Me Time - February 2011

Films

Devil - quite a good short film that keeps you guessing, having said that I think they could have done an even better job. The idea had enormous potential to become a really terrifying movie. At the start of the film, Hubby and I took a guess as to who is the Devil. We both agreed on one particular character and turned out to be right but didn't know it for certain until the very end which was cool :)

Joseph & the Technicolour Dreamcoat - the 1999 version with Donny Osmond as Joseph, initially watched because Miss 6 has begun Musical Theatre at her dance studio and is learning the opening song "Any Dream Will Do". She is still learning to read so was frustrated when she couldn't read all of the song sheet in class. I figured this would be a good way to learn the words as well as see where the song fits in. I'd never seen or heard anything to do with this particular musical (apart from that Jason Donovan was in it in the UK) so it was a learning experience for me too and quite entertaining  :)

Love & Other Drugs - this was an entertaining, not quite your run of the mill romantic comedy, it also had a deeper side to it that made it quite thought provoking. Yes, I definitely liked this one :)

TV

Sons of Anarchy (season 1 & 2) - still good :)

The Secret Diary of a Call Girl (series 4) - oh how I love this show! very sad to find out that this is the last season so I'm savouring every episode :)

Being Human (series 3) - this show just keeps getting better. I have a huge soft spot for Mitchell, George and Annie. Nina not so much, not that's she's an awful character... she just doesn't hold the same appeal for me

Reading

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson - loving it but it's taking me a while to get through it

Other Stuff... (what a rubbish heading!)

A friend put me onto a decadent little culinary treat which is just gorgeous. Fresh strawberries dipped in a little sour cream then rolled in brown sugar.... I know! but it just WORKS!!!!   I enjoyed it all by myself ;)

As a birthday treat for myself and a friend (her birthday is only 3 days before me) we went to one of those nail salons that have popped up everywhere in recent years for a spa pedicure. It was nice but I had kind of hoped for a little more for my money, no exfoliation (and my poor feet were in dire need, it was not hard to overlook!) and a crappy foot massage (in my opinion). Plus he trimmed my cuticle back so far I bled! I got the impression it really depended on the staff member who served you as to what treatment you got... guess I lucked out but my friend had a better person working on her which I was glad of since it was my present to her. I would have hated her getting a crappy experience and me a better one.

de-clutter efforts for January 2011

*winces* I must admit that this month has been pretty unproductive, mainly because of the summer school holidays. I'm lucky to keep my head above water housework wise in the holidays as my two cherubs leave a trail of mess as they play happily all day.

I did however make a little progress, out of necessity but it was still progress by my definition. In order to make room for the new toys that Christmas bring I had a weed through the toy boxes and a good chuck out. Any worthwhile toys that both kids had out grown went to our childcare centre where they're guaranteed to be used and the rest went to the bin.

We've found donating to the regular charities has become quite an embarrassing situation and not one I'm prepared to repeat... my husband took a whole range of things to the Salvos last year only to have a rude volunteer pick through our donation and take a few meagre things, criticizing the other items, even though we've seen similar in their store for sale. It was disappointing and disheartening.

But at home I discovered that changing things around for the kids has enabled them to rediscover toys they've had seemingly forever and simply forgotten about. So it's been a double win at home.

I've had a bit of a clothes cleanout for the kids too; just taking the outgrown clothes from circulation, storing the ones useful for Poss and those Poss is now out of will go somewhere... not sure where yet. I have a baby niece I would dearly love to give stuff to but her mum (SIL) doesn't seem to appreciate it and to be honest I worry the stuff would end up on eBay (and if I wanted that to happen I would do it myself).

The donation side of things has been soured for me and even though I would dearly love to send it all to the flood victims in QLD, authorities say it is better to donate $$$ and lets face it... sending stuff from the other side of the country only lines the pockets of Australia Post or some freight company.

I will work it out...

Oh and I have had a computer desk tidy and I can see desk top now! When I became such a slob I just don't know *hangs head in shame*