Sock Skeleton
My friend Angie made this awesome sock skeleton this week.
She found the pattern on the Martha Stewart site.


He joined us at the pub, on Friday, for end of the week drinks.

Bar Fight? Brawl?
No, nothing like that.

A couple of months ago my dad underwent surgery to remove cataracts in both eyes.
The first eye was a text book case, but things went terribly wrong with the second.
He was taken to the Sydney Eye Hospital to have emergency surgery.

Last week the pressure in his eyes began to build up, causing a detached retina in the 'bad' eye.

Retinal detachments are treated with surgery that may require the patient to stay in the hospital. In some cases a scleral buckle, a tiny synthetic band, is attached to the outside of the eyeball to gently push the wall of the eye against the detached retina. If necessary, a vitrectomy may also be performed. During a vitrectomy, the doctor makes a tiny incision in the sclera (white of the eye). Next, a small instrument is placed into the eye to remove the vitreous, a gel-like substance that fills the center of the eye and helps the eye maintain a round shape. Gas is often injected to into the eye to replace the vitreous and reattach the retina; the gas pushes the retina back against the wall of the eye. During the healing process, the eye makes fluid that gradually replaces the gas and fills the eye. With all of these procedures, either laser or cryopexy is used to "weld" the retina back in place.

At this stage he has lost his peripheral vision. And he has had to lie with his face down for 22 hrs a day (this needs to be done for a week) so that the gas pushes the retina back to the wall of the eye.

It is hard having the responsibility of an adult. I need to stay here, with my family, and look after them.

I would like to have the opportunity to spend the time with my parents too.

Emy's Having a Baby
Well soon anyway.
I had a great night out this week with work friends - one of many events organised to farewell Emy, and celebrate the nearing birth of her little boy.

Ange, Tracey & Angie

Tristan & Emy

Ann & me

All of us!

Holidays are not complete without one seaside jaunt...

but it is back to school today!!

Mao's Last Dancer
I saw Mao's Last Dancer this week.
It was wonderful.
I smiled, I cried, I sighed.
I loved the book, and the film lives up to it (a rare occurrence).


From internationally acclaimed Australian film director Bruce Beresford comes the inspirational true story of a small boy's extraordinary journey from poverty to international stardom. From a grueling apprenticeship as a classical dancer in communist China, to the glory of creative freedom in America. But, there is a painful price to be paid for his quest for self expression.
Mao's Last Dancer captures the intoxicating effects of first love and celebrity, the pain of exile, and ultimately the triumph of individual endeavour over ideology.
Filmed in China, the US and Australia and with a brilliant performance from Chi Cao as Li Cunxin, Mao's Last Dancer is an exhilarating exploration of what it means to be free. (SMH)

Incredible

The Vege Patch
My mum has a green thumb.

An extraordinary ability to make plants grow well.

She likes to encourage the kids to join in the harvesting.

broad beans

Another willing 'helper'.

beetroot

Fun Science
We visited the Wollongong Science Center and Planetarium this week.
It was lots of fun.

Rachel and David
We had a visit from our great friend Rachel, and her son David, over the weekend.

Rachel is Lauren's godmother, and we are godparents to sweet David.

Holly and David

Unfortunately David was not well, and was quite miserable. Look at those eyes! They make my heart melt.

We did see a couple of smiles during the afternoon.

Change

Change can happen suddenly in the garden.
It is almost as if plants grow and bloom before while you watch.

Two weeks ago I took the photo below.

This week I was shocked to see the change.

I am super happy with this echium.
I found it on a bargain table at a local nursery in very poor condition.
With a little TLC, it has bounced back beautifully.

Meatballs and Lighting
It was like the aftermath of a Christmas dinner... the feeling of over eating, not the decor!!
Except it was meatballs. At IKEA.
Cheap and yummy.

Note in the top right-hand corner of the photo - my daughter pouring a fizzy drink into the remains of a yoghurt. Who was responsible for her manners!?!

And then a walk around the store.

The lighting department is one of my favourites.

I'd like to rip out every light fitting at home and start again!!