~How did I get to be this old.......or, Happy Birthday to me~

On the way home from Nundle we stopped off at the Central Coast where I had organized a family get-together to celebrate my upcoming birthday......

My Sister Brigita had organized this little gluten free cake for me

I look at the number and can't believe what I see.......where did the years go???

I don't feel this old......still can't say the number LOL although I have been saying I'm 30 again!!!

Here is JoJo with my brother.......he had organized the singer at the Ettalong Bowling Club to sing 'Happy Birthday' to me.......not the Happy Birthday that you sing for a cake but the song......how lovely was this I thought!!!

No sooner had I sat down when Brigita put sparkly blue feathers around my neck and Mr Armchair bought me a blue cocktail!!!

I caught up with my nearly new Great Nephew Luke

and a new little Great Nephew Connor

This is the not gluten free cake

Family shot here from back Brother Charlie, me, Great Niece Emily, Brigita, Sister Linda and my Mum

Here Brigita is holding Great Niece Grace as well

I lover this photo as it shows us 4 together with Mum

I had to put this one in.......Brigita's ring that my Mother's Friend made

it is yellow gold with a 2 centre bits representing the Friend and my Father (as they set sail during WW2 for a better life)......the gold then goes off 2 separate ways representing these 2 mates......

Such a shame my Dad is no longer here with us to see this

so I will include a pic of him here anyway....

Last night Mr Armchair took me and JoJo out for a pre birthday dinner......I'll be back about this

and today I plan to do absolutely 

N O T H I N G

well, perhaps just the essentials and care for JoJo

I did read the other day that I should be grateful as I get older as a lot of people don't make it this far

how true are these words......

so I'm back again with that blue cocktail to wish you all a   C H E E RS   from me to you

and have a great day

Love Dzintra xoxo

~JoJo and Mr Armchair visit The Golden Guitar in Tamworth~

While I was learning to do hexagons at Nundle Mr Armchair took JoJo to Tamworth the home of Australia's Country Music Festival

Standing with The Big Golden Guitar

I've never been here before but am planning to go one of these days......perhaps after a GDITC trip

Above and below JoJo looking at a wax figure of John Williamson with his Offsider beside him

(I think his name is) Pixie Jenkins

And my favourite song of John's is 'Wrinkles'......still brings a tear to my eye 

Click above to see John singing it with John Stephan.......absolutely beautiful

We even have a pic of JoJo with the real John Williamson at one of his concerts!!!

Looking at Chad Morgan

One of my favourites......Smoky Dawson

Who can forget the song 'The Old Days of Khancoban'......I just love it

Click above to hear Lee Kernaghan with Smoky singing that song

JoJo with Lee

The much loved Slim Dusty......I reckon his most famous song would have to be 

'The Pub With No Beer'

With Troy Cassar-Daley who co-incidentally was playing here in our town while we were in Nundle

Looking mighty pleased to be here wearing her my James Blundell tshirt

James is above JoJo's left shoulder.......His songs Old Man and Kimberly Moon are my favourites

(I'm having trouble finding clips of these songs)

Proudly displaying her Golden Guitar mug and wearing a 25 year celebratory tshirt

the last one available in JoJo's favourite colour......blue

I even scored a little gift from Mr Armchair and JoJo

this lovely bottle from Odgers & Mclelland at Nundle

together with a little recipe for Home Made Lemonade

How cool is that!!!!!!

~Girls Day In The Country at Nundle 2013~

GDITC was held at the Memorial Hall at Nundle and this was the sign welcoming us all
This day is hosted by Kerry from The Cottage on the Hill

Quilts and flowers by the front entry......so welcoming

A little box of requirements for the day along with a coffee mug which we got to keep (I swapped my pink one for an aqua one with Cheryll)

see on the right hand side of the little box the white ric rac

I was on the White Ric Rac table

amongst the goodies was a Charm Pack by Riley Blake Designs

included was a little notebook which I managed to swap and get this one off Dawnie

then realized that Kerry's project was for a journal cover

I'll have to get myself a new little book as I can't bring myself to cover this one!!!

Kerry's project......A Journal Cover

and the real deal......

Guest Tutor for the day was Sue Daley and the project was a butterfly made out of the charm pack we received.  This version is on a box lid

Kerry had made hers to insert into the top of the little box we all received

And this one on a bag cover

And woo hooo here is my first hexagon

 Around our table I spotted this little project above using 'clamshells'.  This is last year's project also by Sue....Kerry has the guest tutors for 2 years in a row and next year's is Lynette Anderson and I am already booked in!!!

This lovely little pencil case or any sort of case belongs to Susan

the design is by Anni Downs......how gorgeous is this......I might have to add this to my looooong list of things to make

Our table in the centre

At lunchtime I had a quick walk around town and checked out Odgers & Mclelland Exchange Stores

The store, established by John Odgers and William McClelland, began trading in the early 1890's selling everything necessary for the surrounding farming community and acting as an exchange for gold and produce.

'Real' brooms

Nundle is also home to the well known Nundle Woollen Mill

Here is Donna aka Chookyblue standing with me

And our Hostess with the Mostest Kerry with Chooky

(love that skirt Kerry!)

me with Kerry

From left back......Alison, Cheryll, Lea, Dawnie, Trish and me

Deb and Susan

Kerry had organized a little swap (above is mine) for everybody which was a scissor fob (no scissors, I just put mine in for a photo because they happened to match)

This was received by Bec (no blog)

And I received this one from Cheryl (no blog)

Group Blog Photo of the Girlfriends (as JoJo would say)

Sue is on the left of the middle row

I had a great time at Nundle......in fact so did Mr Armchair and JoJo and we are all looking forward to next year with Lynette!!!!!

But wait, there's more to come LOL......

Mr Armchair took JoJo to Australia's Country Music Capital, Tamworth

Kerry had an Antique Quilt Show on Saturday night

and I had a birthday celebration with my family on the way home