Things I Found in the Spring (Autumn) Clean

I must say I had a wonderful day cleaning out cupboards and drawers which took way longer than it should of as I kept stopping, reading, reminiscing and occasionally shedding a tear.  But mostly it was a day full of wonderful memories.  This little vest was my first discovery.   I remember making it for Shannon whilst I was working in Cairns for two weeks...and amazingly I found this photo of her wearing it.  This photo was taken on the occasion of their baptism.

Then I uncovered my dad's "Motorist's Record Book".  Dad would write in this book every time...and I mean every time..he bought petrol.    It seems to begin in about 1982 when petrol was 40c a litre and I think this coincided with the purchase of the Holden Commodore.

 

 Speaking about Dad, I came across this card Shannon had made for grandad..absolutely priceless find:

In amongst some papers, I found a copy of a creative writing magazine where some of Liam's early writings were ;published:

This post could go on forever..so many forgotten treasures were unearthed..but will finish on this email from Liam which he sent to Shan and I after competing in the Gold Coast Half Marathon in 2004.  It bought back memories of the finish of the half marathon and I was feeling pretty weary and was beginning to wonder whether it was all worth while.  I suddenly heard Liam calling my name from the stands next to the finishing line.  His presence there was totally unexpected.  It made me feel like a champion and when I found this email, the memories of that wonderful day came flooding back.

That's it..Time to put the stuff away and get on with the cleaning.

The Finished Quilt

I have been working on this quilt for Guy for way too long.  So set myself a deadline of Easter Sunday to have it finished.  Guy, who is three, had graduated to a 'big' bed and needed a quilt to snuggle under in the cooler months.  So finish it I did.  I used a Kookaburra Cottage pattern, Raspberry Shortcake.

And the fabric was a mixture of  Freespirit by David Walker and Traffic Jam by Allison Jane Smith.  The spots were from Spotlight.   I still have difficulty photographing my quilts and tried hanging them outside..but the light wasn't right.  Anyway, decided that any photo is better than no photo:

 And just had to share this one of Guy hiding under his quilt...you can his tiny hands peeping out from the top.  Needless to say, he was very thrilled and enjoyed counting all the 'matching' squares.

Now to move on to the next quilt...can't wait. 

An Easter Treat

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 How cute are these?  Felicity made these tasty morsels for us today.  You can find the recipe here:
They are truly a treat and I highly recommend them.  Thanks Felicity for sharing them with us. Shannon and I had a bit of fun photographing these little gems to their best advantage.  Apologies to those who missed out on Felicity's treats.

An Unexpected Distraction to Water Falling Down

On leaving the Art Gallery on our way to the QTC production of Mark Swivel's play, Water Falling Down, we were suddently confronted by this:

Just wonderful watching the little people's reaction to him.

But we had an appointment with a play and couldn't dally any longer.  So off to the Cremorne we headed:

Just to add a quote from the brochure:

"Water Falling Down is a powerful new Australian work which explores the complex and fragile relationship between father and son" 

"Water Falling Down is a poignant and funny reflection on parenting, love and loss; an intimate and very personal story about fathers and sons"

Great piece of theatre in my opinion.  We all agreed it was a rewarding way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Sunday Flowers (a bit late)

My Sunday afternoon walk through Toohey Forest failed to provide much stimulus for my Sunday flowers post..but  I did manage to capture a few gems.  The forest, often described as an island in suburbia, is home to hundreds of native plants, the most prominent of which is the grass tree (Xanthorrhoea). Nevertheless, a small white dog and I had a very enjoyable walk.

Back home, I did find a couple of flowers that have graced my garden for more years than I care to remember.

Oh What a Lovely Walk!

I meet up with a couple of friends on a Wednesday for an energetic walk along the Brisbane River.  We meet after work and walk in a set direction for about 30 minutes and then head back.  I took my camera along last week to capture the beauty of the Brisbane River. 

 

Jessica's Ella's Pink Lady in the Maritime Museum

Page 105 of WeightWatchers Cook Basics

Friday night..what should I cook?  Well I turned to page 105 of the WeightWatchers Cook Basics new cookbook - Yogurt-marinated lamb skewers with tabouli...sounded good.  Had all the ingredients and a bit of a fan of tabouli, decided to give it a go.  Well, here's the results:

 

It was delightful..the Old Gold Bunny was impressed.  The plate is part of a dinner service I bought in 1967 and I still love it.  The brand is Bidasoa and it was made in Spain.  I have done a quick search of the internet, but can't find anything similar, although there is fair amount of "Bidasoa" out there.