I like to think I'm a minimalist but perhaps I'm faking it. The house looks fairly uncluttered but the wardrobes and hall cupboards tell a different story. On the positive side I am in the middle of a project to declutter the library wardrobe but in the process I ran into a quite unrelated little hoard - more saved birthday cards.

I don't intend ( Read more... )

My eldest niece is a teenager now - and is always entertaining. She's always pulling faces and being dramatic, and often makes me laugh with her quick humour ( Read more... )

Today (Boxing Day) we celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary. (We've been together longer - about 30 years - but the concept of first date anniversaries is not well supported ( Read more... )

It's the start of my 'Year of Being 50' (modelled after my husband's very successful 'Year of Turning 60). The very start. My 50th birthday. Born at 6.20am 50 years ago. My mum's not here to celebrate with me as she died 10 years ago - very much 'to the day'. But I still have my dad and my brother, my husband and my brother's family. And my ( Read more... )

... hello to jigsaw!


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We gathered at my brother's place on Sunday night to celebrate my dad's 76th birthday (23rd May).

While there Niece #1 was handing out sheets of paper to everybody. What were they? Her list of things she wanted for her upcoming 13th birthday. I really admire an organised person who knows what they want!


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A school holiday tradition for this aunty: Pyjama Day* - that last (working) day before the school holidays end when Aunty Jane comes around and the nieces don't have to get out of their pyjamas. They watch as much tv as they want, the programmes they want, as loud as they want. They shop online (shopping on ones pyjamas is a critical life skill) ( Read more... )

Off to N2's for her birthday party.

Miles of presents, naturally, and she went around and sat with the givers as she opened each of the parcels. What a sweetie!

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My nieces are pretty much the only grandchildren on each side of their family so both sets of grandparents and uncles and aunts nearly always gather at their place for most celebrations but especially for Christmas ( Read more... )

Spent the day up town shopping and going to the movies with both nieces. This is the only day I take them anywhere together. Might as well since I'm not mad enough to drive around town on the last shopping day before Christmas so we're already committed to using the bus and also have to use it because the little Smartcar is only a two-seater ( Read more... )