Oh, Mog. Remember Mog?

Poor Mog, she's a bit blurry. It's like she's been peer pressured by all the bad and mangey alley cats in town to try salvia. So she has, to make Christmas a bit more cheery -she subscribes to the term 'Silly Season'.

That Christmas tree is probably doing her poor head in with it's globes and flashing lights. Mog looks like she's got the 'noids and is on the look out for that big fat dude in red....Santa. It's freaky the way he lets himself in via the chimney, isn't it, Mog?  Don't even get me started on what she probably thinks is in the boxes in her nervous state.

Inside it goes...'Mog took Salvia on Christmas Eve and as a result her Christmas sucked. It was full of panic, illusion, incoherent meows and wonder. She spent the next few days in her basket, which is now called 'The Gone Too Hard Basket'. Mog's version of a white Christmas is different from yours.'

                                            'Mog's New Years in Rehab' is coming soon.

In Lieu of a Real One

(Thanks we heart it)

Summer...

We are officially well into summer now, a season hotly anticipated by those of us peasants who like picnics, dips in the ocean, fresh seafood and drinks on balmy evenings. Another reason summer is so great is that there seems to be so many more ways to tire out the kids...and sun dresses are the easiest uniform to don day in, day out.
Summer in Sydney is getting off to a wobbly start, there has been so much rain and humidity -with some parts of NSW succumbing to severe flooding. The irony is not lost on areas that have been plagued with drought for the last few years. I am imagining the water will eventually sink away, much like the excess water in a freshly watered pot-plant. That's not very scientific. 
Bottoms up, thirsty earth.

This year our family is heading back to New Zealand to spend the holiday with my family and I just can't wait! It'll be my fist Christmas in NZ since 2005. I have never spent it with my nephews and now my mother will be able to witness all of her grandchildren trying out their new toys and chasing each other on the beach (while I sit back and observe, pimms in hand). Until then though, there are a few final lose ends I need to tie up.
Because we are spending Christmas away from home we haven't bought a Christmas Tree this year, so our house is rather bereft of the Christmas spirit...I always (well, since having kids) envisioned making festive cookies, while carols (?!) echo throughout the house. Our home would be decorated within an inch of it's life and I'd master cooking a turkey to perfection while family members marvel at my craftiness/festivity/cleverness.
In reality I make endless to-do lists, panic about whether or not the gifts are enough, where I can buy the last few and how I'm going to fit everything in the suitcase as well as packing for all of us. I am actually exhausted from all the planning.


And then a news story like this happens, giving a little perspective.
This isn't a political blog -clearly- but this is a matter of the heart. Anyone with an ounce of empathy surely feels sh*t at hearing that. 


But how's this for a scenario...you have a small, young family, you live somewhere completely f*****, you make a considered decision to risk your and your children's lives so they can have a shot at happiness and while taking a treacherous journey to a country you think you can make a life in. 
You hit the shoreline, the boat smashes into pieces and your family suffer unimaginably. You can't save your babies. All at a place called 'Christmas Island'. I feel so sad about this, especially for the children and babies who lost their lives and for their families who mourn them... and there are my two babies, rolling on the floor right now, fighting over sultanas. 
How stark a contrast. How lucky we are. 
How trivial worrying about packing to see my family is. I feel ten times as grateful now just to be seeing them, even if I packed nothing, forgot all the gifts, swimmers, dummies, clothes -it would still be the greatest Christmas because we are together.

(photo via weheartit.com)

Other Things...

Learn how to make use of that dead space above your door on Poppytalk -this is such a great idea for people who don't have enough storage space and would like to make something but aren't quit ready to tackle a  chicken coop...

                                        (via snippet and ink)

Everybody loves a happy bride; these photos are so pretty...

Look at these nearly-edible pin cushions! These are the healthy alternative to voodoo. Spotted on Creature Comforts....

It's BBQ season. Maybe this chick is on her way to one.

                                                             (via we heart it)

Good Morning, Monday!

                                            

                                                     (Picture taken in Thailand, 2008)

Happy Monday Pleasant Peasants!

I hope you had a lovely weekend. This weekend I caught up with an old friend and we had some delicious wine and talked sh*t. It was great. 

I spent yesterday feeling very fragile indeed, so took the kids to watch the boats coming in and out of the water and this seemed to entertain my eldest. It's probably as good as actually owning a boat. One day we'll get a little one, my Dad was in to boats and I have some fond memories of  discovering special bays with my family as a little girl. It made summers so much more of an adventure.

RIP Bambi

Laurie 'Bambi' Bembenek has succumbed  to liver failure it has been confirmed.

Bembenek had a very interesting life. She was a former playboy-bunny-turned-police-officer-turned-accused-murderer-turned-jailbird-turned-fugitive-turned-put-back-in-jail-bird.

Maintaining her innocence until her death, she died in a hospice care unit without pardon. New DNA findings have indicated there was no Bembenek DNA on the victims body, but an unidentified male's.

She looks so sad in the picture above...

You Say Weekend, I Say Not Yet...

Because of the nature of Alex's work, he's in at the cafe during weekends.
Our weekends actually happen during the week -that's when we do our family things or try to get away.
It's quite good because you don't battle normal weekend congestion. It's easier to shop, park at the beach and travel. That being said, we are always out of sync with our friends.
Every weekend I still attempt to get into the spirit with the rest of the neighbourhood.
There are markets up the road from our house -you can find some very appealing junk on the right day...

Like...guess what this is...

???????

It's a teeny, tiny portable ash tray! Cute! A sweet lady had it on her stall sandwiched between lots of gorgeous curiosities. As I no longer smoke, this item is having it's only day in the sun right now, as you look at it. Go on, give it a wink.






One day, when I feel safe and can maybe clear the roads for a day, I'll get on a bicycle and cycle around the city with my kids somehow taped on the back.  We'll go to Surry Hills and just be awesome as we stop off for baby cino's and cheese toasties. When it's time to go home, we'll cut through the park, the wind will blow my hair in a very flattering manner and we'll leave a trail of petals in our wake. This may or may not happen on an actual weekend.

Until that day, we can all admire these beautiful pictures from downtownfrombehind.

                                                    
                                                                  (via A Cup of Jo)




Have a wonderful weekend, Lucky Little Peasants x

Irony

It's November in Sydney and it's raining yet again, quite a gloomy representation of early Summer, mother nature (you sure fancy irony).  

So here's some more. 

I have been up since 5am, my children are still asleep. What is that?

Marc Bolan.

Loved cars, couldn't drive, met his end in a car crash in Putney, 1977.

Ferris Wheel,  Prypiat.

Abandoned after the Chernobyl Disaster.


...on a brighter note

It's a good day to read the paper in a cafe...so that's what we'll do until this weather sorts it's self out.

Read about iTunes finally cutting a deal with EMI over hosting The Beatles mp3's here.

Have a listen to the new christmas track by Best coast and Wavves, streaming now.
UPDATE!!!
Best Coast are playing sydney on March 9, as support for Os Mutantes at the Enmore Theatre.

Thee Oh Sees are playing at The Annandale Saturday January the 15th, 2011 -this has left me a bit breathless and panicky, can we get a sitter? Will I be able to hold my own at a gig that's not for The Wiggles?

I know it's old news but how delicious does the Jo Malone fragrance White Jasmine and Mint sound? Divine.