To wear or not to wear?

Have to get shoes laces - rainbow ones?

Mmmmmmm............

Mmmmmm …. Think I’ll just sit here with my paws crossed & contemplate those two youngsters mucking about in & out of boxes (see Sams blog).

Still Life with Beads

Interupted catnap

3.30 in the aftenoon, I'm on my bed reading the excellent 'WHITE' by Rosie Thomas. Ebony on the widowsill. We both catnapped 10 mins later.

Entwinement

I was lucky to be given bunches of beetroot, spring onions, parsnips and carrots yesterday. So salad tonight and roast on Sunday. Just couldn’t part these two though!

Two for the collection

An envelope with four great stamps on, arrived today from Paul in the Netherlands, inside were two cards covered with stamps. Some people are so good to take the trouble to help my project. I still have a long way to go to get stamp cards from every country. So thank you Paul also Trishka from Estonia (don’t you just love the ‘bat’ stamp?).

Yum!!

Recipe for an unusual cake: I added chopped ginger and next time will cut down on the sugar. From The Food Pharmacy cookbook by Jean Carper. I' ve also started making bread.

Books, History & Creepy thing

Have been busy and lazy for the last few weeks. Finished reading ‘The House of Storms’ by Ian MacLoud – very strange but compelling book to get through 457 pages. Now onto another Rosie Thomas, this one ‘Bad Girls, Good Women’ goes back to 1955 and is 826 pages (3inches thick!). That’s in between making more stamp postcards, tracing the Beck family back in time (5 books out from the library on family history and hours on the computer) and general stuff in and around the house. Found the many legged thing in the bathroom sink when I went to clean my teeth.

3 postcards

Three amazing shoe postcards from Paulina in Finland.

Stamp card from Vilmante in Lithuania.

Check it out

My latest favorite blog
http://little-people.blogspot.com/

Kookaburra

This Kooaburra is sitting in the old gum tree in the back garden. One of pair just hanging around laughing.

Postcards covered with stamps

I am looking to get handmade cards covered with used stamps from every country, if anyone has time I would love one. I will swap.so far I have USA, France & Norfolk Island.

Ebony relaxing

Sitting in the sun - what a life. Bliss.

Gordon sulking

This is Gordon who has a house and at least one slave in New Zealand.

And one for the smokers

Watch your step when using the loo!

OK so it's been a long time!! Anyone want to paint the bathroom floor.........

And one to go...

Waiting to be sent - 1st come 1st served. More in the pipeline.

A cluster of stamps

Private swap of a postcard covered with used stamps.

Back from the Void #9

This arrived today, an envelope full of ATCs & stamps all by the hand of wackystuff. Go check out his website http://stuffbywackystuff.blogspot.com/

The power of electricty

Power cut yesterday (4pm - 7pm) due to someone digging in Yanchep & today the pole outside next door caught fire so power off from (10.30am - 4.20pm) !! Just in time to have a cuppa.
Finished reading 'East of Eden'. Phew!!!

Still life with candles.

Reading East of Eden – a very powerful book. The film only told the half of it.

Weather is a little on the cold side (0.7 to 2 deg at night) so am all rugged up, not a pretty site. It’s much warmer outside in the sun during the day, rain on the way.

Torched!

There have been quite a few trees set alight in the neighborhood and last night it was my turn to dial ooo. Rather frightening seeing sparks fly past the front of the house! Next door there is one of these trees (sort of palm) right next to the fence, thank goodness the Volunteer Fire Rescue truck was not far away. I took the photo from the front room window.

New postcard

A mouth watering card from nordbaer (postcrossing).

Bookcase #1.

These are some of the books & other 'stuff' I just had to keep. Just finished 'March' by Geraldine Brooks. Next will be either ‘Five Quarters of the Orange’ by Joanne Harris (read ‘Chocolat’ last Friday) or ‘Mao’s Last dancer’ by Li Cunxin. And then there is always ‘Narnia’ (still on shelf) or ‘Dirt Music’ by Tim Winton (next book club book). There was a suicide in my road last week, no one I knew. Very sad.

Ebony exploring the back garden.

Very odd

Have just noticed there appears a ‘ghost’ in the mirror (upper shelf with scrolls around). That is not an old photo of a Japanese lady or anything else!!! Wonder what it is.

Here’s looking at you….

Eb waiting for me to feed her. Have now emptied every box & spread my 'stuff' around.

Front cover thrill

The image 'Time & Tide' is a bit darker than the original, still a thrill to see the book published!

New Book

The move was as stressful as any other although I should be used to moving as this was my 28th!!!

Finished reading ‘People of the Book’ by Geraldine Brooks. What a ‘couldn’t put down’ & didn’t want it to end’ book, thoroughly enjoyable. Am now into the 4^th volume of Jean M Auel’s ‘The Plains of Passage’.
Barbara (Yates Rothwell) called in today with a couple of copies of ‘No Time for Pity and other Tales’ her new book with my image on the front cover. She also gave me lots of book marks & some postcards. Hope I can find everyone’s address.

Settled in.

All is well, computer fixed, most things working & have just unpacked last box of 'stuff'. According to the owners the house looks 'happy'!! Pot plants have helped.

Minor set backs.

Have been 'home' now for ten days but only just had phone connected this morning. Not that that will help with being on line as I have blown up the computer!!! Think it is a faulty switch so now waiting for electrician. Ebony is OK & so am I, very happy here in spite of a few setbacks. All for now, back later in the week.

Almost there!

I had a very busy day today spent packing. I don’t believe all the STUFF I have collected over the years! Goodness knows where I’m going to put it all. At least I was able to get the keys of the new place & made a few trips ‘up the road’. Couldn’t have done it without a very good friend who helped me. Bless you Merle. Ebony disappeared under bushes in the back garden when the window cleaner came I hope she does the same tomorrow when the removal guys come & move all the furniture, boxes etc. I’m off now to make an omelet, take some pain killers & chill out in front of TV. Hope to catch up tomorrow eveing if Telstra gets me fixed up.

Two Rocks Marina, Anzac day

Hanging out to dry at the lagoon.

Little Miss Twinkle Toes

Really enjoyed the visit last Sunday.

Busy, busy.

11 days to go before the move. Much too busy to write anything except this short note. As well as packing up & trying to sell some things there is an art work to create for the Wanneroo Art Award. Happy Days!!

What's going on?

Time to get up-to-date: I have been given 60 days to vacate #60, which came as a bit of a shock.

I started to read ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ but put it down as it was too dreary when I was worried about the move. Moved on to ‘You gotta have balls’ by Lily Brett, read a couple of chapters & then put that down. Feeling depressed as there was nothing much in the way of rental properties in Yanchep, not at a price I could afford! Then on Monday when I had some good news (I am able to rent a place just up the road) I was able to get on & read 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' It was a rather tough read all set in Afghanistan. Finished that on Friday & back into ‘balls’ which I found very amusing, love the Jewish humor! Will have to see about getting hold of more of Bretts books.

I am now reading ‘The Secret’ by Elizabeth Gill (not very well written). On Saturday I went to the Joondalup Festival & bought a hard cover copy of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ by C.S.Lewis. It cost $20 & I am really looking forward to reading it.

For the last few days I have been sorting out ‘STUFF”, have to throw, sell or give away some. I move in a couple of weeks so there is still time. Most of the postcards are down & put away in my bank of drawers. Getting help tomorrow with potting up some of the plants I put in some weeks ago. Most of my postcards are now off the wall. Ebony getting a bit worried.

Moving on

New place to live, maybe

Surfs up!

Last day of surf duty for Trevor. Sea very rough today but warm, we all were dumped on the sand!

Steel Life

The evening with Liz Byrski at Wanneroo was most enjoyable & I look forward to reading her new book ‘Trip of a Lifetime’. At the moment I am in the middle of the 2^nd epic novel by Jean Auel. ‘The Valley of Horses’ leads on from ‘The Clan of the Cave Bear’ following Ayla as she leaves the Clan. The other book news is that Barbara Yates Rothwell’s short stories will be here soon, more on that later.

Weather report: rain at last yesterday, just when I had to deliver artwork to the blender gallery in Joondalup. It had eased by the afternoon so all was well. Very strong winds last night & this morning, no one swimming either day. The rest of today has been perfect.

Another sunset, books & fire

Another sunset over Yanchep, taken on the way to book club. All of us have different opinions on ‘The Shadow of the Wind’. Once again a very good & stimulating evening!

This afternoon a fire caused quite a bit of concern. According to the news it is still burning this evening. Thank goodness the wind has dropped.

Full Moon Easter

Finished reading ‘The Clan of the Cave Bea’r by Jean M Auel a couple of days ago. I must be one of ‘the others’ as my eyes became wet at the end. Am looking forward to the next volume ‘The Valley of the Horses’.

Then I read ‘The Notebook’ by Nicholas Sparks & finished it an hour ago. Very beautiful & heart rending love story. Sniff, sniff – glasses off , blow nose, not to be read without a tissue box handy (or a handkerchief that will have to be washed).

Now to the weather, warming up again, water temp 22º this morning, chilly wind. Full moon on Good Friday.

Busy last week getting ready for visitors, printing out canvas for the exhibition at blender & thinking about what to do for the Wanneroo Art Award.

Birthday wishes from all over – Chris & Brian in Spain, Sam, Shannen, Chris & Jade, Claire (good lunch!), Francene, Merle, Maxine, Pam, Catherine, Glennis (postcrossing) & this shell chime + 2 teabags from Relie & icitiwan (postcrossing) in Singapore – just amazing! Thanks everyone.

Weather fine, water is still warm, looks like it could be a good Easter.

Have just finished reading ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, very interesting read to say the least, 521 pages of twists & turns!

Sunset on the West Coast where the weather is so much cooler now.

Stuff!!

My collection of ‘stuff’ just gets bigger!!

Have just finished reading ‘True Believer’ by Nicholas Sparks, very enjoyable. Now reading 'Clan of the Cave Bear’ by Jean M Auel. Fascinating story of life in the Ice Age, all 587 pages! Off to meet Liz Byrski on the 28^th March would like her to sign my ‘Remember Me’ Christmas present.

The weather: bit warm but bearable with cooler nights. Good swimming weather. Sea breeze just kicked in - nice.

Ibis in Yanchep

This Ibis (Straw-necked Ibis, Threskiornis spinicollis) hangs around all alone in Yanchep.

Still Life with Tomatoes

200 + postcards

Almost filled one wall with recieved postcards from postcrossing.com.