Thursday, December 01, 2011

Three weeks ago...

I went to Melbourne! And it has taken me this long to get around to telling you about it. How slack is that!

The trip came about during the afternoon tea celebrations for my Dad's 80th Birthday. My sister Lee commented that she and her daughter Amy, were going to visit my sister Deb in Melbourne. Jeff suggested that I go too!

So, armed with Lee and Amy's flight numbers, I came home and proceeded to see if I could get on the same flights. I managed to get on the same flight over (and seated just in front of Lee, but couldn't get on the same flight home, so came home the day before Lee and Amy.

While this planning was going on, I was swapping emails with my cousin Kerry in New South Wales. It turned out that on Tuesday when we were in Melbourne, Kerry's husband Peter had meetings in Melbourne, so Kerry came down with him to spend Wednesday with us.

What a week! Amy wanted to shop and shop we did. After breakfast in a little cafe in Albert Park, we spent Monday at the DFO at South Wharf and only managed to do the lower level! At one point in the morning, Lee and I left Amy and Deb to the shops and went and had a massage. I had woken up with a stiff neck and this helped a lot, though through the week when I got tired it would stiffen again. It was a great indicator to all of us when we had to slow down a bit!

Tuesday was more shopping. This time in the city along with a visit to Queen Victoria Markets. It was back home to organise a bbq dinner with Kerry and Peter, who had arrived that evening.

Our days were getting a bit routine happening by now. We would rise, go for a walk, have breakfast, head out either on foot or by tram, have coffee and then get into what ever was planned for the day.

Wednesday was High Tea at Where A Girl Goes in Collingwood. This was a special request from Lee. Lee had a close friend pass from cancer earlier this year who loved this place. So we had a high tea in memory of Rachel. What a great place! We had a choice of teas, coffees or chocolate and the most amazing array of sandwiches, macaroons, cakes and chocolates to feast on. We had lots of pictures taken and this one is my favourite.

High Tea at Where a Girl Goes
L to R: Lee, Amy, Deb, Terri, Kerry
Kerry, with the yummy stuff we had for High Tea!

After high tea, we browsed the shops on Smith Road and much to Amy's delight she ticked of a couple of must have buys while she was in Melbourne. She wanted something vintage, which was a gorgeous lace shirt and something from a Designer which is a cute little dress she got from one of the boutiques which of course, I can now no longer remember the name of!

After shopping, we decided a cocktail was in order before Kerry had to leave us to go home. We went to this kitsch little bar called Madame Brussels in Bourke Street

We then all said goodbye to Kerry who had to go and meet her hubby to catch their flight back to NSW with a promise that we will all do this again in two years time. So rock on November 2013! Hopefully, Kerry's sister Vicki will join us! It was such a fun day!

From here, all the shopping is a bit of a blur! We went to Acland Street in South Melbourne, the South Melbourne Markets,  St Kilda (for cake!!!) and so it went on!

I escaped for a few hours on Thursday afternoon to visit with Jeff's and my friends Heather and Richard Broughton and their very cute 2 year old Zac. It was nice to sit and just visit for a while. Richard and Heather have just moved house and live about a 10 minute walk from Deb and Roy's which was great.

Friday we did the tourist thing as Amy had never been to Melbourne and Lee hadn't been for a long time. We got the City Circle Tram and got to see the main points of Melbourne. When we got back we went to visit and have lunch with "Chloe" at Young and Jacksons.

While we were there, Amy attracted an unwanted admirer. An older man with dreadlocks came and asked who was Amy's mum. He then thanked Lee for bringing a beautiful girl into the world! (we all agree but...) He then disappeared only to come back later to gush over Amy again while we were eating. He said that he would come back again when we had finished our meal. We finished eating and made a hasty exit in case he delivered on his promise!

After lunch, we caught the tram up to Fitzroy Gardens to the Conservatory and Captain Cook's cottage and had a wander through and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! Of course we had to do the photo with the face in the hole thing! I look like my son Michael when he was younger!

We headed home after this as we were going to dinner at another Melbourne icon, Mizuzu's in Albert Park. It was a wonderful evening with wonderful food. Deb and Roy had taken me there before with my besty Gilly so I knew how good it was!

Saturday was time for me to go home but not before more shopping!

It was a great week and Roy was so patient with 4 females in the house (5 if you count Zoe "the cat formerly known as Cuddles"!

Oh - and don't let me forget my favourite picture of Amy for the week! She was absolutely taken with the display shoes in Myer!

and she didn't like my close up! (I did threaten to put it on Facebook!)

Monday, October 31, 2011

Early Birthday Gifts

Tomorrow I am 50 years old. I don't know how I feel about that but we will see! Yesterday, I went to my friend Hetty's for the afternoon as per usual. I do this every Sunday. We chat, cross stitch and generally watch a movie.

Yesterday was a bit different because another dear friend, Gail, from Perth arrived for a cuppa too. I was duly presented with two early presents. Gail's early gift I could understand. I won't see her tomorrow but I am having lunch with Hetty! She never can hang on to a gift once she has it for you. I have experienced this on more than one occasion.

Hetty has gifted me with Kasey Chambers' book "A little Bird Told Me..." She knows I like Kasey Chambers and I am really looking forward to sitting down and reading it. For thos of you who don't know who Kasey is, she is my favourite Australian Country Singer.

Gail presented me with a beautiful hand embroidered wall hanging featuring 9 different tea pots. She knows how I love my pot of tea! It is truly an inspiring gift. I was thrilled to bits with it!
My new quilt and book
Detail - sorry can't work out how to rotate it!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Trying!

to be a good girl, I am! And posting a bit more often.

This week has been all about redecorating. Unfortunately I failed to take pictures. We had floor coverings removed from the sewing room and study and had lovely vinyl flooring laid. This had the knock on effect of painting my sewing room and the guest bedroom. It is finally done and the furniture back in place. We are now just awaiting the new blinds. Then I will take pictures and post. :)

Today has been very unexciting so far. I have vacuumed and scrubbed the grout in the passageway tiles and mopped the floor. Riveting stuff! This afternoon, I plan to do the ironing. Isn't my life exciting!

The upside is that will leave tomorrow totally free to do what I want to do. Some sewing more than likely!

Later gaters - I have a date with the ironing board!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Better show you these...

The boys both asked me for quilts late last year.

Matt requested an all black quilt with the logo of his favourite band Alkaline trio and Michael didn't care what he got 'as long as it didn't look like it came out of Target"!!!

Here are the results:
Matt's Quilt 
Detail - Matt's quilt

Mick's Quilt -ever seen this in Target??

Cough!

Okay, I nearly choked  when I realised it is nearly two years since I last posted. Mind you, in that time, quite a lot has happened in our family!

A quick summary of events: (not necessarily in chronological order)

We have sold our business. Jeff retired in September last year and I got to stay on at work for 8 more months. Lucky me. I finally finished in May this year.

Gilly, my BFF and I spent 3 1/2 weeks in April and May 2010 meeting up with friends in the USA and had a blast of a time.  We met some amazing people and saw some amazing sights. We are looking forward to going back in October 2012.

Gilly's eldest daughter got married in October 2010, which resulted in me embellishing Caris's wedding dress for her. A job done with much love. The wedding was a fabulous event and the happy couple are still in bliss 12 months later.

The other thing that occurred because of the wedding is that the Ushers finally have a family photo with all the family members together!

Matt has changed jobs. He is now working as an advertising sales rep for Community Newspapers in Perth. He and his girlfriend Kerry Anne are now living together. Great news. Jeff and I both adore Kerry Anne.

Michael has also changed jobs. He is now working for AARnet as an IT guy. He has a new girlfriend too. We have only met Amy a couple of times but she seems lovely.

Chi the cat is still soldiering on. He is 16 now and a little arthritic but is enjoying having Jeff and I home most of the time. Jeff is spoiling him rotten. Honestly, who feeds their cat camembert cheese? Please!!

Plans for the future? Right now, we are just taking it a day at a time. Jeff is happy working on the garden and riding his bike. I am happy researching the family tree and finishing off the pile of unfinished quilts I have accumulated over the years and also starting some new projects.
The Usher Family!

Matt and Kerry Anne (she is wearing six inch heels!)
The happy Couple - Thomas and Caris

Caris and the embellishing!

The Magpies - Chicago

The Magpies - New Mexico

t
Franca & Diana - The Magpies San Francisco 
Quilt for Kerry Anne

Completed Row by Row Quilt from 2006ish

Everything Old is New Again Challenge - Northam

Latest completed quilt - Beyond the Garden Gate