MUCH ADO FOR NOTHING

Update on the mystery intruder! The police finally showed up after a couple of days and only when the home owner of the house broken into (only thing taken was a digital camera) used his contacts in senior management at the local station. When the uniformed officer arrived (he was really quite cute too) I was trying in vain to get Dylan to sleep. He questionned me quite closely - description, behaviour and so on. Then I got a huge lecture about security and keeping doors locked and blah blah. The final straw was when he strongly urged me to make sure I call the police IMMEDIATELY if another person, or the same weirdo, started hanging around. I just raised one eyebrow and asked him if he enjoyed being ironical. He mumbled that of course someone would come straight away if they could, but that was not always possible - reassuring isn't it - especially as the large local station is about 500 metres away from my house!!!!!!!!!

Spent whole weekend in a frenzy of cleaning up (must be Spring) - and I mean REALLY cleaning up. I even dusted and cleaned all the photos and frames, electric outlets, light switches, door frames. I chucked out in a ruthless frenzy all the garbage bags full of awful scraps (although I admit I kept spotting the odd one or two and thought - gosh that looks OK, I could do something with that - but NO, I was firm with myself). It was an ideal opportunity as the weather was great and our council is having a bulk refuse pick up this week from the verge. Then I tore into the garden, hacking into the dog bane that has gone berserk and pongs like garlic, cleaned and swept all the paving areas and to break the camel's back - attacked the horror of the storage shed and chucked all the old tins of house paint, rusted tools and bits of God knows what. I could barely move last night and my poor old broken ribs were moaning at me. But, boy - do I feel virtuous today - I figure that lets me off housework for at least a month. Also it's pissing down with rain today, so the timing was just right.

I am excited to get going on Arlee's PSI exchange and Thanks so much, babe for organizing it. Loving that theme - it's right up the alley of a person like me with a macabre sense of humour. Since I have no camera for about another week (unless idiot brain loses it in Munich) I will break this up by including a photo of my three kids - taken a few years ago, but the only recent one I have of them together. Of course, couldn't find the one I wanted, but here's my boy Steve on the left at Nat's engagement party (she's very pregnant on the left). He now dies his hair black because he hates it blonde. My girls are Nat on left without eyes (sorry, cut them off) and her cloned sister Taz on the right.

Distractions from Tasks on Hand!!

Ta- daaaa! The little dresses are all finished. Now I have to put them in their little windows. I have made them some little hangers as well. Yesterday was SUCH beautiful weather (23 degrees) that I could not
justify spending time inside. Instead, went for long walks, after spending far too much time on the computer roaming around in cyberspace checking out other blogs so I can get me a list of ones I love. Wow - there is so much talent out there.

I love walking around thinking about my work. So many ideas come and I probably should carry a notebook. Then I could be sketching all the wild fresias in the parks and people's lawns. Or jotting down plans for my bottlesbrush on hessian wallhanging. Instead, I just wander along in a dream, as per usual. Also, I had to stop into the local charity shop to buy a belt as my jeans kept falling down on my walk (how embarassing). Sadly, I am rather boy shaped and lack hips. My kids have occasionally walked in on me with said jeans around my ankles because I have been cooking or something and have just let them fall. I am a constant source of embarassment to them - I know that. They frequently threaten to have me put down if I get any more eccentric. That reminds me, I went up to the local shopping centre on Saturday, intending to buy some fairy lights (plain) for my little lanterns. Of course, I am a month too early as the shop there that sells all kinds of really, really cheap crap only had the lovely REALLY tacky stuff leftover from last year. I find, though that this kind of shop is such a nasty temptatation if you really riffle thru them you can come across some amazing little (tacky) treasures. So, I came home with a gorgeous battery operated lava lamp (for my grandson I keep saying, but no one believes me), a cellotape dispenser (with 3 rolls of cello), a set of plastic coasters in various bright colours that look like Mr Men people made out of jelly and they join into a circle by linking hands jigsaw style and finally a great umbrella with photo images of a leopard family. All this for less than $20!!!!!!!!!!! If anyone can answer these totally unrelated questions for me, I would be most grateful. 1. Buying fabric online - how reliable? what is the quality like? I am thinking about silk mainly. 2. Buying secondhand books from Amazon? Has anyone had any experience and would you recommend it?