08.30.07
Not quite in time!
Thanks to our favourite Telco in the land (yeah, right!) I didn’t get the template from Di in time to submit for the deadline. But as I have a couple of cards to get done for the weekend, I thought I’d go ahead and use it none the less. So here is my take – and you can go have a look here to see what the other wonderful takes are on the theme.
Pieces I have used are: Bazzill cardstock, Grant archival paper, HS heart, Stampin’ Up stamp, Dymo label tape, a cuttlebug embossing folder, various inks, and my sewing machine.
08.28.07
Bit of a Mish Mash this one
Mainly because that is how my brain is working at the moment. Although those that know me might try to tell you that that is how my brain works all the time. The contracts are already out on those who may say such things! 
So, I signed up to a local gym last week and had my first session today. Ow! Yes, already!! Goodness knows how I’ll cope tomorrow. wonder if a certain cave rescue squad might need to come and haul me out of the house in order to get the Mr’s to where they need to be. 
It’s been a while since I set foot into anything remotely connected with moving body parts – but the usual winter *settling* has seen the boundaries of various pairs of jeans stretched more or less to the max. And I have enough sizes already so I think enough is enough and I might actually need to sort that old muffin top out. And then I saw the numbers in the assessment room. I think the time came around some time ago!
Putting that all to one side for a second – why are the mags in the shops all showing Di on their covers at the moment? One was asking something like what would it be like if she was still around. Umm… huh?? Look, I liked Di as much as the next person, remember being allowed to come to school late the next morning because we stayed up to watch her in her crinkly gown. It’s freaky cos I know exactly where I was the moment I heard she was dead. Very JFK. And I’m one of the 1000s that stayed up to watch the funeral (leaving a friend’s house and seeing the lights on that late in almost everyone’s lounge… I know you were all watching too!). But! How would anyone know what things would be like if she was still around?! Seriously.
And if you haven’t had a giggle for a while, go check this Momof6 out. I came across her via a link to one of the funniest things on Ebay and I think she has taken the world by storm. Love reading her blog!
08.24.07
A quick one
I did this last Saturday. Don’t let the title fool you – once I had all the elements it WAS put together pretty quickly. BUT it took me ages to trace and handcut the chipboard letters. I didn’t think I was going to get anything actually stuck down that night!!
Little Bear came with a book called “Can’t you sleep Little Bear?”. Cute story. Mr 3 finally found something he could love! So Little Bear has been wandering with us for quite some time. I invested in a Mark II bear just before Christmas when LB was having his *adventure* in Nature’s Discovery (note: toys CAN take just 20 seconds to disppear forever!). Luckily he was found while visiting his other toy pals and we got the call to reunite us.
Sadly, LB Mark I did not come home from McD’s while I was away a few weeks ago. HUGE sigh of relief that Mr 3 was just as accpeting of Mrk II – and we have pleaded with Little Bear to keep his adventuring to within the boundaries of our house.
08.23.07
Bouquet time
OK so I hit Telecom with a really huge Brickbat yesterday – and yes, by and large they derserve as many of those as come there way. And usually more besides.
BUT…
With literally 2 hours before my self-imposed deadline to have things fixed before we took our custom elsewhere, I gave the help number another call to see if anything was being done on my logged case.
I got a really lovely girl – extremely professonal and knowledgable. Or at least she came across that way. She was willing and able to try several variants of fixes with me on the line until finally we got there. I now have my e-mail service back and working – just the way it should.
Don’t get me wrong – this doesn’t excuse much of the high handed approach our biggest Telco seems to enjoy using with us, the customer. However, if they employed more staff like this woman, I daresay they would have a much happier client base.
And because I am usually ready to fly off at the handle with Telecom pretty readily – I would like to say a huge thank-you to this individual. You did yourself and your company proud. I hope you go far.
08.22.07
Warning: rant contained within! I’m not getting much done today
Largely due to the fact I’m knocking my head against the brick wall that is Telecom.
I’ve not been able to send e-mails since Friday. By yestereday I got sick and tired of trying to be patient so I gave them a call. 40 minutes later – yes, really! I waited THAT long because I had a good head of steam built up and I wasn’t going to the back of the queue again! Not that it helped any!! I got told I needed to update some settings. Well it would have been nice to know that prior I said.
So I updated.
Only to find the problem is now worse: I can’t send OR receive now. Ok, so I now they’ve made this *improvement* but I don’t want anything to do with it. I just want my e-mail! So I call back this morning. I’m on hold. For. Ninety.Five.Minutes. Yes, really. (Luckily I have a walkaround phone so I get to do stuff one handed…)
They tell me all my settings are correct – I’m good to go. What???!!! Did you not hear me?? I can’t get my e-mail. Oh, well then I should switch to Outlook. Um…. NO! We have our reasons for making the switch to an alternative software some time ago – and I’m not changing back just cos that is convenient for Telecom!! Who do they think they are to dictate the software I run on my PC??!! My case number from yesterday is updated with all sorts of information that I’m not sure is relevant – but if it means I get my e-mail back, ok.
I hear on the midday news the issues are all solved. Yay I think. WRONG!!! Telecom are big-fat-liars.
When making my point this morning, I told them that if I didn’t have normal service returned by this evening we would be switching providers. I bet they really don’t care.
08.17.07
I did it!
I actually braved it and took the opportunity to Jack Christi’s layout. It was very daunting for me as I love how Christi scraps and how there is so much full on richness to it. My attempts at something similar in the past have all tended to look like the rubbish heap about to be thrown out!
But thanks to a kit piece – the Hambly transparency, I got brave and thought I’d give it a go. I’ve probably ended up being more literal than I intended as I decided to use lots of patterns and stitching – elements of Christi’s work that I adore! That and the fact I seemed to have the exact same kind of photo, I decided it was much easier to be closer to the original than to re-invent the wheel completely. 
If you haven’t already seen some of the examples, go take a look…. I love how there are different interpretations on the theme.
Now I’ve had my first go, I’m looking forward to seeing the next one! 
08.15.07
Friendship Returned
I was thrilled to get my circle journal back from the Scrapbook Essentials girls. This was the first circle journal I’ve ever participated in. I really enjoyed taking part so I signed up to the next one beginning some time next month!
I love the fact that everyone has taken the time on their pages to share what friendship means to them – and of course showcased their talent! Some girls are still close to their childhood friends, others (like me!) make friends along the path their lives lead them. All of them have shown how much these friends mean. Just cool!!
So if you want to take a peek for yourselves – click here and hopefully the slideshow will pop up.
Thanks to a high flying kiwi
…Dollar that is!
I ordered these little puppies last week while they were discounted at 2Peas – and our little ole kiwi$ was still good and high. I just love how they showed up today: superfast delivery!!
I’m so very pleased with this little *Booty*… can anyone guess what my take on this week’s Eve challenge is going to be?!
08.13.07
Itchy fingers
I so should have been studying tonight. But I came across a bunch of photos from a while ago while I was tidying over the weekend. This was Mr 6 at just 15 months. Who knew the master of 6 year old tantrums could be so cute?!
So this is what he and I would do in our days when he used to be this little. Bake that is: not lick the bowls . Well, we did that too – but there was cake at the end of the process!
I actually planned on putting up some layouts of more recent times that I did the other night at a friend’s house. But one is pretty personal and I’m not so sure I’m ready to share, and the other is not. quite. done. You know those ones!
So, instead of reading the chapters on business financing, or completing the drafting of some property agreements or some such, well, the fingers needed to be busy. And who am I to deny these urges??
ETA: I know – I self-corrected myself in the title after seeing the mistake! I now have a correctly spelt title. 
08.10.07
Chicken and Leek Pie
I was served this little goody at a gathering of friends a while back. It was so tasty for lunch that two of us went and purchased the recipe book so we could recreate at home! I made it again the other night for tea. I think most ordinary kids would eat it and love it – mine just are abnormal and don’t eat dinner! So I make the four any way and pop two of them in the freezer ready for another night. I can’t remember the name of the actual recipe book, but it is in a series of different styles of food and I’m pretty sure it is called Fast Food – or something similar. (I’m too lazy to actually run downstairs and check!)
- 60g butter
- 50 g flour
- leek
- 4 chicken breasts (actually, I find you can use less and it still tastes great!)
- 300ml cream
- 1/2 c chicken or herb stock
- 1 cup of fresh or frozen peas
- 1 pre-rolled sheet of pastry
- Melt the butter in the saucepan. Add finely sliced leek, cook until tender. Add chicken, chopped into bite size pieces. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add flour and cook until frothy. Add stock gradually, keep stirring until thick. Add in cream (keeping aside 1 T for glazing later) and just bring to the boil. Add in the peas.
- Divide mix between four pies dishes or ramekins. Cut the pastry into four squares and pop one over each ramekin. Prick to let steam escape. Give each top a coat of remaining cream. Cook in a preheated oven at 200 C for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
I tend to serve with a salad, or with steamed veg and a few oven fries. Hope you enjoy!
