Did you see?

Oh please, Portlandia, do one for bunting. Not that I don't love bunting...

All the best babies are wearing them

I love a good upstairs downstairs drama. With everyone knowing their place and stuff.

Look at Miss Gummy. Almost 8 months and not a toothy peg in sight. I blame the amber teething necklace.

Hola! = Hello!

What is this? Some kind of freaking magic?

It won't be long before we'll be wearing these:

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And keeping these as pets:

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And they'll actually work.

Never order anything from the back of a comic.

Class

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I'm such a copycat. Even though, as I'm sure you've heard, there is no such thing as an original idea.

I was the girl at school who, after someone else's desperate adolescent attempt to express their individuality, would turn up the very next day in long socks, a quiff, a Fergie Bow, a Beatrix Potter badge, a folder covered in a Country Road bag, a crush on Rob Lowe etc...

Nothing's changed really. I just have greater access to potential muses. And you, fellow bloggers, are my muses.

Perhaps I am just an early adopter.

See these beautiful creatures?

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I saw them over at the lovely MissMollyCoddle's - aren't they divine? My grandmother had a yellow one. And now I have one:

Because I rushed over to ebay and grabbed one.

Shameless really.

Why is it always about how excellent I am?

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Ziggy has been down at his Grandma's place in Jan Juc since Sunday.

It's very quiet around here. I've even had time to do this:

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This is what I've been reading whilst sitting in an armchair in a circa 1940s (?) room:

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And this:

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(Don't ask. Although if you're curious, it's very good.)

And we've done this:

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That's right. Play soccer indoors. And then watch a DVD. We watched this:

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I fell asleep half way through...

And I'm also extremely pleased with myself for two reasons.

The first is my indisputable talent for flower arrangingmentations. A talent for which I have had the time to nurture these last few days:

The cat has since tipped this vase over & smashed it.
We bought it in Salzburg on our honeymoon.
Would you like a new cat?

  

The last inspired creation (entitled Nosegay I, Troubled Childhood) is rosemary and oregano. Pretty and tasty.

The second reason I am loving myself is this:

When I saw this a few years ago I thought 'that's nice and kind of Bitossi-esque'. Well guess what? It's not Bitossi-esque.

Sometimes it's not just the people who send things to ope shopes that don't (perhaps) know the value of their donations. Sometimes it's the bargain hunters who are clueless. Until they discover a lovely blog like this! She really is 'super'!

Silly clueless bargain hunter.

Hark - I hear a craken awakening.

Ziggy rang this morning on the verge of tears saying he was missing Saskia. I told him he could come home whenever he wants and he said "I'll come home when I said I would, on Friday." Nothing to do with seeing Megamind (again!) in 3D with Grandma tomorrow then. Have you seen Megamind? I really enjoyed it.

I apologise for the less-than-wonderful photos. I need either a new camera or a new house with larger windows.

Floods

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Thinking of family and friends and everyone affected by the floods.

Stay safe.

xxx

Some recent finds

Sweet little Christmas tin, a girly trivet and a stick of inches.

I just love the numbers on the stick of inches - very deco, non? I have no idea how old it is.

I bought these as a 5th birthday present for a friend's cat-obsessed daughter. The kitties were a hit.

Some gloves for dressups - Zig loves playing the Grand High Witch from Roald Dahl's 'The Witches'.

'You liddle verrrrms...'

An addition to my bordering-on-shameful West German pottery collection. Does there exist a Lava Lovers Anonymous?

This is just the tip of the volcano.

A Mikasa coffee pot.  Yes, yes. I know. I did say I was decluttering...

And a sweet wicker dolls pram.

That is all.

Oops - that is not all. I'm playing along with Sophie and Apron Thrift Girl.

That is all.

What do you mean? Where have YOU been?

I've been feeling too summery and lazy to post recently. Here's a long one with lots of images to make up for it.

Zig requested I take that photo - he thought the Chinatown Lion Gatekeeper Statue looked like Saskia. Twas taken the morning afore the eve afore Christmas. We caught the tram into the city with Daddy very early in the morning to avoid the Christmas craziness - good idea. We were one of the first few in the queue to meet Santa at DJs and only had to wait 40 minutes. I refused to pay a ridiculous amount of money to have a photo taken with the man in the suit, so we were hastily guided into a small curtained-off room to meet and greet the 'really not real Santa' (or the Alternative Santa For Cheapskates), who had a thick eastern European accent and had had some slivovitz for breakfast (or perhaps he hadn't).

Then Christmas was nice and relaxed - no Anne Tyleresque family conflicts. The beach for a few days and then a 'mini-break' to Daylesford. (I don't like the term mini-break but I thought I'd use it just to make sure. Nope - I don't like it.)

Not the highway

Husbandido took us along the 'scenic route'. Which was scenic. And dusty.

We caught the old train from the lovely Daylesford markets into the countryside.

It was blowy.

I don't know who that woman holding my baby is - they're all pretty friendly in Daylesford.

Zig made a friend who shared some of his interests: his taste in shirts.

And monkey business.

We went bushwalking.

Found some gold.

Tasted the health reviving local springwater. Saskia was sceptical about its benefits.

Tasted the local fare.

Went paddleboating on the lake.

Found some ope shope gold. (I'm trying to avoid ope shopes at the mopent because we'll be packing up our house soon for a big move and it's FULL of STUFF!) But I couldn't resist the craziness that is an ope shope OPEn on a Sunday.

Here's a closeup of the gorgeous stick of inches I found.

Here's Saskia trying to steal the limelight.

Next time we visit Daylesford I may even remember to visit this place:

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And this place:

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I can be a bit of a pain when visiting new places as I often have an unnerving sense that I'm missing out on something wonderful. That we should be seeing/doing something other than what we're doing. Even though what we're doing is great. I'm seeking some help with this irrationality and wowserism.

But this time I was right!!!

And here are my beautiful children back at home jumping on the Moomin wagon.

Happy New Year!!

I wonder what lies ahead for us all.

Praps a journey?

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A new environment?

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A handsome stranger?

Ok, maybe this handsome stranger?

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Or this one?

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I'd never describe myself as a fussy lady...