Autumn has arrived - finally!

Since my last post, autumn has finally arrived.  The nights have cooled down to about 15 degrees and we are getting some sleep at last.  The days are a beautiful 30 degrees, and when the sea breeze blows through in the afternoon us parents sitting on the sidelines of sports training actually need to put a jumper on!

Some photos of a lovely surprise the kids got at nippers a couple of weeks ago...a fly-by from Rescue 1 - the surf life-saving helicopter.

Which then dropped a rescue diver into the water to 'rescue' one of our life-savers.

Who was then airlifted back to the beach.

Before the helicopter came in to land on the grass outside the club!

Watched over by our trusty lifeguards (hubby behind and best mate Scotty in front)...

the kids all got to go and talk to the pilot and look through the helicopter...

before it took off home again.

From all accounts the other nippers club's further down the coast are very jealous because their council wouldn't allow the helicopter to land on their beach.  Our kids had an absolute ball.  Thanks to the guys at the club who made this happen.

We are suffering...

According to the ABC and the weather channel on Foxtel, Perth has just broken another heat record, with the temperature climbing above 30 degrees in the city (let alone in Mindarie, where it was just as hot) for the 26th day in a row.  This beat the previous record set in 1988.  Supposed to be 35 degrees again tomorrow.

It was cooler last night though, finally dipping below 20 degrees for the first time in 17 days.  This is the first summer that we have lived in this house that I have said, "I WISH that I had air-conditioning!"

The worst part of it is that a lot of the hot days have been humid days, thanks to cyclones and lows sitting up north.  Perth's heat is normally dry, which is lot easier to cope with.  We haven't even been able to use the pool because the temperature in there is 35 degrees - which is not exactly refreshing!  The beach has been getting a lot of use - with even me getting in, and I don't get in unless I absolutely have to.  Even our water-hating dogs have been getting in.

The garden will be getting a lot of new plants once the weather cools down.  There have been quite a few casualties, and not just in our garden.  I don't think I've seen so many dead plants around for a long time.

So the icy-poles are in the freezer, the windows are open letting in the cooler night air, and the alarm is set early so that Miss 12 can get her trombone practise done without drowning in the sweat that drips off her.

Roll on winter!!!

The mystery is solved...

As some of you know I have been anxiously waiting for Friday to find out what my birthday present from my hubby was.  This year he was very cagey (normally I choose my own).  He'd organised something big - maybe delivered through the front door, maybe through the back gate.  I had to make sure the area through the games room and eating area was clear.  And I had to be home by 2pm.

Until I got a frantic call when I left school at 10.45am to say "Quick - go home now!  They'll be there soon!"

And what was delivered...?

Yay!!!  He knows that I've always wanted one since I left my very cheap one in New Zealand years ago.  And now that the kids don't use the games room for their games - I can use it for mine.  It will need to be recovered soon but it's true Italian slate underneath, so he did well.  Thank you gorgeous guy - love you lots.

Oh - and how old am I?  NOT the big 40 that my darling little sis, Miss Lottie, thought - that can wait till next year...

Still hanging in there...

Just want to let you all know I'm still here - just too busy to put fingers to keyboard!!  Life has kicked back in at top speed - if I thought last year was busy, the first three weeks of this school year have been even more so.

Tuesday is now our ONLY day with nothing on (not even work for me).  The last two days have seen us, between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm, be in the house for a total of 35 minutes - in two days!!!  Needless to say not a lot of housework, homework, trombone practise, crafting or anything else has been done (the golden arches did well out of us last night!!).  The washing machine is running now (8.30 pm) just in an effort to have uniforms for the girls to wear tomorrow.

So - tomorrow I have about five free hours after finishing work at 10.30ish.  The only thing I have to do is pick the kids up at 3 pm.  Other than that nothing till hockey pre-season fitness training for Miss 12 at 5 pm.  What will I do with myself?  Insurance quotes?  Dishes?  Vacumming?  Grocery shopping?  Or the guilty pleasure of quilting?

Hmmm - tough choice!!

A creative January round-up...

Well I stuck to my New Year's Resolution for the whole of January (yes, I know there are two days to go), so I thought I'd let you see what I've been doing.

Firstly I finished the New Year's Eve mystery quilt - I've called mine "Butterflies in my Garden"...

Yes it does look a little different from my original picture.  Something about it was bugging me and I was determined that it was not going to finish as a UFO.  So I took the blocks apart and sashed them, adding cornerstones of the red.  And VOILA!  It worked.

I also finished my darling nephew's snuggle quilt...

Notice how the top and bottom rows are upside down?  I swear this quilt had gremlins...or maybe it's the fault of these little guys...

Then I made a beach tote bag as a very late Chrissie present for a beloved sister...

I also made a quilt for Miss 12 from a beautiful pattern by Erica Spinks called "Sunshine on Roses".  Miss 12 decided to claim this one very soon after I started laying out the blocks.

And finally, I added the next border to my challenge quilt, with lots of colour advice from my children.  I loved the idea of Miss Lottie's to turn the quilt on point, it solved a real dilemma for me.  So here it is, ready to be posted...

And yes, Miss Lottie, I have put another border around your challenge quilt, I'm just not going to show you - it's a surprise.  Let's just say the next row is...Flying Geese!

Oh, and check out this picture of a thunderstorm approaching today...

Didn't do much to us, but we are waiting with baited breath for the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Bianca some time tomorrow.

An unselfish heart

That would be my Blondie.  She has been worrying about her grandparents in Queensland all day, as the news reports got worse and worse.

At dinner time she came up to me and said, "Mummy, can I donate my pocket money this week to the people in the Queensland floods?"

We butt heads so often, her and I, that I forget just what a beautiful little person she is - and I love her dearly.

Thank you Blondie.

Could that be...?

Could that possibly be Lou running?

Hubby was so surprised he snapped off this shot for posterity. I haven't run in ages, but it was just so beautiful at the beach I couldn't help myself - and I took Miss 12 with me. This was in the morning. That afternoon we went back to the beach again and I went for another run, this time with FJ. Meanwhile...

Blondie and FJ had fun with the tinsy waves...

And then they built the palace! This was one of our 38 degree days. Today however is only 27 and raining - YAY!! And I truly mean that. Unlike the rest of Australia, Perth is in drought and definitely needs the rain.

Now the promised photos of the art folder - the outside...

The inside front...

The inside back...

No - I don't know why the photo turned sideways - SIGH.  And it will not turn around.  Oh well.  The art folder is made from this tutorial - so easy, I can see myself making more. Needless to say all mine want one.