Australia Day 2012

I didn't take my camera with me but Google Earth has supplied me with a photo from space to show you the four beaches I walked today, and even walked the largest one twice, returned home along the river, 8km in total with Dear Husband and my spotty dog Ruby.  Great day for walking so many people down on the beaches enjoying Australia Day with their families, so much going on down their; kites, Frisbees, dogs, kids, jet skis, cricket, swimming, fishing, picnics, sandcastle building, massive hole digging and kayaking.  Click on photo for a closer look, they are all gorgeous beaches, so clean and easy to walk on.

Surfer Boy rides the waves

Look what I found when I emptied my camera today, don't know when, where or by whom it was taken. 

Seaman Surfer Boy

My little sailor is currently at sea protecting Australian waters, we have no contact with him at all while he is onboard ship so I've posted this photo from his passing out parade last July to keep his face clear in my mind.  It's a strange thing to not be able to have contact with your child, very unnatural for a mum. 

Moda French General quilt done

I've finally done it!  I've finished this quilt that I've been working on since early 2010.  Now that's a long time to make a very simple big 96"x 96" quilt.  I finished it with 8" wide linen borders and odd corner squares.  The back is two drops of the same linen with a stripe of red scraps down the centre.  It was professionally quilted by Christine at Stack and Stipple, with two layers of batting, one wool and the top very soft acrylic to give the quilting definition.  The hand stitching of the binding took two evenings, it was a really long way around this quilt which is more like a bedsrpead.  It looks lovely on the bed and is just right to sleep under on cooler summer nights. 

And you know what, I've started a new quilt already!  More about that later.

Surfer Boy again....................

I've just found this on the Defence website.................I think he may have been more interested in Jessica Mauboy than Barack or Julia!!!

Darling Daughters turn in the spotlight

Last night Darling Daughter partnered her boyfriend Jack Sparrow to his final high school formal.  I'm awaiting the official photos,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,when JS is wearing his tie!  Couldn't wait, had to show you how grown up my Darling Daughter is these days, she turned 17 last Saturday.  Guess what colour her Karen Millen dress was?

Update - January 2012

Never did get a better photo!  Wish I had one that showed the left hand side of Darling Daughter's gorgeous little dress and one with Jack Sparrow wearing his matching tie.  Had to clone out a double power point behind Darling Daughter's right calf, not very well either I must say!

Barack Obama, Surfer Boy and Julia Gillard

I think this might be our families brush with fame for a lifetime..............here is my only son Seaman Ashton (AKA Surfer Boy) smack bang between Barack and Julia yesterday afternoon in a RAAF Hangar in Darwin.  President Obama made a 27 hour trip downunder and my boy was in the right place at the right time, as they say!

These are a the best photos I have been able to find, they weren't really focusing on Surfer Boy yesterday but he is there between and beside both the President and our Prime Minister.  He did also appear on many news broadcasts, The 7pm Project and ABC Lateline.  Today I've picked up The Australian newspaper and there he is on the frontpage right between the most powerful man in the world and our nations leader.  Proud moment for our family.

Darling Daughter is growing up fast.............

.......................I guess it won't be long and we'll be seeing her off into her exciting future whatever it may be. She's not sure what she wants to do yet, only 18 months of high school left which will fly by. Darling Daughter has found herself a very lovely first boyfriend in Jack Sparrow, they have very similar interests and are both very relaxed and laid back. He's a real charmer too, he bought me a little block of Lindt chocolate recently, he'll go far!!

Sailor Boy now

My Surfer Boy has turned into Sailor Boy, he's been enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy for 2 weeks and is beginning to settle into the gruelling 11 weeks of Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus down near Melbourne. He's entered the Navy as a Gap Year Recruit, which means he completes one year and then can decide if Navy life is for him, he's in the very last intake of Gap Year Recruits, the program has been so successful that it has been ceased for the next year or so. Surfer/Sailor Boy has been issued with 10 uniforms this week and this is the least formal, I don't think the hat is part of this uniform, this is the only photo we have, it came via his mobile phone to his sister late last night, the 110 recruits only have their phones for a very short time on the weekends so I'll keep you up to date with what he gets up to or you can check the RAN website and follow the Moran Division Recruit School Intake 293 via the weekly photo updates, there are 2 weeks posted so far, not sight of Surfer Boy so far, he's apparently in the Anzac group which haven't been featured yet.

A fresh start

While out with girlfriends yesterday I picked up this little kit...........I know you're all thinking that it's a very basic cross stitch kit, it is. I'm feeling so worn out lately from a very challenging working life that I'm a bit worried I can't remember how to do any of the creative stuff I used to do, it sometimes feels like it wasn't me who used to do so much sewing, knitting, embroidery, etc, etc........and I can't believe I ever taught it too. Anyway it's almost 12 months since the giant cell tumour was removed from my right index finger, it bends well but it doesn't grip well and it feels numb at the tip so holding and manipulating with it feels weird. Anyway I promised my girlfriends I would make a fresh start into my former creative life and I have!