I have had two items delivered this morning. Firstly my Mothers Day Classic Fun Run Hoodie. Pink, of course, and fleecy lined to keep me warm while clocking up the km’s.

Secondly was this…..
1012
A piano!

Yesterday afternoon Mum rang to tell me that there was piano going free and did I want it. Rang the owner who got back to me at 8.15pm last night and he said it had to be picked up today or no go! Frantically rang removalists last night at 8.30pm to see if anyone could pick it up at short notice. One guy could, so it was all go and got here to our place at 10.00am this morning. My head is still spinning! It is quite tuneful and majestic looking, so I’m sure it will be a big hit with the girls when they see it after school today. Holly said that she would like to take piano lessons – they do them at her school but cost $225 a term. Sheesh – maybe I’ll just see if there is any natural talent there before I sign her up!

School went back yesterday and just in the nick of time. The girls were pretty sick of each other and were getting niggly and picky over little things. We had a great school hols overall, but nice to have things back to normal. Wardrobe man is back again today I hope, to finish off. If not, I am going to get cross! I probably won’t because I am quite pathetic at rousing on anyone or telling someone that I am unhappy with them but the thought is there!

Meg and Jess had their first sleep overs on the weekend. They’ve slept at Nanna’s and Grandma’s of course, but Meg went over the road to Addy’s and Jess went to Lisa’s because she and Andrew as bosom buddies. Both were reported to have been very good, only Meg had a mishap when in the middle of the night Addy fell out of bed, onto Meg and they both got a big fright. Holly went over there for breakfast, so Justin and I and our one remaining child made the most of it and went out to do some shopping. Breezy easy!

I went to the GP yesterday to get some advice about my itchy skin and while we were waiting (for an hour) Jess complained that she wasn’t feeling well. She said it again 10 minutes later and then vomited all over the floor, my hands and her shoes. That’ll teach them to keep us waiting that long!

Take care and have a good week. 🙂

We have just returned from this momentous day and I have to say it was really wonderful. We chanced it (the traffic and parking) and headed out to Reconciliation Park. We got a park right way (the Gods were shining upon us) and entered the sea of Chinese Flags. The ratio of Chinese to Australians was 15:1 at least. Around the barricades it was 5 people deep, flags raised, chanting and much merriment with Chinese music and dragons and fancy dressed ladies.
982 We found a spot on a rise of a hill where we could see the Speakers and the Aboriginal Smoke Ceremony. Off in the distance a “Free Tibet” banner was attached to a hundred balloons and every so often a Chinese flag could be seen floating away with a couple of helium balloons. 985 I didn’t see any rough behaviour or protesting, but a group of Tibetans marched past with their flag held high and were pretty much flooded upon by Chinese supporters jeering them with words but not violence. 988

At the time of the torch lighting and the first runner making her way across the hill to begin the relay it was very emotional and I am so glad that we were there and the the girls got to see it. When it is time for the opening ceremony in Beijing they will be proud to know that they saw it here in Canberra first hand.1000
997

As we were leaving a sky writer was beginning his protest with “Free Tibet” in the awesome blue sunhiney day. 1003

On the home front, I still have a slightly blacked face where Amy headbutted me last week. I was chasing her and I as caught her she threw her head back and got me just on the top of my cheek bone near my eye. It REALLY hurt! She also has a bruised face from some unknown knock with someone or something. We are having her 18month health check today and then I am finally having my haircut. I was thinking about growing it long, but have decided I am a short haired person at heart, so it is going. Can’t stand it all in my face and usually tie it back, so what is the point? Off with it I say.

Wardrobes are still not completed. This is dragging into the longest installment of my life. After Justin made him redo the upstairs one, he hasn’t been as nice!! I wonder if he’ll show up today?

Happy Birthday Rach!

And have a great long weekend all. 🙂

First week of school hols is already over. The girls have been quite busy with playdates and friends over and on the whole have been very good. Quite a relief really, given their shenanigans over the past few weeks!

Wardrobe update – still not finished. They completed the downstairs and that was all ok. But upstairs has been a mini disaster. The fitted out all the 10 cupboard inlets with chipboard laminex (the stuff you get at Bunnings and NOT the stuff the other cupboards were done in). I was so disappointed with the results and asked him why he used a different wood material and he said that that was just how they did it. Not one to fight with tradespeople I said “Oh OK”, but Justin was less than impressed and has talked to the main guy and made him take it all out and do it over in the wood finish that we were expecting. So another week or so has gone by with nothing happening, but they tell me Monday! I’m making Justin stay home to deal with that one.

The dishwasher that nearly blew up has now been replaced and I am watching this new one with suspicious eyes. If it sounds funny I am onto it. I hope it doesn’t happen again.

I have worked a few days at the hospital to cover for a sick colleague. It was fun and nice to be out but the organisation that takes place for me to actually get there makes me wonder if it is worth it. Thanks goodness Mum has come to the rescue. I just would not be able to do it without here. It all co-oincided with the wardrobes, the new dishwasher arriving and Holly’s assembly where she was doing he Macerena. How do Families manage with both parents working? Amazing.

The Canberra Balloon Festival stats this weekend so we are hoping to get out early one or two mornings and see them over Parliment House. The Olympic Torch arrives on Thursday and we’ll be going to see that too. Can’t miss an opportunity like this, just hope there are no riots! Might have to pick a quiet place to see it pass.

Autumn has hit and the leaves are in all their glory. And since I love sweeping and raking, I might head out there now and gather them up. The weather is glorious. Have a great weekend. 🙂

Just made, for the second time, a fruit cake that my Grandma makes. It is so delectable!

Delectably Rich Fruit Cake

1/3 cup pitted prunes
1 1/2 cups (250g) sultanas
1 1/2 cups (250g) currants
1/2 cup sweet sherry
1/2 cup brandy
125g butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1Tbs dry instant coffee
1/4cup hot water
1/4 cup plum jam
1 cup plain flour
3/4 cup SRF
1 Tbs cocoa
1 tsp gound cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (250g) glace cherries
1 1/2 cups (250g) halved dates
1 cup mixed peel
2 cups (250g) walnut pieces

Combine prunes, sultanas and currents in a bowl, mix in sherry and brandy, cover and stand overnight (this fruit can be soaking for up to 2 weeks).
Grease a deep 23cm round cake pan and line with 3 layers of paper.
Cream butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer only until just combined. Add eggs quickly, one at a time, beat only until combined between each addition. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, stir in the combined coffee, water and jam, then the sifted dry ingredients in 2 lots. Drain the prune mixture, reserving the liquid. Add prune mixture, cherries, dates, peel and walnuts to cake mixture. Spread cake mix into prepared tin. Bake in a slow oven, 150 degrees C, for about 2 hours. Brush reserved liquid over hot cake, cover and cool in tin.

Keeps for 3 months, but it didn’t last longer than 3 days last time!

Things have calmed down out here. We seem back to normal! Looking forward to the holidays and having the time to spend with the kids at a slower pace. Racing around in the mornings to get everyone where they need to go is hard work. The upstairs wardrobes will be completed tomorrow and Friday which I am ecstatic about as all the contents are spread over the house and driving me nuts. The already finished wardrobes in our room, Holly’s and Amy’s are great, and it it wonderful to be able to see the clothes and have them at hands reach rather than digging though drawers and never seeing things for weeks at a time.

Back to the cake – an hour to go cooking time and it smells great. 🙂

It sure has been frantic here this week and the kids have not been on their best behaviour. I am quite frazzled and finally hit Richter 10 on Wednesday. I’ll give you the lead up…..

Tuesday. 10.45am arrive in time to find a park, collect X-rays and make it to 11am appt with Amy’s Orthopedic Specialist. 11.45 get into appt with 2 overtired children. Spend 5 minutes with specialist who tells me 6 more months of Amy’s brace. Spend 10 minutes at front desk waiting for idiot receptionists to finish their conversation, answer phonecalls and generally ignore me. Fury is rising. Get to car where I have the usual fight with Amy to get her into her car seat, and the usual fight with Jess to get her into her car seat at which point she was bucking so much that she headbutted me in the nose. Both of them fall asleep in the car on the way home.

Wednesday. Children come home from school and run amok. Have Addy over which means they won’t play with Jess and Jess ends up frustrated and physical. Holly bellows like a 60yr old fish-wife. Addy goes home but silliness continues to the point that Meg did a poo in her undies. I walked into the bathroom to see it all over the floor, the phone rings so I dash down the get it, not realising that I had stepped in it and now it was all down the stairs and the freshly steamcleaned carpet. Point of hitting Richter 10.

Now I think that I am a pretty calm and happy person, but this week I have changed into an Ogre. It amazes me that I can tell them the same things everyday, the routine doesn’t change much, but they don’t get it. 6 people in this house are living 6 individual lives and not caring about the consequences of what they do. Each person is thinking only about themselves. So I had the talk. Meg and Holly had to listen to me and see me cry to make them understand how their lack of respect was making me feel. I don’t know if it made them see things in a different light, because as Dr Phil says, with kids you have to deal in currency that appeals to them. So just in case my emotional breakdown wasn’t enough there is now no TV, no disco tonight and no Addy for a week. School holidays are a week away – Please give me the strength to cope.

New wardrobes are being installed today. I didn’t go with the $14K quote!