OKAY..BIT OF A "SELF CENTRED" BLOG..BUT FOUND THIS FUNNY STUFF"

Hi again ladies...well this blog is NOT going to be about food...cooking etc etc...!!

OKEY DOKEY...I am kind of heading away again on friday to visit MR NO 1 son in qld....(i dont mean that like he is number one...BUT just that he is the FIRST BORN!! OMG..NO 2 is equally NO 1...but he came 2nd in the scheme of things...does this make sense??)...

anyway....

whilst ... yes whilst cleaning today...(something different for a change)!!...BUT honestly...the top part of my house where I keep my ebay stuff etc is LIKE A TIME BOMB!! wont show photos ..... as that would be tooooo boring just looking at MESS!

Anyway...whilst going through some mags which i thought i would list before my sojourn away!! found an OLD australian COUNTRY LOOKS mag...(photographed it to include in my listing )...

and whilst flicking through the pages to photo a nice shabby chicey page...

OMG...FOUND MY MUMS LAUNDRY from her house...which was obviously featured in this issue...(some 14 yrs ago)...

KNEW I kept this mag for some reason...

OKAY...then remembered ..when I had my shop some 150 yrs ago!! I had the mags ring me for ideas etc (that is how it worked)!!...

and I have included some photos (sorry a bit blurred)...of images that were in magazines...newspapers etc about "the boys rooms"..."boys bathrooms"...me & my golliwogs...etc etc.

It is soo funny looking at these images...eg..BYRONS room was covered in wallpaper...swaggy curtains..antique bed/desk/chest of drawers...he loved it as a kid...BUT oh MY how it has now changed to modern etc...

I have these articles framed around the place..BUT you kind of FORGET about it all...until something triggers a memory..

so thought may be interesting for you to see..

PLUS I came across this gorgeous "GRANDPARENTS invitation card" BYRON did when he was 10 yo..(now 22)...AND IT SUMS UP BOTH MY parents/his grandparents perfectly..

MUM/NANNY is shopping at her fav TOORAK store...saying I will buy that with a price tag of $350.00 (jeez byron that was a cheapie!!)...

BUT with my gorgeous dad swimming his 400...yes 400 LAPS per morning..!!!(not quite 400....but he still swims 3 kms EVERY morning..at 85 yo!!)...

how funny/cute/perceptive is all that...actually kind of summing up my mum & dad in one little card at 10 yrs old...MUM the shopaholic...DAD the fitness guru!!

although I must say...mum is as fit as a fiddle & a year older than dad!!!

anyway....NO more posts until end of next week!!

i PROMISE,..

xx andrea

MORE COOKING!! & HAVING A CATH KIDSTON SELL OFF!!

Hi again ladies...well it kind of seems that I am on a cooking theme re my last few blogs..

Well my mum & dad..(both in their late 80's)...have had a bit of the "COLD"...although dad only ever seems to get a bit of a sore throat..MUM gets it a bit worse..and cannot speak for more than a few minutes on the phone..she just starts coughing ad nauseum!! POOR MUMMY!!!!

SOO being the wonderful & dutiful 52 yo daughter that I am!!!! LOL..cough cough...NO BUT I AM...really!!

cooked them rissoles..mashed pototo..fried onion...peas..gravy...and an ORANGE & poppyseed cake yesterday...

AND TODAY....sausage rolls...(plus ONE BIG JUMBO one for dad...hadnt finished cooking when I took the photo..)..

PLUS 8 x sultana scones....(also not finished cooking)...BUT dad had one as soon as it came out of the oven..and gave it the thumbs up!! which he would do even if it was crappy!!! xx dad..

PLUS I love roasting ROMA tomatoes...in some balsamic vinegar...sprinkle of murray river sea salt..pepper...YUMMO...YUMMO!!

sooo dad has taken all this home for "HE" & "mother" to enjoy..

.aNd I am listing some CATH KIDSTON goodies...some bought in Japan re my trip last december..other bits bought here...HAVING a MINI clearout...

OHHH!!! SOOO MUCH STUFF!! I am just a hoarder..shopaholic...OH WELL!!

makes life interesting???

have a lovely week everyone.....(and ps..sorry i have been very slack lately leaving comments...getting around to it all)..eventually!!

maybe I have tooo much spare time..& waste it...who knows..

XX ANDREA

SOMETIMES I WONDER WHAT I ACTUALLY DO IN A DAY?? NOT SURE IF I ACHIEVE ANYTHING??

HI LADIES...another MAGNIFICENT DAY HERE IN MELBOURNE...(BUT STILL NO RAIN!!)..

anyway....I planned today on listing LOTS of bits & pieces on ebay...went shopping for some stuff yesterday....found a few little pieces to list...

photos show THE gorgeous vintage BED DOLL..how cute is she?? PLUS the CARD roses basket..full of sewing stuff...(which I have NOT shown in this photo..BUT added to my EBAY listing)...~~

SOO the plan was to be VERY productive.....BUT HEY!! I have photographed stuff...listed one or two things...

In between getting dinner ready for Christian (at work today)..& his girlfriend who is coming for dinner..

thought I would do a roast chicken....mashed potatoes etc...cooked a chocolate cake...(okay...it is a packet one)!!

OMG...just looked at the chicken photo...& they look disgusting!!

BELIEVE ME..i have taken all the fat out of them..chopped off all the yukky bits of flesh hanging off the edges!! taken out all the inner bits & gooey pieces..YUK!! and then SCOLDED THEM IN BOILING HOT WATER!!

SO THEY are quite pristine!! clean..clear of yukky bits & bits..(if you know what I mean)??.....I am JUST SOOOOO FUSSY ...especially with CHOOKS!!

BUT the photo still makes them look so so!!!....

(just checked on them in the oven...and they are cooking up to be soo scrumptious!! very brown..well cooked...I cover them in a bit of olive oil/sea salt...soy sauce..honey...pepper...lemon juice...& stuff a lemon in the cavity.with some garlic cloves around...maybe some onion slices also here & there)...BUT MMM!! looking GOOD!!!!!!!!!)...(this is an edit...so we are now talking 6.00 pm!!)...

BUT in between all that...it is NOW nearly 3.00 pm..and I feel LIKE I have DONE NOTHING REALLY!!

I think I have listed a couple of things on ebay...BUT have heaps more to list..

PLS....the postie came with GAIL McCORMACKS....GORGEOUS GORGEOUS NEW PAINTING I purchased the other day...I havent put it anywhere yet...as I am thinking I JUST HAVE To repaint...kind of re arrange me kitchen...I have HAD IT....!!

BUT THIS painting is giving me inspiration!! thanks gail...

AND he also brought me another gorgeous NEW magazine..ARTFUL BLOGGING...a MUST have reference for US bloggers..!!

soo in between listing on ebay...cooking...thinking about changing the house around..reading mags...quite literally STUFFING AROUND!! I really havent gotten too much done today....BUT I havent really been slack either....so what have I achieved??

NOT SURE REALLY??!!

time flies when your children are now adults & both independent uni students!!

and I sit at home ... doing STUFF!! but not too sure what kind of STUFF THIS IS??!!

oh well!! SOOTY still needs to be looked after!

well...better get back to being productive!!\

xx andrea

HEY..I THINK I AM BACK??!! MOJO BACK..

Hi ladies...well i have been very very slack/remiss re my blogging over the last week & a bit...!!

I actually went to qld to see my son...we had a lovely 3 days shopping for his place..

NOTHING LIKE SHOPPING!!

had a bit of a scare flying up...first time in my LIFE..I have ever actually had to turn back...get off the plane..until they found out what the problem was...a tad scarey.. BUT all good in the end.

and coming back...flight delayed by 2 hours!! never mind...nearly finished reading MARY MOODYS latest book...enjoyable...good light read..

and now I am back doing my usual CLEAN UP & ebaying!! whats NEW???!!

only joking...I love cleaning...finding goodies for ebay...etc..

BUT dont know what it is...BUT I came home...& just thought I AM KIND OF sick & tired of things??

soo have just done a little change re Christians bathroom...(i repainted it last july..but have just changed the colour of the mats...bath towels..from white to charcoal grey...)...BLENDS IN WITH WINTER!! NOT to mention the blue pearl granite~~

looking at my kitchen...kind of sick of it?? want to change it all around again..what do you think??

PLUS i just had to buy these gorgeous vintage scales from MARDYBOY on ebay...

I just love them..?? have temporarily filled the scales with some lemons and apples..

SOOO have decided to sell off my NZ house & garden mags above my stove etc...HOW MANY MAGS can ONE really KEEP???? & MOR photographed!!

anyway...have bought a GORGEOUS GAIL MCCORMACKS white CUP painting...so am thinking i shall change the kitchen around to incorporate that..

soo we shall see what happens...

take care...xx andrea...

SOME YUMMY "MOR"..AS IN MORE STUFF TO LIST!!

Hi ladies....following on from my LAST POST!!

YES....went out driving this morning...and bought MORE "MOR" stuff to sell...!

(per photos)...these are my photos I have taken to sell/list these goodies on ebay...

I try to make my goodies look NICE!! presentable...appealing etc....

I love MOR stuff...all aussie made...and the fragrances...BAMBOO & SUGAR CANE...ITALIAN BLOOD ORANGE...MARSHMALLOW...ETC ETC...yummy....& MOR yummy!!!

SOO there is life in this OLD GIRL yet!!! LOL...re DRIVING!!!

GORGEOUS day here in Melbourne today....bright blue skies..sunshine..just RIGHT!!!!!!

xx andrea

"EBAY" SHOPPING/LISTING.but I HAVE MY DRIVING MOJO BACK!!! YES!!!!??

HI ladies....this is just a silly little blog...BUT i just had to let you know ..that I was a BRAVE lady today..!!

I HAVE MY DRIVING MOJO BACK!!

I actually DROVE...to the OTHER side of town!!

OKAY...just to set the scenario for you...

I live on one side of the bridge in Melbourne...& DROVE my boys to school...over that bridge...for some 12 YEARS...sometimes 8 x times per day...minimum was 4 x times per day..

NOW both boys are ADULTS... with own cars..living in different states etc..

I HAVE literally become AN OLD woman...very scared to drive anywhere...I have LOST my confidence...I dont know what has happened really..??

I have a LOVELY NEW car...but I just drive it to get groceries../local shopping..i hate to DRIVE out of my comfort zone!! which has become...literally JUST around the block!!!

OKAY...took a deep deep breath after tennis today...ANDREA just do it...DRIVE !!

SOOO I DID...& hey...i am a pretty good driver...went over to COllingwood..found my outlets I was looking for...PARKED beautifully...

HEY I HAVE MY DRIVING MOJO BACK!!

like a NEW WOMAN!

this must sound SOOO silly to a lot of you ladies..(except GAIL!!???..no offence)..

BUT at nearly 52 yo...something kind of went squuuewiff!! & I lost confidence re my driving.. BUT i think the OLD girl may be back in business!!

anyway...bought some NICE goodies listing on ebay to sell..

the photos show some of the lovely shoes/bags I purchased...

off again tomorrow morning to get some more stuff!!

NO STOPPING ME NOW.....!!!!!!

xxx andrea