Pics From OUR WEEKEND...continued from last post!!!

Hi there...hope you are all having a lovely weekend...

This post will mainly be visual...more pics of our weekend of respite recently...On Sunday morning we thought...let's go out for lunch...after having been home on Saturday just relaxing...enjoying and doing some little things around the house plus some stitching!!!

I love to stitch when I have a little time...along with some incense...or a scented candle...and of course some nice music!!!

Photo above is the entrance to our favourite Restaurant "On The Pier" which is also a Seafood Restaurant...set by the banks of the Clyde River...here on Australia's South Coast...


It was a cloudy day...but that's okay the food was still delicious!!!

Looking upriver...
Rising in the rugged coastal mountain ranges, the river system flows south through spectacular mountain regions, through three National Parks and no less than ten State Forests in the Clyde Valley, widening into a broad, navigable estuary and finally reaching the Pacific Ocean at Batemans Bay after a journey of around 125 kms.


It is one of the last major rivers in Eastern Australia that remains undammed.
The Clyde has the cleanest, least polluted waters of any major river in Eastern Australia...


Many Restaurants source their Sydney Rock Oysters from the Clyde...

Now for a bit of lunch...

Hubby's choice...Flathead Fillets with a Mango Salad...

Fat Chips and Aioli...

I chose Scallops wrapped in Proscuitto...with Pork Belly in a salad...

Scallops would have to be my all time favourite seafood...

and I just love Pork Belly!!!

Hubby's Dessert...Baclava Pastry and Poached Honey Pear...

Mine was Rocky Road Semi-freddo...warm Chocolate Fudge Sauce and Lemon Ricotta Pastries....all very delicious!!!

Afterwards a little stroll around the banks of the River...

Many Wedding Receptions are held here...

Dining is also on the little extension above...

it all looks just so romantic...especially at night with lights around!!!

On Monday morning we headed up the Coast to collect our JoJo...

but couldn't resist a cafe latte at Ulladulla overlooking the river there...

Further up the road a Patchwork Shop...the Jukejema Quilting and Patchwork Shop...

Some of the lovely samples above...

A lovely Friendship Verse...

And the shopfront...

We had a lovely weekend as you can see from these pics and from the last post pics...

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves...and are looking forward to perhaps another holiday for JoJo next year...this just so allowed us to re-charge...and take a break from the continual job of Caring!!!

And if it sounds as though we did a lot of eating and drinking...we sure did!!!

Till next post...Happy Stitching...Happy Reading and enjoy all that you do...Dzintra Ingrid

Please...can we have some more?...Respite that is!!!

We both...DH and I...have had a lovely relaxing time just doing 'normal' things while JoJo was off on respite last weekend...Here is the bus that she went on... After that we quickly hot-footed it off to Berry not too far away from JoJo's pick-up point...Berry is the most charming little place...antique shops...cafes...a gorgeous Needlework shop...so with this post I thought I would show you some of the places we saw...

Started off with a nice salad on this lively table...

This lovely welcoming staircase in one of the shops...

Just a verandah on the Pub we thought...until we looked up at the awning...

and found this old banner for a Lloyd Rees and Brett Whiteley Exhibition...These gents are 2

of Australia's most prominent Painters...

And how gorgeous is this shop front...covered in ivy!!!

The Berry Dance Studio...nice and rustic!!!

Another stop along the way at Milton found us at a cafe with this blackboard sign...and how could we resist!!! A cup of hot chocolate...70% with chilli in it...just like the one made in one of my favourite Movies...Chocolat starring Juliette Binoche...who by the way wears the most exquisite shoes in the movie...Also starring is the gorgeous Johnny Depp as a dashing Pirate!!!

We had this very special treat behind these windows...and the sign is dead right!!!

And the most interesting of vintage cars...A Willys Jeep 1955 by Chrysler...at first sight it appears green...

From another angle a rusty colour...then gold...

another shade of green...then purple...all in all I counted 8 different shades!!!

Vintage cars are a favourite of mine...

And check this out...a mirror with a few Crowns around it...how could Queen of the Armchair not have it!!! Hubby said...okay you'll have to have that for you!!!

Just a few pics here...I'll be back in a few days with more of 'our time'...

Until then...enjoy your Sunday!!!

It's All About JoJo...A Happy Birthday Wiggly Party...And Some Much Needed Respite...

Last weekend we had a very special occassion at this house...JoJo's Birthday!!! She waits all year for this...as she does all occassions and enjoys every moment of every occassion...and she will cheers to that person as well quite a few days before the special day...especially hers!!! A pic of the teddy I saw at last week's Craft Fair and could not resist purchasing...almost as if she spoke to me...I was eyeing her off and the Sales Assistant said...is she speaking to you? That does it I thought...she must be destined for us...!!!

JoJo has named her Jess!!!

Oops...out of order here...

This delightful owl was sent to JoJo all the way from Ireland by Micki and has been named the Harry Potter Owl!!!

Thank you so much Micki for the Harry Potter Owl!!!


JoJo getting acquainted with 'Jess'


JoJo's little Nephew...Ryan


Wiggles Pinata...

Plate...

Cake...

and what party could be without sweets!!!

We all had a beautiful day celebrating!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JOJO!!!

Meanwhile...this weekend we are celebrating another occassion!!!

JoJo is away on a little holiday for 3 nights and 3 days...

We are going to be a couple for that time...and do what some people do on weekends...

Enjoy a whole movie without interruption...

Do what we want...when we want...

Have a break from bedtime and bathtime...

Go for a beachwalk when we want...

Enjoy some freedom from caring...

And keep adult hours...not 9-3pm..

We have already started our break...

But I'm sure we will miss our girl!!!

Surprise Gifts...and a Hot Chocolate Finish!!!

Close up from a pic on my new shelves below...

Wow...on Friday I came home with JoJo to 2 envelopes...one for each us!!!

What a wonderful unexpected surprise from Bev over at Kainga Happenings

Machine embroidered...all ready to turn into something special...mmm thinking of a "Royal Cushion'...maybe even make it my logo!!!

a lovely card with the words...
Dishes done, papers read, children snuggled into bed
Hours past the setting sun -
I count my blessings...one by one
~Artwork Designs by D. Morgan~

and a stitchery for JoJo as well...with a windmill and water tank!!!

JoJo's card with the words...Variations old and new...
His rhapsody in green and blue...
~Artwork by D. Morgan~
Very apt seeing we live near the sea!!!
Thank you so very much dear Bev...we are both completely over the moon with your generosity!!! We raved about these all weekend!!!

And to follow on from a previous post about our sewing area my Hubby over the weekend finished these shelves...here they are all nicely organized to start with...we'll see how long they stay that way...

A full pic of the Dresden Plate table mat purchased at the Craft Fair last week...can't resist those warm Autumn colours...

On a visit up to the big smoke recently I came across some flaked chocolate from Koko Black...the pack came complete with a recipe for Hot Chocolate...

100ml each of milk and thickened cream
50g Koko Black Dark Chocolate Flakes
sugar and chilli powder (optional)

Pour the milk and cream into a cup and stir to blend, heat 90 seconds approx
or alternately warm on stovetop
Whisk in chocolate flakes, sugar as desired and 1/4t chilli
Stir thoroughly...relax and enjoy
How easy is that...now I think I'm off to try this on this chilly evening!!!

Out To Play For A Day...At The Craft And Quilt Fair!!!

Well I've had a lovely day today...off to the Craft and Quilt Fair for a whole day!!! Lucky us...we were able to get some Respite Care for JoJo and I had a whole day to myself at the Fair!!! I feel like I have played for the day...did some retail therapy...met up with friends from our old town...and friends from our new town...and came across a Blogger...Sylvia

Here's Sylvia at her Stall...Hobbysew...

Jan and Sonya-Cormeaux Jones from Giggle Buttons...I had spoken to Sonya a few years ago on the phone and it was cool to meet her!!!
Some of my purchases...


One big fat book...the best kind...of Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Tree Quilts...including The Runaway Quilt, The Quilter's Legacy and The Master Quilter...I have just recently started The Quilter's Apprentice and am thoroughly enjoying the series so far...

Had to have this Dresden place little table mat...I fell in love with these gorgeous Autumn colours...

And this beautiful stitchery with the birdy on!!!
I have had a great day thanks to being able to get some respite and now I'm all set for JoJo's birthday on the weekend...and maybe start a new project!!!