I used to be a DEMON op-shopper.  I spent most of my late teens and early 20s collecting vintage frocks and kitchenware from op shops in Brisvegas and Melbourne.  Back then I had a figure to rival the 60s Twiggy and could fit into anything, and my poor university campus was submitted to visions of me frolicking in my latest fluro paisley flared THANG that I had picked up for a couple of bucks.   When we left Australia we packed the double garage at my parent's house full to the...

It's that time of year again.  The moment when the cold, hard semi-permanent winter just falls away.  You blink, and suddenly you are in the middle of a perfumed paradise.  We were in the country on the weekend and completely awestruck by the sea of yellow dandelions that greeted us, the perfume of apple and cherry blossoms in the air, the bright sunlight and long evenings and relative warmth.  I know I rave about it every year, and this year hasn't left us disappointed....

Can you see it?  That longing pose that Fizzy has in behind those daffodils?  Yes, folks, the miracle has finally happened again this year - spring finally arrived.  Fizzy spends most days mooning about near the open window, sniffing the pollen filled air and watching birds flitter about in the maple outside the kitchen.  When she ventures into the yard, the big orange pirate cat, who hangs out in our back yard beats her up. Do you remember this post about the crap in our...

 Last few weeks have been intense.  Could be because I turned 40 recently - something I was not remotely worried about, until the birthday loomed nearer and nearer.  Then suddenly I really, really didn't want to be 40.   I felt a bit panicky and regretful.  Doesn't matter that I got a whole lot of encouraging emails and theories about only really starting to live after 40.  Nope. SO not convincing.  The main thing about it was that you haven't got a choice...