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!!!