Sunday 31 August 2014

A picture's worth 1000 words … week 35 ...

A photo a day … every day … in 2014.


Day 236:  Lunch date.



Day 237:  Well as far as Monday afternoons go … this one isn't too bad!



Day 238:  I took a bunch of photos of the gloomy city skyline … and then lost the lot when the computer chucked a wobbly. As a result I have to make do with a crappy shot taken on my phone … boo hoo!



Day 239:  FINALLY got those pictures hung.



Day 240:  Saying goodbye.



Day 241:  A little bit of pretty.



Day 242:  The footy's on … and times are tense.

Friday 29 August 2014

Inside my sketchbook … issue 10 ...

Well the day finally arrived for Hubby to nick off to New York … WITHOUT ME!


He spent most of the last week trying to make it up to me ... cause he was going to New York WITHOUT ME … by taking a few extra days off work and wining and dining me on a regular basis.

As a result of all this wining and dining … and let's be honest a little bonus whining by me thrown in for good measure … I simply haven't found the time to write a post until now.

But now that I'm here it has come to my attention that I have been supremely slack and have not given you a peek inside my sketchbook for months … not since the 4th of June to be precise.  Which of course is just inexcusable … so please allow me to rectify the situation immediately!

Here's a quick sketch I did of Master 17 … back when he was Master 16 … from a photo of him taken when he was Master 15 … that all makes perfect sense doesn't it?


And then there was this one … of Robin Williams.  I never drew him intending to write an obituary style post … as tragic as his loss is … it's just that when his face was all over the news and papers and everywhere … I couldn't help but notice what an interesting face it was.  So I attempted to draw it.  I don't think I did terribly well … cause Hubby's mate took a look at it and asked if it was anyone he knew … oops!  Back to the drawing board … literally.


Then Hubby suggested I draw his parents … and I did.


Of course as you don't know what his parent's look like you can't tell whether I got it right or not! I'm very tempted to leave you believing I did … but that's no fun … so here's a (little) pic of them.


And then last … but by no means least … is a quick sketch of Master 14 … just because.


Ciao.
xx

Sunday 24 August 2014

A picture's worth 1000 words … week 34 ...

A photo a day … every day … in 2014.


Day 229:  Are they flying south?



Day 230:  Not a black and white shot … just a gloomy old day.



Day 231:  Braced for impact.



Day 232:  I see you watching me watching you!



Day 233:  Now that's just disturbing … Happy Birthday Hubby!



Day 234:  Looking for a home in a sunny location?



Day 235:  The boys being particularly sociable at Nana and Pops'.

Thursday 21 August 2014

A practical guide to purchasing the perfect birthday gift … not ...

It's Hubby's birthday!

So salutations for the day … you jolly good fellow … you don't look a day older … blah, blah, blah … now lets get to the bit about birthdays that people really like … well apart from the cake that is … the gifts!!


Hubby insisted that there were to be no birthday gifts this year … and let's face it he really doesn't deserve any … what with the jetting off to New York in a weeks time … WITHOUT ME!  But I hesitated on taking him at his word.  After all, I for one, cannot forget the year we both decided to forgo the Xmas gift giving  … and to save our money for something we really needed in the after Xmas sales.  How was I to know that "let's not buy each other Christmas presents this year … but save the money to buy something we really need from the after Xmas sales" was really code for "go out and buy me loads of things so I'll get lots and lots of pressies under the tree".  Turns out only one of us understood the real interpretation of these words … and it wasn't me.  The ensuing sulk lasted for at least three weeks … and still raises it's quivering bottom lip at times.

So I wasn't going to fall for that one again … oh no!   Well I almost did … I did leave it till the day before his birthday … at which time the guilts about there being nothing for him to open in the morning inconveniently struck.  But at such a late stage I couldn't be bothered going all the way to the shopping centre … which in turn only left me with the local supermarket as my gift buying destination.

But I remained calm in the crisis … and like the "ready for anything" survivalist I am … I made the best of the situation.

Hubby got some dark chocolate … because he's the only one that eats it … so the chances that he'll get to enjoy it all to himself are fairly high. But it does look good … maybe I'll just try one piece row.


He got something brand new to wear on his big day.  After all, it just makes you feel good about yourself to have something special to wear … doesn't it!?!


He got a packet of Red Rock Deli Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream chips … because they're his faves … and I'm a good wife that aims to please … besides they were on special.


He got a box of tea bags … cause he loves to drink tea … maybe not as much as he likes to drink fancy, exotic imported beer … but beggars can't be choosers … even on their birthday!


And everyone knows that the very best gifts are the ones that are a perfect combination of things you want and things you need … so I got him a packet of AA batteries … cause the wireless mouse is running precariously low on charge!!!


Happy Birthday Hubby!


Now before you all start feeling sorry for him ... let me take a moment to regale you with the tale of the very first gift he ever gave me.

We were young and carefree … and in the exciting, heady throes of a new romance when he went off on holiday … WITHOUT ME!  Mmmm … seems there is a bit of a pattern emerging here.   But let's get back to the gift … he jetted off to Bali for a little vacation … but he brought me home a gift that was presented to me with great pride.

A fluorescent green g-string bikini bottom.

Now I'm not sure what I found the most offensive.

That he thought I was the type of girl that would cavort around topless in a fluorescent green g-string bikini bottom … or that he bought it in a size extra large!!!

Just for the record … I'm not the type of girl that cavorts around topless in a fluorescent green g-string bikini bottom … my skin is much too fair!


Sunday 17 August 2014

A picture's worth 1000 words … week 33 ...

A photo a day … every day … in 2014.


Day 222:  Martha Stewart I ain't!



Day 223:  How eggcellent.



Day 224:  I can sing a DOUBLE rainbow!



Day 225:  The other side of the lens.



Day 226:  This naughty doggy re-enacted The Great Escape today … he had me chasing him all over the neighbourhood … TWICE!



Day 227:  Fresh as a daisy.



Day 228:  Who needs enemies when you've got a big brother?

Tuesday 12 August 2014

I'm going bananas ...

Hubby is on a health kick at the moment … so he's been buying lots of bananas.

He hasn't been eating them … just buying them.

Now we all know the drill with bananas … don't we … it goes something like this …



Luckily I managed to catch this bunch about 48 seconds before they reached the absolute point of no return.


And because I'm not on a health kick I decided to turn them into a cake … which is my personally favourite way of getting my 2 servings of fruit each day.

I used a recipe from this delightful book.


It's an Australian Women's Weekly publication … and as a community service I will let you know that the Australian Women's Weekly always has the best recipes for everything.

I gave this book to Hubby for his birthday one year … because I wanted it … that's how we roll around here.  Which kind of explains how I managed to get a BBQ for Christmas.

Here's the actual recipe … in case you have a bunch of overripe bananas too.


Follow the recipe … shove it in the oven … and ta-da …


Yummy, scrummy banana cake.

The recipe suggested passionfruit icing, but a) I didn't have any passionfruit and b) I prefer cream cheese frosting … so that's what I made.


Would you like a slice?


Hubby had two slices after dinner last night … so I guess he managed to get his banana intake after all!

Sunday 10 August 2014

A picture's worth 1000 words … week 32 ...

A photo a day … every day … in 2014.


Day 215:  Just a little bit frosty this morning.



Day 216:  However did we do homework before Google was invented?



Day 217:  Who's been sleeping in my bed?



Day 218:  Last light.



Day 219:  Please feed me … can't you see I'm fading away to a shadow!



Day 220:  Moon in a smoky sky.



Day 221:  Saturday morning driving lesson … I'm the one in the back with the white knuckled grip.