Three days ago

That's how long ago I sat down to start this post, three days.

I mean obviously I haven't been sitting here all that time because I am a mother and as such in that time I have had to feed and tend to the family, not to mention working on top of that as well.

Ok scratch that.

It is now some nine days since this post first sprung into creation, yet failed to actually grow into anything of publishable worth. Though it feels like so very much longer. This whole working nights thing is really cutting into my writing time and ability. Still it must be done.

Anyway here is what I managed to get out when I first sat to write this.

I swear not just two minutes ago my head was filled with a thousand different thoughts. All of them totally amazing and ready to drastically change the world as we know it. Or at least my world and how I know it.

Of course by the time I manage to open a browser and get to the insert-a-post page on Blogger, my brain has suddenly become void of any coherent thought pattern and is instead filled with a thousand. or possibly even more, distractions. I am not to sure why this surprises me because I have always said that I have the attention span of a gnat. If of course you assume a gnat has an incredibly short attention span.

Easily distracted is certainly an understatement when referring to me.

There just always seems to be so much on the go at one time that I feel the need to do it all at once. Clearly prioritising may not be a strong point of mine.

big breath.

And bang fast forward some three months till today. That's how long this draft has been sitting in my inbox. I don't like having drafts. I like to just put it out there as quick as I can. Raw and unedited, straight from brain to screen.

In reality little has changed between then and now. Well apart from it getting colder. The cold is so consuming. I just constantly feel numb and frozen.

At least when you are sweltering in the heat you can go and jump in the pool and cool down. The cold just makes me want to curl up and hibernate till spring. Just over one more month. It is my constant mantra. Soon the sun will really start to shine.

In the meantime I just need to remember to make the most of it when it is here.

Jobs don't just fall out of no where

With hindsight, or rather just purely stopping to think about it for a nanosecond, expecting that we would be able to just walk into employment the moment we needed work was perhaps slightly naive. To say the least. I mean as employable as Mr Awesome and I know ourselves to be, I guess that might not transfer all that well onto paper to people who do not know us and have hundreds of other resumes thrown in their direction.

Today was deemed get a job day. 

I shared this photo on Instagram today with the caption
"Sometimes it can be super hard to see the light shinning
through when there are so many dark clouds overhead"

Mr Awesome had spoken to the regional manager of the company he worked for in Darwin as he happens to manage Western Australia as well. From the moment he heard about our trip he had said that the company would still look after him where ever they could. Which naturally we took as meaning there is a job for you in any branch you want, whenever you want.

Given how well things worked out in Karratha we just assumed the same would happen here in Bunbury. Turns out assumption really is the mother of all fuck ups. 

After spending all Easter waiting for the return call to say when to start, today reality thought it would be rather fun to slap us in the face with a cold fish. There is no job for him here. The store is just not making enough money to squeeze another employee in and that’s all there is too it.

Honestly after ten years of committed service I would have though they could have tried to squeeze him in. But no. 

Sigh.

Not to worry we thought. Our farmer friend who is kindly let us stay in his back paddock had told us of a job going somewhere else. Only when Mr A went into the branch they said they were filling it internally and maybe come back in June.

FFS.

It is so hard not throw a two year old tantrum. 

We desperately need work.

Someone, ok me, may have slightly screwed up when budgeting and left us a lot shorter of cash than intended to. My stomach starts doing back flips just thinking about it, while my head seems to develop a horrible throbbing sensation. It is such a strange feeling to be so highly strung up about finances having not really given them much thought for the last nine months.

And maybe that right there is the biggest problem. Had I thought about pesky things like money a little more while on #ouradventureofalifetime we wouldn’t be in this predicament right now.

More sighing.

Yes another photo of a galah that has no relevance at all to what I am talking about

It’s funny how the inspiration or inclination to write seems to always come at the most inopportune times. Like now, I should be doing the dishes or folding the washing or even starting dinner preparations. But yet here I am. Finger tips rapidly trying to tap letters out in the hope that comprehendible words and sentences will magically form.

Today is Mr Awesome’s birthday.

Not that we got to spend it with him on account of him needing to go to work. Which is not something I really understand. Working and birthdays just doesn’t seem right to me. I suspect that the fact that my mother never made me go to school on my birthday probably has something to do with it. But anyway.

Since we are hanging out in sunny Karratha for the next six weeks. Well actually five weeks now as one week has already passed, I have been treating ourselves to a few little luxuries in the electrical department. 

Though when I say ourselves I basically mean me because by little luxuries in the electrical department I mean things to help me in the kitchen. Like a slow cooker and a little oven. None of which I can show you right now because my phone is still out of action. Which I might add is a never ending source of frustration. I mean surely if I sent it off for repairs on Friday it should be on it’s way back to me by now shouldn’t it?

But I digress.

While Mr Awesome has been busy off working on his birthday I have been slaving away baking up a storm in the cute new little oven. Which is both lovely and not so lovely. Lovely because baking is a lovely way to relax and not so lovely because baking also creates a horrible mess.

The upside to the mess though is hosing off dirty dishes is way more enjoyable than washing them by hand. I am constantly torn by the pros and cons of this gypsy life we are leading.

At it again. Grumbling that is.

This poor post has sat blank all day waiting for me to find the right words to fill it with. Even now I am not sure of what they are.

Essentially I am fighting the urge to complain.

Again.

It almost feels like every time I come here lately it is to complain in some shape or form. I never like to think of myself as a complainer. In fact the complete opposite. I generally like to take pride in my ability to find the silver lining, even on the darkest of cloudy days.

I crazily expected #ouradventureofalifetime to be nothing but rainbows and sunshine.

As if the moment we drove out of town we magically metamorphosed into a travelling kind of Brady bunch if you will. And while there is certainly no denying that there have been some incredibly spectacular moments where things have exceeded my expectations, there have also been a few quite surprising crapola moments as well.

We are currently back in Broome for a few days after having spent a wonderful week out of range on the Dampier Peninsular. It feels somewhat strange being around people again. A week of not interacting with anyone outside your immediate family will do that to you I guess.

The difference in the girls being around people is what gets me the most.

When there is not another soul to be seen or distraction to be had they are as nice as pie to one another. Sure there is the odd squabble here and there but on the whole they are full of understanding and patience for each other.

Introduce some people and electricity and suddenly it is like they are vying for the title of Queen of Bickering and Nastiness.

It seriously does my head in and makes me want to scream obscenities. Clearly mother of the year I am not.

As if that is not bad enough Mr Awesome has even less patience than I do for such behaviour and is constantly grumping and growling as well.

Sigh, sigh, sigh and double sigh.

I promise though when next we meet I will have a much happier tale to tell

Having a break from adventuring

As I type I am sitting all alone at a table in the Broome International Airport. I have approximately twenty eight minutes until I board a plane back to Darwin. While my mind is spinning out of control and my stomach doing somersaults my biggest dilema at this precise moment is whether or not I go to the bar and get another mango beer. 

Oh my mango beer is beyond awesome by the way. 

Mind you the question in not really as simple as whether I just get another beer or not. As I mentioned I am completely alone and unattended. Which means if I leave my table to go to the bar I have to either a) take all my stuff with me and by stuff I primarily mean laptop, b) leave it sitting on the table as the bar is within eyesight just about 10 meters away, or c) enlist the help of a stranger to watch my stuff and ensure no one runs off with it.

Though option C just became a bit trickier as most people in the air port just got up to board a flight.  

Oh the decisions in life.

In the end option A won. Since there was now a multitude of tables to choose from it also provided me with the opportunity to move away from a table that was right underneath the TV and front and centre of the room. I am tense enough as it is without feeling as if everyone is staring at me when they are actually just trying to catch a glimpse of the footy scores on the big screen.

Going home does not really excite me in any shape or form. I did contemplate not going at all but sensibilities kicked in. I need to find out what is happening with my silly clot and I would much rather do that with the doctors I already know rather than start the entire journey again.

On the upside it will be nice to not have to tend to anyone’s needs but my own. I did go to type not worry about anyone but myself but truth be told I will be doing nothing but worrying about Mr Awesome and the girls. 

He is going to take them to a little beachside camp spot about 50km north of Broome. Chances are there will be no coverage so I won’t be able to check in daily with them. You know to make sure that they arrived ok and then haven’t been attacked by wildlife or something crazy.

Poor little Zany is a bit beside herself about it all as well. Poor little mite doesn’t cope well with people she loves leaving. I had forgotten just how worked up she got until it got close to my departure time.

To make it all a bit easier for everyone I decided that it would be best to just dump me in the drop off zone. Not being completely at ease about it all myself the last thing I needed was to see the kids breaking down.

Sigh.

Have I mentioned how great mango beer is?

Excuse me while I wallow just a little. Or a lot.

As I sat waiting to see McDreamy the other day I decided to use my time wisely and start writing my #IBOT post for Tuesday. Even though I am having trouble fitting in adequate commenting I just can't fight the desire to join on in. I had made an agreement with myself earlier in the day to do so as long as I read an article or two for my current assignment.

Given that it is already over due (though I have kindly been granted an extension) I really need to just knuckle and down and do it. With hindsight I am wondering if returning to study right now really was one of my wisest moves. Live and learn I guess.

Truth be told I have been using a lot of hindsight of late to assess my decisions and just quietly it is not looking so great for most of them. Mind you it could also have something to do with the fact I am just beating particularly hard on myself today.

You see the post that I wrote at the doctor's didn't save. Well I guess a more accurate description is that I failed to save because failure is one of the few things I am good at doing at the moment.

Yesterday I ran my second City2Surf, just over 12km in distance. Though when I say run maybe a more apt description would be shuffle. I went a whole second slower than last year. A full twelve months longer at being a runner and I go a second slower.

It is hard for me not to call myself a loser.

I know that the scheme of things a whole second is not really here nor there. I should just be stoked for even making to the end. And I guess in some ways I am. But when it seems like everyone else is going faster and smashing through their PB's it is hard to be pleased with just finishing.

Mr Awesome snapped this as. Bless him.
This was at about the 9.5km mark.
I used every ounce of my being to make an effort to not look buggered as
I ran by them. 

I should have done better.

I could have done better if I had of trained a little more. Or at all really.

I should have trained more but it was easier to make weak excuses.

I work most afternoons and nights. I like to run of an evening. Getting up early in the morning is just too hard. Teapot doesn't ride her bike well enough and we no longer have a pram for her so running after school drop off is no longer an option either. Not to mention it is probably to hot then anyway.

Blah, blah, blah.

Eating a packet of chips most nights that I work probably hasn't helped much either. Nor the bottles of coke I drink to help me stay awake. But what is a bored girl to do?

Cue deep sighs and even more deep breaths and the hope that I don't hyperventilate.

Just between you and me right now I feel like I am floundering. Actually I feel completely overwhelmed and have just passed the point of drowning. If you and I were having this conversation in person, all of that would have been said with a f-bomb thrown in at least five times.

Only we aren't having this conversation in person because I am a person free zone at the moment and feel completely abandoned and alone.

Cue tears and more hyperventilation.

All of which I know to be ridiculous because there will probably be at least three people reading this who will wonder why I didn't call them or message them or something them. Till they remember that I am not really a calling or messaging type of person. I am a talk to you face to face type of person, or pour it all out here. Sadly there are no people near me any more to talk to in person.

Oh and while I am being a crybaby have I mentioned that based on some of Lovely's behaviours of late I am a relatively shit parent as well. She has lost all interest in school and following any direction I request of her just seems to go against her inner being. The joys of having a teenager.

Mind you apparently Zany's school work is leaving something to be desired as well. Given that when I picked her up today her teacher requested I make an appointment to see her to discuss her report. Joy of joys right there. I am relatively certain she is just trying to ease the pain of the report containing D's.

I know this because another parent from the class recently had to have the same discussion. I shall however save my thoughts on the grading system of the curriculum for another day. It is safe to say it is a conversation that involves quite a lot of swearing on my part.

For now though I am sure I have carried on more than enough. I must have done because I feel slightly more human and able to cope.

So please excuse me while I pick my bedraggled and sorry for myself ass up off the floor and quickly slap together something for the troops to have for dinner while I traipse off to work yet again.

For some other great posts though make sure you check out all the IBOT fun over at Essentially Jess

Things I Know About Being Grumpy and Growly

 Now it is more than fair to say that things have been a little on the down side here of late. Which I must say I do kinda hate. Actually hate is not really a word I like to use all that often but the rhymer in me couldn't let that opportunity slip on by.

I know that I tried yesterday to not be so grumpy when I did my Thankful Thursday Post but I do kinda get the feeling that the grumps still shone through a little more than I would have liked

I know that the rational side of my brain, albeit a very small part, is telling me that my grumps are as justified as grumps can be.

I know that there is are much larger part of me that doesn't think grumps are ever really justified, even if they are caused by ridiculous amounts of stress and nearly thirteen year olds that make you question why you ever thought mothering was a great idea.

I know that said nearly thirteen year old is probably reacting to her own levels of stress and worry based on my current moods but it would be nice if she could just let up for a teeny tiny bit.

I know that nearly thirteen year olds are meant to buck the system, try your patiences, test the boundaries and all the rest of it, but do they really need to do it every waking minute of every single day?

I know that there has been far too much growling and grumping in this house of late.

I know that for it too change I must be the first to do so.

I know that is easier said than done.

I know that it is hard for me not to beat myself black and blue.

I know that I don't really deserve a black and blue beating, maybe just a small kick up the backside.

I know that I wish some rather inspirational words on a beautiful picture would just appear before my eyes to include in this post.

I know that I did actually see some great words earlier today on Facebook, something about holding onto anger hurt only yourself. Or words to that effect.

"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured"
- Mark Twain

I know that is not  the quote I saw this morning but I still like it. A lot.

I know that Mark Twain fellow had some very wise words in him. Though I can't help but wonder if he had children when he wrote this. Because I am pretty sure the anger poured upon children does more damage to them than the mother doing the storing and pouring. Shit I am terrible. I must be I just swore on the blog and so hardly ever do that...

I know that the text on the picture is probably going to be to small to read if you are on a mobile device. Sorry. I am quickly running out of time to get this up before I must reluctantly return to the real world as opposed the blissfulness I have found inside the blogosphere today.

I know there were a few times I didn't find blissful peace in the blogosphere, like when I have to go through captcha to leave a comment. Or worse still I visit a blog that joined in with a linky and didn't leave a link back to the owner. Oh my hairs and whiskers.

I know that I shouldn't let the whole no link back thing get to me. I don't know why it does, it just does. Etiquette peoples, please have some.

I know that having said that I must point out that I am joining in all the fun and games of Things I Know hosted by the one and only Miss Cinders. And you should too!

The Black Dog

The other day a while flitting about on Facebook a friend shared a link to an Upworthy post that offered explanation to as to what depression was like.

Personally I have managed to escape any formalised diagnosis of depression. There was an instance a few years ago (not long after Teapot was born and my father had passed away) where I think I may have come pretty close to ticking a lot of depression boxes. I am glad those days are behind me.

Anyway there was so much in this clip that I wanted to remember I decided sharing it was the easiest way to save it for later. That and the fact I hadn't yet organised a post for today and I am not yet ready to walk away from post every day challenge.

So here it is for your enlightenment and my memory later.

Thankful for all the machines

Earlier in the week when I was busily trawling the net as opposed to tackling Mount Washmore or the leaning tower of dishes I happened upon a post by Zoey about her creative process. It got me wondering what is my creative process? 

In fact I wondered if I even have a creative process?

I am pretty sure I don't really. I just sit down in front of my beautiful big iMac screen and hope for the  words to flow faster than a river down a mountain. Some times they do, some times they don't. 

There are however certain things that need to be done before I can write. Surprisingly enough most of those things involve the completion of household tasks. At least some of them anyway. Sure there are days where I come here and there is washing all over the place and dirty dishes desperately waiting for a wash, not to mention the floors and their dire need for sweep, but rarely on those days do I manage to write something outstanding. Mainly because I spend half the time worrying about all the other things I am not doing rather than writing.

However on the days where I push myself to get the jobs done before I sit down to write, the writing seems to come so much easier. I am thankful that today is one of those days. Of course that is why this post is more than slightly delayed but you can't always win them all. 

image with thanks from here

As I was scurrying about the kitchen this morning, moving clean dishes from the dishwasher to the cupboard and then the dirty dishes from all over the place to the dishwasher I realised just how thankful I was for the blasted machine. 

I say blasted because this time last year when Mr A was pleading with me to allow one into the house, I was adamantly against it. Always had been. Such a good case was put forward by both the children and Mr A I was eventually worn down though and gave in. I may also have been stuck for a Christmas present for my beloved.

Since having it though I have slightly fallen in love with the lovely shiny machine that saves me from submersing my delicate hands in dishwater. I am not sure what it is but there is something much more appealing about stacking a dishwasher than you know actually doing the dishes.

Anyway so there I was this morning swooning about how much I loved this machine that washed my dishes for me when I realised there are actually quite a few machines I am thankful to be the proud owner of. Like the washing machine. Seriously not everyone has a working washing machine. I am so thankful that I do. 

And well, don't even get me started on how wonderful the dryer is. Especially on rainy days that last for a week. But then there is also the coffee machine, the vacuum cleaner, the air conditioner, the television, the fridge, deep freezer and, well you get my drift by now I am sure. There are so many machines that in someway enhance my life. All of which I really am incredibly thankful to be the owner of.

On the days when getting the jobs out the way with happy heart is easier said than done I think of all the machines that are there to help me. I think of all the women before me (and some even at this time) that don't have the machines that I do and suddenly it all seems just a little bit easier than before.

Other random thanks this weeks goes to 

• all seven, yes that is right, seven lovelies who joined in last week. That really just made me all sorts of special
  
• the school holidays arriving and giving us all lots of down time
  
• Lovely having a safe plane trip
  
• the other two coping much better than expected with Lovely's departure and absence
  
• getting to hang with my brother for an hour or two in between flights as he was passing through.
  
• the airport parking not costing an absolute fortune
  
• receiving our share of Grandma's estate

Now you. What are you thankful for this week? Share in the comments below or link up your own post.

It is what when?

It is hard to believe that this time next week it will be Christmas Eve. Like almost everyone I speak to, the year seems to have flown by in less than a blink of an eye.

The excitement levels are getting closer to their all time high records. Which interestingly just seems to get higher each and every year. I can't help but notice the direct correlation this has to my levels of crazy, as they also look set to soar to new heights.

So much deep breathing to be done.

I guess it is one of life's greatest ironies that something so highly anticipated and generally enjoyed by so many people, almost the world over is also full of so much angst, busyness and just general craziness. I can't help but wonder if it has always been like that or if it is just the joy of commercialism?

Sadly for me I am not one of those highly organised let's get present buying sorted in July type of people. Instead I am a let's wait till Christmas Eve and just hope there is something left type of girl. Well actually it is more a case of I am going to make all of the presents only time has escaped me and it is now Christmas Eve guess I better rush to the shops. Either way each year I assure myself it will be different and rarely is it ever.

Sigh.

Thankful with the new year just around the corner I can add being more organised and on top of things to my list of improvement for the year to come.

So on that note I will bid you all good day and head off to the shops. As it currently stands my plan is only an hour behind schedule for today. If a 'crazy Christmas' image where not so hard to come by I would have been well and truly on my way by now. But it is Tuesday and one must blog on a Tuesday so as to take part in the most wonderful linky of all.

Where the heck is 1992?

Yesterday while writing my first kiss post I had the overwhelming desire to rummage through boxes of storage and drag out my old diaries from days gone by. Though specifically the one pertaining to the events in 1992. As much as I feared entering the room due to the mountainous washing ranges I just had to see how I had described the kiss at that time.

With great fear and trepidation I boldly decided to go where clearly I had not been for quite some time. Over the mountain ranges of washing and into the top of the wardrobe where all my most prized possessions of memories are carefully tucked away.

Only as I started to go through the artefacts of days gone by I quickly realised that the book I so desired was no where to be seen. Which left me less than impressed I can tell you.

The year 1992 was memorable for oh so many things other than just my first kiss. There was also disco dancing and muscly swimming billets that came to stay for a week and somehow swept me of my feet. There was also heart ache and pain and some constant nagging from my mum. All of which I remember writing at the time and thinking one day I will need this.

Well hello, apparently that day is now and the blasted book is no where to be found!

It is nothing flash, just a standard exercise book of the era. Dark blue in colour, with a splash of pink on it somewhere I think. It really is all that is inside that matters. You see as much as I may have started it in 1992 I know there are entries from years much later in life as well. Years I may not be quite ready for everyone in the house to read just yet.

I know it must be here somewhere.

The hoarder that I am makes it almost impossible for me to part with anything, especially when it comes to words I have written. Given the importance of some of the events in life which have been documented in this exercise book come diary of a life time, I am guessing I must have already dragged it out to reminisce and in my ever so absent minded way just not put it back where it belongs.

Clearly this is part of the undeniable gold section
Love hearts from Miss 12 when she was 4
Bob was my dad.
What is really beautiful about this though is that it was
done one year and one day before she became a big sister

All is not lost though. (And rarely ever is)

I may not have found the wonders of 1992 and beyond but I did uncover some beauties from 2005.

For the most part this once rather nice leather bound, but now a bit mouldy corporate sponsored diary is awash with empty pages. There are however a few pages filled with the chicken scrawl that was my writing at the time. Some are utter crap while other bits are undeniable gold.

Flicking through it I was hit hard with the sense of some things never change. A thought that has actually been running around inside me for a while lately. Looking through this just made it feel a little lot stronger.

Aside from the cute drawings from a then Miss Four (now Miss 12) there were also lots of motivational quotes. Well I am guessing there were meant to be motivational quotes.

Sometimes the curve of the ball life throws you is very steep. 

It is always important to remember that everyone has their own 'best' and together that's what makes a team

Remember it is always important to love and smile

I particularly liked the page that had a list of weekend goals that went a little something like this

1. Have a clean house
2. Washing
3. Kitchen
4. Lounge Room
5. Outside
6. Bedroom
7. Bathroom
8. Exercise

There is then a line put through the entire list with the words CYCLONE - TRY AGAIN NEXT WEEK

Followed by countless blank pages until Pay Day arrives. I really am all kinds of awesome.

Do you still have old diaries? 

Are they as riveting as mine?

Joining in the fun and laughter of #IBOT with Essentially Jess. Also don't forget to pop back to A Parenting Life on Thursday for a bit of thankfulness.

Things I Know that make me go FFS

Now I know that for the most part I am all airy fairy, lovey dovey, Miss peace and happiness, but of late that has not been working out so well for me. So I thought I would try something a little different today. 

image from here with thanks

I am still sharing some things I know, because Miss Cinders is one of my most favourite blogs and I just love joining in with her. However today I am sharing things I know that make me go FFS and also joining in with Dear Baby G

I know that there is a recurring theme to most of the things that make me go FFS.

Can you guess what it is?

I'll give you a hint, it is a 8 letter word, starts with c and ends with n.

No? Well here is another hint.

I have three of them and honestly I know that some days they should be bloody thankful that they live to see another day FFS

I know that seriously I wouldn't really throttle them to within an inch of their life (and some days possibly even a little further), and I shouldn't joke about it on the internets, someone could get the wrong impression FFS

I know that most of the FFSness around said children mainly revolves around the eldest. Though she manages to get me so worked up that it doesn't take much from the other two to have me screaming and pulling my hair out FFS

I know that is didn't expect the teenage years to be trouble free but I most certainly didn't expect them to be so bloody hard before they even arrived FFS

I know that I have done more deep breathing, counting and walking away in the last two weeks than I have ever done before FFS

I know that it is all hormonal and this too shall pass and all that other crap that is hard to remember when you are actually living in a daily hell because someone refuses to abide by the rules FFS

I know  though that hormonal or not there is still no excuse for me having to ask six thousand and seventy three billion times for the dishwasher to be emptied FFS. The same can be said for putting clothes away and picking up wet towels FFS

I know that rain on my washing days (is it only me who hears Alanis when they read those words?) makes me want to scream FFS very loudly. Even though it justifies me using the dryer, I know have a massive power bill to look forward to. FFS 

I know there is just no pleasing some people FFS.  The fact that I am complaining about not being able to fit *all* my towels in the dryer at once FFS is testament to that. I am sure there are many out there screaming at me but at least you have a dryer FFS. yes yes I know

I know that as much as I don't like to swear on the blog, going FFS all the way through this post has made me feel a lot better than when I was screeching like a banshee at the kids this morning FFS

And last I know that joining in with all these lovely bloggers below makes me go anything but FFS

here

here

here

here

Some late edition FFS's include the little buttons not lining up where I wanted to and then when the where as good as I could get them there were no links included FFS (all fixed now though) Of course this was after loading the image sent me to distraction and back because the silly programs didn't want to work properly FFS

Keep Calm and Carry on Ironing

the irony of the crinkles in the poster
has me giggling like you wouldn't believe!

Or just chill with an awesome bunch of ladies and some great food and drink as the case may have been.

Thanks to Philips I gathered some of my buddies and held a bit of a British themed ironing party on the weekend.

Firstly let me just say that I feel incredibly privileged to be able to even say I had some buddies to gather. The fact that they actually turned up is even more of a blessing. Now I know generally speaking I don't tend to worry too much about things but when it comes to throwing a party and having peeps turn up I tend to worry like there is no tomorrow.

Thankfully though this was an occasion where I had just the right amount of guests. Given that it was all being held in the shoebox it was lucky the guest list was not too long. Mind you I may have got a tad carried away with the food preparation and prepared enough for a small army.

Apologies in advance for the lack of light in these photos, hint hint if there is a camera company out there, I need a new one...

Just some of the fan fare.
Under the white thing are some scones my mum made. Yes they were awesome

Choc Orange Swirl cupcakes with cute little toppers.
Complete with some chocolate frosting carefully piped on by Lovely

A close up of some of the British food I was sent.
I had a few British guests who assured me authenticity of it all.

These were beyond devine.
Cream cheese, sour cream, smoked salmon and a shallots,all whipped together.
I say whipped because I used my electric egg beater. 

In keeping with the British feel, despite there being watermelon on the table, which is clearly not British just incredibly refreshing, there was also Pimms. Oh and tea, but nobody drank that because, well there was Pimms. Which according to my brief research is the beverage of choice at Wimbledon. Followed closely by champagne (which I also had on hand if you were wondering).

Once everyone had arrived and settled we got straight into the game playing. Because what is a party without games?

The games all revolved around the rather magnificent PerfectCare Aqua Pressurised Steam Generator.

Honestly this iron is the iron of all irons. Even without being a dedicated ironer (and by that I mean someone who may have difficulty remembering where the iron can be found) I can recognise that this little baby is all kinds of awesome and then some.

In fact the look on Suzy's face is testament to just how awesome this little baby is.

Suzy is a regular ironer on account of her husband having an important job and needing clothes that are wrinkle free. Sadly though until the weekend she was oblivious to the fact that not all irons are created equal. A fact she quickly discovered after a few quick swipes of the ironing board with PerfectCare Aqua.

Turns out that all Suzy's years of ironing practise paid off because that lady can get a shirt wrinkle free quicker than you can say Bob's your uncle, not that I ever say that because Bob was my dad and therefore could never be my uncle regardless of how fast you said it but that is probably a story for another day. Anyway Philips had kindly given me an extra iron to pass on to one lucky guest and Suzy's ironing speed and ability made her that lucky guest.

Suz left with one of the biggest smiles and making jokes about the steamy night she was in for as she got to know her new love a little better. Suzy was not the only guest in love with all things iron related and nor was she the only one that left grinning from ear to ear.

Our IBOT hostess with the mostess, Essentially Jess who is a self proclaimed ironing nerd got the pleasure of running away with the rather impressive ironing board

You can check out more photos of the day via Instagram and the hashtag #rhiannasarvotea and if you haven't already check out the YouTube clip of my original review of the iron

For those that like fine print, I was gifted a PerfectCare Aqua for my original review. 
I was also given heaps of cool stuff (too much to mention) to host an iron party. 
All thoughts and words are totally my own

Keep Calm and Iron On

Remember how a little while ago I got all housewifey and did a little vlog about the latest and greatest iron on offer from Philips?

No? 

Well best you hurry off and check it out, especially if your day is in need of a little chuckle.

Anyway because that was full of all the awesomeness that it was, the lovely PR people for Philips asked if I was interested in hosting a bit of British themed ironing party. Complete with fun and games to use the iron with. Naturally I said yes because who doesn't like to party?

What I didn't think of though, was the actual organising aspect, because that part is perhaps not so fun but thankfully most of the work has been taken care of in the little party pack I was sent. Phew on that front I tell you.

So who's in? Wanna come round and drink tea (quite possibly of the long island and iced variety) and play with my iron?

For those interested I was gifted a Philips PerferctCare Aqua for my original review, I have also been sent a heap of goodies and prizes to make the party as fun as possible. All thoughts, words and opinions are completely my own.

Blogging on a Tuesday #IBOT

Usually by now on a Tuesday I have had a post up for hours and read at least twenty different posts. Blogging on a Tuesday is just what I like to do. Which is lucky and all, since I am a member of #teamIBOT. (Which essentially means me and my IBOT buddies race around like crazy on a Tuesday trying to  makes sure that everyone who has linked in with the ever lovely and IBOT host Jess, has received some sort of comment love, just in case you were wondering.)

There are a thousand and one reasons why I don't already have a post up and read a hundred times by now. They mostly revolve around me being disorganised and lackadaisical. Both of which are issues I have been meaning to do something about but just haven't gotten around to yet. The joy of procrastination I guess.

So here we are, ten past six on Tuesday night, patiently waiting for the little Domino's delivery man (or woman I guess, person is probably easier, but just seems to stunt the sentence, driver maybe?) to erratically drive up and start beeping, indicating that our dinner has arrived.

As it turned out, midway through typing that paragraph the driver, who was in fact a man, well male, I think technically he may have been in the pre man stage if you know what I mean, but whatever, again probably not all that relevant, arrived. He did not drive in a manner that resembled even the slightest form of erratic and nor did he beep his horn. 

Instead he quietly parked his vehicle and brought our boxed meals right inside the front door. Despite me pushing Mr Awesome out into the car park to greet him in a bid to avoid an unknown person bearing witness to the disaster zone that my front living area so often appears to be.

Apparently it was too difficult for them to juggle three pizzas, a bottle of coke, garlic bread, the most delicious little chocolate lava bombshell thing I have ever tasted and $38 in two dollar coins in the car park. I am sure two women could have managed such an exchange with a toddler on their hip.

Thankfully I was able to hid out of sight of tonight's knight in shining armour. Leaving Mr Awesome to appear as some poor bloke that feeds his kids pizza for dinner. I might not be able to look the pizza guy  in the face and say yeah so what if my kids have pizza for dinner but blogging about it is not a problem. 

That's just the way I roll you see.

Image found here
I was searching for roll, in case you were wondering.

An hour has passed now since started this post. Actually that is not quite true. I began trying to write it first thing this morning. I didn't get past opening it all up and getting ready to go. It has merely been an hour since I first managed to spit some form of a sentence out.

A teacher's strike this morning meant that the girls had the day off and a couple of extras came over for the day. Which was all very lovely and I wouldn't really have it any other way but it was not exactly conducive to blogging. The few moments that I managed to steal away on the computer were no where near long enough for my many jumbled thoughts to sort themselves out. A feeling I am tiring off yet know I am not alone with.

For now though it is bedtime for some little ones and the pleasure tonight falls with I.

Joining with Essentially Jess and the Gang for all the fun of #IBOT

Just writing

So the Mister has taken the two youngest to the pool for a swim and to burn off any excess energy that is lingering from a morning of not much. Giving me a few moments alone and unattended in the house. The house that is relatively together and not in desperate need of attention. For a change.

Photo found here

Sure the washing machine is beeping and the dishwasher waiting to be emptied and refilled, but they can all wait a little longer. The floors have been vacuumed and yesterday they were even mopped. The load in the machine is only pool towels, which signifies the washing is essentially under control. The pool towels only get washed when everything else is out the way.

All the indicators point to it being ok for me to be here.

The eldest has headed to the local shopping centre to wander around with a friend. Apparently as a twelve year old that is what you do these days.

I try to rewind my mind back to twelve but honestly it seems so long ago. So so long ago. 

I start to wonder if I ever was twelve?  Of course I must have been. It's not like I went from being eleven to being thirteen. Twelve had to have been in there.

It all seems so foggy and hazy. Such distant memories, tightly locked away, supposedly for safe keeping. I know I was twelve the first time I met the Mister. He made my heart stop and race all at once, even then. I might not have had much to do with boys at that stage but boy did I want to.

Working out the maths for how long ago I was twelve makes my mind want to explode because all I really want to do is write, not worry about what it is like having a twelve year old daughter and whether or not I am doing an ok job or not out at keeping her safe. And I must definitely do not want to work out how long ago I was twelve.Which is all totally ridiculous because I am only 35. 

I just want to write!!

Despite the quiet grumbles from my stomach I opt for spending time here rather than in the kitchen. Because that is how much I want to write. And there are no children here and there is no reason why I shouldn't just sit down and write.

It is after all day ten of Nanowrimo and I am yet spit out more than a few pages of handwritten scrawl. (Which I am certain is nothing but complete awesome because of the emotional throws I was experiencing at the time)

This year I seem to know more people than ever before giving it a go, Nanowrimo that is. It should inspire me to join their ranks and write away. Yet for some reason I am stumped. I can't seem to make the time to just sit and write. 

There just never seems to be enough hours in the day. If only day dreaming were not so time consuming. What with the desire to write, and read, or just create anything really combined with the all the other things that as a mother I am expected to do it so often feels like I never actually get anything done.

Though of course I do. It may not always be what I wanted to do, or even set out to do but things do inevitably get done. 

Much like this post. It may not be part of my Nano efforts but it is something, which is always better than nothing. Apparently. 

Some days it sucks to be me

Of course some days it doesn't suck to be me, but of late those days feel like they have been few and far between. To say I have been an emotional wreck for the last week would be a little of an understatement. Ok it would be a lot of an understatement but whatever, who wants to pick hairs?

For the most part I am putting it down to being that time of the month. Combined with Lovely flitting off to be flower girl at her biological father's wedding. Oh and it is mango madness season. Which is a localised issue that see's residents of the Top End go mad as they wait for the rain to come and ease the craziness that builds up in the excessive heat that is bestowed upon us at this time of year.

And just so you don't think I am making it up the temperature at 1am is around 27 degrees. That is pure ridiculousness right there I tell you. For the rest of the world 27 degrees is supposed to be a cool summers day and the perfect time to hit the beach. It is not an ideal relaxing and sleeping temperature.

Anyway, back to my point about it sucking to be me.

In between all of this pinning for my absent daughter, over heating and waiting for rain to bring relief I decided that it was the prime time to beat up on myself. In fact it was a whole lot more than just beating up on myself, it was more like declaring World War III upon my inner self.

It was bloody exhausting I tell you. Really bloody exhausting. Not to mention draining and really quite pointless. Especially since one of my inner egos was adamant in refusing to listen to the lies that other egos were insistent on spreading. 

Thankfully though, as my menstruating comes to an end and my hormones return to their normal levels I am able to return to my normal cheery happy self. I am sure you can hear my household cheering from wherever you are.

The one thing that kept resonating around my empty shell of a being was this

joining in with Jess for IBOT

PS Come back on Thursday for My Happiness is Thankful Thursday.