Aint no party like a time lord party....

SO... this is awkward. Its ummm been a while.
The thing is lame as it may sound.. I have been busy. Honest. life has kinda gotten in the way of the things I want to do. In a good way. Business is going well although I expect a bit of a lull now christmas is over and people are back to being poor. My main issue at the moment is finding markets to do with customers that dont look at me like Im a freak. Maybe freak is too harsh, odd yes thats the word. I dont do the pretty little things that make people go. Awwww. I do the different stuff for those special folk who "get it".


Christmas was good. We had several. One with my family and one with Lukes then another with some of my beautiful cousins ( they are the best of people) then our quiet but enjoyable christmas day at home. I have been working on expanding what I make and challenging myself more. I am hoping to do a "masterclass" of sorts with my mother in law to learn how to use some of the patterns I have.

I have discovered I really enjoy creating things and had quite a bit of trouble having some down time over Christmas day. I honestly kept thinking " I should be doing something!" but eventually I got in to the swing of it and even had my first nanna nap in years.
I have embraced etsy. I really like it and find it really easy to use. The fees are a bit intense along with Paypal fees it really starts to take a chunk out of your profit but I dont really understand the handmade australian one and I really need to sit and have a good look.

We went and saw the Hobbit the other day. LOVE IT. and I must confess I am really digging Thorin. But my real love is for Bofur...

I am not sure what that says about me... and I am not sure I care.


In other news I am well and truely involved in Doctor Who at the moment, unfortunately I am in the Martha stage ... stupid skank. If she tries one more thing on the Doctor I am going to stab her in the face.

I am mainly happy with life... which is nice for a change. The boys are on holidays and we have been doing lots of things together. That said I am about to take them grocery shopping so the situation could change before the day is out.

Happy New Year to you all. Stay Safe

I was the second shooter on the grassy knoll....

I have a confession to make ... and funny thing it feels like I should confess even though it feels great.
I am just going to come out and say it.
I withdrew from Uni
phew... that's a load off let me tell you.
I think its a good thing. I had an Epiphany yesterday while on the phone to the student adviser... I don't think the phone call went quite how she had planned.lol Basically I honestly couldn't tell her what I wanted from a degree or even what I wanted a degree in. I was hating my unit I had picked and was overloading on stress. I sat down and thought about why I was doing it. first reason ... My husband felt I needed something to do. This was said a while ago and when I enrolled I really did need something to do. This is no longer the case I went and found several things to do... things that I really enjoy. And the second reason... Expectations. Or more accurately the thoughts and expectations I project on to people. What I think they expect from me and what they actually do are two different things. I have a lot of family that are very smart. They excel at everything the do. They are academics and they are wonderful. I would love to be like them. That said they enjoy what they have chosen to make careers out of. They enjoy things that to be honest I don't. I also think maybe I don't have worth if I don't have a degree.... isn't that silly. WHO CARES! well obviously people that hire people with degrees and training care. A degree wont help me do what I want to do when my children grow older and no longer wish to spend time with me.
In short I realised that my reasons for starting uni were pretty shit.
SO I stopped. I have to change the way I think of it though... I failed pops up a bit but then the little voice that is often squished in the corner says... Life is to short to not love what you do.

Welcome back Kotter...

Hi Welcome back... Sorry I have been away. I have been having a major case of the "overwhelms" where so much needs to be done or is coming up that your brains stops. Closes up shop and says screw this for a joke. I am trying to find a balance in my life without guilt. Ah guilt my old friend I know you so well.... I am attempting not to half arse everything and remain able to put as much into my Family and Uni and business as they deserve. I took the weekend off and now I am just trying to get back into things. Its hard to keep going. For some time out I have been on Pinterest. It is a favourite of mine at the moment.. it gets me through. It makes me laugh

Shhh were hunting wabbits

Sorry I have been uber quiet recently. I think my brain imploded from over work... or from the build up to being over worked which can be just as bad... It turns out that everything I was panicked about kinda just went smoothly, the uni work I was procrastinating turned out to be actually be enjoyable and I am looking forward to creating the ideas I have come up with for "Make 5 things out of a bucket" assignment. I got through a fair bit of crafty stuff too for the page ( Geek-r-ee in case you haven't read my blog before, blatant self promotion) Turns out that I can be really productive when I am avoiding doing something specific. I am already preparing stock for Christmas and the Little birdy markets that are on at the end of the month in Echuca. I am trying to expand what we stock which is fun because I don't really like making the same thing allllll the time I like to do things I am in the mood for. 
I have even done half the Christmas shopping for my boys... and I have plans for me and for Hubby. I have bits of four nieces presents sorted ( some bought, some handmade) and another niece all done. Luke's nephew is a bit harder because I don't really know him but I am sure the boys will help.
I am desperate to get my hands on one of these..

.http://toysnbricks.com/lego-advent-calendar-2012-star-wars-now-available/

feel free to post it to me. Yes I will accept presents from strangers.....

OOOOOUUUCHHHHHHHHH! and hurl

SO I had my first personal training session this morning. Gee that was fun ( you can read sarcasm right) I actually had to use all my will power to not vomit by the end and to walk to the car and drive home. I felt the way I feel when I have had my back realigned. Not good and then I had to get up the stairs when I got home... I had a shower and got into bed for an hour cuddled up to my son and puppy. I felt GOD DAMN AWFUL! that said I had a Gatorade, and a stretch after lying down and felt great, bit sore but more an expected sore than what I felt this morning. Now this I have figure was either because of the cold wind and ear ache from said wind, or my rotator cuffs in my shoulders shouldn't have been pushed that had because they are dumb. It was really weird.

I am feeling really good at the moment. Getting more organised with routines for me and the children, only a couple more days till the 20 day organising challenge starts and I am keen and ready to go.

“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.”
― Audrey Hepburn

I hit a really bad low a couple of days ago. I lashed out at everyone, I cried and I gave serious thought to not going home but sleeping in the car. My husband made everything better and we had a great talk about what has been going on, about the situation we have put ourselves in and how we are going to cope with it. I am feeling better about things and the direction my life is taking. Turns out I am not as useless as I think I am.

FACT: no-one can say anything to me that I haven't said or worse to myself.

My Husband doesn't understand how this works, but being a loving husband told me that I haven't wasted my life nor have I achieved nothing. My three boys are proof enough of that. He went on to list or the thing I have done in my life and how I am lucky to have everything I do have.  I love my life but I will no longer be staying at home all the time. I am having a Bodyshop party at my house, I have been helping out at the school. I will even be skating at school for the kindergarten kids.

I really really want to be able to run this fun run with my cousin this year without embarrassing her or holding her back. I want to look nice at my other cousins wedding. I want my house to run smoothly and my children to not be late for school.

Getting it Done. BOOM! owing The List

This is going to sound pathetic but... What a great day for washing. The weather is perfect a breeze and if you can believe it SUN!!!! I know right. I am feeling pretty good today. Getting things done. I have finished the Star Wars soft book.... looks fabulous just quietly. several loads of washing on the line. Sheets changed. Prep work done for the "20 Days to Organise & Clean your home Challenge" but may have spent more than I had planned on a new mop and bucket. That said they are pretty good.... just don't tell my husband OK. Section one of my first Uni assignment is done, The Mind Map. Now I need to figure out what to do with a bucket... yes a bucket.

 

10 uses for a bucket on paper.. then it needs to be narrowed down to 5 and actually created. I think I am going to enlist my children for this one. Their imaginations are thriving mine seems to be broken...

I am also attempting to branch out so to speak. I am hosting a Body shop party.. yes I do party plan I actually really enjoy it most of the time but I have had a bit of trouble getting started in this town. SO in the interest of making some sales and meeting some people (which I really should do seeing as I have lived here for a year)  I am having a party in my house. I hadn't done that before because my husband believes his house is where he can hide from the world, he has accepted the fact though that I cant live without people I am surprisingly enough a people person. Hopefully people show up. That's the trouble with putting yourself out there. There is a very big chance of rejection. That said You never never know if you never never go.

Wish me luck.

Biting the bullet... for many things

Hmm it is time to bite the bullet. I need to accept that we are in this place for a certain period of time and no hope, wishing or bullying is going to change that. It is time to embrace. I have started this by joining the community garden and enrolling my son in preschool next year. We have ways of rewarding ourselves. We are planning a trip to America but alas this is at least 18 months away so we don't half arse it. That said we are hoping to go on a smaller trip in between to Thailand or Fiji. Our main problem is the fact that we have three children apparently a family is only made up of two adults and two children or else you need to get two rooms, which blows your expenses out the window!!! The next thing is I have started the area for the back yard garden putting the garden scraps down to improve the soil in that area and Yesterday I did most of the gardens. This is the only good thing about a house inspection.... you are forced to do things you wouldn't normally bother to do.

http://theorganisedhousewife.com.au/organising/20-days-to-organise-and-clean-your-home-challenge-pre-challenge-task-1/

It has to be done. I still have boxes upstairs that I haven't unpacked for six months!!!!! I am a bit scared this may be a bit intense, and when you add to it the fact that uni officially started this week, I have a few things on order to make and we are off to Canberra next week I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. 

My other challenge is going well. The attempt to not be a fatty boom ba as previously blogged about on the weekend I got up and went for a jog on both days before doing anything else. Which I was proud of. I am hoping to go tonight when Hubby gets home from work because as slow as I am I am pretty sure the 3 year old cant keep up.

But I must get myself able to fit into swimmers without feeling paranoid and I need energy that I am lacking. I am still trying to decide which one.... what do you think?

    

Fatty-boom-baa

I am fat. I am unfit and I am a bit upset about this. I am trying to be better fitter etc but life keeps getting in the way with super easy excuses. My current excuse is to blame it on my Hubby who is in Sydney at the moment. And prior to that at work work work. I want to jog and run but with a three year old this is more than a little difficult. This excuse unfortunately falls apart when you realise that I could be doing ZUmba at home when I cant jog. I think the thing that annoys me most is I am eating better but still fat. I suppose eating better doesnt do Jack shite if you arent burning those calories off too. Sigh. Ok so I am feeling sorry for my fat self. A few people I know at the moment are being amazing and motivated and making a difference to their health and wellbeing.

Right so all that sookie la la-ing  is done and I really have to just pick myself up and start again. Zumba today. Just DO it and all that. And Uni. Zumba and Uni are the two most important things on my list today.

all over it

I am, I am all over it.... oh wait or is that over it all?
Nope pretty sure its over it all.
People. People annoy me. As a species. The greed and lack of love for anything but themselves tends to shit me to tears.
I may also be a bit... premenstrual, which as a general rule means that things that I may have overlooked previously will get you a look and some very serious thoughts about atomic wedgies. But a good old slap in the face is also rather satisfying.

On a positive note I started on the patch in the community garden today.

"Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.  ~Lindley Karstens"

This is how it started....

  Hmm yes not too good. But I dug and turned and picked and plucked with my very helpful assistant ( 3year old) and we got about a third done. And we got so plants in too. Tomato, silverbeet (multicoloured) spring onion, mixed sweet capsicum, Lettuces, broad beans and butter beans. I also put a rosemary plant in the corner. I would have taken an after shot but got so distracted but the magpie swooping me and the watering system that I forgot. That will have to wait for another day.

I spent a couple of lovely hours doing this and enjoying the peace of it all before rejoining the real world and losing all that lovely serenity.

On an up side we went to lunch at hubbies work today and totally owned the chocolate machine :)

best laid plans...

Sorry for not posting sooner guys... I don't seem to be able to get my poo together at the moment. I am trying to keep up with my active sporty type stuff to get ready for this "fun" run in December and also working hard at sneaking super healthy stuff into everyone's foods and drinks.. although the Barley Greens has beaten me at the moment the only thing I can put that in is the super juices I make and then only in mine cause it sticks.. and pretty much tastes how it smells. Then there is the whole support your hubby type thing which in this place has a lot of ups and downs for both of us. Three boys who's behaviour seems to have changed over night from the best of friends to antagonists And a booming small business which is great but full on especially when it isn't just me who has to make the things. Then I feel bad harassing others to "chop,chop" so to speak. I have also joined the community garden as I previously mentioned and I have been studying up on what to plant in my new climate. Middle child was also concussed on Monday at school....

His eye is now a wonderful dark purple... and he has the flu. Uni stuff goes online today and we are away for the weekend ( middle child and daddy are off to the footy while we visit family) to Melbourne when really I should be in a cleaning frenzy for our house inspection on Wednesday. House inspections are apparently done every three months now, did you know that... there is no better way to constantly remind you that this is not your home... don't get too comfy cause we are going to come in a judge you every couple of months.
This is also the start of super busy months for us, Canberra in September, QLD twice in October, Newcastle and Taree in November..... oh and there are two family members birthday in there as well. Then Christmas.... which means Christmas stock is in the works already because otherwise when will I get them done.

Oh Boo Fucking Who I hear you say and well you should the things that make up life are what I am whinging about and if I didn't like my life well I would do something to change it.

But don't you just wake up sometimes and look at everything you need to do for the day and go.. really? again? can't I just stay in bed for a little bit? ( background noise of children playing and not getting ready for school and two dogs attempting to get to the dinner plates from last night, oops and there goes the god damn alarm again)

On a bonus Side Geek-r-ee is making me rather proud at the moment. It all seems to be happening, I have even organised an Etsy party for next week.. which falls after the inspection but before darling hubby gets back from several days in Sydney. Hopefully people come..... I am going to make this..
http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/879908

Ah well back to the cleaning before I get stuck into this really awesomesauce Dr. Who bag that just needs some finishing up.

Ohh Give me home amongst the gum trees... with lots of plum trees

I WANT A FARM!

It doesn't have to be huge, just a couple of acres. enough for me and the family and all our animals. A horse, chickens, some lambs to fatten up, a fish farm/ garden set up thingy... wait what is it called Aquaponics. Where the fish help the veggies grow while they grow big enough to eat. We went to a friends farm yesterday. I loved it and so did the boys. I want spaces for growing things. We bought home oranges, the tastiest damn oranges ever.

 

My boys had the best time by the end of it they were covered in hay and you would of thought they had grown up there. They rode on a horse for the first time ever. Not a Shetland pony which they rode once at a party which most definitely doesn't count, but a real horse! His name is Whiskey and he was lovely.

 I was standing there watching them and I was filled with ... Raging jealousy. I want land. I want a horse. I want bees and a peaceful home where boys can run free.

The other amazing thing was that they got to feed and play with one day old lambs. It was wonderful and amazing to see something one day old jumping around.

 what a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I will be starting up at the community garden on Wednesday. No its not the same but its a start. One day will will find our forever home.
Oh and we got to given a couple of rabbits to eat too. Luke cooked them because I just couldn't do it. The boys all loved it. "tastes like chicken" said Franky. I had a small piece and it was in no way horrid but for some reason I just couldn't do it. Odd how the mind works isn't it.

Gingerphile...?

I was going to write my post today about joining the community garden, and about how my new fitness reigm is coming along in prepartion for the December "Fun" Run. But instead I thought I should really write about something that I have started noticing...
I have recently been accused of being a gingerphile. In case you cant figure our what I am talking about... I have a thing for Red heads. I think it dates back to kindergarten. My first little boyfriend who name I forget but face and red hair still stays in my mind. My husband has ginger hair. Or more to the point a ginger beard and is under strict instructions to never shave again.

My main ranger love is for Ron or if we are going to be pedantic Rupert Grint. Obviously not in this picture more the sentiment, but in this one...

 

 One of the all time favourites is obviously Ewen McGregor. In Star Wars! goodness me Obi Wan.

 I dont know what it is? But it is definately something there. Isnt that odd. What started the whole conversation was I happened to mention the australian Pole Vaulter, Steve Hooker and the fact that I thought  he was a bit of alright.  On The book of face a few friends and I have a group called "The List" it is a wonderful place to look through.... My favourites tend to lean towards Superhero actors, you know Captain America, Thor, Ironman..... or old school actors like Gene Kelly or Paul Newman ( no sauce jokes please) Or the beautiful ginger Howard Keel ( mmmm seven brides for seven brothers, they dont make them like that anymore)

Dont judge me just enjoy what you enjoy :) life is to short to be a prude or judge what others like or don't besides if we all liked the same type of person there wouldnt be enough for everyone.

did I mention I am sitting here typing this listening Ed Sheeran...

alcohol eat your heart out... there is a new addiction in town

Hello my name is Jodie and I play Songpop. It is a new game via facebook or if you are truly desperate you can also get an app from Itunes. I play up to 20 times a day, usually while my husband isn't home so he cant judge me.

Seriously though.. Best game ever!

names removed to protect the innocent :)

When we were little we used to play in the car a game where when a song cam on the radio you had to try and guess what it was before the singing started.. harder than you would think. I think this game has prepared me well in life though.... for activities like Rockwiz or Spicks and Specks. It is like my ability to say most Disney movies word for word. Sing most 80's songs, musicals, Monty Python movies. Yep totally gave me an unfair advantage over all those maths and computer experts. Yep. Hmm

Any who the other reason I am blogging today is not to just confess to my addiction ( one of many if you count coffee, goats cheese, and a quarter chicken and chips) But to show you the before picture of my Garden area which I will hopefully be working on over the next few weeks (months?) to get up and running.

 

OK so this is what I have to work with, the only area that can be blocked off from the dogs. The first thing you will notice is a lot of shade.. and cement. Its ok I will prevail watch this space.... I have a shovel and I'm not afraid to use it ( actually I should probably put buy shovel on my list of things to do)

Regrets I had a few...

I have been thinking lately... as you do.. about regrets. I find it hard to look at my life and regret things because if I changed one little thing then everything would be different. And I couldn't take the risk that I would lose my children and husband by changing just one thing that has maybe stuck around in the back of my head for years. That Boy in high school who was my first love... but I broke up with because that completely freaked out my anti-love anti-marriage bitter teenager. He thought it was him... he thought I just rejected him because I didn't do it right. I never got to sit down and tell him so and watched other go on to break his heart and him again think it was him. I regret not putting myself out there and telling him what an amazing person he was and is. And yet if those things hadn't happened I wouldn't be here now. I think next reunion I am going to drink a lot of alcohol and sit him down and tell him and to hell with humiliating myself.

The missed opportunity of a job teaching gymnastics in the states. I was offered a spot in an acting school and did that instead. And I did it well... but didn't go back to my second year of study because I was also working at a casino and found that sleep is actually important. And I really liked having a paycheck and that boy I had just met ( who would become my husband)

All the money I threw away in the early years... drinking and gambling and general frivolity when I could have had a smaller home loan by now... but then would I have regretted not having fun while I was young? hmm who knows, probably....
why such gloomy thoughts I hear you say... well I have been reading about this
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying

and it really makes you think? why didn't I do that? and what you will think of your actions at the end of this crazy life.

My one big regret that haunts me almost daily is a friendship I let go. We are still friends yes but now there is a gap. a space that doesn't seem like it will ever fill. Lost contact, changed lives... these are the cause but not the reason. Giving up and not trying were the reasons it fell apart and once distance develops in a friendship or any relationship really it is very hard to close the gap. especially when both people got hurt. How do you move on and close the gap? I want to but don't know how? I don't know if I could put myself out there because the more you care about a person the more power they have to hurt you deeply. What if I am rejected what if I really don't know them anymore? or worse what if they finally figured out that they don't really like me after all? I think if I lost even the little bit that we still share a small part of me would shrivel up and die... and I like that part of me and who we were together.

Do you have regrets? its not too late. Do something about it. Do it now...

Thats my secret Cap....

I tend to get in a mood.. occassionally that mood means that I am for all purposes completely insane. Last night was one of those nights.. and today doesnt seem to have gotten any better. Last night I threw a chair, I think part of me stays minimally sane because when I lose it. I dont tend to hurt anyone just become rather scary... My children played a fun game of ..

And the thing is.. they arent that bad as far as kids go, you can never really pin point the moment when they went too far. It just happens... then poo hits the fan.

Today I feel like I am just walking around looking for a fight. Seriously dont start. I will go ape-shit before you can blink. Some people at this point are laughing... they obviously have never witnessed "Jodie going ape-shit"  Its not a lot of fun for anyone involved. I used to play roller derby whiched helped. None of the girls actually minded you skating it out or taking them out if it made you feel better. And should thay happen to bruise so much the better... photos can be taken and enjoyed. But I dont really have a release anymore. Nothing. I just slowly fester. Those close see the warning signs, my three year old will randomly pat my back. My six year old will start hugging me a lot with random "I love you"s thrown in. The eight year old is rather relaxed.. but will start helping me with dinner or whispering to his brothers to cut it out.

I think it is part of my cycle... mid cycle I get really angry, and very teary (stupid hormones) unfortunately I am so random I never know when it will hit so there is no warning for anyone.

I nearly ripped a girl last night online. Do you want to know why.. she used the word 'everythink" IT ISNT A WORD. I mean I am not the best with spelling and will use the wrong Threw/through etc especially if I am in a hurry but even I draw the line. The first time I gave her the benifit of the doubt... slip of the fingers so to speak but then she wrote it again!!! I didnt even know her and I wanted to grab her around the neck and shake her violently.

I think random people know when I am like this... they seem to avoid me on the street, a survival instinct perhaps.... my husband tends to like to poke me when he can tell I am build up. He like to get it all out before it becomes bad or worse I become... QUIET. My cousin used to know what was coming and leave the room she said there were signs for anyone to see. My jaw starts clenching, I tend to grind my teeth ( they are falling appart because of this habbit) my nostrils actually flare... and on occasion my eyes tend to get a lighter brown. Fair warning I say... now if all of them are happening and you are still standing close enough to see it. Good Luck to you

“You want to remember that while you're judging the book, the book is also judging you.” ― Stephen King

I judge people by there bookcases... or more to the point what is in it ( the lack of a bookcase also gets judged) When I go to someones home I like to look through their bookcase/s and see what appeals to them, if they are members of my family this can actually take quite some time.... majority of them covering most available walls with bookcases. When I had my own house my husband actually made me some built in bookshelves that went from floor to ceiling. I loved them... but they ran out of room far too soon. I have recently had to reduce my book collection down to something more manageable, this is a rather difficult task. Now I mainly just have the ones that I read over and over and over again. I have one series that has ten books ( not including the two prequels) by David Eddings and I am up to my second set of them because the first fell apart... I am looking into getting a third set because these too are starting to lose pages as well as the covers. The pride of my bookshelf is my Harry Potter books. I bought each one when it came out. I read them at least once a year... My hubby doesn't get it. "But you know what happens??" because as a general rule he doesn't "read for fun" He reads for uni or work and only on occasion will he read a biography. I love being nose deep in a good story where the characters come to life and you become involved and affected by what is happening to them.

“When I'm really into a novel, I'm seeing the world differently during that time - not just for the hour or so in the day when I get to read. I'm actually walking around in a haze, spellbound by the book and looking at everything through a different prism.”

― Colin Firth

Embarrassingly enough and I am sure to the horror of all the potter heads out there next to Harry Potter ( other than my Fred and George Weasly dolls that are signed) are my set of Twilight novel. Then a full shelf of David Eddings. To stop my Potter and Twilight fighting I have my copy of "Its not easy being green" by Jim Henson and "The wisdom of the Bird" by Caroll Spinney ( for those that don't know he is Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch) "Look before you Leap" by Kermit the Frog and "The Princess Bride" If you get a copy of this book do yourself a favour and don't read the bonus chapter its weird and ruins the book and movie for a little while until you can forget it.

Then we have Sara Douglas... The Troy Game books not the weird Axis ones. The Eragon Series and of course some light reading in Nora Roberts but I must establish that I tend to read her fantasy novels as opposed to the heavily romanced ones. and right next to her is Tolkin cause I like to mix it up :) Raymond Fiest is always enjoyable with a fantastic writing style.. especially The Magician series and all the extensions from it dealing with the same world. And I really enjoyed the Australian author Traci Harding's The Ancient Trilogy... which turned into two trilogies.

The reason I am writing about books is because I have just finished Patricia Briggs' latest novel, I have now read all of her books in these two series and I am suffering from some serious withdrawals. Its the sort where you go I want more!!!! but it only just came out so you know the next one is at least a year away. I have also read all the Sookie Stackhouse novels too and the next isn't due out for a long time either! ( and no I dont watch the show.. I just cant do it her accent annoys me and they dont stick to the story) So now what? what am I supposed to do to avoid to the dishes or the washing?

This is just one of my books shelves, but its my favourite. I also have a non-fiction one. And several extremely large boxes that I havent unpacked yet because I need to buy more bookshelves. ANd if you think thats bad, you should see my childrens bookshelves!!!!

this little piggy went to market...

I'm tired.. and whingey. My neck hurts and my back.. and I have snot. I went to the markets yesterday and I forgot my chair that was left next to the door at home. And it was cold... super cold. I was prepared for cold but it wasn't enough maybe if I had worn my onesie over everything it may have helped but even with a thermal shirt, a long sleeved shirt, a t-shirt, knee high socks, boots,  trousers, a jacket, a fox scarf ( wool not fur) Ironman glove and captain America beanie and I was still frozen  with no feeling in my toes an hour in. Other than that it was great... a few sales to keep you going, the occasional visit from hubby and the boys with lovely treats like coffee or a sausage roll.

this was my stall. I was rather proud of it. I think it looks pretty interesting. You know what my favourite thing is when doing the markets? Its watching people walk by they are just kind of passing everything over and not really looking then they will actually focus on something that has stood out to them on the table... like a mini ironman and their face will just change and light up. You have reminded them of something they loved or still love and with the type of things we sell people get really excited! they go and grab their friend to show them, they dive in and have a real look at what you are selling they start talking faster and smiling at you a lot... They suddenly notice you have a scarf on in the shape of a fox and their smile gets bigger, they may even laugh. I don't mind it makes me smile too.

 

This is how I feel. I am not ashamed of the fact that I love these things. I think about asking my cousin in law about whats going on between Wonderwoman and batman? or is she and superman having a thing? I think about the third Star Wars movie and the fall of Anakin Skywalker and I have wildly inappropriate dreams about assorted avengers. But I find joy in these things. And should that be what life should be about Joy?

We welcome you to crackerbox palace...

Great song... Its currently stuck in my head. I have been feeling a little frustrated lately.
I am in essence a bit of a green girl. Before moving here I had a suburban oasis. I had spent many years growing fruit trees around the borders of my property for two reasons... I had a plan with three boys that I could just throw them out in the back yard and they could eat whatever they wanted without sending us broke and secondly because it would be fresh healthy food for all of us. I had four vegetable patches with some of the best dirt in it from years of composting and worm farming and scooped up chicken poop and it grew beautiful veggies for everyone. My children would be out in the garden while I was weeding eating broad beans of the plant of sweet peas .... We had a patch just for strawberries. I had raspberries and passionfruits on the fences blueberries between the large fruit trees. It had reached the point where if I wanted potatoes I would walk out the back and dig them up. The fruit trees had just started producing.... I was really proud of it and myself. I had roses out the front all picked for the colour and small, I had grown pick frangipennies from cuttings, I had a succulent garden ( lots of Aloe for sunburn) out the front too, and a massive herb garden. I had my children trained to put the recycling here... the rubbish here, the worm food here and give that to the chickens. At Christmas time I gave people things I had made from the home grown produce. We never filled our bin. Our recycling bin yes but that was all.

Then we moved.

Where we live has no recycling plant so no recycling bins... It is in the country but has only a Coles.. with old fruit and veggies that don't last the week. It does have a community garden but they don't currently have any plots available I would have to pay for and create my own. This has all left me feeling guilty and sad. SO I have decided to start again. I have an area out the back that can be turned in a veggie patch and can keep chicken safe from hounds. Now all I need to the funds. So it is time to start harassing my husband. And I am going to try and figure out how to petition the council. In this day and age it doesn't get any more backwater than a town without recycling facilities. And they want to be a tourist destination.
Ok well I am off to finalise my market stock for tomorrow and to pray to the rain gods to piss off tomorrow please.

obsessions....

Sorry I have been quiet the last couple of days. I have a market on the weekend so silly little things like regular jobs ( washing, cooking etc) have gone out the window. I am just taking a break from making cards. I love making cards they always look so cute... a finished product is always satisfying.

I thought I might tell you about my obsessions. I get obsessed with things. Currently it is Dr.Who, and the Avengers. I have an ongoing love affair with movies and Television shows. I don't watch them as often as I used to but I still know a lot of them word for word. A LOT.... wasted childhood possibly? I also know a lot of lyrics to all sorts of songs. But back to movies... I don't watch sad movies.... or scary movies, I think life has enough of that in it that I don't need to add to it. But I love action and comedy and musicals. Pirates of Penzance to Wolverine... Grease ( and if we are being honest Grease 2) I am completely in love with the new Sherlock Holmes movies and Iron man 1 and 2. But the thing that always gets me is Disney.... from Aladdin onward, I can say every word of Aladdin ( ask any of my high school friends) Lion King, word for word. Pixar movies are the best. Those guys are genius's. I balled my eyes out in Toy Story 3. I cry in movies, which is why I don't watch sad movies... I also don't deal well with tension or embarrassing moments in movies. I am what my husband calls a "hall runner" when things get tense... suspenseful or embarrassing, I am suddenly very busy. clothes that need to be folded, dishes that need to be put away. I love the cult movies like Barbarella, Labyrinth and the Princess Bride. The latter being an all time favourite.

 

But the movies that have effected me the most and stayed in my head would have to be the Harry Potter ones. All of them. I got them for myself on Bluray for Christmas. I loved the books as well. I love all the characters. I love watching them grow up. I love the themes behind the story. It has action, romance, comedy, mystery, good and evil, the massive big budget special effects without loosing the heart.  

I am so proud that my children embrace the movies I love. They know Singing in the rain and the know everything there is to know about Star Wars.

I have just started showing them the old school animated X-men, and bless them they love it.

shameless selfpromotion.. how to be subtle?

I had a plan when starting this blog. It was to be my personal blog but I also wanted a way to include my business without shoving it down peoples throats. I haven't really found a way as yet that would work for me. I thought I would just be obvious about it today. I have a small.. venture. I wouldn't call it a business as it doesn't seem to be at that scale. Its is more a creative outlet of things I happen to sell. My sister makes a lot of things... A LOT! and they are beautiful and clever and amazing, and it used to kill me because she would make them then... wait for it... put them in a suitcase in her craft room!!!! Oh my god! My mother in law used to teach craft and is really really good at making things, but she retired from doing that and is doing all sorts of other things... I believe if you have talent you shouldn't waste it. I felt they were both wasting their amazingness. So I came up with a cunning plan.... a business where they would make what I asked them to and I would sell it. I also make things too and I have found I really enjoy it. It is great to have that kind of outlet in your life.

My mother in law

My sister

me!

We make so many different things it would be overwhelming to put it all on this blog and not at all what I would want this blog to be like.
Speaking of making things our onesies are all finished.  And they are awesome. seriously awesome! when I get a copy of our family shot I will post it on here.

http://www.facebook.com/Geekree

ROAR...smash

I missed blogging yesterday...
 this would be why...
I don't normally drink but I went out with my husband for The Business awards night. Open bar, and I happen to be sitting at the table with one of the big bosses so we had a rather nice wine rather than a house wine and I may have gotten carried away. I was also a little emotional before going after realising how fat I have gotten since moving here and discovered that majority of my clothing doesn't fit. It was a fun night at times but mostly it was kinda shit. My husband was stressed and cranky watching his staff run the night and not really much of a companion. I sat at the table with the directors which was fun but then some of the speeches got political, majority in opposition to my political beliefs and If I wasn't there with my husband in his work place it is most likely I would have said something or walked out. I am a bit like that. And add to that my husband is a flirt and I am a jealous person by nature so needless to say the night ended with me walking home alone after a heated discussion in his office.

But the weekend did proceed a bit better. Yesterday we took his mum and sister and niece to the Port of Echuca. We did all the fun touristy things, our boys had a blast.

It was fantastic to go on the horse drawn carriage ride it went down the dirt road then out onto the street where it picked up pace and you thought about all those olden movies and such, with them powering along being chased by Indians and I thought holy crap how did it not just tip over!

Then we had fish and chips, and proceeded to Beechworth Bakery. If you have never been to one do yourself a favour.

Boston bun was mine!!!

After the bakery we came home and my husband and I realised that a lot of the things we do are based around what we can shove in our pie-hole. Which brings me back to being fat as previously mentioned. I have always been fit, always done some sort of exercise so I am really uncomfortable in my current body. But none of the sports I enjoy exist here. They play AFL or netball. I hate netball. But today is a new day and I have decided to embrace jogging. I have 2 and half months to be swimsuit ready for when we go to QLD. I am going to reward myself with a new swimsuit. A Wonderwoman one piece I found. Must dash. The boys have all gone to the park and the hounds want to join them... and are attempting to rip my house apart to do so.

Onesies!!!!

My Mother in Law is currently in the throws of onesie construction. We are all very excited. My hubby was running around last night in his half constructed one, refusing to take it off... his took 4m of flannel to make! And it is bright red. He had a rather heated and persistent conversation with his mother about the need for a butt flap. She doesn't want to put one in... he doesn't want to get cold to go to the toilet. And he wants feet... and fold over mitts. He has wanted one of these for about 10 years so I guess he has put a fair bit of thought into it.

Mine is super soft!!! warm and soft is all I need.

 

 

onesie mid construction.

Not the best of Photos.... but hey what are you going to do. As I currently have guests and I desperately need to find something to wear for a business awards tonight I must keep today short.
hmmm coffee first then post office. Enjoy your day.

Writing "write my to do list" on my To do list.

I do that. I write "to do" lists, I write everything on them. If I didn't then absolutely nothing would get done. Sad but true. And the title of this blog is also true. I write to write my "to do" list on the actual list so I can cross it off and have that brief feeling of accomplishment.  If I happen to do extra things that aren't on my "to do" list they get written up after they are done just so they can be crossed off. I also like my list because when my husband looks around when he gets home and says the fatal words "what have you been doing all day?" I can wave the list in his face. Because the problem is quite often I go to bed and look around the house and think.. why did I bother it looks the same as before. This is what happens with three boys. Or even just living in the house... using it. For example The Kitchen.

the morning kitchen...blah

I can live with anything else as long as the kitchen is clean ( and the floor swept) but even though I am a fairly clean cook once you have made dinner and the dirty dishes are everywhere... it looks like crap again. It also happens to happen at the exact point where I have had enough for the day. Which is funny cause I don't get much done in the mornings and by 7ish at night I have had enough of housewife-ing. But in those few hours if I have my trusty list by my side I can power through it. Errands get done first... in the morning when I don't want to clean. Trips to the post office, newsagents or shopping centre, if we are lucky a quick cafe stop. Franklin is a fantastic cafe kid.... all my kids have been, it is a blessing. No screaming spoilt brats here.... we don't do screaming or screeching here. It is a scream/screech free household. And heaven help the child that attempts that sort of behaviour outside our house too. There is a reason that this blog has the term "Hulk" in its title. Mummy can be angry and my children are wise beyond their years they know where the line is and when they are getting too close to it. A small warning from their mother mentioning the fact that she is "close to the edge" ( always said like MOS DEF) is usually enough. Or "The look" . And if they have done so at the shops or something god help them when they get in the car. Have you ever done that one or seen it in the car park... The enclosed area mummy rant. it usually last from the moment all doors are closed until you pull up in the driveway and there is no escape.

Any who I digress... my list today is fairly extreme ( lucky "write blog" is on it or I would feel bad about sitting here) I am not sure if I will get it all done. It involves making a layer cake, finishing a large order for etsy, wash all our clothes ( ALL our clothes) cause neither Luke or I can locate any socks at present and I am fairly sure he went commando to work......

The "clothes chair"

Clean kitchen, sweep and mop the floors ( and this will be the most time consuming because we have a lot of floor) Vacuum the boys rooms and set up spare beds..... because we are having guests for the weekend ... in laws to be precise,  hence the long list.  But all will be well because my Mother in law is making us all onesies!!!!! wooohoo. you know an all in one pyjama! I am very excited about this. My mother in law keeps us warm. She has knitted jumpers for the boys that are super toasty, scarves, beanies, and gloves. They are all super warm and most of them are also super cool. Wizard hat beanies, fox scarves, Avengers scarves, Captain America beanies... Ironman gloves ( they are mine)

  

Right off I go to do the "To Do"

One cup to brew them all....

I love coffee. I have even become a fan of tea. I love them, my day can not go on in a calm and relaxed manner without one or the other. I love the ritual of tea, as well as the drinking. I love the smell of coffee and the look and the taste. I love making coffee. By making coffee I obviously mean making espresso coffee. The rest don't count. They Don't! unless your desperate only then is it acceptable to use those chemical enriched substitutes....... I am a train barista, could you tell? and one of my real pet peeves is bad coffee. if making coffee is your job there is no excuse for burning the milk. It should be punished with extreme prejudice. I unfortunately live in a town where they believe in hot over extracted coffee in all places. I have found only one cafe that makes good coffee.. not really good but better than the rest. This is why I love going to Melbourne. The food and coffee. Heaven help you in Melbourne if you sold something substandard. Its a four hour drive to Melbourne from us. It is worth every minute.

My mother in law used to collect tea pots. She has hundreds quite a few are worth a lot of money. She gave me one recently from her collection and to be honest it wasn't what I was expecting.... but that said it kinda fits. It makes me laugh. and it comes in a set.

 See I find it offensive to my relaxing ritual... and yet it appeals to a part of me that I am not sure I am able to embrace completely. It has shiny gold bits and I really do love it. lol. oh dear.

And this is my tea cup

 This was one of the first in a series of experiments to make tea pots and cup and mugs. They have got better as time has gone on but I still like this one. My children have their own hot chocolate mugs that I made for them too. One is a hulk one, another Thor and the last one is Captain America. Our house contains quite a few items like this. I think they brighten your day and make you smile when you need it. Like my coffee mug

It has a story to it. It used to belong to my much loved Aunty who introduced me to the Muppets many many years ago. there were two, the other was an animal one but it didn't survive the years.  I am a big Muppet fan. Still....
I am also a big fan of tea and coffee puns. They are fantastic. Have you seen the teapot with a picture of Lionel Richie and saying "Hello. Is it tea your looking for?" Gets me every time. I will make myself one soon. When I was researching for Geek-r-ee making the cups and such I came across alot of puns.
             "Fight for your right to Latte"
             "Bilbo tea-baggins, one cup to brew them all" ( personal favourite)
             "Pour some sugar on tea" (Def Leppard)
             "Bean me up Scotty"

The list is endless.... an many a chuckle was had.