to Sydney and back and a fabbo AB win

 Last weekend we went to Sydney to check up on Grant and Hannah - where they are staying in Double Bay until the end of the year - right on the water so this was the view -

I did like the castle next door as well

Coffee is always on the books when you go away although I really do prefer it at home when made by Ian - he should just take his machine with him every trip. However shows we were relaxing and doing nothing.

 Spotted in Double Bay

We had a very nice meal at Puttina Trattoria in Woolhara - great little restaurant. Grant cooked a bbq the first night - very good.

I started a little stitching - love that gimp and a whole lot more arrived this week

Spotted Reg Mombassa near the Sydney Opera House

Sat night we went to the rugby - what a dour game. A draw and so many silly ref decisions. We spent all day worryinga bout getting wet because Grant was told our seats were in the open - and it surely did rain - so we were very relieved to be under cover. Didn't improve the game though.

Sunday we went to the Botanical Gardens - loads of beautiful tulips in flower - Spring is a coming.

We visited the ATASDA exhbition - just a few pictures of work by people I know who would not mind - this is Cindy Copper

Toni Valentine

and Gloria Muddle

and some glorious sweet william on the way out. We managed to miss the Art Gallery - next time. We were having r and r after all

Checked these out on our wandering as well.

This week since we got back has been very busy but I did manage to get my article finished - playing with a Japanese theme. You will have to buy Embellish to see more!

And of course yesterday was the second Bledisloe rugby game in Auckland with a wonderful result.

Today we are busy doing whatever it is that we are doing - tomorrow morning we are off to Broome very early to finalise the Broome Retreat. Read about it here http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/broome/broomeleft.pdf - hopefully everything will be sorted - we will be busy rushing around sorting things out and maybe having a swim or two - I might even take my little piece from above and finish it off.