26 June 2014

A Cancellation

I got a text message this morning and my remedial massage was cancelled due to Lucy being sick, which on one hand was good it freed up an extra hour, but I really needed the massage.  Probably going to need it more next week after stitching most of the afternoon and plan to quilt a quilt on the weekend.

The quilt top I was waiting for fabric for is now finished.  Just needs a good press, might baste it tomorrow night and get started on the quilting.  The draft pattern is nearly finished just got to type up some changes and send it off to my proofing guru.  Then pray for sunshine to do a photo shoot.  Sneak peak is all you get though.

I am slogging away at Project No 3 there is a few more night's of hand stitching in that one.

My sugar free change is going well I'm not craving sugary stuff and haven't caved to it at all which for me is amazing.  Squid is being pretty darn good.  She had a party on the weekend and I let her indulge in some lollies and she did bring home some chocolate cake but couldn't eat more than a couple of bites because it was too sickly so I count that as a victory.  The men in the house are boycotting the sugar free as much as they can.  But I haven't bought ice-cream in weeks which is killing my hubby.  I've basically told him to suck it up as we all can't weigh the same as we did in high school like he does.  I've allowed him to have a few goodies on the side and Maestro as well but they are not to eat them in front of squid.    

Picked up the Pete Evans, Healthy Every Day Cookbook today.     He follows a Paleo diet, which is sugar free so I will be doing some reading tonight and there is a desert section.  Though so far haven't found a desert that the sugar nuts are happy with.  


22 June 2014

A little bit of progress but lots of waiting for the postie

The day job has been a bit manic, and I have a bit on with Seabreeze at the moment.

I have been stuck on the design for Project 3 for Xmas in July.  What I wanted to do was in my head but I just couldn't get it to look how it was supposed to.   Then I saw a post from one of the pages I follow which has to do with Art Journaling and I got inspired.  The problem was I was trying to get it perfect where I needed to just do it more free form and it worked.  Now I have a LOT of hand stitching to do but the bit I have done so far is looking like it does in my head.
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Project 1 is at a stand still as Australia Post has decided to send the extra fabric by road instead of by plane.  Has anyone ever tried to get customer service from Australia Post lately.  There is no phone number on the website, you can only fill in a form and when you do they say they reply in 2 business days, then they send you an email saying they have more than usual demand for customer service so it will be longer.  So I went into a post office Friday, and they can't help me you have to ring customer service at least they had the phone number... What a Joke.... so half an hour later on hold to be told that it is in transit and will take at least 5 days.  Didn't help that I needed fabric on the weekend.

My stress levels have been up this week, probably because I haven't been walking.  Cold air make me bark like a dog at the moment and as I managed to put my back out with a coughing fit this week I decided not to tempt it.  This morning the sun was shining so I headed out once the sun came up.  It was still freezing cold though.  By the time I came home though the weather had turned but at least it didn't rain for footy.

12 June 2014

Gotta Love a Long Weekend

Mine was made a bit longer as I found out when I went to see Squids teacher on Friday to pick up some homework for her that they were having a Pupil Free day on Tuesday.  So I hastily arranged an annual leave day.  I'd arranged to look after one of Squid's friend's and we were planning either a trip to one of local pools or the market which were 2 places high on the agenda for Squid.  As she was still coughing and I'd caught the bug over the weekend I said we would go to town and the market and get out in the fresh air.

Apparently there was a problem with the trams and they were really packed so we ended getting off at the Mall and walking to the Market, which meant the kids got to have a bit of a play in Victoria Square.... got to say I don't really think much of the redo, maybe in a couple of years when the trees have grown it might be more inviting but I really miss the shady trees that use to be there.  But Squid was happy because there was water to play with.  There is also a sand pit, but I really don't think playing with that would be a good idea.

We had a lovely day, walked heaps and had a bit of fun walking through the city, and waiting for trams.

I thought that I was over the worst of the bug but that wasn't to be and it turned into a full on head cold.  So glad I took an annual leave day and didn't swap days as I would have been a basket case today at work.

Seabreeze wise it looks like things are ramping up, have a few projects that need to be done in the next couple of weeks and lots of notes to write for classes.  Really hoping to get started on a couple of things this weekend if Mr Australia Post delivers on time.

For tonight I think I'm heading to bed early again, because I really need to get to work tomorrow, hopefully the boss will be out on appointments most of day... better take the Glen 20 with me.  

05 June 2014

Topsy Turvey Week

Its been a bit of a mixed bag this week.  The boss sprang a trip on me last week and kinda wanted me to switch my day off as he prefers someone in the office if he is away.  Now that I work 4 days a week I don't like messing up my one day off because I usually have appointments lined up weeks and months in advanced.  I did have the car booked in for some work but decided after thinking about it over the weekend and saw the workload for the week to swap Thursday for Tuesday as long as I could go in late (as work owed me a couple of hours that wasn't a biggy).

The only problem with it is I have just lost the whole feel for what day it is.  I woke up on Wednesday convinced it was Friday, then the slow dawning that it was only hump day.  Today doesn't feel like a Thursday at all.  To top it off the kids have been sick Maestro yesterday and today Squid had to go to MIL as I had to work. We have a plumbing problem brewing.. but DH will probably stay home with Squid tomorrow so that might get taken care of before the long weekend.

On Tuesday, I food shopped and then cooked most of the day.  I am trying to go sugar free and trying to get the family to do it as well which is proving difficult.  DH is such a sweet tooth and he keeps asking where's desert which defeats the whole process.  I figure if all they get is the no sugar alternatives they will eventually join the party or starve.  They have liked some of the things I have been cooking.  Like this:  Coco Nutty Granola and the no sugar LCM bars I have been making.  I'm hooked on Macadamia nut paste.  Also tried my hand at home made cream cheese which was a success.... but my mayo was a flop (I'm blaming the food processor  and come to the conclusion it is a dud).  Might have to do some more research into making mayo.

Also need to do some more research into where to get coconut flakes the ones I used in the Granola were pretty pricey I could only get the organic variety from a Health Food shop as the duopoly (Coles and Woolies) only had desiccated and shredded varieties and no flakes and I had to be really careful about what coconut I purchased from them because a lot of the packets had added sugar.

That's the week that was.  The beginners sampler is all wash and drying under a heater vent and there has been a little progress on the appliqué borders.... hopefully I will get to do some more on the weekend.  Catch you next time.