Happy Un-Birthday to me!

hh so it’s the day before my birthday and as I sit at my desk at work feeling all mature and smug I look down and notice I have a stripe of toothpaste right across my top. Classy!
I think this kinda sets the tone for the year to come really. “Tries hard but somehow always ends up grotty”.

I always like to reflect a little when my b’day rolls around. So what are a few of the best things that have happened in the last year.

Starting my correspondence course – despite struggling to get back into the study thing, deciding and signing up for this was a pretty major thing. It signalled a new direction in my life. It told me that my obsession with food was not just a passing fancy but a real and abiding interest. It took that obsession and moved it to the next level, from hobby to lifestyle. And although there are no thoughts of career changes now, it’s given me options….should I ever want them.

Learning to ski. Not so major in some peoples minds but it’s always bugged me how I never got back (after the previous disastrous experience) and showed that mountain who was boss. Now the mountain might still be laughing at me but at least I can get down it without bursting in to tears of sheer terror!!

Sorting out where I want to be in 10 years time. Not all the details are set in concrete but the dream is in place. We definitely want a reasonable amount of land with which to populate with pigs n other animals. Self sufficiency (or as near as damn it) is our lofty goal, a higher quality of health and life our aim. I think the big thing about this (cause I’ve known about it for a bit longer than a year) is that it’s not a huge goal. There’s no longer any dreams of being famous or fabulously wealthy, just a realisation of how we want to live our lives. And I’m happy with that.

Getting back in to knitting. It was a slow start but finally I made the leap from plain scarf knitter extraordinaire to someone who can actually knit a garment. An incredibly proud moment for me!! And not only did I finish a garment….but I immediately cast on another one! I’m hooked!

And where do I want to be in a year’s time (thought this might be interesting to look back on)

I think the obvious one is finished my course. That would be a real achievement for me after so many years of not studying. What I’ll do with the knowledge is yet to be decided but actually finishing the course is the first step.

Still knitting…..by this time next year I’d like to have mastered socks, be competent with most patterns and perhaps experimenting with lace. I like the look of lace….it’s prutty.

I’d like to think I’ll finally have picked up some fluency in Italian but it’s been on my list for a few years now and so I somehow doubt it.

Travel wise I would like to have climbed the volcano Stromboli, seen Moscow and Ireland.

I’d like to have taken a pottery course, learned how to make sushi and picked up a few more jewellery making skills.

I’d like to master bread making (in a machine) for brown, wholemeal and rye breads….I can do white but the others just don’t seem to work as well.

I’d like to finally get it in to my head about shutter speed and aperture and how to use them when taking photos. I know in theory but using it in practise is another matter for my brain.

Oh….and learnt not spitting on myself when I’m brushing my teeth….

Strange how there’s always more I can think of to do, than what can I remember I’ve done!

testing 1 2....1 2....

So…a blog.
Well it certainly seems to be what I’m looking for anyway. I’ve been running a web page for friends and family since we (my husband Matt & me) moved from Australia to the UK 6 years ago. As time has passed the webpage has become a rather high maintenance and more of a chore than a hobby. As a result it’s languished without TLC for the past 18 months leaving friends and family in the dark.
Time to do something about that I thought one day…and here I am. The blog thing seems easy enough, quick to update, upload photos, linking to other sites. I’ve probably just jinxed myself!!
So we'll see how it goes

Anyhoo…..a little about myself? I’m an Australian living in the UK. We moved over here to be closer to Matt’s family and are here indefinitely. And no I don’t know how long that means! My family is pretty much all in Australia but we have roots here so it’s interesting to travel around and see where my ancestors once lived.
Matt’s actually English Italian and has lived in Canada and Australia for large chunks of his life as well so he’s a bit mixed up…I try not to stress him out!!!! Nah he’s great and puts up with my…quirks without comment! And he can cook!!

I guess this blog is mainly for those back home that want to keep up with what we’re doing but hopefully I reach a wider audience and even get to make some new friends.
I'll be posting as frequently as I can think of things to write. Mostly stuff about my life and interests. But also posts about our travels (including spur of the moment on the road posts!!) and use it to showcase some of our keen amateur photography skills.

I’m also in to cooking, knitting, gardening, writing, reading, crafty type stuff and nutrition. And all of that will probably come up in conversation quite frequently. Knitting in particular at the moment…I seem to be obsessed.

Consider yourself warned!!!!!