Daily Bliss

Today's lovely moments are tomorrow’s beautiful memories

Monday, April 26, 2010

New Zealand Break

The birthday celebrations are done, so now it's time for recovery!

The MOTH booked a unit by the inlet at Paihia in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, for this short working week between two long weekends in Brisbane, so we're playing golf in the mornings (albeit badly since we haven't played it since we were here last year), haunting the few coffee shops & restaurants that are open in the off season at lunch times & evenings, and spending the afternoon stitching. What a life!

Last year's project for the same trip was Lettres à mon Chat by Isabelle Vautier.

This year, I've taken along Dog Tower, an item from the 2010 Margaret Sherry Collection. The two pieces are not exactly a matching set, but they work well for the natures of my four legged beasties and the walls in my house.

Cute, huh?

I've also got some fiction in translation to read: The Library of Shadows by Mikkel Birkegaard. It's his first novel. I've had a sneak peek, and it seems to be quite a fun read.

Happiness & laughter to one and all. I'll fill you in on holiday details when I get back!

Felicity

Friday, April 23, 2010

50

50

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my shape to keep.
Please no wrinkles, please no bags
and lift my butt before it sags...

A little divine intervention never hurts!

It's St George's Day and my 50th birthday. It's a day worth celebrating!

The MOTH, my ex husband (I'll have to find him a nick-name, sometime), the Royal Family & I are going out to dinner, tonight. On Saturday (tomorrow), The MOTH & I are having lunch with his parents & a couple of school friends I've known since the 1970s, and then we are having a Mad Tea Party at home at 3pm with my siblings & their families & other friends. It's going to be a hoot!

Thanks to everyone who sent cards, letters, gifts or emails. In the next little while, I will reply to you all on an individual basis.

Below is a a long-ago 2006 blog entry update. I set myself some tasks to achieve in a nearly 4 year period. Read on, if you will.

The Mission:

Complete preset tasks between August 2006 & my 50th birthday.

The Criteria:

Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why?

Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. This project started in August 2006, so has just under 4 years to run. It gives me a significant period of time & allows me several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

The List

Castle Bliss

~~Paint the family room~~
~~Paint all the trims~~
~~Revamp the kitchen~~
~~Keep the garden pots alive with grey water until the rain comes~~
~~Tile living areas including entry, great room, hallway & loo~~
~~Tile other areas(living room & library; ensuite, 2008; new bathroom & laundry 2010;);~~

Blissful Creations

Knit something I won’t be embarrassed to wear
Knit Popcorn Bear
~~Organise the wedding photo album with Paul~~
~~Hang a selection on these photos on the hallway walls when the painting & tiling are finished.~~

Cross Stitch - Finish at least 8 things from the following list

~~Pooh’s Seasons~~ (start: Feb 1999) finished and framed 9th November 2006)
~~Frederick the Literate (Charles Wysocki)~~ (start date: 2005, finished 31 December 2007)
~~Bremen Town Musicians - framed and given to the crown prince~~ (Prairie Schooler) (finished: November 2006)
Any Celtic Lady (half finished Celtic Autumn given to me by Karen - Sept 2007)
Wedding Sampler (Teresa Wentzler)
Seasons of the Heart (Charles Wysocki - Started: 29/11/06)
~~Hang in there~~
All that Jazz
Mediaeval or Tuscany Mandala (Châtelaine) materials ordered for 'Tuscany'
A Midsummer Night’s dream
Angel of Cross Stitch
Petal Fairy
Queen Mermaid
Arthur & Guinivere (Vermillion)
Purr-fect Harmony
The Castle (TWD)
Mermaid of Atlantis
Bliss Fairy
Mermaids of the Deep Blue
Deepest love
Oriental Splendour
Cherub choir
~~Love with a Capital L~~(commenced March 2007 - finished 9th August 2007)
~~Amitie Bleu~~ (February 2007)

Personal Development

~~Get a penpal, then write & post letters once a month for a year – and then stay in regular touch.~~
Learn and play golf at least once a month for a year
~~Establish a daily routine that includes healthy eating and exercise and stick with it for 12 weeks~~
Draft a legal will
~~Refocus my work & study goals (enrolled in maths and psychology January 2007; accepted into a Masters Applied Science course CSU for 2008)~~
~~Take regular walks through the park down the street, say every fortnight for a year.~~
~~Give away something I cherish~~(cladder to Terry)
Sell something on EBAY
~~Send a card 3 working days before all family member birthdays for at least on calendar year~~
~~Honour my commitment to the birthday clubs to which I belong in 2007~~
~~Send a baby gift to everyone I know who has a baby in the pre-birthday day period~~
~~Send a wedding card or gift to every friend or relative who gets married(Amanda & Dave 10/02/07; Genevieve & John, 10/03/07)~~
~~Contact 4 childhood friends.~~ I heard back from none of them, but did hear back from my parents' next door neighbour who lives in Canberra. Done again just before my 50th with much greater success.
Start a Christmas fund so that I have enough money at the end of the year to really splurge on everyone.
~~Learn how to use Paul’s coffee maker~~

Reading & Culture

~~Harry Potter Numbers 1 to 6 (again) in both English & French before #7 is published~~
Go to the foreign film festival in Brisbane
Visit the Queensland Museum at least three times in one year
~~Start playing the piano and set myself some practice goals before the end of 2006~~ Afterthought: I need to do this every year. I have no confidence in my playing at all & am too aware that the MOTH isn't a fan of my music-making. I shouldn't let this stop me!

Blissful Travels

~~Spend three weeks in France and Italy with Paul~~
~~Visit North America (USA & Canada)~~ We went to Canada in May 2008
Go on a whale-watching cruise.
Go to the beach six times in one year(afterthought: What on earth was I thinking? Have I been to the beach six times in the last 25 years even?)
~~Take at least 3 romantic weekends with Paul in one year (Perth in March 2007, Southbank in June 2007, Sunshine Coast in December 2007)~~

Family

Improve relationships with my step-sons.
Spend Christmas with the Davies boys at least once
~~Establish regular dinners with the kids for at least a year.~~
~~Start at least 3 new family traditions~~ (one for Easter, Christmas, last weekend in November) Afterthought: It turned out to be St Patrick's Day & Christmas in July
~~Get a puppy or a fish~~(Lucy Labrador arrived on Wednesday 11/07/07); Harry arrived on Saturday, 3 June 2008)

Happiness & laughter to one and all,

Felicity

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Thought for Today

Women are Angels.
When someone breaks our wings,
We simply continue to fly
...On a broomstick.
We're flexible like that!

Saturday, April 03, 2010

I want a photo of you in honour of your birthday, Harry

You want what, Mama?

Do I HAVE to?

"This is how you do it, Harry," said Lucy.

How about this for a pose, Mama?

"Get on with it, Dipstick!" hissed Gypsy.

OK, OK ... let me sit down and pose properly...

Hello world. I'm two today!