What happens if you need a high resolution image of passionfruit and snow peas for a magazine layout and you can't find any stock images? Luckily I have a clever husband who came to the rescue. We had quite an amusing afternoon taking photos of fruit and vegetables, then things got plain silly with taking photos of fruit and vegetable faces. This one makes me laugh. Think it's definitely one for the office wall.

Sunday Nights

I love Sunday nights. There is that sense of having a beautiful, relaxing day behind you, and preparing for the week ahead. There is the jazz on ABC from 5pm to 7pm. There is Ben cooking in the kitchen, either preparing for dinner or creating something interesting. (Tonight it was both - ocean trout and mango salsa for dinner, and also bottling chilli jam) There is going for a walk as it cools down near sunset and looking at all the beautiful houses in the neighbourhoods around us. And, for the next week or so, there is Australian Idol. Life is good. Sunday nights are good for the soul.

The Joys of Clients

I have been sitting at my desk since about 7am this morning in my pyjamas, creating the seventh and eighth version of an ad for a particular client who obviously hasn't been happy with the previous six versions. I'm more than happy to review designs - God knows my layouts aren't flawless, and everyone has a different sense of style - but it would just help if they gave me one tiny iota of information to assist the process. Starting from scratch for the eighth time one day before deadline isn't overly helfpul. Sigh. Anyway, today I have started the day with a new sense of hope that we'll make some progress. Today, I promise to breathe deeply and not take things too personally and soon this summery Summer edition of the magazine will be with the printer and I can have a computer free day. Yay.

A Slightly Different Melbourne Cup

Well, there were no horses, champagne or high fashion, but this year's Melbourne Cup was certainly celebrated in style. I have resigned myself to the fact that my life is rather different now that my best friends have children, but I love spending time with them and their cherubs. So, Melbourne Cup was spent at the Irwin home with Lisa and Matisse, Jess and Olivia, Karen and Ruby, and me. Lisa (hostest with the mostest) made a beautiful lunch of sushi, rice paper rolls with chicken, mince wontons and sweet chilli and cheese bread for us, and Karen finished it off beautifully with a home-made teacake (yum). My great contribution was hand made chocolates from the local nougat shop, Urban Bites, which we couldn't fit in after all the beautiful food. Although it's a race that 'stops the nation', we actually missed the race entirely (whoops... for which Karen was blamed, but no one else actually bothered to look up what time it was on), but managed to stop for the afternoon anyway. Thank God for a nation of horse lovers.

Irwin Roses

I had a visit from my beloved Lisa and Matisse yesterday, and they came bearing gifts. How beautiful are these roses? Lisa is a very talented gardener and managed to create these roses in her own garden. I think I've taken about a million photos of them this morning, but none of them do justice to just how gorgeous the blooms are. I love them. Thank you.

Friends Since Forever

It's so nice to have friends in the world that have known you since forever. Here are some of my very special friends celebrating our special friend Shannon's (oh, and her new husband Chris' ;) wedding day. It was the most magnificent September day with cloudless blue skies. One special part of the ceremony was when all the grandmothers were the witnesses who signed the register - we all thought that was pretty special. After a beautiful ceremony at the Church (with a rather funky Catholic priest), we all kicked up our heels across the road at the reception centre. Apart from simply celebrating a wonderful occasion, it was just nice to all be together in the same room for a while.

Boys Boys Everywhere

How gorgeous. Another beautiful boy arrived into the world this week - Jamie Christopher was born to our good friends Chris and Helen on Tuesday, 19th September. He was a tad early (by five weeks!) but arrived safe and sound, only needing a few days in the special care nursery. Congratulations team Harris!

New Arrivals

It's been a big week in the Mitchell family (I used to be a Mitchell before I married Ben) - number 10 and number 11 grandchild have both arrived in the same week. Though originally 'scheduled' two weeks apart, they arrived only three days apart. And they are both boys, which means that the boys are now winning 7-4. Congratulations Marg and Mark (and Eli) on the arrival of Flynn Alan, and congratulations Penny and Chris (and Lily) on the arrival of George William. Nice one guys.

I think this is the most beautiful photo. Ben took this shot at Caloundra, when we were camping up there in June. He's so talented, my husband ;)

At Byron Bay

This photo was taken at the lighthouse at Byron Bay, in May 2006. We were lucky enough to catch up with our beloved friends Damian, Sara and Liam as they were in Australia briefly. It was the most magnificent weekend to be at Byron, and we even managed to see the Byron Triathlon. I always wanted to see the Byron lighthouse, since my sister was proposed to at that exact spot many years ago... though I wasn't quite sure I was going to make it up that hill at times! Hard work, but we made it. Amazing views from the top, including a school of dolphins swimming below.