#74 - complete two jigsaws over 1000 each

The first took some time, three house moves and a piece was lost over time.... but it got done.

The hardest part was the scroll-work around the top of the image.  It took me a long while and a lot of patience! 

The second puzzle took me very little time in comparison.   Rhys bought this particular puzzle back from his 2014 trip to Japan.   I started, doing the clever thing of sorting all pieces first into about 4 different categories (edge pieces, pieces showing the borders,  writing,  pieces with no border showing.)   This made it very easy going - as I just put all the writing together first, then added any pieces without borders and pieces showing borders to those.   Then I alternated between working on compiling the borders around the smaller images, filling in the smaller images and piecing it all together.   Last was the edge pieces, which was, surprisingly, the hardest of all.

You can see that though they're both 1000+ pieces, the first puzzle took up almost double the space of the second due to it's larger pieces.  

I enjoy puzzles.  They appeal to a part of my brain that likes piecing things together, finding links and dealing with it all in a planned way.  

#35 - go to a ballet

I decided that given that this task had been on my list in every iteration for so many years it was high time that I bit the bullet and went!

I looked for ballets playing in Brisbane in the next few months and found that the Brisbane City Youth Ballet Company were giving a performance of the Snow Queen in the next month.

I asked the girls at work if they would like to join me and despite a few people initially saying 'yes' it was only myself and Gina who ended up attending.  It was a beautiful story (based on the Hans Christian Anderson tale of the same name).  The costumes and sets made me very happy.  The dancing itself was not top notch professional but it was beautiful to watch regardless.

The big bonus was that when I bought Gina a program at half time we read through it and discovered that my high school friend Michael Braun was performing.

The scenes of the ballet were beautiful - from the charming village scene to the regal and exotic middle eastern scenes.  Perhaps the most glorious scene was the performance at the ice-castle where the full cast were on stage - and the little girls came out dressed as goslings.  *swan swoon!*  The scene involved fake snow falling and it was stunning.

I really want to go again later this year and perhaps take some of my nieces who are old enough to enjoy it.

#78 - go to Paniyiri

After missing this a few years I went at last with Lauren (pre-gluten free days).   It was quite an experience - baby octopus, vine leaves, stuffed capsicums and honey puffs amongst other treats.

#89 - get a breadmaker

I looked around at the different models and decided which one was in my price range with the features I wanted.   I saved and waited to find one on sale - which I did!

It made many loaves - my favourite being a herb and mustard flavoured one.  The below is just a plain white loaf.  Yum!

#84 - Have a Girl's PJ Party

Donna and I wanted to host an exciting vintage party.  It started with a vintage inspired afternoon tea with bunting, sweets and all girls dressed in pretty vintage.   

Then as evening fell we got into PJs and settled down for a night of pizza and Audrey Hepburn movies. 

It was a really great night - but as vintage PJs tend to be a little opaque we decided there would be no photos shared online - so sadly I won't share here.

I wore a very cute pink 60s frouffy nightie set which Kerry had bought for my birthday.  It was like wearing a big pink marshmallow! 

#68 - Go to a Strawberry Picking Farm

My little sister Sue was up from Sydney.  She wanted to spend the day together and instead of doing something typical and boring in the city I decided we'd drive up North to one of the Strawberry Picking Farms. 

She seemed pretty happy about it.  Though it was a stinking hot day.  

We went abut the task of picking strawberries.  It was a real pleasure hunting under leaves for those missed by earlier attempts by kids.  There was a sense of achievement when you found a big, juicy looking one untouched by bugs. 

We both picked WAY too much strawberries.  I believe my pile came to about $25. 

They looked so beautiful washed clean at Mum and Dad's house.   I had so many I didn't know what to do with them!  I made apple and strawberry pie, strawberry smoothies and strawberry cordial. Even then there were leftovers which went to waste. 

#42 Go to the Queensland Museum

I have been a few times now, both by myself and also with the ACG and Rhys' family (for a Treasures of Afghanistan exhibit).

The pictures below are from a day when I took an afternoon off work, crossed the bridge and wandered the gallery for the afternoon.   I loved the animal exhibit.  It gave a real appreciation for the diversity of animal life.

#36 - go to a play

I have been to a number of plays since making this goal including: Red, Pygmalion and Tequila Mockingbird.

Red was an interesting play set in the art room of a famous artist in his last few months alive.  His confidence and artistic notions are put in doubt by a series of conversations with his apprentice.  It was a striking play and very different to the other two I've seen.

Tequila Mockingird was a modern take on the story plot of To Kill a Mockingbird, set in a small outback town in Australia.  It was really fascinating to see not only how the play was written to allow Australian's to identify with the story but also to see the audience's reactions to different racial slurs and the treatment of women.

Pygmalion was more true to the original play by Bernard Shaw.  I loved it so much - the sets, the actors, the costumes.  I wish to see more like this.

#13, #15 & #16

13. Get a skin-cancer check-up
15. Go to a dentist appointment.
16. Get health insurance

Done (resulting in the removal of a suspicious mole on my back)
Done (resulting in the horrid experience of learning about the sound of a laser firing inside your mouth.)
and done.

'Nuff said. 

#69 Go to a Food Festival

The Big Cheese

Sadly this event was only run one year.  It was a festival for local cheese producers of Queensland and Northern New South Wales to bring their cheese for people to sample.  There was live music, wine available (but of course!) and cheeses of all kinds!  The weather was perfect for it and my company was Lauren and her friend.

The Good Food and Wine Festival

I went to this with Lauren and Mariel (and Liana in a baby stroller).  It was loud, overcrowded but I did find some amazingly tasty things (including Rebello Lola Wine which they sadly no longer make).


Nighttime Noodle Markets - 2014

Rhys, Brandon, Dan and myself all went to the nighttime noodle markets which were held for 2 weeks at Southbank as part of the Brisbane Food Festival.  It was crazy busy but very enjoyable.  We got ramen from Taro's then Rhys waited in line to get us some chicken satay skewers which were pretty amazing.  Following that we nabbed some karaage.   I appreciated some of the extras which were around the place like the artist's mural, the hanging lanterns and the taiko drumming.

#9 Buy Fresh Flowers for myself 10 times

There are few things more lovely than a vase full of fresh flowers.   Sadly, if I lived only on the fresh flowers that my husband or others bought me it would be few and far between.... so I made this goal to buy myself flowers 10 times.  Because I'm worth it (at least to myself!)

Potted hyachinths #10

Cut hyachinths #9

Party Stock #8

Daffodils for daffodil day #7

Lilliums from IGA #6

Birthday carnations #5

Lavender, stock and gypsum for birthday!  #4

Cockscomb for Christmas at Chasely #3

Sunflowers at Chasely #2

Irises in the rain #1

Geraniums in the early days #0

Blue flowers from the West End Markets #0

#75 Take a Photo Every Day for a Month

Day 26 - 7 Nov 2010 (My brother now looks like a Dad)
Day 25 - 6 Nov 2010 (Hornibrook)
Day 24 - 5 Nov 2010 (Sun ripened)
Day 23 - 4 Nov 2010 (Crochet like Grandma)
Day 22 - 3 Nov 2010 (Vapiano Pasta)
Day 21 - 2 Nov 2010 (Melbourne Cup Day)
Day 20 - 1 Nov 2010 ( clover and jacaranda and twigs, oh my!)
Day 19 - 31 Oct 2010 (I can't get out.)
Day 16 - 28 Oct 2010 (Spice and Wolf Chibi)
Day 15 - 27 Oct 2010 (Secrets of Old Government House)
Day 14 - 26 Oct 2010 (Gas. We has it.)
Day 13 - 25 Oct 2010 (Government House and Jacaranda)
Day 12 - 24 Oct 2010 (Li's Angelic Pretty Necklace)
Day 11 - 23 Oct 2010 (Melwyn at Guy's BBQ)
Day 10 - 22 Oct 2010 (rules rules rules)
Day 9 - 21 Oct 2010 (dancing puppet on my desk)

Day 8 20 Oct 2010 - not released due to privacy of the person in the photo. (Rhys at computer desk)

Day 7 - 19th Oct 2010 (Bob, our work plant)

Day 6 - 18 Oct 2010 (Bento Lunch)
Day 4 - 16 Oct 2010 (Pleather and Denim)
Day 3 - 15 Oct 2010 (New Glasses)
Day 1 - 13 Oct 2010 (Qld Museum)