Nicole's activities

Nicole and housemate Anthony headed down to Margaret River for the weekend and stayed at a house along with some other friends. Apart from their usual drinking session they had a look around, did some shopping, went and saw the band called "The Butterfly Effect" (whoever they are!).

They bought these Dockers and Eagles cupcakes which were very appropriate being a Derby weekend which the Dockers won by 5 points.

Had a play at a park.......

Went to the Yallingup Maze which they thought was very easy until they had to spend 20 minutes trying to find their way out!

Nicole has also been doing some more paintings and is doing this set of cupcakes....

New Toy

I finally decided that the time had come to update my 22 year old sewing machine. I have had great use of it making lots of clothes for the girls when they were younger, doing patchwork, mending and sewing paper for cards and scrapbooking. The fact that we have to climb under the desk to turn it off and on (has no switch on it) and the reverse button no longer works had a lot to do with my decision. Sarah and I went and checked out the options last Friday and we stuck to the Janome brand. It cost $600 which is a good price for us, far better than some of the $8500 ones on offer!

I got to unpack the new one.....

Enjoy the simple task of turning it on.......

And sew the first stitches......

Then it was overtaken by Sarah who just loves it.........

Yesterday Sarah and I had another squash challenge which I won again. So she thought she could beat me at scrabble (which she always does) so last night we had a game. I was the winner for the first time in ages (well ever I think) but I have to brag because I got 200 points which in our household is a record looking back at all our previous games. I must admit I got some good letters when I picked up.

Our cauliflours are progressing well.......

And today we picked our first brocolli of the season.......

Today was also our annual rose pruning time. These are the last roses of the season.....

It always looks so bare when this job is done but its also nice to have a break from all the mess the roses make at this time of year when all the leaves drop and blow everwhere.

Happenings

We have been doing a few things as the school and uni holidays come to an end. Janelle, Sarah and I had a few games of squash and I am pleased to say I beat them both.......

Janelle's finger puppet production progressed......

Teddy had a bath so he could go back to uni nice and fresh.......

Dad took Sarah geocashing in the bush.......

Sarah made some vegetarian pizzas........

Nicole showed Sarah a funny website and they had a good laugh.......

We had a family dinner before Janelle went back to Perth.......

Back to her little room at Trinity for Janelle.......

We ventured into Ikea on a Saturday afternoon with half of Perth (was so busy)......

We went and hit off some golf balls and Dad tested out his sore hand with some putting........

Followed by a cuppa........

Thinking of you

Happy 66th birthday to my mother.

Notham Trip

Today we left home just after 8am and got home after 8pm after a 600km round trip to Northam and back. Tomorrow (13th July) is Mums 66th birthday and I have been wanting to visit her grave for a while. Dad was in Perth so we met him at Stevens and convoyed to Northam. We had a picnic lunch on the riverbank in the very chilly wind.

Then we went for a stroll over the swinging bridge (which the dogs hate walking on). The sun eventually came out.

We headed out to the cemetery. Everything looked lovely and green with all the recent rains and new crops were growing nicely. We went to Mums grave first and put some flowers there.

Grandma and Grandpas graves are behind Mums...

Then we went over to Nanna and Poppa French's. I have decided tp put some faces to names.

We wandered around for about an hour in search of more relatives and found Poppa French's parents.....Then their daughters who died after a petrol iron exploded as she was using it.....

We all search for some Hitchcock graves and eventually found my Great Nans - Ida Hitchcock. I remember her when I was a little girl and she passed away when I was 11.

This is their family with my Nanna standing on the left.And with mum on her wedding day.

Me and Leisl holding Great Nans hand with Marion, Rodney and Steven (probably in 1971)

Sarah took some great shots on my big camera of other graves........

Although it was getting late we decided to drive over to York and look at some of the old buildings and have a cuppa. There were so many people out and about enjoying the day.

Then it was time for the long drive home.