The View From Here

Wow, what a day. I took my hot water bottle to bed last night feeling pretty crap. When I awoke, it was on. Dave took the morning off work to look after the kids. I looked after the bed. When Dave had to head in to the office for some meetings my Dad stepped in.

Bummer of a day to be sick too, Jo and I were going to take the kids to the Play School live show and tonight was supposed to be ladies night.

I have watched the sun move through our bedroom today, while I haven't felt great, it has been nice to stop and rest. This evening the Lady Baby and I are napping and listening to Beth Orton's 'Trailer Park' while the Young Man snores in his room.

What did you do today while you weren't feeling crap?

The Gag Reel

Tim came a few weeks ago. Then a couple of days later he sent me a disk loaded with images, about 100 photos in addition to the ones seen here and here. After our Big Mac died, I decided 'all good things must be blogged'- so here they are. Good things from Tim.

There are a bunch more, and guess what. I'm blogging them too. 

Bored yet?

 too bad.

Also, i have a flu and feel wretched. Feel sorry for me.

When Work Gets In The Way

Work is really full on for Dave at the moment with every daylight hour consumed and most of the evening also. Our previous rituals  have been replaced by a rushed breakfast and a solo 'stand up, skull down' coffee. I have noticed how much the Young Man misses his dadda. When he wakes in the morning he searches the house asking 'where's dadda, mummy?' and shortly afterwards, requests that we go and visit him at the office. We soldier on- playing grip ball, climbing trees and baking cakes.  

It sucks that Dave has to be away for so many hours of the day and it impacts our daily life massively. But what strikes me here is that many would not give a second thought to a man working long hours and being absent from the family home. He needs to provide financially for his people. However, when a mother goes back to work (for whatever her reason) she is often criticised and judged. 

What's the difference, I'd like to know?

Match Made In Heaven

  source 

sauce(y)

The Mac Attack

The other day I shared A Photo From The Archive while I waited for the big mac to start up. Problem. It never did. Yes, That's right- our reasonably new Mac desktop died. It took with it EVERYTHING (did i hear you swear? thought so). The entire itunes library, documents and most devastatingly, our treasured photo's. From the time the Young Man was conceived on a Parisian holiday until now. We are yet to see a retrieval specialist dude and I am still holding onto hope that we will get some back. The stupid thing is, I kept saying to Dave 'man, I've gotta go and get some of these photo's printed just in case the computer dies or someting'. I never did. It died. Excellent.

There is a moral in here for me ' Get these bloody images printed'. So I will and you should too. Just choose 100 of your favourite family photo's and print them. Put them in a safe place and know they are there. Do it. Now.

Since then we have booked Wonder Boy Tim for another family session, this time with one whole side of the Beetle Shack clan. I'll have those printed too and in the coming days i'll share some more of the amazing pics he took for us... just so they are here.

All For Everyone

 Yes you do need some new knitwear. No, Country Road will not do. It must be All Knitwear.

I first saw this excellence over at Chalk&Talk and then did a little searching to find the All Kintwear shop and blog. Seriously, Amazing. I love dressing like a fruit salad, it makes me happy.

I'll be adding this Beanie to my collection because it's all I can afford.

Because It's My Blog

I will make you look at endless photos of my child.

She looks like Dave, and I like it.

Self Sufficiency... Or Something

Dave has finally convinced me that we should dig up part of the only flat land we have to plant vegies. We have been discussing the idea for ages but I've been pretty determined to keep the front yard free for the Young Man to play in. However, I am weak... and totally attracted to the idea of a self sufficient life... kinda... i think. And so we go, guided by John Seymour, into the great illusive dream of sewing and harvesting. Again (we have had many failed attempts). Watch this space.

more fun here and here

Vintage Jug

My grandma sent me this little piece of sunshine from her very own collection. I pretty much love it unconditionally, you know, like I love my kids. It's a tea pot and a kettle. Super impressive.

Old Jug. Photo by this amazing photographer.

As a side, round here we call boobs jugs, juggalugs and so on. While thats not the type of jug im refering to, i thought id mention it.

See more vintage goodies here. linking up here