Fanny Adams

You ladies make me sad . I have plans on getting one of our huge bird-eating spiders, which grow to about 6" to 8" span, to keep in a terrarium :thumbup:. Anyhoo... sorry I haven't posted in so long. I do stop in to read now and then, but I don't have my laptop up on site any more as the connection was just too sucky to tolerate (I've been reading LOTS!). While I've been home for 3 days on weekends, I've been flat out like a lizard drinking!! For example, yesterday I was wielding an oil paint brush and Allen key, putting together our new outdoor suite. It's an 11 piece suite in ironwood, and I had to unpack, oil, rub down and build every piece! I am teh QUEEN of the Allen key, baby!! Chris was busy at the same time, playing Tonka Trucks with a hired excavator, turning over the soil so he could dig trenches for the garden bed foundations: And before anyone says anything, yes, I know the fencing isn't very attractive but it is brand new and was put in by the developer who subdivided our plots, and would cost thousands to replace. We thought about covering it up with bamboo or twig fencing but decided that we wanted other things in our budget more, so we're going to live with it and just cover it over with greenery. Today's project was to take the flower bed outside the dining room & kitchen from this: To this!! While Chris got to play with his new cement mixer (so from Tonka Trucks to mud pies!!): And then dig more trenches! PS: Isn't my man simply gorgeous! I love that photo of him - no way he looks his age of 51!!

Well done fgallant!! You're over halfway there and I'll bet you're feeling 100% better already! Keep up the good work and you will reach your goal. Congrats also to xxlaneyxx! Doesn't it feel great closing right in on goal like that! You'll be there before you know it!

I see your Sound of Music and raise you a: "Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome!" Come back, Tap!

Sorry Taps... I'm pretty busy these days and don't have good internet connection in my room in camp, so hard to post at night.

No, you didn't miss any news, Taps. That was the first I'd posted about it. I've actually been officially unemployed for the last month and was starting to get a little panicky over the 3/4's of a million debt I'm in with 3 mortgages... eek! But all is rosy again in my world :cursing:

Hi folks. I'm still here and reading occasionally but SO busy that I haven't had time to post much lately. I've been in my new house for 2 weeks and all unpacked now - it's looking really nice too! Just started back at my old job in Argyle Diamonds and flew up to site last night, with today being my first day. It's so nice to catch up with everyone again and really gratifying to get so much positive feedback from people who have missed me and my work :cursing:

Well it hasn't happened so far - as you can see, I got no replies to the invitation post I made in August :thumbup: Oh well...

Would any of the Perth bandsters be interested in getting together for a dinner one night or lunch one day? I am only home in Perth every second week (work on the mines, one week on/one week off), but would love to catch up with some Perth bandsters when I am home. Ideas for get togethers: * Find a nice restaurant and all order an entree (and no-one has to feel odd because of that!) * Have a Monthly Lunch or Dinner Party at someone's house, serving bandster style food and portions (everyone takes turns to host). * Have a picnic in Kings Park, with a BYO picnic lunch

Good luck to all our new bandsters!!

You'll find that the 3rd day is the worst and everything should get better after that. As Linny said, try pressing a small cushion or pillow onto the wound area to brace it, when you feel a sneeze coming on. If you haven't got one handy, even just the flat of your hand will help.

How are you feeling today, DaniRae? I found the third day was the worst, as that was when the anaesthetic had completely worn off but I was still really sore from the op. Every day after that, it got better but the port pain hangs around for quite a while, but very localised. Walk as soon as you can stand and as much as you can, especially after meals (even liquid meals!) It really helps with the gas pains and will gradually build up your tolerance for walking. Just do laps around your loungeroom or walk to the letterbox and back, if that's all you can manage at the beginning - every little bit helps!

*does the Happy Dance* It's been 2 months shy of 2 years and I have passed the biggest milestone that I set in my mind! I am only 10kg short of goal and I'm going in today for my final consultation with the plastic surgeon before my op in December (which will be at 2 years out, almost to the day). I'm so excited and thrilled to have come this far - best thing I EVER did for myself, without doubt!

Well according to the doc, they won't be small implants!! I told him I wanted my E cups back again (only sitting in the right place) and to achieve that, I'm going to have to go for the 400ml implants. I "tried them on" inside my bra and OMG they looked HUGE! Not 100% sure I want to go that big, but it did only properly fill up my baggy bra and that was what I asked for. It's weird to think that when I bought this bra, it was way too small and gave me that horrid double-boobage line. I had to wait a couple of months after buying them before I could wear them and now the cups are only half full *sigh* Not buying new bras at this point though - will wait till after the op and get refitted properly.

Good luck, DaniRae!! It's a long haul but so worth the effort - hang in and you'll get there!

I'm off for my pre-op visit with my plastic surgeon, to finalise the details of what I'm having done. I only have 6 weeks to go now, so getting really excited!! I've lost even more weight off my boobs, so I'm going to ask him about some small implants. I don't want little boobs!! I still want my honkers (would really feel something was missing without them), I just want them to sit up where they belong again, instead of these deflated old balloons flapping about on my chest *shudders*

*waves* Hi all... well Box Mountain is slowly diminishing but still a long way to go. I had to go out yesterday and buy contact to cover the pantry shelves because they were all grotty, even after cleaning. It's just basic white, but at least I could put my food away. The pantry is quite literally THREE times the size of my previous one, which was packed up to the gills, so it's been wonderful being able to fit everything in with room to spare. I don't like the kitchen cupboards though - the doors are too narrow and they go back way too far, so hard to get stuff into/out of and easy to lose things in the back. Nevermind though - the kitchen is on the list for remodelling so it's only temporary. It's not at the top of the list though, so it will probably be a year or more before we get to it. I'm loving the size and space of everything else, from the bedroom to the laundry linen closet, it feels like everything has tripled in size :scared2: And did I mention I have horses over the road? HORSES!!! I won't get over that thrill for a very long time :w00t:

Hi all! Well the move went pretty smoothly considering how much stuff I have!! Who'da thunk it? I couldn't believe how much it all was once they started loading the truck. It filled the truck entirely (approx 45 cubic metres of stuff) and a heap was left behind. It took us TEN car loads to cart the leftovers and even then we left some junk behind in the back of the garage, because the skip bin had been picked up already. We're both aching all over and I have a MOUNTAIN of unpacking to do but we're in, the old house has been cleaned throughout and the doors locked and I've waved goodbye... I'll post some pics of Box Mountain soon...

Hi all :sad: Just a quick drive by posting to wave at everyone and then I have to get back to my packing. Moving day is tomorrow!! We've already got the keys to the new house and spent the weekend putting locks on all the windows and doors (would you believe not a SINGLE lock worked in the house? The windows didn't even HAVE locks to work!) While Chris was being Mr Handyman, I was working my butt off cleaning the litter and disgusting rubbish from the front porch and back patio area and weeding the 3ft high weeds growing in between the bricks of all the paved areas. I was so proud of myself at the end of it - I cleared out an area 11m x 8m (that's about 1ft shy of 950 square foot!!) all by myself in one afternoon. Here's a before and after shot of the main part of the area I did: The inside of the house was just filthy. I don't know how anyone can live like that!! I have cleaners over there right now, disinfecting everything in sight, before we move our furniture in tomorrow. *hugs* to all - I'll probably be MIA for the next couple of days - so much to do!! *edits* This is how thick the grass/weeds were in the area where I am sitting (in the above photo):

Well that fill is definitely doing its job. I've lost 7lb in 7 days, which is more than I've lost in the previous 2 months. It is uncomfortably tight though :wink2:. I made a big mistake with lunch yesterday and was miserable all afternoon. Last night, Chris and I went back to the place where we had our first date and my tummy was so upset that I couldn't even tolerate the soup that I chose, and we had to go home early *cries*. I'm kicking myself for ruining our anniversary dinner. I'm going to be very VERY careful today - liquids only! - and hope that things settle down again soon.

Heartfire, the puggles here aren't a cross breed of anything. That's the name given to the echidna babies when they hatch out of their egg. Echidna's and platypus are strange little creatures that baffled the scientific world when they were first discovered in our early days. Initially, the scientists thought they were a hoax, because they couldn't imagine that any creature could be so strange, but they are real and not artificially created in any way. Echidnas resemble hedgehogs with long spines, lay eggs in burrows and suckle their young like mammals once hatched. Platypus are even stranger, resembling a tiny beaver or otter with a duck bill and duck feet, but also lays eggs in burrows and suckles its young. It also has a venomous spur on its hind legs - the only venomous mammal in the world.

You have one of these??? (Btw, the writer is mistaken. Echidnas (which look a bit like a hedgehog) are not marsupials; they are monotremes - egg laying mammals. 1.3cm = 0.5in, 0.3g = 0.01 ounces (what's a smaller measurement than an ounce in imperial?)

Congrats, Tap!!! Grandbabies are the BEST!!! I have two of the darlings and love them to bits :frown: Well done, Ebony, on the running program! You're doing so well with that! I'll have my fingers crossed for you on Wednesday - good luck! I'm getting excited now about my move - we get the keys early (on Friday), so only a few days now, and then official settlement and moving day is next Tuesday (one week today!) In all of this, Wednesday is the one year anniversary of the day I met Chris... I can't believe so much has happened and my life has changed so radically in one little year.

Well done, Renee!! Doesn't it feel great?

Thanks everyone. It's not really talent though - it's hard to take a bad pic when the subject matter is so pretty. I do love doing it though. Just love spring time - my favourite season without doubt! I find our bushland, birds and flowers just endlessly fascinating. Hope I don't bore you guys with it all. If anyone is interested, I posted the Bibra Lake pics in the old PJTP thread, coz I wasn't quite sure where everyone is looking. I can repost here if people don't want to go back to that thread. There are some really gorgeous ones of the black swans with their cygnets and quite a few others that I'm rather proud of...

Spring has well and truly sprung - wildflower season is half way through already and the bird are in breeding season or are already busy raising their families. Flowers everywhere and beautiful days. These were taken at Bibra Lake - about 2km from my house, in the heart of the suburbs: Swans with Cygnets: Little Corellas billing and cooing: Pink & Grey Galahs: Male Musk Duck in full breeding mode: Profusion of wildflowers: Lots more piccies of birds, flowers and bushland