Warning:Children may increase alcohol consumption.......

This week began so fantastically, return home after working late to a pale faced co-parent. The dialouge went something like this. Me: How was your night love? M: You'd better sit down....... The children had returned to the nest after the Dad weekend, albeit in tatters.  No. 1 had a bruised eye, inflicted by No. 3 and No. 2 had gone into meltdown post the eye incident and called a friend who came to rescue her. Meanwhile Dad is obvilious to the dramas unfolding, for he was at work! Things must have calmed down considerably enough for No. 2 to return to Dads with her friend for protection. She then felt compelled to act on an instruction from No. 3 (who was the much calmer version than the object weilding one earlier) to give her a haircut. Now this may seem like a fairly reasonable thing to do on any given Sunday afternoon IF you are a HAIRDRESSER.  No. 3 has very wild coarse unmanageable hair that resembles a badly clipped hedge if the length creeps up, when cut by even the most qualified hair artist. Bravely the girls tackled a job that most hairdressers shudder at. I'd say at this stage ignorance would and must be bliss. 
By this time of the post work conversation, I was ready to push away the cup of earl grey in favour of a cold Sav blanc.
24 hours later have called an official family meeting
AGENDA ITEMS
1. Hair cut can be worn out in public for now
2.Phones confiscated
3.Family values and better choices lecture on continuous replay
4.Many remorseful tears
5.Moved from Sav blanc to Reisling
I am considering completing an intake to drug and alcohol for myself ahead of time........got a feeling I'm gonna need it........arrrrgghhhhhh!!!!!!

Healing hands

Having had my hair coloured and cut this week has felt wonderful. Partly because new hair makes one feel somewhat revitalised and fresh but also it is lovely to experience the touch of others.  I am super impressed after my experience yesterday when I was waiting to collect Rosie from the car cleaners.  I was wandering along in the shopping centre filling in time when the Chinese massage shop seemed to be calling me. I sat down for a delightful 20 minute massage of my neck and arms. Could somebody please tell me why I have not treated myself to this before now? My goodness I felt like I was floating after this pleasurable indulgence.

If you haven't ever done this before. I recommend you do.

Full Tummies

This week we have eaten some beautiful food. With so much fresh produce available it is hard to believe some folk don't eat fruit and vegies everyday. The lovely M knocked up some pizza dough and we crafted some good old homemade pizzas. Inspired by the fabulous boys at FOR THE LOVE OF PIZZA, I wanted to re-create the gustatory experience I had tasted called the Brocky, which was an awesome broccoli pizza. I know broccoli is hardly the first vegie you'd reach into the crisper and say "I am going to smash out a great pizza with this little beauty, but it really worked.  After searching the supermarket for an hour for Talegio cheese and becoming convinced that I live in Rwanda because I asked the girl in the deli and her reply was "Nup, never heard of it and I have worked in two supermarkets" like I was making up some random cheese for the fun of it. Anyway no go on the Talegio but I made do with some beautiful blue cheese instead. It was so yummy. We had loads of dough left over so the next day the lovely M knocked up two fabulous Calzones.  They were filled with roast pumpkin, spinach and cheese and were loosely modelled on Jamie Olivers version of a Calzone. Mmmmm, the result was full tummies.

Portarlington

My love and I went to the beach at Portarlington, we wrote our names in the sand, searched for treasures gifted to the shore by the sea. It was so beautifully rainy, the sea, the rain and my love....sigh... how lucky can one girl be?


We wrote our names in the sand and declared our love. Awwww so sweet.

There was a gorgeous antique shop where I found two souvenir spoons from Carlsrhue in Victoria. This was such a great nostalgic find for me, as I spent six months in an annexe program on a farm there in primary school. I have many fond memories of this time in my life, raising animals, making mud bricks, learning how to construct a fence. These spoons came home with me and I will make a piece of jewellery just for me.

Away Time - Activities that are nourishing to my soul.

Fabulous Brunswick St Fitzroy feeds me, not just my belly but my soul. It is so joyous to take in all the things that make this street such a special one to me. Cool folks galore, trams, bike riders, unique shops, stunning street art and great coffee. M and I meandered along and soaked up the familiar feel, almost like slipping into tracksuit pants after work. Totally refreshing. What feeds your soul?

The funny glasses

During our recent trips around the op shops we have found quite a few pairs of glasses that have given us lots of giggles.  Our idea was to collect a few and take some family pics for fun.  It seems that my girls got a head start on the photos as I found these on the camera!

Pierre looks so impressed!

Good look girls!!!!

Book, Books, Books

I love books. There are many titles in my home, I ask for books for my Birthday and I sift through shelves upon shelves at op shops ever hopeful I will happen upon something that strikes me. Borders is Mecca for the book lover. I want to open the pages of the books on the shelves and smell the delicious scent of pristine unread page. An urge I often experience whilst in Borders is to put a pile of books on the carpet in a thick layer and lay down and flap my arms and legs to create a "Book Angel" on the floor. However I do want to be able to shop there, so I refrain from doing this.
Council libraries prove to be a heavenly escape from my busy days. Libraries are quiet places where one can nourish ones soul in text, pages, spines and cataloge number stickers. Blissful.

I have always fancied joining a book group but had not until recently. I am now a very proud member of a Book Club....(lets out a little squeal of delight).  My lovely librarian had told me of the first meeting date, which unfortunately fell on an extremely busy day for me. Number 3's school held their Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program Community Meeting earlier that day and as a consequence I made a late entrance to the first meeting. Alas I was not arriving late empty handed, I had some food to share! We decided on reading this for our first book. Insipring end to a very busy day. Sigh..

Birthday week

M and I share our Birthdays in the same week. This is a special time of year for both of us I feel so lucky to be treated to all that birthday goodness brings, coffee in bed with presents, beautiful breakfast and a purely indulgent day of op shopping and tip scouring. Oh what could one possibly want for?


This year I received a voucher to have a fab new hair- do with my favourite hair-do girl Antoinetta.
I was also given a great keep cup from clove organics wrapped in gorgeous Owl paper, a Donna Hay Seasons cook book and of course organic chocolate to devour .
J & M gave me lovely necklace by ELK designs which I wore that night to this boys 18th Birthday party.  My nephew and I share the same birthday and it is hard to believe it was so long ago he was the best present I ever recieved as a teen! He has grown into the most beautiful young man I am always greeted with a kiss and a big hug x

Bats have made Roslind park their new home, after exploring the sweet little BOB and chatting with Sonja we made a visit to BAT PARK as it has been re-named by Number 3.

 What a fun day ....Phew

Eight Answers

R's Eight Answers


Playing along with Kate of Fox's Lane and her 8 questions, 8 is my favourite number so I thought why not.

Favourite Meal to Eat: Anything made by M, who knows exactly what makes my tastebuds sing, love cheese, mushrooms and a good NZ white.

Do you have a quirky eccentricity?: There is too many to list!

My middle name is: Eliza I feel fortunate that I quite like my middle name. I know loads of people that are not so pleased with theirs.

I am passionate about:  All things vintage.

Thongs or Birkenstocks?: Thongs but certainly not in winter. I have pink Birks for gardening in and will live in my new Keds with cute cats on them or black boots that are so comfy.

Who was I before I had kids?:  I have evolved as a person and grown with my kids.  I had number 1 when I was 18, number 2 at 19 and number 3 at 20. I have been a mother for my whole adult life. So before I had kids I was a year 12 student, who had several part time jobs. I have blossomed into who I currently am with my children.

Have I ever been arrested?: No. My police check needs to be pristine in my line of work.

This weekend I will:  Take my girls to see a theatre to see a puppet show with dark themes, work at my second job (my mental health saviour).  Read more of Salmon fishing on the Yemen, a novel I am reading after joining a local book group. Eat good food with M. Watch my boy play footy and honk the horn at the appropriate time!

The End

More on the recent adventures of Miss R

Signs along the way..

Spotting little signs like this make my heart sing........Fa La laaaaaaa

2 super grey wool blankets, some beautiful but tarnished silver spoons, red knitting needles and a lovely grey coat.

Thank you volunteers for making this possible xxx

Miss R's roadtrip adventures continued

Hayven

Nat had told me all about this gorgeous homewares store in Hay NSW that I just had to visit. So once I got my head around parking backwards because some, I stress only some towns park tail to curb which is quite ok. It takes a bit to get used to traffic stopping dead in front of you and then reversing back. It really pays not to tailgate people. I went to Hayven and it is Devine!!! The gorgous lady who owns in the store Elle? I am not certain of her name was an angel. We chatted and she and I shared one of those rare moments, the ones which connect you because you shared a story. I informed her I have a friend Nat who told me about her store and had purchased sweet ceramic butterflies from her. I told her how sadly she lost them and all her other precious belongings in a devastating house fire last year.

This beautiful woman selected 3 replacement butterflies and wrapped them for me to give to Nat. 

Thank you Elle/Al for your generosity and display of empathy. 

Hay will forever be a special place because of you.

The recent adventures of Miss R

I have been too busy with life to keep up with writing my blog so here's an overview of recent goings on...  1800km road trip, no not a terribly enthusiastic op shopping adventure but an adventure none the less.

I had not seen my Father for a very long time, I succumbed to an overwhelming desire to go to him. So, Rosie the Rav and I set off on a chilly May morning. My adventure began with a quick visit to a great little community op shop that was filled with the chatting and giggling of islander ladies. I understood none of the dialouge but could not help chuckling along with them while I shopped.

It was a lovely beginning to what turned out to be a gorgeous trip.

  

This boy has made a comeback playing for his old team after 4 year break to play basket ball.

Footy is inclusive of but not limited to sore knees, hot pies, canteen duty, over zealous parents, takeaway coffees, lessons in horn honking etiquette and training twice a week. Oh and cheering and clapping for "STENCH"

This was a lovely Chiropractic clinic in the town of Orange I couldn't resist photographing for my friend Nat on my way back to Victoria. I almost wanted to feign a neck problem just to get a glimpse inside this beautiful building.  Fortunately for them they were not open that day! I aim to post more photos and ramblings of my journey of  discovery to NSW and a lesson in self reliance very soon.