This is hard work!

Why oh why does it take an age to get back into crafting when you have had a long break?  Think I am definitely going to take a pack of stuff with me next time I go to Australia for 3 months.  A couple of weeks and you seem to be able to pick it up again quickly but 3 months has just about killed all of my imagination.  I have however, found my love of using my Cricut with SCAL again.  I am very fortunate that I took notice of the lovely people who told me not to update my machine and SCAL would continue to work.  I am now using MTC to import the designs then altering them and exporting them into SCAL then cutting!  I have had a fabulous weekend making Lettering Delights Mask-ateer cards.  I am planning to send them to all the little people on my very long birthday list this year.  The only snag is that I have to make my own envelopes as I can't get any the size I need.  I am also adding the cord elastic so that they can use them soon after their birthday is over and won't need to rely on mum to find or buy some!  

At last I am home from my trip, recovered from the worst jet lag I have ever experienced and returning to some level of 'normality'.  It was so wonderful to see our four grandchildren out there and to see how much they had grown in 2 yrs.  Our eldest, Soren, has aspergers and is now 14, he towered above me and it was a bit disconcerting to have to look up slightly when talking to him!  We arrived as a big surprise to them and when we walked in the door and they realised it was us there was such a greeting, hugs, kisses and lots of tears of joy.  In no time at all we were packing the cars and off for a holiday to Philip Island where tiny fairy penguins arrive on the beach every night and go off into their habitat to find their homes.  My husband worked hard in the garden, trimming, cutting, laying pavers, building a new shed and becoming very attached to the chickens.  I did lots of sewing, mending and organising and by the time we left we felt that we had really been able to make a huge difference to them in their new house.  I love knowing just where they are when I speak to them now.  We also got to know their 2 boxer puppies who are 8 and 9 months old, pedigree and cousins.  The male, Frank is lovely, very gentle and a bit of an old man already but the female, Fern is an imp and constantly getting into mischief.  Between them they have wrecked several dog beds, a tv remote control, mountains of recycling and a few shoes.  I am hoping that they will be more settled when we next return, give me a new baby any day!  Here are some photos of our time there.

 Me with the girls during our weeks break on Philip Island.  Katarina, Annalina and Asta.

My husband, Lewis, and the girls looking at a very large jellyfish down at the bay.

The puppies, Frank and Fern.

They live just a 5 minute walk from Port Philip Bay.  This was the view as we walked the dogs and the girls had a swim at 7pm.  It was taken in the couple of weeks before the holiday makers arrived in their droves!  Most of the year they have the pleasure of uncrowded beaches.  It is quite beautiful and if you look across the bay you can see the tall buildings of Melbourne.

Kat (Katarina) enjoying the hammock after school.

 We enjoyed a day out at Sovereign Hill, a very old open air mining town that has been transformed into a museum.  This is Anna (Annalina) prospecting for gold!  Kat found 2 tiny specks and now has them in a little jar.

This is just one of the most beautiful Bird of Paradise flowers that are blooming in their front garden.

The four together for a rare 'civilised' photo!  from l-r is Asta age 8, Anna age 11, Kat age 12 (13 in March) and Soren age 14.

One of the beautiful sunrises we enjoyed most mornings.

Asta decorating her chocolate gingerbread house.

I spent ages trying to get a group photo of them sitting in the hammock but the dogs kept wandering into the picture at the wrong time which highly amused the children!

And finally, our lovely daughter, Esther and our equally lovely son in law, Carl.