~From *Tacky* to *Elegant~.......

Do you remember these oh so Tacky fluffy covers? I remember them used for toilet seat covers (with matching mat of course....) cushion covers, rugs in fact anything & everything was made out of the stuff.... About once a month we have Dinner with friends at their home & the first time we went I discovered this quaint little chair stuffed away in a corner.... well it was instant love & before I could even open my mouth to enquire why it was shoved in the corner Sandy blurted out about it being the most ugliest thing she had ever seen....

Now just to help her out & save her a trip to the tip hum hum..... I told her I would quite gladly take it off her hands....the look on her face spoke volumes, yep she thought I was completely & utterly mad....... or that mt taste was in my erm you know where or both...... anyway that night as *she* sat patiently waiting for me by the front door i left via the back, can you believe that?????

It was awhile until we went for dinner again but this time she was brought home & placed in my bedroom much to my Darlin's horror. So she sat & sat & sat until finally one day I started to *pretty her up*....

The first thing to come off was the purple fluffy cushion cover of course .......

Which was replaced by a pretty rose print & new padding......

Suddenly she looked 90% better already....

Next came the sand blasting, followed by etching primer & lastly a few coats of white oil based paint left a few days to harden & then she was ready to bring back into the bedroom.....

My Darlin' was quite surprised by how she looked after her makeover, no longer *Tacky* now more *Elegant* just like she should have always looked.

Sandy called in yesterday & I showed her the finished result...... so what was her reaction?

*I still don't want IT back* now I am asking myself *Where is HER taste*?......

So now I am on the look out for a dressing table to match.... you know the sort..... white with rounded corners & triple mirrors where Ladies used to sit in the 50's & 60's to apply their makeup sitting on one of these chairs...... I wonder where it is.......


Hope you are enjoying your day especially if you are doing up a small treasure you saved from going to the tip.........

~The Joy Of Feeling The Soil Between My Fingers~............

Hi all.......so what have you guys been up to this week?........... I have spent my week in my front gardens & so far have filled our Wheelie Bin twice.......was lucky it was emptied Tuesday morning after I filled it on Monday, since then I have filled it till it is chockers & brimming over, have also filled two wheel barrows plus have a pile, a huge pile of cuttings from our trees down our driveway sitting on the front lawn. So far I have only done 31/2 gardens & we are talking BIG gardens here & just when I was thinking this arvo *where on earth am I going to put the rest of the weeds, dead plants & plants I no longer want* when our neighbour who owns the Pre-school next door told me I can use his *Green Wheelie Bin* as they wont be using it! YES..... THANK YOU....... I can keep on gardening tomorrow.......... it soothes my SOUL...... I sit in amongst the soil & weeds (my jeans have piles of dirt on the knees & the bum) my shoes are falling apart from using my new *you beaut Bunnings Shovel* & I FEEL so good, this is what I have needed for soooooooooooooo long. I have had so much crap happening in my what was supposed to be my *YEAR* friends who lives have been falling apart & have made me their *Dear Abbie* where it got to the point where I *went DOWN again* I have realised I have to look after myself.....is that being toooooooo selfish? Anyway I am rambling......

So tomorrow will find me back out in my gardens, the weather is just to die for....not too hot, not tooooo cold, Sunday my Darlin' & I will head off to the *Tip* with the back of our Truck loaded with all the weed etc that wont fit in the other Wheelie Bin & will arrive back home with the back of the Truck chockers with beautiful dark soil to put back into the gardens...... & then the replanting starts...... pure BLISS FOR MY SOUL.....

So how will you spend your weekend?

However you do....I hope you Enjoy.......

*The Ode*

This post is dedicated to all the New Zealand & Australian soldiers (The Anzac's) both fallen & returned..... without these brave boys, some 14 years of age when they went off to the *Great War* we would not know the meaning of FREEDOM............. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.... Anzac Day to me is a day of Gratitude..... a day to give thanks for living in a free country........ a day to remember those that returned never to be the same as when they left their beautiful shores........ a day to remember those who did not return ....... for the Mothers, Wives, Siblings & Children of the missing & fallen........

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old,

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,

At the going down of the sun & in the morning

We will remember them.

~I THANK YOU FOR MY LIFE~

~It's been a long time~.....

OK so where was I..... um missing in action it would seem....... it has been nearly 3 months since I posted, I think that is a record for me! This is going to be long post I think soooooo grab a cuppa if you want to hang around & have a read.......



I am going to take you all back to Feb 14th most celebrate Valentines Day, however in our home we celebrate our youngest child Dylan's birthday, this year he turned 9 his last year in single numbers. I had planned on posting about his special day, had all the you beaut photos to share & wouldn't yah know it my Laptop crashed! (due to Windows updates, I now only update security items). To my horror I found I had lost everything except my blog, website, & email address when I finally fixed it, all my doco's gone, worst still all my photos gone & among them my little mans 9th birthday photos...... anyway he had a great day which is the main thing.



Fast forward to March 6th & our Nieces Engagement Party. We were wining & dinning with the elete of Coffs Harbour at Pacific Bay Resort, one of THE top notch places here & a place I had never been to before... way out of our league. Anyway we had a great night at a beautiful Resort......








I made this cushion for Sheree & Tim for their Engagement pressie....... The image print I bought about 13 or so years ago at a Craft Fair in Brisbane that my Sister-in-law & I went to & I taught myself the art of Ribbon Embroidery. Soooooo after all those years of holding on to my first ever attempt at Ribbon Embroidery I decided to make a *special* pillow for a very *special* couple...........

Merilyn my Sister-in-law, Sheree's Mum, picked out all the fabric to make up the cushion.... I was so happy that they loved it....... a real boost to my ego.....

Ok so fast forward one week..... March 13th.... & our family headed off down south to our oldest Son's & future Daughter's Engagement Party........ what a great weekend....... To me this was a huge *Healing* I finally have my *Family* back..... Oh the joy of seeing all my *Kiddies* together for the first time in I don't know how long, to see my four beautiful Grand kiddies, to be able to Kiss & Cuddle my Son, to welcome Lisa into our family, just to be welcome & stay at their home, wake up n the morning & do the *Nana* thing with our 4 Grand kiddies.......

`

So the photo's above & below are of me & my Bested Friend ever *Anna* at Mick & Lisa's Engagement Party........... this beautiful *Lady* drove for hours to spend *Quality* time with me & my Family...... She means the absolute world to me............

Pure Bliss............... love this this Lady so sooooooo much............

Our 3 beautiful boys.....Mick, Dylan & Ryan....... love this photo......

Our gorgeous Taska with our beautiful Granddaughter Shay......

Easter arrived & we traveled south again this time to stay with Anna for the weekend..... a visit that was long overdue, we had not been down to visit her for years & years....... We did the *Westfield Shopping Centre* thing much to my Darlin's horror & Taska's delight...... all those shops in one place.........Taska thought she was in heaven (we have very limited shopping up here in Coffs) & I have to admit even I felt pretty exhausted by the end of the day...... Easter Sunday was spent having a barbie with Anna's son Mario, his beautiful lady Emm & their two little boys.........

Monday saw us on the road heading home after quite a few tears flowed, the weekend had gone way too fast.....

OK so that's all the GOOD things that have been happening in my life......... there has also been a few BAD things going on, one in particular where I have had to call the Police on a rather crazy woman who has been accusing me of having an affair with her now ex partner (my Hubbies business partner) ......... it got to the stage where I was wondering what she was going to do next.......I think my neighbours were a bit appalled to see her standing outside my house screaming abuse at me a couple of times not a pleasant thing to have to go through........
for now she is leaving me alone thank goodness.........

I think that about does it for this post, wishing you all a great long weekend (it is Anzac weekend in Aus & NZ).......

Lyn xxx

With all our love...........

This day 17 years ago our beautiful daughter *Taska Rose* was born....... can it really be that long ago.......... It has really jolted me into reality....... this is Taska's last year in school & next year that amazing door to the world opens up for her......I wonder now just where her journey in life will take her, which door she will choose to go through, if in the coming year she will decide what she wishes to do with her life...... but mostly can we still keep her happy & safe.......


Taska & I (yet another terrible photo of me) last September....

Erica, Taska & her yummy boyfriend Morty.......

Taken last night before going out to Dinner....

Wishing you the best day ever my beautiful Taska, do you know how proud we are of you, how much joy you have brought into our lives & that you are much loved.....

Mum & Dad xxxxx

Gorgeous Rebecca's latest give-away.....

It is not very often I blog about another bloggers give-away but when it comes to the beautiful Miss Rebecca at http://rebecca-gatheryeroses.blogspot.com/ well I just have to let everyone know..... Sooooooo would you like to win this gorgeous girly girl pink hand painted photo frame???

Oooooooooh I know I do, so all you have to do is pop on over & leave Rebecca a comment, she would love to hear from you & at the same time you go in the running to win..... but let me warn you lovely Ladies here.....I REALLY & I MEAN REALLY WANT TO WIN THIS ONE...... fingers, toes & everything else I can think of have been crossed..... You have until Jan 30th 11.59pm US time which means all of us who live down under get a tad longer to leave a comment....Good luck everyone but not TOOOOOOOO much luck, remember I want this one.....bahahahahaha...

So what was the big deal I put in my head about turning 50???

Well hello there so how is your day going......little ol' me here is having a fantastic day....the age I always dreaded to reach has finally arrived & you know what.....I feel GREAT. Yep today January 22nd I have turned 50 & I highly recommend it. Yesterday a very good friend of mine took me out to lunch which is something I have not done in years.... we arrived at 11.30 & left at 5! 5 & 1/2 hours spent eating, drinking, relaxing, talking & me trying not to pee my pants from laughing so much..... what a way to say farewell to my 40's.....
So today has been spent opening pressies & yep have I been spoilt... talking to two girlfriends on the phone & our eldest son & I talked for over 3... yes you read right...3 hours, the bridge between us has finally been broken.
This arvo am having friends over for more relaxation, drinks & just great company...I am loving my day....my life in fact.

I want to thank all the lovely Ladies who left comments for me regarding Clayton... I am quite surprised with myself the loss I feel for Toad is absent this time, I know Clayton is finally at peace & that is all his friends ever wanted for him. Like I said at the start of the year NOTHING is going to make it a repeat of last year... my bones tell me this is MY year...it is entirely up to me...

Wishing you all as great a day as I am having....

When walking this Earth becomes *Too Much*....

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom filled room
Why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little - But not too long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that we once shared
Miss me - But let me go.
For this is a journey that we all must take
And each must go alone
It's all a part of the Master's plan
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds.
Miss Me - But Let Me Go.

Imagine if I was given one moment,
just a single slice of my past,
I could hold it close forever, and that moment would always last.

I'd put the moment in a safe, within my hearts abode,
I could open it when I wanted,
and only I would know the code.

I could choose a time of laughing,
a time of happiness and fun,
I could choose a time that tried me, through everything I've done.

I sat and thought about what moment,
would always make me smile,
One that would always push me, to walk that extra mile.

If I'm feeling sad & low,
if I'm struggling with what to do.
I can go and open my little safe,
and watch my moment through.

There are moments I can think of,
that would lift my spirits every time.
The moments when you picked me up,
when the road was hard to climb.

For me to only pick one moment,
to cherish, save and keep.
Is proving really difficult,
as I've gathered up a heap!

I've dug deep inside my heart,
found the safe and looked inside,
there was room for lots of moments,
in fact hundreds if I tried.

I'm building up my own little library,
embedded in my heart,
for all the moments spent with you,
before you had to part.

I can open it up whenever I like,
pick a moment and watch it through.
My little library acts as a promise,
I'll never ever forget you.

On Monday 11th January our friend Clayton finally found walking this earth had become too much for him. He was found hanging from a tree in his back yard.... Some find this selfish a lot do not understand.... the truth is Clayton suffered from the horrendous disease..DEPRESSION.... sufferers feel alone, feel useless, their family & loved ones go through hell trying to understand, while sufferers just...live in hell.... how do I know this.... because I too suffer from this disease....
I chose not to to attend Clayton's funeral, I am determined this year will not be a repeat of last year..... my Darlin' was one of over 300 friends who said their goodbyes to this lovely man, most knew him as a very happy man only a few knew of his suffering.

The two verses above were read out at his service.... to me both are very fitting..... Clayton was 46 years old...... May he finally be in peace...

His Journey is over.
All sorrow is gone,
Every shackle undone,
He is completely free.......

Happy To See My Man Doing What He LOVES Most...

Hi yah girly girls so how is life treating you all on this beautiful (if not a trifle hot) Saturday arvo... life for me in my little P&CC is rolling along nicely thank you very much.... anyway I thought it was time I wrote a post about what makes my Darlin' happy.....

Not so much the washing of his beloved bike although he does spend hours & hours polishing her after all the dust or mud depending on the weather has all been washed away, nope nothing makes him happier than to be ON his pride & joy out in the bush going flat out through the creeks & rivers, up & down hills & along the many forest tracks with his mates......

To top it off we now have not one but two KTM's in our garage.... the other one belonging to our son Ryno & my Darlin' couldn't be prouder that Ryno has finally seen the light & bought a *proper* bike!

So what does your Darlin' do every 2nd Sunday?.... after us being together for over 20 years his love of riding seems to get stronger the older he gets...... I love to see the smile on his face as he heads off down the road, bike securely strapped in the back although on my part I must admit there is the odd twinge of *what if*.... what if he falls & breaks bones or worse still for him, what if he falls off & breaks HER.....

Hoping your Darlin' is doing what he loves most.....

*A Very Happy Unbirthday To Me*.....

Well hello there....how is your day treating you??? If you remember towards the end of last year I started repainting my house to make it lighter well so far I have done Dylans room which has gone from pink to cream & the hallway which went from green to cream.... We have put the linen cupboard back into the hallway so my Darlin' has made up new shelves & we were given some old doors... no not the oh to die for doors... just plain boring doors with the most ugliest handle on it..... but this year I am going to recycle more which means more thrifting, gotta love that.... & so here she is waiting to be painted....

After a good clean I set her up outside to paint but as the past 2 days have been stinking hot here I will have to wait for cooler weather.... then she will be prettied up....

I love this chair to me she has the most beautiful legs & she use to reside out on our front veranda until I had a major clean up & change around late last year & placed her out the back. Well my Denzil (dog) decided to make it his new bed & sitting spot until the other day I removed the seat & started scrubbing it.... received a *OK whats going on here* look from him, took the chair down the back to clean..... *it's fine as it is Mum*.... left it out to dry....*looking good, drying nicely*.... until I took it inside....*NOT THE CHAIR MUM.....*TELL ME NOT MY CHAIR*.....Well do I need to say here how bad I was feeling, hope I don't think so. Anyway I then brought the door out & leaned it out the back while I went to get the table to place it on, turned around & there was my Denzil....wait for it...... PEEING ON IT*. So now the look on his face was *well that's what you get for taking my bed*.... seems I was told....

So although the hallway is not quite finished yet I thought Id show you all a little section of it.... everything on this sideboard has a very special meaning to me.... the clock my Sister gave to me a few years ago, photo of my Mum, Dad & I taken last year when I went home (on my birthday), the beautiful crystal & silver Decanter my Mum & Dad gave me, my gorgeous Taska taken a few years ago.....

Simple but all meaningful.....

Beautiful scented candle in a box with a crystal knob on top that Taska gave me one Mothers Day,crystal jar with Lavender inside my Aunty gave me, sweet smelling roses out of my garden, beautiful jewelry box my sister in-law gave me for my birthday one year.....

A tiny oil burner I gave to my Mum years ago either for her birthday or Mothers Day....she gave it back to me a couple of years ago, the top has broken a couple of times & I was even considering throwing it out but just couldn't in the end, a very treasured photo of *Mary Tasker Adair* my beautiful Grandma, a crystal/glass container I bought from Alicia @ http://timewornstyle.blogspot.com/ .....

Lastly a beautiful address book, oh & underneath everything, a runner I crocheted years ago...all priceless to no one but me, all having a meaning, all greatly loved....

Tomorrow is my unbirthday.... what I mean is I was due to be born on this day 50 years ago which by the way is also Elvis Presley's birthday but I chose to put off arriving for another 2 weeks & came into this world on my feet NOT my head..... I am finding I am going back inwards to myself... & have to admit I am finally learning to like what I see..... life is pretty good...

Wishing you all a great day....xxx

It's the *Little Things* that mean the most.......

I was lucky to receive beautiful pressies for Christmas but I think one that touched my heart most was the least expensive..... a tiny calender from my friend Sharon that says on the front *Forever Friends*......

It is such a simple little calender with the cutest of bears that have been around for quite a few years now.... so so sweet.....

I am so proud that this beautiful Lady considers me her friend.....we went through so much last year from her nearly loosing her Hubby to suicide to both of us loosing our beloved *Toad* a few weeks ago.... it has brought us a lot closer.... reinstalled in us the importance of friendship.... together through talking the flow of tears have finally subsided.... life is soooo good....

I love the print for January.... my very special month of the year.....my birthday month....how content does she look....a cup of tea, slice of choccie cake, sweet daisies in a old milk bottle & a pale pink envelope..... so simple, so sweet.....

Hoping your day is bringing you all you have asked for.... Make it a good one....

Have you ever *Thought What If*......

I love this photo it hangs in my Hallway in a frame my Darlin' made for it years ago when I was painting.... The first photo isn't the best sorry. Although I have painted all my other frames white I just couldn't bring myself to paint over it as after all the years when I did paint I have very few pieces left & must admit I was very proud of the outcome as these were the first pansies I had ever painted....



I remember the scroll work took me ages there was a lot of wiping off & redoing until I felt it was good enough...

So the man in the photo was once engaged to my Grandma & I have often wondered *what if*.... what if they had married.... well how different my life would have been.... but then I realise I would not be here, well not as me anyway.....

This is not the original photo but a copy, well actually its a copy of a copy, the first one over the years turned green, not a good look.....

Although I was never related to this man I am still very proud to have his photo on my wall, proud to have a tiny piece of my Grandmothers past love.... a tiny piece that I imagine gave her a lot of love.....

Wishing you a day of peace, new hopes & lots of love....

A New Year & A Birthday.....

Well I made it...phew how great is it that 2010 has finally arrived......although I must admit that the pain in my head right now I could do without..... self inflicted by too much booze last night...BUT it was a great night spent with family & friends......& we had our own fireworks display in fact $1000.00 worth, what a great way to see the new year in.....

Today I have lived in Coffs Harbour for 24 years.....do not know where the years have gone....24 years ago I started my new life with Mick who was 3 at the time & Ryno still in my belly, but the 1st of every year is held very dear to me because it is our Ryno's birthday....24 today. The photo below I took on Christmas Day (My sister in law Cheryl is in the back ground, we had Christmas lunch at my Father in laws home down under the Mango Tree).

The photo below was taken last night just before he went out to celebrate both New Year's Eve & his birthday am loving the *Mullet* wig he is wearing......good grief to think we used to walk around with hair like that.....WHAT WERE WE THINKING.......

So my Sweet Darlin' Man here's wishing you a very Happy Birthday...... you know how much we love you..... & although I know you have to go back to WA on Monday I have treasured the time you spent here with us over Chrissie......xxx

You know I feel really good about this year...can feel it in my bones that I have left a lot of rubbish behind with the departure of 2009......have been thinking about NY resolutions & to be honest I'm going to take that slow.....kinda thinking I may just put it off until my 50th birthday this month....after all I am now starting on the 2nd half of my life....yes 100 does sound a good ripe old age to achieve....

I do know I want to get back into painting again....no not the walls although there is still two rooms waiting for me to paint....but painting of roses etc....I am telling my self here that I will be a tad rusty to start off with, but before long it will all come back to me.....

Can you remember back to when you were an itsy bitsy child & dreamt of what you wanted to become when you were all grown up.... well apart from wanting to be an Astronaut I wanted to be a writer..... so kinda thinking this could be the year to get started on that, what always put me off was knowing where to start, now I think maybe it's better to just START, anywhere & go from there, maybe start at the end & work backwards.... who knows.

Our eldest son gave me a very special Chrissie present last year (oh how good it feels to say that) a very special book, a very special book that I just KNOW is going to change my life....how do I know....because it is starting to change already & I have only read about 60 pages so far!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.....

We love you Ryno xxxx