Friday, September 11, 2026

Sunshine Friday

​I’m still not totally recovered from my big day 

This is very evident as I kept falling asleep siting on the couch. 

Grandpa took the girls for a walk to the shed and to visit all the animals. 

When he got back I was peacefully snoozing in my chair. 

Georgia squealed when she saw me and I woke up. 


Here she is enjoying a cream cheese sandwich.  She’s got a boo boo on her upper lip. 

She had a bit of an accident at daycare. It didn’t bother her. She was all smiles. 

And grandma got lots of big hugs. I love those hugs. 

After her morning nap. Grandpa offered to feed Georgia her lunch so Annie and I 

Could go out and do some painting. 


I had little cards, squares and hearts. When we went in to the art room a few 

Weeks ago. She asked if she could paint the heart. 

Of course when I was out buying canvases I found a heart shape canvas. There was only one and 

It was just there all on its own waiting for me. 

She had a ball. We tried all sorts of techniques, grandma has bought some different 

Tools for painting. 

Like round sponges on dowel 


She used all the different sizes and was swirling the paint 


She did paint a small heart.  I love this. She has a good eye I think. 


She even had fun cleaning up. We only used the acrylic paints so we don’t have to 

Use toxic chemicals to do the Cleaning 

As you can see. It was a beautiful sunny day. And it got quite warm.  

All too soon. It was time for the girls to go home. 

Grandpa and I packed away all the toys and cleaned up. 

Then we both collapsed on the couch. 

Looks like we really are getting a tad on the too old side for looking after babies and small children 

But we wouldn’t miss this precious time with our girls  

As they seem to be growing at a super sonic rate we don’t have too much longer until

They’re all old enough to be self sufficient.  As for melody and Brianna, well I’ll be expecting their 21st birthday 

Invites pretty soon  


It really does feel just like that  



Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Big big day


​yesterday morning I met Dianne for a quick coffee before walking across the road to my optometrist 

They’re lovely and know me as I’ve been going there for over twenty years. 

I know, I can’t believe it either 

Anyway this was going to an expensive visit as I needed two new frames. 

I usually get the new lenses put into my old frames but you can only do that a few times before the frame get damaged.

So I walked out of there just under two grand poorer. 

By the time I got the anti glare 

The transition lenses that darken when your outside, and the anti scratch each pair cost $900 

Still as hubby says. Cheaper than a funeral. I really can’t see without them and I’d definitely have a bad accident driving

I then visited the nail salon for some pampering and then headed off to purchase a new bubble gun. Brianna loved it so much she asked if she could take it home 

I needed to replace it or Ana would wonder where it went. 

Well I nearly had heart failure because they weren’t were I had seen them. 

Luckily I found them, they were in the top shelf as they had almost sold out. 

I grabbed two pink and one purple

Annie can have the pink one and I’ll give the purple one to Melody. 


The things we grannies do. 

I then went to the big reject shop to get my favourite shampoo and conditioner 

The have the old 80’s Flex shampoo 

My hair loves it and it’s only $5 a bottle 

But the shop in the centre had sold out. 

They only had the conditioner.  Grabbed two bottles and promised myself to remember to check the centre shop to see if they had received any stock. 

I do have some in my supply cupboard so. Don’t need to hit the panic button yet. And as I’m the only one using it. It does last a long time. 

After all that I finally got home and collapsed 

It was hubbys 65tg birthday yesterday and I was going to make him a cake. 

I just didn’t have any energy left. Do I did a Woolies shop with door dash and got him the Freddo frog ice cream cake 

He was very happy indeed. 

I think today will be a go slow and only do the bare minimum day

Luckily I did plan for this and really don’t have any chores screaming to be done. 

I hope your day is productive without you having to pay the piper tomorrow 

Monday, September 7, 2026

Washing and sewing

​the day had been filled with washing. Lots of washing. I didn’t do any over the weekend so I had three full loads 

I folded all the dry clothes to make room for all the fresh laundry 

In between I was going through my scrap bag as I needed more hexies made  

I’ve been working on and off stitching more hexies into the quilt top, and I can go through them quite quickly 

I had lots of 3 inch squares but the choice of colours wasn’t a huge amount  

I needed different colours or it would become quite monotonous 


You can see how different the new pieces are  

I’ll spend tonight stitching them ready to start adding to the quilt top 

I also cooked two meals tonight  I had a big tray of chicken thigh fillets 

One half went into the oven to make chicken and rice  

The second half I made Greek chicken soup 

I have an optometrist appointment tomorrow and while I’m in Cranbourne I’ll get a few things done  

That means by the time I get home I’ll be too tired to cook  

Crisis is now avoided 


Sunday, September 6, 2026

Waking up

​the signs of the spring wake up are everywhere 

The daffodils came up first, unfortunately I forgot to take photos 

But other bulbs are now also coming up 


Irises, gladioli’s and I think the white flowers are a type of daffodil. I’m not sure. If you know please let me know  

My magnolia, I thought it had definitely died. But green shoots have started to grow 

My lemon and my orange trees are blossoming. The orange smells beautiful 


The apricot tree is also full of blossoms  over they set we will net 


The pots in front of the garden fence are all growing well. The bearded iris have multiplied in the pots 


The mulberry tree is full of fruit. We never get many as the birds are just too quick. This year I’ve netted it 


The other two are only just budding. Not sure why they grow different. The other two are white mulberry that might have something to do with it. 

We got lots of rain again over night 


This was a much bigger puddle, but our sandy soil means it quickly drains. This was hours after the storms were over. Usually it’s all gone by then, just shows how much rain we got 

The days are definitely lovely although the nights are still chilly 

We haven’t had the fire going. Just turn on the ducted system in the evenings and early morning 

Hopefully soon we won’t need heating at all. 

Friday, September 4, 2026

AI

​yes I know. I’ve watched all the shows of the eighties showing us how terrible it is 

But it’s fun 

Today I got some lovely photos of Georgia. Ana was playing with my bubble machine 

And Georgia was laughing and trying to catch them 


It made me think. How good would that look in a fairy scene. 

Unfortunately when I told AI to remove the background I forgot to tell it 

To keep the bubbles. 

It gave me two options 

Both adorable but missing the bubbles 

I then requested that the bubbles be kept in. And I thought. Well bubbles. 

Obviously she’s a mermaid 


 I then found a photo of Ana that I took a while ago. 

Once again I requested the background gone 

But I wanted it replaced with a football stadium in our teams colours 

This is what I used 

As she was wearing our teams apparel I didn’t bother asking for her to be dressed in.  

But they gave me this  

 

Now that’s a glow up, I loved it  

Unfortunately unless you pay money  you can only do a few photos at

A time  I now have to wait 24 hours to try again 

But wait 

There are lots of AI websites so I tried another 

I used this of Georgia 


Once again I didn’t ask for her to be wearing the clubs colours 

That was a mistake 

This website obviously was male  you have to tell it every single thing 


Once again I re warded it and it gave me this 


Not bad   

Then I thought well I have to do the other girls  

Remember the photo I used a few posts back 

I clearly said  remove background 

Place in a AFL stadium 

In Carlton colours,

And wearing Carlton colours too  


How real does that look  

I sent it to their parents and they loved it  

So now I’m kinda hooked  

I will wait the 24 hours  and I will play with more photos  

Once I have a whole lot of them, I’ll print them out  

I feel sorry for professional photographers,  

 No matter how good their backgrounds are

Or how many props they use  

They will never be as good as AI  

and as you can use any photo you have  I can go back and 

Edit my own baby and young toddler photos 

I never got any of those fancy pictures done.  I never had that kind of money  

Now I don’t have to lament the fact that they missed out  

Sometimes  even scary advances can come in useful 



Thursday, September 3, 2026

Panic stations

​as you know I had to go to the dentist to do a deep clean. 

I’m not good with dentist’s. 

I get very anxious.  I’ve tried taking the Valium before going.  

But they didn’t do a thing. So I gave up on those. 

This morning, after a sleepless night. I decided to buy myself 

A squishy 


Isn’t it cute. 

If it had any feelings at all. It would have felt like an hour of torture to it. 

I got into the chair and we discussed the approach 

She had initially suggested we do it over four weeks. 

But this morning she said two would be better. 

I’m like ok. Let’s do it. 

She starts to get ready and I see a needle. 

I do not like needles.  

I can give them to people. And I have. 

But nope. Not for me thanks. 

She said that I really needed it as it will be very painful. And she promised 

would numb my gums with the gel. 

Fine,  then I want the whole mouth done today. 

I didn’t trust myself to come back next week. 

So that’s what she did. She is a lovely lady who really does understand that 

Many of us fear their profession, without getting offended. 

She suggested to her helper that they play some background music 

The assistant asked me what music did I like. 

Old? New?  I said old please. The eighties. 

Well I have to say, although it wasn’t a day at the amusement park, 

It ended up not being anywhere near as painful or scary as I had thought. 

I even asked for an extra shot as the area they were cleaning was a tad painful. 

I know. How brave am I lol 

So now I’ve got all the potions she has said I needed to use 

Plus some little tiny picks to go in-between my teeth for that extra clean 

And I don’t have to see her again for three months. 

I really hope she doesn’t leave the surgery. 

A few years ago I had another lovely dentist there. Again very

Compassionate and understanding. 

But he left and I didn’t like the one who took his place. 

Which is why I didn’t go back until I really really had too. 

Now that’s out of the way 

The optometrist is next, and I’ve received a reminder for my 

Breast screening. 

Everything starts to break down as you age, honestly. I’m spending a small 

Fortune. Well except for the mammogram. They’re free. Thank goodness 

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

September

September has arrived with a bang. 

Very windy on day one. It looks like I’ve not cleared the front porch at all


I took a little video for you to see. 

We are getting notices of even stronger winds this afternoon. 

I’ve been out back slowly moving things away and trying to clear the clutter. 

It always gets like that in winter. Things get put under the veranda, and they end up staying there. 

I’ll get it sorted slowly and then clean all the dust and crime off. 

It will soon be nice enough to sit out there and enjoy the outdoors again. 

Well. Until it gets too hot and humid anyway