Hi Ginger, Hi Annie...

Dearest Ginger,


Well, again I find myself rekindling with this space. Every time I write here, I feel sad that I left it so long. I suppose like a good friend, you can go without speaking for a while and when you do see each other again it is still warm and toasty, and it is with these feelings that I once again reconnect with Rhubarb and Ginger.


I've found myself in a 'space' again- a space that makes me want to roll in a room full of home decor magazines, bake cupcakes till midnight in a handmade apron, or be lost in a field with only a camera. A space where I can wake up and see the strand of necklace that I fell asleep putting together the night before, be writing a book on the shore of the Amalfi or sat by a print press making organic tshirts for Milly.


In a home away from home, I am combining my resources. And it is this one resource in particular that I am currently focusing on that becomes the topic of this post.. my new adopted friend, Annie.


Annie (Leibovitz) and Tracey are going to be best of friends. See, I have been spending some time with my new friend, Trevor (It should be mentioned that Trev is a real person). He is a friend that I met through work and we get on great. He has been very kind and letting me spend time with Annie- his Canon EOS 550D. I am a huge fan and am going to make the purchase soon to get my own. So while I can't show you any pics of Annie yet because I am yet to buy her, I can show you some that I took the other week on an excursion to Leeds castle with Trevors own Annie. As a birder, I hope you will appreciate these!














You will also be proud to know that I have been published already. Yes, that's right, my phtography career is exploding before the puchase of my very own camera. On Saturday night I went to a gig of Trevs band and was official photographer. So should you like to buy one of the photos from their website, please pay your royalties direct to me..


Love you,


Rhubarb.. xx

I say, tomatoes?

No, this is not a hacker - it is I!!! Ginger! (I have to be her, because that makes me Ginger Rogers!)

Motivated by your refusal to let the blog die (and rightly so!), I have found the time and, indeed, the inspiration to post something. Actually, I have a few things I want to share with you, though some are projects-in-process, so you can look forward to a couple of 'before-and-afters' in the future.

First though, I want to introduce you to my new friend, Tracey.

Christmas came early for Clan Pryor-Rogers and Santa was generous enough to bring me Tracey (as in Moffatt!), a Canon EOS 1000D. He also brought me an ice-cream maker, Simon an iPad and Milly a dolls house, so it's a very quiet house at the moment, as we all play with our new toys.

Tracey's job will be to help me find the time and motivation to keep you updated with all domestic activities happening on this side of the pond. Though, of course, she will also help reunite us in just under a month's time, when she snaps us in the same frame!

Today, Tracey and I want to share with you my new kitchen garden.

It's early days, but the hanging tomato planters have already yielded a harvest.

The herbs are from top left, coriander, sage, oregano, thyme, rosemary and basil. The coriander didn't last a week, but it was an ambitious thought to begin with. I'll replace it will something a bit hardier.

Feeling very good about getting something done outside of work!! And the fact it involved power tools made it all the greater!

Glad to hear you got home from Dublin despite the snow. I look forward to your pics. I wish I had some summery shots to contrast them, but the weather here is rubbish and as you can see from this photo from this morning, it looks more like July than November.

I think we chose a good December to come to the UK, as it seems Sydney will offer little more than rain and disappointment for most of summer!

Counting down the days.

All my love,
S. x

My New Space!

When I typed 'My New Space' into the title, pre-emptive text showed me that I had already had a post called that. In fact, I potentially have 2 posts with that title on this blog, because this indeed is my 3rd 'new' space since we started this blog. And what chapters each have opened.

As you know, I am living in Tooting Broadway, SW179RB to be exact. I'm living with Nell, Sarah and Louie the French bulldog. My room is small but with only a suitcase on arrival, it is all I needed. The benefit of the small room means the rent is cheap and I get the pleasure of living in a gorgeous house, set up similar to the type of place I would set up- comfortable and with homely pleasures.

So you no longer have to imagine what my place looks like, I am attaching some pics of my current space. These pics were taken when I first got here in September- obviously. It is distinctly grey'er now...

My new home in seeley road and my baby bedroom below.

The back yard, a pic taken from a day when we had a Moroccan feast at our house and the bottom one is Louie catching some sunshine in the loungeroom...

Best of all, you will get to see it yourself soon! xxxsj

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3...

What are we like?

I say that for two reasons... because really, what are we like.. 9 months, no posts.

Secondly, cause it is my favourite thing that Londoners say. And as a Londoner now, I hear it a lot.

I am not going to try and fill in the gaps for the last 9 months right now- it is 9.42pm here and I am tiiiired, but this is like my notice of intention. Intent to fill the 9 month gap in, probably with some sort of a photo collage actually- everyone loves a photo collage. And I will update it right up to Saturdays activities- eating at Gordon Ramsay's 'The Narrows' for lunch and getting home 18 hours later.... wishing you were there eating, drinking wine, then dancing the night away with me.

For now though, sleeping to try and recover some of the hours in sleep I lost over the weekend...

Love you, hope Coffs is wonderful. Give your Mum, Dad and of course Miss Milly a kiss for me.

xxxxxxsj

My new house - BEFORE

Can't wait to get in and make this space mine!!!

Love you like I love gluten-free beer and pavolva!!! xxx

My New Space!

Hi Ref!

I am so tired that I fear electrocuting myself by falling asleep and drooling on the keyboard so I won't go into much detail. I just wanted to post some pics of my room now! It is finally starting to get to the stage where I want it to be. With no budget and no possibility of painting it or doing any of those things you can't in rentals- i think it is coming together nicely. I like it. I am finally finding my individual style I think!

Love you to the moon and back

xxxsj

ba da bee doo da ba dah...

Oh, Ref. So much good music around! And such wonderful variety! And while I realise you don't have the time to listen to it all, I think that by telling you which songs to listen too is going to eliminate the possibility of you having to waste time ilstening to bad music. It is with this in mind that I post this next song, 'Going up the Country' by Kitty Daisy and Lewis. It's great! I haven't listened to their other songs yet but will be sure to let you in on any good ones I hear. An album full of songs like this would be perfect for a poker night or a drunken scrabble night. Probably most appropriate for a movie... Wht scene do you think??? A girl leaving the city to visit her grandmother, looking out the train window, scenery passing quickly by- she is about to embark on a journey unbeknownst to her- she will certainly fall in love and perhaps fall in love with dance. Dirty Dancing meets louisiana..??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxW3Ed7GrhQ

Another great track of the dub variety.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JIncRMkr00&feature=channel

Enjoy!

xxxsj

Oh, Laura.

From beneath the depths of floral embroidery, dusty pink and porcelain nightlights, Laura Ashley has, for the first time ever for me, made me want to hug her and surround myself with all things L.A. When I get a house that has a wall that is in need of the most beautiful wallpaper in the world, I will be getting Laura on speed dial and calling her for 3metres of the blue and gold. And maybe 3 of the pink too....

http://www.lauraashley.com/HOME-FURNISHING-PRODUCTS/Wallpaper/icat/wallpaper

xxxsj

What don't we want? Surgically implanted hormones! When don't we want them- now!

Ugh, today I had an overwhelming sense of sadness. I was looking through the photos of you and Milly at lunch and of those gorgeous ones of Milly and I missed you so terribly.

This is where I got to before the phone rang and out of all the people in the world, it was you.. calling to speak to a blubbering mess who was overwhelmed with a sense of sadness at missing her best friend. I would love to say that I feel 100% better after speaking to you but quite frankly, I still haven't seen you, have I? You're still not here and I am still not there. I am not giving you a cuddle and having a cup of tea on the lounge with you and cuddling Milly. I am not smelling your delicious cooking, stealing pieces of dark chocolate with you and watching Si patiently provide his fingers to Millys walking exploits, am I. You're not here having lunch with me and talking exitedly about our trip to the Jazz Club tonight. And so it is with this heavy heart and a barrage of eostrogen from the stupid implanon that has been surgically installed in my arm, that is once again leaving me puffy eyed and tear soaked, trying desperately to keep my sobbing to a minimum so i don't awake sleeping beauty lying next to me (a snoring Spencer).

I think the moral to the story here is, as we recognised on the phone, that if this is the worst thing in my life that I need to cry about, well.. while still fully justified, it could be worse. It still makes me sad but I am grateful as well that I will see you soon enough and that the world is still spinning nicely from where I stand (let's not get too philosophical here, sure there are things I would change- famine, disease, etc etc- this is not the time or the stage for that right now but I will endeavour to bring my philanthropist goals and successes to this table at some stage in the future).

This can also be a lesson and a reminder about the need to create and meet our goals ie. seeing each other once every 2 months; pashing Robbie Williams before we drop off this mortal coil; seeing our children playing happily together with a tennis ball and cement wall (sorry- I missed the boat on Milly- she will be the older sister watching the far littler kids do it while having a champers with her aunty SJ- oh my god, we will do that one day! aaarrrggghhh)- I think this leads to the ultimate goal, which is to enjoy EVERY day! There is plenty ahead but in the meantime, lets not waste time thinking about the time that has passed, lets spend it thinking about what we are doing! And enjoying it!

Ok, it is time to stop. Clearly this implanon has injected far more than contraceptive juices into my unassuming arm- it has also infused me with a philosophical, emotional and nonsensical potential path to literary destruction. See, even that doesn't make sense.

I am now going to go and indulge in some completely culturally void activity so that I can stop this silliness.

Love you more than the Jazz Club, and that is a LOT.

xxxxx

I don't like the name of the song or band, so I choose not to reference it here.

Ah, I had to share this song with you too- it's haunting, it's whimsical, it's perky and it's rain and sunshine, all wrapped into one. It's a cosy house with two windows- out of one window, there is sunshine, trees, swings and children. Out of the other there is freshly rained on suburbia, cosy couches with a cup of tea and the want of a rainbow. I love it. I hope you do too.

I love you too.

Find the time to listen to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7SSC3ex-bA&feature=related

xxsj

Little Lion Man

Hi Ref!

How is your day today? It was a fabulous day here on the sunny Gold Coast this morning however it has since turned grey- perfect blogging weather. It is also perfect weather for listening to this song called Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons, up loud. I love it, it has a real roots, bluegrass sound to it and is great to sing along to. It's one of those songs that makes me feel alive- I hope you like it too! I think we will be seeing more of these guys in the future- now stay tuned for more of SJ's hot music tips..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZuWQ0cVJWg



Love you!! xxxxsj

My Next Blog will be a Pie Chart...

I know, I know- it has to stop. But I can't! I just need to share with you a few, as any red blooded, blue collared men would say, 'pearlers' from MJH's blog that I think you will love... Your Mum will love them too- send them to her as well.

Ruby Keeler said... Is it just me or do you find when a newsreader says something about "the government" or "the prime minister" there's still a split second when your hackles go up, before you remember there's been a change of government?

MJH-Oh yes, all the time. And isn't it a wonderful moment when you remember with a start that almost six months ago that wee little fu*kface fell on his sword and for a brief, perfect moment everything was right with the world? I was listening to Dan Kelly's Drunk On Election Night on my ipod yesterday and experienced an intense rush of pleasure up and down my arms when I recalled exactly what that particular Saturday evening felt like. Gosh, winning can be lovely sometimes.

A good tip in preparation for your potential return to work...

"Anyway. I work in a day job where they couldn't really care too much about what I do at my desk so long as it involves something youthfully exuberant and 'on the pulse' (hackysack is particularly encouraged) so this particular website is more for you than for me. Lady and genteels, please admire from up close readatwork.com and don't say I never do anything nice for you. To precis: readatwork.com is a website set up specifically so office workers can read at their desk without being busted by 'the man', or woman if it's a particularly progressive company or organisation. It looks cannily like an average desktop though has short cuts to online novels like follows:

By clicking on a folder in one of these menus you'll be taken to the first page of an abridged novel, which may look something like this:

Why do I not work in places where they power point present such happy-looking folk? Honestly.The slightly irritating thing about the site is that a) you're reading a somewhat condensed version of otherwise great literature and b) you have to train your brain to get around reading pages like this:

But it's a small price to pay, really. Just look at this excerpt from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Ice Palace.

LOOK AT IT.IT IS BOTH LITERATURE AND A PIE CHART. THIS WEBSITE WILL MAKE ME DIE A HAPPY LADY.You're welcome".

Now, last but not least, this is quite hilarious... http://www.reasonsyouwillhateme.com/time-to-make-percentage-party


ENJOY!!!


SJ xxxx

Friday F*wit

Well, I would like to say that my stupidity was caused to that dreaded 'Monday -itis' illness that we are all known to get once in a while. However, yesterday was Thursday so there is no excuse.

This morning I woke up, went for my daily walk with Spencer the Wonder Dog and as I have found myself doing over the last 48- 76 hours, I thought a bit about my new inspiration, Marieke. I furrowed my brown and thought furiously about how I was going to find this illusive blog of hers. I furrowed and furrowed and thought and thought until 'pop'! An Epiphany. Or should I say a meagre little fart bubble in my otherwise space cadet brain was released. More of a slow dawning really.

'Reasons Why You Hate Me', the Marieke Hardy blog I posted yesterday, is the secret blog. DERR! Her 'Farewell to Arms' post was when she outed herself to the world. Ms Fits is indeed MJH and I was the first and the last to know.

Well, whoever said I was pretty but not very smart (I believe it was YOU), was not entirely incorrect.

To make up for my embarrassment, I am going to post a cute comic I found this morning. Repeat after me, 'once I have finished reading this comic, I will forget all the garbage SJ has been going on about'...

Love you like a Roast Dinner (Roast Dinner deserves capital letters)

xxxxx

I would like to have a Chardy with the Wondrous Marieke Hardy...

I feel it is time to deviate slightly before I turn into a rug obsessed, floor painting, mean Aunty SJ. My cup overfloweth with inspiration for one week, so it is with joy, dry humour and a large teaspoon of wit that I fill it back up again and share it and a slice of fruit bun with the fabulous Marieke Josephine Hardy.

I found Marieke through Triple J fame- she hosts the morning show with Robbie Buck and the Doctor and at first, I must admit, I didn't like her. I didn't like Robbie and the Doctor much either, so I put my dislike down to my adversity to change. A year later, I still don't think a lot of the Doctor and Robbie Buck, but I do find myself listening to as much of the breakfast show as possible in order to hear the sweet, yet dry quips by Marieke.

In the attached article http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/06/05/1117910185873.html, the writer documents her career by saying, "Marieke Hardy has a radio show, a political fashion label, a go-go dancing career, a regular DJ gig and a secret contentious life on the internet'. She also is an avid 'lefty', a woman close to our heart and in promoting her cause has designed with friends a clothing label, which boasts "I Only Put Out For Boys Who Vote Left" lingerie.

Now I don't know how much of this is true but if you read on, it seems she has a 'secret blog' of some sort and I will be damned if I am going to live many more happy days without it! She did have a blog, which I love, called http://www.reasonsyouwillhateme.com/, which will give you a fabulous introduction to her fine work, but I am left unquenched, Ref! I need the cup to overfloweth once more!

So it is to you I turn, my best friend, wonderful mother, charming wife, talented writer and lets face it, most importantly right now, bloody superb cryptic crossworder- how do we find Marieke- where can we filleth our cup?

Love,


SJ (hearts MJH)

Milly, My Darling...

...let's sit down and read a book shall we? It is the most gorgeous book and I want to share it especially with you..

That sounds wonderful, Aunty SJ, what is it that we will read?

Well my darling girl, it is a book that has illustrations drawn by your Aunty SJ's favourite new artist, Marie Desbons (http://mariedesbons.canalblog.com/). You see, Aunty SJ has been trying to find her 'art mojo'- wondering what it is that she finds her 'taste' and what sort of artwork she might like to hang on her walls when she grows up, so to speak.

Great, Aunty SJ, I am looking forward to reading it with you.

That is great my gorgeous Milly Vanilli. Well lets go and clean our hands and feet and we can go and sit in the loungeroom on your Aunty SJ's delicious Amy Butler rug, shall we?

Oh I just love your Amy Butler rug, Aunty SJ- lets!

Now the book is in French, my love, so forgive my translation. I am going to make up the story according to the pictures and what I think the story might be... Just look at these gorgeous illustrations..!

...10 minutes pass, SJ and Milly are reading and looking at pictures....

Oh my gosh, Milly! WAKE UP! For the love of god my dear child, you are drooling on your Aunty SJ's Amy Butler rug! Now let's go and sit on the painted floorboards, shall we?!

Aunty SJ?

...Can I please have a biscuit?

Of course, Milli Vanilli. Here's an iced vo-vo. Much nicer than those Arrowroots your mother gives you. Enjoy, my sweet girl.

Thanks Aunty SJ and can I please have a glass of milk?

How about we make it Milo? Plain milk is so boring. Here you go, Milly my love.

Thanks Aunty SJ, you're my favourite Aunty.

I know darling.

Aunty SJ, can I please have this in the lounge?

Amelia... darling, listen up and listen good. if I catch you anywhere near the Amy Butler Rug and Christina Lundsteen cushions with your filthy milo and vo-vo covered hands, I will call your mother. Now get outside on the cement with your tennis ball and whatever you do, don't drop anything on the floorboards!!!

What do we want? Painted floorboards! When do we want them? NOW!!!!!

YAY REF!! Congratulations on your PROMOTION!!!! You worked hard for it and it paid off. I am so proud of you!!

And your latest blogging is so fantastic. All scored highly on the "OMG" meter. I evidently have lost all my blogging mojo, but I will get it back one day, I promise. Just too much going on in my head and also too much inspiration out there!! It's almost too much. I can't wait to have an actual SPACE that I can decorate rather than these imaginary places in my head!!

But anyway, on my latest obsession, painted floorboards (which Deb Evans has in her new house, OF COURSE, being always just an inch ahead in style and fashion at all times!! They are even fashionably worn in high traffic areas, adding that perfect shabby-chicness you can't just 'create'!) I just wanted to check you'd seen this before

http://paisleywallpaper.blogspot.com/2009/06/renovation-part-1.html

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!

Have we discussed these before? I can't remember where I first found this link but they have stuck in my mind. You probably posted them here.... bahaha if you did!

This is nice too:
http://www.hennydonovanmotif.co.uk/lace_border.htm

Nice....

There you go. Hopefully I have broken the blogging drought.

Love you like painted floorboards.

xxxx

Oh, Amy... Bestill my Beating Heart...

Just when I thought my heart had been stolen by another, Amy has triumphantly returned with what I think is possibly her greatest work to date.... well, my favourite work of hers anyway... The good news is that I think I have been able to curb my penchant for jackets and now plan to put all of my enthusiasm (and any spare funds), into rugs. Rugs, rugs, rugs, rugs, RUGS!!!

xxsj

I heart Christina..

Dearest Referendum,

I write to you to share a new love of mine...

As you have been aware for some time now, Amy Butler has had quite a fan in me with her lush, rich and heartwarming fabrics, however my heart has been stolen by another. That of Christina Lundsteen and UNION.EIGHTEEN.

I am not sure if I have fallen more in love with Christina, or Chrissy as I will call her, or the stylist that styles her shoot. Both make me swoon and provide me with an overwhelming urge to buy an apartment where I can paint the floorboards, put the richest wallpaper up, some damp lighting and throw a morroccan feast on the floor, lit up with the most organic of candles and infused with the most delicious aromas of homemade cooking... sssiiiiigggghhhh.....

My other new love is UNION.EIGHTEEN. Now, while I thought the scene before was enough for me to live happily ever after, the scene could not be set without going in to my lounge area to grap the hooka for an after dinner treat of apple cinnamon tobacco (crossing cultures here, I know but stick with me...) and being able to step accross my UNION.EIGHTEEN rug (draped accross my painted floorboards) in my bare (but beautifully pedicured) feet.

A UNION.EIGHTEEN rug is as original as it gets. The concept behind their company is that they collect recycled pieces of carpet and stitch them together to make a rug- kind of like a patchwork quilt. Each rug is therefore original and made by hand, yet while each rug is dictated by the remanants found by it's creator and the size provided by it's owner to be, each one is put together and finished off with the same accuracy of a carefully crafted eames chair. (Note: I don't have the pleasure of having an Eames chair however I imagine they are seamless).. (Um, well I don't mean the rugs are seamless because it is the seams that make them even more attractive. I mean it is similar to an eames chair in that they are also mastercrafted. Yes, that is what I mean).. ssssiiiiggghhh again...

I'm off to consider my Moroccan feast menu..

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