My allergy started a few years ago when my beautiful niece, my brother's first of three daughters, married her love and, since then, it has become chronic.

A new suitcase is not what most people celebrate but, for me, this is a major occasion worthy of much excitement.  My old suitcase has had a fantastic life.  It has travelled widely to Istanbul, London, Prague, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and countless other exotic places over many years. Yes, I looovvee to travel.  However, I have come to the sad realisation, that my much-travelled case is too small.  

As I packed for our last adventure, MLP muttered, "You need a bigger suitcase."  Packing for me is panic attack territory.  I worry that I have packed too little, that I have forgotten something important, that I have packed too much.  I hate arriving home with things in my case that I haven't used.  They've taken up vital possible shopping space!  MLP knows to retreat to areas unknown as I go through my ritual packing nausea.  Yep, nausea.  Once at the airport, champagne in hand, I'm fabulous but, prior to that, well ... I'm not good.

So, as MLP and I are about to embark on a journey southwards, and as we contemplate OS for next year, his muttered words begin to sound sensible, very sensible.  Why have I travelled for so long with a panic-attack-causing case?  Why have I persisted with a case that is adequate but not travel-shopping friendly?  I decided, he's right ...  again.  It's time.

When I was a little girl my biggest joy was to visit my Auntie Von, even though she was a strict one, and play with my cousins, Mark and Maria.  The best play time was when she created a mud puddle in the back yard and let us get in.  Oh, yeah.  Mud, glorious mud ....

My friend Judy, currently residing for 6 months of each year on a canal boat somewhere in France, used to suffer terribly from sciatica.   Yes, canal boat + 6 months + France, in the one sentence!  Livin' the dream.  She used to tell me of the pain.  The shooting pain down the leg. The difficulty sleeping, walking, sitting.  The slow process of recovery.  But, me, I was living in Healthy Land.  And then ...

Since buying my iPad mini, I have entered the world of Pinterest. How many great ideas have been out there living in cyberspace that I was oblivious to!?! The problem with Pinterest is I started to think, "I could make/do that ...   that looks sooo easy!"   

Then, of course, I thought, I need to have a go.  I need to make/do some of these things that I find so Pinteresting.  But where to begin?

My friend Karen ... yes, Karen-of-the-various-emails ... and I had decided to test the waters selling our wares at one of the local markets.  Carlyle Gardens Arts and Crafts Market, first Saturday of every month and Riverways Artists Market, in case you were wondering.  I felt I needed some small goodies on my market table for children and the person who, like me, arrives at most markets with only small change in their purse, VERY small change.  So, I went to my Pinterest boards and found these ...

Cute denim dilly bags.

It started as a question to a mother. 

"Would it be okay if I made the girls a tee-pee for Christmas? I've seen one on Pinterest and really want to make one."

Miss Betty, or Mrs Betty, as she would probably prefer, resides in Farnorha RSL Aged Care Facility in further north FNQ.  She's my 87 year old mum. The carers refer to her as Betty Boo.  I refer to her as Mother Duck and she, to me, as Daughter Duck ... Well , at least she does when her memory allows. My siblings and I are ever grateful for the quality of care and attention Farnorha provide her.