Red

There seems to be a lot of red things around my house today - it's such a happy colour

I think it's just about time for Chinese New Year and there's always a lot of red involved in that!

Perhaps it means that 2013 is going to be a better year for all.......

At least I feel relaxed and happy!

removals

Yesterday I took all the books out of the cedar bookcase and then carefully removed the shelves.

Because I committed a sacrilege and painted the back, it looks as though there is no back on this bookcase.


Today Andy came and helped me to move it onto the verahda so that it can be collected.  This is the collateral damage (sorry tossntom):

It's never too late for a warning........

The shelves and the brackets are in this mysterious bag

and I'm very happy with the extra space in the study.  There will be some redecorating but it's ok for the moment.

30 years on.......

This week we celebrated F's 30th birthday.  It's hard to come to grips with the fact that it is such a long time since I first saw her and started on that "journey" of motherhood.  It's been a very rewarding trip and I feel very blessed that I have two such wonderful daughters.

Tosca made a sponge cake which was highly decorated with cream and fruit and was quite delicious!!

and, of course, it had no calories or fat content at all!!!!

Extra special to have B back from Paris to help us celebrate.

Christmas on an Island

We have just had a lovely Christmas/New Year on a tropical Island in Queensland.  Weather was great (we even had rain on boxing day so we could all have a rest).

Walking on the beach at dusk with those you love is very good for the soul ..

Skippy was living with his cousins at the Gorge.....

Some visitors came over on the water taxi for the day

and the water in the Gorge was the most amazing colour...

All good things must end and so it was back on the barge to Brisbane with a car load of dirty washing and some very happy memories.

a trip to the south

I recently went to Melbourne and Tasmania to catch up with some friends and to celebrate a couple of birthdays, including mine.  It was lovely to see everyone....

firstly the old school friends - we haven't really changed much ....

I loved seeing my niece and her children

and, of course seeing my children and their other halves

We had a great lunch at a vineyard near Launceston

and went to an amazing shop near Develport (perhaps more about that later)

and Robbie and JJ came over for coffee



































and Mikey's 21st was a good night and a chance to catch up with Mike and Rob

 I'm glad Jimmy was able to make it!!

plants and flowers and garden animals

I received a lovely birthday present from the southern relations - a multi bottle flower displayer beautifully screen printed with birds.  As I wanted to take a photo of it and show off, I had to make do with whatever was in the garden so geraniums and gardenias are on show.  Friends who came for drinks last night were VERY impressed.  As you can see, in recognition of christmas, I have two tinsel trees and one stocking on display with a couple of cards.......  My big tree has been lent to a friend and I will take some more tinsel to the beach where we're all going to be for christmas.

It also looks good from the top with my Indian carpet beside it

Marina arrived from the country/seaside with a christmas present - she has been collecting my broken china over the years and has now mosaiced it all into a lovely pot.  sort of like patchwork but with china.  How lovely that I now have some recycled joy!!  It might be worth breaking a few more bits??

and in the meantime, there are a variety of animals (not living and breathing) outside trying to protect me from the possums!  they're not really doing their thing because if you look very closely, you will note that there is possum wee running down the glass wall!