Mt Lofty and Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens

A bitterly cold day. We hired a car to visit the gorgeous Adelaide Hills - about a 25 minute drive from the city. Less than 24 hours later, it was snowing up here. Bit annoyed that we missed that, but really driving in snow would not have been a good move for us novice snow people!

It was cold. So cold that we ran around the Botanic Gardens for all of about 15 minutes. I did have 4 layers of clothing, including 2 layers of merino, but was still cold! Pity I had left my big black jacket back at the hotel. I was pleased though at my last minute throw into luggage hat and scarf!

I'm sure the rest of the gardens were beautiful - they'd be much nicer in warmer weather!

The views of Adelaide from Mt Lofty were so-so in the cold and misty weather.

We jumped in the car and went off to... IKEA! (no IKEA in NZ, so a treat for us... hee hee)

It's Adelaide, but I'll call it Radelaide!

Adelaide, South Australia - one very, very cool under-rated city I think people.


Had four fabulous days there - two in extreme weather conditions. We saw the wind pick up two little children yesterday and smash them twice into the ground - the poor mother, who then lost her bag and its contents as they flew up the street. Nobody could help as everyone was holding onto anything in the street for their lives. I was wrapped around a park bench ducking. Very scary!


I bought books home for school. And fabric. Totally overwhelmed by the volume of stuff in shops, so only bought one skirt, a pair of boots, two skeins of wool and 5 books for me, which is being restrained! I sure pleased the husband.

 My pile for home below - why, oh why, do we pay so much for adult fiction in New Zealand???!!!! These were $14-19 each - less than half the NZ price for a few of them!

 Hardcover picture books - divine

 I love Target and Big W for their book selections!

 And divine dyed and spun wool by a local bought in Handorf, a German village.

 I giggled at this note at the State Library - very true kid, very true!

 Beautiful architecture everywhere! This is the front of the State Library of South Australia.

I'm a knitter

Had a giggle at my desk this morning - covered in wool and about 4-5 different socks. And the pile of woollens on my bed worn this week too.


 love

School holidays

I've made it to the school holidays. That was one of the most challenging terms in my school history!


Onto a mental break! I just found out I passed my university exam too and am thrilled beyond words - nearly cried!!


I've been home sick for a few hours, after clearing a backlog and lit the fire and have dozed on and off and knitted just a couple of rows.


When I finished my exam 2 weeks ago, I ran off to Spotlight and impulse bought some fabric and only 2 balls of wool...

I've sewed some pillowcases - I adore all the fabric I bought - and a pair of pj pants which I really didn't need, but the fox flannelette is cute! The Waikiwi wool is some of my favourite - no idea what I'll knit with that, but just bought some more at 30% off in case it is discontinued!

And I also whipped up a couple of pairs of robot pj pants for boys whose legs just keep on getting taller! A great weekend of sewing and relaxation!


Tomorrow will be all about getting this house and laundry under control! I'm off for an afternoon snooze....

zzzzzz

One does not really achieve much when they roll into bed straight after school from exhaustion and sickness. A bad person who has carried on going to school, as 1500 books will just sit there if I don't do them. And I don't fancy turning up on day one of term 3 with a major backlog...
One more day to go - this has been my most challenging term in 7 years... I think it is a miracle I'm still at school frankly.
Our principal quite education a couple of days ago. He was incredible.


I'm on a plane to Adelaide, Australia in 2 days time, so am shoving drugs down me to clear myself up! This is our big 20th wedding anniversary gift to each other. To say I'm excited is under-stated. Everyone tells me if I think Melbourne, Australia is the best city in the world, then  Adelaide and I'll get on just fine. I've shopping lists of book titles written and the sales on are generally...


I'm still knitting. It did take me over an hour last night to learn a seamless cast on for socks - these ones -

the wool is DIVINE!
I've also been knitting these with some Drops wool too -

loving them too. I've amassed an accidental collection of half pairs of socks... too impatient to see how the wool knits up really!


The big news is I've switching to a four day working week next term and am doubling my university workload... hmmmm ... should be on track to finish my degree by the end of next year now! Will be a massive change to my life! The rude people want $1500 from me for two university papers ( oh YES - we PAY for university in New Zealand - students are in serious debt by the time they finish and since they struggle to even afford to rent a house in this town, let alone find a job, I think all our students are stuffed in this city! Our poor children). I just need to stay on task and DO IT! The semester starts during week two of the school holidays - I've had two weeks off now which has gone fast!


What is everyone else knitting/reading etc? Oh book buying in Adelaide - whoop!

Winter giveaway

We've had two bitterly cold nights - even with a roaring fire and the heat pump going in the same room (!), I was cold last night.


A winter giveaway -


For the kiwis and aussies (ooh what an election result!) , I'll send one of you a scarf knitted by me (100% pure New Zealand wool), a mug and some hot chocolate (will replace the one in the pic as it expires very soon!).


For the rest of the world. I have a brand new Tilda Winter book to giveaway.


just comment below whether you are a down under-er :) or a top of the world person and I'll send them off to the lucky winners. Please make sure I can contact you.


Closes July 20.