Anything and Everything

Well the weekend has finally rolled around. It is nice to sit down and do nothing though I do have a lot that I want and need to do. Just can't get motivated. So here I am avoiding what must be done and doing what is fun.

A couple of blogs ago I wrote about my friends engagement / pre wedding dinner. I held off giving her the photo's that I took for her because I wanted to do up a special album. Below are some of the photo's. Yes Novi, as promised the kiss page is not included!

I have been learning how to do stamping and embossing as well as how to put chipboard letters and shapes to good use. It is so much fun.

The paper I used is called "The Far East" which is a pad that you can buy. I first saw it in the Innovations / Fox Collection magazines for over $40 and then one of the local stores had it on special for under $20. Suffice to say I love it so much I got a couple of them. There is also a selection of pre-cut die cuts that go with it as well.

In the photo below I embossed the edges of the photos. It work really well.

Aussie Carols

Yeah I know it is still November but I was chatting online with B today we were talking about Christmas carols, so if there is anyone out there in the northern hemisphere who actually reads this strange little blog of mine here is the Australian version of Jingle Bells. You may need an Aussie dictionary to understand some of it.

THE AUSTRALIAN JINGLE BELLS

Dashing through the bush,
In a rusty Holden Ute,
kicking up the dust,
esky in the boot.
Kelpie by my side,
singing Christmas songs,
It's summertime and I am in my singlet, shorts and thongs.

CHORUS
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer's day, hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Engine's getting hot,
We dodge the kangaroos,
the swaggie climbs aboard,
he is welcome to,
All the family's there,
Sitting by the pool,
Christmas day the Aussie way
by the barbecue.

(chorus)

Come the afternoon,
Grandpa has a doze,
the kids and Uncle Bruce,
are swimming in their clothes,
The time comes 'round to go,
we take a family snap,
Pack the car and all shoot through
before the washing up

(chorus)

Friendship Book

I thought it was about time that I put the photos of a friendship book on here that I made for my friend Mandy when she turned 30. That was over a year ago now. I delayed in putting it on because I wanted her permission first (the messages are personal ones from her friends and family). So here it is. I hope to put some more of my work on here soon as well. Oh the blank pages are for those friends who didn't give me their message in time. I gave at least 6 months warning ... yes you know who you are!!!

Gastronomic Experience

Last night I went to an engagement party with a difference. My friend Novi, who I used to work with, has finally said yes to Budi after 2 years of asking. You see it means she has to move back to Indonesia. Apparently there was a condition to the yes ... a sit on toilet needs to be installed in the house!

She was really wanting to invite another friends of ours (Debbie) with whom we have lost touch. Two weeks ago I saw Deb's partner at the petrol station. I managed to arrange with Novi to have an extra seat booked without telling her who it was (she thought I suddenly had a boyfriend). Anyway I forgot to mention to Deb that the "Pre Wedding Dinner" was formal dress. I picked her up from work in Jeans, joggers, a knit tank top and knitted jumper. I said "it is an engagement party" when she questioned my outfit, to which she replied: "at a Chinese restaurant!" I think she was thinking food hall!

We were the first to enter the Jade Chinese Seafood Restaurant. The whole place was booked out for Novi and Budi and decked out quite fancy. Deb just glared at me. Se glared even more when the family turned up in ball gowns.

The rest of the evening went well, and Deb felt much better when a whole group of people turned up in jeans and tracksuits. There was a special spotlight segment where Novi and Budi exchanged engagement rings. I thought this was a nice touch.

I was sitting at a table with some ex colleagues of mine. It was good to catch up. We weren't too sure of food though. I snuck out copy of the menu for the night and here is what we had:

1. Shark's Fin and Crab Meat Soup
2. Jade Roast Platter - Pork, Duck, and Jelly Fish
3. Deep fried Crab Claws
4. Singapore Chilli Crabs
5. Deep Fried Chinese Bread Rolls (yum)
6. Stir Fried Scallops and Prawns with Macadamia Nuts
7. Stuffed Prawns Almond Chicken
8. Roasted Crispy Pigeon
9. Steamed Whole Fish
10. Fried Rice
11. Fruit Platter

Lets just say that Deb and I were considering a MacDonalds stop on the way home. I don't like seafood for starters, I don't eat Pork, Duck has made me sick before and I was taking photos when the rice and fruit came out so I missed it.

Because both Deb and I aren't well we were hoping to leave early. I got home at midnight!

IT Frustration and more

For three weeks now my computer has been unable to connect to the internt or email. Finally I am back on but I am not sure how long for. Apparently in those three weeks of downtime my bill did not get paid. They sent me email reminders and said my account would be suspended. The only way I found out about it was an actual letter that was sent to me stating that I needed to pay up by the 8th of this month. There were of course no instructions how to go about doing this. I emailed their support team from work and two days later I received instructions. The very next day I paid the bill. Today, two days later, I finally have my computer running properly and my lovely internet provider had jumped the gun and suspended my account already! So much for customer service. The drongo I was on the phone to also said I owed two bills (surprise to me), but after much questioning the conclusion was reached that techinically it was only one outstanding bill as the other one isn't due for 10 days at least. Who hires these people?!

ON A GOOD NOTE...

I'm an Aunty. This is very interesting considering I have no husband and I am an only child. One of my closest friends asked me if I would be an honourary Aunty when she found out she was pregnant. Unfortunately they are in working in South Africa so I can't hold my little niece.

Her name is Arominta Sarona (I hope I spelt that right). Ruth has always wanted to call her daughter Arominta from as far back as I can remember (way back in the dark ages of highschool). Sarona is in memory of a friend of ours that died from cancer last year.

A week ago some friends and I went on a picnic. I managed to get some nice photos of Tessa. She is such a little poser: -

She looks like she is smiling! :)