Wow! A Year Has Passed

Hi all, I bet you have been wondering where I've been? Sorry for the terribly looooong absence but I do have an excuse. I've been struck by the love bug. Yes, I have found myself a wonderful man whom I've been seeing for the past year. Things are going extremely well and he treats me like a princess. The only down side to it is that my stitching has well and truly been put on hold. I have no time for that and many other things. We see as much as we can of each other, without being obsessive. He's truly one in a million and I am lucky to have found him.

I rarely get the chance to have a look at peoples' blogs so please forgive me for neglecting this area. A few of you have emailed me asking if I was ok. Thank you so much for contacting and showing your concern.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and are planning an exciting New Year ahead.

In August this year I travelled to Eastern Canada/USA for a few weeks with a friend. We did a two week bus tour seeing New York, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Boston, and ending back in New York. I absolutely loved NY!!! Wasn't there long enough to do everything I would have liked, so it's a destination I would want to go back again one day. Pennsylvania was also a favourite. I was so interested in the Amish way of life. We stopped off at a town called Intercourse (yes, you read right) where there was a shopping village. I was totally in my element. Craft, country, and gift shops galore. Fantastic!

When I arrived in Quebec, there was a red rose waiting for me in my room. My boyfriend had sent it. Very romantic - he was missing me terribly. I took that rose with me all the way from Quebec, Boston, New York, then on the plane over to Los Angeles. My friend and I spent four nights at the end of the trip in the Hollywood Hills. A day each of Disneyland (needed at least 2 or 3 days there), tour of LA, and Universal Studios.

Loved the trip overall but it's a long flight from Australia to Los Angeles. At least 14 hours and very uncomfortable in economy class. I'm still sorting out photos (I took over 4000 of them) but will hopefully show you some one day.

I just wanted to update my blog and to let you know that all is well with me. Sorry I have no stitching photos to share. I hope everyone has been keeping busy with their craft and are creating some wonderful heirlooms for the future.

Happy New Year and thanks for dropping by!

I'm back from my trip

Hi everyone! I got back Saturday morning from my holiday and what a change it is coming back to normality from where I've been. The Cook Islands is a beautiful place to visit. Tourism is their number one source of income but it is still in it's early stages, so it's not an overly touristy place to visit. There are a number of places to stay at ranging from budget accommodation to luxury. Their way of life is simple and slow paced, and they are very friendly people.

The weather was beautiful for most of the time we were there, bar a few days at the end when it turned a bit cooler (still warm compared to Melbourne) and there was more rain than the whole time we'd been there. I went with my sister, and we spent five nights in Raratonga (the main island), three nights in Aitutaki (stayed at a resort just off the this island), then back to another resort in Raratonga for six nights. So relaxing, especially in Aitutaki where we stayed at a resort on it's own island. Fewer people there and you virtually had a beach area to yourself.

We didn't get to do everything we wanted, and it's definitely somewhere I'd like to go back again. Here's some pictures of the different places we saw, and I've placed more in an album for you to look at.'

Aitutaki lagoon - aerial view

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Honeymoon Island - taken on a day trip

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Muri lagoon - the last place we stayed at

Holiday and Ballerinas

I'm feeling a lot better now after coming down with a cold last week. Just on the tail end of it now. Back at work yesterday with no chance to take it easy, as we were busy the whole day. I survived though!

My holiday plans are coming along nicely. I got my passport today which is a great feeling knowing I can leave Australia and experience another part of the world. Our passports here last ten years, so I hope to do more overseas travelling in that time.


As well as a new passport I also decided to lash out and buy some new bathers. I went to a huge store the other weekend where they have a wide variety of bathers in our popular brand names. The pair I got are a Seafolly brand. I already have another pair to wear, so since I'll probably live in them while I'm away, having two to alternate will work out well. One will be drying while wearing the other.


I went to the travel agent on the weekend also to make my final payment for the trip. So everything's finally coming together. The Cook Islands is south of Hawaii and west of Tahiti and I've been reading on the net that September, when we're going, is supposed to be one of the better months to be there. Here's hoping! As long as there's some sun which we're not getting much of here at the moment. A very cold, windy day it was today. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

Now to my stitching progress. I picked up Little Ballerinas again tonight and started working on the curtains. I didn't get as much done as I only stitch for a couple of hours on weeknights, but I'm moving in the right direction. Still no mistakes!!!

CCN Little Ballerinas - 1 July 2008

Thanks for all your comments lately. I really do love reading them and get great encouragement from them. Til next time...

Cook Islands here I come!

Well, my sister and I booked our holiday to the Cook Islands Thursday night. We're leaving on 13th September and arriving back home on 26th September. Flying Air New Zealand and staying five nights at The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa, three nights at The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa which are both sister resorts, and then six nights at the Pacific Resort.

The Rarotongan and Pacific are both on Rarotonga, the Aitutaki Lagoon Resort is about a 40 minute flight north of Rarotonga. It's just off Aitutaki on it's own small island called Akitua. It's the only accommodation on that island and we've got a free upgrade to a beachfront bungalow. The waters there are supposed to be as blue as you see in the travel brochures. We'll probably do a cruise round to other islands in the area. One of them's called One Foot Island, and there's not much on it except limited accommodation and a Post Office. It's a must see so I'm told.

Beach on one of Aitutaki's motu Rapota

If this is a picture of what to expect, then I'm already getting excited. How relaxing does this look?

From Rarotonga we will probably do a day tour of the island. There's a bus service that goes clockwise and anti-clockwise round the island at regular intervals. This will be handy if we want to go to other areas, including the main shopping part of town, on our own.

Plenty of swimming, sunbaking, snorkeling, kayaking, and walking to do. We can go at our own pace and have an enjoyable, relaxing holiday. The weather will certainly be warmer than home, so that alone can't be a bad thing. The countdown begins...

Cats and holidays

I'm really not that good at this blog thing as I don't seem to update it very often. Perhaps that's because I'm still not stitching and haven't the urge to write anything.
My kitten Charlotte has grown up and she's nearly one year old now. She and my other cat Sophie are getting along well and becoming good friends. It's interesting to see the changing colours of her fur, as this is typical of Birman cats the older they get. How cute is she? She's changed a lot since the last photo I posted.

I'm planning an overseas trip for next September at the moment. Going away with my sister probably to the Cook Islands for about two weeks. A tropical relaxing holiday lying by the beach. We would have to go via Auckland NZ from Melbourne since there's no direct flights there. It's supposed to be popular with New Zealanders, like Fiji is to Australians. There's an island north of Rarotonga (the capital) called Aitutaki which looks like heaven. We'll probably stay five nights at two resorts on Rarotonga and five nights at Aitutaki. There's plenty to do: like day trips, snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, sunbathing, walking, cycling and exploring the islands. September is the start of Spring here but still quite cool, so it will be lovely to go somewhere warmer. Still have to book the holiday and work out the finer details yet but hope to do that next month some time. This is a beach on the Cook Islands... and a picture of Aitutaki lagoon.

How gorgeous does it look? Makes you want to fly there now. This would have to be my favourite style of holiday. A warm tropical island. I've been to Hawaii for three weeks about sixteen years ago, but that's so much more fast pace than what this will be.

Still would love to get to the USA but I guess that will have to wait a bit longer.

Off on my holiday!

Hi there, sorry I haven't posted for a while. To tell you the truth, I haven't been doing any stitching since my last post. I feel really bad that my craft is being neglected, but I have been busy on other things lately, which I won't go into.

Just thought I'd post before I head off to Queensland tomorrow for a 12 day break. Escaping the cold Victorian weather, and enjoying the warmer climate up north. I look forward to it!

One sad thing I had to do was to drop my two cats off at the cattery. There's no one to look after them while I'm away, so this was the next best alternative. My one year old, Sasha, is taking it all in her stride. My four year old, Sophie, being more timid, doesn't think much of the ordeal at all. It's their first time away from home, but at least they'll be looked after. I'll be excited to pick them up when I get back. It sure is quieter at home without them.

Well, this is bye for now. Hope to write some more when I arrive home.