Archive for March, 2009
Written on March 30, 2009 by Jen
Filed Under: Cool stuff
A little while back now we were sent some Lego to build and unfortunately there was a hiccup along the way because we misplaced a vital piece of the construction which delayed things somewhat.
After an intensive web search a replacement piece was ordered and sent here.
Now we have a newly built Lego Crawler Crane in the house and we also know all the places to go to find replacement pieces.
You can read the whole three part series:
Written on March 29, 2009 by Jen
Filed Under: Journal, Photos
Yesterday was a gorgeous autumn day, sky was blue, a gentle breeze in the air, and it was warm but not too warm. After doing my cleaning chores I decided we’d go for a drive in the Adelaide Hills – something I don’t normally do unless I’m visiting friends up there.
We ended up at Gumeracha which has a giant rocking horse, a toy factory and a small park with some animals.
It costs $2 to climb up the rocking horse and it wasn’t until I’d paid and climbed up a flight of stairs that I realised the rest of the way to the top meant climbing ladders. Naturally I was wearing a skirt! I was all right going up the ladder but going down freaked me out a bit more and as soon as we both got down to the bottom JJ wanted to go up again. Guess what, we didn’t.
The little animal park had an assortment of animals from swans, peacocks, one sheep, ducks, a couple of emus and a few wallabies. The animals are really tame because they’re used to being given food from strangers who walk through their park with bags or little buckets of pellets.
I did buy some things from the toy factory which I’ll show off in another post. I could have spent a whole lot more money in there as there was some great stuff.
JJ had been complaining of feeling sick and hadn’t eaten his lunch so we went straight home afterwards. I wonder if the windy roads made him feel a bit carsick and sitting in the back probably didn’t help him at all. He feel asleep on the way home as I negotiated my way down Gorge Road pulling over occasionally so the faster drivers could go past me.
And then he wouldn’t let me take his photo – talk to the hand mum.
My whole aim had been to take some photos of the gorgeous autumn colour but I think I was a bit too early for the majority of it. I saw some autumnal trees but not many and it’s hard to pull over sometimes, and to see when concentrating on staying on the road.
I’ll be doing the I like walks along the beach and quiet nights at home posts next!
Written on March 25, 2009 by Jen
Filed Under: Food and Drink
I think just about everyone, religious or not, knows the story of Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit. Most people know of the forbidden fruit as an apple.
I’m not sure where I read it but I’ve heard that it might have been a pomegranate. Has anyone heard anything similar?
When I took this photo JJ said why don’t you pick one from the tree. It wasn’t the story of Adam and Eve that stopped me, but the fact that it was taking someone elses fruit although it was hanging over the footpath and that means it’s anyone’s doesn’t it?
I kind of wish I had taken one now because it’s been too many years since I ate a pomegranate.
They wouldn’t have missed one of these surely.
Written on March 24, 2009 by Jen
Filed Under: Parenting
For the last few months the lad has been playing indoor soccer because he developed an interest in it last year and it’s not the season for the outdoor kind just yet. I was a bit dubious about him doing this because of the way he acted up at circus school (which he no longer goes to) but he’s done really well.
I’ve definitely noticed the difference in his skill level from when he started to now. He’s doing a Life Be In It kind where there’s some ball skills stuff and then they always play a game at the end. The season started out with three of these groups and now it’s pretty much down to three or four boys in the one group. I don’t know what happened to everyone else but it’s a shame they all dropped out.
To JJ’s credit, he’s stuck it out and enjoyed it to boot. Ever since JJ was born my theory has been that sport or some sort of activity will be vital to keep him active and to teach him about getting along with others. I know I will be in for cold, early mornings, and I’ll turn into a mum taxi but in the long run hopefully it will be worth it.
I’d love to know your experience with your kids playing sport, or not.
Written on March 20, 2009 by Jen
Filed Under: Photos
I’m getting THIS close to buying myself a DSLR camera. I’m still loving using my sister’s Canon 350D and am 99% certain I’ll get the Canon 450D. I went and tried one out today and got a price for it. I’m sleeping on it! Update: I slept on it last night and I bought it – the Canon 450D twin lens kit, camera bag, extended warranty, another SD card. Am charging the battery as I type.
Anyway, yesterday morning, the birds were making lots of noise in a tree I’ve got out the back so I dashed inside, put the zoom lens on my sister’s camera and went outside to take photos.
Even though it’s blurry I love this photo. The zoom lens I was using doesn’t have an inbuilt image stabiliser and when (not if) when I get my camera I’ll be getting a lens with an image stabiliser function. Now I know when looking at camera websites what IS means
Written on March 19, 2009 by Jen
Filed Under: Cool stuff
For years now I’ve been taking my own bags to the supermarket when I do my shop so I don’t have to bring home a million plastic bags. But when it’s come to purchases here and there I usually end up getting them put in some sort of bag – usually plastic – because I have had nothing with me. Until now.
I’ve finally found the answer to being able to put those other non-supermarket purchases in. It’s a nylon fold-up bag and it’s working for me.
This is what it looks like when it’s folded out and believe me you can fit quite a bit of stuff in this.
It’s really easy to fold up too, and quite quick. Fold it in half lengthways, fold the handles down as shown and then keep folding lengthways and then roll it up.
Once rolled up it’s very compact. I took a photo with my sunnies in the background (sunnies I bought from the Camberwell markets in Melbourne a good 20 years ago for $1) so you get an idea of how big the bag ends up being.
Isn’t it great? And the great thing for me is that when I get home, I unpack the bag, fold and roll it up and put it straight back into my handbag. This way, it’s there for the next time. Planning Queen, you would be proud because it’s so organised of me.
There’s even more reason and incentive for me to do this because as of early May there will no longer be lightweight plastic bags available here in South Australia. I know this one bag won’t handle my weekly shop, but it does solve the problem of having to get plastic bags occasionally when I buy clothes etc.
And even though other disposable bags will be available in other retail outlets at least I won’t have to use them any longer. My plastic bag bag (and no, it’s not plastic) I have at home should start to get emptier.
Anyway, the nylon bag I’ve shown above in the photos are available at Envirosax. There’s heaps available and they are quite affordable.
PS: I know this all sounds a bit like a sales pitch but it’s all because I think they’re great, not because I’ve been paid in any way to say they’re great.
So I want to know, do you take your own bag/s when you go shopping. If so, how do you remember them?