Missing my Kids, my Kat and my Kitchen.

Not necessarily in that order...I think I miss my kitchen more than the kat cat...no just joking... but it's close.

You see just before this relocation came up we had just completed a brand new kitchen renovation in our house in Melbourne.

In fact we didn't quite complete the project...we still have tiling to do and the timber floors need to be re-finished. However, knowing our house was about to become 'party central' we decided that those details could wait until we get back.

So every time I go home, after kissing my son and daughter and patting the cat, I then check out the kitchen and give it a loving wipe over.

Lovely new stainless steel appliances...

Custom built cabinets, with a 2-pack satin finish in Dulux 'Napkin White' and Caesarstone benchtops.

 My beautiful Perrin and Rowe tap from 'The English Tapware Co'.

Lots of open shelving to display knick knacks.

However, after we left, the kids decided to do a little decorating....in a more contemporary style...

I think you would call it...hip, bar or nightclub effect...

That's o.k. I can cope (barely)...when I eventually return home with some new goodies it will be totally transformed!

Finding Spring.

The sun was finally out today yesterday, so I went for a stroll, 

camera in hand...looking for a hint of Spring.

I can hear Spring...as the birds are very busy...courting...nesting.

In fact all the birds I spied are in 'pairs'...so cute...they've all hooked up! 

Our robin has a girlfriend so hopefully they will be nesting 

in our front garden again this year.

And, although I haven't spotted him, our resident squirrel has been around

as there are walnut shells all over our garden...he's been digging up his dinner!

But there is a definite lack of colour...yes the buds are swelling on some branches 

and the bulbs are shooting up all over the place...

but in my garden at least...no colour.

So off I went....

...snowdrops...but that's winter...

...beautiful green fields, but no flowers...

...hello, wait a minute...there's one...

...hopeful...a window box...

...half open...

...trying hard..

...in the church grounds...

...finally some purple...

I think another week might do it...stay tuned!

A new friend.

With hubby away for the week, and me feeling down in the dumps, I decided the only thing for it, yesterday, was to go shopping...you know a bit of retail therapy...or in my case, junk therapy!

So off I went to my favourite antique emporium, just to have a browse...

Now, my hubby shouldn't have left me this week, feeling all melancholy, but I'm happy to say those feelings are slowly ebbing away...because I have a new friend in my bedroom...

He's a bit shabby around the edges...in fact some of his stuffing is falling out...oh and his back legs are a bit wobbly...

But he's exactly what I needed in the bedroom...

Something dark and handsome in that corner...

However, he clashed with the existing bedside table, so in with the old french washstand, and after a little re-arranging everything looked grand.

Another little find, which I'm nearly as excited about was this old wire letterbox...

I thought briefly about actually keeping the mail in it...but as I don't get letters from France, I've plonked some old postcards and a French newspaper in it instead.

Definitely, getting there...just gotta find Spring!

Spring is Near...

Originally this post was going to be called 'Spring is Here'...but it's not quite here yet, then it was going o be called 'With a Spring in my Step'...but as I'm still dragging myself around...in the doldrums...that aint gonna work either.

So I went off in search of daffodils...to the grocers...cause they're not quite flowering around here yet. There's lots of promise...but alas no flowers....and no flowering daffs at the shops either.

So I had to make do with some tulips...yellow ones...not normally a colour I would choose for tulips but I'm trying to add some spring to my step here...

Now, due to the lack of light...it's really dull here today...the photos are a bit grainy.

Pretty but not stunning...

I think I need some purple...perhaps some hyacinths or crocuses...

Scouting Around.

Well hello there, I'm finally back from down under and feeling a little disorientated as usual. Going home to my house in Melbourne is always so strange because it's a real mind flip swapping life in an English village for the more familiar life in my own neighborhood.

Then to have to turn around nearly three weeks later and zoom back to the other side of the world leaving the kids (and the cat) again...back to an English winter...well let's just say it takes me about a week to fall in love with England again!

Whilst in Melbourne I did do a little shopping, but of course I forgot to take the camera nearly everywhere with me. However I did take some shots at a very interesting new vintage store in St. Kilda. It's called "Scout" and has been put together by a really friendly guy named Orlando Mesiti.

My sister was so excited to show me this store, so with my daughter in toe, we headed on down only to find it closed!  Disappointed, we pressed our noses up against the window...squinting...peering in...we discovered Orlando in his store doing some orders...he kindly opened the shop up for us!

Really great stuff!

See ya later mates!

Well, I'm madly washing and chucking things in the suitcases, ready for our trip down under. It's not so much the packing that is the work, as I don't generally iron anything (whats the point, freshly ironed does not cope with being chucked on a plane for 24 hours)...no it's trying to get the linen, towels and various winter clothing washed so that I don't come back to a mountain of laundry!

 But, aside from all of that, I will be in my house soon to be greeted by this big fat thing...

Puss (he want's to remain anonymous) has had a complete lifestyle change since I left. The poor darling never knows when anyone is going to be home...my kids work late and come and go at all hours. If one of them goes away on holidays he gets particularly nervous, worrying that he's going to be deserted. He has been known to wake my son up early in the morning by dancing around on his chest.
Being the clever cat that he is, he has worked out how to be fed two dinners...he just simply carries on like his throat has been cut, then whoever happens to be home assumes that Puss hasn't been fed! Every time I see him he has grown considerably around the middle.

I'm sure after a certain amount of tormenting by mummy, and after I've chased him around the house for three weeks, he will lose some weight...(hopefully so will I).

I plan to post from Australia, as I'm dying to try out my son's new camera...so stay tuned!

In the meantime, be good and see ya later!

The Little Things.

Sometimes during my foraging through antique fairs and shops

I come across little bits and pieces that simply jump out at me...saying

'buy me..buy me'!

These pocket ashtrays did just that...crying out to be taken home...

I definitely had a date with this little gem...

this homecoming ribbon just had to come home with me...

I gravitated to these gravity thermometers.

in case I get thirsty on my shopping trips I can keep a nip in my pocket...

I can rest my head on my money bag...

vintage jelly moulds...ideal for tea lights....

this ribbon was a winner...

tiny vintage watch faces...

a shorthand certificate, achieved by Thomas Nicholls...

and finally this young man found a new home with me.

For more Good Life Wednesday link up with Sarah.