Fatherhood

Whatever flaws he has, I have never seen a gentler or more attentive father than the Panda, sitting for at least an hour grooming Big S with a nit comb, after having shampooed and showered him.  Sometimes people shine, in the silliest of circumstances.

A Little Imagination

"What is that?" enquires the Panda.

"A dress" I say. 

"Well its bloody ugly.  Even the print is s#*t.  And you can quote me on your blog too" says the Panda, laughing.

Sounds like a challenge to me!

Sometimes you need imagination.  

In my head this dress is a lovely 50's style sundress.  Look how happy I am, lovingly picking out the best apples for my family!  Hear my happy song as I do the dishes wearing my pretty new frock and neat floral apron.

That's the idea anyway, that's the dream.

Tune in to see what the reality turns out like!

At My House

 A big list of unticked boxes...

An enormous Tim Burton-esque intruder!

 Prince Panda who returned from work to vanquish hairy invader...

and then had to check extensively to make sure he hadn't flicked spider into the open window of his own car!  Ha! Ha!  Thankyou Panda xo

Four Things

I have enjoyed reading everyone's responses to Chunkychooky's meme, that I'm going to join in too.

4 Things I always carry

1. Handkerchief
2. Earrings
3. Mobile Phone
4. Muesli Bar

4 Things I have in my bedroom

1. Sewing Machine
2. Pile of To-Do sewing and craft projects
3. Half read book on the night stand
4. Mess which is Panda's fault

4 Things I would like to do but haven't

1. Make a fabulous quilt just for myself
2. Gain a sense of peace and stability about my financial situation
3. Show the kids Australia
4. Write a magnificent epic rivalling Dr. Zhivago or Anna Karenina

4 Things I often wonder

1. What my life would be like if I was folding a different man's underpants
2. If my children will be happy and successful
3. If the neighbours can really hear me when I scream at the kids
4. If I will be able to enjoy good health long enough to do and see the things I have dreamed of

So thats that.  Hope you enjoy reading!

Happy Anniversary Panda

Today is my 7th wedding anniversary! 

Wow, in seven years we have lived in 6 different houses, had two pregnancies and three children, moved 3000km north, then back again, lost one father and two grandfathers, done lots of the 'for poorer' and hardly any 'for richer'.  With the Panda I have skiied cross country in the Australian Alps, snorkelled with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef, slid down waterfalls, been eyed off by a dingo on Fraser Island, had a steam train ride in the Tasmanian Wilderness.
  When we told our families we were moving to Cairns, my Dad said "Well, you could stay here and have an ordinary life".  My life with the Panda is rarely easy, sometimes its not even comfortable and stable, but its also not ordinary either.  Many happy returns xxoo

The Panda is Back!

 The Panda is back!  After four weeks absence, it is wonderful to have our family back together.  Something has to 'give' when he is away, and computer time is it. 

I have also really taken to heart Clutterpunk's montasking ethos, and have tried to give up feeling like I should be doing something else, or just more.  So, this is what I have been enjoying lately...

 

Lots of rain, and I have resigned myself to repeatedly fetching towels and putting clothes in the washing machine.

 

I have continued to entertain myself with painting names and graphics on things to skate in (nobody does THAT much skating though!)

 

I'm quilting the worst kept secret quilt in the world.

 

The quilt of disarray stalled for a while, until I figured out the problem- it was all too neat, the leaves too flat and perfect.  So I shoved  them in a sock and put them through the wash. Now they are slightly frayed, slightly crumpled and crunchy looking - perfect!

Not Much to Report

Not much to report here...

 Bye Bye :(

The parmesan crackers were quite nice, and finished off by me, but the poppyseed crackers were a real winner and polished off by the spawn...

 I got this top for $1 but I hate turtlenecks...

Aaahh, much better...

Excited little head popping out from my finished front of the Bluebird Quilt...

And still trying to get the design right for the Quilt of Disarray.
Well look at that.  Seems like there was something to report!

Showers with the Chance of Crazy Late in the Day

This weekend I

• ate a whole packet of chocolate biscuits
• drank vodka and cordial during the kids bathtime
• told the Panda I hated him
• made a revolting meatloaf
• ran away
• melted a big hole in my washing basket in front of the heater
• cried and got in bed
• was forgiven
• went to a party with wonderful rollergirls
• refashioned a shrunk jumper into a warm vest
• went for a nature walk with the spawn

and now I'm working on appliqueing a derby skirt.  Sewing calms the savage beast - pop in tomorrow to see how it turns out.
  How was your weekend?

Marriage is like a Damper

 Panda and I are tonight celebrating - on this day 11 years ago we met, both pretty drunk, in a pub. We

 are enjoying some quiet togetherness, and playing with our totally decrepit wood oven in the shed.  I thought I'd try to cook damper.

Awww... its ugly and unworkable...

 

hang on...

 

at its core, it is golden and light and warm

 and delicious smothered in butter and jam!

Craft Therapy

This is what I have been crafting tonight.

Ask me how I feel about the Panda spilling 10litres of enamel paint in the back of his car, and me having to miss out on skating whilst he swore and cleaned it up.  Ask me, I DARE YOU.

Grassy Noel

This is what whispered to me.  His name is Grassy Noel, and he's been mixed up with wrong crowds before, but at the moment he is sharing the couch with the Panda.

Freaky Daddy Dolly

 Sometimes I nurture ideas in my head, happy, lovely, wonderful ideas, but then once they have been pushed down the creative birth canal they emerge into the world not quite the way I'd imagined.  The Freaky Daddy Dolly was given life in just this way.

For my Hen's night my best friend found the most hideous photo of the Panda, and had it printed on a t-shirt.  A few years later when Big S was a few months old and Panda had to go away for work, I made the t-shirt into a doll, thinking it would be nice to have Daddy's face around.

I don't think 'nice' is quite the right word though.

Daddy enjoying a sleep in.

Daddy wrestling on the couch.

The real Panda is jetting off again, but I'll be fine, I've got Freaky Daddy Dolly to keep me company, and I'll have plenty of extra time for lots of sewing!