It's alive! It's alive! Mwah ha ha

Jack is the equivalent of a a 57 year old man*, who acts like a teenager. He recently started climbing over the back fence and hanging out with the neighbours dogs.

This sounds like a lot of doggy fun, but what was actually happening was Jack was hanging out near the fence while the great dane cross zombie rottweiler chiuaua in the neighbours yard tries to smash its way through the fence to eat Jack and all his doggy I'm-outside-the-fence-and-you-can't-get-me-nyer-nyer-nyer smugness. Add to this, grumpy miners who work night shift and you can imagine how great it is to come home to find Jack sitting in the drive way with a large self satisfied grin.

At first I started tying him up through the day, only to find he started making his escape at night (keep in mind this is a decrepid old dog that can barely chase a ball or go for a walk longer than 10 minutes). He seemed to enjoy being tied up during the day since this allowed him to get in a good nap for the following nights escapade.


So then I started tying him up all the time and only releasing him for walks. He responded by tangling himself up every hour or so and howling. I haven't slept through the night for a while. Something had to be done. A red cattle dog was not going to out think me. So I did what any sensible person would do...

I put in an electric fence! Mwah ha ha ha ha

* http://www.onlineconversion.com/dogyears.htm

Blackout

You know you live in the tropics when you wait for a blackout to clean the ceiling fans. I'm just pleased I'm not in the middle of cooking dinner or trying not to set my finger nails on fire lighting candles. As a teenager I thought candles were cool- now that I occasionally have to rely on them in the evening as my only source of light (and have pondered more than once the possibility of using them to finish cooking dinner) I think they suck. I would much rather be watching telly while boiling an egg and curling my hair.

But I don't wanna be a pirate!

It seems everytime I move into a place, there are curtains that need to be done. I have been pondering stitching up more curtains for a few reasons, in no particular order;

1. Sewing curtains is boring, I would much rather annoy the dog with his own tail

2. I already have curtains, they just don't fit the windows in this house (perhaps if I just wait, eventually I will end up in a house where they do fit)

h. Whenever I almost finish with the curtains, we move and I replace the curtains with vertical blinds (of course the new house will have differently shaped windows that the old curtains will not fit over requiring me to contemplate curtains again)

IV. Sewing curtains is boring

With this in the back of my mind, and only just recently regressing back into my teenage years by watching endless episodes of Seinfeld followed by the X-files, I found a curtain that rivals the wonderfulness of the puffy shirt.

For those of you not currently watching too much Seinfeld, here is a picture of the puffy shirt for you to compare the amazing puffy curtain with the amazing puffy shirt.

I now have some motivation, if only for a very brief moment, to create the most amazing curtain that will make me grin like a fool imagining the window saying "I can't wear this, I look like an idiot!"

As usual, for everything on the internet, there is always a handy tutorial. This one is from a boy, a girl and a pug. Sometimes its nice to have instructions to not follow...

Looks like a pony, smells like a dog

While we were in Sydney, we had a short visit from Gizmo (a fantastic name for a dog that looks like a pony- such a shame everyone knows Gizmo so I can't snatch the name for use on my own Great Dane that I will own one day (along with the peacocks and possibly flamingos if I ever figure out where you get a flamingo from. I suspect I wouldn't be able to keep one in a small duplex in the middle of a national park)). I thought I would post this picture because its great (no pun intended).

I am also very excited because I have just gotten the overlocker I have been wishing for for ages. In just 30minutes of messing about with it I managed to snap a needle and discover the joys of replacing and rethreading the needle. I don't think I will do that again (at least not on purpose). So here is a picture of my new obsession. Now I am off to see what I can overlock...

Bitter sweet

I had planned on posting a few more things about what I was up to last weekend, since it was a long weekend and I had a lot planned. A few games of golf, some sewing and crochet...

But then something happened that turned everything upside down, and we suddenly realised how little time we have with those we love. All those things we planned suddenly don't seem so important. We booked a flight and within 6 hours of getting the news, we were in Sydney for the day. Its difficult to write this, and it is such a private thing and the internet is such a not so private place.

I guess, the thing that has been most on my mind is the importance of being able to say good bye to someone properly. When a friendship ends, its difficult not being able to finish things properly and to leave so many things unsaid. Underneath it all though, you know that person is still around and you may yet get the chance. But when that person isn't around any more, it is so important to be able to get in one last good bye, to let you know that you love them and that they will be missed.

They are teeny tiny and make a sound like mnmnmnmnmn

After last week, I was all excited and got out all the purple I could find and started making teeny tiny flowers. I had no purpose in mind when I started making them , and until I was asked, never even considered what to do with little crochet flowers.

Then I thought, why not put them on my head?

What a great idea, and so obvious! So I stitched one to a clip and was pretty pleased with the outcome. Then, I thought, why not stick a bunch of them on a comb? So here I sit, when I should be getting ready to go out, stitching up a flower.

Yep, I am probably going to be late...

Note to self- check post box more often

Although it was my birthday a couple of weekends ago, I finally got a chance to open my present sent by one of my best friends from uni. I am so thrilled with the purple, I have to make something with it. I have a pattern for a bag that would be really nice, and I need a new bag (or at least need to wash my old one, urgh!).

I knew straight away that I would crochet little flowers with the thread though. They are beautiful shades of purple (my tiny camera just doesn't quite do it), and would make a fantastic long necklace... Now where did I put my hooks?

My sweet friend also sent me an anniversary card, and so to differentiate the two put a date to open them on. This created a few moments of philosophical debate this morning as I lamented that I didn't want to wait another year for my specific birthday to come around again. Of course, this was all done while tearing the paper and squeaking with joy.

Thanks Goldie, you're tops :-)