Finishing Up

I have decided to not remain active with my blog. I'm really just over it......and never get myself excited about new posts or adding photos anymore.
So, have decided this is my last post.
I appreciate my lovely friends who have left comments etc. over the years. Especially when I was struggling with cancer. It means a lot to me that even though there is no way of knowing if anyone or how many people actually read what's written, some sweet people often left a comment or two. So, thank you!

I think my blog has served a great purpose for me, especially when I was struggling and became a great tool that later I used to make a journal of my cancer journey.

Now, I rarely spend time on the computer. I check emails and do some 'business' related things but I don't spend ages checking out scrapbooking websites etc like I used to. There is too much else I'd rather spend time on.

So, from me....it's adieu!!!! And thanks for stopping by.

What's going on?

Not sure what's happening with my blog. I can't get any photos uploaded on to it. Will have to play around with it when I feel better.
I'm still battling a sinus infection, have been really sick but not with swine flu although I was given a course of tamiflu. It's all from my sinus's. Am having a CT scan today as my oncologist is just making sure we rule out anything unsuspecting.

Will get back to my blog when feeling better as I have some great news.
A wedding in the family - that's already happened!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joshua's Baptism Day

Joshua was so looking forward to turning eight! Turning eight means getting baptised like his big cousins.

Although we are looking somewhat nervous here with Nanna and Pappa. Such a yummy boy you are Joshie. And we are so proud of you as we are of all your cousins. Making the big decision to be baptised is really important and one that you will never regret.

And here we are....all the family. Mum and Dad, Joshie, Riley, Harrison and Baby Bella. Family is just the most amazing institution ever.

All Done

Finally I finished cleaning out, culling, throwing away, giving away and tidying up my entire scrapbook room.
It is amazing how much space I have in there now. It's calling me to come and create.
It took me a couple of weeks to complete the whole project and I am so glad and so relieved that it's now finished.

I went through every single item in that room...made callous decisions about keeping or chucking away and it was sure worthwhile.

I havn't kept anything that I wouldn't use now. That was my criteria.

Now I just need some time to get in there and start working on some projects.

I have made a few cards because we've had some birthdays and other family functions. But I havn't as yet started a scrapbook page.

Pretty soon I'll be right in to it.

I have been battling a bit with health stuff. Like three out of three people are at the moment. It started with a Sinus infection, then laryngitis and now I have asthma. Which is something I only had when I had pneumonia. However, I'm being well looked after by my Doctor and more importantly by Colin. He has been fantastic....making meals, cleaning up. Very protective!

Really feeling the cold today. Can you believe that? Me, the person who always wants the heater turned down, the cooling turned up. I'm freezing today even with the heater on.

Culling

I have finally decided to cull my scrapbooking products. A major decision in the life of any scrapbooker. However I am so tired of my 'cluttered' room. I find I go to the same products all the time. And all the ones I've had for years that I thought I was putting away for my days when I am not earning money and can no longer buy 'new' stuff - have really lost their shine. I wouldn't use them anymore.
A lot of what I've kept stashed away for 'later on' hasn't seen the light of day for years. I've spent so much money that I am ashamed of the waste. Although I am giving it all away and hopefully some of it may get used or passed on.
For instance the amount of idea books I had at a cost of around $35-40 each and the piles and piles of magazines that are all so outdated - why keep them? Possibly to justify my decision to have spent the money on them. But they are really past their 'use by' date.
So I took a huge amount of them to a friend who can look through them, tear out what she wants, pass them on to others of just throw them away.

I am only keep this years CK magazines and all my Scrapbook Trends and CARDS idea books.

I bought four of the large photo storage boxes many, many years ago and enthusiastically began putting photos in them. But somehow they got put out of sight and then for a few years I just kept adding packets of photos on to a pile of other packets of photos.
Last night I got them all out and put them in the boxes - much tidier. And am grateful for digital photography and the fact that I tend to now only print photos I intend to scrapbook!

My desk is a nightmare so I have to yet tackle that. As well as the umpteen little plastic drawers sets I have with who knows what in them.
Then it's a matter of tidying up my ribbons - again. Then my tools. My plan is to have my cuttlebug and my cricut out all the time so I can just access them easily. I am even hoping to be able to have my sewing machine on a desk with the other two tools.

Lots of plans........a full rubbish bin, and a car boot or two to give away.

And then......no more buying stuff!!!!

Yesterday I went with Anita to Paperific at the showgrounds. It was fun going in by train and tram. Lots of chatting and catching up about our families and life in general.
The show was disappointing though. There really wasn't anything remarkable there - and any make and takes were hard to find.
I did buy some glimmer mist cuz I've been wanting some of that, some stickles and some lovely pens that I intend to use to make my 'old' flowers a bit more interesting.
It was nice to catch up with some friends from the past. Nice to see you Didi, Jodie, Deb, Kerry and Lyn.

Now I've got to make some dough for pizza's to take to Andrea's tonight.......I have a huge basket of ironing that I've been ignoring and I need to prepare a lesson to teach my young friends at Church tomorrow.

Future Socceroo

I li

Could this boy become a future Socceroo???? Being a biased Grandmother I think he can.!!!

He is also a very handsome soccer player as well!!

India and McKenzie two very faithful supporters of their soccer playing brother....even when it's a freezing morning! A lollypop helps!

We hadn't been to see Isaac playing soccer yet and as it was Martin's birthday on Saturday we decided to catch up with him at Isaacs game.
He is a little 'gun' player! He loves it and that's the most important consideration. However his sisters get a bit bored when it's so very cold and McKenzie just really hates it when it's windy so she wasn't going to be too co-operative with photos.

I can't believe that my second youngest child is now 31! How old does that make me feel? Although as they say 'every day above ground is a bonus' and so every day I get older I am grateful!

I 'might' be getting a new car. My Astra that we bought a couple of years ago is turning out to be a bit of a lemon. It was fine until we had a service done and since then it's been back at least one or two days every week for the last 8 weeks! So we have been looking around a bit at our options. The Hyundai i30 is looking good. But we're just not 100% sure we should be committing some well earned super towards paying for it!! Hmm......Decisions, decisions.

I am nearly finished with my 'type drawer'. I think I'm pretty happy with it....however the good thing about this is I can change anything anytime I want to. When it's all done I will take a photo and post it here. Still need to add a couple more photos and then there is one family shot I still need to take which isn't easy. It's of Andrea's family and it has to be a really specially good day for Sahnie to sit and have her photo taken.

So, now that I have almost finished creating a 'mess' in my scrap room I have decided to clean it out really thoroughly. I am going to cull big time! I have so must 'stuff' that I bought years ago because I felt the need to have to have every new thing that was released. Even if I didn't have an immediate plan or need for it. I liked it, at the time of course. However, now that I just scrap for my own pleasure and not for teaching or displaying in a shop my need for all this 'stuff' has really diminished.
In fact, most of what I put on my layouts now is from Cricut cartridges or the cuttlebug (sometimes!). Or even piece things together myself. So the demand on all the pre-maid things is very minimal and taking up a lot of space.
I have books and magazines going back years that I never look at. And the current pile is getting higher and higher and I never even get around to referring to those.
I am also fed up with the messy, cluttered theme of my scrap room.
Now that I've written this I realise this is going to be some task that I am going to undertake. Will have to break it down to small steps I think. And two BIG boxes - one for things to pass on and one for the grandchildren to play with....and then there is the rubbish bin as well!
Hoping to get started on this today!

I have decided to find a quote or statement each month that will give me a bit of a push to work on myself to be a better person.

At the moment it's this one:-
"Help me to be cheerful
when things go wrong.
Persevering when things
are difficult; and serene
when things are irritating."

I like this one........because like most people I have and do overreact to different things that come and go in my life. I have been trying to learn to not be this way because the only person who I am hurting is myself. I have learnt that on our journey we naturally get challenges thrown at us. Some are so hard....others we make harder by how we respond. It sure isn't worth responding to anything in any other way than cheerful, serene and persevering.

Good News For The Locals

Well, it seems that Kaiser Craft are more than likely going to open a store at DFO in Cheltenham.
This week Robyn, Rosemary and myself trotted around Geelong checking out a local store and Kaiser Craft. I met Chris Kaiser - the better half of the Kaiser Team!!!! And she told me that they are pretty much coming down to sign the lease next week!!! If it all comes off it will be great. They are doing so well with their products. Just releasing some new ribbons on cards at a very cheap price!!! And their new ranges are going to be released less frequently, but with more to the range such as rub-ons and stickers and ribbons and 6 papers per range instead of 4. I think the first release is in July.
How cool with it be to have them at the DFO in Cheltenham??? It will take me all of 5mts to get there!

It was so good to see Rosemary again. It's been since late last year, I think. Her new home is gorgeous. And she will have a huge scrapbooking room - as soon as she unpacks her house!

It was a long day driving to Geelong and back - shopping - and having a very yummy lunch. We all had the same - a potato and bacon pancake with cheese, two eggs and advocado on the top. Delicious!!! I won't mention what dessert was - a bit too decadent and way more than I should have eaten.

I am really keen to getting back to scrapbooking pages. I am stuck trying to finish my type drawer and am just not getting the creative juices happening at the moment. I might have to put it away for a bit and do something else for a while.

I've been roaming around a bit on Twitter and it makes me wonder what the big deal is about it. I much prefer reading blogs and catching up on what people are doing and creating. I can't see the point in one sentence comments that no-one even knows what it's all about. I did read one that is full of revenge and spitefulness. What's the point in that???
Who even cares? So I won't waist time snooping around there anymore.

I'm looking forward to a long weekend. I think some of us are going to do some bowling on Monday. We've had lots of fun before and it's a great activity to involve the children - especially on a cold, cold Melbourne day. (as is predicted anyway).

Alison - lovely to read your comment - thank you!!!!

Off to get some sleep.

Absolutely Ages

It has been quite a while since I added anything to my blog. I think I'm a bit over it these days and asking myself why I am keeping a blog at all.

Then I remembered all the benefit of having a blog when going through difficult times and how I was able to record all my thoughts, feelings and what was going on in my life at that time. Later I was able to refer back to all that information I had stored to create a journal of that time in my life. It was so helpful being able to do that. So, I figured that it is worth keeping on going with my blog.

What have I been doing? Nothing remarkable......everyday things!

Movies? - just saw Angels and Demons yesterday. Great movie. I love Tom Hanks as an actor although he is a bit controversial in his private life with his opinions on some things that I don't agree with and that has kind of changed my view of him a bit.

Scrapbooking? not a whole lot. I am finally working on my type drawer that I bought about a year ago. Mine has lots of very narrow long sections in it and so it's taking me a bit of trial and error to work out how to be creative with the whole thing. I am finally getting somewhere now. I have done a couple of classes at The Scrapbook Scene....which is always fun and I enjoy very much.
I notice through store newsletters and in talking to some store owners that there are a few online stores and retail stores being sold or closing. I guess that in this economic climate scrapbooking products are not really a necessity (although.....I could debate that point!), and I can imagine that sales etc. are down a bit.
It's still important to keep recording those personal/family memories - just have to figure out a way to keep the cost down.

Family? Always busy with my family. My darling eldest daughter, Andrea who is a single mother of three and has already had confirmed that her youngest daughter is Autistic has now had her eldest diagnosed with Aspergers. Quite a lot to deal with and poor Orson in the middle misses out a bit. So we are trying to have the children over for sleepovers at different times so she can focus on one at a time or have a day to herself.
I am so grateful that I am well enough now to be able to help her out this way.
Our other children and their families are doing really well. Isabella is 6months old now and so very cute. Time goes way too quick!
Sara is looking 'pregnant'! and has started wearing maternity clothes.....she looks so beautiful. In a few weeks she will find out if this baby is a boy or a girl.....can't wait to find out myself!

I had to stop going to the gym. It was taking too much out of me and my doctors told me to quit and just stick to walking. So every day Colin and I go for a 40mt quick (for me it's quick) stroll around the neighbourhood. I can only do it in the morning though!

My tests are still good.....and I am still having my 'every eight weeks' treatment. I do have to be very careful of infections because my lymphocyte count is much lower and always will be due to the damage from the lymphoma. So I'm hoping to not catch anything 'sinister' this winter.

I have been really enjoying reading again. I am devouring books lately and I guess that's why I am not getting as much scrapbooking done.

This week I am off to Geelong with my dear friend Robyn to the Kaiser Craft outlet and maybe check out the local scrapbook store and hopefully pop in to see our other dear friend Rosemary who has moved to Lara. It will be a great day........friends and scrapbooking 'stuff'. I'm looking forward to it.
Later in the month I am going to Paperific with Anita and her friend. 3 Dutchies together!!! Great fun......and hopefully some good bargains to buy as well.


I will try to keep up with my blogging a bit better than I have been.

In To Boys Pages

Riley at age 5 - taken last September 08. When I saw this photo I realised how much this little grandson has grown up all of a sudden. Papers I used are Kaiser Craft - they are really getting good with their papers. The tree I made copying ideas on Sassafras Lass papers the owl is Sassafras Lass as is the heart. The title is down with the cricut Graphically Speaking cartridge. Which I absolutely love!

Big brother, Joshua at 7 -playing mini golf. Joshie never changes......he is smaller than his younger brother! But makes up for it with personality and drive. We were playing mini-golf this particular day in September 08

The left hand side of a double page of little brother Harrison. These photos were taken Christmas Day 08. Harry loves the camera and is right in to posing with a different expression and then running up to have a look on the screen.
I again copied the trees and the owls from the Sassafras Lass range. I didn't have any left so just made them up myself. The little wooden embellishments are Sassafras Lass. The papers are a mixture and the frames are My Minds Eye.

Right hand page of our irrepressible Harry. I had a lot of fun coming up with new ideas for boys pages. Trees and owls instead of stars and arrows!!!

I havn't done much else interesting besides enjoying my scrapbooking. Have felt really tired though. This is all part of my metabolism having changed after Chemo.
We did go and see the movie The Boy in The Striped Pajamas. It is an amazing story of the jewish camps through the eyes of two eight year olds. Really pulls at the heartstrings and sure worth seeing.

Off to daughter Andrea's for the afternoon to watch the Anzac Day match between Essendon and Collingwood. Martin and Daniel have gone to the match and so the 'girls and children and Papa and Nanna' are going to watch it together and supervise the kidlets.

Easter 2009 Memories

Our baby, Isabella 4.5mths old

Lamont and Mckenzie with Daisy (Andrea's puppy)

Sahnie.....this is her I'm tired pose

Patiently waiting for......Easter Eggs - a 'bunch of cousins'

Easter Surprise

Here are my two beautiful daughters. One, Andrea is the mother of three gorgeous children. The other, Sara is the mother of 8yr old Monty and........she's pregnant!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!! She has wanted another baby for so long but the timing hasn't been right for her and her partner, Maga. Now, they are in their own house and now must be the right time!!!!!
Baby is due next November.

Am I excited??? I sure am! Grandchild number 12......wow!!!!

Sara and Maga told us yesterday when we had our traditional Easter Monday get together as a family. A perfect time to tell us because we were all together and it just added to the wonderful day we were already having.

Easter is always a special time as we reflect on the antonement and resurrection of our Saviour. We also had General Conference and there was one talk given by Elder Jeffrey Holland that was so powerful. I was in tears.....and I am sure many others in the congregation were too.

Of course our family get together didn't go without it's usual mishaps. Firstly, India stepped backward off the decking and fell very awkwardly with her head landing on the edge of a brick. So a huge egg and a nasty scrape on the arm resulted in a lot of tears. Then just when the children were ready to start their egg hunt Blakey got pushed off the deck by enthusiastic cousins and landed with one knee on the ground and the other foot still up on the balcony. Ouch!!! So a sore knee and another nasty scrape on his leg and a lot of tears.
Then finally the kids all went to get their eggs!! Phew!!

Then we had two little ones with a loose tooth each. Exactly the same tooth.........in separate mouths of course. India tugged away at hers and then Joshua tugged away at his and out they both came!!!!! They were so funny watching them to see who could pull theirs out first.

I was exhausted when we got home but it was such a wonderful day that it was a blissful exhaustion!!!

Joshua Excells at AFL

Last weekend Joshua began AusKick - the junior clubs sponsored by the AFL. He's never played aussie rules before. He's played a bit of soccer, and is doing gymnastics but he wanted to have a go at AFL. As you do with little ones (7yrs) you let them try out things in the hope they may find something they really love.
Today is Joshua's first real game. Today he puts on his club colours for the first time ever....and walks out on the the footie field for the first time ever.

However, this is not just any footie field.............IT'S THE MCG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep! Joshua's first ever game of AFL football takes him right to the hallowed ground of the famous MCG. The half time junior competitions that play when the big boys are in getting told off by their coaches. I think it's Collingwood playing today.
Talk about being an excited little boy. He's convinced we are going to see him on TV....but I don't think they show the little ones out there at half time....which is such a shame.

So in one foul sweep he has eclipsed the efforts of his Dad, Uncle, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather.

I just found it hillarious......good for you Josh!!!!

Still catching up

She sure knows how to work the camera with those expressions...Sahn

This photo above and the last one are a little bit wonkie!!!! I havn't yet mastered the art of stitching two pictures together so I just take the photo of the entire layout and crop it. Hence the 'dip' in the middle causing the pages to just be a little 'off'. But....it still shows them well enough.

I love the photo of McKenzie....love the layout too!!!

Our little island princess, Sahnie

I bought myself another Cricut Cartridge and it's fantastic for titles!!! It's called Graphically Speaking and has so many possibilities. Love it!!!

Catching up on some older photos

I have been really enjoying getting some layouts done. Still using some of the sketches from the Bootcamp but also just doing some of my own thing. I'm trying not to have any more photos printed.....but I did get a few done online just to check the quality. Not as good as when I do it myself!!! But cheaper!

It's been a busy month with birthdays and family days together. We went to a lovely picnic ground called Kay's Park in Sherbrooke on Labour Day and it was so peaceful and great walks in to the forest with running streams. Yep...there was water in the streams!!! The children loved it so much.
Every walk we went on Sahnie was at the front of the line. That girl is like a young african child who just runs and runs all day. We always joke that she's looking for her village.

Sahnie is doing really well since she has been in a specialized autistic program at Biala in Mornington. She is starting to parrot what we say or what she hears in her favourite DVD's. This can be a good thing to help her develop speech.
She also has been given funding to have an 'aid' for 5hrs a week at daycare. It was difficult to start with but she's so at home now that they put her in the Junior Kinder room, which is where she should be for her age. And she loved it. So, the good thing as far as her development goes is that the funding has been withdrawn for her 'aid' because she has adapted so well. She has been thoroughly tested and does not have any intellectual delays....just some physical and speech....and some of the classic tantrum events that are part of autism.

However, it just seems that she is really doing well and we can see the growth and development in her.

Colin is not working......I'm not sure if he really wants to. Tonight he attends a meeting in relation to doing some voluntary work so maybe that will be something he will be interested in. At least some things around the house are getting done. He has been such a fantastic help though. Vacuums the house, started ironing, cleans up after dinner etc.etc. Which has been a great help to me. More time for scrapbooking!!!

I went to a few more classes at The Scrapscene. One of them I took Tambi and her sister with me and they loved it too. The classes are great......everyone is friendly and relaxed. It's fun to finally sit in a class again. Something I really missed and used to enjoy so much. And it's often hard to find somewhere where the classes interest me and are a bit challenging.

I had a Cat Scan and other tests this week and saw my Oncologist before my treatment and all the results are good. I was given a DVD by the Australian Lymphoma Society and this had some concerning, conflicting information in it. So I've given it to my Doctor to watch it and report.....back to me. When it's to do with prognosis and treatments it can be pretty scarey if you don't have the facts right in your head!

Well, off to do some ironing...and maybe a bit of scrapbooking. I'm on a roll!!

So Proud of...another 8yr old

A couple of weeks ago it was Blake's turn for his special Baptism Day. It was so good to see how happy he is/was and so looking forward to this great day.
Also great to know that this is something he chose to do and that the whole service and celebration afterwards was all about him. Being the eldest of 3, and Andrea being a single Mum ( and having a little sister with Autism) sometimes Blake gets a bit lost in the mix.
This day was totally about him and about having his Dad come from Tasmania and all his family, friends and cousins around him.

So proud of you Blakey

And in a few months it will be Joshua's turn! After that it will only be one a year, sort of. These first four grandsons are so close in age that all the milestones happen very frequently.

Sure is a lot to keep up with for scrapbooking..

Bootcamp 8-10

Well, I got to finish 10 of the 25 layouts for the Blue Bazaar Bootcamp.
It's been a lot of fun and given me a real push to do a bit m ore work on all those photos I have sitting around.
This challenge is going to be repeated in a couple of months so if any one else is interested in doing it....sign up to the Blue Bazaar newsletter and you'll hear about it when it comes around again.
I am going to keep going with the challenge just for myself because I've enjoyed it and I'm getting some work done.


Life is pretty much the same old, same old these days. Seen a few movies with Colin. Have gotten very used to having Colin at home which is comforting. He may be employed part-time soon, will just have to wait and see.

I've been having some fun doing a class at The Scrapbook Scene with my friend Robyn and sure like the classes on offer there. So have booked in to a few more. It's a lovely, comfortable place to visit and do a class. Just what's needed!

Bootcamp Layouts 5-7

Some more of the layouts for the Bootcamp. At least I'm getting some done....and......I am not printing new photos. I have so many photos I have had printed that I am making myself use these before starting on any new ones.

Blue Bazaar Bootcamp Layouts1-4

This is the first layout I have done of me when I lost my hair from the chemo treatment. It was always very confronting for me......but I'm OK with it now. At least my eyebrows and eyelashes were still there at the time of these photos!!

I got so excited about doing the Blue Bazaar Bootcamp Crop...but have really run out of time to do all 25 layouts (what was I thinking?) in the time aloted. However, I have done 7 so far and there is still about a week to go so I might get some more done. Even if I don't get them done in the prescribed time I am going to keep on going.

Riley Starts School

Granchild number 5 started school this year!! Riley Michael Blyth! He looks so tall and is bigger than his grade 2 brother! But...he is such a gentle soul and struggles a bit each morning.
You look great Riley!!!

Our LDS Welfare Program

This is what I was up to last Friday! Our neighbour Joe had called me over to his home to show me the huge boxes of tomatoes he had bought and what he and his wife were planning to do with them. They are Italian and love getting their pasta sauces and their semi-dried tomatoes organised for the coming year.
Well, I have had a bottling outfit for many, many years. My first one was an 'on the top of the stove' type and I used to sit up all night slowly preserving bottles and bottles of fruit. Then I progressed to an electric one which is so much quicker. However, it has been sitting in it's box doing nothing for over 10yrs.
Now the sight of all those tomatoes got me going to buy my own supply. A seventeen kilo box for $18 of roma tomatoes is fantastic.
I have boxes and boxes of vacola bottles and lids and rings........so I DID IT!!!
I now have 18 bottles of crushed tomatoes. And of course now I'm going to check out fruits to buy so I can bottle them too.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) we are constantly encouraged to become self sufficient and have food storage in the way of basic needs (flour, honey, water, oats, canned foods etc.etc.) for at least 3months. Not an easy task but a worthwhile one. We never know when times of hardship may arise and that can be anything from transport strikes to loss of employment.

We are also encouraged to have a 72hr pack ready at all times. Something most people would kind of scoff at and wonder what the heck we need that for, and what's in it.
What's in it? = enough food for 72hrs, torch, batteries, battery operated small radio, first aid kit, water, small tent (attached on outside of a hiking back pack) copies of important documents in waterproof packing, medications. And more.
What do we need it for? = in case we need to leave our homes at a moments notice. This has happened right on our doorstep this past weekend.
If we have our packs ready......and that means rotating food regularly etc., we can at least be self sufficient for 72hrs.
Of course putting essential documents on a disc is a wonderful idea...less weight etc. And can do the same with photos.

Unfortunately Scrapbook Albums are not going to fit!!!

We call all of this program our Welfare Program and has served many people very well in times of hardship. And I for one am more aware than at any other time how important it is do follow all the guidelines to accomplish this.

Did I enjoy bottling tomatoes?? Not particularly....but I LOVE the result!!!

Silent Prayers

On Saturday I posted on my blog that I was over the heat. I had had enough! It was literally about me, and that I was uncomfortable.
That very same day a tradgedy on a scale never before seen in Victoria was unfolding. My post now appears so selfish and trivial as literally thousand of my fellow Victorians were fighting for their lives. Many didn't make it. Close to 200 people have perished and the police are still counting. Families with nothing left in the whole world but what they are wearing. People searching for family and friends. News stories that some people may never be identified.
The list goes on.
My heart and prayers go out to all of the victims of Saturday 7th February and beyond. And will do whatever is asked of us as a community to contribute to their needs and welfare.
And all the hundreds of volunteers, firefighters and others who are tirelessly still fighting these horrific fires my prayers and gratitude are with you all.

On Monday colin and I went to Shepparton to the canning factories. The Hume Highway was open and as we drove through the Kilmore area everything around us was a wasteland of ash. On both sides of the road for kilometre after kilometre. Dead animals on the side of the road. Charred remains of homes. Homes where the fire had come right to their door....but their homes were stilll there. A terrifying and emotional journey. As we were driving we were listening to 774 on the radio with the constant reporting of the devastation that was unfolding and we were humbled to silence.
What can we say?? As Kevin Rudd in an emotional interview said......there are no words. Just silent prayers.

Forty plus degrees...I'm over it!

Ohhhhhh isn't this weather just awful!!! Here we are facing another 40 something day and it's so windy outside. Just horrible and it's so difficult to keep occupied. Thank goodness for scrapbooking!!
I am in the process of making two small books (from bookboard storybooks) for Isaac and Lamont for the baptism memories.
Then.....when I've finished I am going to do the Bootcamp challenge from Blue Bazaar. I am stoked!!! I love the whole concept they've thrown out there and it's just what I need. Use 50 pattern papers i already have and complete 25 layouts. I can do that!!!!

I have a few interesting things in the pipeline at the moment. Not sure if anything will come of them but if any do it will mean some changes for me. Welcome and positive ones....and that's always good.

I had another treatment this week and got to ask my Oncologist some questions that were important. The main one being when do I actually finish my maintance program. May 2010 !! that's still ages away!
Cabrini Brighton has had huge extensions built and the Oncology is temporarily in a new part of the new hospital so it was nice to go there. Much bigger and brighter and great new chairs. I want one at home. They are so comfortable and everything is done by remote......! My Oncologist, Gary also has his consulting rooms in the new hospital now and they are 'state of the art'. Lovely skylights and great design.

I actually went for a job interview yesterday...but now I'm not sure I want the position.....not sure they will even offer it to me. I think my treatments every 8 weeks threw them a little and the position is actually more hours than first discussed. And right away I felt stressed about it.....and that's not what I want. To go back to a stressful life?? No way!!!

Colin is still trying to find what he wants to do. He's doing some Excell course at the moment....but doing it from home!! But that's OK! We are learning to be around eachother whilst still doing our own thing and having our own space and doing things together.

We have seen a few movies, again! Benjamin Button which I absolutely loved. Gran Torino which I hated. The Changeling which I loved. Marley and Me which I loved and cried through.

I feel like we are a retired couple by the lifestyle we are living.....but that might change yet...at least until we are older. haha!

Well despite the heat I am going to do some ironing with a big fan blowing on me. We don't turn the air con on until later so we don't draw on too much power.

Then it's off to scrapbook for a while. And maybe a little rest. After all I did have some treatment on thursday and that leaves me yuck and useless for a few days.

But yesterday I did something I havn't done in many, many years. But...used to do all the time.
Will post some pics next time!!!

Fun with Isabella

I really enjoyed making this layout. I think it's because I took the time to put in a bit more effort. It's still a bit crooked as a whole photograph......I'll keep working on that.
The papers are a mixture of Basic Grey and Imaginesce. The title is from a cricut cartridge called Storybook and the large swirl is also a cricut cartridge called Home Accents. Just loving both of those because they have all the fance birds, butterflies, swirls etc.
Isabella is not always an easy baby and has managed to wrap her parents around her little finger (like most girls!!)drops the bottom lip...and she's off!