When you put your knee through the "new" granny cabinet

This is what you do when you get impatient and decide to move a heavy cabinet by yourself......like I did.  I put my knee through the (probably expensive to replace) curved side glass on my new retro cabinet.

Queue gasps, a scream, lots of OH NO's and tons of cursing!  I've been wanting one like this for ages and after a popping in and out of second hand dealers in town for a while now, I found this one.........in mint condition.  I should have taken a photo, but imagine a great big fault line through the centre of the side panel.

So after I broke the glass I decided to fill it and then after a bit more sulking I decided I needed to take action, so I got out my pile of retro wallpaper pieces and went to work on a bit of patch working.  A quote needs to be done on how much it will cost to replace the glass, but for now it will probably stay like this.  I really like it and may even properly stick the wallpaper pieces down (and move the phone and modem to another spot).

The original granny cabinet has been moved around the corner and now holds my Pyrex and big retro kitchen pieces.

So there you have it one newish but slightly broken china cabinet.  Happy days!

And then he turned four...........

 

 

Today we celebrated Georgie turning four.  A simple afternoon tea with friends at the park.

 

A low key and easy way to celebrate.  He loved it, especially the cupcakes which were made by a clever friend.

 

Happy Happy Birthday Dear Sweet Boy xoxo

 

 

 

 

Hello..........and a list

 

Hello!  It's been too long between blog posts.  Life has been busy and by the time everyone is in bed I have just been wanting to curl up and read or watch some online programmes.  So I thought I would do another one of Pip's lists which is always a good way to have a catch up.


Making:  tactile story books for our blind students.  Love that I get to craft at work.
Cooking: Soups.  As soon as the cooler weather calls in I dust off my crockpot.
Drinking: Coffee.  Loving plain old instant coffee at the moment with lots of milk and sugar.
Reading: Maeve Binchy books over again, just finished Evening Class and about to start Tara Road.
Wanting: winter boots, a bigger china cabinet and WORLD PEACE!
Looking: at Retro Caravans online.............waiting for the perfect one and saving our pennies.
Playing: Snap!  Jeez 6 year olds are sore losers.
Deciding: on what to plant in my vegetable garden for winter.
Wishing: I had started my Te Reo Maori classes sooner, loving be in the classroom again.
Enjoying: my job and the people I work with and meet.
Waiting: for the cooler weather to arrive.  Can't wait to light the fire again.  And hibernate a little.
Liking:  my Friday's off with George.  We make no plans and just see where the day takes us.
Wondering: about the upcoming school holidays.  2 weeks off.  I only work Term Time, hooray!
Loving:  weekly date nights.  Have really been making an effort to head out once a week with Mr H.
Pondering: Hoola Hooping. A friend loves it and wants me to go along.  I think I look crazy doing it.
Watching: The Missing, Location, Location, Location (always my favourite) and The Club online.
Hoping:  the mice won't visit now that the maize has been harvested over the fence.  Eek.
Marvelling: at Kimberley and all that she does.  So much energy!
Needing: a hair cut and colour amongst other "grooming" requirements
Smelling: scented candles.  When the boys are in bed I light a few around the house.  So pretty.
Wearing: dresses and saltwater sandals, although the last few mornings my feet have been cold.
Following: my Kiwi friend Kath and her new adventures in Canada with her family
Noticing: the shorter evenings.....the dark is creeping in earlier and earlier.
Knowing: the Vintage Season (Wine Harvest) will eventually finish so we can have Mr H back.
Thinking: we were lucky that Cyclone Pam was easy on us.  Poor Vanuatu took a hammering.
Admiring: my clever friend Leigh and her new range of beautiful prints.
Buying: Birthday presents for George.  He turns 4 this week.  I need another baby.
Getting: excited for my sisters arrival on Thursday - a flying visit with her children.
Bookmarking: clothing ideas for a winter wardrobe.
Opening: a blog swap parcel all the way from France!
Giggling: about conversations with Tom. Very interested in what words he is not allowed to say.
Feeling: busy, motivated and tired but happy.

Have a great week xo

Weekending..........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This weekend I've...........

 

Started my retro quilt.  I have been collecting and cutting retro sheets and Fat Quarters.  I have a favourite blue flower sheet which will be my backing.  Tonight I plan on pinning and sometime this week I will start to everything together.  Can't wait to show you my progress.

 

Enjoyed dinner out with friends Friday night for cocktails and fresh seafood.  The very best of combinations I think.

 

My amazing friend Leigh gave me a Crown Lynn Swan.  She always gives me such beautiful gifts.  And this completes my set of 3.

 

Bell and I had a girls morning in town, cold drinks and warm pastries.

 

I op shopped and found pink Pyrex and retro spice canisters and salt and pepper shakers.

 

Our school gala was on Saturday afternoon, the boys had a great time and loaded up on sugary treats, as you do.

 

Reading old cookbooks, loving a particular one from the early 1980's.

 

And later on Mr H and I enjoyed a quiet night in.

 

Sunday we stayed in PJ's till noon.  I did a bit of gardening and then spent the rest of the afternoon building Lego with Tom.  I think I have earned my Lego Degree by now.

 

A laid back weekend after a busy week.  Even working "just part time" makes my weekdays full, not to mention the constant picking up and dropping off of children for kindy, school, swimming, appointments and errands.  I really look forward to my weekends.  There hasn't been a lot of time for blogging or visiting favourite blogs, but with the cooler months just around the corner I expect that will change when we start to spend more time indoors.

 

Have a great week! xo

 

 

 

 

Weekending in a retro caravan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Friday we packed up the car and headed up the Coast - just a short car journey away, to a spot that truly takes your breath away once you navigate your way over gravel roads and winding hills.

 

We borrowed a friends retro caravan for the weekend, a Birthday getaway for me and my family.

 

The weather was beautiful, and we started each day with a swim before breakfast.  The rest of the day was just spent lazing in the sun. walks along the beach, swimming, eating and running around after the boys.  There were no showers and a smelly long drop loo, but when you looked at where we were and the stunning landscape around us it didn't matter at all.

 

The best thing is that Mr H is now a caravan convert so it looks like my dream of having a retro caravan will one day become a reality.  We can't wait to go again, and hopefully next summer we will be in our own caravan in this little slice of paradise by the sea.