SHOPPING?

 

We need an insinkerator... so today I shall ring the plumber and ask him to come and fit one for us.

I also want a clothes line outside, one that folds down against the wall.  I am going to make sure it's permitted before buying one.  I am pretty sure it is, as I've seen plenty of them around the village.  But it's best to make sure first... having had the issues with the shed, I don't want to put another foot wrong!

ABOVE: a lovely sunset last night.  

While out today, I shall be looking for our ONE new piece of Britto.  I promised us a new piece for our new home.  So maybe I'll find it today, and maybe I won't.  Time will tell.

We given a few pieces away to kids and grandchildren ... so there's room for a new piece.

ABOVE:  I got this for Lacy while in Aussy.  She loves it.

ABOVE: She also got some pretty earrings.  Bex had some too, but they are not her style, so I got to keep them.  

I got Bex a piece of natural gem stone.  Sort of Green/Blue and brown, I think it's called Azurite.  It's really lovely.

So, an out and about day today... should be nice.

Catch ya later.

12.15 pm:  Shopping?  I found some Britto and bought some.  I also saw a few bits n bobs I was tempted by, but resisted.

Home now, just had left over salad and steak for me lunch.

ABOVE: This is where I want to put a drop down clothes line.  It's opposite the sheds, out from the garage.  The Village Grounds Manager is calling in this afternoon to suss it out. 

DONE.!  Just spent two hours solid doing jobs that I'd been putting off for the last two months.

Shortened the side of our bedspread.

Fixed a sweatshirt that has stitching coming undone.

Filled me car up with rubbish for the dump... it's been sitting in a pile outside for 2.5 months!

I'm taking it to the dump tomorrow.

I don't freakin' care what it costs, I want it gone now.  I'M SICK TO DEATH OF LOOKING AT IT.

It feels damn good doing that I can tell ya.

NEXT.  Tonight I am doing something I vowed and declared I would never, ever, ever do again.

AND I'M FREAKIN' DOING IT AGAIN.

A DO NOTHING MUCH DAY

 

Plan for today?

Get a load of washing on.

Go down to the Dr's and get an appointment for Stew and I.  We both have a few issues to get addressed.

Finish putting away what I unpacked last night.

ABOVE:  My outfit from yesterday.  One of the Tee Shirt Dresses and matching lightweight denim jacket.  And ummm... Nike Jordans on me feet.  

My legs were, and still are, very swollen, so I will be keeping my feet up as much as possible today.

ABOVE:  I now have two gorgeous little lighthouses to add to my 'house' collection.  They were my sisters, and given to me by her daughters.

Funny how I seem to have a 'new' collection.

ABOVE:  I was given a piece of this chocolate from Aliesha the other day.  OMG, so nice.  So when I went through Duty Free yesterday, I grabbed a couple of them... and some rum for Stew.  He's not going to run out in a hurry now.

Sadly, none of the Duty Free shops sold my perfume, so I didn't get any of that.  It was the one thing I really wanted too.

I've never done any Duty Free shopping before, so that was a first for me.

And that's me for now, I'm going to stay in bed for a bit longer ...

Catch ya later.

Well, the day is going well so far.

The washing is on, unpacking finalised. 

Doctor appointments made.

And now I'm at the Hamilton Gardens, about to meet up with my Cambridge walking buddies for morning tea.

After that I'm doing a grocery shop, as the kids are coming for dinner.

ABOVE:  Awaiting me walking mates.   We had a lovely morning tea, then I left for the supermarket.

Groceries grabbed, on to home.

ABOVE: Tonight is the first time using our cute wee dining table with it's extension out.  It did take me a little while to nut out how to get it to flip up!

But, mission accomplished.

Dinner is on the go.  Beef Steaks, Chicken Rissoles and lettuce salad, potato wedges and accompanying sides.

ABOVE:  Yeah, I know I've already shown ya the dinner... but this photo has it all. lol

It went down very well with the kids.  And we managed just fine in the smaller space with 8 of us having dinner.

I can't wait until we can have bigger gatherings outside over summer.

It is now 8 pm, everyone has gone home and it's back to just Stew, Coco and I.

Catch ya tomorrow.

HEADING HOME AGAIN

 GOOD MORNING. 

I'M GOING HOME TODAY.

I don't expect to be over here again for a few months. I'll miss the kids here. 

To cheer myself up, I went shopping again yesterday. 

ABOVE: Clearly I've not lost the touch. I know how to shop. 🤣😊

Rowena is taking me to the airport nice and early this morning. 

I'll yak more once I'm booked in and have time to just relax.

Catch ya later. 

10.52 am.

I'm safely at the airport. 

What a long process today to get through customs and Immigration.  The queues were INSANELY long! There was some sort of disruption at the airport causing big delays with check ins.

Luckily I had plenty of time up my sleeve.

I just had a nice breakfast, Eggs Benedict and some Coke No Sugar.

All I have to do now is wait for boarding  which is at 12.15 pm. I'm sitting at the gate...

ABOVE: Lorraine's dog, Tapu, has attached to Maxine. He won't leave her side, and cries and gets frantic when she's not near him. She even had him follow her into the shower last night.  Poor boy is gunna go through separation anxiety again when Maxine comes home.

Don't worry, Aliesha and Rowena will be his people at the end of the day.

5.48 pm. I'm HOME. Landed safe and now waiting for Stew to pick me up. 

8.01 pm:  And now, we are home in Hamilton.  And although I didn't intend to do it right away, I have unpacked.

ABOVE:  Now I'm all snuggled up in me onesie, and looking forward to  getting to bed fairly early.

Catch ya tomorrow.

SATURDAY BEFORE GOING HOME

 GOOD MORNING. 

What's going on today? Not a lot really. 

Maxine and her kids are going on a road trip for a few days, and so is Aleisha and her kids. So they will be preparing for that.

I will be getting my shit sorted before flying home tomorrow. 

ABOVE: Maxine and I spent some time yesterday making keepsakes, using resin and flowers etc. I doubt my deep one will be set in time for me to take it home tomorrow.  Maxine might have to bring it back for me,  when she comes home.

ABOVE: I saw this crabby in a shop yesterday,  and was very tempted to get it. Then I remembered I have  just divested myself of SO MUCH CLUTTER.  So it stayed in the shop. 😥

I gave myself a pat on the back for that self control. 

Before going to bed last night... the girls decided to sort through some of their Mum's clothes.

To say we were in hysterics would be an understatement. 

Not SAD hysterics... more like splitting our sides laughing hysterics. 

We were like kids delving into a dress up box of delight.

I will share a few photos... some are a bit blurry cos we were laughing so much, and most are 'modeled' by Maxine...

ABOVE: This one is going to be lovingly referred to as Maxines 'Vow Renewal Dress'... in her nightmares!!!

What I find even MORE HYSTERICAL is that the curtains behind her look like they are on her head! Like some weird as friggin hat. 😂🤣😅

ABOVE: Looking at Rowena on the left! I swear she was about to piss her pants laughing. 

ABOVE: It really was just what we needed, some good  healthy fun.

And NO disrespect to Lorraine,  she would have laughed her head off too. Had she been there.

Ok... I will bugger off now, and see who's doing what.

ONWARD...

Shit a brick its cold this morning! But... heading towards 24 degrees later on. Awesome. 

After lunch there's talk of going to HYPERDOME, which is a big shopping centre. Oh hell,  more shopping!

ABOVE: And the hilarity continues.  But in fact lots is getting sorted.

ABOVE: I have no words.... laughed til me eyes leaked.

It is late afternoon  now. We went shopping. Such fun. Then at home we went for a little bush walk. Found a dam. And more toads.

ABOVE: Whatever it was... tis dead. 

ABOVE: Brandy freaking out over a spiders web. Yeah, I would too. 🤣😊

ABOVE: In one of my new tops.

Today I  bought two tee shirt dresses and two crop jackets to wear over them. 

I'm going to sign off now and relax for a while. 

Catch ya tomorrow. 

NITE NITE

RIP LORRAINE

 

19 August: Unfortunately I arrived in Australia ONE HOUR TOO LATE on Tuesday night.

Rest in peace

Lorraine

1957 - 2025

My sister lost her battle and peacefully passed away, just as I landed in Brisbane on Tuesday night.

My flight was delayed by an hour, meaning I didn't get to her in time.

Fate. I wasn't meant to be with her when she passed away.

I have been staying with her daughters and grandchildren for the past few days.

It has been incredibly comforting being here with her family and closest friend, Aliesha. We have all been hanging out, sharing meals, shopping, playing with the little kids and dogs etc.  

Until then... I will try not to do much more shopping! I don't want to pay for excess baggage! 🤣😅😊

ONWARD...

Since writing that, I have now booked my flight ✈️  home.

I'm going home on Sunday afternoon.  

Today has been spent doing bugger all. Some grocery shopping. A walk  down the road. Everyone's been doing their own thing... hair cuts and colours. Rowena did ELEVEN LOADS OF WASHING at the laundromat just to get it all done! 

We have been treated to homemade burgers by Aleisha for dinner.

Photo pending....

ABOVE:  That's was an amazing burger!!!   Thank you so much Aleisha,  you did bloody well  feeding everyone such a feast. 

I am signing off for the day now.

Catch ya tomorrow.

NITE NITE.

NOT YET...

 Sorry.

Today's intended post is still on hold.

So let's just launch into today a bit late.

One moment  please...

ABOVE... we had a cane toad.. and now a lizard!

ABOVE:  I walked down the driveway and collected the mail. After a foggy start to the day, it's turned out lovely.

ABOVE: Random photos from around the family's home.

Everything loaded back to front.

TODAYS INTENDED POST WILL LOAD IN A COUPLE OF HOURS.

Sorry, it is out of my hands.

Lastly on this post..

ABOVE: Nikale and DeTray  found a Dragon up a gum tree! How cool. Aleisha has lived here for YEARS and never seen one before.

I'm going to sign off this post now, and come back in a little while with another one.  All going well that is. I'm having a bit of trouble with getting it to load when I want it to.

Bye for now.