Stored for two years, sewn in an afternoon

Yes this is a fuzzy iPhone photo

nearly white Christmas

So we nearly had a white Christmas, in Melbourne, in Summer. Does a whole heap of hail count? Here are some photos and a video.

Candles

Today I had the day off work to make candles with the nephews. It was very successful, the boys had a great time and made quite a few candles each before we ran out of wicks and the temperature got a bit much for us all. Here are some photos

the finished products

The nephews

Action Shot

work

Recently at work, we have been implementing two new systems. One I haven't heard anything about and I'm not going to address in this post. The other I have been really involved with the preparation of the data for loading into it, and in signing off the data model and the general day to day project management issues of, even thought I am not the project manager.

The firm is seeming to forget, every now and then, that we are the customer. Even though we should know the answers to questions, some times we don't. If we can't give them the answer, cos we don't know, they shouldn't just keep saying, tell us the answer! Today we finally decided we are just going to say 'right we're not going to do that bit anymore' (the bit we don't know the answers about) and the project manager (our employee) got all shitty. It will cost us some money to make a change to the project, but that's normal, IT project especially, change as they go along. I wish she hadn't reacted that way. *sigh*

I have to do a fair bit of work now, trying to manual work out the process we will use, to be able to answer the questions. I can see this ending up in a version 2 (or 3) of the application, if we ever have enough money. *double sigh*

===end whingeing===

got qr?

Yes, yes I am a nerd :)

Sad day

I know this is really quite old news now, but it has taken me a while to write this port. On the 21st of October, we had to make the decision to have Molly put to sleep. Molly was approaching 16 years old, and with the exception of the last two years, had not had a single health problem her whole life. Her run ins with Cushings Disease and having to have her eye removed had both knocked her in the last little while, but even so she continued to be a happy girl, and to boss the pupps around. In the end, she wasn't in any pain, but her kidneys had failed, she had developed a very evil sounding cough and was mostly sleeping all the time. Neil was with her at the vet at the end, as I was in Canberra. Neil made her a lovely box and we have buried her in the front yard.

I will always miss her, and am glad to have had her with me for such a long time.

This is an older photos of Molly, looking the way I like to remember her.

Look, its my name in Japanese

Anyone need an ironing board?

Dog diary and I at a meeting

Caching

The other day I decided to go shopping on the way to a meeting at the other end of town. I walked the whole way, I really hurt my hip, but that's a whole other story.
When you go caching it is necessary to carry a round a whole lot of stuff. Gps, stamp, pen, treasures, camera, note pad, sometimes even a torch. For ages now my main caching bag has been my leather three compartment backpack handbag. Unfortunately, caching hasn't been very gentle on my bag and I want stop using it before it get wrecked and I can't take it 'nice' places. I decided to look at Crumpler bags. Eventually I found their shop in Melbourne Central. The lady way very nice and helpful and I came away with a great bag. I think it will turn out well. I am thinking of heading out soon to try it out in the field :)

The show

I am at the show this year for work. It's the first time they have had a stand since guy that used to organise them retired. Any way my question is: who's stupid idea was it to make the shirts this color

Scotties

Look at the sort of things I have to put up with. And this is all on my side of the bed

The mess after 1 Scottie jumped on the bed

The mess after a second, obviously much wetter Scottie jumped on the bed.

A different view

This the view I have now I am back at work. My back is so much better. It doesn't really hurt at all any more I am just being careful because of the Scottie show on the weekend. You are all welcome to come along if you want. But be warned. It will be boring

Training

Why do trainer feel it is necessary to ply the student with chocolates? I have eaten sooo many. They are yummy and it have no ability to say no to them. Today I have had a mini milky way, bounty and a honey comb freddo. Lets not talk about the number of Minties I have eaten. Those things have to be the moat evil lollie, I mean they are great, but really evil. I don't know how I have any teeth left. That reminds me, the dentist sent me a reminder. Oops

My lunch time view

It's not very exciting is it?

Back

Done me back, bugger. It's no where near as bad as last time, which was nearly two years ago, when the puppies where small. Still it's not fun. I have a corse all this week which is a bit of a bum as I really have to sit. This really bad for my back. I am able to spend each break and all evening lying flat on my back, like I am right now. Lucky it easy to use the iPad like this. I also have to spend the whole weekend lying down. Fingers crossed it doesn't get any worse, although the physio who I saw tonight thinks it will probable get worse before it gets better. Bloody perl corse :(

my Scottie babys

Clarra
Guthrie
Conner

Watch my video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv8Ysci8XUI&feature=youtube_gdata

Sent from our iPad

Shiny new

Following my mothers excelent example, I have gone out and bought myself something shiny and new. Not a mini laptop in this case, but a new camera, which if I do say so myself, I sorely needed. My ye olde Olymipus µ camera really hasn't been up to scratch for a while and I haven't liked the photos it has been producing for a while (The link is to a similar one, I think mine is even older).
So today we went off to have lunch, across the road from the Digital Camera Warehouse and I bought one of these:


It's one of these. To , I went in to get one of these, but in the end, the camera I got takes better photos in low light, and that's what I have been least happy with on my current camera, so I decided that even though it's a bit larger than I was thinking, I think I will be very happy with it.

Also in news from our house, on Tuesday, the electricians came back and did the last of the work, except the spiffy light switches, which I have to ring them about. The kitchen looks amazing!

Me with curls

It's all done :)

Big week, big month

It might only be 4:30pm on a Saturday but we already sitting in front of the tv with a beer each and we are both buggered. I have been thinking about everything that has been on this week and it no wonder we are stuffed! Especially when you add in the last weeks worth of things as well

This week:

• Plaster sanding
  
• Plaster cleaning
  
• Boss returned to work
  
• Two 3 hr workshops
  
• Dog school
  
• Re installing the projector on the ceiling
  
• Painting and more painting
  
• Snigger had to be put down
  
• Bosses boss announced he is going to 3 days for the rest of the year
  
• Bought shiny now light fitting

Last week:

• Had plaster installed
  
• Was 'acting' as the boss
  
• Installed the projector onto the roof and removed it
  
• Removed all the old plaster
  
• Tidied up after removing the plaster
  
• Removing the roof supporting beam

It's no wonder we are stuffed. All we have left we have is 1/4 of the roof and a small amount of walls for the first coat of paint and the final coat of paint. Then all that's left is the skirting boards
Oh dear!

My scotties clearly have a hard life

Pie on a plate

Yep that's me lunch, no garnish. Just pie and mash

Kitchen mark 2

Cathedral ceilings and crap iPad camera

Look at out lovely cathedral ceiling. I have better photos on my real camera, but the computer is currently covered in plastic, to protect it from dust, much like the sink in this photo, if you can see anything in this photo, it's such awful quality

We are so connected

Ok so the house is a total mess, but look what's hanging from the ceiling!?!? :)

Not spoilt

These are the pan cakes Neil made especially for the dogs. I don't think they are spoilt at all

Tired

This photo is from before Finn went to his new home in the hills and the three puppies were still together. Don't I look tired? Clearly this was a while ago, cos I look at this photo now and think aren't they cute, I miss Finn, why didn't we keep them all? This shows I have forgotten all the pain of trying to keep three puppies in line, with only two hands, I have forgotten the wee, everywhere. I have forgotten the noise and general havoc. Oh well, they are cute, I will just remember that and try to move on.Conner, Guthrie, Finn, with me

Hmm cider

From England

Eurovision 2011

So it was Eurovision. I had my thrid annual party. I had everying this year!! three fondues (oil, cheese and chocolate) beer kransky sausages (which we forgot to cook) sauerkraut (oops, forgot this too) wine and bubbles. We a great turn out and everyone had a great time. Here are some photos:

Eurovision 2011

It was a great party and as Azerbaijan won I am going to seriously look in to having a holiday there next year. I have already discovered that there are 8 caches there and one of them is an earthcache :)

Before and during

So, we have ripped the lining out of the kitchen, and oh boy. I don't really want to talk about it right now.

Molly the one eyed westie cross

So there has been a fair bit of pressure from some areas for me to put up a photo of Molly in her newly edited format: ie with on eye. She looks both good and bad. A lot better than I was expecting but still fairly awful. From one side she looks almost normal (if you don't count the bucket hat/Elizabethan colar). From the other side she looks a lot like a chinesse crested dog, with a missing eye of course. The stitching that has been done is very neat. I'm sure that by the time the fur grows back she will look quite in-offensive. Right now..... Not so much.
For our upcoming Eurovision party (gibe me ring if you want to come, it'll be ace) I am thinking we might need to rig some sort of eye patch for her. I know that she will fell a lot better with out the eye, even if she doesn't already.
Any way. I'm not keen to put up a photo, cos she really does look yuk and I don't want to embarrass her. Any one can come and visit if they want to.

hope this works

How cool is this?!?!?
Yes, I am a super nerd.

In case you are wondering, it is a very tiny movie of all my cache finds in Victoria

Long time no sew

So all you regular readers (hello all 3 or so of you!) It's been a long time since I actually sewed anything sensible. I've been slack and uninspired, I can handle that, too bad if you can't.
The other day at work, I saw a girl in a really simple a-line skirt. I decided I should make one. I made a pattern this morning. No worries there. I looked through my extensive material collection and there was nothing that did it for me, that I hadn't already penciled in to be something else, so oh dear, I'd have to go to Spotlight. What a shame. :( but really ;) he he he
I roped Fiona in for the trip, partly cos I thought she'd like to go, partly cos I hate shopping by myself. Then I realised my money was in the car.... with Neil..... at the steam club.... 30 min car trip away. Bugger. I was going to cancel the trip, until Fiona remember she owed me some money any way! Yay :) Off we went.
I would a nice material, I have a feeling it is upholstery, even though I found it in the dress making section.
Half way through making it, I thought "I have a wedding to go to next week and this would be perfect, if only I could come up with something to wear on top".
By the time I finished sewing it up, I had the whole outfit in mind, here's a test run:Some how, not sure how, I have managed to make the thing a little large in the waist, I guess I can run up the edges a bit, but not for the moment. The rest of the outfit is an Intimo top with a scarf I've had for ages. Nice hey? (just don't say if you think it's awful)

No Mow

I don't think there will be any mowing today :(

Meet the new mower

Don't you love the way the dog paths show up so well, even after mowing them

80's Wedding

This is me and the bride, doesn't she look lovely?

Creative

I haven't made anything for a while, but recently I decided it would be cool to make the geocaching badges you can earn in electronic form, into REAL badges! Here they are:Yes, that's right, I am a total nerd ;)

Bad Bad News

Before I start let me just tell you that everything is now fine.

On Thursday I took these cool photos and on Friday evening I was going to write a really inane post about them
Instead, just as I was getting ready to leave work on Friday, I got a call from Neil asking me if Molly was out the front of the house for any particular reason. After a few confused minutes of conversation, it turned out Guthrie was also out the front. I hung up from Neil and told him to look for the others and give me a ring right back. It took a few minutes for the badness of the situation to sink in. Eventually, I rang Neil back. The dogs were missing. I felt sick. They had literally ripped TWO bits of wood off the back of underneath of the house OFF with their TEETH (we had teeth marks to prove it) and squeezed into a small hole under the house, then there are quite a few places they can get out to the front of the house and away. Again at this point I mention the feeling sick. I rang the council, who were unhelpful.
I left work and rode my motorcycle home, I got home, changed and left the house to start searching for them, which Neil was already doing. I walked around the parks we normally take them for walks in. I looked in the creek we walk beside, hoping not to see black fuzzy bodies. After an hours or so of walking around, calling out to Clara and Conner, I went home. I called the council again, who were closed by this time and spoke to the after hours man, who was even less helpful, bordering on rude. I rang the lost dogs home and left a message on their answering machine. By this time, I had an enormous blister on my heal. I had to change into sandals for my other aimless depressing walks around the streets. I continued this, looking for little black fuzzy bodies, when I was in the street, until dark. Neil ordered pizza for us, our normal Friday fair. I could only eat two bits, again with the feeling sick. Neil continued to search, with a torch, until ten. At this point we went to bed, there was no real sleep here, as both of us got up a number of times to check if the dogs had returned to the front door and we trying to get in. It's amazing the sorts of noises you can imagine.
In the morning we got up around 7, ate and went looking again. What else could we do? The lost dogs home didn't open til 9am. I made it home again around 8.30am ish, my feet where hurting quite a lot my this point, as walking the streets and parks in sandals isn't really a great plan. The phone rang, it was the lost dogs home and they had Clara. Relief at this point is somewhat of an understatement, but oh my God, where is Conner! We jumped in the car and headed of to North Melbourne, arriving just before they opened their doors. After a whole lot of paper work, and a very upsetting look around the small dog cages to see if Conner was there, but miss identified (I could only walk down two isles before I was too upset and Neil had to do the rest), we got Clara back. To be honest, she didn't even seem pleased to see us! When we started driving home, the reason for this became apparent. She was exhausted, I don't think she had slept at all or at least, not much. Poor thing, she is used to her queen sized bed, not a blanket on concrete!
We were able to find out where she was found, and decided to start a new search there, as we assumed Clara and Conner would have hung out together. This area is nearly 1km from our home! (I'd put in a map, but you might be a burglar or strange stork-ie person, and I might not want you to know where I live).
So the search started again, but this time it must have been 10.30am or so, so there where heaps of dog walkers out in the park, I spoke to 20 or so. Neil, who was walking in the direction of our place spoke to heaps as well. After walking the park for ages. I walked an S shape of all the streets between the park and the street where Clara was found. I checked on google maps this morning, I walked about 3km, in this park and the streets nearby that morning. This was my 3rd or 4th trip out, I think I have worked out why my feet are so sore, I was carefully avoiding looking at them, so I wouldn't know how bad they were and I could keep looking. At around lunch time we went back home, getting increasingly despondent.
I was sitting at the computer, having been looking for more numbers to ring, and the phone rang. It was a Vet in East Hawthorne, they had my dog Yellow, what the? Then I remembered, when I micro chipped the puppies, they didn't have names yet, so we gave them their colored wool names, they had Conner (all this took .3 secs in my head, it ok) It turns out a man on his way home from work had picked Conner up, from the same area as Clara was found and taken him home (to East Hawthorne). He spent the night playing with the mans Pug. The man was ready to keep Conner and took him to the vet to check if he had a micro chip (thank god he did!) What a relief! At this point I rang my Mum, it was her birthday on Friday and I didn't want to give her a whole lot of worry as a present. So we drove to East Hawthorne and picked up Conner. He also didn't seem that happy to see us either, little bugger! I was really happy to see him though.
When we got home, Neil got to work repairing the dogs little bit of house renovation. Now if they want to get out, they will need to have a cordless drill and perhaps a crow bar.
So it's moral of the story time:

• Don't go to work EVER
• always stay at home with your dogs
• maybe my dogs should wear collars, even if it will make a mark in their fur
• make sure your dogs (and cats) are microchipped!!!

regrowth

So, remember how the other day I cut the crap out of a whole lot of bushes in the back yard? Any way, I noticed today when we were wipper snippering (not mowing, as our mower is stuffed and the grass was 3 feet tall, AGAIN) that one of the particularly pretty natives, that was looking a bit shit and getting a bit tall, is coming back with vengeance. I have always known that you can cut natives back really hard and they will come good, but it's a completely different thing to actually see it! How cool is this?:

No Camera

Yay I found it!!!! I also found the book I have been missing, the remote for the AC in the back room and all the other things that were beside the bed when we packed it up on Christmas morning! Yay. Neil then proceeded to pick on my packing method, cos the stuff was not on the top of a pile, it wasn't on the bottom either, so I say my method is fine. Anyway, got it and that's all I care about for the moment :)