Just messin with Michelle's head

Just to show you that blogs can be completely out of order and totally irrelevant to the season. Here is my friend Michelle and I in New Zealand.
See Shell not to hard at all!!!
For those who think that Michelle is a midget she is on the downhill slope of the shell beach where we stopped.
Michelle made us Parfait for supper tonight. It was yummy.
Have a nice time in Melbourne with Brian and Gaye

Boys work & Girls work

As you can Mark has assumed the position in front of the box with the Simpsons. Yawning his head off having been woken as some unearthly hour. 9.30.
Danika wants to be a mechanic so here was a chance to learn how to change the brake pads. Mark doesn't know brake pads last about 150,000km's 'cos his only last about 5,000.
So while Martyn was doing his teaching best to show her how it was done he was prone.














As punishment for his lazy antics I put the vacuum cleaner in his room and shock horror I actually heard it working for 30 seconds. Marvellous.
It's going to be a long year ahead.

Little Fish

Just some photo's of the best kid ever

Swimmin Nan

Thursday is my day and I endevour to make it a fun time with Nan and Pa. So most times we go to the pool or Chipmunks. Sometimes we stay but this week we went to Redcliffe and drank gallons of free pool water and played and played.

Okay enough back to William

Martyn was doing some more work around the kids house installing an outdoor light when William decided he should help.







It took a little while to get him to understand that the way you hold a drill is not by the pointy end. Martyn used to show Hugo how a drill worked and he loved it when it turned. It really isn't as dodgy as it seems the drill was honesty turned off Martyn wasn't experimenting on how much torque it takes to drill through a childs hand

Kara had a birthday

On Wednesday night a group of girls including the lovely ladies below shared a lovely evening to celebrate Kara's birthday. There were 10 of us including me and my bestest friend Shell who is about to became a nana AGAIN!!!!! 3rd time if you don't mind.
There is a lovely side on view of her new grandchild (girl) we think. Nice neat tummy Emma.
So we dined at a new resteraunt at the Evergreen centre in Northlakes which was very nice if just a little slow in the service area. Mind you they were busy so good luck to them it's not easy starting a new business these days.
Kara got yummy diamond earrings from Dan. Nice one Dan. And a Goddess hair straightener from Mum and Dad. And the most devine soap from Shell and girls. You need to see a photo of this soap to get where I am coming from. I need to go to this shop Michelle and get some of their lovely stuff.
So thanks Kara for sharing you day with the ladies we had a great time and from your Mum I am proud of all you have done in your life and the person you are today. Some came from my fantastic parenting (pat on the back to me) but really most of who you are you have developed with a desire to improve and grow through the hurdles that life has made you jump over. You are a delight.

Where does the clean laundry go

How about like this for example. I asked Mark to get his laundry off the line before it had to be re washed. So he did. And this is where all clean laundry should be. Don't you think this is a nice easy location for all your expensive crushable clothing.
Give me strength!!!!

It could be worse it could be beer bottles and peanuts. Anyway this is the occasional table in Mark's room. I had to take some photo's to show and maybe encourage him into cleaning.
Don't reckon my chances are high though

Christmas is coming

My contribution to the Christmas Spirit is funny light sticks on the back deck and our chrissy tree put up on the weekend. We bought led lights so there are 300 on that tree. I like it all plain in silver and pink. This is just for Kate. No kiddy decorations to mess it up.

Mark's Back

This is the new look Master bedroom with Mark well and truly settled in. He emptied out the unit and has made himself very comfy in our room. It is actually the best result for everyone's sanity. For those who understand Mark's volume control was never turned down even as a child he works at zero or max decibels. He seems happy enough but only time will tell if it will work for all concerned. I might even have to throw him out if he doesn't clean his room.!
Anyway he is pretty proud of his Johnny Walker collection as you can see and his computer.
He has his car back now so all we need to do is get his ever increasing debts sorted and we can send him on his way again. Funny though he is a rat bag but I loves him.

Alfie's over budget

Well it is nearly a week since Alfie checked into the doggy Hilton and maybe he might come home today. Since he was released he developed pneumonia and paralysis of his oesophagus. Who would want to go to that hotel?
Oh yeh and even Martyn admits he smells pretty bad now.
He has had some visitors which he immediately licks all over. Now who would let a smelly dog lick them all over I wonder?
Anyway lets hope that my next blog is a homecoming. Thanks for calling up and caring about our little friend.

Not home anymore

Well he didn't last long before he was back to the hostiple.
This afternoon he was wheezing like a 50 a day 90 year old. It was actually very distressing to watch. But we waited a while to see what would happen. The fact that a fortnights salary was about to disappear without a trace was some incentive to see if he regained his strength. But Martyn was having a stress attack and beginning to show signs of watery eyes when I decided to give in and not place a monetary limit on Alfie.
So he is back in with another drip and this time O2 to keep him going overnight. Tomorrow is another day and I hope that we will be blessed with his presence for some time to come. After all with no Alfie I will have to close down the blog and have no where to write my occasional musing.

I'm Home

Well if you read the blog you know the story but he home now.
He stayed at the hositple for two nights. I would like to point out that a c section can be thrown out of our hospital system after 4, so who is doing better here the people or the pets.! ( Martyn didn't get this so read it twice).
The vets were wonderful and called us daily to update Alfie's condition. Even though we caught the tick early he is still quite sick with laboured breathing he sounds a little like an asthmatic. He is not allowed to have any excitement for a month to avoid heart damage or heart attack and he is still falling sideways a little. Blimey what a carry on. I bet a girl dog would have just shaken it off and carried on with valor as we girl do.
So we have a picture of one of the pet vets and Martyn retreiving his mate.
Oh just one more thing he is sticking to mummy like glue so here's the thing I reckon. When it comes to fun and food they turn to Dad but nuture requires Mother's gentle touch and warm loving heart. Ahhhh.... See it is in the natural order of things we girls just have it.

Alfie in E.D

What's E.D.? Emergency Department. Well our poor third child aka Alfie has been admitted. Poor darling lost his legs to a paralysis tick tonight. I was at work and missed all the drama but Martyn had to rush him to the 24 hour (Hilton 5* pet hospital) for emegency resus.
He had a lovely play with Bonnie at Jan and Pete's on Thursday while Martyn was helping Lyall. But!! He came home with a little present. A tick. Darn thing nearly killed him tonight. It was on his lip of all places.
Anyway he is holding his own, so if the vet isn't looking to upgrade her Mercedes to a convertible we should have him back in less than a week. (the week is her idea mine is overnight) That was an expensive outing Alfie. Good job he is famous with his own blog and all.
Kara would argue that Sooty is WAY more precious than Alfie and has racked up 100's in vet bills so far.
Anyway it is a good reason to give him a crew cut at least Martyn found the tick.
So all is well just wish we had private vet insurance right now.

Little Miss Muffet

On thursday we were looking after Will and Kara was telling us all about her dream which was all about spiders and yucky badness. I told her that I remembered reading that dreaming spiders apparently means your coming into money. Well goodness me if one one of the letters we delivered to her that day contained a notice that her previous employer had discovered they owed her two weeks pay. Very nice I say.
Well where does that leave us then when I tell the story of tonight.?
As I was peacefully enjoying my dinner in front of the telly ( no comment pls) I looked over to see a a whispery fine spider web floating from the light socket not ten steps away from me. My gaze was slowly drawn to the source of the lovely floaty web at which point profanity escaped my lips( Oh dear oh my goodness) and I levitated toward the exit at some speed.
No it wasn't a large juicy, hairy member of the spider family. It was mummys babies. Darling little things really all TWO THOUSAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! of them. I kid you not and I might even be underestimating because my lounge ceiling was moving. I swear they weren't there when I got home an hour before.
Mortein and gas masks to the rescue and the vacuum cleaning man made it all better. But yes I am a little nervous with anticipation. Does this mean we will win Lotto or do have to dream 2,000 spiders. Might prefer to stick with current financial situation I think.

PLEASE READ:
While I wanted to make this a more interesting read I thought to incorporate a picture of a Spider. I typed spider pictures into my google and picked the first choice on the list. It came up with Steve's Australian Spider pics and little sub link on the page just click below to read. Can I tell you God blows my mind

http://www.godssimpleplan.org/gsps-english-print.html

How do I get from spider to God. Maye Two thousand ODD ways.

Will's Back.

I loved this photo that was taken in Perth. It has that depth that makes it look like you just want to grab his hand. Anyway they are back and I am not to be detered from my nana visits anymore. William apparently took about 5 seconds to recognise Martyn when he picked them up at the airport but then it was all about Pa. Today we went to see them after lunch with Barb and Mark and it was all about Nana. He threw quite a hissy fit when we left.Quite as it should be I say. He is devine and I want to eat him all up. Yum Yum.

Twice as nice

I went out with the girls from work last night and Martyn thought I looked good enough for a photo. Well I just had to congradulate myself and give me a big kiss. So playing to the photographers whim cos I am not really that full of myself I did pucker up. So I thought I would include the pucker for fun.
We all met at Huongs at West end which is a very livley place indeed. Might even be worth revisiting again sometime. Not Huongs that was average but the West End.

Who's garage is that?

I get really confused with this stupid blog thing. My first photo's should be last as they are the end result. But anyway I suppose you get the picture so as to speak that the garage is not like it was. In fact it is cleaned out painted and washed. Looks a treat. Tomorrow we put up shelves high on the wall for those hard to swallow toxic substances. Keeping our Will safe. And things of the floor. Hope you like it.















Martyn spent a good
few hours
doing what
he does.

Playtime

This is the daily on going activity.
Even though we took them to Southbank for a long walk and lunch. We did lunch of course the dogs didn't. They still keep going most of the day.
















Sometimes they stop and look as if to say "what!" This one almost looks like they are really into it but it is a love in really. No sooner do they stop and they're into a bit of tounge kissin. Eeww!!!
Just for Kara and not generally interesting to all blog readers " the rectinol has cured Sooties need to drag his rear along every horizontal surface"
Oh thank goodness I can't stand the thought of what it means to the carpet.
Tomorrow we head over to your place again to continue the finishing touches so there will be no more nagging. Except for the recycled rubbish I am still gonna nag about that one.
Nasty Nana.

Smoke and mirrors

We have been trying to work out for some time how to cover the joins in the plaster board that keep me pulling out my hair. It wasn't that they were awful it's just that they were and I don't think Martyn could work out a way to repair it without relining all the wall. Big job even for us. So we did Ikea and fixed it. Thanks to Lyall and Michelle for transporting said mirrors home for me.
Some would say we are still renovating the renovations but not so. Instead I am keeping Martyn busy thereby filling his days with pleasurable activity bringing joy to his life..............................

OOOpps mum we broke the door

It was bound to happen one day just didn't think they would break it day one. Anyway there is now a much quieter replacement flap for the doggy door.

While the cats away the worker plays

Martyn moved in to Kara and Dan's house to do some running repairs and finish off some jobs. Also I have been on nights and the two screaming demons aka Sooty and Alfie sometimes take to doing Indy laps around the house ruining my naps. So I have been lonely forsaken for the furry kids. Anyway thought you might like to see the work to date. So as you can see the holes in the ceiling are gone and the escape route to chase the neighbours is sealed tight as a drum.

Nana is broken

Where did they go nana. Then he sees them for a mini hug before taking off again









They took my sunshine and risked
life and limb on a Virgin flight to Perth.
I miss him already come home safe and sound but have a wonderful time.
I want photo's by the way. NOW!!!!!

William and girl germs

I loved this particular interaction. It was during the last minute before boarding when he was plane spotting that he spotted a girl. Pretty though she was and going in the same direction too. But William kinda looks like he is pointing out the obvious. "you are not sitting next to me Ok'

Nursing

This is Kara with some of the nurses from the local hospital. Not nice at all. There was nothing about the place that was remotely hygenic let alone sterile. But the nurses were spotless and that at least says something about them. Birthing in India is not for the faint hearted and more suitable beds can be found in our local vet practice. So thank you God we are grateful

Babies cot in India

This is the cot for a newborn in a fairly well to do family where the mother was a doctor in the local village. Mind you I don't think William's teeth could do as much damage to this cot as he has done to his fancy dancy one at home. He has chewed through to the bare timber most of the way around. Naughty William!!!!

India mission

A few years ago
we went to India. We were truly green about Missions and
What they would involve for us. Now it is easy to say we want
to serve the Lord and reach out to others but I have to tell
you that we found out what that entails and to be sure the
Calling is not always so heavenly as we think. Not to say we did
not fall in love with the people for they were truly amazing and
loving and gave to us without question as we tried to give back
to them. But although we loved the sari's and the people the rest
proved we have much flesh left in our westener midset. The heat at times became unbearable and the air was so foul it left a
distinct taste in the mouth. I think they call it pollution. One of our group Margaret pictured below has been back every year and preaches up a storm. She is truly called to India





































So in remembering India I had to look at the photo's to recall the truth. That truth is that we took a message and we backed it up with money. Money to buy a little luxury that for instance got a bed for the kids in the orphanage to sleep on. They loved that. So much better than the concrete floor. A fridge so that they don't have to visit the market everyday and the kids can have icy poles for a treat. But what we took away was so much more important. I think that both Kara and I fell in love with these Indian kids and they stick in your mind and there is something to be grateful for that we were blessed with not living in such poverty