The Final 10!!!

991. Market fresh cherries
992. Eating Nepali food with Kat
993. Andy going out of his way to cater for my whims!
994. Finishing the Christmas shopping
995. My new Kikki K stamp set
996. A happy family day
997. Listening to the thunder while tucked up in bed
998. Light at the end of the tunnel
999. Christmas time
1000. Having 1000 things to be grateful for!

This project has been fantastic in making me really look for things to be grateful for. I have tried not to double up, but some things are just super exciting and I may have repeated myself! I hope some of the things that have made me smile in 2011 have made you smile too!!!

981 - 990 (I'm drawing out the gratitude project!)

981. Reminiscing about Ralph with Heather & Les (Ralph was a dog - an awesome dog!)
982. Crumpets and tea delivered to my bedside
983. Chatting all things dog with the Ratcliffs
984. Lunching with my KidsHope peeps
985. Lunching with my elders peeps
986. Having a lovely conversation with Verity
987. Finishing my share of the Christmas shopping
988. Finishing a job I had been dragging my feet on for a looong time
989. Weekend naps
990. The unexpected burst of energy I get from a big long walk

961 - 980

961. Shelling broadbeans on the back patio over a glass of beer/wine
962. Sitting on the same patio later that evening, watching a storm roll over
963. Jack being totally chilled out with thunder (Moths on the other hand! Moths are a problem and need to die)
964. Freebies! Chai latte powder at the train station and then fortune cookies from the coffee shop!
965. Finally getting to catch up with Sarah after re-sceduling and re-sceduling and re-scheduling our time!
966. Work Christmas lunch at the Belair pub
967. Celebrating Pete's retirement
968. Being 5 minutes from home, yet feeling like we were on holiday somewhere sunny and beachy
969. Window shopping with Andy
970. Andy's joy at the realisation that we have a Beck's Bakery so close to home!
971. Putting the Christmas tree up
972. A reason to listen to cheesy Christmas albums
973. Catching up with Heather & Les after God knows how long
974. The awesome friendship I have with Catherine at work
975. Fishing off the Noarlunga jetty; didn't catch a thing, but it was nice to just sit, dangle our feet and chat
976. Strawberry season
977. Slowly developing an appreciation for MacGyver
978. Thinking about the memories attached to certain Christmas decorations
979. Finding Pearl Jam Vs for $5 at my local flea market
980. Lloyd Bros. Kasundi

941 - 960

941. My pretty new skirt (It's going to be my Christmas skirt!)
942. Having someone who I consider to be 'effortlessly stylish' tell me that she admires my fashion taste
943. Tackling my filing first thing on a Monday morning and discovering it was actually not half as bad as it looked!
944. Amy time!
945. Wine and cheese matching
946. Discovering a new, funky winery in the Vale
947. Apple and Rose tea jelly
948. Knocking off on Tuesday arvo and knowing I won't be back til Monday
949. The way Jack leans into me with a blissed out expression on his face when I pat him
950. A day with Dad and Amy - no plans, just sunshine, wineries and delicious food
951. Spending the afternoon with Aleks and Leon
952. People who are positive in the face of adversity - so inspiring!
953. Happy news coming from every angle!
954. Strath walks with Jack & Dad
955. Jack behaving himself in the car (peanut butter in the Kong works wonders!)
956. Going to our first basketball game of the season (even though our team lost!)
957. Lightening the bedclothes as summer creeps in
958. Bracegirdles Chilli Chocolate
959. Coming back to work with not too much of a backlog
960. The feeling of pride knowing that I have stuck with this gratitude project for the whole year!

921 - 940

921. Free weeknights
922. Crocheting again
923. The first ocean dip of the summer
924. Jack trying to rescue me from afore mentioned dip (bless!)
925. Dusting off the seldom used items from my wardrobe
926. Dishes done by someone other than me (Thanks Honey x)
927. Long overdue family dinner
928. Nicola - someone who gets me, has been the same places and who makes me feel 'validated'
929. Starting Christmas shopping
930. Reaching into the pocket of my jeans and pulling out a $20 note from weeks ago (hurrah for plastic money that survives washing machine trips!)
931. Chatting to some friendly tourists who shared my table at the markets
932. Sorting out my craft room, FINALLY!
933. Coming home from dog school to find dinner on the table
934. Ice skating
935. Saturday arvo cuppa visitors
936. Macerated strawberries in cointreau
937. Having people from Inverbrackie Detention Centre at church on Sunday
938. Seeing Judy perform her first baptism
939. The beautiful King Protea I got from the markets
940. Inspiring conversations

901 - 920

901. Running into a familiar face at the otherwise uninspiring Motor Reg office
902. Date night at home
903. Driving into work with Andy
904. The little girl at the pet supplies shop looking at Jack and saying "What a marvellous dog!" (She was no more than about 6 years old!)
905. Kikki K
906. Playing "Sing the Jingle" with Andy on the way home
907. Lunch at the Salty Lime with Judy
908. Longview Whippet Sauvignon Blanc - Oh. My. Gosh!
909. Discovering quaint little antique shops in Port Noarlunga
910. Slowly falling in love with my new neighbourhood
911. 11/11/11
912. Our lawn coming to life
913. Managing to fit in a walk on the beach with Amy & Iliya before the evening went pear shaped
914. The wonderful nursing staff at Noarlunga hospital who helped Andy (nasty gastro bug made him extremely dehydrated)
915. The fact that we are only 5 minutes from the hospital
916. Our wonderful cooling system at home
917. My Christmas Notes book - organised!
918. Handmaking gifts for Christmas
919. Jack's face when he saw Andy after he'd been sick in bed for 24 hours (and his little waggy tail)
920. Pink roses from the garden

881 - 900

881. Picking up our new car!
882. Finding a 'pet barrier' for $30 when I was expecting to shell out around $700 to keep Jack in the back!
883. Doubling my money in the Melbourne Cup sweep!
884. Going to the beach on a "school night"
885. Taking delivery of my 10 free bottles of sparkling shiraz
886. Spending Friday afternoon with Emma & Henry
887. Balmy nights - alfresco dining
888. Running into Debbie on the train
889. Andy's construction skills
890. Driving all the way to Strath and back and having Jack stay in the back of the car! Hurrah for station wagons!
891. My newphews excitement about our new car
892. Impromptu dinner at Mum & Dad's
893. Finally getting my hands on Mad Men Season 3
894. iView! A new discovery that has got me up to speed with a few TV series!
895. An afternoon with Kat
896. Beach walking - exercise that feels like a holiday!
897. Chilled Annie's Lane Moscato and brie on a warm Sunday arvo
898. Myer vouchers - the wedding gifts that just keep giving!
899. Getting yet another thank you gift from our mortgage broker for referring a friend
900. Clean fridge

861 - 880

861. The elders coming to my place for a meeting - no need for me to drive!
862. Meeting my dog school buddy on the train and expanding our conversation beyond dogs!
863. Iced Vo-Vo's
864. Washing dishes as I cook - makes life so much easier!
865. Catching up with an old, old friend on the phone (we're talking 27 years!)
866. Haighs milk chocolate
867. Getting a generous offer for the trade in price on my car
868. A 90 minute massage & facial
869. Friends over for tea
870. Andy being a yard work dynamo
871. Photos that I am really proud of
872. Beach walks with my pup
873. A quick decision on our new car
874. Seeing a friend so happy in a new relationship with an awesome person (you know who you are!)
875. Lasagna a'la Timmy
876. Boys nights....+ me!
877. Coffee at Agathas
878. Andy having weekend at home
879. Playing Lego
880. Super clean, sale ready car.

841 - 860

841. Andy washing my car for me, just coz.
842. Andy taking over dog walking to give my stupid, retarded knees a break
843. The first hot days heralding the arrival of summer
844. The cacophony of colour as people shake out their summer wardrobes
845. Meeting little Leon for the first time
846. Seeing Aleks so happy in her new role as Leon's Mum
847. Leaving work on a Friday arvo, knowing that the rest of the day is mine!
848. Clean dog
849. Our new Hills hoist
850. Yummy potato salad
851. Camping trip with Andrew, Susie, Angus, Oliver & Monty
852. Campfires
853. Watching dusk descend over the Murray River
854. Long girly chats with my sister in law
855. Lot's of wonderful photo opportunities
856. Cancelled plans removing the pressure
857. Shopping without a list, coming in under budget and getting everything!
858. Taking the pressure off myself by making the conscious decision to catch a later train in the morning
859. My hair still smelling of campfire to remind me of a nice weekend
860. Sleeping Monty's gentle breath on my neck.

821 - 840

821. Winning 10 bottles of wine for writing into a magazine
822. An extra hour of sunlight allowing an after work walk
823. New hair (despite alternating loving and hating it)
824. Taking a different turn and discovering a pretty new route to my Thursday meeting
825. A very productive elders meeting
826. Drinking red on a school night
827. Dawn taking over elders minutes for me
828. Celebrating Mum's birthday
829. A bonus hour with Andy on Friday arvo
830. Some precious chattles to remind me of Aunty May
831. Judy's apple & cinnamon waffles
832. Cuddling Judy's chickens
833. Laying around on the lawn, playing with slaters
834. Crappy weather days that turn glorious
835. Dinner at Windy Point
836. A fun shoot with Thea & Eddie
837. A final booze up and D&M with Kate
838. Granting myself a Monday morning sleep in
839. Doggie playdates
840. Sausage sizzles

801 - 820

801. Mid Spring Staycation
802. Andy got his promotion!
803. Art gallery with Mum
804. Lying in the sun on the back lawn
805. The time, energy and perfect weather for a 9km walk
806. How well Andy gets on with my friends
807. Jumping in the car and heading to Clare Valley
808. Lovely, smashing, delicious Clare Valley wine
809. Discovering just how useful our entertainment book is
810. Judy and Andrew babysitting Jack overnight for us
811. Finally catching up with Luke after too long
812. Backyard bonfire
813. Friendly winery cats
814. Ikea & Howards Storage world shopping trips!
815. My newly organised pantry
816. A Sunday that felt like it was 2 days long
817. Sitting in the afternoon sun alternating a book, a coffee and a cuddly pup nestling in my lap
818. Watching the Lion King in 3D
819. Sharing the above experience with my 2 nephews & my sister-in-law
820. Tacos!

781 - 800

*Sorry its late - been on leave and my home computer doesn't like blogger!

781. Free coffee with a fresh hot muffin - way to start the week on the right foot
782. Morning games with Jack - this week it's hide and seek (with the ball...or what is left of it)
783. $10 birthday vouchers thanks to signing up to mailing lists!
784. Freshly cut grass
785. Walking through the suburbs just after sunset on a balmy night, hearing the sounds of people pottering in their kitchen, smelling the smells of other peoples dinners
786. A fun Kombi card from Ali C, just coz!
787. Cup cakes with candles - just for me
788. Happy birthday kiss from Jack
789. Flowers delivered to work from Andy
790. Baggy trousers
791. More flowers for my birthday
792. Birthday dinner with Andy
793. An afternoon with Tricia
794. Birthday dinner with the Family
795. Birthday presents! So spoilt!
796. Being able to paint my pantry door with blackboard paint without having to seek permission from the landlord!
797. Forgetting then realising that I have a whole week off work!
798. Sitting on a rock in my back yard, enjoying the sunshine
799. Positive feedback on my communion talk, even if I felt it was a little 'meh'
800. MarioKart with the boys

761 - 780

761. Having Catherine back at work after 10 weeks
762. Thoughtful little souveniers from England
763. Digging out old clothes from the back of the wardrobe
764. Hearing from Aleks and seeing that she stuck to her guns to give her baby boy the name she loved. Welcome Leon! xo
765. Jack's grade 2 teacher - so much more polite than his "reception" teacher
766. Watching the world go by over eggs benedict at Willunga Markets
767. Lavender brownies
768. The little girl who smiled at me as if she had been waiting for me all day as I got on the train
769. Managing to be in the only lane that is moving when the expressway is backed up
770. Home delivered noodles
771. Celebrating Thea & Eddie's engagement
772. Earl Grey Latte from Little Leaf & Bean
773. Thinking it is Sunday night, then realising it is still only Saturday night
774. Finding out that Tricia is going to be in town the weekend of my birthday
775. Hugs from Becky at Church
776. Even MORE happy baby news from friends
777. The freedom and liberation that comes from deactivating my Facebook account
778. One week 'til holidays!
779. Nailing my best beef stroganoff yet
800. Watching the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency on TV

741 - 760

741. Josh arranging our accommodation & car hire for the weekend
742. Finally finishing my work on Bec & Buzz's wedding photos and being happy with the result
743. Inheriting Andy's old iPod and having a whole bunch of new music to stimulate my auditory senses!
744. Eating dinner alfresco
745. Peri Peri Chicken steaks
746. Jack graduating from beginners straight up to Grade 2!
747. Amazing, awesome, wide angle lens!
748. My friend Luke - one of my longest standing friendships - Happy 30th Mate!
749. Aeroplane trips with friends
750. Tim & Dan making our bed for our midnight arrival at O'Reilly's so we could flop straight into it
751. The view of the Lamington National Park that greeted us on Saturday morning
752. A very relaxed bride & groom
753. An early morning walk through the treetops
754. Witnessing two fantastic people get married in the most beautiful location
755. Being able to play such a special part of Craig & Anne's day
756. Bushfire sunsets
757. My own photography moving me almost to tears (for all the right reasons!)
758. Coming home to a super happy, bouncy dog
759. Mum having tea on for us as we walked through the door
760. Sleeping in my own bed (as opposed to a fold out couch that sags a bit in the middle)

721 - 740

721. Finding a way out of my unproductive 'phunk' at work
722. Fitting in quick walks after work - hurrah for the beginning of Spring
723. Frozen dinners
724. Serendipitous discoveries of Spicks and Specks on a Tuedsay night
725. Picking up Kate from the airport
726. Pizza, red wine, Haighs chocolates and Kate
727. Discovering a magazine that does not assume that I am a complete bimbo
728. Having a free Friday arvo to enjoy the company of friends
729. Our comfy hotel room in McLaren Vale
730. Living just 15 minutes drive from the wineries
731. Finding new and yummy wineries
732. Going back to the old favourites....and being recognised!!!
733. Weight watchers chocolate brownies
734. Seeing the Harveys safe back from Darwin
735. Sitting up ridiculously late chatting with Kate
736. Discovering a new photography technique (Thanks Tricia!)
737. Building excitement for my photography gig this coming weekend
738. Productive pottering
739. Running into a familiar face at the supermarket
740. Our new, funky doorstop!

701 - 720

701. Lunch with Kate - what an incentive to go to work on a Monday!
702. Discovering that Roxette tickets are under $100!
703. BTS cupcakes (just a little one!)
704. An amazing and generous offer from some dear friends, affording us a brilliant opportunity to celebrate with them on their wedding day AND get some more photography experience
705. Andy's colleague filling in for him so we could take up the above mentioned opportunity
706. Fitting in a quick walk after work with my 2 awesome guys
707. Finally getting the hang of photoshop - even if it is just the basics
708. The guys on the other side of the partition at work quietly singing 'Hey Jude' - slightly off key, but amusing all the same!
709. Lunch at a fancy restaurant paid for by our loss adjusters
710. Spring!
711. Meeting a friendly tourist on our long Saturday morning walk
712. Getting our fancy new TV for $150 (it is 4 times the size of the old one!)
713. Having Fathers Day dinner with my mob round at my house
714. Watching Angus & Oliver playing happily with Jack
715. Opening a bottle of wine that had been cellared longer than it should have, and discovering it still tasted good!
716. Mum giving me a hand with the dishes and having a tidy house despite a large mob
717. Fathers Day dinner with Andy's family (we stretched it over the weekend!)
718. Trying out a weight watchers dessert recipe and having all the family enjoy it
719. Finally getting our wedding photo framed!
720. Another good result at WW.

681 - 700

681. Cheap tucker at our new local....even if it was lacking in atmosphere
682. The friendly lady that walked with me to avoid the scary drunk man at the train station
683. Winning a game of 'make the grumpy lady smile' when we were out for dinner
684. A friendly exchange about books with a stranger on the train
685. My beautiful new reversible skirt. That's 2 skirts in one!
686. Reminiscing on my India trip with an Indian shopkeeper and seeing her come alive talking about her country
687. Lunch in the sunshine with Emma - it's like an hour of weekend in the middle of the work day
688. An awesome kick start on my first week of Weight Watchers
689. Jack getting recognition as 'top of the class' at obedience school
690. Getting a bit of local knowledge on the best places to get tucker round Morphett Vale
691. Catching up with the Fergusons for the first time in over a year
692. Wandering in and out of shops on Semaphore road
693. Yet another new dress (and lots of compliments about it!)
694. Awesome Greek food
695. Finding out that Roxette are playing Adelaide in February!
696. Dan agreeing to come along to abovementioned gig!
697. Running into an old Darwin buddy up at my local supermarket and meeting his new family
698. 2.5 times Jacks body weight in dog food for $70!
699. Andy offering to cook tea at just the right moment
700. Getting to know friendly faces (canine and human) on my weekend walks

661 - 680

661. Discovering a new TV series on DVD (Mad Men!)
662. Eating all the foods that Andy doesn't like when he is on arvo shift (steamed veggies, lentil roast with onion...)
663. Finishing Debbie's blanket and being really pleased with the result
664. Meeting Aleks & Hayley for breakfast before work
665. Making the decision to go back to Weight Watchers - properly this time, meetings, new books and all
666. The detectable excitement in Andy's voice when he realises that I am awake when he gets home from work at midnight and we can chat (even though it means lost sleep for me, it's so worth it!)
667. How safe and secure I feel in our new house
668. A morning at the markets with Sarah & Matthew
669. Cooking dinner for and spending time with my brother and his family
670. Angus asking me millions of questions about Jack, giving me the opportunity to talk about him incessantly without feeling like one of those people who won't shut up about their dog...which I know I am to grown ups!
671. Firm dates from Kate!
672. Experimental lunches, thrown together, that taste amazing
673. Early Spring weather and the long walks that go with it
674. Fresh proteas from the markets
675. Greek honey biscuits
676. Parcels in the post
677. 30% off everything at Spotlight
678. Sitting with the Butlers in church - always a laugh!
679. Catching the expressway when it matters most
680. Mid-week Tricia chats

641 - 660

641. Buying a scarf for $11.95...then seeing the same scarf at another shop a few blocks away for $19.95 - WIN!
642. Finding a maxi dress that does not make me look 'maxi' (well, no more maxi than I actually am!)
643. Date night
644. Enjoying a fortified shiraz and a D&M with my Andy
645. The friendly car park man
646. Jack being a soldier while getting his shots at the vet
647. The very professional off duty police officer who quickly, peacefully and respectfully dealt with a situation that could have turned sour on my train
648. Lunch with Debbie
649. Celebrating 95 years of my wonderful Great Aunty May
650. Dreams that appear to have a profound and timely message
651. Hearing from Kate in England and knowing she was safe despite the horrible rioting
652. Pancakes and conversation with Judes & Andrew
653. Sharing my latest crochet project with a bunch of ladies from Church
654. Spending an hour chatting about craft, internet and computer games with 'Betty' from church
655. Celebrating Lisa's 25th birthday with a fun group of people
656. Discovering that Lego make a Kombi van!
657. Catching up with Emma, James and Henry for lunch
658. Bringing in the washing and having nothing that needs 'finishing off' in front of the heater or in the dryer
659. Ekhidna rose on a Sunday afternoon
660. Getting back on the motorbike after 6 months - I'm still a 'pillion in a million'

621 - 640

621. Great Aunty May, may she rest in the blissful peace that 95 years has afforded her
622. Jack finally melting the heart of his teacher
623. Friendly class mates at puppy school
624. Timmy coming round to keep me company when Andy was working late
625. Andy being on arvo shift, which allows me to eat soup for tea each night!
626. Friday night with a frozen dinner, bottle of pink wine, chick flick and some chocolate
627. Finishing connecting all the squares on Debbie's blanket and starting the border
628. Overhearing Andy raving about my craft skills when he thought I couldn't hear
629. Spending a beautiful day in McLaren Vale with my sister-in-law and my cousins-in-law
630. Girly night with Judes and Megan
631. Catching up with my favourite cousin, Lucy after way too long
632. Discovering an awesome cafe in Port Noarlunga - I am not stuck with McCafe after all!!
633. Sunday afternoon with no commitment - just the question 'what to do'
634. Chicken risotto made by Mum
635. When you go walking on an overcast day, and the rain holds of until you get home
636. Oriental lilies that last for ages!
637. My neighbours helping me to get rid of the rubbish that someone dumped out the front of our house
638. Lunch at Joy Discovery with Gayle
639. Finally getting the courage to take action on something that I have needed to do for a long time (finishing my time with Kids Hope - the season is over - time for something new)
640. Little kisses from Jack when I am driving with him in the car

601 - 620

601. The time we spend of an evening sitting outside cuddling Jack
602. Deciding to try out the train and discovering 30 extra minutes of time in the morning!
603. Meeting a friendly, familiar face on the train
604. More news of friends getting engaged!
605. Fast internet at home!
606. Finding out one of my favourite people is going to be in town for my birthday!
607. Biting into a market fresh apple and vowing never to buy supermarket fruit again!
608. Stunning ocean views and sunsets from the train
609. Jack being super good at dog school (well, mostly - more 'Jack not being the naughtiest/silliest in the class!)
610. Coming home to delicious pizza made by Andy
611. Andy finishing the roof on our pergola! He's so handy!
612. Running into my Dad-in-Law at the train station in the morning because I got there in time for the early train, just like old times on the Belair line!
613. Andy's weekends off
614. Having Mum & Dad over for dinner
615. Our super social weekend - lots of visitors!
616. Celebrating Brad & Vanessa's engagement at a beautiful venue
617. Going for long weekend walks with friends and Jack
618. Sunday lunch under the pergola
619. Berry tea-time bun from Bakers Delight, courtesy of Craig & Anne
620. Delicious Indian take-away from our new local curry house

Gunna List Update

Ok, so I managed to tick off most things!

- Knocked off a little later than 12:00 due to a last minute phone enquiry that went on and on! I spent a lovely afternoon with Angus and Ollie playing bocce, jumping on the trampoline and going for a walk to the park.
- Went out to Cha-Chi's with some friends (who had given us the voucher as a housewarming gift!)
- Took Jack to the markets on Saturday morning and got some yummy fruit. Had to laugh at Jack when he chewed through the seatbelt - because otherwise I would have cried!
- Didn't bake apple and cinnamon muffins, but I did make an apple crumble to take to my in-laws for tea and it was a good 'un!
- Didn't buy new beans for the beanbags, but I did go to Ikea and buy a new coffee table and a couple of chairs that have all made the place look more homely!
- Didn't get fresh flowers - maybe Andy will get me some!
- Got my house looking beautiful!!!
- I didn't make pancakes because I discovered that Andy hops straight into bed after night shift!
- Got my brother in law to fill in for me at Church and spent a lovely couple of hours drinking cups of tea with Sarah
- While I didn't sit and drink a cuppa and read a mag for an hour, I count the above time with Sarah as time well spent with a cuppa and I had a glass of wine while I baked!

Next weekend, Andy will be awake for the weekend! Can't wait!

Gunna

I've felt flat again this week. So what am I gunna do about it? Here's what. I'm gunna have a beautiful weekend. I am compulsive list writer, so I am gunna write a 'Gunna List'. Here goes!
- I'm gunna knock off at 12 tomorrow and go and see if I can offer any assistance to my brother and sister-in-law who've just had baby number 3.
- I'm gunna have Mexican with some friends for tea tomorrow night
- I'm gunna get up early on Saturday, take Jack (in his fancy new harness) and my new trolley down to Willunga Markets and get some yummy stuff. And if Jack plays up, I'm just gunna laugh.
- I'm gunna find a new recipe for apple and cinnamon muffins and bake them in my kitchen.
- I'm gunna buy new beans for our beanbags - they're getting a little flat
- I'm gunna buy myself some fresh flowers and put them in the lounge room
- I'm gunna clean the house so it shines
- I'm gunna make pancakes for when Andy gets home from work on Sunday morning
- I'm gunna find someone to fill my roster spot at Church on Sunday and spend some time with creation instead
- I'm gunna sit with a magazine and a cup of tea for at least an hour

581 - 600

581. New friendship sprung from unusual places (our former landlord)
582. Monday lunch at the Hilton with Monty (and his Mum & Dad)
583. Having a live plant delivered to my office accompanied by a lovely, heartfelt note that made me tear up a little, from Emma
584. Tuesday lunch with Amy and another surprise gift!
585. Sunny Friday afternoon playing with Angus & Oliver
586. Andy's handyman skills
587. Dinner at Cha-Chi's with Emma, Chow, Josh and Claire
588. My own bravery, getting braver about staying home alone at night in the new house
589. Being home when Andy arrives home and being able to have a quick chat before he drops off to sleep
590. Willunga Farmers market - 20 minutes away!
591. Ikea trips where I get a car load of stuff for under $100!
592. The instant lift that new furniture brings to our home
593. Pottering round home and discovering objects that remind me of people who love me
594. Sunday morning cuppa and gas-bag with Sarah
595. Walking somewhere new with Jack
596. Jack slowly becoming more obedient
597. Clothes still warm from the dryer
598. A mild morning - nice to not be shivering at the bus stop
599. The friendly lady at the bus stop this morning
600. When the rain stops in time for me to walk from the bus stop to my office

561 - 580

561. Andy on day shift, meaning we can have dinner together every night for a week!
562. Extra daylight inching into each evening
563. A thermos of coffee and a seat to myself on the bus
564. My MP3 player pumping out the perfect combination of songs to start my day
565. Finishing the blanket for baby Pettitt and exploding with pride at the end result - Andy laughed at me, carrying it around the house and smiling!
566. Having a bottle of wine, with a picture of our house on it delivered from our mortgage broker.
567. Lunch time handbag shopping success: $69.95 down to $19.95 down to $13.95.
568. Mid week lunch date with Mum
569. My favourite bus driver waiting patiently for me to cross South road
570. Watching the amazing pink sunrise from the bus window
571. Friday arvo's during school holidays - all mine
572. The ability to laugh at things that should make me cry, or scream!
573. Long chatty walks with Mum
574. Monty Gillen Pettitt - my new nephew
575. Trying out a new dog walking harness on Jack and discovering a well kept secret!
576. Catching up with Jane from work of old!
577. Watching Janes cajun band while crocheting
578. Chatting about new home-ownership with a friend and discovering that I am not the only person who felt totally freaked out and out of my depth at the concept
579. Days that start out miserable and wet and end sunny and perfect
580. Enjoying exercise once again!

Settling

In the last 12 years, counting my move to from Darwin to Adelaide, I have moved 6 times. Interestingly, this most recent move, the move from renting to owning, has been my most stressful and difficult. It’s a complex combination of things that has made me feel unsettled this time around, partly due to a number of things going on in our lives – Andy’s new job means he works odd hours, we have some days where I am asleep when he gets home and he is asleep when I leave – this accounts for entire weeks when we really don’t have a chance to really talk to each other about mundane, household stuff, let alone interesting deep and meaningful chats.
We’ve had 2 family deaths. Andy’s uncle passed away after a brave yet heartbreaking battle with Mesothelioma, followed not 3 weeks later by his Grandmother, who had been battling ill health for some time. While both of these deaths were expected, death is never an easy road to travel for those left behind.
Within a week of moving into our new home, I was off to Sydney for just under a week to have my first ever gig as a wedding photographer. While this was exciting, it was also very stressful. Being away from home, from Andy and from Jack so soon after moving in, was really hard and it was the first time I have ever been away on such a short break and really longed for the end.
People have assumed that I will instantly feel at home in our new house, because we are buying it rather than renting it. I have felt a certain pressure to feel a particular way about it, but the honest truth is, I hadn’t felt any of the things about the new house that I am supposed to have felt, and that has made settling very difficult.
After finally finding a weekend to just be, with Andy and Jack, I am starting to feel settled. We went to the farmers markets at Willunga, we walked on the beach, letting Jack run free to chase birds, play in the shallows and hunt for shark eggs, we had a Northern Exposure marathon, I made lasagne. Despite a small matter of a fairly noisy dispute between our neighbours and the police occurring on our front lawn on our otherwise peaceful Sunday night (this gave Jack an opportunity to showcase his skills as a guard dog, and what a guard dog he is!), I am feeling more relaxed and at home.
Roll on Spring, so I can get out and play in my garden!


At least someone feels settled here!
(Gratuitous photo of Jack, I'll take any opportunity!)

541 - 560

541. A fitting celebration of Nanny's life
542. A day with time to take Jack on 2 big long walks
543. Family get-togethers
544. Impromptu Thursday night dinner guest
545. Talking to friendly people at a friends birthday drinks
546. Water cooler conversations that blow me away (never assume anything about the softly spoken office girl - everyone has a past!)
547. Willunga Farmers Markets with Jack & Andy
548. Andy turning down an opportunity for overtime on account of 'family time' with me
549. A long stretch of deserted beach
550. Watching Jack running free along the beach with a big grin on his face
551. Those weekends where you could swear you were miles from home on holiday
552. Being a short drive from beautiful beaches, quaint little towns and wineries
553. Discovering Jack's fine abilities as a guard dog
554. The friendly police men who attended to the melee that happened in our street last night
555. Having a Sunday night Northern Exposure marathon
556. Inadvertently discovering my talents as a lasagna chef!
557. Finally getting stuck into the 'middle bedroom'
558. Building excitement about the imminent arrival of my new niece or nephew
559. Teaching myself how to do a scalloped edge on the baby blanket I am making
560. Free ride to work on the bus!

521 - 540

521. Slowly establishing a routine
522. Looking over old photos of Nanny and Poppy in their hey-day
523. Dinner at our 'old local' with the elders
524. Sunshine & shiraz in the back yard
525. Flying through the park on my bike
526. Seeing Jack running and grinning as he runs alongside the bike
527. Celebrating Kat's 40th
528. Being mistaken for a professional photographer!
529. Being tucked up in bed before 10 on a Saturday night!
530. Stuffed zucchini flowers
531. My friends being understanding about me needing some time out
532. Uplifting church service
533. Jack being a no excuse exercise buddy
534. Friendly people in the park
535. Random chats with 4 year olds on tri-cycles about going to the playground
536. Jack getting excited about new toys - he really is a 7 year old boy!
537. Baking in my new kitchen (my macarons really need work though!)
538. Doing mundane weekend jobs that slowly make me feel at home
539. Foot massages
540. Dancing in the backyard

501 - 520

501. Beginners luck on my first day catching the bus from our new place
502. Coming home to Jack after a really crappy day
503. 3 pairs of pants for $50!
504. My flight being delayed, allowing me a precious day with Andy and Jack
505. The coast to vines rail trail
506. Qantas acting so efficiently to get me a new flight
507. Arriving at Amy's house and feeling instantly at home
508. Early morning at the Sydney flower markets
509. Cheese and wine dinners
510. Brekky at Scrambled on Enmore road
511. A perfect day for Bec and Buzz's wedding
512. The honour of being the official photographer for the above wedding
513. Affirming conversations with strangers about following my dreams
514. Riding through the suburban streets of Sydney in a 1940's Cadillac
515. Dinner with Brad and Vanessa and seeing them both so happy
516. Glebe dog park
517. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
518. Finding Kikki-K and an amazing book shop at Sydney airport
519. Discussing the popcorn factory with my friendly cabbie
520. Danish pastries from Summer Hill

481 - 500 (500!!!)

481. Getting the keys for our NEW HOUSE!
482. The lovely gift hamper from the Real Estate Agent
483. Settlement pizza on our loungeroom floor
484. Help from our friends and family to move into our house
485. Reconnecting with an old friend from a previous job
486. Sleeping our first night in our new house!
487. My creative room, with all my pretty things, my sewing machine and my hooks and yarn
488. Picking up our gorgeous puppy, Jack!
489. Our walk in wardrobe
490. Getting the cleaning at our old house done on Friday and being able to spend the weekend at the new house
491. Flat surfaces to walk on!
492. That Jack is light enough for lap cuddles (and to be picked up and rescued from pittbulls on the loose!)
493. Having a space to enjoy a cuppa outside
494. Bus stop, about 2 minutes from my front door!
495. Finding koala poo in our local park!
496. Having a fantastic walking/cycling trail just a few hundred yards down the road
497. Friendly staff at my new local Woolies
498. Super warm gas heating
499. The stunning Poinsettia out the front
500. Gas cooktop! Culinary bliss!!!

Downsizing

Hurrah! We have bought a home! Now the fun begins, sifting through years of accumulated "stuff" in readiness for the big move and a fresh start! I have lived in various rental accommodation over the past 12 years, but I think the majority of my 'accumulation' has happened over the past 3 years. In those years, I have gotten engaged (gifts!), married (more gifts!) and turned thirty (and some more!).

I used to be a hoarder. I used to keep all sorts of stuff, often for sentimental reasons, but also, quite often, just because. Andy would say I am still a hoarder and I guess there are elements of my hoarding past that still linger, but some things are just too darn useful....or have potential to be useful, to get rid of!

Good quality jars for instance, like Moccona coffee jars. I love those things! I have one full of buttons, I like to decant honey into them (because I buy honey in buckets). Or jars with the little swing latches on them. They're good too! I have one in the bathroom full of sea shells! Sea shells, many of them are too pretty to part with, and who doesn't like to be reminded of a lovely walk on the beach!

So I have written a list of questions to assist in the 'pack or chuck' decision. I tried to create a flow chart, but I am not very computer savvy!

What purpose does it serve? Now the answer to this can simply be 'it is beautiful', which would indicate that its purpose is to bring aesthetic pleasure.

Do I have more than one? If the answer is yes and it is a thing that one only requires one of, then the second (and third ad fourth) are off to Goodwill*!

Have I used it in the past 12 months? Now when the answer to this is no, this does not automatically condemn it to the Goodwill pile.

Am I likely to use it in the future? If yes, then hang onto it. If mmmmaybe, then it goes to the mmmmmaybe pile, if no, Goodwill!

If things are a gift - Do I actually like/use it? If no, proceed to next question.
Am I still even in touch with the person who gave it to me? If no, Goodwill. If yes, assess that persons memory recall and ask yourself if they will be looking for it when they pop around.

And the most important question of all - Where will I put it in our new home? My ultimate domestic fantasy is a place for everything and everything in its place.

*Goodwill is used as a generic term for any charity op shop. The pile is growing by the minute, so I suspect my goods will be distributed evenly between Red Cross, The Salvos, Save the Children and Goodwill.

461 - 480

461. Starfishing!
462. Arriving at the train station late and still landing a rockstar park!
463. Family
464. Having a good chuck out
465. Meeting Jack (photo to come soon!)
466. Popping into Mum and Dad's for a cuppa....and staying the whole day
467. Catching up with Aunty Connie
468. Walking around Strath with Mum
469. Long overdue catch up with Amy & Iliya
470. Super early night on a Friday
471. Rediscovering my inner 14 year old at an Intensity lock in
472. Photo shoot with Emma & Chow at Wittunga
473. Lunch at Brighton with Nicola...and no specific end time
474. Brenton & Karen giving up boxes for packing
475. Multiple new house drivebys
476. Red red wine
477. Sunshine in the height of winter
478. Counting down til moving day
479. Cuddles on the couch with Andy
480. My patient Mother-in-law teaching me to knit (I am quite bad at it!)

441. Wii fit - good for a laugh for all concerned
442. Happy engagement news from great friends
443. Approval for finance after one of the most stressful months of our lives!
444. The money left by Andy's grandfather that enabled us to fulfil our dream
445. The fact that we are both gainfully employed
446. WE. BOUGHT. A. HOUSE!!!!!
447. Celebrating finance approval with curry and sparkling Shiraz with good friends
448. Celebrating Poppy's 88th birthday
449. Celebrating Angus's 6th birthday
450. Spicy cold noodles with Amy
451. Talking photography with Amy
452. Another person requesting my services as a photographer
453. Ollie hugs
454. Feeling my sister-in-laws baby kick
455. Happy baby news from great friends
456. Yarn & yarn in the Little Leaf & Bean with Emma
457. Talking to friendly strangers about crocheting
458. Driving around our new neighbourhood and discovering we are just 5 minutes from a lovely beach!
459. Coming in under budget when doing the weekly grocery shop
460. Old school movies (Back to the Future FTW!)

421 - 440

This week has been tough. I struggled to find 20 things to be grateful for - but I did it!

421. Positive news on a Monday morning
422. My new flash gun
423. Inheriting Poppy’s old Minolta camera
424. 2 sets of amazing, supportive, loving, wonderful parents
425. One amazing, supportive, loving, wonderful Andy
426. A lady called Veronica, who dropped everything to help us last Thursday
427. Discovering low fat, high fibre muffins that tast ALMOST as good as the 'real thing'
428. Finding a quiet space to chat with a friend at a party
429. Impromptu Saturday morning visitors
430. This morning’s sunrise
431. Catching up with extended family
432. Flowers delivered to my office
433. Cheese & gherkin sandwiches
434. Stressful situations – for making me appreciate non stressful times
435. Walking into a café and being called by name
436. The fact that when it all turns to custard, I can run to Mum and Dad’s place
437. Citrus fruits in season
438. Smokey BBQ sauce
439. My very understanding and flexible boss
440. The fact that I have 20 things, big and small to be grateful for, despite having a really, really difficult week

401 - 420

401. Monday mornings where everything falls into place
402. The smell of stew cooking in the slow cooker
403. Our house, cleaned to within an inch of its life
404. Our very generous and thoughtful landlord
405. Cold, wet afternoons inside with a cuppa and a magazine
406. Celebrating Jimmy & Leanne's wedding
407. Dancing til my feet just about drop off
408. Being married to a man who loves a boogie!
409. Dan, my cheesy 80's music buddy
410. Me time
411. Finding space in my mad schedule to head to the gym
412. Porridge
413. The polite young chap who fixed our computer
414. Lemons from our lemon tree
415. My little black dress - fat, thin, in between, always fits, always looks good!
416. Babysitting Mr Matthew
417. New yarn
418. Renewed enthusiasm for my future direction
419. Nailing a photo!
420. Monday night dinner with friends

381 - 400

381. A man called Leon who has been working very hard on our behalf
382. Andy's graduation
383. Free lunch
384. Friday night with the girls
385. Arriving at a party a stranger and finishing up with new friends
386. Church AGM finishing on time
387. Sunshine after a long spell of rain
388. Cup cakes
389. Going to the park for my nephews 4th birthday and discovering a marching band set up to keep us entertained!
390. Getting a cheque from our savings account!
391. Ducks
392. Curry
393. Catching up with Kat, a long time friend, who I see seldom, but who totally gets me!
394. When stressful weeks come to an end
395. Watching my sister in laws belly expanding and anticipating the excitement of meeting the new family member in July
396. Tickets to Sydney
397. Delicious pumpkin soup
398. Dancing to 90's music!
399. My feather doona
400. Taking photos of my nephews

361 - 380

361. Discovering a new class at the gym that is both kind to my knees and hard on my body (yeah, work that one out!)
362. Haighs frogs
363. Getting my birthday present from my Thursday girls....7 months later (I like a drawn out celebration!)
364. The excitement of doing something really massive for the first time ever (more on this in a later post)
365. The elation when a big plan starts to fall into place (again, more on this later!)
366. Catching up with extended family on a Wednesday night over a cuppa and a scone
367. Insomnia - it gets stuff done!
368. Margarita pizza - my new favourite!
369. Fancy burger, wine, trakkies, uggs, hoodie, Andy, red couch, FRIDAY!
370. Walking in Belair National Park and seeing emu's (3 of them!) and a koala
371. Saturday lunch time BBQ with interstate friends
372. A beautiful walk on Pt Willunga beach
373. Beating Dan's high score at Bejewelled....ok, so it only lasted 24 hours, but it was fun anyway!
374. Pumpkin dip
375. Getting started on a big, rather life changing task (sorry, being vague, all in the fullness of time!)
376. Having lifesaver sucking competitions with Andy in the car on the way to Strath
377. Picnic with Mum for Mothers Day
378. The way my Dad chucked the MG keys to Andy
379. Leftovers - saving me a nights cooking
380. Books - lots of books

341 - 360

341. Second hand books
342. Little familiar faces smiling from a steam train
343. An afternoon wandering around with my brother and his family
344. Cool grass under bare feet
345. A weekend that just goes on and on
346. A week that lasts only 2.5 days
347. Positive outcome from our Friday appointment
348. Planning, dreaming and preparing for what the next 6 months might bring
349. Getting a fit of the giggles with Andy over something that was only moderately amusing but kept us laughing for ages (with a snort...which got us going again!)
350. Seeing Sarah & Matthew at church
351. Craft fairs
352. Making bubble bread with the boys
353. Ollie quotes "We're friends, Annie!"
354. Manic goodbye waves from Angus - that kid makes me laugh
355. Chocolate and raspberry cheesecake by Judy
356. Surprise bulbs popping up in the garden
357. Invitations in the mail
358. Lemon melting moments
359. Flylady.com
360. Fresh bread from Clarendon bakery

321 - 340...2 days late due to public holiday and our internet being disconnected...

...because we forgot to pay the bill!

321. 6am gym session with my new gym buddy
322. My new watch, an anniversary present from Andy (now I don't have to dig about for my phone to know the time!
323. Getting my rings cleaned and polished so they shine like new!
324. An 85 year old blues singer coming all the way here from the other side of the world to sing for us. Thanks Mr King...and thank Mr Dylan for us as well.
325. Celebrating with pizza on the floor of our good friends new home
326. The 5 people who came and participated in sacred space with me
327. Easter eggs from my work colleagues
328. Knocking off work with a 5 day weekend stretched out before me!
329. Andy bringing me a Good Friday cuppa in bed
330. Organised packing due to my compulsive list writing (the only thing we forgot was a sponge)
331. Rolling into Goolwa to find a grassy campsite next to the Spads
332. Camp cuppas
333. Thermal underwear
334. The familiar sights and sounds of Goolwa - the bell tower, the Norfolk Island pine lit up at night, steam whistles from the train and the Oscar W.
335. Getting up at 6 for a photography session with Bec
336. Pies and berlinas from Goolwa bakery
337. Balls of yarn in place of excessive amounts of chocolate
338. Pats with beautiful Diva, the German Shepherd
339. The comfort of a proper bed after 2 nights on a leaky air mattress
340. A book so good it made me cry

301 - 320

301. Working on Andy's anniversary gift, a memory book, and reminiscing on the past 4 fantastic years
302. Throwing together a few random ingredients and inadvertently discovering a completely awesome salad recipe!
303. Productive days at the office
304. Going to do a task that I have been putting off for weeks and discovering that it isn't as difficult as I had first thought
305. Being mobile enough to get back to the gym
306. Banning myself from the Internet for a day, amazingly worthwhile!
307. Get well card from my Kids Hope friend
308. Big family dinner for my brother in laws birthday
309. Stunning weather forecast for our weekend away
310. Safe arrival message from Mum & Dad
311. A hot spa bath after a week at work
312. Really fancy Haighs chocolates
313. Saturday morning walk on the beach
314. Reading the weekend paper while drinking hot tea and eating fluffy crumpets dripping with honey and butter.
315. Eating lunch on Second Valley beach on a stunningly beautiful day
316. Time to read and crochet with no deadlines, no housework and no commitments to speak of
317. Celebrating our first wedding anniversary
318. Managing to plan a super budget menu and still know that we'll eat well until payday
319. Tasting our wedding cake after a year and realising it tastes even better than it did on the day!
320. Coming home to a freshly made bed, all the washing done and the house relatively clean.

281 - 300

281. Welcome back lunch with the girls
282. Job security (even though I don't like my job!)
283. Wednesday night sacred space
284. Secret sale at Kikki K!
285. Stewed rhubarb and ice cream
286. Andy's basketball team making the final - no win, but a close game is a good game!
287. Friday nights
288. Saturday morning solo outings
289. Mindfield book gallery
290. Chatting with friendly locals
291. Autumn colours reminding me of our wedding day
292. Tim's dog, Andy (the embodiment of cuteness!)
293. Laughing about misheard phone conversations, the joke that never gets old
294. Wet afternoons indoors, playing wii and eating chocolate with good friends
295. Chatting with Claire
296. Judy's youth group taking the service at Church - challenging and entertaining!
297. Andy cooking lunch for my Mum and Dad
298. Sunday night leftovers and M*A*S*H
299. My health. The value underestimated until one hears of someone passing away far too young.
300. Looking back over my lists and seeing how many things have made me smile this year!

261 - 280

261. Sarah vacuuming my carpets (twice!)
262. My introduction to Woody Allen thanks to Megan
263. Judy and Andrew going out of their way to drive me to camera school
264. Care package from Megan (fresh herbs, DVDs and an awesome craft book!)
265. Catching up with Luke
266. Andy getting home earlier than expected from a late shift
267. Coffee & chat with Tim at Little Leaf and Bean
268. An unexpected bonus week off work (sure I had a bit of pain, but that's beside the point!)
269. Curling up in a chair at Little Leaf & Bean and finishing my book
270. Watching an awesome movie twice in a week!
271. Fancy Burgers
272. Impulsive weekend drives to Melba's chocolate factory
273. Long chats on the phone to interstate friends
274. New trakkies!
275. Running into Kenneth & Carly and having a nice long catch up over a coffee
276. Being mobile enough to drive again
277. Healing knees
278. An extra hour!
279. Redeeming said extra hour a day late, because I forgot on Sunday!
280. Successful op-shopping

241 - 260 Bit of focus on my surgery this week!

241. Getting to the end of Monday and thinking "Wow, I had a really good day!"
242. New hair
243. Nina
244. Bottles of red from a grateful friend
245. Judy taking me and collecting me from hospital.
246. Flowers from Judy
247. The very caring nursing staff at Sportsmed
248. The sandwich that I ate after coming out of anaesthetic - food is good after fasting and a big sleep!
249. My anesthetist for making sure I remembered nothing
250. My surgeon for fixing my silly knees
251. Andy dropping me off and picking me up from camera school in the city, late on a wet Tuesday night
252. My very understanding boss
253. That I am usually able bodied enough to do my own housework
254. Mum bringing pumpkin soup and homemade bread for lunch
255. Andy's Dad popping in, making me a cuppa and doing my dishes
256. Nicola popping past for a chat
257. Watching a bad 70's sci-fi movie (on VHS!) with Andy on a Saturday night
258. A good nights sleep (something that is taken for granted by many!)
259. My next door neighbour dropping over a bunch of fresh veggies from their garden
260. My idiotic budgie entertaining me

221-240 of Awesomness

221. Dinner at Ky Chow with the Butlers
222. Grooving to the Waifs at the Gov
223. My new lens, a very generous gift from a very wonderful friend
224. Lisa sympathetically letting me vent about my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day
225. The fresh new day following the above mentioned day
226. People who finish off emails on Friday with "Have a great weekend!"
227. Perspective
228. Getting up at 5:30am on a Saturday to take photos
229. Ducks
230. Chatting with people in my photography class, like old friends, despite not actually knowing each others names
231. Discounts on already discounted items
232. Playing Spicks and Specks with hilarious friends
233. Falling asleep the moment my head hits the pillow
234. Lovely June at church. A person who asks how you are, and really wants to know
235. Little people
236. The safe arrival home of my Dad-in-law after another motorbike trip
237. Long Sunday lunch
238. Chili, tomato and prawn spaghetti, a new recipe!
239. Apple & Cinnamon muffins
240. Early nights

The Waifs - A rambling, badly written review of a gig.

On Tuesday night, I hit the Governor Hindmarsh to hear one of my favourite bands play for the 5th time! The Waifs formed in the early 90's when Donna and Viki Simpson hopped in a camper van with a couple of guitars and started playing pubs up the west coast of Australia, going by the name of 'Colours'. They reached the Kimberly and met Josh Cunningham, who knew a thing or two about music, so they squished up in the van and Josh joined them on the road, thus forming 'The Waifs'.

Nearly 20 years, several studio albums, a couple of live albums, a swag of singles, 3.5 children, a move to the USA and a couple of Arias for good measure and the Waifs still pack a punch.

I was worried that the gig would be a bit lacking. I thought that after living apart for so long as well as the vastly different directions their lives have taken (Viki is expecting her third child, Donna has struggled with substance abuse and had a stint in rehab and Josh has recently married as well as becoming a Christian), that they might have lost some of that old spark. Thankfully, I was wrong! They opened with a couple of slow bluesy songs, keeping the crowd fairly subdued initially. Things revved up when they belted out their very popular singles 'Lighthouse' and 'London Still'. Viki teased the crowd with her harp skills in 'Fisherman's Daughter', letting us all believe that they might just launch into 'Crazy Train', a crowd pleasing favourite. Unfortunately, it was not to be. They did however, bless us with one short encore before heading backstage and letting the lights brighten and the house music cued the crowd to shuffle out.

Josh shared some of his new found faith with a couple of strong gospel themed songs. The girls backed him up beautifully. As a special treat, he sang part of Gillian, apparently one of the first songs he ever wrote. I thought Josh was a bit quieter than usual this time round, but what he did contribute was perfect. I think his latest songs are his best work, maybe because they're coming from such an intense source.

Donna's voice was the main centerpiece for the opening track, belting out in her iconic bluesy tone. She's an extremely honest performer, telling us a rather sad story about a sweet love song on the new album, "The guy left 2 weeks after I sang that to him, must have been a bit too much!" She also told us, when someone requested 'Haircut', that she "don't do that song no more". Sounds like she's had a rough trot of late, but she gets my utmost respect for keeping on for the sake of her fans.

I confess, Viki Thorn is my favourite Waif! She's got a brilliant versatile voice and her harmonica skills are mind blowing! I love her banter with the band and the audience. She's the kind of girl I can imagine having a drink and a great laugh with. And any woman who waddles onto stage 6 months pregnant night after night has my full respect. That baby will be born tapping it's toes!

It was a different energy to the other 4 Waifs gigs I have been to, but it was an energy none the less. A little voice inside tells me that we might not see too much more of the Waifs, given their different directions and changing circumstances (although they said on Facebook that this isn't goodbye!). It would be sad if that is the case, but at the same time, they've contributed so much to the Australian folk scene. They are and always will be up the top of my list!

201-220

201. My orthopaedic surgeon reassuring me he is going to do his very best to make my knees better
202. Seeing Andy get all spruced up for his first day of his new job
203. A big fat sleep in on a weekday - because I can
204. Crazy drenching rain
205. Scones, jam & cream, good coffee and long chats with Mum - a winning combination
206. My lovely friend Amy being a great sport and modelling for me and my class mates at camera school
207. Playing in the sandpit with Oliver
208. Surprising Angus by picking him up from school
209. My awesome brother and sister-in-law
210. Getting to Friday on my week off and realising that I still have 4 full days before I have to go back to work, thanks to the long weekend
211. The tangy smell of home made barbecue sauce bubbling on the stove
212. Choosing to stay home on a Saturday night, getting take away, watching a DVD and having an early night
213. Seeing Andy so happy in his new job
214. Jetty walks
215. Our local koala sitting still long enough for me to get a great photo
216. Sam & Max for a cheap laugh
217. Soup made from a giant zucchini
218. Poached eggs with runny yolk on grainy toast
219. That I was born into such a fortunate life
220. Waking up late on a public holiday to find Andy in the lounge room, having done all the folding and half way through the ironing with the Mountain Goats playing softly in the background. <3

181 - 200

As I sit here with a whole week of holiday stretched out before me, I am feeling most grateful! Andy and I had a night away on Friday. We left home in the car at 3:30 and stopped at Stirling for a beer and a bowl of wedges. While we were happily munching and sipping, a cunning plan was being hatched. My Mum had driven up to Stirling in their MGB. Earlier in the week, keys had been exchanged, so while we enjoyed our relaxing little beverage, Mum took our luggage out of our boot, popped it in the MG and drove off in our car. When we got back to the car park, our car was gone and in a nearby parking space, the MG awaited us, top down, ready to go! Andy was speechless. It was the coolest thing ever! Anyway, that is just a bit of context for some of the number below!

181. Home made yogurt from Judy
182. Being well again after being so ill (although it was a little short lived)
183. Mum and Dad willingly loaning us the MG for the weekend
184. And pulling out all stops to make it a surprise for Andy
185. Spontaneous date night
186. Fairy floss, ferris wheels and Fringe-ness
187. My new cubicle buddy
188. The optimism of a weeks leave
189. Best laid plans pulled off without a hitch
190. Andy's face when the plan came together
191. Beer and wedges in the sunshine
192. Crisp white linen
193. Drinking a cup of tea, overlooking paddocks and bushland at a B&B in Woodside
194. Melbas Chocolates
195. The very generous tasting samples at Woodside Cheese Wrights
196. Driving in the sunshine with the top down
197. Breakfast cooked by someone else
198. Being a kid at the Big Rocking Horse
199. A sparkling clean kitchen
200. The pile of dishes that reminded me that my house had been full of loved ones last night.

Body Says Stop!

After booking my week off to, as a friend so eloquently put it, 'unclench', my body made a decision on my behalf last night. I went from feeling a little tired, to full blown chills and an extremely sore throat. After a mostly sleepless night, I got up and peered down my throat with a torch - and went back to bed a sobbing mess. I don't like to feel sorry for myself (well, I like to think I don't, those who know me might think differently) but it immediately reminded me of when I had Glandular Fever 10 years ago. I spent 2 weeks (but should have spent 4) in bed, eating ice cream and often unable to move and it all started with my throat looking much like it does today.
The doctor seems to think it is just tonsillitis and a course of antibiotics should help. I hope so. Glandular Fever is no fun. Anyone who's had a full blown dose of it will agree and the fatigue often comes back to haunt you.

That said, I still have lots to be grateful for - here goes!

161. Monday morning gas-bag with Catherine
162. That we had the opportunity to see Christchurch in all its glory before last weeks tragedy
163. Late night chats with excellent people
164. Fluffy, buttery raisin toast
165. A new desk, maybe a new start?
166. Ringing up and getting an appointment at the last minute, when you were expecting to be waiting for weeks!
167. Catch ups with Don and Aileen
168. Celebrating Andy's last day in his old job, with good company
169. The satisfaction that comes from vacuuming under the bed!
170. An afternoon celebrating a new life
171. Getting up early(ish) on a weekend and getting more out of the day
172. Cooking a new recipe
173. Impulsive visits/coffee
174. Home made tomato sauce by the Spads
175. Chatting to the friend who's wedding I am shooting in June
176. Having a chat with Amy on the phone
177. Andy bringing me a cuppa in bed when I am poorly
178. The woman who I saw the other day, she picked up a $5 note that had fluttered out of someones handbag and chased the other person about 25 meters down the street to return it to her.
179. My comfy bed
180. Andy being on leave when I am off sick

"Restore Factory Settings"

Ever feel like a computer with too much stuff saved to the wrong place? You're running slowly, things take a while to 'upload', start up takes forever and you can forget about installing new programs. That is me right now. While I am 'well' in the conventional sense of the word, I really need a little break to 'de-frag' and essentially, restore my factory settings. So I've booked a weeks leave, which will end up adding up to 10.5 days away from work because of a public holiday Monday and my half day Friday. I've got nowhere to go and no money to go anywhere, even if I wanted to, which I don't, I've really got no plans to see anyone or do anything except some mental and physical 'sorting'.

I haven't worked out the finer details yet, but here is a loose plan; I intend to do a 3 day detox - upping my antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, drinking herbal teas and doing gentle exercise. Hopefully that will get my body feeling a bit more energetic. I intend to devote at least a couple of hours a day to sorting and decluttering the rooms in our home, getting rid of anything that is not functional or beautiful. I intend to do some form of exercise every day. I intend to read and spend some time crafting and photographing. I might write some, I might play my drum some. Basically, I intend to refocus, regroup and re-energize myself by doing things that I love for an entire week (and a bit!). I hope that week goes really slowly!!!

141 - 160

141. Valentines day; if nothing else, an excuse to drink wine on a 'school night'
142. The sense of satisfaction that comes from going to the gym at 6am
143. Aqua class, splashy time!
144. An email from my former Kids Hope friend saying 'I like you very much Annie'
145. Positive feedback from my photography teacher
146. The man who offered me a seat on the very crowded train
147. Unexpected text message from Dad offering to buy me lunch
148. Taking a long break for afore mentioned lunch with Dad
149. The way Andy can pull me from the depths of despair just by being alive
150. Northern Exposure
151. A spontaneous hug from Thea in a shop
152. Waking up to rain on the roof
153. The Belair line train journey past Sleeps Hill Tunnel - the portal to tranquility!
154. Inspiring words from a 9 year old "Never give up!"
155. Facebook reconnecting me with an old, old friend
156. Driving through big puddles
157. Spontaneous coffee catch ups
158. Mum coming along to crafternoon
159. Dancing to a funky band
160. Andy's compliments that always seem to come when I am feeling less than complimentable!

A New Approach

Well, I am halfway through month 2 of my 'monthly resolutions' challenge, and I confess, it isn't really working out for me. A lot of things are to blame. The last few weeks at work have really been getting me down - that's nothing new, but I had managed to have a few months where I managed to rise above it all, unfortunately, it has risen to meet me!

My creativity has been having a bit of a lull of late as well. I suspect this may have something to do with why I am struggling to stay on top of my feelings about work. I need to reinstate crochet to at least one way of my train journey again (and read the other way because I am really enjoying my time with Isabel and Jamie in Edinburgh at the moment!) and spend more evenings on craft projects. I am doing more photography, so that is something I guess and I am loving my course.

Having felt flat and lethargic and generally a bit down in the dumps, my exercise routine, eating habits and general house tidiness have also been lacking.
So where to now? Should I still set monthly resolutions? Maybe smaller weekly resolutions would be a better idea. Last year, I bought this from Kikki K http://www.kikki-k.com/shop/product/weekly-habits-pad/ Perhaps using this might be a better approach. I did find with January, my positive activity started to wane a bit towards the end of the month.

So, starting Monday, I will trial 'weekly good habits' in place of 'monthly resolutions'. I'll report back at the end of March and let you know how it's working out for me!

Infinately blessed

121. My 'cubicle buddy' making so much effort to cheer me up
122. 'Power shopping' after work - new pants and 2 tops!
123. Yummy banana muffin from Gayle
124. The guy walking down the mall singing "Thank you for the music! bom, bom, bom, bom, bom!" He made me smile.
125. A Judy hug after a crappy day
126. Starting my photography course
127. Getting home after a really long day to find Andy has changed my flat tyre and done the dishes
128. Bumping into an old friend on the street
129. An awesomely long lunch with a like minded soul - very affirming
130. An email that had me crying with laughter before my morning coffee
131. An afternoon with my brother, sister-in-law and my 2 nephews
132. Ginger beer from Ekhidna, McLaren Vale
133. Stewing plums
134. Going to cheap shops with Andy (it's a laugh, it really is!)
135. Judy and Spads toga party
136. Late lunch on a sunny Sunday arvo
137. Having the time (and coins!) for that second cup of coffee
138. A clean car!
139. Dinner cooked by my Mother-in-Law
140. Lazy Sunday nights at the Lawrences

1000 gifts part 101-120

101. An amusing picture message from Brad
102. Cool change
103. Summer fruit
104. Lincraft lunch hours
105. Living in Adelaide
106. My wedding and engagement rings: A couple of days of not wearing them (dermatitis, ouch) has made me appreciate what a powerful symbol they are and the flutter I (still) get when I look at them and think about what they represent.
107. Cliff Richard night with Nina (Yeah, I am a dag, sue me!)
108. Friday afternoons with my Kids Hope friend
109. Getting the shopping and housework done early so the weekend is clear
110. Surprise gift from Andy, a new kombi for my collection
111. My bircher muesli
112. Saturday nights with nothing to do
113. An unexpected catch up with Tricia
114.Having just enough yarn to complete a square
115. Sunny Sunday in McLaren Vale
116. Chili hot chocolate from Bracegirdles
117. The reaction I got from Sarah on opening the gift I made for her
118. Impromptu fruit picking
119. Appearing on someone elses gratitude list
120. Coming across a bracelet in a jewellery box that has a special story from Nepal attached to it

81-100 - I love this project!!!

81. Meeting Darwin expats (only Darwin expats understand!)
82. Clean sheets
83. Andy volunteering to cook me dinner over playing 'Call of Duty'
84. Seeing 2 black cockatoos on my walk to Sarah's house
85. Being surprised/spoilt by dinner at Windy Point Restaurant by Andy (followed by a movie)
86. Big hugs from Angus and Ollie
87. A stunningly fabulous day with my family
88. Compliments from Angus on my crochet skills "That looks really good Annie!"
89. Lunch at Thea Tea Garden
90. A clear filing tray
91. Long chats with Mum
92. A beautiful sunny drive to Strath
93. Paul Simon and My Friend the Chocolate Cake CD's
94. Meeting friendly people
95. Cuddles with a beautiful 3 month old Golden Retriever puppy
96. Bob and Chris, my awesome parents
97. Cups of tea in bed (Thanks Mum!)
98. Air conditioning on a 42 degree day
99. Finding a promising job in the paper
100. Andy's gardening prowess

January wrap up and February Resolutions

Well, January was a partial success!
Create: I managed to make a fabric purse from "Sew, La, Tea, Do" which is very cute. I also finished my kombi cross stitch as well as a smaller cross stitch for a friends birthday!
Move: I started strong on the gym front, then changed my resolution to 'exercise' rather than gym (we had good weather, who wants to be sweating it out in a stuffy gym when one could be out walking!). Unfortunately, I got a bit sick toward the end of the month and the wheels fell off.
Connect: We had Amy and Iliya round for a lovely night of risotto, wine, lemon curd tart and great conversation!
Eat: Hm, didn't really try much in the way of new recipes much, but I ate fairly well and packed lunches for myself a fair bit, which was a good start!
Work: Work has been decidedly slow, so while I managed to cut down on Facebook log-in's initially, I eventually caved through boredom! I did, however, clean out my emails and my inbox is looking much more tidy!
Finance: Again, failed here. I have decided that I am going to draft monthly budgets rather than an annual one. Some months are more expensive than others.
Home: I managed to get my dishes done before bed for, oh, I would say 90% of January. Pretty good effort!

February Resolutions!

Create: Make wrap skirt from "Sew, La, Tea, Do"
Move: -Go bike riding one day - Exercise 2 mornings a week - Exercise 3 evenings a week
Connect: Make contact with an old childhood friend who has recently had a baby.
Eat: - Photo project (take a photo of everything I eat for a week - I'll post the montage up here soon!)
Work: Finish the job application I currently have on the go. - Submit at least one other job application
Finance: Establish and stick to a monthly budget
Home: Clean dishes every night and clean sheets once a week (I know, sometimes we forget, gross huh!?)

Multitudes on Monday 61-80

61. My Mum-in-Laws home made apricot jam (yep, straight from the jar, who needs toast!)
62. Home grown strawberries
63. New bean shoots in the veggie patch
64. An afternoon of sewing
65. Sick leave
66. The view from our lounge room
67. Alexander McCall Smith novels
68. Satisfying a hankering for a blueberry muffin
69. 10 stamps on my coffee card = free coffee
70. Long lunch with Lisa, John, Josh, Burge and Deb for Johns birthday
71. Finished my kombi cross stitch!
72. Koala in the garden
73. New photography magazine
74. A cuppa and hours of chatting with Emma and little Henry
75. Friday night drinks at the pub with Andy and Sam
76. Saturday solo brekky at the Artisan
77. Long overdue dinner with Amy and Iliya
78. A thought provoking sermon
79. A long lazy arvo with friends at the Duck Inn
80. An awesomely exciting basketball game!

Multitudes on Monday 41-60

41. Breakfast smoothie
42. Realising that I am getting quicker at crochet
43. Wake up kisses
44. My church family
45. Hot showers
46. Freshly made sandwiches
47. Homegrown zucchini given to me by a workmate
48. Evening walks
49. Thursday lunches with Thea & Mel
50. A surprise text message from Andy
51. My new summer dress
52. Lunch with Nicola
53. An afternoon walk in Belair National Park
54. Watching the Muppets with Andy on a Friday night
55. Crafternoon
56. Pink lilies from Andy, brought home on the motorbike, just because
57. Lemon curd tart with fresh raspberries
58. A day at Myponga beach with my parents
59. Happy family news
60. Playing with my camera at sunset

Queensland

I can’t look at the news without tears blurring my vision right at the moment. Major disasters like Haiti, the tsunami in Indonesia have always moved me, affected me emotionally and made me grateful for how fortunate I am to live in a safe and well established country. But this is so much closer to home. The news reports are coming thick and fast, I am getting updates on Facebook from friends who live in the area and I am hearing place names that are all too familiar.

I almost feel guilty that this (and the Victorian bushfires of 2009) seems to effect me so much more profoundly than situations overseas. I feel like I lack empathy for those situations. I feel it, don’t get me wrong, I really do, but I guess we don’t get the news saturation for overseas events like we do for events that happen at home.

I think the other reason is that, sharing a continent and a culture with Queenslanders, it kind of drives home the fact that these are people just like me. People that go to work in an office every day, that come home, maybe hit the gym, they cook meat and 3 veg for dinner, watch the same programs on TV as me, wear the same types of clothes and shop in the same kinds of shops as I do. In short, it is only by grace that it is not me inundated by water. It’s only by grace that I know where my family are and if I pick up the phone and dial their number, they’ll answer and be able to tell me that they’re safe and well.

These kinds of situations bring out both the best and the worst in humanity. They become religious and political soap-boxes. The number of people I have seen commenting on public forums, blaming the elected government for the devastation that has occurred is phenomenal! I wouldn’t be PM for quids, especially at a time like this. No matter who is in power, they are a mere human being and have no power to stop a river bursting its banks and inundating towns and cities with water. Realistically, could anyone have foreseen this event? And if they could, how much could have been done to prevent the loss of life and the massive loss of property and infrastructure?

And the response of the Christian Fundamentalists, I could have cried with frustration when Catch the Fire Ministries pastor Daniel Nalliah said that the Victoria bushfires was God’s response to Victorias stance on abortion. Nalliah is at it again, saying the floods are all Kevin Rudd’s fault for calling on Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as well as open up their nuclear facilities to the UN inspectors. How dare he suggest that God’s chosen people (sarcasm font) should be accountable for their nuclear arms! As a Christian myself, I get so frustrated at these small minded zealots that make grand, sweeping statements about such things. Hey guys, there is a whole NEW TESTEMENT now! It’s been around for 2000+ years, read it, for Gods sake!!

There is no supernatural, political or religious explanation. It is environmental. It is indiscriminate and it is unfair. Don’t cast aspersions, don’t judge, let’s just do what we can to help, wether that be through donations of dry clothes, food and money, for those that have the means, helping out physically and for those who are spiritually inclined, prayer.

1000 Gifts

I've been set this beautiful challenge by a friends blog. 1000 gifts, things I am grateful for, things that make me smile. I am a week and a day late, so I have posted 40 on Tuesday rather than 20 on Monday. Will try and get into a groove next week!

OK, here goes!

1. Coffee made just the way I like it from the Little Leaf & Bean
2. Meeting tiny little Henry for the first time
3. Riding on the back of Andy’s motorbike through the hills
4. Watching our ‘baby’ grow in the garden (a plant Andy put in)
5. Judy and Andrew’s hospitality
6. Playing Rapidough with the Spads
7. Angus & Oliver, my 2 nephews
8. Shopping for yarn at Spotlight with a new friend
9. Crochet on the train
10. Sitting quietly with Andy, listening to ‘Slaughterhouse 5”
11. Long holiday afternoons on the couch watching Charley Boorman with Andy
12. Cross stitch
13. Sushi made by Andy
14. Coffee from Emma’s new coffee machine
15. Subsequent drinking of said coffee on Emma’s patio
16. Craft morning with Sarah
17. Surprise coffee with Mum
18. Watching Sex and The City while I fold and iron
19. Afternoons off work
20. Lying in my bed, knowing that by grace, I am safe and dry
21. Mars bars
22. Steam cleaned carpet
23. Home made pizza
24. My camera
25. Catching up with Poppy (Andy's Grandad) at Church
26. The coffee machine at work
27. Sauvignon blanc
28. Hearing ‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls on the radio and remembering the day I met Andy (Oh my, that is cheesy!)
29. The Leunig card at my desk from my new friend
30. Andy
31. Waifs tickets
32. Impromptu emails from a dear friend suggesting after work coffee
33. No dishes on the sink
34. Folded and pressed washing
35. Photo’s at my desk to remind me that I am loved
36. A new year, a fresh slate
37. Emails from Kate
38. Brighton sunsets
39. Frangelico
40. The double headed agapanthus that popped up in the garden

Wow, that was so fantastic to do! I encourage anyone to sit down and do this! It is so uplifting! It is amazing, we spend so much energy sweating the small stuff, but struggle to celebrate the equally small, but beautiful stuff! Trust me, it is energy well spent!

Saturday Science Experiment!

To Reboil or Not to Reboil?
Just recently, my Mum was flicking though my 'Modern Household Manual' and snorted when she came across something about not boiling water which had already been boiled (eg. You fill the kettle, make a cuppa and then when you fancy another cuppa an hour later, you just flick the switch and reboil the water that is already in there). Apparently my Grandmother was a stickler for not reboiling and seldom drank tea at my Mum's house because Mum is a 'reboiler'.

So I did some research and found that there is actually a fair bit of stuff written about how reboiling takes oxygen from the water, making the tea 'flat' in flavour. Hm, fascinating! I am a tea drinker from way back, call it my British heritage, call it my Nanna alter-ego, I just love a cuppa....I am also a reboiler. Perhaps I am selling myself short on my tea drinking experience! Time to hit the lab!

I'm going to make 2 cups of tea. One using water from the kettle which has been boiled previously and the other with water that will be drawn cold from the tap and boiled only once. For both cups I will be using tap water.

Both will be made in cups identical in material, capacity, and colour - white bone china (a wedding present from Aunty May - Thanks Aunty May!).

Both cups of tea will be made using Dilmah tea bags.

Both cups will be filled to the same level and will be tasted black.

Tasting will be done by myself and will be blind tested by Andy.

Outcome
Well, I made my two cups of tea and took them both to Andy to have him taste test them. The only difference he picked was that he thought the 'fresh boiled' tea had a very slight metallic taste to it. I couldn't really taste much difference at all, if I did, it was so subtle, that I am not going to bother with emptying the kettle and refilling it with fresh water every time I want a cup of tea.

After all that, I put a slug of chai syrup in each of the cups and we enjoyed a lovely cup of chai each!

January

Well, as promised, I sat down on the last Thursday of December last year and wrote out a bunch of resolutions for January.
Here they are!

Create Make something from one of the craft books I got for Christmas

Move Hit the gym 3 times a week - class, cardio, whatever, as long as I go there and sweat for at least 40 minutes!

Connect We've been promising to have dinner with our friends Amy and Iliya. I am going to invite them round for tea this month.

Eat Pack lunches for work, allowing for one day of the week where I spoil myself with a bought lunch - this harks back to school days when Thursday was 'lunch order day'. Pie with sauce and a small iced coffee! (Not really my speed these days, more likely to opt for noodle soup or a yummy foccacia!)

Work Here's a challenge - cut back on Facebook at work! No more than 3 times a day (and I have to make them no more than a couple of minutes! My other work resolution for January is to clear out and re-organise my emails.

Finance Establish a budget/savings plan for 2011 and work out how much I will have saved for my trip by the end of the year.

Home Get back into the clean habits that I learned from www.flylady.com

Wish me luck! I will post an update on here at the end of the month and let you know how I go! In the meantime, I am thinking about rewards I can give myself at the end of each month if I achieve all my goals!