Talk about Cats...!

Anna took photos of the cat population in her room, thankfully none of them are active mouse catchers!!

Here I am at my computer and its 4.46am!

Yes I have been up since about 2.45 am. Woken by a very large crashing sound, we found Matt who's bedroom is on the bottom floor of the house, chasing our lovely tabby Cleo (actually not so lovely) who had thought it best for all concerned to bring in the nights takings (namely a sorry looking but very much alive mouse) inside to share with the family. Mike my brave and unflinching husband and Matt number one son with an ice-cream lid (huh?) both in boxer shorts for battle gear fought galantly and managed to get the mouse outside. Before he could lock the cat door, Cleo was back in (with the mouse) and wondering why on earth we weren't praising her and giving her crunchies as a reward.

The ensuing battle probably had the neighbours calling 111, because the mouse ran under Emma's bedroom door, who awoke to find Mike hurtling into her room with a floor mop and a very crazed expression. Cleo made a break for it but I managed to head her off at the pass which in this case was the stairwell, chasing her back downstairs, still with the poor mouse at her mercy, followed by the screams 2 floors down, and a great deal of scuffling with a few utterances about b****y cats.

So its what?... 2 hours later and Mike has just reported that Cleo is outside our bedroom window...WITH THE MOUSE IN HER MOUTH!

Well the house is clean...

So it's obvious I haven't been very crafty, but now that the house is clean, I guess I can go for it!
Kids are back at school, and my oldest boy Matt, 16 and a half has started working! He is doing a 3 month trial, and then starts his builders apprenticeship! Now that should be handy having a builder in the family! I can't believe 2 of my 4 children are working. How can that be possible when I still feel only 18? (well kind of!).
I dont even know if anyone has read this blog, so maybe I am just typing to myself... but if you would like to comment please feel free!!

School is back next week and dont I know it...

Ah yes, its that time of year when you realise the carefree days of the summer holidays are fast diminishing, and the school routine is about to take hold again. Fighting through the stampede of mothers and kids trying on school shoes, I end up taking the devil may care attitude towards the price, in my desparation to escape the humidity and the other 150 mothers and their off-spring, trying to get their kids to stand still while they grapple with buckles and velcro. And then there's the stationery. First the purchase (how much did you say?!!!), and then cover with the dreaded Duraseal, which curls up and sticks to everything but the books. I at least try and get the front cover crease free, but the back...? Ah well who looks at the back cover anyway?

Cupcakes and muffins

Yesterday I made my daughter Anna and her cousin Julia matching cupcake aprons, so this morning we had to make chocolate muffins to test run the aprons. They held up well under pressure, although I'm sure I was under the most pressure, as I did most of the work, and ALL of the clearing away. The muffins turned out well, and the rate of knots that they are working their way through them, is testament to that!

Another Sunny Day in Auckland

Another hot day, and the concrete guys have turned up to do "the last bit". Yaay! the last small part of our renovation has taken since April, and driven us crazy, but we are nearly done now. So its just a case of keeping the cats off the new bit, which is to look like slate tiles, until its dried. I'll have to send the kids out there to stand guard.

Okay so here I go....

I am new to this blogging lark, so forgive me if I waffle. I have seen some really neat blogs, and decided to give it a go. I did try and get my teenage son to help me, but when he really doesn't want to do something he just tells me he has no idea how it works. (I'm sure he does, as he is our resident computer fixer uper!). Iv'e been tidying up my new office as we have recently completed our renovation, and the kids have all been assigned their new rooms, and I have managed to wrangle my own little command centre. Iv'e got a cupboard packed to the gunnels with all my crafty stuff, which I thought would have plenty of room for. Alas!
My computer and sewing machine jostle for space on my desk, but it seems to be working so far. I really should be out enjoying the sun, but apparently 10 minutes is all you need for your vitamin D levels so I figured by the time I watered my rhubarb plants, and parsley, I had covered all bases, and anyway I have a heap of fabric to sort out, so here I am....