Holidays are Bliss

Spectacular Bruny Island

Bruny Island Cheese Co. Tom cheese is divine

Mums Pud - complete with silver

Letterboxes of Abels Bay Road

Mussels at Abels Bay

The day before Christmas our computer crashed and I realised tonight that I had not blogged a few snippets from our trip to Tasmania and Victoria this Christmas.

Every second year we head to Tassie for Christmas to see my family and pop into Mt Macedon in Victoria on the way home to visit great friends. This year we went to Bruny Island for the day and went on the fast boat tour down as far as the Southern Ocean. Wind blowing against our faces, rain and sunshine all in a couple of hours. The scenery was spectacular, the seals smelly and our tour guide was lots of fun. Home to my parents for warm tea, mussels picked out the front and my Mum's Christmas Pud. A perfect day after a wonderful Christmas.

On to Victoria and we are spoilt by Genz and Paul with glorious food and a beautiful garden to relax in. It is pure joy to spend time at 'Snowflakes' in the company of creative friends.

Genz crepes are SO yum.

Love, Clutter & The Maker

Once a year I travel to Hobart to see my family and do my best to get into Love & Clutter and The Maker (the Sister store). These are my fave little shops in Hobart and I always manage to find a few goodies to stash in my suitcase. I left the maker with a gorgeous wire basket and some hessian to make bag handles. My Love & Clutter find is a little picture for the hallway. Hopefully tomorrow I will have another chance to pop in, just in case there are new things there.

Heading to Hobart.. do this fab walking tour.

Coffee and Pie

With Lucy recovering from her operation we have spent a lot of time at home, which calls for cooking and pretending our kitchen is a cafe. We made chicken pies, berry tarts (with ice-cream) and had lots of coffee's and hot chocolates. Oh now reality has set in and Lucy is getting better and I have to go back to work tomorrow (sigh).

We put up the Christmas tree and the wreath is on the front door, now all I have to do is wrap some pressies and pack for our holiday to Tasmania. I am looking forward to getting away from Perth for a while and seeing some mountains and sailing on the Huon River.

Holidays at the Farm

Every year we spend a few days at a farm-stay near Bindoon with great friends. We pack up the go-karts and pre-prepare all our food, pack our wellies, RMs, our oldest clothes, take a pile of projects and off we go. This year we decided to take a week and we could have easily stayed for two. Work didn't enter my mind, which is unusual for me, my mind was on beating Lindy on the track, going for long walks around the farm, whiskey around the bonfire and catching up on some sewing.

This year we were taught how to round up sheep and move them from one paddock to another. We did have the help of a quad bike and 3 outstanding dogs however, I was told that I can forget about being a contestant on Farmer Wants a Wife because the sheep ran after me and I still cant get the smell of sheep poo out of my RMs. I am however very good at lighting fires and preparing brews when it is chilly.

I managed to complete a few projects and start some new ones... photos to come.

Exciting Reno

before floor reno

After

After

I am not sure if I get more excited about, starting to renovate a room or finishing it. The past few days, colds and all, we packed out bags to explore the south coast for a few days whilst our hallway and Lucy's room were sanded and polished. I am really thrilled with the outcome and it feels like the icing on the cake. Now the decorating can begin.

games at Yallingup Maze

Our little venture down south was fun. We stayed in a little holiday park and visited wineries, galleries and the Yallingup Maze where we spent hours going round in circles and playing wonderful board games. After many hectic weeks of working too many hours, renovating and being too social it was a much needed mini-break for us.

Girly Getaway

This weekend I jumped in the car with three fantastic friends and headed off for a kid free weekend. We drank wine, ate chocolate, walked, slept well and went in search of good coffee and food in delightful Dunsborough. We shopped, laughed and forgot about changing nappies, making decisions and work.

I finished my sis-in-laws Liberty Quilt

Weekend Getaway

Every year we pack the RM's, the old jeans and a few go-karts and head up to our favourite farmstay and hit the track, hang out with great friends and explore the country-side.  This year Lucy learnt to 'hold on tight' on the quadbike and the boys got into their usual racing spirit then discussed racing tactics over a few boubons around the bon-fire at night. We stayed up late talking, playing trivial pursuit and eating way too many home cooked treats.  A fantastic weekend... next year can not come soon enough.