Finn and the tradies

Here I am at home on a not-usually-at-home day. 

The NBN has arrived. The street is a sea of men in high-visibilty clothing and the sounds of TRADIO (that bizarre radio channel that all tradesmen seem to listen to) is filling the air.

Our house, being of advanced age, has no crawl space under the older front section, causing a small headache for the NBN fellows. Yesterday they solved it with a bit of "we'll just cut through the path, and your fence into your back yard, then we'll dig up some of this garden and these pavers but don't worry we'll leave it all looking exactly how it is now."

Now you can call me a sceptic but the chances of things looking the same after the NBN chappies leave is pretty slim in my books, and it might surprise you to learn I am not that keen on having my fence cut though, nor my garden and I'd rather my pavers stayed paved. My protests and alternative solutions fell on extremely deaf ears.

This is the NBN and it will happen and "no you don't need to be home madam, yes we might have to remove a complete section of your very sturdy very high fence for the day Madam but that shouldn't be a problem - we do this all the time"

"Why do you have such a high and sturdy fence Madam ?"

"oh"

Getting the jump on Thursday

This morning I am doing bookwork, my second most hated task ( the first is photography). I recently checked and realised I had no bookwork for this financial year. Well I had folders of receipts but nothing written down. This is probably not the best way to run a business no matter how small.

So of course I set about making deals with myself. As of 9:30 this morning I have finished November. The plan is, December tonight, then January tomorrow morning. I am feeling positively Saint -like.

With the boring bits out of the way, the rest of day consists of a quick bloggy blog, hours of uninterrupted time with my new sartorially refined friend and no reason to brush my hair !

 

Posted with Blogsy

A friendly warning

Today was meant to be a post about cute things and new things but I can't write it. I don't often get ranty here, but man.... I have a pretty big case of shit-on-the-liver today.

You guys know about The Big Comic Relief Crafternoon Magazine that I posted about recently. Well it seems some people are not happy with it.

• A number of people have chosen to email me their 'absolute disgust' that I would support a UK charity when there are so many charities needing help in Australia.
• Even more people have complained to me that they live too far from Sainsbury's to get a copy.
• People have complained that they went to Sainsbury's and couldn't find it or it wasn't there or it might have sold out.
• People complain that they shouldn't have-to download a copy just because they don't live in the same country that the magazine is printed in.
• People have complained that it is 'not fair' that I got a friend to post me a copy from the UK. because 'Obviously not everyone has the money to pay a friend to post them their own special copy".

This is nothing ! Emma Mitchell awesome co-inventor of the whole shebang is getting these and other ridiculous complaints constantly. 

If you have been reading here for awhile you might have an idea of how I generally respond to a bit of inbox hate like this, but I have been very restrained and professional and as helpful as my little self can be ...SO FAR.

Today, I am taking a day off from being the bigger person, I don't want to be nice and understanding about this. I actually want to smack people... really hard, and ask them who the hell they think they are.

So, those folks should consider themselves warned.

and...they're off !

It always feels like the race begins in February. I am back at my real job and I start to look at the calendar with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

I really am trying to be a bit sensible this year and space out the commitments and the travels and the teaching but already there is so much happening, (and sensible is not my strong suit).

 Firstly, I will be teaching in Mornington at Treehouse Textiles in March. I met Emma and her mum at a show last year and they had the most beautiful booth - and their store is the same by all accounts. I can't wait to see it for myself.

I'll be teaching Ginger and Blue 

and the Alphabet gang . Click on the link to see if there are any spaces left and to book and enquire all that stuff.

In May I am jetting of to Spring Market in Minneapolis.

Can you believe it? I still can't believe that this is me. I am going to America again ! and this time taking the ever patient Mr Ric-Rac with me. (Stay tuned for that particular brand of hilarity).

I am all booked and organised and there will be no passport hassles this time. We are going to stay after market for a little while so if anyone has any tips for us - please share. Mr Ric Rac is keen to visit Canada. As he says "It's just next door".

In between there are BBQ's and zoo visits and the day job and new patterns and new things. I will undoubtedly fall prey to booth panic again and I have blocked out the whole of April to be sewing things and fluffing things and freaking myself out.
The year of Dipstick is shaping up to be most excellent.