rainbowtatt

God bless the Queen for having an un-birthday and giving us a long weekend. Cause we needed it.

This weekend I managed to:

• Catch up with local and non-local friends and their offspring (kids are cute, but they’re cuter when I get to hand them back to their parents/grandparents
• Have the wedding make-up trial with my BFF a.k.a The Chief Bridesmaid
• Catch up with my sisters to plan the next stages of how we look after mum, who’s still unwell and still in hospital
• Attend Jarod & Liz‘s Informal Wedding Celebrations™ and stuff our faces stupid with pizza, pasta and icecream and make copious notes of what ideas we’re going to copy for our wedding/pizza/cupcakes party
• ZOMG I BOUGHT A WEDDING DRESS. Not unlike the one pictured above. This shot was taken just as the shop assistant suggest I strike a pose for the trial photo

Needless to say, after such an eventual and social weekend, I’m kinda looking forward to a week at work that’ll slow the pace down a bit.

I get an email every  month to remind me how long til we get hitched.

So with four months to go, here’s what I’m “supposed” to be focusing on

1. Reserve bridal suite for wedding night
2. Select gifts for each other
3. Select gifts for bridal party
4. Hire wedding vehicles for the bridal party, you will need to decide what sort of transport you need and where the two parties are getting ready

Instead, I really need to be focusing on

1. What we’re going to wear (because at this stage we’ll be nude)
2. Who our celebrant will be (we have his phone number, so that’s a start)
3. How we’re inviting people (because apparently Facebook won’t cut it for everyone)

What else should I be doing to plan Our Big Day?

The other day I was minding my own beeswax up at the local shops, waiting at the lights, waiting to cross the road.

I noticed a guy standing near me who was also waiting to cross the road. Then I noticed that he was recording me on his iPhone!

This is how he was standing:

Just imagine that it’s a man wearing a black jacket and holding a black iPhone. Also, his boobs weren’t as big as mine.

He was standing stock still, with his phone pointed right at me. He was looking down, but his head was at an angle that would have given him a better view of what was being recorded. I cottoned onto what the hell was going on and moved closer to him. I starting eyeballing him and he suddenly put his phone in his pocket and got all twitchy.

Once the lights changed he hotstepped it across the street and I started charging after him. Not that I knew what I was going to do – and not that I had any actual reason to suspect him, except that he was standing funny and holding his phone like he was filming for a Today Today expose – but I didn’t want him to think he was going to get away with it.

He ended up at the nearby pub and I was going to go in and challenge him, but I chickened out because I wasn’t in the mood for being punched in the face. A minute later I walked back, ready to ask him to show me what he recorded on his phone.

But he was gone. And now I’m kicking myself that I didn’t think quick enough to bust his chops when I had the chance. But then I wonder what might’ve happened if I did…?

Did I do the right thing? Should I have challenged him on the street straight away where I was unprotected? Should I have challenged him in the pub where staff and patrons would be witnesses? Did I do the right thing to not actually confront him at all?

Cause I’ve been fantasising that I totally kicked his arse and he never filmed another unsuspecting woman ever again.

Some time this week I magically turned thirty-two.

32!

Isn’t that meant to be old? Cause I don’t feel old (though, listening to ABC radio, I think I automatically qualify, regardless).

I’ve been royally spoilt by my friends and family, some which I’ve either blogged about or posted to flickr.

I also got these, which was a massive surprise cause I totally intended to reimburse Leigh for these:

Needless to say, I’m feeling very very verrrrrrrrrrrry spesh this week :)

Things I’ve learned about the number thirty two (thanks, Wikipedia)!:

• A soccer ball is made with 32 panels of leather
• The number of teeth of a full set of teeth in an adult human, including wisdom teeth
• 32 is the smallest number n with exactly 7 solutions to the equation φ(x) = n (okay, I’m going to trust you on that one)
• 32 is the ninth happy number (and now I know what a happy number is, so this exercise hasn’t been a complete waste)
• 32 = 11 + 22 + 33

This post is part of Noice-ities at That’s Noice – why don’t you join in and share something noice that’s happened to you this week?

WELL! May was a month I was more than happy to say goodbye to. That said, I learned a lot (about me, about family and life in general) and I grew a lot. So not all was lost.

My last month as a 31-year-old. WOO!

1. 121/365: crochet zzzzzzz, 2. 122/365: a typical setting of late, 3. 123/365: Yogi! Liz! Cupcake class!!!, 4. 124/365: tired, but has icecreams!, 5. 125/365: red lights of Leichhardt, 6. 126/365: showing leigh my crotch, 7. 127/365: bed snuggles with ipad, 8. 128/365: smellvis, 9. 129/365: happy mothers day, 10. 130/365: I was given a fruit basket; excitement meant I forgot facepic, 11. 131/365: had mum admitted to hospital today, 12. 132/365: another day without a pic, 13. 133/365: feels like my brain’s falling out while trying to manage mum in hospital, 14. 134/365: bloggers without makeup day, 15. 135/365: piking out, sorry, 16. 136/365: shake out those cobwebs, 17. 137/365: i spend a lot of time on the phone these days, 18. 138/365: me, 19. 139/365: failed. Have a cupcake recipe instead, 20. 140/365: slaving away at the computer, 21. 141/365: last yawn before bed, 22. 142/365: pre-ghd hair. Luffly, isn’t it?, 23. 143/365: my flowers and my kitty, 24. 144/365: good moaning, 25. 145/365: me and my shadow, 26. 146/365: Big Ben, 27. 147/365: someone likes the new jumper i bought. and so does elvis!, 28. 148/365: rainbow yaycake!, 29. 149/365: resting on a bag of YARN., 30. 150/365: new installation, 31. 151/365: kisses for my sister

Another week and another chance to focus on the positives. Easy-peasy this week:

I’ve been getting luffly things in the post this week from friends I originally met online. That in itself is pretty amazing, but they’re writing cards too. I forget that card-writing still exists in this day and age, so to think that people sit down with the sole purpose to write words FOR ME? Because they’d heard I’d been having a rough time? Because they wanted to cheer me up?

That, right there, is awesome. And is exactly why I love the internet :)

(And yes, each of these things (and even the bits that didn’t make it into the photo) totally cheered me up this week) xxx

POSTSCRIPT: I didn’t mention the other reasons why I love that the internet has given me fantastic friends. I’ve had friends let me stay with them in the UK, friends who give me jobs, encourage me to start my own business, refer new clients to me, offer to give me assistance design or coding issues for the business and even offer to teach me how to crochet and hold baking nights. We share our skills with each other and give support when we need it. At the risk of sounding mushy, there are friends I’ve made that I knew from very early on that they would be long-lasting and my life is infinitely better because I have them in my life.

Alex of Crafternoon describes her crafting as having “enthusiastic bursts” and when I read this I burst out laughing. Cause I’m the bloody same!

Let’s see, that sewing machine I bought last month… I haven’t touched it in about 3 weeks. It’s starting to collect dust.

BUT! It’s because I’ve fallen in love with crochet (which I keep mis-typing as “crotch”, which is, erm, lovely).

It started as a big plan to go to a class through The Craft Room after perving on Sarah London’s stunning crochet work. But realised that I couldn’t afford to go as quickly as my ADHD wanted me to. So I’ve been teaching myself courtesy of YouTube videos. Lots of YouTube videos. I’ve made lots of practice pieces and about 3 times I’ve started a “proper” crochet project of a blankie and each time I get distracted after about 4 days and want to start it again using a different method. Or different YARRRRRRRRN (American ladies of YouTube have infiltrated my brain).

I just went on a quick hunt around the house for random crochet pieces and this is what I found:

There’s more. I just can’t find it all. Some have been stolen by the cats to be used as playthings. So I guess all is not lost.

I went through a knitting phase about four years ago (I made three scarves). Sewing is clearly out for the time being and I’m wondering how long the crochet will survive. I currently take crochet wherever I go, on lunch dates, to work, to hospital when I visit mum… I’m even known to crochet while watching Doctor Who or while sitting up in bed instead of reading. So I guess this is the height of my “enthusiastic burst”?

I’m planning on popping along to a Crafternoon session very very soon. I love the idea of hanging out with a bunch of cool crafty ladies and picking up tips and tricks while nomming on cafe snacks.

So this week’s been, well, shite. Friday afternoon, I hit my wall. I decided to stop sweating the big stuff and focus on the simple pleasures of life.

Like the cupcakes that Liz & Jarod made especially for me and delivered on Friday night:

(Don’t tell them, but I still get a bit of a leaky eye when I think of the effort that went into these, just for me!)

I got to hang out with Big Angus yesterday and we laughed at fart noises and played in the park and he let me watch him jump all over the couch:

I hung out on the floor and took photos of Elvis:

And I wore my new cupcake PJs whenever I was home (Liz and Jarod can vouch for this one!)

So even though there are a multitude of things I’m behind on with housework, web work, wedding planning… this weekend I said stuffit and focused on me.

I shook out those cobwebs and I feel much betterer for it.

Do you take enough time “out” to focus on enjoying the simple pleasures in life?

When I first heard about Mummy Mayhem’s Bloggers Without Makeup Day, I was wondering who takes the time to put makeup on for blogging?

But we all have egos and we largely only upload photos after multiple takes or a bit a lot of photoshopping. So the concept of taking and sharing a photo without me sticking my chin out to hide my double chin/s actually makes a lot of sense. Let’s celebrate who we are and how we look when no one else is looking.

Voila, gullet and all:

And now it’s time to focus on this week’s Noice-ities. I’ve definitely got a few things that have made me smile.

First off, my Bulldogs-themed crochet blankie that my great Aunty Val made me when I was… about 11? Sure, it’s not the right shade of blue, but whatevs. I thought this thing was long lost, and have been thinking about it a lot with my recent foray into the crochet world. THEN I FOUND IT! when I was at mum’s the other night. I’ve washed it, aired it and oh hai, now you’re sitting on my lap while I’m blogging:

I have so much respect for this blankie now, knowing how much time Great Aunty Val must have put into it. And the stitches are so neat. I’m trying to replicate the even tension in my own crocheting. Emphasis on trying.

Then today I went on a mini shopping spree and bought (amongst other things) cupcake PJ pants! I’ve got them on now.

The other noice-ity that’s made my week is my posse of intewebby friends on Twitter, Facebook and forums that I’m a member of (you unnamed girls know who you are!). Regardless of how well I know these interwebby people in real life, I’ve gotten so many messages of encouragement and support. It’s made such a difference to my week. I’m never short of reasons why I love the internet, especially on weeks like these. Thanks guys :)

If you haven’t already, you should totally join in with Noice-ities and with Bloggers Without Makeup Day.

• Dot points removed

My life will continue like this for at least another week, until we know what’s next for us all.

I’m totally surviving on Dory’s “Just keep swimming” mantra. And bottles of V.

Is it possible to buy shares in the V company?

In the meantime, something that’s appropriate for my level of brain function as well as attention span.

OH LOOK, KITTEHS!!!!