On Wednesday morning, I clawed my way to morning consciousness to this view from my bedroom window.   The whole 'red in the morning' thing appears to be a guideline, rather than a rule, because the day went on to be sunny and of no threat whatsoever to any nearby shepherds.

On the weather report here there is often a warning to sheepfarmers - but they are never specific.  What sort of warning, one may ask?  Diversify or perish?  Don't buy a new tractor?  Don't wear that hat with those boots? That flannel shirt would be better with shoulder pads and some darts?

But I digress.  I survived my first (shortened) week back at work after the grand tour, largely through liberal application of chocolate and cups of tea.  It's not really to be recommended and cuts appallingly into one's social and art time.  Apparently the working week's vicious cycle starts all over again tomorrow (Monday).  Good grief.

 The early morning chill had caused me to consider buying a fur vest.  I should explain that trends are sometimes a trifle slow to reach this little backwater, and fur - fake or real -  hasn't really made the re-entry splashdown here that it has elsewhere.  Like others, I had the lapin jacket in the 70's but I sold it on before the trend began to fade.  

I was toying with bidding for a faux fur vest on Ebuy, having seen a young lady looking splendid and warm in one just the other day.  On reflection, I decided that perhaps, as in the 70's, it's a look best left for the young and that I run the risk of looking too much like mutton dressed as rabbit.  I shall persist with my collections of faux fur snoods and scarves as long as they are warm and I do not attract foxes.  I left behind a vintage mink at a garage sale this weekend - not a coat, but a stole with a face and ears.  I did get this rather snuggly hat, styled after the 60's, for a really cold day.

A very fetching faux fur hood, from the 60's, with fluffy dangling bobbles was snatched from my hands last week by the girlchild, who tells me that she has received many a compliment and envious glance.

During an unscheduled stop at Good Sammies on Saturday, I snapped up some perfectly-fitting Doc Martins in a fetching and non-muttonly Union Jack design.  They are my new equal favourite boots, with the red faux snakeskin-but-actually-really-soft-leather ones I've had for years.

They'll look fetching with the hat.

 

and welcome to 2012.  Around we go again.



I've upgraded to (free) digital TV.  This venture into commercial television has been interesting for an ABC/SBS watcher.  I've learned a lot of things.

I've already watched a lot of the documentaries and (English) sitcoms on the national broadcasters.  In some cases, a long time ago and several times.  Some of the movies are old, but good - the Lethal Weapon series...ah, Mel, all that hair.  Seinfeld. 

Advertising is no less annoying.  I can tell you that it's time to worm your sheep, and apparently it's also a good time to buy a ride-on lawnmower.

I have a confession to make.  A neighbour very kindly helped me out some time ago by mowing my lawns.  He keeps saying that he hopes our other neighbours didn't get the wrong idea - nudge, nudge, wink, wink. I'm sure they won't, I say, in a slightly confused fashion.   Now I realise it's an ad. Oops, not usually that slow on the uptake.  Note to self, must make more experimental forays into the world outside.


There seem to be some no-brainers - the workout thingy which actually says in writing on the screen that the results quoted are NOT typical (surprise!).  There's an ad for an electric fridge.  As opposed to....?  I already have one. Have had for some time.   Ah, electricity, perhaps it's not everywhere in town yet.  That's the same ad which shows the fridge 'growing with you' (as you have kids, blah, blah,blah) but shows a different fridge at each stage - so presumably it doesn't grow with you at all.  Am I overthinking this stuff?

I'm having my annual at-home holidays.  Xmas and New Year - much goofing off, lots of reading books, pottering about, a bit of socialising.  I have lots of projects which are gradually being ticked off:  bit of a tidy up and a sort out; re-cover the cushions on the chairs out the back veranda and sort out the piles of stuff out there;  re-cover the cushions on the sitting room couch;  some mid-week opshop and tip shop trawls; some fairly serious woodwork projects with the help of a friend and her power tools.  And a bit of gardening.

I've started work on this footstool today.  It's a verge treasure and hopefully I'll finish it off in the next few days.