4 weeks until Christmas!

Time is flying by now and it's less than a month to Christmas! Cheryl and I share a Google calendar (which means it's on all the computers and both our phones, very organised ;)) and the weeks are filling up with events.

We all got our eyes tested a few weeks back - Cheryl will be picking up her glasses this weekend, and me the weekend after (Lil is wearing my chosen glasses in the photo), as well as doing some weird eye test where they put drops in my eyes to make my pupils widen and then take photos - the general photos don't get up around the sides of the inside of your eyeball, and the optometrist recommended doing this once every 4 years or so. I've never had it done, so that'll be fun.

We also got Ossie's eyes tested, which you might have seen on Facebook. He was terribly nervous, and did his trick of not saying a word. Luckily it was less of an issue for the optometrist than when we went to the speech pathologist ;) He was well prepared with a sheet of letters Os could point to, iPad activities and other games.

Ossie's vision is fine. It's one point long-sighted, which isn't an issue and shouldn't (fingers crossed) degrade over time. If he can avoid my stupid super-shortsightedness and astigmatism that'd be great.

We also had Oscar's Kindy Art Show/BBQ last Friday. Oscar's picture is great, and has pride of place on the lounge room wall :) Apparently there's a concert coming up which grandparents are welcome to come and watch - Mum I'll send you details. It'll be during the day.

My Iaido Christmas breakup is approaching, we're going to have a barbecue in the park. Should be nice. Then Shihan is visiting Melbourne, so a few of my students might go down to grade. I think I'm more nervous than if I was grading myself, actually.. I know these guys are representing me. We'll be making the most of the final 3 classes, that's for sure. The club is going well, anyway - I'm averaging 4 or 5 students a night, which is great. I only need 3 to cover the hall cost, but we could certainly fit in more now.

On Sunday I looked after the kids while Cheryl went to the Food and Wine Festival. I'll let her fill you in on that one - as for me I took the kids shopping and then we lazed around the house in the afternoon.

We've got our planned movie for Lisa's birthday party - I'm not revealing anything, except to say we might be appealing to Edith's greater sewing ability if we can't find what we need in op shops. I think it's going to be a great evening :)

Oh, and if you've made it this far I'll ask again - who will be around for Christmas?

Buick and Christmas

Hi family,
Had a friend from dancing (John Floriani) come and see the Buick and the Torana a couple of weeks ago. He then went to Tassie. Last night he rang to ask if I'd sell him the Buick. He hasn't mentioned an amount and said he'd asked some friends of his who said it could be worth anything from 20c to $20000.

Since I was at Castlemaine when he rang (Clive), I asked a couple of men there what they thought. Advice was to get more advice and that whatever John offered, he'd plan on making a profit when he sold it.(They know John more than I do)

After he'd been here and I'd taken the cover off it, I realise how neglected it is. I need to vaccuum and polish up the leather.Also pulled out the photo albums and the diary of work done Dad had kept. He'd spent $10000 and 1800 hours on it.

I first thought I'd ask what all of you think since I'll share the money between you, but since then, I don't think I'm ready to sell it, so it might sit here a bit longer.

Very interested to hear what you all think about it.

Also, Dayna and Bruce and Glenn, Dee and Jules, Nana has given me money for you for Christmas. ($50 each for the adults and $40 for Jules) I'll put it into the Australlian bank accounts. Glenn and Dee, if there is something you'd like to get for Jules please do or if you'd prefer to bank it for future needs, that's fine. Ditto for yourselves of course.

I plan to do the same thing for all of you from me, and for the same amounts. Lisa and family and Damien, Cheryl and family you get the same deal from me, unless you want to sort out about season's tickets to the Pool.I wondered about evening up the totals since Dand B get less since there's only two of them but that's too hard.

Plenty to think about.

Thank you Damien for your update.

Love, Mum

Quick update as promised ;)

Just a quick one from us - our weeks aren't nearly as interesting as Mum's I'm afraid :) We did put up the Christmas tree the weekend before last. Oscar is so excited by the idea of Christmas so we decided we might as well kick it off early. The kids loved putting the tree together and decorating it, although both of them have a tendency to just put every decoration on the same branch. I think we'll have to make putting the tree up on November 1 a bit of a family tradition.

We're going to get an advent calendar for December and watch as Ossie's brain gradually explodes from the building excitement.

We also had a picnic for Landon's birthday. The weather was beautiful.. lucky he wasn't born a week later since it's been pretty cold and rainy since then.

Last weekend we drove to Melbourne to check out Highpoint Shopping Centre again. It's a good one - huge and out our side of the city, so you can avoid tollways and the like. Daiso is the best store there.. it's like a Japanese $2 shop. I bought socks! Tutti Frutti is also a winner.

But that's about it for us, apart from that it's been work and kindy, looking after the kids, iaido, the same old same old. Somehow the weeks are still flying by mind you. I haven't worked out when (if) I'll take time off for Christmas but I'm sure I'll get a week or so in. Gotta catch up on sleeping in ;)

November

A fortnight since the last post. I know Carolynn is waiting to get past her exams.

I've been enjoying life, since returning home from Phillip Island. Morning tea with the Gadabouts, Oaks Day lunch with the U3A (didn't win the best dressed or best hat but Mum won a $50 voucher from IGA),  and visitors for tea when I made pasties on Sunday3rd..

I have been dancing including a Masquerade at Danceland on 2nd,  a Cup Eve dance on Monday at Spring Gully which was another chance to dress up, Trentham last Friday, Kyneton on Tuesday and a good crowd at Spring Gully on Saturday 9th. Another  a good crowd last night(Monday 11th). Resting time ahead as Clive has a meeting tonight so no dancing until next Thursday. Clive and I are meeting two friends of his (both ladies of course ) for tea at the Borough Club then gong to the dance at Eaglehawk. Last Sunday we went to Gisbourne to a friend's place where we had a lovely lunch and enjoyed seeing her new house. Came home the scenic way via Heathcote.

Mum had a surprise visit from Elaine and Arnold on Sunday.

Mum and I joined the Probus folk for lunch yesterday at Thomas's kitchen. Food is good but one wok, one cook means service for 37 is slow. We were lucky we'd ordered the lemon chicken since that came out early. By one, when we'd finished some folk were just getting their Mongolian beef.

My sewing machine decided to not work so this morning I've taken it in for a service and repair. It has been a lot of years since anything was done so probably due.

Finally rain here so the tomatoes will be growing without me needing to water.

I have some silk worm eggs I've taken out of the fridge. A week and still no hatching but this sudden cold snap has probably discouraged them.

With a couple of days home now, I hope to get onto some spinning. Melva asked me to crochet some squares together for her so that was the handcraft project until I got it finished. Still crocheting a dragon so I need to get back on to that too.

Hope all of you are well. Love to keep up on Facebook even if we don't get to talk much. Love from Mum