The memories we share

Well I can hardly believe I have been away for 12 days.  The time has gone fast and I have to admit I have enjoyed catching up with my neice.  Getting to know her family who I have only seen fleetingly in the last few years is nice too.  Yesterday we went into the heart of the city to a picnic to celebrate Australian Day.  It was a lovely day to wander around and see the many things on offer.  My great neices took part in quite a few of the activities on offer.  And we all had a lovely bbq lunch provided by the RACV. 

My neice has taken me shopping quite a bit and is making the most of the opportunity to show me the places that I will enjoy visiting, lol.  As I am into scrapbooking, that is top of the list of shops to visit, but I also like quilting and cross stitch and looking at $2 shops, so there is plenty to see. A neighbour has also taken me out and about  while the my neice and her husband work and recently we went to the beach.  (don't ask me where okay.)  The kids really enjoyed this.  As did the adults, lol. 

Well thats all for now.  Hope you are enjoying lifes moment.  Take pleasure in the little things in life.  They soon mount up into bigger things.

Adventure

My horoscope recently has been saying all sorts of interesting things, making me think this year could be full of adventure.
Now the year has bought its first challenge.  I have had a proposition made to me to go to the aid of my neice in Melbourne and look after her kids.  Was I up for this challenge?  Well after much deliberating I decided to go for it.  My hesitation was not about the job or flying on my own but about whether I would cope physically and mentally. I feel honoured to be asked and know that this can truly be called an adventure.  It will be the first time I have travelled overseas on my own.  (It is also the longest my husband and I have ever been apart too). And to top it off I have never been to Melbourne  Yeah.  So in a few days time I head off.  To keep me sane I need to have some craft things to do so I am packing plenty.   I wonder how many will get done.
Catch up with you again soon. 

Christmas Fun

Hello and Merry Christmas to you all.  What a beautiful day it is.  We have travelled a wee way from home to spend christmas with our son and his wife.  The weather was coolish for driving.  And the day has got warmer since we got here to the Wairarapa. We had a few stop offs along the way to family and friends to deliver cards and presents.  Nice to catch up with others on  the actual day.
Our day started early today as a group of us met up to go and wake up some neighbours for christmas breakfast.  What a neat way to start the day.  Good company and a decent meal.  A couple of hours later we headed back to our own houses and the start of our own christmas celebrations.

Best Wishes to every one.  I hope your celebrations are going well and you are enjoying the cofmpany of others.  

Merry Christmas

Well christmas looms close (again).  Where does the time go?  I have not done half of what I planned to do since finishing work.  Not to worry, there is always another day tomorrow.  I am really enjoying my time at home.  I have seen a bit of my granddaughters and got to have the two eldest ones stay overnight with us last week. Especially nice as this year is the first year I wont see them on christmas day as they have gone to their dads already.  I look forward to when they come home again and we can spend more time together.  Before they left we got to open our christmas present from them. 

Isn't it lovely?  So nice to have an everlasting memory like this. 
We are heading away for a couple of days to spend time with our youngest son and his wife.  Next year they will be parents for the first time.  Bring on 2011. 

Merry christmas to you all.  Catch up with you again soon.

Guess what I have been doing?

I thought you might like to see what I have been spending my time on.  My friend Angela and I have been busy putting together an advent calendar which is put out by Kaisercraft

Instead of finishing ours with scrapbooking papers, we decided to adorn our drawers with fabric.  I have to admit it was a bit fiddly, but we enjoyed bouncing ideas off each other as we have worked together.  My drawers are also adorned with Charms that spell out "Merry christmas to everyone".  My one consession was to put paper in the middle.  And to finish it off, a ribbon around the outside.  Now to fill the drawers with something and give them to the intended receipients, my granddaughters.  I can't wait to see their reaction.

The Wide Blue Yonder

It has been a while since I last posted.  It has been a year of decisions for me and I recently made the hard decision to resign from my job of 8 years.  For the last four years I had travelled 86 km a day to go to work and I was fast getting very tired from all the travelling. Coupled with other things like health issues, I decided it was time to call it a day.  Not an easy thing when you love your job and the clients you work with become part of a large family.  I truly dreaded the last week and the final goodbye, but happily the tears were few and the days not too stressful at all. 
The first item on the retirement agenda was to have a holiday so after one week at home, I took off to Stratford and stayed with my daughter-in-law for a few days.  This was lovely and gave me the rest I needed.  I came home feeling ready to deal with the carefree days and all the housework that needed to be done.  It has now been four weeks since I finished up and I am becoming a bit of a country bum cum hermit as I do not really want to go out.  But give me time and I am sure that will change. I can honestly say I am not missing all the travel. Catch up with you again soon.

In remembrance

One year ago this month my sister lost her life after a battle with melanoma.  How quickly this time has gone.  I have missed the chats we had and the times we shared.  As her life ended a new one began in the life of my granddaughter Annabelle born two days prior to her passing.  And while life goes on, there will always be a place of remembrance in my heart for a sister who died too soon.  R.I.P.  till we meet again.


Remembrance
Remembrance is a golden chain
Death tries to break,
but all in vain.
To have, to love, and then to part
Is the greatest sorrow of one's heart.
The years may wipe out many things
But some they wipe out never.
Like memories of those happy times
When we were all together
~ Author Unknown