HOT SPRING DAY..GRAND FINAL DAY..WONDERFUL MELBOURNE

WELL IT IS THE "LAST SATURDAY IN SEPTEMBER" WHICH MEANS GRAND FINAL (AFL FOOTBALL) DAY HERE IN MELBOURNE. THE CITY IS A BUZZ IN THE MORNING..AND THEN THE AFTERNOON IS LIKE A GHOST TOWN AS EVERYONE (WELL NEARLY EVERYONE)STAYS HOME TO WATCH THE FINAL ON TV..
I AM NOT A GREAT FOOTY FAN...BUT THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THE SPECTACLE OF A GRAND FINAL WITH 100,000 SCREAMING FANS AT THE M.C.G..SO I SHALL BE WATCHING IT LIVE ON TV..
I MUST ADMIT THOUGH THAT I AM SITTING AT MY COMPUTER .. LISTING THIS BLOG AND DOING MY EBAY...WHILST WATCHING THE TV AND OVERLOOKING MELBOURNE..SO I AM VERY LUCKY!!

DURING THE WEEK I WAS CLEANING UP MY OUTSIDE PATIO/BBQ AREA AND ADDED A FEW LITTLE CREEPY CRAWLIES TO OUR TABLE...A BIG METAL SPIDER..TWO SMALLER SPIDERS AND A FLYING PIG (OF ALL THINGS!!)..
I HOPE THERE IS SOME METHOD IN MY MADNESS AS I AM AN ARACHNAPHOBIC..I JUST AM SCARED STIFF OF SPIDERS..MY MUM SENT DOWN A DRAWING I DID AT SCHOOL (WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10..I AM 51 NEXT MONTH..SO THAT IS HOW LONG SHE HAS KEPT IT)...AND GUESS WHAT IT FEATURES..A HOUSE WITH BLACK SPIDERS HANGING OFF WINDOWS/DOORS...(MY HUBBY DEFINATELY THINKS I HAVE A PROBLEM)!!
ANWYAY I SAW THESE BIG METAL SPIDERS IN OUR LOCAL WONDERFUL GIFT SHOP..AND THOUGHT I SHALL BUY THEM..PUT THEM ON THE PATIO..IN A PROMINENT POSITION..SO WHILST WALKING PAST EVERY DAY I CAN SEE THEM AND MAYBE CONQUER MY FEAR!!

DO YOU LOVELY LADIES THINK THIS IS A GOOD OR A BAD IDEA?? I HAVE ACTUALLY THREATENED MY 19 YO SON STILL LIVING AT HOME..THAT HE HAD BETTER NOT DARE THINK OF PUTTING ONE OF THEM IN MY BED/UNDER MY PILLOW AS A JOKE...OTHERWISE HE WILL BE "GROUNDED FOR LIFE"!! LOL.

I SEEM TO BE CONSTANTLY CLEANING...DUST EVERYWHERE..AND ALL THE TIME!! SO FINALLY GOT MY EBAY ROOM BACK IN SOME SORT OF ORDER...HAD THE CARPET AND TWO COUCHES STEAMED CLEANED..AND IT MAKES ONE FEEL SOOO MUCH BETTER WITH THINGS BEING NICE & CLEAN AND FRESH FOR SPRING..

JUST ONE LAST THING..I FOUND THIS GORGEOUS SUNFLOWER PRINT DURING THE WEEK AND JUST HAD TO HAVE IT...HOW BEAUTIFUL AND REALISTIC DOES IT LOOK...AS LAVENDER/SUNFLOWERS ARE MY TWO FAVOURITE SUMMER FLOWERS..

SO OFF NOW TO WATCH THE FOOTBALL..LIST GOODIES ON EBAY...ENJOY A GLORIOUS MELBOURNE DAY..

XX ANDREA

PS..I HAVE MESSED UP THE SEQUENCE RE PHOTOS..AND HAVE TRIED TO FIND WHERE TO EDIT THEM..BUT CANNOT FIND IT!! SO PLEASE BEAR WITH OUT OF SEQUENCE PHOTOS..

LAVENDER..ROSES..FLOWERS GALORE..SPRING IS HERE

WELL IT IS ONLY A FEW DAYS SINCE MY LAST POST..BUT I HAVE NEW PHOTOS WHICH I SHOULD HAVE ADDED..BUT I AM HAVING A BIT OF TROUBLE TRYING TO WORK BITS AND PIECES OUT..NOTHING UNUSUAL FOR ME!!

ANWAY AS SAID IN MY LAST POST I BOUGHT SOME LOVELY PRINTS FROM GAIL MCCORMACK..AND HOW NOW WORKED OUT WHERE THEY ARE FEATURING IN MY HOME...
I HAVE HUNG THEM UP IN MY KITCHEN..NEXT TO MY WHITE HUTCH FEATURING MY CROCKERY AND FRENCH TIN SIGNS ETC ...AS WELL AS MY GREAT GLASS JAR FULL OF FAUX APPLES & LEMONS...HOW REAL DO THEY LOOK?

I HAVE ALSO PUT SOME DRIED LAVENDER AND ROSES IN A LITTLE GLASS JAR NEXT TO THESE IMAGES TO CREATE A LITTLE STORY..

THE COLOUR OF THE DRIED ROSES IS JUST SOO GORGEOUS..SOO BEAUTIFULLY SUBTLE..

I ALWAYS BUY ROSES WHICH HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BUT LITTLE DIFFERENT COLOUR..AND THEN HANG THEM TO DRY..AND THEN PLACE THEN SOMEWHERE THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE...

I HAVE A LOVELY LOT IN A VINTAGE FRENCH TIN ITEM I PURCHASED ON EBAY FROM A SELLER IN FRANCE..AND THEY LOOK GREAT ON MY ANTIQUE HALL STAND SITUATED AT THE TOP OF MY STAIRCASE LEADING INTO MY KITCHEN..
I JUST ADORE LAVENDER AND WHEN IN SEASON..BUY HEAPS AND HEAPS AND DRY IT .. AND HAVE IT IN MY BEDROOM....LAUNDRY..KITCHEN ...EVERYWHERE!!

I LOVE LAVENDER...SUNFLOWERS...OF COURSE ROSES...plus i also bought some jonquils today..as it is nearly the end of the season and they are sitting in a nice french blue jug in the corner window of my kitchen..

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST..HAD TO SHOW YOU A PHOTO of PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST RESILIANT FLOWERS AROUND...AS IT NEVER RAINS IN MELBOURNE...OUR DAMS ARE STILL AT JUST 33% capacity..we can only water 2 days a week between the hours of 6 - 8 am...HELLO!! i dont have to get up that early anymore with no children having to get TO school..have done that for 15 years..so I am lazy and sleep in until 8.30am..and as much as i love to have a nice garden..I just cannot GET UP that early to water...(yes I am lazy...dont remind me!!)..SOO these GORGEOUS PLANTS..SURVIVE WITH NO WATER..AND STILL ARE SOO KIND TO ME THAT THEY BLOOM..WITH THEIR BRIGHT ORANGE FLOWERS...AND MAKE MY ENTRANCE TO MY HOUSE..LOOK SPECTACULAR..HOW FANTASTIC ARE THESE PLANTS??

ANYWAY...A QUITE WARM DAY IN MELBOURNE TODAY..BUT WITH THOSE DREADED STRONG NORTH WINDS..I GUESS THAT IS SPRING SEPTEMBER IN MELBOURNE...LOOKING FORWARD TO A LONG HOT..NO RAIN..SUMMER!!

xx00 andrea

LAVENDER..ROSES..FLOWERS..SPRING IN THE AIR!!

WELL IT WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF DAYS SINCE MY LAST POST..BUT IT WASNT REALLY SHOWING MUCH..
AS I AM STILL QUITE NEW TO THIS BLOGGING BUSINESS..I HAVE NOW FOUND THAT SOMETHING HAS CHANGED AND I CANNOT GET THE COLOUR FONT TO WORK..AMONGST OTHER THINGS..ANYWAY..I HAVE JUST WORKED OUT HOW TO TURN THE PHOTOS AROUND SO AS THEY ARE NOT AT AN ANGLE!!
AS SAID IN MY LAST POST..I HAVE BOUGHT A COUPLE OF LOVING PRINTS FROM GAIL MCCORMACK..AND A FEW OF YOU LOVELY LADIES HAVE ASKED ME TO SHOW WHICH ONES I PURCHASED..SO I HAVE INCLUDED A PHOTO OF THEM...
THEY ARE IN MY KITCHEN..NEXT TO MY WHITE HUTCH HOLDING CROCKERY IN THE TOP..AND SOME SHABBY FRENCH TIN SIGNS...THOSE FAUX GREEN APPLES & LEMONS IN THE GLASS JAR..HOW REAL DO THEY LO0K??

I HAVE ALSO PUT SOME DRIED LAVENDER AND ROSES THAT I HAD...IN A LITTLE GLASS JAR..
I JUST ADORE THE COLOUR OF THE ROSES IN THE GLASS NEXT TO THE LAVENDER..IT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PALE MAUVE..WITH CREAM TIPS..

I OFTEN BUY ROSES IF THEY ARE A BEAUTIFUL COLOUR..AND THEN HANG THEM UP TO DRY..AND PUT THEM SOMEWHERE AROUND THE HOUSE..

ONE PHOTO I HABVE INCLUDED IS OF SOME DRIED ROSES..IN A VINTAGE KETTLE TYPE TIN CONTAINER I PURCHASED FROM A LADY IN FRANCE..ON EBAY..AND IT SITS ON MY ANTIQUE HAT STAND AT THE TOP OF MY STAIRS LEADING UP TO MY KITCHEN..

I ALWAYS BUY LAVENDER WHEN IN SEASON....DRY IT..AND JUST HAVE IT IN CONTAINERS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE ....

I ALSO BOUGHT SOME LOVELY JONQUILS TODAY..AND PLACED THEM IN A LITTLE BLUE CONTAINER..AND THEY ARE SITTING RIGHT IN THE CORNER OF MY WINDOW IN THE KITCHEN..THEIR SMELL IS DIVINE..AND THEY ARE JUST SOO PRETTY..

AND WITH SPRING NOW IN MELBOURNE..I THOUGHT I WOULD SHOW YOU MY WONDERFUL LOT OF CLIVIAS...BRIGHT ORANGE FLOWERS..THEY HAVE ALL LITERALLY BLOOMED OVERNIGHT..AND THEY HIGHLIGHT THE ENTRANCE TO MY FRONT DOOR.I MUST SAY THESE ARE THE MOST RESILIANT FLOWER ON THIS PLANET!! AS WITH THE WATER RESTRICTIONS IN MELBOURNE..I AM ONLY ALLOWED TO WATER THE GARDEN TWO DAYS A WEEK AT THE HOURS BETWEEN 6-8AM..AND AS I NEVER HAVE TO GET UP THAT EARLY ANY MORE..THESE WONDERFUL PLANTS SURVIVE ON LITERALLY NO WATER AS IT NEVER RAINS IN MELBOURNE..AND TO MY DISGRACE I NEVER GET UP TO WATER!!

I CANNOT WAIT FOR SUNFLOWERS TO START TO APPEAR...AS THEY ALONG WITH LAVENDER AND OF COURSE ROSES...ARE MY FAVOURITE FLOWERS...

XX00 TO EVERYONE....ANDREA

SON AWAY...BUSY RE DECORATING..EBAYING..PLAYING TENNIS!!

WELL IT HAS BEEN A FEW WEEKS SINCE POSTING..AND I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW TIME LITERALLY FLIES....

ANYWAY WENT TO QLD LAST WEEK TO CHECK ON MY ELDEST SON WHO HAS GONE TO JAPAN FOR 6 MONTHS...ON EXCHANGE TO A UNI OVER THERE...AND HE CONTACTED US LAST NIGHT VIA SKYPE..I MUST SAY I ADMIRE HIM SOOO MUCH...LIVING WITH A FAMILY FOR 6 MONTHS...GOING TO UNI 3 KMS AWAY..HAVING TO RIDE A BIKE.....AND STUDYING 7 SUBJECTS WITH ONLY JAPANESE BEING SPOKEN....AND HE HAS TO PASS ALL OF THESE TO FULFILL HIS JAPANESE STUDies here in oz..!!

BUT I HAVE TO SAY.,.UNLIKE ME...HE IS VERY EASY GOING...AND TAKES EVERYTHING IN HIS STRIDE...when he was on skype to me last night..he could zoom around his bedroom in his hosts family house...pink curtains..(good start..)...heavy wooden furniture...as a JOKE I said
he should paint it shabby white with glass handles.,.!! he took it in his stride..,and just told me to "get over shabby stuff mum"...

anyway....missing him already....BUT a wonderful opurtunity for him to come back after christmas speaking japanese fluently...

Other son is at uni..and a mad SKIER..SO IS OFF TO THE SNOW AGAIN.

so00 with two adult boys/men...i dont have to do anything re school driving/speech nights/term reports etc..
so ebay...my blog site...is now my little bit of doing something constructive from my end...,
it is a very funny feeling when you have devoted your life to your children..and then in a blink of an eye....they are independent.,..,finished their schooling...at uni..soo to all you young mums out there..cherish your time..as IT LITERALLY FLIES BY..

ANYWAY..whilst visiting my son in qld..i went to the paddington antique markets...
and I must say i was very disappointed...there were maybe 2 shabby chic stores..but the rest were ad hoc .... nothing displayed in a nice manner to make me want to buy something..I LIKE an orderly type store...not just goods thrown around in some ad hoc manner..it makes me think the store holder doesnt really care about their goods.,.PRESENTATION...,DISPLAY AND A LITTLE BIT OF CARE RE DISPLAY makes a difference... well..that is what i think anyway..

purchased some lovely goodies from GAIL MCCORMACK THIS WEEK..AND BOUGHT A LOVELY LOT OR FAUX APPLES/LIMES./..AND PUT THEM IN A LITTLE GLASS container...they look great on my hutch..

AND OF COURSE...ALWAYS HAVE TO SHOW MY GORGEOUS TOY POODLE SOOTY!! MY BABY!!@

TAKE CARE EVERYONE XX andrea

SON AWAY...LISTING EBAY STUFF/BUYING AND RE DECORATING..

I AM NOT SURE WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS SITE..i USED TO BE ABLE TO TYPE IN PINK ETC..BUT SOMETHING HAS CHANGED AND AS A NOVICE NOT SURE WHAT IS GOING ON.,,,
SO PLEASE BEAR WITH THIS ..

I WAS IN QLD LAST WEEK VISITING MY ELDEST SON WHO HAS GONE TO a JAPANese UNI ON EXCHANGE FOR 6 MONTHS...
I HAVE TO ADMIRE HIM...HE IS STUDYING AT A JAPANESE UNI...DOING ABOUT 6 SUBJECTS..AND HE HAS TO COMPLETE ALL OF THESE SPEAKING FLUENT JAPANESE..
HE IS LIVING WITH A HOST FAMILY...HAS SPOKEN TO ME ON SKYPE...AND SHOWN ME HIS BEDROOM...

LOTS OF BROWN FURNITURE WITH PINK CURTAINS..I JOKINGLY SAID TO HIM TO PAINT THE FURNITURE SHABBY CHIC WHITE!!! OF COURSE HE WAS NOT IMPRESSED!!


BUT IT IS FUNNY..AS HE IS ABOUT 6 FEET TALL..WITH LONG..AUBURN CURLY HAIR.. THE JAPANESE ACTUALLY THINK HE IS SOME ROCK STAR?? ACTOR FROM SOMEWHERE!! VERY FUNNY..BUT I THINK HE LOVES THE ADULATION..

ANYWAY...HAVE BEEN RE DECORATING AS USUAL..BOUGHT SOME GORGEOUS PRINTS FROM GAIL MCCORMACK...THEY ARE GOING INTO MY KITCHEN..what a TALENTED artist is she??

WHILST IN QLD ... WENT TO THE PADDINGTON ANTIQUE MARKETS..BUT HAVE TO SAY I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED...A FEW SHABBY NICE STORES..BUT THE REST WAS QUITE BORING...AND MOST OF THE STORE HOLDERS DIDNT SEEM TO TAKE ANY PRIDE IN THEIR APPEARANCE...I ACTUALLY LIKE TO LOOK AT STALLS NICELY PRESENTED.,,,OR WITH AT LEAST AN EFFORT PUT INTO THEIR DISPLAY...NOT JUST STUFF STUFFED INTO SOME CORNER...

DISPLAY..CARE...MAKES A PERSON FEEL LIKE BUYING..NOT STUFFING AS MUCH JUNK INTO A SPOT...TURNS ME OFF!! so I didnt buy anything...

SOOTY IS STILL HIS JOYFUL FUNNY SELF..AND SPENT A FEW DAYS AT HIS "GRANDPARENTS" WHILST WE WERE IN QLD...
AND THE FUNNY THING IS...MY BOYS ALWAYS WENT TO THEIR "NANNIES" EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT...BUT NOW THEY HAVE GROWN UP.,.,.,SOOTY IS THE SUBSTITUTE..,AND THEY LOVE HIM!!

LOOKING OUT ACROSS MELBOURNE..LIGHTENING IS FLASHING...BUT OTHERWISE...JUST LISTING EBAY STUFF..LOVING SITTING AT MY LITTLE TABLE ON MY LAPTOP DOING MY STUFF!

TAKE CARE EVERYONE.XX andrea

SON GONE AWAY..STILL DECORATING! and ebaying!!

NICE PRESSIES FROM HUBBY! & HOW CUTE IS SOOTY??!!

Well hubby had been away for over a week...but i am used to that...

so knew he was going to be home...and said over the phone that i WOULD cook a nice roast dinner..

AND to my surprise...he walked in with Two GORGEOUS GOODIES FOR MY KITCHEN..

a lovely French chic napkin holder...and a wonderful tray...

HOW nice was that?? AND more to the point..he didnt know I had been re doing the kitchen over the weekend..and in fact...i DONT TELL HIM what I do on my blog site...as he is VERY private...so I keep it SECRET womens business!!!

AND OF COURSE ..as my header has to do with a poodle...and my dog is a poodle....I always have to show some latest photos of what SOOTY is up to...

now I am working on my computer upstairs...he has found a lovely comfy possy on the cushions on the couch...

HOW CUTE IS THIS NEARLY 10 YR OLD DOGGIE?? he reminds me of OScar THE GROUCH FROM SESAME STREET...I AM TEMPTED TO PUT HIM IN A GARBAGE CAN AND PHOTO HIM...

anway..enough for now....spring is ALMOst IN THE AIR IN MELBOURNE!!!!