This, That & OPAM Reminder!!

Well ... Another busy week has gone whizzing by ... And even more scary, another MONTH is coming to an end. EEP! It seems like just last week that we put the Christmas tree away! Before we know it we'll be putting that sucker back up again ... EEEEEEEK!!

So what has been happening around here during that whizzing week. Not much, actually, but it's been busy ... How does that work?!?! Mum & I did take a drive in to Toowoomba yesterday afternoon to check out the Bloom Asia Flip House ... The project we were helping raise money for last year when we hosted our garden party. The reno is now complete & the house will soon go to auction, with all profits going towards setting up a Bloom Asia training centre in Cebu, in the Philippines. 

Yesterday was a special community open house so people who've been involved in the house flip project could take a peek at the finished project. With lots of people milling around in the house it was a bit tricky to take pics, but this is the front of the flip house ...

It looks pretty flash in its new colour scheme of blue/grey & white. If you'd like to see some pics of the inside, pop over HERE. Here's hoping the right buyer comes along & falls in love with the house so a good amount of profit gets passed on to Bloom Asia to expand its wonderful work rescuing girls from horrible circumstances.

I also had a quick catch up with some Brissie friends this week & during a cruise through some of Highfields' fun shops, I finally found some coffee mugs that:

A) Are a pretty colour that fits my kitchen decor;

B) Don't have strange logos or pictures on; &

C) Hold a DECENT amount of hot tea!! 

(No dinkie little cups for me when I need a cuppa! :0) )

A fresh minty green. They're Robert Gordon mugs, so good quality that should last for years.

Our open plan kitchen/dining/lounge room is still the neutral colour it was when we bought the house, but I've added pops of bright red, apple green, aqua & minty green with accessories & appliances. After a catastrophic dishwasher/coffee mug incident late last year (there were multiple mug fatalities, it wasn't pretty! :0) ) I've been keeping an eye out for replacement mugs. Now I can have more friends over for coffee/tea. :0)

That's about it from me ... Except to remind all OPAMers that the end of the month means it's time to update your sidebar lists & email your June tally to me or my GORGEOUS Partner-In-Crime Sweet Peg. Unless I get my butt into gear this afternoon I think I'm finish-less for June ... It really has been a bit of a rough month.

Whatever you're up to today, I hope you're having a good day & wish you a happy & relaxing/productive weekend. The weather man tells me it's gonna get COLD here, so I may just go into hibernation. :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS

 

 

A Perfect Way To Enjoy A Winter Day!

Those of you who have been popping in to visit me for a while now will be well aware that I rarely have good things to say about winter, but today on our 'hill' it was a very pretty, unseasonably warm winter day ... Just right for an outdoor baby shower. (Does anyone know WHY it's called a baby 'shower'??? Just wondering! )

The Stupendous Steph from the Quilters Angel is excitedly expecting her first bub & invited some of her 'tribe' to join her to celebrate the impending arrival. Now with Steph & her Mum the Marvellous Marion organising things, you just KNOW everything was going to be GORGEOUS!! :0)

Pretty bunting, lovely fresh roses delicious treats ... & lots of pink ... Does that give you a wee clue as to what Steph is expecting?!?! :0) And for a special occasion you need a special cake ...

Just ... WOW!! And it tasted just as good. :0) And it was lovely to see three generations of wonderful women celebrating the impending arrival of a fourth generation ...

... Steph, Marion & Marion's Mum Ethol. Big congrats to Steph & her Sweetie ... I think this new addition will be VERY spoilt ... & very, very BLESSED to be part of this fabulous family. And Steph is sure to get some giggles from the list of suggested baby names put forward & the pieces of 'useful' advice. :0) Thanks Steph & Marion for sharing this special time!

Not much else happening here at the moment, though I managed to shake off my cold ... Not sure if it was the Indiana Jones/stitching day or the olive leaf that did the trick. :0) I hope you've had a good weekend & that your week is fantastic. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS 

 

On A Grey Saturday!

It's Saturday, it's overcast & showery, it's cold (though not quite as cold as it was last week), I've been ambushed by a head cold ... So what's a girl to do?

Why ... She snuggles under her flannel blankie with some stitching & indulges in an Indianna Jones marathon. :0)

What's YOUR favourite movie/series to keep you company on a grey day when you're feeling a bit icky?

Whatever you're up to I hope you're enjoying your Saturday. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS

 

Saying Goodbye Is Hard!

I know I've been a bit quiet in the last couple of weeks, but it's been a bit of a rough time for us. You see, we had the very difficult task of saying goodbye to my gorgeous Grandma & although I wanted to let you all know, it's been hard to find the words ... Harder still for my heart to believe them. A heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you who've sent well-wishes, condolences & have kept checking in on me to see how I'm traveling. Your thoughts, prayers & care have been a comfort during a sad time.

My Beloved Geek Boy & I made the sad trip to Bundaberg last Friday to say our goodbyes to Grandma in a service that, on her instructions, included lots of stories & happy memories from her family & friends. And as strange as it might sound, there was lots of laughter. Exactly as Grandma wanted. :0)

Grandma was 94 and had lived a full & happy life ... Not an EASY life, though. On finishing school Grandma undertook her nursing training in Mackay, where she became good friends with another girl ... Who introduced her to my Gramps ...

Together they had two children ... Mum & her brother ... Then Grandma was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Mum & my uncle lived with family members for two years while Grandma underwent intense experimental treatment ... Which thankfully was successful. They then had two more children & many happy years of marriage.

Gramps passed more than 20 years ago & although Grandma missed him, she had many wonderful friends around her at the retirement village they'd moved to only a year or so before. Her life was jam-packed with family, friends, outings & travel. One of the lovely ladies who spoke to me after Grandm's service was the owner of the bus company Grandma did many trips with & she said her lasting memory of Edna was that she always had a funny story or joke to share. What a lovely way to be remembered! :0)

So many of my childhood memories are tied to the times spent at Grandma & Gramps' place, firstly at the Emerald Pool which they managed for some years & later at Clairview Beach near Mackay where they retired. There was always a crowd of people ... Family, friends & anyone who looked like they needed some company & a good meal. It seemed the walls of their home were elastic, because there was always room for one more.

And there was always LOTS of laughter! Nobody believes me when I say that I'm the shy, quiet one of the family ... Until they meet the rest of my family! :0) And it all started with Grandma.

I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with Grandma over the years & was especially glad that I was able to spend her last birthday with her ...

I also felt very blessed to say goodbye to Grandma surrounded by all of the family, except one cousin from Western Australia who was unable to travel due to illness. Our 'mob', as Grandma used to call it, gathered from five different states & from all corners of Queensland to farewell her. There were many tears, but I truly think they were far outweighed by the stories & laughter, shared by those who knew & loved Grandma most. A fitting tribute to a life well-lived, I think.

And it was a reminder to be grateful for each day we're given, whether it brings challenges or joy; to grab hold of life & squeeze out every drop; to MAKE the time to spend with family & friends ... Who really don't care if your house isn't picture perfect or if you're not looking your glamorous best! ... And most importantly tell your loved ones at EVERY opportunity how precious they are to you. Hopefully that way when our time is up, people will have many memories of our adventures, our laughter & our love for them & be able to say, as we can of Grandma, that we had a life well-lived.

Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS xx

 

 

 

A Quick OPAM Catch Up!

Hello to you all in blogland ... I hope your week is off to a great start. I have to say our week got off to a rough start, but I'll share more about that another time.

Today's post is a quick pop-in to do an OPAM update ... and draw this month's winner, of course. :0) A big thank you to all of you who emailed me or my GORGEOUS Partner-In-Crime Sweet Peg with your tallies for May. It's always a great help to Sweet Peg and I. The rest of the blog hopping has now  been finalised and I have to say, there was a VERY impressive array of projects finished and worked on ... as always. Well done to all of you clever clogs creators. :0) For the month of May there was a total of ...

239 Finishes!

WOO! HOO! What a great total! Lots of space being cleared in sewing room cupboards, obviously! Tee! Hee! Hee! And the winner of the random draw is ...

ANNE MARIE

Congratulations Anne Marie! If you'd like to email me your snail mail address, I'll pop a little something in the mail for you. Kirsten, I haven't forgotten your prize ... it's just been a bit of a disrupted couple of months in the Meares' Madhouse. I'll pop it in the mail soon, I promise.

We're travelling for a family event this weekend, so I'm not sure when I'll be back to visit with you all. Enjoy the rest of your week and I hope your weekend includes some time doing something you love with people you love. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Moose Without Squirrel!

Do you remember these two characters from your childhood cartoon watching days? "Hey Rocky! Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat." :0) And ...

... These two, who were often heard to say, "Get moose & squirrel!" Well ... Today I got moose ... Without squirrel. :0)

My lovely blogging buddy Toni from the Red Boot Quilt Co. sent me a little surprise ... A sweet limited edition Henry the moose pin ... Isn't it cool?! :0) Thanks Toni! These fab pins are prizes for Toni' birthday club draws ... & to spoil her friends. Tee! Hee! Hee! Pop over to Toni's blog to see better pics of Henry ... As well as a peek at Toni's latest fun, cheerful quilt design ... It's a beauty & a favourite of this Pisces gal! :0)

I'm off to play with fabric ... Still enjoying my day off! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS

 

 

 

A 'Proper' Day Off!!

In my grown up job, I work Monday to Thursday & have Friday as my 'day off', but I have to say, Friday's are rarely a REAL 'day off' ... They're usually full of running errands, making appointments that don't fit between work hours & the usual household chores of cleaning & washing clothes. Well ... Today, for the first time in ages ... I'm having a "PROPER" day off. :0)

When my Beloved Geek Boy woke me to say goodbye as he headed off to work, I thought about getting up, but had a rip-roaring headache, so decided to snuggle back down in my cosy double-doona nest & try to sleep off the headache. Two hours later I surfaced again ... Headache gone! YAY! So I decided I was ready to face the day.

It was too late to do any washing ... Sunlight on the washing line hours are limited in winter with all of our big trees & changed angle of the sun ... So I decided to treat myself to a lazy day, starting with a yummy brunch.

MMMMMMMMMMM!! Mashed avocado & fetta on olive sourdough with poached eggs & a good strong mug of plunger coffee. Who needs to go out in the cold to some hipster coffee shop! :0P I then enjoyed a cruise around what my buddy Chookyblue refers to as "the dark side" ... Facebook. :0) ... I'm now checking in with you, my blogging buddies ... & this afternoon I'm going to spend some time playing with fabric, followed by an early HOT shower (after our solar hot water booster threw a small fit earlier in the week, GB found & fixed the problem so our water is again hot rather than luke warm) & enjoy a simple steak & salad dinner with my Sweetie in front of a yet-to-be-decided movie. Now THAT is what I call a "PROPER" day off. :0) What's YOUR definition of a proper day off?? I'd love to know, cos we're all different. :0)

It's the perfect weather to have some time at home at the moment. Yesterday was the first day of winter & boy did it hit with a bang!

This was the temperature in my office when I arrived at work!! BRRRRR!! See why I complain about the cold?!? The office I share with my boss is a 'donger' that was put in place as a temporary office ... About 15 years ago! :0P It has no lining or insulation so is sweltering in summer & an icebox in winter. I'm so NOT looking forward to the next couple of months! SIGH!

Now, the first day of winter also means we're into a new month, so OPAMers ... Have you updated your sidebar lists & emailed your tally for May to me or my GORGEOUS Partner-in-Crime Sweet Peg? Well ... Get hopping! :0) We'll be doing our round up & blog hopping in the next few days. Thanks to those of you who have already emailed ... Much appreciated. :0)

Right ... I think that the next thing on my "Proper" day off agenda is ... Another cuppa! :0) I bet that doesn't surprise you! Tee! Hee! Hee! Whatever you're up to today, I hope you enjoy it & that your weekend is full of fun stuff. Those of you live in the Southern Hemisphere struggling to come to terms with winter, stay warm, & my friends in the north, I hope you enjoy the coming warmth. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS