Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

Actually, it's more pumpkin peeler, not eater...


Lindy popped in and helped me peel nearly 6kgs of pumpkin to use in making 10 litres of pumpkin soup for lunch Saturday at the Create For A Cause charity crop. We even roped my Dad in to help us out. Thankfully there was only 3kg of carrots to do.




All this lovely vege came as a donation from my local shop Burpengary Fruit and Vegetables. They are lovely people.



Mum grabbed the camera, so thanks mum. She was busy making desserts for us. Yum. In fact the oven is still going and the smell of baking and vanilla is delicious.


Amelie kept us entertained with her crawling around the floor and finding noisy things to play with. She particularly likes cookie tins. Very telling that. Soon as she's old enough she'll get cooking lessons from her Aunty Janey.


Can you get RSI of the wrist from peeling veges?


Pass the pumpkin please,
Jane

In a whirl of lists

True confession. Okay so I am a list gal.

I have such a busy brain I find it one way to organise it all. My friends & family know this & sort of laugh but also find it endearing. If you asked me what I'd do with a million dollars, the answer is "Make a list of all the things I'd want to do with it."

I have soooooooooooo many lists for the charity crop Saturday that I bought a folder just to organise them. Even I smile at myself for that. When I was a high school teacher I used colour coded folders - you know, geography was green , english red, history yellow etc

I find I use folders in the comupter too. Big broad sweeps of info tucked into categories. Too bad they aren't colour coded too. That would rock!

Scrapbooking could be pink, books could be red, business paperwork could be a calming blue...

Whirling away,
Jane

Things I Like

Well, I really love this photo because I am surrounded by things dear to me - Amelie, my cat Elliott, books a comforty chair (yep, it's red with a pink throw!) and time together. It's a real photo - not posed I mean. I haven't done my hair or got makeup on or even nice clothes. Amelie & I were just reading together when Elliott popped up for a cuddle. He's getting very brave where Amelie is concerned- as is she with him.

So many nice moments to treasure...

Smiling,

Jane

Command Centre mode

Ha! This place is usually pretty crazy and busy but it's really moved to a new level with the Create For A Cause charity crop only 1 week away.

I was glad that downpouring of rain didn't come on our crop day! Water & paper don't mix well! That's a park in Morayfield near Sheepstation Creek. Normally there is no water, only grass.

I felt like adventure-woman this week with having to ford rivers, cross streams bravely going forth in my parents' all wheel drive! (Wasn't game in my little tiny Ford Festiva) Hope you are okay & stuffered no lasting damage.

And so like a commando I'm gathering the team together this weekend for our last big preparation before the big day. Hope you have a great weekend.

Over & out,

Jane

10 days to go!

Can you believe it? It's only 10 days before the big day.

Create For A Cause's Premmie Baby Charity Crop is looking fantastic with every ticket sold, a waiting list just in case and a heap of donations to add more fun to the day.

It's been fun being the 'post box' for the donations. Taking in the deliveries and opening them has been very Christmassy. We've been thrilled with the generous contributions of individuals and businesses.

Thank goodness for email and telephones. I've been ill the last week or two and it's technology that has driven the wheels of this charity crop bus! Donations are winding down but one arrived from Kerry at Scrap in the Box this morning. It's a fabulous kit worth $60 in shades of blue, green and brown. Did she read my mind? Those are one of my fave combos for travel photos, especially beach and forest. Have a squiz at http://www.scrapinthebox.com.au

I liked the kit so much I promptly went to her online store for a browse and ended up buying College Press papers in 3 shades. I couldn't help myself, honest!

Bring on the inspiration,

Jane

The Frog & Arty

Last night we caught the frog!

He was back, but not behind the shampoo in the shower cubicle. No. He was in the hallway in front of the linen press.

What possible reason could that frog have? Not being an amphibian aficionado I can’t say. Having rejected the leafy courtyard for a home, we have placed him in the front garden near the door. Here’s hoping...

Part 2 of this chat revolves around the sheer brilliance of my niece Amelie. No, of course I’m NOT biased. Perish the thought!

She has finally chosen a name for me. We say Aunty Jane, she says “ARTY”.
How’s that for accurate in the literal sense? I’m very excited. It’s going to be a page.

My Dad is playing with her as I write. I think they are being pirates because there's lots of "Arr!" noises mixed with bits of singing. I've read her a small library of books and sung half of the nursery rhymes known to mankind. (I like a little exaggeration!)

Frog free again,
Jane

One Special Moment

This layout reminds my family just how far we've come. Amelie is 3 days old here. That is my sister Belinda's hand. So precious and precarious is a premmie's life that only Mum & Dad may touch the baby - and later grandparents.

I had to wait 3 months before touching Amelie. When I held her in my arms the very first time I burst into tears and tried NOT to sob. The relief, the joy, all my feelings were overwhelming. I have explained how I feel or what we've done together in my layouts. When she's 18 there will be a mountain of pages!

Thanks to all those who have supported the Create For A Cause charity crop for premature and seriously ill babies. It will be a fantastic day. You can visit our site at http://create-4acause.blogspot.com/

Happy day,

Jane

Monday means Top Gear

Being Monday, it means my Dad, and no doubt 100s of other blokes and car lovers, will be watching Top Gear tonight. I'll watch it sometimes if there's a fun challenge on.




Tonight I'll be reading my book. Most of the time I'd rather read than watch TV.

I'll read all sorts of stuff, but at the moment I'm getting into the paranormal genre that seems to be sweeping the country. I already loved Harry Potter so this seems a distant cousin to that.


I really enjoyed the Twilight series of books by Stephanie Meyer and so does my mum. I even bought Mum the movie for Mother's Day! She was thrilled.


For the grown ups I recommend Charlaine Harris and her Sookie Stackhouse series and J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. These are definitely NOT for children or young teens.

Obviously I'm not the only one finding the idea of vampires and other paranormal beings fascinating if the best seller fiction lists are anything to go by.

Truly I just like imagination and being in someone else's world for a while. It's fun!

Explore another world!
Jane

Return of the Frog

So I'll start by mentioning how short sighted I am.

Really short sighted.

So short sighted I only remove my glasses to sleep and shower. Yes, I wear them in the pool or ocean. I've even made the hospital let me wear them until they put me asleep before any operation.

Right - get the idea??

So I get in the shower - la la la lah - reach up for soap...
.....and ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

My hand touches moist and clammy that moves.

My first reaction is a girly scream & jumping backwards. The clammy thing jumps onto my leg and is attached. More squeals, bashing my back into the shower door, etc Okay I know I have a frog & calm down even though I can't see anything too well.

I wash my hands and try to gently capture the frog in my palms so I can take him to his natural habitat. No. He likes it there and wants to stay in the shower cubicle.

I get him - eventually. Frogs are quite strong, slippery little suckers and he's got soap on his tummy. I gently run water over him and take him into the courtyard garden amongst the lush plants where I believe he belongs.

My question is - how long before the return of the frog?

I'm leaving my glasses on until I check the shower every night BEFORE undressing! You wait first time I forget, that little green froggy will be there waiting, hiding behind the shampoo!

And NO - I didn't get a photo.

Happy bathing,
Jane