50 things to do by the time I’m 50

ok so this is blatantly ripped off from Pam but you know I think she will forgive me for being inspired by her list to make my own (she may also be jealous that I have more time to achieve the things on my list lol)!

So here it is my list. This also came about as I half listened to something on TV – the woman was saying that you have assets and liabilities and that your aim in life was to have more assets than liabilities. I object to that so strongly. Yes money is nice and certainly necessary for many things on my list – but not all of them by a long shot! Our aim in life shouldn’t be to make the most money surely there are better things to aim for.

so here it is – nothing too ‘out there’ I don’t think….

50 things to do before I’m 50!

1. Parachute
2. Finish my new kitchen
3. Get rid of the wall of mirror tiles in the bathroom OR move house
4. See Tasmania
5. Take the boys camping
6. See a live musical (eg phantom etc)
7. Get my back yard under control
8. De-clutter my scrapbook room and get rid of the stuff I’m never going to use.
9. Paint my bedroom and get it all cleared out and looking nice including adequate storage for my stuff!
10. Take a photo each day (as least one) for 3 months.
11. Have a professional relaxation massage – the idea actually sounds nice but really scares the crap out of me – it’s a personal space/someone seeing all of my flab thing.
12. Update my blog daily for at least a month
13. Go for a ride in a hot air balloon
14. Teach the boys to play uno
15. Have a whole entire week with the TV turned OFF – not just me not watching but the kids etc too.
16. Take the kids the long way to Adelaide and stop at Beachport for a walk along the jetty.
17. See Darwin
18. See Perth
19. Take at least one photo a day for at least 3 months
20. Plant a herb garden.
21. Get up to Townsville to visit Tam
22. Remember all the family birthdays and have cards and presents arrive ON TIME for an entire year.
23. Walk to school and kinder every day for a fortnight and be on time. I simply shouldn’t be driving these short trips!
24. Go to the supermarket only once for an entire fortnight – no cheating and ducking to the corner store/milk bar/bakery/butcher etc either – one trip all the food if I forgot something then do without.
25. Take the boys to the beach
26. Learn to swim properly.
27. Learn sign language
28. Cook a proper healthy dinner every night for a week – no quick sausages in bread or take away allowed.
29. go a full week without coke zero
30. Scrapbook at LEAST once a fortnight for at least 6 months.
31. Pay off my credit cards entirely
32. Ride my bike at least once a month for 6 months instead of letting it accumulate spider webs in the shed.
33. Take the boys to the miniature railway in Altona.
34. Get new lounge room furniture including room for lots of books and dvds to be easily found.
35. Keep the lounge room clean and tidy for a whole MONTH.
36. Have the back verandah repaired.
37. Read the ‘house of seven gables’ – I got it in year 9 as a school award and have not yet been able to get through it.
38. Go to the gold coast and ‘do’ the theme parks
39. Lose enough weight that I can do #1.
40. Allow the boys to ‘help’ me cook without loosing my patience at least once a week for a whole month.
41. Hand make Christmas cards and get them out to everyone on time.
42. Take the boys to carols by candlelight
43. Have dinner at Melba brasserie without the kids!
44. Go for an overseas holiday – Scotland looks good.
45. Pack some clothes and just drive – figure out where we are going as we go – go where the road takes us…just for the weekend (or longer).
46. Do the Hollybanks Treetop Adventure in Tassmania
47. Decorate the whole room for Christmas not just the tree – we used to have streamers and tinsel but it hasn’t happened for a long time.
48. Turn the TV off and play board games for a whole weekend with no guilt snack food and easy or take away meals – preferably in PJs!
49. Take the kids to the childrens’ garden at the botanic gardens in Melbourne.
50. Take the kids on the dolphin cruise Sue found in Adelaide.

Who’s for Apple Cider?

Think Wild Wasabi, Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa & River Rock….think boho flowers and stripes…

To celebrate the launch of the new Stampin’ Up! Spring Mini Catalogue I will be running a mini-album class in Caroline Springs on Saturday evening the 2nd August from 7-10pm. The cost of the evening will be $25 and will include all the materials necessary to make your own mini album and a light super, tea and coffee (byo other drinks). Be among the first to see the new mini catalogue and try out some of the new papers and stamps and maybe meet some new friends in the process!

Payments need to be made in advance either via paypal or direct deposit (or cash if you are nearby). Please book early to avoid disappointment as spaces are strictly limited to 10 people.

note: – you will be asked to bring along your basic toolkit if you have one, scissors, trimmer, adhesive etc and your photos (or you can add them later up to you).

For bookings email me at emailjude@optusnet.com.au

Some excitement – I got a preview copy of the new SU Spring Mini Catalogue which runs from 1st August to 30th November – some lovely stuff in there – nice papers too not just stamps!

Last night the man was over and we were getting set to order medieval (viking) shoes. Why you ask? Well we know that he is ‘into’ medieval re-enactment but I may have neglected to mention that in THREE WEEKS we are headed to Queensland for ‘The Abbey’ so we need shoes obviously. He has needed some for a while so this just puts a ‘due date’ on things.  So after arguing for a half hour over the pro’s and con’s of rubber Vs leather soles we came to the conclusion that I still want to make mine and that I think I should be able to do it in three weeks. So have ordered his today. I rang and was told no way he would get them done on time as everyone else wants theirs for the Abbey too but then he checked and found he had a pair in stock so is sending them on down!  I have ordered the good linen thread for mine and we are off tomorrow to the leather supply store to get the leather so that I can get started asap on them. My ribbon for my dress hasn’t arrived yet – bugger – unless 9m of ribbon is coming via parcel post? I had hoped to have it as on Sunday we are headed down Geelong way for the ‘Battle of Bannockburn‘ which is a mix of scottish and re-enactment stuff – fun for all the family really and a pretty cheap day out ($20 for family, $10 person, $5 kids/concession).

I helped at school this morning for a couple of hours – must re-iterate my undying admiration for any person who has the patience to teach preps!!

Got some top50 work done too.

Got a letter from insurance – oh no the change of name on my cc is causing things to bounce that were on direct debits – sorted out a few of them.

So Sunday I have to be back on time for the kids and we have a kids birthday party at maccas at 6.30pm so will pick them up from dad’s and take them straight to maccas.

Oh and Dinner tonight – yay – should be a table of 12 so not too bad will be fun!

oh and Saturday looks like – leather place then hit the city for game on, mask shopping and lunch followed by home, dinner and the narnia movie.  A full weekend as usual it seems – never a dull day for Jude (although the next few may be taken up madly sewing leather! wish me luck!

Didn’t go to the shop yesterday

wasn’t I good?

went today though! Also picked up my ‘thomas the tank engine’ layby for Brett/Corey’s B’day and christmas pressents – absolute bargains at big W a while back. …..and well I might have slipped in a fairly cheap but nice plain pair of black boots for me.

Had lunch at school today – soup and slice with some of the mum’s. Sadly it was the same bunch as usual – hopefully we will have some more luck at attracting more mum’s next time as it is meant to be a social thing.

Still planning on Dinner at the Westgate Tavern on Friday (this Friday) at 7pm – let me know if you can join us and I’ll change the reservation – I’m sure they can squeeze a few more in.

Meanwhile have been giving top50 an overdue face lift – things are a little out of alignment at the moment but working on it again tomorrow.

To go to the shop or not to go to the shop

To go…..

it’s payday today

I’m out of coke zero

I need to buy a birthday present for one of Owen’s school friends

Not to go

I have three boys (2, 4 & 6 who would have to come with me).

I might spend more than I should.

at this stage I’m leaning against not going…..

In a better mood today

yesterday was a bad day.

It started at 7am when Brett got up and was going to get dressed.

At 8.50am he was finally dressed, I was horse from telling him to get dressed, I hadn’t eaten for running around after the others – mostly Brett and neither had Brett. We had to drive to school or be late. For Owen the idea of having to get a late pass is enough to bring on a major meltdown so late wasn’t an option (especially as he was ready on time). When we got home from dropping Owen at school Brett announced that now he would have some breakfast….I snapped. I told him NO, breakfast was finished. He took too long to get dressed so would have to MISS breakfast! well two or so hours of moaning that he was hungry and finally it was 10.30 and I announced we would have some morning tea!

Once he was at Kinder and Corey asleep I thought I would follow up on my wifi modem that Optus agreed to send me out (for a fee of $120 which would be reimbursed as credit on my bill). I was told it was only for new customers and I couldn’t have one. I argued that I could as

a. I had been promised I could have one

b. the site says new contract not new customer and I had agreed to a new contract

I also argued that it was false and misleading and I would speak to the ombudsman if need be….he went to speak with his supervisor and came back saying yes I could have one but only if I upped my plan by $10 a month for 3 months…I said NO – that is not what I was promised. He said that it was only offered on the $99 plan – I read it to him from the website on the 79 and the 89 plan…he advised he would speak to his supervisor and call back. He called back and said I could have it if I upped to the $99 (from 89) plan for 3 months and they would credit my account with $15 – I said again NO why should I pay more than what was agreed and I told him to try again and hung up.

So by the end of the day I was tired and very CRANKY.  Spoke to Stephen who advised he would be a bit late so it was decided that I would feed the kids and we would eat late. Kids had sausages in bread and a bath by which time I was more calm. Kids went to bed and I had a shower…almost sane again…Stephen turns up and cooks me dinner and then hands over a ‘divorce present’ SEASON 7 of the Gilmore Girls…not only calm and sane now HAPPY!

So fast forward to this morning….

Brett got dressed in time to have breakfast!

I helped at School – Owen is doing really well

Did some work, finalised the stamp club (SU) order and lodged it…then

rang optus.  Didn’t have to speak to stupid voice ‘recognition’ system – that’s a big plus. Spoke  to a gentleman (yes he was polite) who was then helpful and is going to track down the voice recording of the contract that was made to see if there is mention of the wifi modem – if there is it will be all sorted, if not then we will discuss it further – I guess it depends how much of the conversation was actually recorded. He has promised to call back today or tomorrow so definite progress on that front.

And you know what – it’s Friday, bloody cold but the sun is shining and WOW he just called me back. It wasn’t on the recording but he looked at my account and the fact that I have been with them for 9 years and there have never been any payment issues etc etc and decided to send a tech out on TUESDAY with my new wifi modem. He also informed me that if I speak to the mobile department and mention I’m on a fusion plan the will give me 10% off my monthly mobile bill!  Now that is how customer service SHOULD work!

I got a letter today…

and it came in an unmarked envelope so I knew it wasn’t a bill but wondered….then I opened it and it read…

blah blah blah ‘I certify that the divorce order made by the Court on the eighth day of May 2008 takes effect from the ninth day of June 2008.’

it’s official I am no longer married .

Some said that I may feel sadness when it finally happened….nope….moving onwards and upwards.