This week

The past week and a half has been so chilled out, I am a bit excited that this is what I have to look forward to now that Thaw is no longer my responsibility.  I really feel a lot more relaxed and happy. I have really enjoyed being able to spend "quality" time with my girls, and have time for other important things that needed to be done. Here's a snapshot of the last 10 days...

Kim x

Fantastic cubby constructions

Enjoying cake mix.... yum

Picking berries from the Hawthorn bush for sauce-making

Sitting on the bus with an excited Helena on the way to the Fire Station

Watching her hold the big hose

Visiting the Museum with cousin Charlie

Enjoying cupcakes from the Farmers Market

Picking up pine cones with Dad

And walking through the fairy garden

a little less embarrassing

Finally I have got the pick-up looking semi-decent. All the stickers are removed (sorry Shaz) the unnecessary bullbar, lights, Tarzan horn, canopy.....all removed. And I even replaced the '4 Horseman of the Apocalypse' exhaust with something a little more 'Driving Miss Daisy'.

It's now at the shop getting the RWC inspection. Which will no doubt give me the fright of my life. But there's nothing like living eh!

Then it will be ready for foraging trips, fishing adventures and man trips to hardware stores....arh arh!

Stateside, The home of cliche

Our house has been a little busy lately and not necessarily in a bad way. We've been sick with colds and broken bones etc but we certainly haven't let that get in the way of doing things as a family. it's been a good thing working from home for three weeks. I've never spent this much time with the girls. But that will change for a few weeks as I'm off to New York for a working holiday next week. I'll love being in a new city but I will miss the family especially having spent so much time with them of late. But it is going to be a great adventure. Although I must admit I am a tad nervous. America has produced some great things and not so great things. I'm sure the experience will be life changing in some way. I shouldn't have written that...I sound too grown up and smart and stuff. Completely not me.

Anyways, I have this wedding to shoot in Central Park this time next week for a Sydney couple who are just super sweet and lovely. They've given me a real opportunity to be more creative with the images which I feel very liberated about. But not too liberated...if you know what I mean...huh huh?

After the wedding I have just over a week to do my own thing, coke, hookers that sort of thing, mixing with 'the people'. One of those free days will be spent at Sylvester Manor, an organic farm out in the Hamptons on Shelter Island. On this historic place they run a great organic farm, and I'm getting a guided tour with the operators and take some pics....the place looks amazing, and I can't wait to meet the guys running it. A day away from the hustle and bustle surrounded by veggies and people who love to grow things is my kind of paradise. Well that is apart from the coke and hookers.

Correction....

Let's just make it perfectly clear......'The Ugly Beast' is a work horse....nothing more nothing less. And all the bogan paraphernalia is coming off! That includes the bullbar, lights, stickers, Tarzan horn etc. This is what it will end up looking like. I really wanted to do before and after pics but Kim beat me to it! Ouch!

New beast

Ro and I have purchased a new beast. And yes, that is exactly what it is. Ro decided he needed a pick-up for all his fishing trips, picking up stuff that you need a trailer for, and taking things to the tip, etc.  So he started shopping around.  He has wanted an F100 for as long as I have known him. This one was at a bargain price. I wonder if you can imagine why? Some photos below might give you a hint...

An excessive amount of lights, mudflaps, aerials and stickers perhaps...

I mean the stickers were very tasteful...

What the....?

This one needs no explanation...

My personal fave...

Oh so many to look at, where do you begin?

Oh, the irony!

Busy, busy

Finally we have got the magazine off to the printers today, so we have finished our last issue of Thaw! It seemed to take forever to get this one done, but I am happy we took the time to make this one a good one to finish off on.

On the home front, we have been working on some other fun stuff too...

We have hung our ham.  This is our first attempt at jamon, (Spanish dried ham).  It will be a bit like prosciutto - if all goes to plan. It has been in salt for 8 days, (this is me getting all the salt off) and now needs to hang for about 6 months. 

We are still processing the olives that Ro picked about 2 weeks ago. About 20 more days.

I am in the process of making a crocheted elephant for Tia. My first attempt at a toy. Just needs ears, eyes and a tail.

Kim x