Monday, October 25, 2010

Treefall

The tree facing the road (left), those bushes behind the tree are on the other side of the road; and towards the house(below)

The Friday before last we heard a crashing sound...Kris even wondered if there had been a car accident on the road behind our house. The weather had been very chilly due to an Antarctic blast from the south and we had been swept by wind and rain.


This huge (dead) tree had crashed through our back fence and hit the edge of another tree...the dogs were unhurt 'huge relief" and I was able to move them closer to the house before they thought of getting out through the gap.

The tree through our back garden






Where the top of the tree crashed into our tree, which is almost 2/3rds to our house.


As Liam is allergic to dog saliva we fortunately have this area, though the dogs felt a bit uncomfortable being there. Of course Khya loves to dig, so overnight she had flattened the new shrubs and dug 3 holes...Kris was quite distressed. With the searing summers and lack of rain, it was the first time in years this area had looked so verdant...oh well it'll recover I guess. This is what I saw when I went out the back.

The filled gap in the fence

The next day the council sent men out to cut the tree off our fence...as you can see the hole is now filled with non-ascetically pleasing corrugated iron (but at least the dogs cannot get out). I had had to add to the short barrier the councilmen had put up as there was NO way it was going to keep a German Shepherd in.


Chopped wood


Removing the tree from the fence (below)

We still don't know what is going to happen with the fence...afterall it was not our tree that damaged it, and I worry about the longevity of the gap-filler and the strength of the surrounding edges of the fence.

Still we were very very lucky :)

Hugs, Sharon

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Sydney (photo heavy)

Well its been an interesting couple of weeks.
After a bad start to the school holidays, Liam was fit and raring to go. He loved the holiday programme and I got a couple of hours to do things Liam isn't so keen on...not that I got those new bathers...I seem to be oddly distorted in the mirror and exposed shall we say less than flattering fleshy bits. So I wore the old one and tried to keep the water level near my neck...as a girl in one shop said it won't matter once you are in the water...she should try having my shape :)
As the holidays ended we extended them with a trip to Sydney to spend some time with Adam and his gorgeous wife. We went by car of course...Liam and the car cope very well, Kris loves to be in control. We only had one incident with Liam...one simply cannot expect one to fulfill his part of the bargain (who knew) and expect to leave without chips...as I slid him across the shiny tiled floor to the door where I attracted DH's help. One look at Liam's thunderous face and you guessed it we had late afternoon tea. We got shafted by the tollway as they as we went throught the exact chane isle...and you cannot argue with a machine that you are not a truck but a car...were we really that heavy LOL
Adam was sooo excited when we arrive he locked us all out of their unit with dinner in the oven (and Naomi was at a hen's do in town) LOL.
While in Sydney we took Liam bowling...he loves the bowling on the wii so is fascinated with it in real life for a game and a half...then I think the noise and lights become unbearable and its time to go home. We had fun and Liam even got a strike.


At their local park...he loved the swing and even went on the slide. Naomi and Adam also enjoyed themselves :)














We also went on a walking track that leads from the park through a mangrove area to an inlet.













During a "short cut" (it turned out it wasn't LOL) we saw this odd formation of vegetation, went under the freeway, along walkways...we were gone for a few hours. Liam coped marvelously...we only had a few collapsures (not unjustifiably considering how I had brought no drink or snacks with us and it was a long walk...I thought we were just going to the park for a bit. I suspect we had far less complaints than with a tired , thirsty neuro-typical child.
We went back to play in the park on the following week-end with friends of Adam & Naomi's...they have a gorgeous 18mth old daughter...she's like a little doll. Liam did notice her and seemed quite curious and gently stroked her cheek. She was also curious about Liam. Interestingly both children exhibited some jealously when Adam was paying attention to the other one...he was very fair and was rather pleased that Liam cared :)
We also went to the Aquarium at Darling Harbour...Liam loved the train trip in, loved the penguins and was fascinated by the turtles, he hated the volume of people and that Daddy was taking too long...he attempted an escape...towards the light (was the wrong way).... mutinously refused to go in the right direction, so decided to crawl away (harder for Mum to pick up), then collapsed on the ground. He eventually gave up and we hid in the toilet for a while (Kris was blissfully unaware and taking photos at the time) and then we came out through the cafe.......and I guess you can guess what happened next :)



Kris also got a lovely kiss from a happy son :)






After a little wander around, we headed home via a bridge that led straight into Price Waterhouse. One tired little man slept very well that night.










The next day we did absolutely nothing and took him to the pool the following day. Liam loves water. It was very very busy. Kris , however decided to go for a couple of fast laps, despite his rather sore shoulder and boy did he suffer the consequences (a lot of pain due to a partial dislocation of his left shoulder) ...in fact he still cannot use that arm properly and its driving him crazy...after having just recovered from injuring his knee, he said he's feeling somewhat aged.




Our final trip was to the Hunter Valley...Liam hates the strong alcohol smell, but loved having a bit of a run outside...and he does love going for a drive..
It was wonderful to catch up with Adam and Naomi...I absolutely loved cooking dinner with Adam one night. I had forgotten how nice it was to cook with someone else :)

When we got home, Liam was sooo excited he raced around the front garden (several times). He loves to visit Adam & Naomi in Sydney, but he also loves to come home again...but then again don't we all :)

At think thats enough for this post.

Lots of hugs, Sharon

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Woo Hoo, I won :)

Last week was the first week of our school holidays...so we all got sick LOL. Before I succumbed I entered a competition on Lynette's blog...and I won...what a wonderful get well present that was. Well my pattern arrived today. Woo Hoo!
If you want to see a much much better piccie of this design check it out here...its well worth it :)

This week we are all feeling much better. Liam is going to a holiday programme in the mornings and just loving it...he was sooo excited this morning :)

Hugs, Sharon

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Zoe

This quilt 's owner has arrived!



CONGRATULATIONS










This little cutie was born on Monday...when I asked the new father how his daughter was he proudly said "she's magnificent". He is very thrilled as is his Mum... I haven't been able to see her yet as Liam is unwell, but there's plenty of time. We have known him and his Mum for years, so Kris insisted on taking her in to the hospital. He was a tad annoyed with our video camera though...it has been playing up and finally packed up just as he was about to use it...thats life :)


Doting Mum and Grandmother

New life is so precious and wonderful.

Hugs Sharon

Sunday, September 19, 2010

NQR

After making a quilt for a baby shower (at the end of the kookaburra post), I thought it would be nice to make one for Liam...especially as it has different textures on it. I've been procrastinating, but not sure why. Enough I thought.
I laid out the squares and immediately felt uncomfy...I laid out all of them...perhaps I'm being silly. I asked Kris (see I was desperate..."I hate it" said he..."please don't say its for us" and "did you choose that fabric?"). That made me feel good... not. Now I would also like to point out that I do not like making things I hate, even if they are to give away :).

I've removed the offending stripy fabric...it really did not go, but something is still not right. I think I may take out the monkeys and multi-coloured circles. At the moment its lying on the spare room floor. Hopefully I will be able to salvage something out of it.

Oh well, at least i got some painting done.

Hugs to all,
Sharon

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Moment by Kris Feigl

A journey
Created
A scream
Not faked it
Drawing
Contraction
Conception
A life

Building blocks
Growing
The dream
Your showing
A glow
The radiance
A light

A future
Your making
A dream
Your shaping
Prime directive
An instinct
A drive

The fear
Of not being
Not clear
Not seeing
A future a choice
Not to make

A tomorrow
Not there at all
The questions
No answers call
That future
May see success
Or may see a fall

The tears
Screaming returns
Not faking
Contractions churn
Force out a life
Turn on a light
Forever change

Behold the moment
Behold a life
Welcome new spirit
Burning so bright
Light supernova
Overwhelms all
Blots out the day

Bonding in spirit
Bonding in soul
Sense new beginning
Responsible role
Baton change over
Life's work starts now
Where will it end

Glimpse new horizon
Behind a glow of dawn
Track leading on now
Energy gone
Unconditional love
Unforgettable journey
When will it end

For the love of a mother
The bond of the soul
Will live ever more now
In her baton change role
Future intangible
Power incredible
Force indescribable
Drive not deflectable
Course not selectable
Nature's choice
Irresistible and delectable
Sweet dreams!

I hope you like DH's poem
Hugs, Sharon

Friday, September 3, 2010

A Kookaburra, a Trampoline, a Cake and a Quilt







Its Spring :) and the honeyeaters constant squabbling in the gum tree over a particularly good nest has abated. It went on all through August LOL.










We also had a visitor to our deck yesterday afternoon. Our deck does feel a little like a tree-house and this little kookaburra certainly emphasized that. We have never had one come so close...he obviously approves of our deck. He wasn't even too concerned about popping down onto the deck to grab a bit of sausage meat :)



Even Liam was interested...unfortunately there is no photo as we stopped him as he was reaching out to touch the bird. This was the best we could do. The kookaburra remained despite Liam getting within millimetres of his breast :) Our neighbours' children were also fascinated to see him as they arrived home from school. Kris fed him some meat from a sausage roll...hope that doesn't put him off coming back LOL. I was taking photos and it almost looked like he was posing at one stage. I was quite close :). This is why we love Montrose, the trees , the birds and if you go for a walk early enough (which I have not done lately...and am consequently quite unfit), I have seen wallabies, a couple of echidnas and the odd kangaroo. The bush is just over the back road you see. Montrose is the kind of place that people stay, sometimes moving within the suburb...I

guess thats why we've been here for so long...



Liam also had a good time on the trampoline with both Mummy and Daddy...he outlasted both of us :). He just loves it especially when on of us (usually Daddy) is on too. He can coordinate his bouncing so that he goes up as Daddy comes down...he loves getting higher and higher. There are lots of smiles, good looking and squeals of delight :).



















Simon was also over last week-end for Liam's birthday ...so I'll indulge in a couple of pics of Liam's birthday again. Still not keen about the candles LOL














I have also finally finished the quilt I was making for a friend's baby shower...well I had left myself a little over a week to do it and I must say I was quite impressed with how close I got...at least Tracey was able to see it almost finished...that is with threads hanging out and most of the quilting done. The pics I've taken still have loose threads so don't look too closely...I wanted to take advantage of the sun :)
I ran out of time...the election didn't help. Who's running the country anyway?...well we still don't know LOL.

So I hope you are all having a good week.
Lots of love and hugs (of course LOL),
Sharon