600/IMG_2768.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2APESnSMhoCsGc-TEwo1S_pBt5Scj9WZCD5j3LLRKW6CUSMuUkDtzA4hQs-ft8DfEM_vdI9_LXXblO4maT_70ieJDI3FBXWrjKRdC_ru2Vqe4mGtfg7SJ_tGhctKU4Wn9hGyI0_Ehslw/s320/IMG_2768.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718162736580104130" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>restumping</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnFzwkpeRzIYFxg7r6mxUlTOTfQnTKO-gUB94kZkPmVK0aTnxbd2p_6FCVpNH8UWZrrNAjXxtSF5g3H85QWLLqs9aFYyxYHNLkbU-XpXgktwLIUHygKOZ-O7DajBDheeSLMmznTVimKo/s1600/IMG_2766.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnFzwkpeRzIYFxg7r6mxUlTOTfQnTKO-gUB94kZkPmVK0aTnxbd2p_6FCVpNH8UWZrrNAjXxtSF5g3H85QWLLqs9aFYyxYHNLkbU-XpXgktwLIUHygKOZ-O7DajBDheeSLMmznTVimKo/s320/IMG_2766.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718162724086272130" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>new roof</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The old roof was like a patchwork quilt of many </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>colours and we could always pick out the house when </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>we flew into Brisbane over our suburb</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFiOI-zBN7JjGq9XSTmYmhbVzN4hQsou8JWD2OOwhtAjWa3uNERgAWIqubysSnbplEUKQdPCXOlw8GaiQZCTyB5i78mIesi6MY20xi2mpL9rlV-zLgXWbhdyaaBZs1rV-W7vRTuPJlYs/s1600/IMG_2774.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFiOI-zBN7JjGq9XSTmYmhbVzN4hQsou8JWD2OOwhtAjWa3uNERgAWIqubysSnbplEUKQdPCXOlw8GaiQZCTyB5i78mIesi6MY20xi2mpL9rlV-zLgXWbhdyaaBZs1rV-W7vRTuPJlYs/s320/IMG_2774.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718161506369943538" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this was our kitchen for about six months. It was pretty hard</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>but much easier in your twenties with no children</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>than it would have been now.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The main thing I see when I look at this is the Nescafe Gold Blend -</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the coffee culture has ensured that most of us now have coffee machines </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>of some description at home - I can't honestly remember the last time </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I would have bought instant coffee. The second thing is the </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>prominently placed cockroach baits and spray - we certainly </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>needed it :(</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd14yeGCsYiG3URwnW3lAR5sLUAw09SERbaUKyUS7Rh-yIaGmKgoThyYI4ETffj7kh5zEs3GdU_D7IpqKXKPZztdBuIJl3QFMCVmPlaV3G2xO5XoWPf76W81IdMcLuPBmF2R-3y35uTbU/s1600/IMG_2765.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd14yeGCsYiG3URwnW3lAR5sLUAw09SERbaUKyUS7Rh-yIaGmKgoThyYI4ETffj7kh5zEs3GdU_D7IpqKXKPZztdBuIJl3QFMCVmPlaV3G2xO5XoWPf76W81IdMcLuPBmF2R-3y35uTbU/s320/IMG_2765.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718161505682980306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this was the "new" kitchen under construction - how marvellously</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>luxurious it seemed to have a proper stove top, oven, and </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>running water.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8VckS8qAQ6RJxrn7IwY8PgcU9IWhbR_3FEIdLocefJM6d46cwyngqK4tHcM6H5vHAOE9oK5gdqvXYUIm7QNvRE68aV2V0PLJxBY0NWtpSc7RZnjp4TbWY5gsLPRuH67_c2_r-96fFWA/s1600/IMG_2764.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8VckS8qAQ6RJxrn7IwY8PgcU9IWhbR_3FEIdLocefJM6d46cwyngqK4tHcM6H5vHAOE9oK5gdqvXYUIm7QNvRE68aV2V0PLJxBY0NWtpSc7RZnjp4TbWY5gsLPRuH67_c2_r-96fFWA/s320/IMG_2764.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718161496863999426" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this is the old girl looking lovely in about 1999 - freshly painted.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Exterior looked lovely, interior was about to get a revamp and sadly </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>our relationship ended, and it took a long time until this current </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>renovation took place.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0UiX5AuFG9oHZdAM9IyT3jLlAlQ9ozwTkWNz6CWR6ADBvIxpPdLb2fXicS3eE70oeQZ5hI4eDOM5sfZtYxacd1moCn3uWP2tsLAVWbPBz3tnZlEvwxfKa7RFxVPLfYfUAMiDBAvFkzM/s1600/IMG_2788.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0UiX5AuFG9oHZdAM9IyT3jLlAlQ9ozwTkWNz6CWR6ADBvIxpPdLb2fXicS3eE70oeQZ5hI4eDOM5sfZtYxacd1moCn3uWP2tsLAVWbPBz3tnZlEvwxfKa7RFxVPLfYfUAMiDBAvFkzM/s320/IMG_2788.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718161480723612402" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>fast forward to 2011 - how much the hedge has grown.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Poinciana planted in 1997 is well established, as is the Jacaranda </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>on the footpath. The house is hardly visible.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5yKnG2y5M8VrD738iOOzKJ9_1HrLDxaMDhcobG4LP0leb-vkbE3PG0PHoZPMl5oG1Ym788C1uh3XfIDxCF4dvCXQgyIKsZrFkxZIkWZLZL_9sWshpjcfFrerc237YVVL1hgT8MX4xzs/s1600/IMG_2791.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5yKnG2y5M8VrD738iOOzKJ9_1HrLDxaMDhcobG4LP0leb-vkbE3PG0PHoZPMl5oG1Ym788C1uh3XfIDxCF4dvCXQgyIKsZrFkxZIkWZLZL_9sWshpjcfFrerc237YVVL1hgT8MX4xzs/s320/IMG_2791.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718161472636192738" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>another view of the old girl - March 2012</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">What a journey!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-55314623306100222942012-03-04T10:16:00.007+10:002012-03-04T10:43:22.740+10:00those little things I'll never get rid of<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center; ">I am still embracing "decluttering" and continue to sort boxes, trying to be as sensible as I</div><div style="text-align: center; ">can about what to keep, what to sell on eBay, and what to give away to charity.</div><div style="text-align: center; ">I have to admit that to my shame I have found so many things (mainly clothes, but homewares too) that have never been used or worn, and still have the labels on. We have made</div><div style="text-align: center; ">a few trips to the council dump and it always makes me sad - as a society we wouldn't have to get rid of so much stuff if we didn't buy so much in the first place. I have been trying to</div><div style="text-align: center; ">very consciously shop as a result of this - however I think we all start out with similar good intentions and somehow they go astray.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">While I am definitely not a hoarder (that role is reserved for the man of the house - I have to sneak stuff out to Vinnies in the dark of night so he doesn't object), there are just a few little things I can never get rid of - they mean something to me.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21y5VsXILG1PUoPhByTMFTtvEHL594FxV8CD5W3qfXx9IXBfVEyFBTwBEDW4sPi9iJ9FQloOu6d6Dtks9MdvL-MeImZzadOF3DkmHPNOB1ak1sh8va70g9Fsk7TWhj65Ymh3d4oUE9-A/s1600/IMG_2715.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21y5VsXILG1PUoPhByTMFTtvEHL594FxV8CD5W3qfXx9IXBfVEyFBTwBEDW4sPi9iJ9FQloOu6d6Dtks9MdvL-MeImZzadOF3DkmHPNOB1ak1sh8va70g9Fsk7TWhj65Ymh3d4oUE9-A/s320/IMG_2715.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715831809631182994" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this little mouse husband and wife - only about 2 cm high - were originally bought in Munich when I </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>was a teenager. I had a "Setzkasten" - a German tradition, a little flat wooden house with lots of little rooms or compartment, and which is mounted on the wall. It is designed to show off little treasures or ornaments. I no longer have the Setzkasten, but this little pair have accompanied me through my adult life, and even though they have suffered with the travelling (they have both lost ears, and Mr. Mouse has lost the top of his top hat), I still love them and they have found a new home in the </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>old girl.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpT2O0x2FPsLcfiEeuPN8g8bFY_rq-TMB2lOUGLm99NOYF7XTUMM4F7vVT9EXuqou0CuQ-eVtaDtmXw8Huzli1zBtFwJ0qI7HQkQieVAAMime-aaa6nlrBvXy_OB7buvwCIQQ3Pn27MY/s1600/IMG_2716.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpT2O0x2FPsLcfiEeuPN8g8bFY_rq-TMB2lOUGLm99NOYF7XTUMM4F7vVT9EXuqou0CuQ-eVtaDtmXw8Huzli1zBtFwJ0qI7HQkQieVAAMime-aaa6nlrBvXy_OB7buvwCIQQ3Pn27MY/s320/IMG_2716.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715831804590210194" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this pink and grey mouse came into my life when I was about 9 or 10.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>When I was at school in Glasgow, the mother of one of my friends had lost </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>a child many years earlier to leukaemia. Every year she held a big fundraising event for Leukaemia, and my Mum always drafted me into selling raffle tickets. I remember not </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>understanding as a young child why this event was organised every year and why such a fuss was made about it - and of course I would have grumbled to my Mum about raffle ticket duties. Now as an adult and a mother, I can of course understand why losing a child for whaetever reason is life changing and devastating - and I look back and admire the reslience of that mother in using her grief to make a difference. It was at one of these fundraisers that I acquired this mouse who was christened "Daddy Long Legs" - how I loved him (yes, a "He" despite the pink). I can't bring myself to give him away to charity, so he remains </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>in the household too.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">I suspect that even the most ruthless declutterer would have one or two little things that are close to the heart, and while serving no practical purpose, these are what makes a house a home.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">♥</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-30679869240343392372012-02-16T21:40:00.002+10:002012-02-16T21:45:05.785+10:00bedroom update<div><div style="text-align: center; ">It's been a long time between posts. Partly because there hasn't been much to post about, but</div><div style="text-align: center; ">mostly because my beautiful Mum has been out here from Germany. She is</div><div style="text-align: center; ">the most frequent reader of this blog, and since I had her here in person I didn't need to post.</div><div style="text-align: center; ">We had such a lovely time: for the first time she didn't have to sleep on</div><div style="text-align: center; ">the floor in the boy of the house's bedroom. What luxury to have a spare bedroom!</div><div style="text-align: center; ">I loved showing her the house and we had fun fossicking for little treasures for the house.</div><div style="text-align: center; ">Miss you Mum x x x</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">Last week the long awaited bedhead and valance from <a href="http://heatherlydesign.com.au/">Heatherly Design</a> arrived.</div><div style="text-align: center; ">We chose the Richmond design in Catalina Storm fabric. It is fabulous, and all I can say is</div><div style="text-align: center; ">that my iPhone photos of course don't do it justice. It makes the bedroom look very grown up!</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZDeqZKKUl58HC5g_LI5ubSycQ1ztthOOZa8uVR-0b0JAh0mVpWsQ4qIo7nLBVaKNIkN5STTnzCwX2WJ5r-BnYoT9LPQoXqMtzaSfOPQcX7P8ABSYGiXzw35-USBJvZDKGJn6a_nR7nE/s1600/IMG_2647.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZDeqZKKUl58HC5g_LI5ubSycQ1ztthOOZa8uVR-0b0JAh0mVpWsQ4qIo7nLBVaKNIkN5STTnzCwX2WJ5r-BnYoT9LPQoXqMtzaSfOPQcX7P8ABSYGiXzw35-USBJvZDKGJn6a_nR7nE/s320/IMG_2647.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709692632142470226" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>New bedhead, cushions still a work in progress.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I have had the bedside tables for years - they have </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>some sentimental value and apparently used to be </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>bedside tables for patients at the old </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Brisbane Private Hospital.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>They are a little tall for the bed but I'll wait and see</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>how the room feels.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The two vertical beams behind the bed are very noticeable</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>in the photo but are not as obvious in real life -</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>that's where the door into our bedroom used to be -</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I think they are structural supports and used to be the actual </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>doorway.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1k6-qCW5vg9koLhGA0-7BmKOmC1CQ6MlR3SEb_pB9H33nupw7-5_9t_uiaYgefF0K_p0QpR_ogLUkq3OQ4NubG6aVvUtPY540Q1Aaybymgv_tbihBqrSLCGS2gugSg9QCuDMJ3FIYpA/s1600/IMG_2648.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1k6-qCW5vg9koLhGA0-7BmKOmC1CQ6MlR3SEb_pB9H33nupw7-5_9t_uiaYgefF0K_p0QpR_ogLUkq3OQ4NubG6aVvUtPY540Q1Aaybymgv_tbihBqrSLCGS2gugSg9QCuDMJ3FIYpA/s320/IMG_2648.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709692629052235026" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>more bedhead detail</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDdW2TD3vD1RoLR_lhASdnr1QHqrmvZSXegJzqtjAK6JIx5al84PyFkWVCXJgO5rwnT5vrpYhC4UMNPfeogXsn2M-xhFVCv-EKI1ssW-so25iJoYmuiXObvkCapwiF79Xux22zkcTNGg/s1600/IMG_2645.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDdW2TD3vD1RoLR_lhASdnr1QHqrmvZSXegJzqtjAK6JIx5al84PyFkWVCXJgO5rwnT5vrpYhC4UMNPfeogXsn2M-xhFVCv-EKI1ssW-so25iJoYmuiXObvkCapwiF79Xux22zkcTNGg/s320/IMG_2645.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709692619512935074" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>these are some photos on the wall to the right </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>of the bed - photos from 40 years ago (eek) of</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>me with my little brother. How I love those</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>photos, and they satisfy my need to </i><i>recreate that</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> family feeling even though my family are far way.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SPm31-Bmw_5cpukcLVwvtHowU3ei5mYXjzseTYu8HP-2vpE0mhnyusmIQ8wltRnxiY3rlAfc2_c0m5V5q4yPWx5q8f-h2U8HP8YuxvivGraZ4Y5WcWnYuMZ-iA95okWc1RM0VZBwVZw/s1600/IMG_2643.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SPm31-Bmw_5cpukcLVwvtHowU3ei5mYXjzseTYu8HP-2vpE0mhnyusmIQ8wltRnxiY3rlAfc2_c0m5V5q4yPWx5q8f-h2U8HP8YuxvivGraZ4Y5WcWnYuMZ-iA95okWc1RM0VZBwVZw/s320/IMG_2643.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709692610613596722" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>on the other wall I have a </i><i>family tree that</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> my Oma (german grandmother)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>embroidered for my Mum - it has now</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>been handed on to me. I would love to embroider</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>one of these for my own little</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>family one day.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBc6xRTORVdIqmFupmztE1nTOsACc2DM3yR4AzdwJEKmhqjbX6_KIa3oIM5YI2_5rkFEfD9_UpeRnsJovBbM20V9lwhtwDXeQ_TV0gO0PwYjHveccpoUMo7h0IJXtU3lb-o8pgzoeP7k/s1600/IMG_2646.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBc6xRTORVdIqmFupmztE1nTOsACc2DM3yR4AzdwJEKmhqjbX6_KIa3oIM5YI2_5rkFEfD9_UpeRnsJovBbM20V9lwhtwDXeQ_TV0gO0PwYjHveccpoUMo7h0IJXtU3lb-o8pgzoeP7k/s320/IMG_2646.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709692607545483842" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>and this is what happens when you forget about curtains </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>and blinds, and then get too busy to do anything about it...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>almost 3 months after moving in and we still </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>have this tasteful arrangement of sheet + painters</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>masking tape. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't believe I am still unpacking boxes..... we are getting through all the little jobs, but it is taking a lot of time, and life and work most inconveniently get in the way! We have almost finished the office downstairs which is good as the man of the house will be working from home, but the rumpus room still looks like a bomb hit it. We still can only park one car in the garage as there is "stuff" in there blocking the second car spot. Sigh. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Watch this space.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-66213805650581293082012-01-17T21:13:00.010+10:002012-01-17T22:23:50.566+10:00six weeks on ..... the good and the not so good<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; ">On the one hand I can't believe where the past six weeks have gone - probably something to do with the denial that comes from having to go back to work tomorrow - and on the other hand it feels as if we have been back in the old girl forever and this is just the way she always was. We are making a list of little things that we need our builder to come and finish off now that we have lived in the house for a few weeks and know a bit more how we are going to use the house. Compiling the list made me reflect on what things have worked well and what I would do differently - being such a novice to this whole thing.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">We love the height of our kitchen bench tops. The standard is 900 mm and we had to convince our builder that we wanted ours at 950 mm. We are both tall and wanted to build a kitchen for us rather than for someone who might buy the house. It's the only thing we (politely) disagreed with our builder on - but I am glad we did.</div><div><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3S2vtZ1O1aMb2OVTuCYf2efooxgQINLcwW5doA5qF38IkZ4bqoxJLemlRVlTX8Ai6pIuXgJ2IS6_IOffGk4opDZVa1Vh3IUrqzAIBb5-3cHnsNMf_pgwhA3pIqyTcnwo1StIOS4m4I8/s1600/IMG_2379.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3S2vtZ1O1aMb2OVTuCYf2efooxgQINLcwW5doA5qF38IkZ4bqoxJLemlRVlTX8Ai6pIuXgJ2IS6_IOffGk4opDZVa1Vh3IUrqzAIBb5-3cHnsNMf_pgwhA3pIqyTcnwo1StIOS4m4I8/s320/IMG_2379.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698570364610128018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I have had these antique scales for ages and love </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>having them on the bench</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><div style="text-align: center; ">We have a rumpus area downstairs - I wanted polished concrete rather than tiles, and while it ended up being more expensive (doesn't everything end up being more expensive than planned) I love it: easy to clean, cool in summer, and looks great.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">We have lots of storage space which is fantastic - especially for a Queenslander as they are notorious for not having convenient places to store all the day to day "stuff". It's much easier to keep everything looking neat when surfaces are clear.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">The laundry chute still makes me smile every time I gleefully throw something down it (though boy of the house likes to throw "surprises" down there for me - the favourite this week was the toothpaste tube. Luckily it didn't make it into the washing machine....)</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">We maximised air flow and cross ventilation, and our longest stretch of verandah is along the whole north eastern aspect of the house. I never used to pay much attention to this sort of thing, and remember mercilessly teasing a friend of mine who used to turn up at open houses with his compass to check the orientation of the house. He has had the last laugh now though..... we enjoy lovely breezes and are relatively protected from the western sun.</div><div><br /></div></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAy3VmBgVUTXVYxtS1GZIxwfb5ppIjcrpkAFn3Lvgm5putnHGe2Ua7kDmTB5coch0N1CEt5ZN2Im9wCojq_zqraS0HLZ6BsMT152twuK3mevomYOwfkUkNMFIzMuDul0MJCbIOkPBh2E/s1600/IMG_1975.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAy3VmBgVUTXVYxtS1GZIxwfb5ppIjcrpkAFn3Lvgm5putnHGe2Ua7kDmTB5coch0N1CEt5ZN2Im9wCojq_zqraS0HLZ6BsMT152twuK3mevomYOwfkUkNMFIzMuDul0MJCbIOkPBh2E/s320/IMG_1975.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698570336999781874" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this shot was taken just before we moved in. We leave the </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>little windows above the bi-fold doors open most of</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the time to catch the breezes.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">The timber features in the house are what I think makes it beautiful - I have previously posted about this - I am glad we included all of these features but wish we had more of them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdSRpOmcK34lTzLJB2KgJkR1F5EjsTHhHmo-uDiPTV6qGZFCwcKKOkSqXAHHIP9GzUauxGXYmxcS_lmDVZglBJE42tlKktTpfHYjIOMZ6jSzvIweOVFlbWT_7QoJAJR6o48h2Mqk5Q3M/s1600/IMG_2134.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdSRpOmcK34lTzLJB2KgJkR1F5EjsTHhHmo-uDiPTV6qGZFCwcKKOkSqXAHHIP9GzUauxGXYmxcS_lmDVZglBJE42tlKktTpfHYjIOMZ6jSzvIweOVFlbWT_7QoJAJR6o48h2Mqk5Q3M/s320/IMG_2134.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698568281383773138" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLisBYYyKOUVea7k7rVHe-7wSurtwQV7QjqisGiye3_uuOJ_zjpzP2Ntrc3pzXQp3APeEa5R0ZyYz45PS0Qrta15GufO0zUPSCgGwUxJOkovuh7tGGLUYnovN637_k2ClN3GddYXnPDzo/s1600/IMG_2130.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLisBYYyKOUVea7k7rVHe-7wSurtwQV7QjqisGiye3_uuOJ_zjpzP2Ntrc3pzXQp3APeEa5R0ZyYz45PS0Qrta15GufO0zUPSCgGwUxJOkovuh7tGGLUYnovN637_k2ClN3GddYXnPDzo/s320/IMG_2130.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698568257389561826" /></a><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; ">Some of the things I would do differently......</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">I think if there was ever a next time, I would pay a lot more attention to detail. We had a few issues along the way and if I had looked more closely at measurements they could have been avoided before we reached the building stage. Our main bathroom has ended up lovely, but it's a bit more cosy than I envisaged, and we almost couldn't fit a normal sized bath in there.</div><div><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYz2NmUXe4cIHd0e52PCAGBNgvU6WRRuBjLjqKljEs7gmsUJDOo_HHcH80dS8CI3UK6R3R0T9WrpSYrfKqqUwBgI-cKsrXuhy2T4BO55pn1umL3trLze8kGNDJ4ilGQweFWm-_y5PiPo/s1600/IMG_2011.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYz2NmUXe4cIHd0e52PCAGBNgvU6WRRuBjLjqKljEs7gmsUJDOo_HHcH80dS8CI3UK6R3R0T9WrpSYrfKqqUwBgI-cKsrXuhy2T4BO55pn1umL3trLze8kGNDJ4ilGQweFWm-_y5PiPo/s320/IMG_2011.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698568249965287490" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the bath is almost touching the shower screen</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; ">Our gas stovetop has been fitted to be very close to the splash back - it means that it is hard to fit a larger pan or Le Creuset on the back burners without it coming into contact with the tiles:</div><div><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhij10M-kNXJMsl2PgPzpm16IprhkRZD2kVJxmlyExMRML-fHQHcMflBCuTBq8mXMpz-r08UxUWtf_6A0A9qeKPNz5ZXzQMCadP7V98KNWFrU_tdG2nNZZF44FkH6O_ZfQH6bZt-0zmc14/s1600/IMG_2456.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhij10M-kNXJMsl2PgPzpm16IprhkRZD2kVJxmlyExMRML-fHQHcMflBCuTBq8mXMpz-r08UxUWtf_6A0A9qeKPNz5ZXzQMCadP7V98KNWFrU_tdG2nNZZF44FkH6O_ZfQH6bZt-0zmc14/s320/IMG_2456.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698568230392471266" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the space is about 2 cm. We didn't notice this until a few days</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>after moving in when we started to cook. It works but is </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>irritating when you are using a larger pot.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">I had so much on my mind about the completion of the renovation and the move back in that I completely forgot about curtains/blinds/window coverings. We have been sleeping in the bedrooms with sheets or doona covers taped to the walls and window frames with blue masking tape. Not the homely look I was aiming for! The man of the house has an office downstairs - we wanted to save some money by getting ready made blinds for that room, anticipating we would get custom made ones in due course for the bedrooms. To our dismay we realised that the windows down there, along with the rest of the house, are a non - standard size. I love our windows, they are all timber and were made especially for us - but I hadn't realised or asked about standard sizes.....so we will have to get <i>all</i> of our blinds especially made. Another lesson learned.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncI5e_nBlkhmi9jyOZ_zO9Vz67BLWowFYMfmKHIEEMtFaGOIIZsJ7nxkztvF2HAjl9oDTewwrrzP4jXXoqVAcN25AUg3Wz8Q3MzqajNm141Em0H0qp6OS7DPl0uWMjNsg2FHtKFmbdhI/s1600/IMG_2098.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncI5e_nBlkhmi9jyOZ_zO9Vz67BLWowFYMfmKHIEEMtFaGOIIZsJ7nxkztvF2HAjl9oDTewwrrzP4jXXoqVAcN25AUg3Wz8Q3MzqajNm141Em0H0qp6OS7DPl0uWMjNsg2FHtKFmbdhI/s320/IMG_2098.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698568211149318082" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>our bedroom with window covering aka spare mattress</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>trying to block the morning sun - adds a certain "je ne sais quoi".</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Large double hung windows </i><i>are lovely but not</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> at 5:19 am with no blinds when the sun rises :(</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; ">We have frameless glass shower screens in all the bathrooms - they look fantastic but how can you keep them clean - other than cleaning them after every shower? Our builder recommended this product:</div><div><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_POk2j6QITaiDaI26UgBBXd5e6EfoA9CfZuUvxPX3wEgKFO2zKNsU1Pu8OLxRN5arbZukDp9wS2zd4DeL059-GVhoIjV6PplEN51vUhhwGbIBFzyCVyC8nDrOjynT8FuR98kuQ5dAOxo/s1600/IMG_2460.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_POk2j6QITaiDaI26UgBBXd5e6EfoA9CfZuUvxPX3wEgKFO2zKNsU1Pu8OLxRN5arbZukDp9wS2zd4DeL059-GVhoIjV6PplEN51vUhhwGbIBFzyCVyC8nDrOjynT8FuR98kuQ5dAOxo/s320/IMG_2460.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698566919115637026" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this is what they use to keep car windscreens so clean and </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>shiny in the car dealers. I am sure it would do the job but my little </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>inner greenie voice tells me that the chemicals can't</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>be good for you when you are exposed to them every day </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>in your shower. Maybe Shannon Lush has some tips?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-10950506893196405962012-01-07T21:30:00.000+10:002012-01-07T23:03:49.420+10:00decorating dilemma<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; ">It's funny, when you first move, you focus so much on unpacking the essentials with lots of enthusiasm. As time goes by there are a few remaining boxes and I almost can't bring myself to open them as I am over unpacking - but still have so many things I need to find. Like the iron.... I have been looking distinctly crumpled these past few weeks.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">There is also an ever increasing list of little things to do - one of which is curtains/blinds (kind of urgent but $$$ so I am putting it off for a while) and the other is to get some light fittings for a small stretch of hall and the stairway. The stairway is my dilemma - it is quite a high space/void and is also quite narrow. I think a pendant would look great - but what style?</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">Previously in the old girl, we had quite old fashioned lights:</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYN6airGOWaA-PWbMr1FyunxAw_y-IcoXOEgoSKb6K-OLqGmVARjjwPtxJhJC_NdOUFdXNjrcApvUMsXKDq42zw1y3PE6eyyOJeTp_7hITzVuycWRJyp3mI3rhgq95cKAggdH_zSCZTQ/s1600/IMG_2376.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYN6airGOWaA-PWbMr1FyunxAw_y-IcoXOEgoSKb6K-OLqGmVARjjwPtxJhJC_NdOUFdXNjrcApvUMsXKDq42zw1y3PE6eyyOJeTp_7hITzVuycWRJyp3mI3rhgq95cKAggdH_zSCZTQ/s320/IMG_2376.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694871719696174514" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>these were lovely back in the day.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I need to get organised and list these</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>on eBay. We have three of them. I'll add eBay</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>to my list of jobs.....</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><div style="text-align: center; ">I have been keen to move away from this traditional style, but obviously don't want to go modern either. The internal stairs lead from the hall just beside the kitchen to the rumpus/family area downstairs. This area downstairs has a polished concrete floor and I am trying to give that area a functional but kind of industrial feeling.</div><div><br /></div></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPf3ZUEs_Lr8HJlRH_xBBA-2dFlKaO3kyxF9Con38GdC2GK9J-FVOqsX9Yv3DG7NMZM3KcDg1JA5dktf8UyJoIYt3r8FYu8j_ACjlDzYXasUyQpatm15RiP6PeVa8HViUQKcSMwsiGleU/s1600/IMG_2360.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPf3ZUEs_Lr8HJlRH_xBBA-2dFlKaO3kyxF9Con38GdC2GK9J-FVOqsX9Yv3DG7NMZM3KcDg1JA5dktf8UyJoIYt3r8FYu8j_ACjlDzYXasUyQpatm15RiP6PeVa8HViUQKcSMwsiGleU/s320/IMG_2360.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694871711644887010" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this is the hallway at the top of the stairs -</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the stairs are on the right</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_JGERyl5ztTqTasG0h25mdYxuYftlPk8HEt2sJBlqbaUF3NuGY9kKyegHV6GQA4yQ6n5HyCriEelsOR9hEdS9vk-R9g6s1DPOnlrvc9xqC2BLypc0_KGpEBbff7kiN7BmVFXBgTlXK0/s1600/IMG_2362.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_JGERyl5ztTqTasG0h25mdYxuYftlPk8HEt2sJBlqbaUF3NuGY9kKyegHV6GQA4yQ6n5HyCriEelsOR9hEdS9vk-R9g6s1DPOnlrvc9xqC2BLypc0_KGpEBbff7kiN7BmVFXBgTlXK0/s320/IMG_2362.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694871706890029490" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>view up the stairs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FLZgMuX7OYCY-4-5cKor7o8Xt2jSjEdVL57uFbnusQuBtGraDO4TG_qS7G9FIP8MGl8Ap7l5oZyekZ3Npt8VJFI_IEIpDnQLdkirgV4CipxTvFLqVQ8pqO1ueiwePZO4d8M3g56Jk_w/s1600/IMG_2353.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br /></a></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1OzFZRXD1eWMVsVErOmxPnpsHHMIYAzgABC1eoOy_K4OzaVv14StS_mreUpgWXJAgCoDLdgwto_vTyMO4Y-x9kyeJLO8hSfcv8Zv6q5TtU90F3fsCS0ftUn7zy7FZ-d_ZtRJ61IDDYY/s320/IMG_2363.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694870978754901154" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>view down the stairs to the </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>rumpus</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlyviSQlHhvnMJTBOD-Oilec1lOI_UItehXw3Zy6poRzq0pgQYW-n9JEXZVzkJj2dUz4fDxGB0bf0KWszqcT7FCgZj5XCfKSu_IA_8VbNZ4aXaiO_y8oWbAW3Cl-CDpaXASpmejOKoJA/s1600/IMG_2364.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlyviSQlHhvnMJTBOD-Oilec1lOI_UItehXw3Zy6poRzq0pgQYW-n9JEXZVzkJj2dUz4fDxGB0bf0KWszqcT7FCgZj5XCfKSu_IA_8VbNZ4aXaiO_y8oWbAW3Cl-CDpaXASpmejOKoJA/s320/IMG_2364.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694870968439005874" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>void above stairs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YA6Cvn3lHuTCHCjDOt6sgNINl2bgnYV3W_g7U6rz8uOYYjo3zqi4hNQp8QSbfIY-PoC4fK6E17_xpr7vKLvxC6lU3R6p0Ye_FMQhunHwe6h3Jpg4EkxRcxu3tayptgfQmyyLTumusH4/s1600/IMG_2365.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YA6Cvn3lHuTCHCjDOt6sgNINl2bgnYV3W_g7U6rz8uOYYjo3zqi4hNQp8QSbfIY-PoC4fK6E17_xpr7vKLvxC6lU3R6p0Ye_FMQhunHwe6h3Jpg4EkxRcxu3tayptgfQmyyLTumusH4/s320/IMG_2365.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694870960317722018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>it is quite a high space - and</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>quite soulless at the moment</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><div style="text-align: center; ">One of the lights/pendants I have been looking at for a long time is the Iron Orb Chandelier from <a href="http://capecoddesigns.com.au/">here</a> - there are lots of other beautiful lights in A-M's beautiful store, but I can't find a home for them. The only problem I can see with the orb is that changing the bulbs would be very tricky given it would be hanging over a steep staircase.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">Another pendant that caught my eye was this <a href="http://www.freedom.com.au/homewares/lighting/ceiling-lights/23166486/industrial-ceiling-pendant-studded/">one</a> - but it may be too modern/industrial, and also doesn't actually look that well made.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">I love <a href="http://www.interstudio.com.au/files/TF42TQKP2P/lighting_watchout.pdf">these</a> - so funky.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">Any suggestions are welcomed!</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">We have had a busy week this week. Boy of the house turned 7 - we celebrated quietly but will be having a small pool party next week - I have limited the boys to 6 in total as otherwise all the testosterone will overwhelm me and I'll have to have a lie down. We had lunch on the day at one of our favourite local <a href="http://www.riverbendbooks.com.au/Teahouse/">haunts</a></div><div><br /></div></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WB9aQzq5AAxpeL-QcUc3LqVM_6dWO15IrGJNLDfllc00DXlRTitlI_ACRLjbe6fin9xmN8NANPwzVSJKQV3AxS-K2hOCbGJrJQwFVpUCgV19cPTpzYNQIgKCHLKhQ5uDC_0K2gzc1FE/s1600/IMG_2374.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WB9aQzq5AAxpeL-QcUc3LqVM_6dWO15IrGJNLDfllc00DXlRTitlI_ACRLjbe6fin9xmN8NANPwzVSJKQV3AxS-K2hOCbGJrJQwFVpUCgV19cPTpzYNQIgKCHLKhQ5uDC_0K2gzc1FE/s320/IMG_2374.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694870957074618610" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Have a good week!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-77132531959791274422012-01-01T14:36:00.001+10:002012-01-01T19:18:02.257+10:00Happy New Year<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">January 1st. Inevitably a day of contemplation about the year ahead, resolutions</div><div style="text-align: center;">made and new beginnings. For me, I have vowed this year to </div><div style="text-align: center;">actually see more of my friends, rather than blaming work and home</div><div style="text-align: center;">for being "too busy" to catch up. We'll see how that goes...... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the meantime I have started some of my jobs around the house.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I posted a while ago about the Casala Casalino chairs that I found at my</div><div style="text-align: center;">beloved WAC:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSPnYHTDdiHQaAJozu0c56Vtho1L2rTESh_dEX328aVk2rCJ8pv1bQrvwFX1qsVBruQ9Sf8Cc6q3hoFrQQDbiTaAZNGH7_OIxO-5a1445lyiMnzssJWITbUbnftF6gqlnjxnYckDd8SU/s1600/IMG_1398.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSPnYHTDdiHQaAJozu0c56Vtho1L2rTESh_dEX328aVk2rCJ8pv1bQrvwFX1qsVBruQ9Sf8Cc6q3hoFrQQDbiTaAZNGH7_OIxO-5a1445lyiMnzssJWITbUbnftF6gqlnjxnYckDd8SU/s320/IMG_1398.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692519637632196434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I found five of these at the WAC and was </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>very happy last week to find another one <a href="http://www.addvintage.com.au/">here</a> to bring</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>it up to a nice round number</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have read a lot online and in magazines about how to get these beauties looking</div><div style="text-align: center;">good again. They had already been painted so I couldn't follow the instructions</div><div style="text-align: center;">at <a href="http://funandvjs.blogspot.com/2010/08/restoring-casalino-chairs.html">Fun and VJs</a> posted here. I have also read about getting them re-sprayed like </div><div style="text-align: center;">2Pak at a panel beaters - but it was going to be too expensive. I had even chosen a </div><div style="text-align: center;">lovely Resene Red for the job, but reality hit when I worked out how </div><div style="text-align: center;">much it would cost to get them professionally done.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am not usually particularly good at this sort of thing, and confided my dilemma to the</div><div style="text-align: center;">lovely people at addVintage. They gave me some advice which involved sanding them</div><div style="text-align: center;">a little and then spraying them myself with this product:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDvIOv8KtwU1ltDQw5JKqh-8fTq50OJ3pasKSbev_UbDDgWD84UPrD_QsEmNccdp7OvJa9IrPOA-NfOJMhVEx6dP3q7Yyo3pEj7y6xyXfY8bAzZu0m_wC7B2aMlb7dPJpkFxvQAhvZlQ/s1600/IMG_2150.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDvIOv8KtwU1ltDQw5JKqh-8fTq50OJ3pasKSbev_UbDDgWD84UPrD_QsEmNccdp7OvJa9IrPOA-NfOJMhVEx6dP3q7Yyo3pEj7y6xyXfY8bAzZu0m_wC7B2aMlb7dPJpkFxvQAhvZlQ/s320/IMG_2150.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692519636511566098" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Off to SuperCheapAuto I dutifully went </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>and bought about 20 cans of this. I knew I would</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>need a lot as my chairs are such a </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>dark colour to start with. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">So here is the finished result on one of the chairs in our covered outdoor</div><div style="text-align: center;"> area downstairs:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqJC26DTN8gFHqTMf5znW3zFFmm6652pLCmxMLuGveMY-jl0JR1uc0Hv_-In5C1_koPEEYxvS_o9KN3U1QyTiLdYX0HVtoh-HVbWZC0YIeXe0LIhYwSXprk56wMvDWTMP8EOdgbx3d9Q/s1600/IMG_2287.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqJC26DTN8gFHqTMf5znW3zFFmm6652pLCmxMLuGveMY-jl0JR1uc0Hv_-In5C1_koPEEYxvS_o9KN3U1QyTiLdYX0HVtoh-HVbWZC0YIeXe0LIhYwSXprk56wMvDWTMP8EOdgbx3d9Q/s320/IMG_2287.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692519620642588098" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I have finished two of the chairs now. It's a steep learning</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>curve and I think the ones I do at the </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>end will be much better than the first two - they have a</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> few</i><i>too many paint drips from over enthusiastic spraying.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">I bought some lovely fabric from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/melbomba">etsy</a> to make some </div><div style="text-align: center;">cushions - the chairs are very comfortable but it's nice to </div><div style="text-align: center;">have a bit more padding, and also I think the cushions will hide some </div><div style="text-align: center;">of my mistakes! I think I prefer the green but would</div><div style="text-align: center;">be interested in what you think....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MLzaGV-5lGKQVq-BP9g2uC0WGcaXrqQqQMxQk8IsyEp4BKDlG7FVultT0QDKJRmDxZ7ZTOg0AY_yA1oWt20IUZUZJbg4JmORU7Cz8UJr3n0djtWq4gRlAQxOlgFylaw2EhbkJdaZMwk/s1600/IMG_2285.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MLzaGV-5lGKQVq-BP9g2uC0WGcaXrqQqQMxQk8IsyEp4BKDlG7FVultT0QDKJRmDxZ7ZTOg0AY_yA1oWt20IUZUZJbg4JmORU7Cz8UJr3n0djtWq4gRlAQxOlgFylaw2EhbkJdaZMwk/s320/IMG_2285.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692519612712808738" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqt90iJtpxAIZ5Nf2TgK1qISA1Y2FpiRi1EuG1vPdLAoFxlfdMAUCY23VnPoallArtftHOmhAlef4u9gp-dPgp6L4UcdlX3m9uw3XatE-23iBOns4tXdihQ1FwjONldFAXtiAncN0vAYw/s1600/IMG_2286.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqt90iJtpxAIZ5Nf2TgK1qISA1Y2FpiRi1EuG1vPdLAoFxlfdMAUCY23VnPoallArtftHOmhAlef4u9gp-dPgp6L4UcdlX3m9uw3XatE-23iBOns4tXdihQ1FwjONldFAXtiAncN0vAYw/s320/IMG_2286.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692519606868300514" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy New Year everyone, and may 2012 bring you many </div><div style="text-align: center;">good things</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">xx</div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293547762241346547.post-28178568588053199602011-12-25T21:14:00.001+10:002011-12-25T21:31:22.816+10:00our aussie christmas day<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We have had a lovely day celebrating Christmas with friends at home.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Looking back on the day, my overwhelming feeling is of gratitude - </div><div style="text-align: center;">grateful that we have such a lovely roof over our heads, grateful for</div><div style="text-align: center;">the delicious food we had, grateful to have such beautiful friends</div><div style="text-align: center;">to share the day with, and grateful to my</div><div style="text-align: center;">colleagues who worked today so that those of us with</div><div style="text-align: center;">younger children could spend time at home.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Merry Christmas!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2KmAY9gCp8fAdNS3gGJOmOAXKatyUmq0Pl6LfACkmdo1mP9r6ovC3bH5itmicWQ2r0N8tFE8pVoNcw8HtInW4dFLzhPpiri2tkvEs6_okkQ4zcNfGx8l8uAZwsvQBvXrgfOb9bxgZ7g/s1600/IMG_2242.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2KmAY9gCp8fAdNS3gGJOmOAXKatyUmq0Pl6LfACkmdo1mP9r6ovC3bH5itmicWQ2r0N8tFE8pVoNcw8HtInW4dFLzhPpiri2tkvEs6_okkQ4zcNfGx8l8uAZwsvQBvXrgfOb9bxgZ7g/s320/IMG_2242.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690024263055792994" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the verandah neat and tidy before the guests arrive</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWJOIgrgq8iFwumVD_w_al7xzcnnRswFIRsGbTtm0tK_swwluZH5vGGRnVFvFBWN7ryGSPovQiEMwGWupXFfYizqGxBpkbszIAhm2BbC3MQkngNdJwp9GJtofldpZhwiPsT6LZ9tbsxg/s1600/IMG_2243.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWJOIgrgq8iFwumVD_w_al7xzcnnRswFIRsGbTtm0tK_swwluZH5vGGRnVFvFBWN7ryGSPovQiEMwGWupXFfYizqGxBpkbszIAhm2BbC3MQkngNdJwp9GJtofldpZhwiPsT6LZ9tbsxg/s320/IMG_2243.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690023864380582834" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Place settings - upside down as I can't rotate the </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>photo :(</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtHM4R1y24NA2NLhwdRRykhyphenhyphengQaQLk3PJqqItJ62pcq9OHD3mpgO5wnRC3V06RaQ55lQGsy5NGTsMbsSoOHNvjIXk4yyZ0An7X056hzZiPJfDamc65dq9YT7f036QLskamPWRZTe1Lvg/s1600/IMG_2238.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtHM4R1y24NA2NLhwdRRykhyphenhyphengQaQLk3PJqqItJ62pcq9OHD3mpgO5wnRC3V06RaQ55lQGsy5NGTsMbsSoOHNvjIXk4yyZ0An7X056hzZiPJfDamc65dq9YT7f036QLskamPWRZTe1Lvg/s320/IMG_2238.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690023860127810114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>pavlova - was gone in 60 seconds - the kids </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>inhaled it</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6hT_gmSqpnoRcCmGPIcFhC4wSZR0YhYHLIingRd4Lw5DaY7JS_BbGmwlpwtsoOghG3ITk9ZbXGTcKOpg53akzJd636hdY6emV0G6ekY9R3CaX0XkRG_PWt97X7gitaJxlhzLueLsAyQ/s1600/IMG_2239.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6hT_gmSqpnoRcCmGPIcFhC4wSZR0YhYHLIingRd4Lw5DaY7JS_BbGmwlpwtsoOghG3ITk9ZbXGTcKOpg53akzJd636hdY6emV0G6ekY9R3CaX0XkRG_PWt97X7gitaJxlhzLueLsAyQ/s320/IMG_2239.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690023851741795650" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>trampolining - so much for the "only</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>one kid at a time" rule ....</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhum10a2bZ0NQysLVKNZV-K5gzTlepJb6ecp-VU2FhS9IbL7bf_FD0ChwrF6aWlMCpoO1UlKUC49AfqV0lIoXhp_2X_IRFdtrwPyzUGaLLzdifge2A4g9yPAVqeQcIQ6kZxGSVQam4wohA/s1600/IMG_2241.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhum10a2bZ0NQysLVKNZV-K5gzTlepJb6ecp-VU2FhS9IbL7bf_FD0ChwrF6aWlMCpoO1UlKUC49AfqV0lIoXhp_2X_IRFdtrwPyzUGaLLzdifge2A4g9yPAVqeQcIQ6kZxGSVQam4wohA/s320/IMG_2241.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690023835408790242" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>backyard cricket - with the ubiquitous spotty dog</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>wanting a piece of the action</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4BUuuMW68__yqt_4oVgOjvvDlNOhsEEwKRPRH2zJIC5YK6FtFjYhlvyrbPPTnUEXBEPBj5OWVeRHC5MMrFuH4DShEKH2o0w4XwiReTDebC7GPdy8pXm43BuYmPqMx9WOHRxNAX0sgnI/s1600/IMG_2207.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4BUuuMW68__yqt_4oVgOjvvDlNOhsEEwKRPRH2zJIC5YK6FtFjYhlvyrbPPTnUEXBEPBj5OWVeRHC5MMrFuH4DShEKH2o0w4XwiReTDebC7GPdy8pXm43BuYmPqMx9WOHRxNAX0sgnI/s320/IMG_2207.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690023832751836914" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A nice end to a lovely day. Our lovely builder gave us</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>this bottle of champagne at handover and we wanted to </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>wait for a moment that felt right to open it.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The first Christmas of hopefully many felt like </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the right time :)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">F x</div>Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17891827232542844719noreply@blogger.com1