Vonerable

I was actually just fixing my hair

  

I sang my heart out at a concert. I chatted. I danced. I went to a wedding in a dress I had to keep a very close eye on. I had a whole night of conversation with people I am still getting to know. I feel overexposed (not the dress, fortunately). I ran away from here for a while.

I only have spuds for you

I love Killer getting up early to go swimming, but only if he makes enough noise to wake me up. Then I can revel in the sensation of NOT having to get up. I'm sure I purr.

I was very grown up this morning and got up before he returned, allowing myself just one press of the snooze button. None of this laying about letting the morning routine slide and running late. Except that, just to tick me off, both girls are too sick to go to school. I COULD HAVE STAYED IN BED.  

• I am very excited to have my iPhone back (a cautionary note: don't drop your phone onto concrete).
• My brother is out of hospital but his back is still pretty bad.
• I am finding Operation Don't Spend Any Money very difficult. I am not buying coffee or magazines, but I am maxing out my imaginary credit card on Etsy
• Operation Stop Eating Cake is also proving a challenge.
• The Dr wants me to come in to talk about my blood test results.
• I am going to a Nickelback concert on the weekend. Can't wait to hear the intro to Follow You Home. There are a lot of dubious songs, of course, but I promise to stick my fingers in my ears and say "La la la la la".
• Life feels very 'one foot in front of the other' at the moment. Maybe the Doc can shed some light. 

Noli nothi permittere te terere

And Turquiose

There is a turquoise twist in my red and white Christmas tale:

  

Lilou Crochet necklace

  

 

Ravennagirls' mini wreath

   

 

Wolfartglass

   

Rikrak stocking

   

Papertreat tags

   

Piril felt beads

   

 

Maryjudy bowl

   

Budpnq necklace

Red and White

Visions of a red and white Christmas are dancing in my head:

   

Giggleberry bunting

  

 

Pippijoe screen printed hemp in 'Orchard'

   

 

AlchemicMuse Winterberry sugar polish
    

 

Kainkain table runner

   

Moonmum cards

Polyclarific rose brooch 

  

Annacote card

  

The Play Pen Balls that Could

Many balls landed in our neighbour's yard at Superboy's party (the Suspicious Young People who May be Dealing Drugs, not the Best Neighbours in the World) and the rest are still strewn about the backyard. But they make the place look so happy and circusy, I'm in no hurry to collect them.

  

    

And remember the balls I strung together for Twirly's party? They are still there, only now there are superheroes and dinosaurs hanging through them. Work smarter.

   

Garden Like You Mean It

My friend from high school, Scarlet Apple, is colourful and vibrant in a way that makes me want to rush home and throw striped fabric over the couches. Effortlessly, she has made her home and garden folky, arty, and fun. Everywhere I look, there is some detail to be explored...a book, a ribbon in a tree, a collection of postcards on the lav door. She calls it mess. I call it thrifty, creative genius.

I snuck around her garden last week to bring you these:

  

   

  

   

 

   

   

 

 

Write About Now

Listening: to the kettle boiling; Superboy chatting to no one

Smelling: feta

Wondering: how my children can argue about the details of an imaginary situation

Loving: this quiet, slow time of day

Planning: to finish the hand sewing on Twirly's ballet costume (don't feel bad for me - most of it was made for us!)

Daydreaming: who will populate my novel 

Seeing: a half-finished cryptic crossword (are my brain cells returning?)

Feeling: perimenopause

Praying: for my brother's back - he can hardly move

Remembering: coffee under the mulberry tree with Killer and the boys an hour ago

   

Sighting

He raced in, scooping up dripping children, yelling, "You have to come outside. Now!". Wrestling the urge to continue with vegetables and folding, I followed.

   

   

"Walk down the street" he yelled to me as I headed off with the forward party. "Now look that way" he barked, catching up to us.

  

   

"You missed it! It was so much bigger as I was driving home". But a housewife in need of spontaneity is easily impressed. In future, just so you know, I'd rush out of the kitchen for pink clouds or someone else's daffodils. But you might have to overlook a little sighing. Just 'til I'm out in the fresh air and thanking you for the interruption.

  

    

As we sauntered home, I took twilight shots of neighbours' gardens. This one speaks volumes about our suburb: pockets of beauty interspersed with vacant blocks, drains, barren strata developments and incongruous palms.