Christmas came early!!!

Things have been quite busy for me lately, so today is the first time I've had a chance to update my blog. Many things have happened in our lives - most of them small and insignificant to others, but the biggest "happening" is that The Captain was asked by her millionaire boss in Fiji, to take over the position of Chief Flying officer in December when the present one returns to Aus to continue his career there. She was a bit taken aback as she had a special friend who was coming to NZ to do an upgrade to NZ levels of the Air Traffic Controllers qualification which he already holds - but she decided that the opportunity was too good to turn down, so she accepted it. She is to be in Fiji now for a further 12months, but is getting trained in a twin engine Seneca plane which will get her further ahead overseas when she finally travels to Canada (or where-ever she goes) after Fiji. She is now quite excited about it since she has made the decision, and she will be back here after Xmas for a friends wedding, and will catch up with her friend then...so it looks like Sir Ladbrooks and I will be doing another trip to Fiji in winter!!! Yay!!!

We also have Mah Boiy back from Melbourne, and he is staying at home for a few months. He is running a cafe that does only takeaway coffees and he does a few bits of food like paninis and muffins. He is learning how to run a business and do the GST and ordering etc, so he can go back to Aus and look at eventually buying his own cafe and making his mother LOTS of money!!!!! yeah right!

Sir Ladbrook and I are moving our photolab from Church Corner in Christchurch to opposite the pharmacy in Lincoln Rd - that will make running the two businesses easier by having them closer together. The move takes place on 27th December.
Now, one of THE most wonderful things that has happened lately, is getting a parcel from my niece in Greytown in the North Island, and this parcel was a few of her goodies that I ordered. Take a tip friends, if you want beautifully handmade gifts as presents for special people, I cannot recommend Al's stuff highly enough. The detail and finish is absolutely fantastic, and the goods are delightful. I shall try to remember a photo on this page before I finish blogging. Seriously, the packaging alone showed that this was a quality parcel - you know those presents you get where you don't want to ruin the parcel by actually opening it??!! Well, it was one of THOSE experiences.
And when I DID open it, I saw the great things as pictured. I have put the BIC biro alongside to give you an idea of the sizes. The little nests are going to adorn the Christmas tree - and one HAS to have a REAL tree to do them justice, so thanks to Al for bringing the real Xmas tree back into the home instead of one with Made in China stamped on the base!

The first pic is a great little bag and the vintage book came with it - boy, have I had a rush on to read that book!!! 2nd pic is a terrific scarf which has a loop on it - made in superb material shades. Pic 3 shows the two cloth badges made using vintage buttons - very popular with the staff at school - and the others are two of the fantastic little wool and raffia nests (am I right,Al?) They will defintely be on the tree, and the last photo is of 2 coasters which Al sent - they are so much nicer than horrible photo ones made by large firms, or advertising ones which generally have a place in our home! Thanks to Al, very much!:)and pics 4 and 5 are the doorstops - they have a handle on top so moving them is easy, and they are so pretty to have instead of some unglamorous-looking old heavy thing!

So we don't actually NEED the 25th for Christmas - we have had it now!

Take care my friends and remember Al if you want extra special handmade presents to give that someone special. Will write again before the silly season takes hold.