mum – Page 2 – helenthura.com

December 22, 2008

Christmas Lights

I have gone out two times in the last few weeks to have a look at Christmas Lights, the first time it was just Karl, Mum and I. We stopped first at a street in Carina which is where the following photos were taken.

We then continued on our way to Rochedale South where Mini Sal (the little brother of a friend of Karl’s) had put on a *little bit of a light display*. Such a *little display* that he won the best new entrant in the lights competition. Which is pretty cool. So cool that he got on Gizmodo a couple of days ago. It was so cool.

Here is a little bit about the display as written in an email that Mini Sal sent.

– It’s all computer controlled, with almost 300 individually controlled channels of lights,
– It’s synchronized to music, which is played on speakers in the yard and broadcast over a low power FM transmitter (which you can listen to by tuning to 91.7 FM),
– There’s about 600 metres of rope light and about 420 sets of fairy lights used in the display, which gives a total of more than 70,000 individual lights,
– The entire display consumes about 85 amps of power when fully on — I don’t actually have the power capacity to turn it all on at once, even after getting 6 extra dedicated circuits installed for the display. 🙁
– The display this year is dedicated to the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, and there’s a collection box out front if anyone would like to make a donation.

The display was soo cool. Lots of red, white and green lights, Christmas music and a whole heap of lights. Here are a few photos from the display and then I will put some of the youtube videos at the bottom which give a good picture of how the display works.

This row of Christmas trees was probably my favourite part of the display, so keep an eye out for them in the video and watch them dance.

The introduction to the loop and a little about the display.

Silent Night – I love how the the lights “wake up” in this.

Wizards in Winter – like many others inspired by this youtube video from a couple of years ago

Good King Joy- watch the row of Christmas trees.

Jingle Bell Rock – do the rock.

Christmas Eve Sarajevo – lots of colour runs in this, I love it

The house is on Childs St, Rochedale South, so if you are in Brisbane and have a free evening, take the kids, take the dog, take the neighbour, it is well worth it.

November 29, 2008

a little bit of class

I remember the first time I saw a Spencer and Rutherford handbag, Grandmum, Mum and I were in the city David Jones. Grandmum was buying stockings, I think it was even the trip when Grandmum bought Mum her good straw hat. There was a sort of inbuilt fancy shelves in the wall and there was a sign that said Spencer and Rutherford and it was filled with these most gorgeous handbags; lots of beads, lace and fancy fabrics.

Since I have started full time work, I have often looked at the Spencer and Rutherford display in DJs and ummmed and ahhhed about buying a bag but time and time again I just couldn’t justify the price. Yesterday when I was flipping through this weeks Brisbane News and saw a little ad, advertising a Spencer and Rutherford clearance sale at the RNA. I ummmed and ahhhed about going but I am so glad I went now! I picked up three beautiful pieces.

I was so taken by this bag – Beatrice but I just couldn’t pay $200 for it. It was so so so so pretty. This is the bag that I really ummmed and ahhed about the most. It looked like it would fit my laptop but what if didn’t? I rang Mum and got her get my laptop measurements off the website but of course I din’t have a tape measure with me. I sized it up with a piece of A4 paper and my drivers licence. Then I spied two laptops at the “cashier’s desk” so I asked if I could see if they would fit, they both did and the cashier aka a man who I am pretty sure was Chris Michaelides the business manager of the company said his wife (who if I am right is Kim Michaelides the creative designer) used to use this bag as her laptop bag and she had a macbook. When I got home, I sighed my laptop well and truly fits inside! This bag cost me $99, on the website they are selling it for $171 and I have seen it DJs for round the $250 mark. nice!

This is the other bag I got. I had been looking at a larger bag of the same fabric in DJs on and off for the past year, so when I saw this bag, I picked it up to my chest and sighed. So gorgeous and so classy yet still cheerful enough for me. I am looking forward to swinging this off my shoulder 🙂 This cost me $79 and in the shops it is round the $220 mark.

My final purchase was a new wallet. I have been using a gorgeous little coin purse that I got at Fossil a few years ago but wanted something a little more grown up and more than just the single pocket. This is what I picked up $39, though mine is a navy colour not the red in the photo. So pretty! If you click on the picture it will take you to the listing on the S&R website and you can see the Matryoshka doll coin purse that is inside it.

November 26, 2008

Gatton and beyond

A few moons ago, Mum, Grandad and I took a trip out past Gatton, just to drive the roads and see what was around. It proved to be a great day for me taking photos with my then new to me 135mm f2 lens. Here are some of the photos

The first set were taken by the side of the road looking at a field of what had contained cabbages and broccoli. I just loved the colour and the patterns. The second series were taken at the Glen Rock recreation park, where we had lunch, a little walk, a read in the info shack and some photos. It was a relativity brisk day for September and at one stage I had a tea towel wrapped across my back to keep out the wind. The wattle was just gorgeous and I loved taking these photos. There was also this gorgeous field of long grass which has the most amazing seed tendrils.

The day ended with us having afternoon tea sitting on the footpath outside the Gatton craft shop as the parks were too windy, which was something we have done before but still quite a sight to see.

November 23, 2008

Sunday, day of cleaning

I spent this morning cleaning the windows in my room, they were filthy. First I scrubbed, then I scrubbed again and a rinse and then a polish with the window cleaner. Now I have windows that I can bear to look out of. I also managed to get rid of all the cardboard boxes as well, my room is now looking quite homely. I didn’t get my ironing done though, that will need to be done in the morning I guess nor did I get a chance to tackle the stove in the kitchen. I am slowly cleaning my way through the house.

One downside of new house is that I am now in high possum area and said possums are eating my lettuce (not that I can eat lettuce now anyway but I have been giving Mum and Matthew picked leaves once a week). I have moved the pot so it is now beside the kitchen stairs where there is more light at night so I will see how that goes.

When I was cleaning my windows today the resident Scrub Turkey came for a visit as well (yes my street has a resident Scrub Turkey, I tend to see him/her at least once a day). So cool.

My room has picture rails so when Mum and I went to Bunnings yesterday I picked up some picture hooks and wire. I was so excited then when I got home and tried them they didn’t fit! I was devastated. I was sooo looking forward to using the picture rails. At the moment I have some of my foam core mounted photos and LPs propped up on the picture rails and my framed pieces wrapped up beneath my bed.

Once I had cleaned and cleaned some more it was off to Mum’s and then off to The Farm. We have crumbed fish and veg every time we go to The Farm for dinner but tonight the fish tasted even better than it normally does. We also spent time counting the linen to make sure Grandad has enough to house the NZ contingent as well as other general planning. Man oh man I can’t wait for December! Only nine sleeps to go till the first of the outer towners arrives!

November 16, 2008

a missed chance

Mum and I went to The Farm today and just before Mum started cooking tea, my phone rang. “Hi Helen, it’s Leanne from SES, are you free tonight?” It broke my heart so much to say that I was up north so I couldn’t go out tonight. I so dearly wanted to say yes as it would have been my first activation and it would have been a storm activation at that and I would have gotten my oranges.

sigh. We have had one hell of a storm this evening though. We left Brisbane round 1545 ish and as we drove the view out the rear just got progressively darker. A while after we got to The Farm, it started blowing a gale and then it got darker again and the rain started. It rained, and it rained and it rained.

As we drove home there were branches down all over the place and traffic lights and street lights out all over the place as well. I thought about giving them a ring to see if it was too late to come down and join a crew but then I thought that I am fairly exhausted from a big weekend moving and I have 38 Navy kids enlisting at 0700 or 0730 in the morning, I need sleep!

I am now sitting in my room at Auchenflower and the rain stopped probably 10 minutes ago. The only sound now is the trains as they zip past and the various bug noises.

Oh well I have SES tomorrow night and I am sure I will hear all about what I missed out on (clearing gutters I bet)

November 2, 2008

a little flower

Since shifting out, I have bought myself more flowers. I don’t go buying flowers every week (my money doesn’t stretch that far!) but maybe once every six weeks or so something will grab my eye at the market and I will walk past it a few times thinking “yes, no, yes, no, yes, no, YES”. Last week it was these Waratahs. The flowerman said they would last two weeks or so. I have had these now a week and they hare now a lot less full of colour and they are taking on this interesting grey colour. When I told Mum that I have picked up these Waratahs, she told me of a scheme for next year to go see the Red Waratahs in flower. I think that sounds like the most delightful idea 🙂

Just living is not enough… One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.
– Hans Christian Andersen