My New Car

Neale and I went car shopping last Saturday morning and we bought a car.  It's our first 'brand new' car in 26 years.  We decided on a Mazda 3 2013 Neo hatchback in the graphite colour.  Neale will now get the station wagon and we will probably sell his car (a little Hyundai Excel) to a wrecker.  The dealership offered us $250 for it.  I've just paid the car rego, so if we hand the plates in soonish, we'll get a fair portion of the $600 we paid for the registration back.  I'm planning on getting personalised number plates - but my order wouldn't process.  Will have to ring and get that sorted out.
The kids were all asking Neale as to who will drive the new car - Neale's comment is that according to the Ferengi 138th rule of acquisition - Jenny gets the new car!!!!

 

I drove the car home from the dealership - very nervously and very sedately!

My material shelves.  (they do stand straight - don't think I was though!)
My son Morgan was around and just the right time - and he got the job of putting these shelves together for me.  I'm tempted to go and buy another set!  Neale hasn't realised (but will, if he reads this post!) that I've smuggled in 3 tubs of material that were out in the shed - they're now housed on the kitchen sideboard.  I've still got another 3 tubs out in the shed, so might bring another one in.

Am so looking forward to Tuesday - it's a public holiday for the running of the Melbourne Cup.  Being the most dedicated and conscientious worker that I am - I'm taking Monday off as an annual leave day  - giving myself a nice 4 day weekend.  Hooray!  Mind you,  I've got to make sure that all my work is done on Friday -   pay sheets for my house cleaners need to be done and sent for processing with all their work organised for Monday & Wednesday. 

Laura sat her first Year 12 exam this morning - English.  She says she thinks it went ok.  Only 3 more exams to go and her schooling life is over.  Next weeks exam is for multimedia.  I'm having to leave work early on the Friday  to get her to Warragul (about 40 mins away) to sit this one.

Hadden (no 3 son) is pretty disappointed today.  He's applied to ADF and today has received a letter telling him that due to his peanut allergy (he carries an epipen - which thankfully, we've never had to use)  he is medically unfit for service.  His allergy hasn't been assessed for quite some years - hopefully with age, it might have lessened - anyway, we've told him to go to the Doctor/Specialist and get retested and check.  Not a happy chappy.

Jen

Very Excited...

I'm very excited  -  I get to pick up my new baby tomorrow night!!!

It's not sewing related at all though. 
I've arranged to leave work a little earlier tomorrow afternoon, I need to get back to Churchill to Neale up from work and then off we go....
Will post a picture tomorrow night.

Jen

Nearly Done

My sewing room is nearly done and I think it's looking totally spiffy.
That's Neale's study through the sliding door.
It would be really unfortunate if any of the 3 older boys who have moved out wish to move back in - I can offer them floor space or a couch in the lounge room now! (I think we're safe!!)

Neale put up the shelving for me on Saturday/Sunday.  After loading it up with my books it started to bend alarmingly, so Neale bought a couple more rails - much better. I was hoping to use the top shelf for all my pattern drafting/fashion design books - but it's pretty high and I'll need a ladder every-time I want to get a book down.  I think I'll keep them in the bookcase in the lounge room - much easier
I want to buy another shelving unit to store some material - but the one I'm after was not in stock at the store on Saturday.  I've seen a 8 cube unit that I think will do the job - won't fit a great deal of material in it - but enough to get inspired etc. I'm wanting to put it where the door is on the left hand side of the room.

Sunday, I seemed to spend the day moving one pile of mess to another place - slowly getting it all under control - I'm currently  reorganising my sewing cupboard in the kitchen.  Only another 2 shelves to tidy up.

I've discovered I've got more fabric that I thought I had - good grief!   Even though Neale took 5 big bags to the storage locker (years ago) , I seem to have replaced that since.  I did visit the storage locker a little while ago - but have discovered the kids have been busy dumping their stuff in there and my bags are totally buried.  It needs a major clean out - but I'm not doing it by myself.

 I love the table - which I'll use as a cutting table also.  It's not as high as I'd prefer a cutting table to be, but it's wider than my kitchen bench and it beats cutting out on the floor.

 I've got some notions in the little trolley and about 7 tubs of patterns all stacked up underneath and at the side of the table.  My drafting rulers are all in the black case on the right hand side.

 

 My sewing pantry  - not a very clear photo. The 2 top shelves still need sorting - lots of college folders and miscellaneous stuff! The third shelf, I've got  containers of zips, bindings, eIastics, buttons etc.  4th shelf - more material. I've got my small  Elna Stella and also my Brother embroidery machine  on the 5th shelf with all my machine embroidery threads and  stuff.  Bottom shelf holds all my cottons and a box of ribbings.

Sideboard in the kitchen - the big blue tub has got my mending in it (out of sight - out of mind!!) and lot's of UFO's - mainly for Laura when she was about 6-10 years old.  At now 17 3/4,(she read what I've written and I had to up the age!)  I somehow don't think she'll appreciate them! Cardboard boxes and tub of even more material!