Feet On Head

This is a yoga posture that I would NEVER have attempted, that is, until now. After my first week in the new job I reckon this would be a cinch, as I feel I've been in this position metaphorically speaking, for the past 5 days! Talk about being thrown in the deep end, I think I just managed to keep my head above water. With my new boss in London for the week, it was just me trying to do everything, & believe me there was more faking it than on the set of a XXX movie shoot!

There was only a short window of time each day where the boss was awake & I was in the office, so the phone ran red hot with everything I needed to ask him. Anyhoo, after a particularly difficult situation that I needed to wade into & resolve, he sent me a text saying I was worth my weight in gold. OK mate, at 75kg. (& no nasty comments please dear Hedgies, I'm dealing with it!), by my reckoning you owe me $3,854,400.00. Am I looking forward to seeing you pay up on that promise!

But at the end of the day you know what, I LOVE IT so far. Things may change on Tuesday when there's 2 of us working together, but I reckon it will be fine. So for everyone who's been emailing, FB'ing & tweeting me wondering how I'm going, you can all breathe a big sigh of relief. I was so stuffed last night I headed off to bed at 8.30p.m. much to puppy Lulu's disgust. She's been very neglected this week & was desperate for some play time, so after I've chucked this post up, it's off to the Puppy Park for at least 2 hrs.

MOTH's been given a Leave Pass to go to Melbourne to investigate a new business opportunity that may mean he can give his crook back a rest permanently (other than on our renos!). He's off to the MCG for lunch in the Long Room today with all his old mates to raise a glass or 6 to his very favourite Melbourne player Jim Stynes RIP. Then he reckons he'll see the Dee's absolutely crush the Lions at today's game. Only a long-suffering Melbourne supporter can have such optimism. He's having dinner with the Melbourne Sons 1, 2 & 3 tonight, which will be lovely. However Son 3 is doing the 20km. Tough Mudder race at Cowes on Philip Island today, so I'm not sure what shape he'll be in by dinner time. So there you have it, another week in the life of Miss Millie, I hope it's come up to everyone's expectations! I'm dedicating at least 3 hrs this weekend to Bloggie Wonderland, so you'll be hearing from me soon, that's a promise.

Image: Yoga for Veterans (what a hoot!)

Son Of Steptoe

Son # 5 the Landscaper is doing a quick paving job for me this week. It's on a scungy bit of back deck where the clothesline is. He is a chip off the old block as all the materials excluding the sand are second hand. Or couched in more genteel terms, 'We are currently engaged in a project utilizing repurposed materials which have been sourced from a conflict-free, environmentally neutral source.' Which is probably gildling the lily a bit as the Landscaper scabbed the large sandstone pavers from a client who's new girlfriend didn't approve of them 'cos his ex-wife had chosen them & she wanted the lot ripped out & replaced to her specifications.....go figure.

Anyhoo, they have ended up here & I couldn't be happier. The Landscaper reckons once he's finished he'll give them a quick once over with the high pressure cleaner & they'll be gorgeous. And then I've been told I need to slap some black gloss paint over the hideous green railing.....just like that!

As a gesture of familial solidarity, the Landscaper reckons he'll give any lovely Hedgie in the Adelaide metro area & Adelaide Hills who books in a landscaping job between now & the end of April 2012 25% off the total cost of quotation. Irrigation, new lawns, topiary, paving, decking, garden lighting, ornamental pruning, water features - anything you want, he can do. If you're interested just drop me an email at thelaurelhedge@gmail.com for his contact details. He's got a stack of photos of his work up on his Facebook page too, so I can direct you to that if you're interested. Now we are just about even I reckon!!

A Wonderful Evening!

Now that I can draw breath after our very big weekend, here's a few pics of the Engagement Party. It was a truly wonderful night & I was so proud of all the work Son #5 & his girl sweet Miss A had done to get their home & garden looking lovely for the night.

Here's the happy couple!

My cousin's daughter, Son #3, his girl & Son #2.

Son #4, a mate & Son #3.

MOTH & his sister in the kitchen.

The happy couple again. Someone took a couple of pics of MOTH & myself & promised to email them, so will post them when they arrive. Thanks to everyone who left messages here, on Facebook & Tweeted wishing us a fabulous night. It was just the best.

It's Party Time!

I'm back from Melbourne & straight into engagement party mode. Thank you to everyone who left great messages & emailed me re the Basic Sales Training course I had to attend. They were all brilliant & came at just the right time to get me over the line with a laugh. I've brought home a certificate that tells me apparently I can now sell - funny about that!

I've taken the next 2 days off work so I can cook, shop, clean, make up beds, do a heap of airport pick-ups, run around for the happy couple etc. We are so looking forward to Saturday night, it will be such a treat to have all the sons & their partners home to help their baby brother celebrate his betrothal to sweet Miss A. I'll let you know how it all goes & post some 'suitable' pics next week. In the meatime, let's partee!!!

Image: Notonthehighstreet.com

E Is For...........

Just had to share the news - Son # 5 & his girl, the gorgeous Miss A have just announced their engagement tonight!!! She's been in Sydney all week at a conference & he flew up from Adelaide today so they could spend the weekend together. Out at dinner tonight at Circular Quay, he caught her totally unawares & pulled out the ring that's been burning a hole in his pocket for the past couple of months. They've just phoned & there has been much squealing, screeching & jumping up & down here at The Hedge.

We couldn't be happier - Miss A is an absolute delight & we couldn't ask for a better girl for our Bub. Oh gosh, what an end to quite an extraordinary week. I got very teary at one of my favourite clients this afternoon after I told them I was leaving & now this! Pass the Kleenex, I'm about to start again. I'm going to be a Mother-In-Law - YIPPEE!!

Image: Notonthehighstreet

Border Crossing

I'm off to wander the quirky laneways of Melbourne for the rest of the week. Ostensibly for work, which I will actually be doing some of.

But also to pay a visit to these 3 characters. Melbourne sons #1, #2 & #3 would have been sprung with a 'surprise' interstate visit from their Mother. I've always found a quick unannounced sortie catches them unprepared, so I can get a more 'honest' appraisal of their current respective situations. But their younger brother Son #4 here in Adelaide used the BBT (Brothers Bush Telegraph) & blabbed to let them know I'm on my way. According to him it appears I have my work cut out for me. I have a couple of relationship issues to sort out, a somewhat impecunious state or 3 to deal with & a 'That's it I'm chucking it all in & moving to Queensland!' drama to diffuse. I'll be back here next week, wish me luck!

Pipe Dreams

'Don't worry Mum, I'll find that busted downpipe underneath all those leaves for you. Yep, I promise I'll keep MOTH & his impatient chainsaw away from the Boston Ivy - after all it only took 35 years to grow on that wall.'

'See, I knew it would be here. Geez it looks bad - keep MOTH busy inside Mum while I work out a way of putting a new pipe in without wrecking the Ivy.'

'Geez, that trench was hard work to dig. Wasn't helped either by the deep layer of concrete I found, that some idiot had laid the pavers directly onto. It's 3p.m. & my other brother was supposed to be here to help, but I've just texted him & he reckons he's been 'detained'. Detained all right - by the blonde chick I saw him with last night when we were all out at the Pub.'

'Not sure what the Old Man with the saw is about to do. Take that thing away from him Mum, he'll really stuff things up. I told him not to saw there.'

'I know the trench has totally wrecked the garden bed outside your bedroom window. Those are the breaks Mum, stop sniffling, you're just gonna have to suck it up.'

'Sorry Mum but it's getting late & 'cos I had to do everything 'cos the Old Man reckoned his shoulder was too crook to dig & my dodgy brother's only just turned up for the roast dinner you promised, I'll have to leave everything in a mess & all the pavers in a pile.'

Editors Note: Since then we've had 60mm. of rain. The new downpipe appears to be working but the courtyard is a total mud & sludge disaster without any pavers. Why me Lord, why me.

29 Not Out

Happy 29th Birthday today to Son #4. A beautiful boy, at 9lb. 14.5ozs. he was the smallest of my babies, with a mass of black hair, the brownest of eyes & the cheekiest of faces. Always happy & smiling & according to all his brothers, always the centre of attention!

He's the upholder of all our family traditions, the most loyal of brother's, the life & soul of every party & the greatest practical joker on earth (think Russian Bride here!)

Son # 4 has lived away from home for nearly 10 years now & I've never ever had a single morsel of food prepared or cooked by him. With the gift this Christmas of a set of cookware from his baby brother, I was hoping that this would mean I may get to savour a 3 course meal from his kitchen before I shuffle off to the Nursing Home. However, a little bird told me that they had cause to open the oven at his house recently & found it full of dirty dishes, so I reckon I've got zero & no chance. Have a really happy day Sweetie & we'll see you tonight at our old family favourite, the Imperial Court, where once again you've cleverly handballed the cooking to someone else!

Rockin' Down The Highway

MOTH & I are off to Melbourne today for an extended weekend. Rather than fly, he wants to do the 7 hour drive there & back, as apparently we need to have urgent & uninterrupted discussions about the state of our renovations & our big holiday. He says he's working on the Agenda & I have to stick to it - oh joy.

Tomorrow is his 62nd birthday, so we are meeting up with the 3 Melbourne sons & gorgeous family & friends for a party night out on the town. I'm champing at the bit for some mother & sons time, so bring it on.

However, the main reason for our trip is to help celebrate a very close friend's 60th birthday (at 54 I'm the baby of our group!) & retirement from a stellar nursing career. Her dear husband is holding a black tie dinner for her at that last bastion & headquarters of conservative establishment, The Melbourne Club in Collins Street. It's the city's oldest gentleman's club, starting it's life in the heady days of 1858. MOTH says they're very brave inviting me & he's given me strict instructions that I must leave my 'Pinko, Lefto,' leanings (his words, not mine!!) firmly tucked in my handbag for the evening - duly noted dear MOTH. However, it will be lovely to glam up for the occasion & see MOTH out of his grotty work shorts & steel-caps & into a dinner suit.

I hope The Melbourne Club are polishing up their revolving disco mirror-ball as I write this, as there's a whole group of us going who along with the birthday girl, used to be the Dancing Queens of certain Melbourne nightspots a life-time ago! Those long shifts working together in ICU at St. Vinnie's Public made us crazy for a wild night or 3 out on the town. I'm sure the Club's flashing neon dance floor will be rocking on Saturday night with a reunion of said Dancing Queens.

Then Sunday brings Father's Day & Son #1's 33rd birthday, so my sweet SIL has organized a dinner at her place so the boys & their father can do their thing as a very noisy group without exposing innocent restaurant patrons to their 'activities'. Those of you long-suffering Hedgies will know exactly what will occur - so I won't go into the indelicate details. Steel yourself Millie, steel yourself!

So off we go for a grand weekend - see you next week!

Images: Shoestring Magazine & SMH

Experienced Operator Required

This sight greeted me on the way to work today. Our second driveway is being redone & Son # 5 arrived with the bobcat & his Assistant. The Assistant also brought along a helper. Our job is in good hands!!

Wok's Happening

MOTH & I have a combined love of Asian food. Our poor old wok is on its last legs, & we've been talking about replacing it. It was a cheap & cheerful job from the Market, but over the years it has produced some fantastic nosh. I would love to hear any recommendations along the wok line, what works for you, what doesn't....there are so many choices available my head's spinning! Oh & if you're reading this Son #3 in Melbourne, are you still ordering your famous ' Lemon Chicken thanks, but hold the Lemon' at your local Chinese takeaway!!

Image of the late Danny Kaye's amazing kitchen: Architectural Digest

Future Plans

There is lots to love about this sweet kitchen. My own kitchen longings have been suppressed for some time, but I felt a twinge of excitement over the weekend. MOTH emerged from the Bathroom-From-Hell (which is coming along beautifully) & asked me to dig out the plans for the kitchen/laundry renovation. Locked away in a very small room precision tiling on less-than-straight walls, has provided him with much thinking time. He's decided to change a couple of aspects of the plan & so wanted to run them past his Project Manager. I'm not totally convinced, so I told him to go away & come back with some additional drawings, as I'm struggling to visualize his complicated explanations.

I loved reading all your comments from yesterday's post. The jury's still out about getting that certain son to do a guest post. However, he writes like a professional, so chances are permission will be granted. When I tentatively broached the subject with him last night he said 'No worries Mum, I've got plenty more stories like that.' Why does that not surprise me at all!!

Images: Gemma Comas

An Apology To La Maison

To The Manager @ La Maison, Shoreditch High Street, London E1.

On May 10th you received email correspondence from a Sir Lachlan 1V enquiring about the bed pictured below. Sir Lachlan expressed great interest in the bed, how many you held in stock in case he wanted to purchase more than one for his country estate, delivery options, etc. You kindly emailed back, answering all his queries & quoting a price of GBP6,000.

I am sorry to say that an order from Sir Lachlan in the Colonies will not be forthcoming. As his mother, it is my regretful duty to inform you that this email request was not exactly kosher. In actual fact, it resulted from a very late night with his mates, a slab of Cooper's Sparkling Ale, a bottle of hoon juice Bourbon, a discarded copy of his mother's English Homes & Gardens, a computer & too much youthful 'exuberance'. Sadly this is not the first time such 'enquires' to genuine Merchants have emanated from that computer. If Sir Lachlan was 15 years younger, he would be grounded for a month & his computer privileges removed. However, at 28, punitive parental measures such as this would only be met with amusement. For your information, (& I trust as some form of consolation for your troubles) he did receive the famous Millie Death Stare, which has been known to freeze over parts of the Polar Ice Cap in seconds.

Once again, please accept my sincere apologies for this most unfortunate incident. However, I would like to place an order for the cherub bed below. I think it would be the perfect gift for Sir Lachlan on his next birthday. It will be with great interest that I watch to see how he explains the presence of this divine piece of rococco angelic-ness in his bedroom to the above same mates. Right alongside the Ford Muscle Car Posters & signed Cheech & Chong 'memorablia'.

Yours sincerely

All images: The long-suffering La Maison

Weekend Work

A cold, wet, wintry weekend has seen some more progress in the Bathroom-From-Hell. MOTH stripped all the lovely 2-pac panels & drawers from the cantilevered vanity bar & Dyna-bolted the carcass onto the wall. As it weighs a ton complete with its Caesar-stone top, he also built a concealed plasterboard plinth behind the frame from the wall to give it additional support. The wooden frame underneath is just temporary.

Saturday the double shower alcove looked like this.

Sunday it looked like this. Yes, you do see tiles, it's not a figment of your imagination! He started tiling around the little niche but as the tiles are very large at 600mm., after using a truck-load of tile cement, he then used strong masking tape from the window sill during the curing process! Not sure a professional Tiler would approve, but hey, this is MOTH we're talking about!

We had the pleasure of Son #3's presence for a couple of hours yesterday. He flew in & out from Melbourne very quickly for a school friend's wedding. Son #4 kindly acted as his chauffeur. Here he is giving the thumbs up in a sign of thanks & brotherly love!

And finally, thank you for all the fab comments about The Hedge's make-over. As you can see I managed to sneak in an hour reinstalling my Blog Roll, but still haven't finished. I found it to be a happy experience though, typing in your individual addresses made me think of each of you & how much your Blog friendship means to me. However please leave me a reminder in Comments if you can't see yourself there, my mind has turned to mush & I'd love a gentle reminder from you!