weekend

We went away for the weekend. Just him and me. It was so nice. We didnt have any preconcieved ideas about what we would do apart from spending time together

fishing and talking (him) and reading and crocheting (me). 

Yes, I said crochet. I took the-rug-I-dont-know-if-I-like-yet along for the ride. Its still growing on me.

Oh and we wanted to scour the country for real estate as we're thinking of buying a country retreat.

Somewhere we can meet with our growing family. We couldnt resist trespassing on this fixer-upper above. 

We had a wonderful few days despite the weather, despite me not taking the right clothes. What is it with me and packing light? Silk is not that warm. Im obsessed with taking minimal items and then end up freezing if the weather changes. Which it did. Im going to get organised and make myself some things specifically for weekends away. Those woolen pants I half started would have been perfect if Id finished them

and the coat that still needs lining.

At least I had thought to take my Seven Year Stitch quilt to wrap around me

 while I sat on the jetty or the beach crocheting.

It was very warm indeed.

Even in the slight rain (I was determined to finish the row I was on before packing up, okay).

Im going to write me a list of things I need to accomplish this week in the way of crafting and organising. This will include a must-have smaller list of what to take away next time.

Ive already cleaned out the car and done a few loads of washing this morning so things are looking good.

more white in the country

Originally the stairs were at the other end of the room and their was a wall across,

 dividing the entry from the actual kitchen.  A close friend flew down from nsw to show us how to weld and helped us do the staircase. We had to fire up the forge that we had never used and it was the best fun Ive had bashing the steel into a beautiful artisan style curve. (see before shot below)

These arches were not original we built in the pantry cupboards and put in a narrow window seat.

Below shows before the window seat and the window frame still unpainted as we considered keeping the black for dynamics.

The cupboard in the island was an old buffet we picked up at a country auction for $275

and we built the whole island from scratch around it. The view in from the lounge decided the central placement to the doorway, in order to hide any kitchenalia.

While we had no lighting during the renovation we cooked by lamps plugged in to sockets,

the nice ambience of which I missed when we finally put the lights in about 8 months later.

This is the before shot and its the only one I can find, sorry im standing in the way. We didnt take many shots of the room when it was dark and ugly, you see. Plus we were too busy ripping it apart to bother with a camera.

I glad my son took this one.

Its the before I had drunk my Guiness shot...

 before I had probably taken my end of day shower and washed my hair after renovating ....

before I had considered doing a blog and that this would be used as a photo too

Im pretty certain the pink number im wearing is my pyjama top donned at the beginning of the day!

things that make me happy

watching my newly engaged son with his fiancee...

they talk every moment of the day

fixing random rock walls...

 even if its in a car park in northern Ireland and ill possibly never see it again

having only my dog for company....

hes very quiet

watching my son skate...

even if he does get disappointed for not landing it

having a nice tidy kitchen to stare at...

 for longer than half an hour

jumping in the pool with my kids to take strange underwater photos ....

even when we laugh til we swallow water

(gratuitous)

knowing Ive been to Paris...

while wearing a vintage fur coat my husband found for me while I was asleep

standing immersed in ancient gravity defying architecture...

even though I was soaked through from a freak Barcelona downpour

this man eating...

hes a real foodie and he loves to cook for me

seeing a rainbow appear when we had just celebrated our 25th anniversary of the day we met

having a son who loves to dance...

and looks pretty damn good in a suit I might add

knowing that out of all of the photos....

 my son chose to put this one of us on his facebook profile picture

ps. let me know if youd like to see more from the bottom of the pool.

We have about 100