The One About Inori

So………. these are the other items I’ve been rushing like mad to complete:

I made two of these:

They look like that when both are hung up behind the car seats:

It’s to store the kids’ books, toys, flash cards, umbrellas, hats etc etc.

We already have a mesh pocket at the back of both front seats but it was over flowing and driving me nuts. Besides, we need more ’slots’ to store those various stuff in!

Here’s a close up:

If you look closely, you can see the tabs I made with velcro sewn on. These are to hold plastic bags of rubbish or to hang my knitting bags on road trips

I also sewed on these purdy labels:

Nad likes the organisers. I guess that hard work didn’t go to waste afterall!

Ever since Chubbs started to sit in his baby chair instead of the infant car seat, I’ve been wanting to make seat belt covers for him.

Sunshine has a pair that someone gave to us when she was born.

So I made these:

to match with the car organisers!

Then I thought that I should make one pair for Sunshine too.

So that she won’t feel left out! (And the backseat would also be more coordinated… hehehe)

How do you find my new car ‘decorations’? I think Chubbs likes it pretty much!

(Notice the car themed fabric? I love the blue!)

So why all this rush and why the sudden urge to sew stuff for the car?

Remember I wrote about The Project not long ago? Because it’s a HUGE Project, it comes in many parts.

Some parts have been done now and the next part is actually to move house.

Uh huh. we are moving. Relocating. Woohoo! And not just across the street. Not across a few suburbs either! Not even across the same state! Yep. We are moving INTERSTATE.

We will be taking the road because we want to punish ourselves /are out of our minds/ want to see Australia and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

3 adults (including my dearest sister who so lovingly offered to come along and squeeze in between two babies in the car), 2 babies, 2 dogs and I would imagine, quite a lot of luggage. All in our not-so-big car. Woohoo! Fun times! (Not?)

We plan to take the drive slow. No rush and would probably be on the road for more than a week.

Apparently, if we drove for 24 hours straight a day, we can reach our destination in less than 2 days. Lol!!!!

So therefore, I had to rush through my spinning and sewing projects because we have to pack. My sewing machine has been kept away in her box and my sewing table dismantled. My spinning wheel has to be put aside too.

The side effects of that is that I have severe castonitis. I want to cast on 4 sweaters and like 5 shawls and many other projects now. AND bring them all on the trip with me.

What? You’ll never know what can happen! Our stuff might be delayed for a year and these projects would be the only ones I’ll have for that year! We could be stranded in the desert (although apart from sanity reasons, I don’t see how knitting can help us in the desert) *touch a lot of wood*! We could go through a snowstorm!!! (In summer.) Hey! Anything can happen!

So yeah!

My exams are in 2 to 3 weeks and we are moving right after them. If I had a stress level gauge, it would be hitting the sky by now. I think I’ve been acting rather cuckoo recently due to all these…..factors and probably stepped on Nad’s toes quite a lot. Sigh. I need to take a chill pill.

So would you help me move by going to my store:

And buy some yarn?

Relocation sale, baybee! (We ship worldwide. Just send an enquiry for a quote.)

When I was designing Mossy, I had to rip it back a number of times as I couldn’t get the calculations to work. It was after some time that I realised I had written “8 x 8 = 48″ on the top of the paper. Therefore, it didn’t take me very far.

Then, this Monday in Maths class, the teacher wrote y = x² on the board (we were doing calculus, finding derivatives) and he went around the class asking whats ‘y’ when x is 3 (9), what’s ‘y’ when x is 4, (16)…. and I immediately thought to myself… oh gosh… please don’t ask me!!!!!

ARGH, I was the 8th student and I panicked and replied……………….

……………………….

……………………….

………………………

………………………..

………………………..

56!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*head desk head desk head desk*

I’m no good with 7 and 8 times table. I only memorised up to 6 when I was a kid and got lazy with 7 and 8. 9 can be calculated by using your fingers.

I’ll teach you…

Hold up 10 fingers, palm facing away from you.

With 1 x 9, just put down your left pinky. You have 9 fingers left ’standing’. So the answer is 9.

With 2 x 9, put down your left ring finger (it will be the only finger that’s down, your pinky will be back up). You will have 1 finger on the left of the ring finger and 8 fingers on the right of it. So the answer is 18.

With 3 x 9, put down your left middle finger and you will have 2 fingers to the left of it and 7 to the right of it. Answer 27.
Carry on in this fashion…. 7 x 9, put down your right pointer, you get 6 to the right of your right pointer and 3 to the left of it… answer 63….

So yes… I don’t know 7 x 7, 7 x 8, 8 x 8 by heart. Ok? Sometimes 7 x 6 is also a problem for me.

Sigh.

I wonder if I can get into med school? My classmates were probably laughing in their hearts then. *Hangs head down in shame*.

Photos were taken with my mobile phone – which explains the graininess and low quality.

Sorry people. I’ve been busy again. It’s so hard to get things done around here with the kids

HOW do people have 10 kids and still stay sane!?!?

On the news side:

Our regular place for grocery shopping, Spud Shed, has been burnt down a few days back. See this link.

Both Nad and I are shocked. We were just there a few days before it was burned down. The staff there have always been very kind to us and they adore the kids. They sometimes give us free veges and their produce have always been fresh, despite their low prices!

They have made living here very affordable for us when we were broke. God really helped us by showing us this little treasure trove.

We feel very very sad for the owner and the employees. And also sad that we would now have to shop in the bigger, more expensive supermarts now.

Nad was just telling me a few days ago, “When you choose the spuds (potatoes), don’t choose the small ones! They are so difficult to peel.”

Well.. now I can’t even choose them! Because Spud Shed has burned down.

Will try to update soon. Am doing a lot of crafty stuff now. Too many at one go, actually. Kinda overwhelmed. Which is not good. Coz they are supposed to make me relax.

What have you been up to?

So you all know I started classes. Which I had written the wrong days in the previous blog entry. It’s every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Not Friday. Just in case you were looking for me on those 3 nights. Not that anyone would look for me anyway. *Sobs*

So I missed 2 lessons of each of the 3 classes because we were away. This is my 2nd week in school and I’m already sitting for tests.

I think I did very well in the Maths test. But that is hardly surprising as I’ve always loved Maths. It’s one thing that will never let you down. If your answer is correct, it’s correct! It’s not arbitrary. It’s not whimsical. It just is. Maths is the best subject in the whole wide world.

We didn’t have a Physics test although I thought we did…..

Today was Chemistry test and I almost wanted to laugh hysterically at the paper. Because . it . was . all . Greek . to . me. In fact, I may have done better in a Greek test than this Chemistry test!

SIGH!!!

And out of the 3 subjects, Chemistry is the most important one for entry into MBBs!

I was sorely tempted to write stupid answers in those that I didn’t know. For eg, when asked what “CH₃COOH” was, I wanted to write “The Chernobyl Disaster?” (The correct answer, however, is ‘Acetate’) For those of you curious to know what I did write in the end… was “Carbon……”. Uh huh.. I actually wrote the dots. “Carbon……….” Yep.

There is just too much to memorise! Sulfite, sulfide, oxide, dioxide, the elements the ions the isotopes…… I just want to run from the room, screaming my head off. I can’t balance an equation for the life of me!

I think brain surgery might be easier than all these mumbo. Any neurosurgeons reading my blog can clarify this? Hmm?

So anyway….. ever since coming home from the “Holiday”, I’ve been busy with school and, get this, HOMEWORK. I haven’t had HOMEWORK for years. I can’t believe how many years have passed since I last did HOMEWORK. I’m really getting on with age!

Battling with 2 screaming kids, housework, online store and we’ve also taken on a Project. That’s right. With a capital ‘P’. Because it’s a huge Project. We can’t say more, though. It’s kept top secret and only a small handful of people know about it.

I can, however, tell you that it is not:

a) Another baby (you must be out of your mind to think that we are trying for #3 right now)

b) Creating anti-matter by hurling particles down the LHC.

This Project, has been sucking all my time these past few weeks. We run around like headless chickens and we neglect the kids household chores because of this Project. (Uh, mum? Would you like to come and do some laundry for us? The pile of clean clothes sitting on the spare bed waiting for folding/hanging is currently taller than I am now…)

All I can say is, I hope Project is done soon and I can finally do some knitting or sewing.

Oh wait. I can’t do that yet. I still have MY TAXES to do! URGH!

SOooooOo.. anyway, Project might take up to a year to complete. Or it may dissolve into nothingness in just a month or so’s time. So that’s at least a month to a whole year of my time and energy. On top of school. On top of 2 kids. On top of the housework. On top of the online business. On top of my hobbies which I have been neglecting.

I sat in class today and wished and wished and wished that I were 16 again. Where all I have to do is study and do well for my tests/exams. And I think of how lucky Lulu is to be able to study without the distraction of… uh… say… a crying kid. Or a crying kid. Or maybe a crying kid.

So yes. My life has been pretty crazy to say the least. I don’t know when it will resemble sanity. But I have an inkling that it may only just be 21 years from now. Maybe I can get a discount… Maybe only 20 years.

Without God, though, I would have given up everything. But because of Him and Him alone, I am able to say that I (in no specific order) love school (yes, even when I don’t understand Chemistry), I love my kids, I love my husband, I love my parents and sister, I love my friends, I love my church, I love my yarn and fabric stash (lol), I love doing The Project even it’s caused a little anguish and anxiety but we gleaned and learned A LOT from it, I love my crazy life and most of all, I love God. HE is the most wonderful thing that happened to me and if I were to compile all the miracles He’s done for us, I can write a thick book.

Oh yeah~~~ If you’d like to send some yarn or chocolate or cards or letters or something to cheer me on, you are more than welcome to.

I accept cash too. Thankyouverymuch~

Lol.. just kidding.

Well, we came back about 4 days ago but are still feeling tired. We need a holiday from our holiday!!!!!!

The truth is, no holiday is really a holiday when you have kids in tow. WHAT were we thinking?? 2 kids under 2?!?!? On holidays?!?!?

3 years (I think) ago, I went to Melbourne to visit Nad who was then my boyfriend. I didn’t like Melbourne.

3 years (or so) later, I STILL HATE MELBOURNE.

The traffic, the crowds, the ARGHHHH!

We didn’t take pictures in Melbourne. I don’t want to talk about it. Except that I got to meet Debra and Alison and Tara and many other people who came up to me to say hi (I’m easily identifiable because I’m asian and have 2 kids in tow… ). I would have enjoyed Bendi better without the kids. Had to stop to change diapers and feed and etc etc etc. Sunshine was VERY tired and cranky as we didn’t have a stroller so she couldn’t sleep while I shopped.

Thank God for Debra… well, her hotel room….. Sunshine and Chubbs got to rest up there and Nad slept in the car for awhile (because our chatting kept him up). We had dinner and then we drove back down to Melbourne.

I also visited Alison in her home up in the hills. Scary drive! I don’t think I’m suited for living in the hills. Alison taught me how to Navajo ply (spinning). Will have to try it soon otherwise she would nag at me! LOL.

As for Tassy.. we loved the place. Scenery was pleasing to the eye. Was a little chilly though. Strong winds at night, howling and Nad couldn’t sleep for the fear of our little cabin being blown away and we’d find ourselves blown to Kansas.

We stayed in a self-contained cabin/ container in a caravan park. It was the most we could afford.

It had a rustic look to it… most pictures taken in the cabin had a sepia tone, especially when the light streamed through the window.

I achieved this soft look not because of my excellent photography skills (although I DO have excellent photography skills, *ahem*) but because I left the camera in the glove compartment in the car overnight and the lens fogged up!!!!!!!! It took so long to defog. That’s how cold it was.

Isn’t she sweet?

Saying her grace.

Nad tried to tempt Chubbs with some bread. -___-”

This is Chubbs with Sunshine’s favouritest toy. She calls him ‘Mossy’ (because he looks like a mosquito) but I want to find out what his real name is. Typing ‘muppet with blue long nose that looks like a mosquito’ in Google might not yield any results. Can someone let me know who this character is from The Muppets? Please?

By the way, our little boy is now 7kg. He’s 3.5months and is already 7kg. Sunshine is almost 2 years old and only weighs about 11kg. Sigh. He’s gonna grow bigger and bigger and he would soon be bigger than her!

They look alike, don’t they?

Random scenery for you.

This is the bridge in the town we stayed in (Richmond). It was built in the 1800s…. I think. And has a few potholes so every time we drove on it we had to be very very careful.

Rumours were that Richmond is haunted (so says the reception lady at the caravan park)…. But we weren’t afraid at all. Richmond is a very nice, old town.

One day we drove around Richmond and Nad parked the car on the grass on a slope. WE GOT STUCK!!!!!!!!!

It had rained the whole night before and beneath the grass was MUD!!!!!!!!

We were hopelessly stuck and wished that we had rented a 4WD instead. -___-

Nad borrowed the Yellow Pages from a resident nearby and called the tow truck.

Err.. we had $100 less to spend on our trip.

It was funny though, thinking back. I thanked my lucky stars that I brought my knitting along. I sat in the car to knit while waiting to be towed out. Lol.

We also went to church while we were there and made fast friends with a family. They invited us to their home and we got to meet their VERY VERY VERY cute cow, Jenny.

She came RUNNING towards us like a puppy when they called her name!!!! SO CUTE!!!!!!!! Sorry about the picture.. it was sundown by the time we reached their house.

They also had chooks and 2 goats. One of the goats, Bubbles, was pregnant with at least 2 kids! How exciting!

We were really blessed to have met and gained the friendship of this family as they have been checking on us everyday we were there, making sure we were safe and well. Thank God for placing these friends in our lives.

That’s all I have to say. I have a long list of THINGS TO DO in front of me and I’d better do it fast while the kids are asleep.

I’ve also started night classes in preparation to gaining entry into Uni so I am without the kids Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Last night was Maths class and I think I can ace this class easily. I’ve done these in Secondary school and just need to refresh my memory. Tonight and tomorrow night would be Chemistry and Physics and I think I might have problems with these. I was only good in Maths (and Geography) when I was in school.

I missed little Chubbs very very badly when I was in class. 3.5 hrs without him! (And then I came home and decided that it was great without him for awhile. LOL!)

Okay, my house is in a mess and I’m just rattling on to myself and no one is reading this anymore. Catch ya later!