Making : a corkboard display for the entry
Cooking : Canned soup for a lazy dinner
Drinking : Pepsi
Reading: "what to do when someone dies" Nicci French
Wanting: to find a Balmoral Kitchen hutch secondhand.
Looking: at houses on Real estate.com.au
Playing: smurfs village
Wasting: lots of out of date jars of stuff from the fridge.
Sewing: nothing, hopefully one day soon.
Wishing: for time back
Enjoying: hearing Miss H say "oh dear"
Waiting: for surprises in the mail
Liking: the cooler weather
Wondering: why everyone is so crazy about Offspring.
Loving: the 3 day weekend coming up
Hoping: to go to the Ekka
Marvelling: at Miss H "counting" 2,3 at 20mnths
Needing: a hug
Smelling: mandarins
Wearing: purple and grey
Following: the herd
Noticing: the grass looks good cut really low
Knowing: there's the zoo to look forward to
Thinking: about things left unsaid
Bookmarking: recipes into Evernote
Opening: the mail
Giggling: at silly internet jokes
Feeling: relieved
From Meetmeatmikes
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Get a message to her
I read about Willow on Facebook this morning. It would be great if Willow got some mail from different countries.
http://frogpondsrock.com/2013/05/letters-for-willow/
I'm sure it would make her day to get more then 100 pieces of mail.
http://frogpondsrock.com/2013/05/letters-for-willow/
I'm sure it would make her day to get more then 100 pieces of mail.
Friday, 17 May 2013
Downtown Stroller Town, Take a Stroll Around...
"Then we stop off at the corner and she pulls up next to me
A sporty crimson red MacLaren Techno XT
Me I'm sitting pretty in my Bugaboo Frog
Swivel wheel suspension so I sleep like a log
And my five point harness keeps me buckled in tight
And the XT's gunning as we wait for the light
And the wheels start spinning"
Stroller Town
Johnathon Coulton
(Who'd have guessed there is a song about prams? )
I've never owned a Maclaren or a Bugaboo for that matter (I just don't get the Bugaboo thing!) but I have owned roughly 20 (ish) prams over the last 21 years and 5 babies.
A Jane bribon, a jogger from Bigw, a beautiful foreign pram (beautiful but not very long lasting), 2 different double prams, and quite a few Steelcraft prams.
So when I was pregnant this time, after an 11 year break, I went straight to the Steelcraft website and the Strider caught my eye straight away. I barely looked at anything else after that, I'd seen some people with Striders at the Baby expo in Brisbane and loved the look of them. (If I'd spent more time looking I may have been lured away by Baby Jogger).
I ordered one online and when it arrived I told my husband - "A woman designed this pram"! So many great features! I loved the big basket, the water bottle holder down the bottom and the bag on the back of the seat.
The Strider is heavy though, and even though I've rarely folded mine and we don't drive so I don't have to fit it in a car, after 18 months it seemed very heavy once you put an 11 kg toddler in it.
Miss H didn't like how it made her sit back, she was always trying to lean forward in it. When she was a baby I always though she looked uncomfortable when the seat was laid back, the seat shape is just not quite right somehow?
I also have an Emmaljunga I bought secondhand for $50. I'd always wanted one and thought it was a steal for $50. We used it as a bassinette during the day in the lounge room for the first 2 months or so, and have never really used it with the seat part attached, but I can't bear to part with it.
I also bought a cheap umbrella fold lay back stroller from Target as a traveling pram, if we were going somewhere that would mean folding up the pram and for using on Brisbane buses etc. I put a lot of time into choosing the right stroller too, it had to lie-back, have a basket, have a liner and have a rain cover. I thought I'd ticked all the boxes until the first time we used it in the rain and discovered the rain cover hangs from the edge of the hood, so the rest of the stroller gets soaking wet! The wheels spin on shined floors like the ones in shopping centres too, so it just annoyed me from the start.
So when I started making noises about wanting another pram, my husband said "Do you really need to buy a new pram?" and then "Well why don't you try and win one then?".
So I spent a while the next day searching for competitions to enter. A week later I found my name listed as a winner. I'd won a Rozibaby pram!
I chose all black as the options and air filled tyres in the 3 wheel design. The Rozibaby arrived this week and I have been testing it. So far I love the way it moves, it feels so light that I keep checking MissH is still in there! I can push it with one hand! It doesn't feel like I'm pushing a huge weight. It has the same floorspace in length as the Strider but it a bit narrower, so it fits better down aisles and on the bus.
MissH seems to like the seat, it's a bit more upright then the Strider.
The basket doesn't hold as much, there's no bag on the back and no water bottle holder or liner. The rain cover is quite good with a window which MissH might like as she hates raincovers. I used the suncover today and it is very easy to put on, the Strider one always confused me.
I can't see MissH as I'm pushing the pram, there is a bit of a gap between the seat and the handle. The brakes are a bit fiddly to get used to and need to be checked as the pram would keep rolling very easily.
It's a bit easier to tip backwards then the Strider was. I haven't actually folded it up yet, but from what I can tell from the Rozibaby website, the seat has to be removed to fold it.
The negatives are definitely made up for by the lightness, it's at least 4kg lighter then the Strider and so much easier to push.
I'd never heard of Rozibaby before I entered the competition, though there was one used in episodes of "House Husbands", with all red options. There are accessories available on the website, like a handy travel bag for the pram.
I'm not sure I'm ready to part with my Strider just yet (though the Target stroller's days might be numbered) but so far I'm pretty happy with the Rozibaby.
A sporty crimson red MacLaren Techno XT
Me I'm sitting pretty in my Bugaboo Frog
Swivel wheel suspension so I sleep like a log
And my five point harness keeps me buckled in tight
And the XT's gunning as we wait for the light
And the wheels start spinning"
Stroller Town
Johnathon Coulton
(Who'd have guessed there is a song about prams? )
I've never owned a Maclaren or a Bugaboo for that matter (I just don't get the Bugaboo thing!) but I have owned roughly 20 (ish) prams over the last 21 years and 5 babies.
A Jane bribon, a jogger from Bigw, a beautiful foreign pram (beautiful but not very long lasting), 2 different double prams, and quite a few Steelcraft prams.
So when I was pregnant this time, after an 11 year break, I went straight to the Steelcraft website and the Strider caught my eye straight away. I barely looked at anything else after that, I'd seen some people with Striders at the Baby expo in Brisbane and loved the look of them. (If I'd spent more time looking I may have been lured away by Baby Jogger).
I ordered one online and when it arrived I told my husband - "A woman designed this pram"! So many great features! I loved the big basket, the water bottle holder down the bottom and the bag on the back of the seat.
The Strider is heavy though, and even though I've rarely folded mine and we don't drive so I don't have to fit it in a car, after 18 months it seemed very heavy once you put an 11 kg toddler in it.
Miss H didn't like how it made her sit back, she was always trying to lean forward in it. When she was a baby I always though she looked uncomfortable when the seat was laid back, the seat shape is just not quite right somehow?
I also have an Emmaljunga I bought secondhand for $50. I'd always wanted one and thought it was a steal for $50. We used it as a bassinette during the day in the lounge room for the first 2 months or so, and have never really used it with the seat part attached, but I can't bear to part with it.
I also bought a cheap umbrella fold lay back stroller from Target as a traveling pram, if we were going somewhere that would mean folding up the pram and for using on Brisbane buses etc. I put a lot of time into choosing the right stroller too, it had to lie-back, have a basket, have a liner and have a rain cover. I thought I'd ticked all the boxes until the first time we used it in the rain and discovered the rain cover hangs from the edge of the hood, so the rest of the stroller gets soaking wet! The wheels spin on shined floors like the ones in shopping centres too, so it just annoyed me from the start.
So when I started making noises about wanting another pram, my husband said "Do you really need to buy a new pram?" and then "Well why don't you try and win one then?".
So I spent a while the next day searching for competitions to enter. A week later I found my name listed as a winner. I'd won a Rozibaby pram!
I chose all black as the options and air filled tyres in the 3 wheel design. The Rozibaby arrived this week and I have been testing it. So far I love the way it moves, it feels so light that I keep checking MissH is still in there! I can push it with one hand! It doesn't feel like I'm pushing a huge weight. It has the same floorspace in length as the Strider but it a bit narrower, so it fits better down aisles and on the bus.
MissH seems to like the seat, it's a bit more upright then the Strider.
The basket doesn't hold as much, there's no bag on the back and no water bottle holder or liner. The rain cover is quite good with a window which MissH might like as she hates raincovers. I used the suncover today and it is very easy to put on, the Strider one always confused me.
I can't see MissH as I'm pushing the pram, there is a bit of a gap between the seat and the handle. The brakes are a bit fiddly to get used to and need to be checked as the pram would keep rolling very easily.
It's a bit easier to tip backwards then the Strider was. I haven't actually folded it up yet, but from what I can tell from the Rozibaby website, the seat has to be removed to fold it.
The negatives are definitely made up for by the lightness, it's at least 4kg lighter then the Strider and so much easier to push.
I'd never heard of Rozibaby before I entered the competition, though there was one used in episodes of "House Husbands", with all red options. There are accessories available on the website, like a handy travel bag for the pram.
I'm not sure I'm ready to part with my Strider just yet (though the Target stroller's days might be numbered) but so far I'm pretty happy with the Rozibaby.
Saturday, 11 May 2013
C'mon deliver the letter, the sooner, the better... Part 4
Book 11 for the Postal Reading Challenge-
Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel
A teen fiction book I borrowed from the library. I found this a bit tedious at times, but of course that would because it's a teen book! Told in letters, blog posts and postcards, this book tells the story of Colby, sent away for summer to her crazy Aunts house. At the beginning of the story Colby is just worried about what her new "cool" friends back home are doing and whether she will lose her place with the cool kids.
By the end of the book she has a much better attitude and actually enjoys her last few weeks on the small Greek island.
Book 12 for the Postal Reading Challenge-
The Scrapbook of Frankie Platt by Caroline Preston
I found this book at the library, a different kind of book. Told in real scrapbook style with movie stubs, letters, notes, pictures and tickets etc. Not your regular fiction book that's for sure. An easy read, I read it in an hour or two (with interruptions by small children!).
Book 13 for the Postal Reading Challenge-
The Captain's Daughter by Leah Fleming
I didn't read this for the Postal reading challenge originally but it has quite a lot of letters in it, so I'm including it now. I've read a few Titanic books, this one being among the best, though the Titanic is only the beginning of this story told over 3 generations. What would you do if you were passed a baby you thought was yours in a lifeboat at night and didn't realise until the dawn came, that she wasn't your baby? When nobody stepped forward to claim the baby May decides it must be fate that she has lost her Ellen and been given this orphan, so she keeps her and raises her as her own and keeps her secret until her deathbed.
I really enjoyed this book, seeing how the secret affected the lives of these families.
Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel
A teen fiction book I borrowed from the library. I found this a bit tedious at times, but of course that would because it's a teen book! Told in letters, blog posts and postcards, this book tells the story of Colby, sent away for summer to her crazy Aunts house. At the beginning of the story Colby is just worried about what her new "cool" friends back home are doing and whether she will lose her place with the cool kids.
By the end of the book she has a much better attitude and actually enjoys her last few weeks on the small Greek island.
Book 12 for the Postal Reading Challenge-
The Scrapbook of Frankie Platt by Caroline Preston
I found this book at the library, a different kind of book. Told in real scrapbook style with movie stubs, letters, notes, pictures and tickets etc. Not your regular fiction book that's for sure. An easy read, I read it in an hour or two (with interruptions by small children!).
Book 13 for the Postal Reading Challenge-
The Captain's Daughter by Leah Fleming
I didn't read this for the Postal reading challenge originally but it has quite a lot of letters in it, so I'm including it now. I've read a few Titanic books, this one being among the best, though the Titanic is only the beginning of this story told over 3 generations. What would you do if you were passed a baby you thought was yours in a lifeboat at night and didn't realise until the dawn came, that she wasn't your baby? When nobody stepped forward to claim the baby May decides it must be fate that she has lost her Ellen and been given this orphan, so she keeps her and raises her as her own and keeps her secret until her deathbed.
I really enjoyed this book, seeing how the secret affected the lives of these families.
Thursday, 11 April 2013
C'mon deliver the letter, the sooner, the better... Part 3
Book 5 and 6 for the Postal Reading Challenge
"13 Little Blue Envelopes" and "The Last Little Blue Envelope".
I really enjoyed these two books, they reminded me a bit of "Dash and Lily's Book of Dares" and "From the mixed up files of Mrs Basil e Frankweiler".
One thing though that bugged me all the way through both books is - What about her parents?? She calls her uncle all the time to let him know she's ok during her travels but there is no mention of her calling her parents and only one or two mentions of them at all. Very strange!
I enjoy these books about teenagers going on adventures, a bit like slightly more grown up versions of Trixie Beldens and Enid Blyton books I guess!
Book 7
"Tom the Outback Mailman"
This is a kid's picture book, but it's based on a real story about Tom Kruse, (not Tom Cruise!) a mail carrier on the Birdsville Track in outback Australia. Tom battled floods, heat and sand to deliver the mail to lots of towns along the track. There's also a documentary about Tom titled The Back of Beyond.
Book 8
"Stitched Postcards"
A non fiction book about making postcards from material. I think my sewing skills need a bit of work before I attempt to make postcards but there are some beautiful ideas in here. I have been lucky enough to have received 2 stitched postcards in the mail from swaps at Swapbot.
Book 9
"The Boy next Door"
I've read all 3 of this series now and I think this one is the funniest! The email format was a bit annoying in the beginning but I got used to it. I don't think anyone's boss would really email them to tell them to get out of the toilets! The celebrity references were amusing as they were all a bit dated. I actually laughed out loud a few times reading this one.
Book 10
"Daddy Long Legs"
This book about an orphan who is sponsored by a trustee annoyed me a bit. In real life if you found out the thing Judy finds out at the end (no spoilers!) you'd be pissed! She accepted it happily but I think most people wouldn't be so accepting. Maybe the time setting makes the difference, and I guess it's not like she could do anything about it. These days he might be sued for false pretenses!
So now I have acheived-
Snail Mail Level: Read and review 8 books with a postal theme.
and I'm well on my way to-
Parcel Post Level: Read and review 12 books with a postal theme.
"13 Little Blue Envelopes" and "The Last Little Blue Envelope".
I really enjoyed these two books, they reminded me a bit of "Dash and Lily's Book of Dares" and "From the mixed up files of Mrs Basil e Frankweiler".
One thing though that bugged me all the way through both books is - What about her parents?? She calls her uncle all the time to let him know she's ok during her travels but there is no mention of her calling her parents and only one or two mentions of them at all. Very strange!
I enjoy these books about teenagers going on adventures, a bit like slightly more grown up versions of Trixie Beldens and Enid Blyton books I guess!
Book 7
"Tom the Outback Mailman"
This is a kid's picture book, but it's based on a real story about Tom Kruse, (not Tom Cruise!) a mail carrier on the Birdsville Track in outback Australia. Tom battled floods, heat and sand to deliver the mail to lots of towns along the track. There's also a documentary about Tom titled The Back of Beyond.
Book 8
"Stitched Postcards"
A non fiction book about making postcards from material. I think my sewing skills need a bit of work before I attempt to make postcards but there are some beautiful ideas in here. I have been lucky enough to have received 2 stitched postcards in the mail from swaps at Swapbot.
Book 9
"The Boy next Door"
I've read all 3 of this series now and I think this one is the funniest! The email format was a bit annoying in the beginning but I got used to it. I don't think anyone's boss would really email them to tell them to get out of the toilets! The celebrity references were amusing as they were all a bit dated. I actually laughed out loud a few times reading this one.
Book 10
"Daddy Long Legs"
This book about an orphan who is sponsored by a trustee annoyed me a bit. In real life if you found out the thing Judy finds out at the end (no spoilers!) you'd be pissed! She accepted it happily but I think most people wouldn't be so accepting. Maybe the time setting makes the difference, and I guess it's not like she could do anything about it. These days he might be sued for false pretenses!
So now I have acheived-
Snail Mail Level: Read and review 8 books with a postal theme.
and I'm well on my way to-
Parcel Post Level: Read and review 12 books with a postal theme.
Love is like a letter wrote And life is like an envelope....
These are a few of my favourite letter writing items and some that are on my wishlist!
A Paper Plane Satchel, I actually really like the overnight bag but I can't find anywhere that has them in Australia at the moment. I already have the makeup/washbag.
Lots and lots of things from Little Paper Lane , I could spend a fortune on all the lovely things in Little Paper Lane. If I ever get to go to NSW again, I'm definitely going there! They have a great range of rubber stamps.
Washi Tape!! I have a couple of rolls from Typo but there are so many lovely ones at Cutetape.
Love the Life you live postcards. I have 2 different boxed sets of postcards, these new ones are on my wishlist!
Letter Writers Alliance membership. I'm currently waiting for mine to come in the mail! I love their pigeon stamp too.
A Paper Plane Satchel, I actually really like the overnight bag but I can't find anywhere that has them in Australia at the moment. I already have the makeup/washbag.
Lots and lots of things from Little Paper Lane , I could spend a fortune on all the lovely things in Little Paper Lane. If I ever get to go to NSW again, I'm definitely going there! They have a great range of rubber stamps.
Washi Tape!! I have a couple of rolls from Typo but there are so many lovely ones at Cutetape.
Love the Life you live postcards. I have 2 different boxed sets of postcards, these new ones are on my wishlist!
Letter Writers Alliance membership. I'm currently waiting for mine to come in the mail! I love their pigeon stamp too.
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
Bookcrossing books to give away
Fill a 3kg bag-
Diary z
Massachusetts brides
Black sunlight
Kickback
Beyond suspicion
On beulah height
Split
Prey
Eleven hours
Nerida
French women don't get fat
It's not the end of the world, deenie and then again maybe I won't
Eat your heart out Victoria Chubb
The secret of terror castle
1st to die
Max remy nightmare vortex
7th heaven
A clear blue sky
Herbie rides again
Robotech metal fire
Tirra lira by the river
Mermaid SOS misty to the rescue
Wonder book of horses
Questions and answers about horses
Sea monsters of long ago
Baron beef burger and Desmond the dragon
The missing
4th of July
Family circle cookbook crazy for chocolate
Treasure island and kidnapped
The witches cradle
Outback legacy
Lily white
Sadie
Unsolved crimes slime number nine
Family circle best of kids cooking
Unsolved crimes alien invasion
Jedi apprentice mark of the crown
Buck jones where are you?
Underbelly 9
Secret diary of Laura palmer
2nd chance
The third twin
The king of sleep
Asterix adventure games asterix to the rescue
Skeleton crew
The art and making of toy story
2nd chance
Tandia
Main Street welcome to Camden falls
Chopper last man standing
Autobiography of dale cooper twin peaks
The outsiders, rumble fish, that was then this is now
Annette and the mystery of moonstone bay
Ultimate book of foul and funny facts
Where will all the animals go golden book
The rabbit is next golden book
The happy venture readers book one
The happy venture readers book two
Tolkien diary 1992
Chopper 10 1/2
Underbelly
Summer adventure
Midnight express
Kit hunter mystery of the mind
The rough guide to clarinet
Stage fright
Crocodiles of the gulf country (kids school reading book)
When the dolls woke
Captain underpants... Talking toilets
Captain underpants
Nicola and the viscount meg Cabot
45 and 47 Stella st
Weird yet true you and your body
Lead belly
Stuart little
Speaking to Miranda
Two minute mysteries
Our enemy my friend
Naughty fairies imps are wimps
Knocked out by my nunganungas
Murder by the book
Robot tech invid invasion
Robo tech ref field guide
Robo tech the sentinels
Robo tech the role playing game
Robot tech the return of the masters
Good news week 2
Circle of friends
Never to be released vol 2
Spellbound
Diary z
Massachusetts brides
Black sunlight
Kickback
Beyond suspicion
On beulah height
Split
Prey
Eleven hours
Nerida
French women don't get fat
It's not the end of the world, deenie and then again maybe I won't
Eat your heart out Victoria Chubb
The secret of terror castle
1st to die
Max remy nightmare vortex
7th heaven
A clear blue sky
Herbie rides again
Robotech metal fire
Tirra lira by the river
Mermaid SOS misty to the rescue
Wonder book of horses
Questions and answers about horses
Sea monsters of long ago
Baron beef burger and Desmond the dragon
The missing
4th of July
Family circle cookbook crazy for chocolate
Treasure island and kidnapped
The witches cradle
Outback legacy
Lily white
Sadie
Unsolved crimes slime number nine
Family circle best of kids cooking
Unsolved crimes alien invasion
Jedi apprentice mark of the crown
Buck jones where are you?
Underbelly 9
Secret diary of Laura palmer
2nd chance
The third twin
The king of sleep
Asterix adventure games asterix to the rescue
Skeleton crew
The art and making of toy story
2nd chance
Tandia
Main Street welcome to Camden falls
Chopper last man standing
Autobiography of dale cooper twin peaks
The outsiders, rumble fish, that was then this is now
Annette and the mystery of moonstone bay
Ultimate book of foul and funny facts
Where will all the animals go golden book
The rabbit is next golden book
The happy venture readers book one
The happy venture readers book two
Tolkien diary 1992
Chopper 10 1/2
Underbelly
Summer adventure
Midnight express
Kit hunter mystery of the mind
The rough guide to clarinet
Stage fright
Crocodiles of the gulf country (kids school reading book)
When the dolls woke
Captain underpants... Talking toilets
Captain underpants
Nicola and the viscount meg Cabot
45 and 47 Stella st
Weird yet true you and your body
Lead belly
Stuart little
Speaking to Miranda
Two minute mysteries
Our enemy my friend
Naughty fairies imps are wimps
Knocked out by my nunganungas
Murder by the book
Robot tech invid invasion
Robo tech ref field guide
Robo tech the sentinels
Robo tech the role playing game
Robot tech the return of the masters
Good news week 2
Circle of friends
Never to be released vol 2
Spellbound
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