~*My Heart Is Very Heavy Today*~......

Let me tell you about a very special Man who came into our lives 5 or 6 years ago........ His name is Andy........ who was born in England met a beautiful Lady named Jan, married, had children & eventually immigrated to Australia. So 5 or 6 years ago they bought the corner shop which has always been known as *Shop 36* which is about a 5 or so minute walk from my home. I have always taken the walk up there at least 2 or 3 times a week for milk & bread & I like so many people in Coffs became close friends with Andy & Jan. He has a very broad accent sometimes making it hard to understand the words that flow from his mouth but one look at his face would tell you whatever he said meant that he was saying something that needed a laugh in reply. Eventually we all learnt to understand them or perhaps the accent softened a little. OK so being a true Pommy he lives & breathes Soccer...... do I need to say more, can you imagine in your head what it is like to be around him while the World Cup is on..... nah I don't think I do...

Around 2 years ago Andy discovered he had Liver Cancer & being the Optimist that he is knew he would beat it.......... we all watched this beautiful man who by the way was shortest, thinnest but super fit from playing his beloved sport, gradually lose his hair, weight & strength to be able to work. Jan & his many workers kept the shop going, always with a smile on their brave faces.

It has been a couple of days since I went up to *Shop 36* it has probably been a couple of weeks since I last saw Andy...we talked about the world cup.... he telling me the Pomms were going to win, me telling him the Kiwi's (New Zealanders) were going to, boy did he laugh at that but neither team progressed to the top 16.........

Today I learnt Andy died ...........he is 52........ my heart is really hurting........... for his beloved Jan, for his kiddies, his many many friends (me included) customers, his family *back home*, but to me the saddest thing is he did not get to see who will win the World Cup............ no maybe I am wrong there....... he is on is long walk to heaven........ he will get there before the games finish.......... he will KNOW ahead of time who wins.......... I forgot to ask him who he would go for in the final game..........

Forever in my heart......XXX

~*Our Weekend Away*~......

Do you remember the post I wrote about the weekend away at Annuaka Resort that our son Ryno gave My Darlin' & I as a surprise? well...... we went, we saw, we relaxed, we pampered & we LOVED it...... Like most of the Suites there ours was amongst the Rain forest, such a peaceful place.....

Our bedroom had this large spa set in its own corner, I was amazed when I filled it up the water was blue a real aqua sea blue......... the photo above was taken looking up at the glass ceiling..... nothing like sitting in here with the jets blasting full bore, laying back & looking up at the twinkling stars in the sky.....

Our dinner was just out of this world we sat at a table which looked out to the ocean & afterwards went for a very romantic stroll along the beach......

We also explored the rest of the place finding a total of seven swimming pools all laying under more rain forest & three spas set in grotto's....... I have to tell you I could very easily move on in there tomorrow..... we found this walk way the next morning......... followed it & found......

This gorgeous little Chapel......... I remember years ago not long after the resort opened friends of ours were married in this tiny church......... sadly the marriage didn't last & as much as we enjoyed our weekend here I couldn't help but notice that it was starting to look a tad rundown, the Chapel was all dusty inside, it looked like it hadn't been used in years, furniture in our Suite was starting to break, a lot of the beautiful filigree woodwork had been broken from previous guests...... to me that was sad a lot of time & money had been put into Annuaka, it needed some TLC.......

That aside we DID have a great time staying here & would go back again.....

Thank you again Ryno we love you xxx

*~A Complete Makeover*~.........

Hi yah Sweeties......... how'd yah be.... as my Dad would say......... Me well I have been flat out which is the reason why the posting has been a tad on the lean side lately. If you scroll down to my last post you might remember the cane lounge I was giving a make over...... She has in fact been finished for a while now but as is the norm with me after I cleaned the front Porch to get it all spick & span for her grand arrival, I noticed that everything else on it was looking in need of a repaint not to mention the painted floor boards..........

So off My Darlin' went to Bunnings to get the paint as I had run out after painting the lounge, & I set to scrubbing the floorboards & chairs. Next day I was all set to go............ it rained! The next day......... it rained, in fact 4 days in a row, so I patiently waited for blue sky to come out. Finally the sun came out & I was down on hands & knees painting. Three coats later & the floor was all done..........

The next week was spent repainting the chairs & coffee tables during the day one coat a day although by now it was getting pretty hard to keep the patience thing going......... sewing the new cushion covers at night.

I had bought two Euro cushions for the lounge & could not believe it when they were a tad too small so ended up opening them both at one end & sewing an extra strip of fabric in between them both & stuffing it full of super soft wadding........ fun to do on a machine when the cushion becomes very long.

Even the little boy on the pedestal was scrubbed down with bleach to make squeaky clean again as he had grown green, something I don't really mind but just kinda looked out of place with the white & blue.........

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this lounge with its big squishy cushions, it is just soooooo comfy....... perhaps too comfy, I laid down on it the other morning with my cuppa coffee & a really good book & actually fell asleep....... or perhaps it was due to the fact that I was up until nearly 4am painting the last chair either way I am not one to sleep during the day, so have resisted the urge since then to lay on it.........

Every time I have made new cushions for out here they have been pink to go with the house but being a true lover of Blue & White I just HAD to have a change, even the coasters on the tables are blue & white & the flowers are my favourite Camelia's in my garden which are always the last to bloom, a gorgeous white with just the tiniest dab of icy pink in them. At the moment the fabric is a bit bright but come summer & the sun with fade them to the perfect soft blue........

So what do you think.......... was the long wait worth it......... I hope so, OK so now you all know what I want you guys to do........ leave me a comment & tell me what you think..........Oh & I am still flat tack painting, I have redone an old mirror & am on to my second one.......

Hoping YOUR creative juices are flowing........