Before And After

Nothing like being restless to get the clean and tidy vibes happening. The storeroom/art room has been on the list for more than a year. Ive very pleased now that I can find things and there is room for me to sit at the desk and do my journal.

Dads Conversion

About a month ago Dad and Valmai purchases a unit in a retirement village in Darwin. They are very anti religion. Too funny that the village is being built by the Catholics. I was tempted to send some rosary beads in this parcel which contained the "Real Worstershire Sauce". I specifically asked for a Mary McKillop stamp and the bloke behind the counter said "Ill do better than one" I'm smiling.

Faber Castell & Jo Sonjas

These past few days I have committed myself to two brands that should provide all my painting, drawing and textile needs in my artistic life. Its good to know what products to concentrate on, get to know how they perform then explore limitations. My niece introduced me to Faber Castell through the coloured pencils which are soft and creamy to use and are colour coded right through their range of pencils, markers, watercolours and more.

Jo Sonjas is an innovator and thats why I want to support her. Must stand by the women innovators. Its also a practical thing as it easier to replace colours and products once they run out and for sourcing the best prices too.

Stalling

Ive been avoiding starting my 75 images of my life story which is irritating me no end. To fill the days in Ive been riding around the lake, swiming and spring cleaning my storeroom and junk draws. Pathetic! Ive even moved a chair to make the room look different. Simmone and Hamish are coming tomorrow so Im wondering if that is a valid excuse for stalling even longer.

Sign Posts

"Everything you ask for is granted just as everything you dont ask for is also granted." Babettes Feast"

Angels Day

Boxing Day and I have no one to fight. I could perhaps go to the plaza or the hyperdome and battle the crowds, but they are no fun as the all look like zombies. Not likely to box me back. I bawled my eyes out when I created this page this morning, missing my first friend Jenny.
Hamish made me smile when I asked him what his top 5 experiences was for yesterday.
1. Flying his Kite
2. Fitball with out instructions how to pump up
3. Drill
4. Screwdriver
And Ness, can I ring you back with the last one coz I really need to go to the toilet right now........

Online Christmas

Midnight Mass at the Cathedral was awesome last night with various voices from other cultures singing which was a nice new slant on things. I'm going to try to catch up with those who invited me over today tomorrow, that way they will all be so buggered and full of food they wont have any fight left in them. The moon has been keeping me entertained so much lately, Ive not focused on much else for inspiration.

The Spirit

Every year that I am at home for Christmas I have a tradition that I hang a little something on each door of the apartments I share the foyer with. This image represents the Holy Trinity for me.

Vunerablity

"It always seemed strange to me that the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, aquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first, they love the produce of the second."
~ John Steinbeck

My Mum

Would be 78 today. Those numbers look too big. The bigger the numbers the bigger the sense of loss and understanding what a mother really is. Summer solstice today which means the day is the longest for the year and a lunar eclipse. No wonder I feel like my mojo has a lisp. My mums second favorite song.

Scary Out There

Im always strange at this time of year. And I am not the only one. A mate of mine usually watches a pile of DVDs on Christmas day in his apartment and I totally understand that coz, lets face it, its scary out there. We have both suffered from Autism on occasions and it seams like it gets worse toward Christmas. I wonder if this is something that Jesus had to contend with after he was born. The only other thing I can relate to this weirdness is the build up. Seez it all really.

Card therapy in full swing.....

Sunday In Bed

 

Johnathon Livingston Segull

Johnathon Livingston Segull is inspriring me big time. I finally read the Novella last week and dug out my Neil Diamond soundtrack which outsold the actual movie. Thinking Id like to see this movie sometime soon. Here are some words that ark up the imagination

"rally each heart at the sight of your sivler wings"
"where the clouds are hung for the poets eye"

Vase

3 Days ago I saw this vase at St Vinnies and carried it around like it was a baby then decided that if its still there on Monday I will buy it for $10. Yesterday at work I was telling Andrea about it and after talking to her on my way home I called in to St Vinnies with the intention of buying it. When I got there it was gone and I was a bit down hearted about it. When I got to work this morning there was a Christmas card and present on my desk. I opened it up and there was the vase. I bawled and bawled coz not only is it a lovely thought but Im rarely surprised these days and this one blew me away.

10pm Walter Young Street

Australia Ripoffpost

Yesterday I was concerned that these mongrels were trying to rip off the unsuspecting and undiscerning customers. In the $2 bin they had full price art gear and when I went to the counter with what I saw as two bargains they wanted to charge me full price. I ask the guy why they were in the $2 bin and he said it says FROM $2, but I said that answer does not tell me why the full priced items are in the bargain box. Anyway I said its not your fault but Id like to speak with the manager. He left me waiting 10 minutes then came out and said those items were put in there by customers. I said they must have had allot of time on their hands because they are stacked so nice and neat. So he removed all the stuff that was full price and I said thank you, that makes it clearer.

Sunscreen

Wills New Tie

At Last

I finally got it this afternoon. I have to paint what I feel. This is me sleeping in my bedroom in 1972 on a stormy night. During this process it was very emotional and even an hour after I am still feeling that way about this image. Its by no means technically perfect but I dont ever want technique to be my main aim.

Crochet Collection

Theres are some of the stones I picked up on holidays and trying out the technique I saw at Resurection Ferns Site. I think they are cuter than the painted stones.

Dads Secret Weapons Part 3

Rawleigh's Salve [for man and beast].

When dad talks about this ointment he says its good for "coughs and colds and sore arseholes and pimples on the dicky" with a real sound of respect in his voice.

Dads Secret Weapons Part 2

McKenzies white pepper is probably an equal first in his choice of weapon as its used on a daily basis. He says it makes him a moonta man (strong, like Popeye). He considers black pepper to be fly shit, full stop.

Dad Secret Weapons Part 1

I'm wondering if my dad views this food as an amulet. The reason I say that is when he goes over seas he takes it with him. Like hes going in to bat for Australia. Like it will protect him from any infiltration of alien cultures and especially anything to do with America. Around the breakfast table with our southern family as a child, I was surprised to hear it being refered to as Vaginamite. My dad, referes to it as Badger, coz when Aboriginal people say the word thats the way it sounds. Badge, amulet................... just some ideas.

Image Transfer & Tonights Meal

Callum Jingly

Here is the man himself modelling my knitted bell cuffs. Must have worn himself out.

National Portrait Gallery Draw In

Sink Bath

My friends Danusha Jerry and Callum come over for tea last night and they understand how I am a hopeless host so brought food with them. This is the first time Ive seen Callum in the flesh although I have seen many a scan of him. Hes a lovely chatty little fulla and his mum was talking real territory way about nougies, nooras, boodjoos which made me feel somewhat home sick.

Mankini

I only learned about this stunning piece of apparel in 2008. I love the fact that grandpa is reading the book so intently.

Fart Killer

Dad gave this candle this title. Its a big responsibility for a little candle although it steps up to the challenge every time. Just got to remember to light it before the said incident.

Movember

This bloke raised $325 for Mens Health Month and once he dyed it mauve he ended up with a total of $1800. All up FaHCSIA raise $9500.00. With out much effort really. I think the website where people could look at the progress of the stubble bubble and seeing the comments really helped. This bloke is pommy and one of the funniest people at work. The first day I met him he was walking up the stairs at work reading a book. Go the eccentrics!

Decoupage

This is my first attempt at covering my journals in Decoupage. I'm pleased with the glue called Mod Podge, so the new cover should be an improvement. Its a way of honouring the time and effort I put in side the books.

Text To Speech Software

About two weeks ago, I found out that this stuff existed. I cant wait to get my hands on it at work and home and have a mobile software I can take with me. It will mean I will be able to have text books, long technical documents and emails read out to me, saving my energy. It will also be a good means of hearing what I have written as I always have trouble with you and yours, but and dut, things like that. It well give me complete independence. It has been forced upon me in the last 3 months to acknowledge the actual amount of reading I avoid. For instance, I basically just pick out a few short sentences on a page and make the rest of the story up myself. This works most of the time but when you are trying to learn something as I am now doing a Diploma In Project Management, then it becomes vital to read everything they give you. I'm registered with a disability employment service who told me about this software and I'm in the PROCESS (I say that coz there are so many hoops to jump through at work) of getting a personal copy for myself and I cant wait!! YYYYOOOOOHOOO!

Steele Rudd

Dad gave me a series of Australian funny stories about 3 years ago by this author. They continually make me chuckle and laugh out loud. There are sketches throughout the book which are very good too. Here is a brief piece from the current one I'm reading, On Our Selection.


"One day a young man overwhelmed with a collar - a lean stripling of a man, with no more hip than a "goanna" a clean face, a "haw" in his voice, a cane in hand and a gorgeous band on his straw hat - mounted the verandah and announced himself to Dad as the teacher of the new school.

Dad scarcely heard him. He was confused. He stared and couldn't think of anything to say. Had the angel Gabriel or the hangman, suddenly appeared before him, Dads equanimity couldn't have been more disturbed. Dad was never himself in the presence of leading people; and the prig-pedagogue and the sage were one and the same to him."