And grows!

Bantam Boy's girlfriend is moving in too. I've told Bantam Boy he has to give her one of is two daily showers!

And the family grows...

Don't panic,

It is not me nor either of my children who are adding to the size of this family! We have adopted a cat.

Meet Sparkles, (as she is adopted we didn't get get to name her!)

Bantam Boy's girlfriend lives on the outskirts of the metro area and has a menagerie of animals that she is responsible while the rest of her family have travelled interstate because of her father's work in the army ( a fact that made BB very nervous when he met them on his travels- think "Meet the Fockers'.) She opted to stay here on her own in order to attend uni- on account of the army will transfer her father again in a couple of years and she wants to stay put to complete her studies. So she was left in charge of the pets- 4 cats a couple of dogs and a small flock of sheep! As she is supporting herself (all be it free of rent, she has to pay for utilities and food etc) she has to work and is attending Murdoch uni and spending time with BB. All the travelling about is making her life a bit stressful so sh has decided to move closer to uni, and the pets have to be dispersed. Chicky Babe has been wanting a cat for ages, as have I but the expense of a new kitten is not high on my budget list just at the moment- so as this one is free, has been sterilised and house trained already it was mutually beneficial. BB's GF gets to see one of her favourite cat's regularly, her most favourite one was her old cat that was about 17 years old and I wasn't prepared to take on a senile old cat. We had 4 to choose from so I made sure to ask questions about them before I took them. The mad one who refused to use a litter tray was definitely out of the question! Sparkles was one that was picked on by the others so we decided to take her. She seems quite happy here and has quickly made friends with Chicky Babe spending most of her time either under or on her bed.

The dog however is a little miffed.

He would like to play with his new friend but she is not so keen.

Last week was ART BLAST (an art exhibition for schools in our district,) about 30 schools participate and as much as everyone says "it's all about the kids" you (well I ) still feel a little stressed and feel that it is a reflection of my teaching and it is a lot of extra work. I was up until 4.30 am monday morning having worked all day sunday went to bed, got up at 7am kept cropping and sticking, went into town to set up was there until 3.40pm. Went home quickly showered and rushed back at 5 for the opening and 'wearable art parade at 6! I got home for tea at 9. That was a long day! Then I had to do duty there after school on wednesday and then take it all down in thursday night. All the while doing my normal teaching roles as art teacher and classroom teacher. Needless to say I am  little tired this weekend.

No butter scones (3.5 weight watchers points for 2)

Until you add butter when they are cooked!! Very delicious and very easy to make on a sunday morning when you have no bread.

Click here for the original recipe or read on for my abridged version

1 cup SR flour 

1/2 tspn salt 

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt

1 cup low fat milk

sift flour and salt into large bowl. mix other ingredients together in a small bowl pour into flour mix with a knife until just combined. Put tablespoons full of mixture onto baking paper on tray. cook for about 10-12 mins

A post with no title and just a few words...

I am off from school today and decided to water my garden. I found that my rose bushes have burst into a mass of glorious blooms. I cut some to bring them inside to enjoy. 

I was pressed to decide which photos to use the colours are so lovely. 

So here are a few.

spring in my garden.

And berries in the kitchen.

(Gluten free low fat apricot upside down cake- made with wheat flour and berries, still worked

and still yummy!)

Holiday High Tea.

I had afternoon tea with some of the girls from work this afternoon. 

I gave the lounge and kitchen a good clean up as it had been ignored in favour of other recent pursuits.

Everything looked lovely and I broke out the good china, pretty plates and my lovely champagne flutes (20c each at a jumble sale)- we started with champagne and ended with a cup of tea. 

But did it? Check out the breakfast bar behind the table. Why did I leave the iron out???? I took the time to select tea cups and serving spoons carefully, iron the table cloth and leave the iron out just to make sure people know that I do use the iron occasionally. Now look beyond the breakfast bar to the oven door- a plastic bag full of rubbish!!! What was I thinking???

Any way no one seemed to mind we devoured all the food and drank champagne and laughed and chatted.

And how did this go with my weight loss - not well. I went to my weigh in with a stomach full of food and drink and I've gained a kilo. Oh well I'm ok with that. I know it will be up and down for me.

Because one of my friends has a wheat intolerance I made things that were gluten free as well as low 'points' for my diet and my assorted preservative and food additive allergies. Fortunately the non dieting and allergy free people were more than happy with the repast asking for a tin of these biscuits I made based on Weight Watcher's Lace Biscuits, for Christmas.

 They are like toffee Anzac Biscuits. 

The most successful item- well the one I was most pleased with was my " gluten free low fat apricot upside down cake"

It was so light and fluffy and delicious and all gone!

As a result a light dinner of curried parsnip and apple soup was in order.

A HUGE compliment.

Chicky Babe walked into the lounge where I have been hand quilting my new quilt a few minutes ago and said "Hey don't get too shocked but this is really pretty."

"Pardon???"

"It's gonna be mine huh? Eventually."

Because she actually likes it, and that doesn't happen often- hence the dont be too shocked preface to the comment,  I think it will be hers as soon as I finish it off, as a graduation present. (Maybe I won't stitch the doilies on in that case!)

Now I'll need to make another one for myself, I'll have to start browsing for inspiration again.

Will post daylight photos when it is completed.  

Added next morning-

It's not quite done yet, just the edging to do but now that it's not for me to use now that can wait a little bit and now I can tidy the house a bit in preparation for an afternoon tea with the girls tomorrow. After all Chicky Babe doesn't finish until the 19th of November.

  These colours look a little better than the nighttime photos.

Holiday checklist

I finished off my skirt from previous post, completed the hemming of the white lounge room cushions, lost 100g, made curtains for to cover the glass panels on the kids bedroom doors (they are frosted but they like to cover them up to keep out any light using towels and it's been on my list to make curtains for a long time!) 

 I made cushion covers using some fabrics that I had in my stash and a new one I found recently that kind of holds them all together, it's the white one with circles.

 I also crocheted the pink heart to finish off the little round blue cushion that had lost it's button and was looking a little shabby.

I liked the way that the patterns went together so I thought it would be nice to make a quilt for my bed- a thin one because it's getting to that in between time of the year when it is too cold for just a sheet and too hot for the thick feather quilt. I didn't want a regular square quilt or a fancy patterned quilt, I wanted something less formal but wasn't quite sure how it would look. So when I found this one. The third one down or the first one from Anthropologie it inspired me to get started.

 I remembered that I had a pile of little crocheted doilies that I will add to the deep purple squares. This photo doesn't do the colours justice - when it is done I'll take a photo outside in natural light. Speaking of outside...

I also started painting those metal chairs and table legs from the garden make over post. My sister decided we were sanding them back today, as it turned out she weeded a bit more and her hubby ended up doing the grinding and I did some painting.

The best thing of all is that I picked up Bantam Boy from the airport today! Yay my baby is home again.

And there's still one more week left of holidays!