Chaos and Calm

Calmness first, this is a beautiful old church that looks all naked in winter and spring is here and she looks wonderful, I think the effect is what you are hoping for Cro in the future, I saw the painter at this old church in the winter scraping and repainting the windows, it is no longer used for praise and worship, it is actually on a farm and the people have many historic bits and bobs and will open it one day for people to come look.

The chaos is the Christmas challenge ..not because it is a pressure thing but unlike most I have until Dec 1st to get all mine done as a postie our lives become a nightmare after that date.
Yesterday we were having a quiet afternoon, me sewing,Bob doing paperwork,the phone rings it is the post office owner, the courier had dropped off a huge load of large parcels,so off we go and deliver to the town on a Sunday afternoon,which I might say ended up being a delight as everyone is excited to be receiving parcels on a Sunday!


Anyway I am getting off the subject(aren't you glad your not sitting having coffee with me,my conversation is all over the place lol)...
I think the secret to getting lots done is to have an area where you can sit any time you have five minutes and do a little bit of sewing, I am blessed enough to have an area in our living are,under a window where my machine just sits awaiting for me to plop down and run a few rows along,so when you see what i got done this week for my challenge it will not be showing off it will be necessity that I got so much done, and they are all simple items thus far lol.I was left an overlocker by Kates MIL and I said the other day I think I am having an affair with it I have never had one before and it is making things so much easier.

Anyhoo here is a pic of my area,as you can see it is chaos but today it can be tidies up ready for the next round of sewing..I am not proud of the mess!

I find that having the big desk in the corner is just so easy this morning before i go to work I will do 3 hems on the top of surf bags...

Have a great day and blessing abound from my home to yours.

                                                 

                                                      Secret  Little Places.

I often go to little places in our home and say to myself' geez the kids will have fun when I pass over!".

I will take you to one such spot this morning,the children think they know us completely as we think we know them, I have collected things over the years because I love them eg,hat pins,they know of them there are many bits and bobs but I never went overboard I have about 20 of them,there are also lots of things i just put away as I knew they would say "o'h Mum what do you want them for!"
BUT.......

This is my old singer sewing machine,she works perfectly,upon her sits some special things,far too many i think.

 My treasured Bible and a rose one of the children had on a parcel.

 Under my Bible sits a box I painted many years ago,you should never sit your Bible under anything,always goes on top,not sure where I learnt that but,a good lesson as you walk by just open the Bible bag and read a passage...well that's the plan...I am not perfect.

 Inside the box...tadahhhh my glove collection...all are vintage and older..many childrens pairs and lovely evening lace ones you name it they are in there..sorry kids..thats me!

 This is little Bob,all my tiny teddies linger in the drawers, I have made most of them and on the opposite side a little princess I made for him.Little Bob came to the Uk and Europe with me when I went he has been photographed everywhere.

Little Bobs little Princess....

Just a note if anyone has not made a teddy it is the most satisfying thing you can do,the making of them in fine mohair a pure joy,the most wonderful thing is when you do the face and they actually almost come alive.If anyone would like some mohair please let me know I have really got a lot and would be happy to share so you can have the pleasure of Teddy making.
Have a beautiful Sunday our little Mr Elijah is 6 today.

                                                A New Outfit for George

I was getting fabrics ready for all my Christmas sewing and to have a sewing day with Lyn on Sunday and decided that although we thought George was a boy for over 3 years I cannot see him in roses and lace! so one of the fabrics I had was with skateboards and thought George would love it as he wore it to work yesterday.

 Just like kids George always moves his head at the vital moment lol.This is his nappy suit for those that have not read of them before, I bought his first one he had as a baby from Ebay it cost $40!!!!! we have adapted the pattern over the years to fit him as he grew and they take me about 10 minutes and small amount of fabric,elastic and velcro..if anyone has a bird that lives in the home these are great and i am happy to send you a pattern.We cut the smallest size disposable baby nappy in half and it slips in the front, no mess on the furniture or more important on the mail.

I have posted on the Christmas challenge my list of what I am going to make, sorry to the girls i have not got it on my sidebar yet , I am trying to work it out, a lovely has given me direction,I just have to do it!  the blog hosting this is Polka Dot Daze...please visit her lovely blog.

Have a great day,may blessings abound you as you go through your day.

                                                               A Day at Work


Some of the lovely blogs I follow take me on a journey when they walk their dogs or just amble down the beautiful countryside either in UK or France, I can't take you on a walk today but I thought I would take you to work with me.
I have started my little show half way through my mail run as the first half I have blogged about before,also I have not done the water crossings again,but I am showing you some of the nice beings and flowers we encounter each day,just a snippett as I do not want to bore you,so this is my Friday at work this week.

 Even all the way up into the hills these people have a very 'towney" mailbox.

  See the little white dot above the trees just to the right? that is a home I go to that 2 lovely people live  in,they are in their 80's very isolated and I take them their paper etc,they are gorgeous and often come out to say hello.

 This is Mum my 90 almost 91 year old apprentice, she holds the mail box and gets the next stop mail ready, part of my job is to add the shops catalogues to the mail and that's what Joycie is doing here.

 This is a wild dog, the farmers hang them from posts to show that they have caught the animal stealing the little lambs and foals, they put poison out for these dogs or they shoot them whichever way it is a huge problem for the farmer.What happens is that we have a native wild dog called a Dingo which is this colour and lighter sometimes then the young men go out catching wild pigs with Pig Dogs which are aggressive and sometimes they get lost, they then mate with the Dingo and wild dogs become the scavenger of the babies born.This fellow is huge.

 This is a pic of a plane called a "crop duster" we see them all the time, the farms are so big and vast that they are fertilised by plane, it is hair raising as sometimes you feel you could touch them if you reached out,the pilots have to be very good and brave I think.He was swaying in between the light and dark greenery,you can see a misty look,that's the fertilizer.

 This is a shed/home.I am in awe of the lady that lived here,she is on her own with 5 kids,she did not have proper running water and although she has a pump to the house from the river, some nasty person told the council and she is not allowed to live there until that septic tank you can see is attached etc,it is a lot of money for her but with Gods help she will one day be back in there,she lives in another farmhouse up the road and comes and works with her horses and cows everyday, her kids have the best smiles I have ever seen,shiny hair and gorgeous teeth.She is a good Mum.They attend the little local school with 4 pupils, I will take you there one day.

 This is Miss Mary,she says hello she is laying down having a rest,she belongs to the shed  and you would swear she was talking.She has not long calved.

 This is their letterbox....it used to be upon the sticks but the horses kept scratching against it and knocking it over, so the kids built this, isn't it great, I told them this is the best mailbox on my run.

 This farmhouse is on the other side of the river that I cross, I always think this is the absolute typical Aussie farmhouse,windmill and all, I would love to live here.(they are nice people too,in fact all my people are nice lol).

 This is a group of cattle we see each day, they know who we are they stand on the  road and don't care if I am in a rush,we always stop and say hello, this one actually had its head in the car a couple of second before I took the pic.

 This is little Toby,he comes to greet us too,his Mum has the most beautiful roses.

 We are in full swing of foaling season and much of my customers are horse studs so we are blessed with seeing new foals on a day to day basis but I never get tired of seeing them each new one as fascinating as the last.

 Pests to the farmers but here are some wild thistle flowers,no idea what anything is called .

This one is almost like a Hollyhock.
Thanks for sharing my day.For me work is a leveller, I see sad things like dead animals on the road,then a majestic  Wedegetail Eagle will swoop down and as I watch I see him take it to a huge nest high in a tree, life's chain goes on.
I never feel like I do not want to go to work, I do get very tired and getting in and out of the car to open and close gates is not my favourite thing in the summer as we have very hot summers here,I have had to wait for snakes to cross at times,other times I have had to run over them,it makes me sad,but my office is delightful and I would not have it any other way.

 Especially for a blogger friend by request.

A new follower has asked me about George who by natures tricks is now Georgie lol,having black eyes for 3 years ,Georgies eyes have changed to a lighter colour telling us he is a she! Georgie will turn 5 this year well now actually ...

He/she is a huge part of our lives, even made the headlines in the city paper ,but to us he is just very special.

I make little suits for Georgie he has them in every colour and Xmas ones..in these we place a piece of baby disposable,this allows Goergie to come to work and not poop all over the mail.Australia Post even officially issued him with a tag that we staff have he in No.1 on his tag that goes on a little harness he wears on the bike as a safety option.

Best friends watering the garden, Georgie loves empty beer cans and plays with them for ages.

Helping in the kitchen..

If you google George the cockatoo Aberdeen(prob have to put Australia after that)...the one that comes up "George puts his stamp on the mail" you will find a great story and pic of Bob and Georgie at work on the bike, for some reason it would not let me bring it across,hope you have enjoyed reading about our extended family .

Newcastle Herald News Skip directly to:Search Box,Section Navigation,Content.

Postie Bob and Georgie, I managed to get the pic across but not the story.lol

                                         Joyful Days of Cousin Fun and Little Blessings.


We had a family birthday gathering on Saturday, it was to be next month but we all had to bring it forward.As our family is spread all over we had to choose a mid way approx 1 hour travel each and accessible by train.So we chose Maitland about 1 1/4 hours for us and our son and our daughter who is waiting for her new car to be delivered came by train with her 3 munch kins.The train station has an overhead walkway ,you alight the train and walk straight over to the park,perfect.
The park there is beautiful,huge shaded tress a playground for every age and BBQ's everywhere,sorry the pics are before we set the table nicely and we were waiting until we were all there,even great Nana came, so happy 40th for Kate, 13 and 36 for Alex and Aunty Kirsty,38 for Michael and 6 for Elijah.This year will be the 10th anniversary for the loss of Kirsty's Mum so she looks a little whisful but she had a lovely day, family gatherings are hard for her as Mum and Dad both gone,we make sure she is well loved and hugged.

 Bob our Kate and Great Nana watching the kids ,we are waiting for our son and family to arrive, look at those trees and they are all round the park,we were in the shade all day as it was so hot and a gorgeous day.

 Olivia in pink shorts waiting for her turn on the flying fox.

 Aunty Kirsty looking wistful,but really she did smile most of the day and chat,until I saw this I did not realise she had "some moments"but she got lots of hugs, Michael and Lilli behind and Olivia tells Uncle Michael all about how school is going.

 I made a chocolate gateau for a joint cake and it was sooo rich we had it with double cream and fresh raspberries yummy.....it took 7eggs!!! thank goodness we have chickens.


On Saturday I had promised to help a friend with her garage sale but when the date of our gathering was changed I could not so I wet on Friday afternoon and helped her price the things,I did buy 2 cups and saucer sets,one pink of course lol and then on Sunday morning I took my money down and she gave me this little salt pepper and mustard set that I had admired,not thinking I would buy them but they are different.

She also gave me this old fishing basket that used to belong to her brother who had passed over,she spayed it pink and I love it,take it she said and we argued over me paying however I ended up with it and it will go where I sew,perfect for my bits and pieces.

  I could not resist this not so old biscuit tin,it is just lovely great for laces etc.

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                                                Some Favourite Things.

I was reading another blog the other day that I follow and she had a picture of her lovely blue chook,I left a comment saying I was given a white milk glass one a long time ago and she asked me to put up a pic.I think all our bits around the house have a tale to tell, my chook belonged to a friends mother who had bought this chook and 3 flying ducks out from England with her as a young woman.
She developed lung cancer and as my friend cold not cope I was the one that did the yukky bits and just plain sat with Bloss and loved her, she had a love of Scratchies,you know you scatch and win,and i used to have to sneak them to her as her daughter did not approve lol.Anyway she asked me to have these when she left this great earth as she said June would send them to the tip,and they have been here for over 20 years now.They have been a joke between us ever since, from this came a lifetime friendship of June and I and she has now moved up to Queensland to the Gold Coast where retirees with a couple of dollars go bless her she loves it.

 My chook, she sits upon and old meat safe cupboard in the kitchen and we keep keys etc in her,her eyes are like little beads I imagine they are glass.

 Flying ducks, these are quite old ones and are numbered etc,Bloss was sure these were going to the tip lol.They have only left the wall once in 20 odd years for painting.

 This is another special little person.She is an authentic Aboriginal dolly that I got at a garage sale a long time ago,she is dressed as they did long ago her clothing made reeds and shells, the lady told me at the time she bought her up in the Northern Territory so that made me happy and she did not want her children to break her,well 6 kids look at her here and they care for her and she sits upon an old desk,in pride of place.

 She does have a scary face though, I got her because I could show the children what a wonderful history the "true Australians " have,after all this trouble about boat people, we too once were"boat people",these people are the real owners of this wonderful land.

And some of my little jugs, I tell myself there are too many, then I tell myself some girls have too many shoes so what do a few jugs hurt,this is just a few in a little shelf of the kitchen,I love all the old pink Meakin ones and have a collection in each size,come to think of it I love all the colours!The older the better.
I shall show some other old relics as the days go by,no I did not mean pics of Bob and I !!!!lol