Around here June 2025 edition

I do miss the days of blogging and taking lots of photos of my kids [aka young adults now] on my good camera however today I've just got some good old iPhone pics for you.

My big news is I'm downsizing from my big house to a townhouse about 15 minutes away from here.  It's a brand new build which will be ready in 2 months time so I'm selling my house.  We have been here for 14 years and it's been an amazing home with the best neighbours.  Let me tell you when you currently have a double car garage and look at the actual size of a single car garage the true sense of "downsizing" comes into play.  For the next 4 weeks I'll be focusing on decluttering and reducing the stuff I have in my garage which by the way I did in February this year however now I need to get very serious.

I'm actually very excited about this new chapter as the kids are off with their own lives so it's time to reset and build a new life for myself.  Most of my furniture will be sold as it won't fit in the townhouse and it was all purchased new 19 years ago when we built our family home.  I'm going for a different decor at this house with natural timbers, linen etc. to make it cosy and warm.  It's exciting going shopping for new furniture and I've already preliminary picked what I'm after.  I'll have an appointment with the Stylist from Freedom Furniture where you pay $150 for the appointment and she measures everything up and offers advice for the look you are trying to achieve and the $150 is deducted from your furniture purchase so basically it's free if you buy furniture from them.  It's so important to measure entrance ways, doorways to make sure the couch you want to buy will actually be able to get into the room you want it in.  I'll be going for another leather couch again as they are so comfortable and long lasting.

Let me tell you getting your house ready to sell is a marathon as we [my sister and I and also a friend] have washed every wall, skirting, window, screen in this place so it's spotless.  Decluttering to get rid of stuff you have around the house so that the place looks amazing.  I even redid my outdoor table by staining it with 2 coats of stain and a stain varnish top coat and honestly that transformation was so simple yet the table looks great.

Both kids are going overseas at the end of June, early July to separate countries and they are both living the dream travelling and experiencing life which I'm so proud of.

Here's some pics of the last few months:-

Home grown basil from the garden.

Home made pesto.

Lounge room with a new $79 rug from Bunnings to make it more cosy.

This is my table after I stained it again - looks so good now.

End of an era with the height chart on the kitchen wall.

I took a photo with the kids next to it and then it got washed this off.

Beautiful sunset the other night over our house.

Sunset reflection on the side of our house.

Flowers in pots out the back with my morning coffee and slippers.

Ricky is having a holiday at my sisters while I have open house.

Hello from Teddy.

He loves being nursed and putting his head over

my shoulder but wanted to know what I was doing.

This is $5.99 from Pet Barn and the little treats

I have in my bag when I go to the dog park.

This is always at the end of the morning playdate at the park.  The 3 on the right are Nandi [chocolate brown], Teddy [Poodle] and my Teddy [Cavoodle] and Osha who is not normally there in the morning.

Every morning after the play in the dog park they know to come and sit in front of me for 3 treats each.  They are tiny little treats and they get one each then I go back and give them a 2nd and then a 3rd then we all go home....it's so funny as they know this little ritual.  I'll miss the company of their owners as we catch up every morning.