Weekend on the water..

I'd like to say that we spent Australia Day relaxing on our yacht sipping champagne....

We did spend it on our (scruffy) sailing boat - which I don't think in any way can be called a yacht.

And I was drinking cider.

And not relaxing - rather I was having a full blown panic attack every time a bigger boat went past and sent huge waves our way..

I am definitely not a natural sailor - but we didn't sink so I'm willing to give it another try.

In a couple of months maybe...

Bit choppy!

Nice and flat! Much better...

The Beach Plan

We unanimously decided to spend the last two weeks of the school holidays lounging around in our pjs until lunchtime and then hitting the beach for the afternoon.

So far this is a flawless plan!

Snorkelling with seagulls - and a big cloud of smoke from a bushfire in Kwinana on the horizon...

Two by Two

I came back from the UK with one more suitcase than we went with..

It was mostly filled with bargain finds from the fifty two charity shops in my parents' town - and Cheltenham Racecourse Car Boot.

Here are some of my favourite finds - they all came in pairs!

Two Kathie Winkle plates - five pounds for both from the car boot sale

Nice editions of Little Women and Little Men, two pounds each from Oxfam

Two lovely old cameras - an Agfa Box Spezial - three pounds from the car boot sale (I beat him down from five pounds) and the Instamatic is my mum's old camera and the first camera I ever took a photo on. 
Unfortunately you can't get film for it any more but you can adapt 135mm film to fit - not sure if I'm going to try this or not...

The Less Ugly House!

So sometimes it's a good idea to go away for three weeks and leave your husband at home with a list of jobs.
Because sometimes he will surprise you by doing all of the 'suggested' jobs!

Here is a (very much) Before photo of The Ugly House.

This is the estate agent's photo that really sold the house to us - it's gorgeous isn't it?

Now, this is the house that we came home to last week... ready?

It's still not the prettiest house but I am so happy! 
Now I can pull in the driveway without checking that no-one's looking.
Our over the road neighbours have been over several times to congratulate Mark on adding thousands to the value of their house...

Now I've got a lot of planting to do to fill up those flowerbeds.

Home Town

It was so nice to go home for a bit and check it was all still the same.

It was - exactly the same -

Winter roses...

The Bell Tower...

Slight flooding...

Evening light...

This clock was there the first time I ever went to the cinema...

 

Nice sky...

A certain East European flavour...

And, of course, the main topic of conversation in town, the new (completely unfinished) bridge!

Christmas - in lights

There's a bit of a theme running through my Christmas photos this year - light.

The bright white light of an Australian Boxing Day cricket match...

Warm evening light on cousins blowing bubbles...

Then the cold midday winter light on an English out of season beach....

Shadow self portrait. With Turkey Hat...

Out of focus Christmas lights...

And an adventurous silhouette!