Tulip Cheeks

I kept calm - now I know how I would react......

Sat in the doctors waiting room last week. Id had a blood test the week before - for no reason really, just a check up. Next thing I know, the doctor comes running out into the waiting room and says my name " TC, Ive just got your results, Oh, my God, you are very rare, this is very very interesting, come through, come through". So I hurriedly get swept into her room and sit down - almost slump onto her desk thinking  I knew it, I bloody knew it - I knew I was special and also thinking - shes so much nicer to me this week now that Im 'special!'.

So I calmly listen - thinking 'remember everything TC - youre gonna talk about the moment 'you found out' for the rest of your life'. The doctor went on to say things like " The technical name for what you have is bla bla bla" (that I cant remember as Im not too clever) "I will give you the correct website to look it up when you get home" (Brilliant I thought, I can go home - no hospital). "Now" she says "Has anything strange happened to you this week since you saw me for the blood test?" Well, i said, I have been bitten really badly by mosquitos.  "That could be a link together she said - very excitedly and with that she looks at her computer screen. "TC right?" she says. Yes, I say - quite confidently- like I know, I know, Im brave, I know it.

Then she goes " oh sorry, its not you. Weve had two tall attractive females in this week for blood tests and its the other one, sorry" and with that, she moved on and didnt appologise more than that. 

My blood tests were so normal you couldnt get more normal. I should be over the moon really - but is it wrong to feel quite cheated?!

Excellent news....

On two counts.

Firstly - how cool is it that I can post to Tulip Cheeks from my new place of work! Im seeing it as my fag break - coz Mr TC senior and I were discussing how much time is lost due to people nipping out for 'quick fags' - how productive am I to be using my fag time to keep in-touch with my lovely friends!

Secondly - how cool is it that Look Magazine deliver internationally - and that they are offering 20% off their yearly subscription. Im in talks with the people with the power at this end to get us on that list - I LOVE Look Magazine - its fashion heaven with just the right amount of goss.

The end has come....

Well folks, my time off as come to an end. But dont think thats the end of Tulip Cheeks, coz its not. Ive finally been snapped up to work for a fantastic organisation and I start tomorrow.

I'l be able to tell you ALL about my new role in more detail soon (when I find out more!) but till then - all you need to know is that Im soooooooo excited about this new opportunity. Im very apprehensive (it wouldn't be right it I wasn't now would it?) but, after 7 months its come at the right time.

Ive made some amazing friends during my time 'off'. Theres Anna who I met through spare tickets to the football - my coffee buddy and soon to be a wonderful Mum. My very clever and wise walking buddy Catherine who I love to chat about all sorts with and come to a very good conclusion with her help. Theres my gorgeous internet find - Suzie, who is ever including me in the wonderful things she does. My Mr TC buddies and their other halves who have welcomed us with open arms; and of course my wonderful Wendy - to which I owe a million hugs of gratitude to for showing me things and being a wonderful friend. So I haven't done bad have I!

Weve been here 6 months now - and what 6 months! Ive been quite proud of myself in getting out there and meeting and making new friends. It wasnt really an option for me, as Im not the kinda girl to sit home and twiddle my thumbs. Bloody Lovely and Mi Papa have brought me up to be confident and not scared to chat to people - its amazing what you find. I think Ive learnt alot about myself over these last 6 months - Ive learnt that you CANT do it all by yourself - you need help, and you need friends. Now Ive got THE most amazing friends back in lovely Yorkshire and I miss them terribly and its amazing how they keep showing their love - even though you arnt in sight - thats true friendship. You can never have enough friends, and its the special ones who keep your spirits up - with even the smallest gesture - a text here of there, or a Cadbury's Boost bar snuck through in the post. One of the nicest things ive received is a load of post-it note messages, sent through from all my buddies at my old work. Ive stuck them on my fridge and they still make me smile every time I go to get a beer, or make a salad for the BBQ. Contact from friends confirms that you haven't been forgotten - and that must be one of the worst feelings in the world.

So Im getting prepared for my new job - nails done, notebook purchased and head slowly getting in the right place. I just want to do a good job and come away feeling like Ive made a positive difference. If I enjoy it half as much as I enjoyed my role at Tigerprint - I'l be a very happy TC. 

The Carlton Hotel Vintage fair

....is out of this world! Please check out their really nice website here.

Cock and I (Mr TC's sister - keep up!) went to a vintage fair there called 'Hello Sailor" check out this link as its on a really cool website called threethousand - a Melbourne based, no nonsense guide to the city (3000 being our state's post-code). We met lovely Suzie, had some sushi and off we went.

Inside the entrance of the Carlton Hotel every surface possible was covered in red flock - the pillars, the walls, the plinths with vases on - all covered in red flock. We turned into the bar area where a few rails of vintage clothes were on display - behind this taxidermy ostridge in a stunning set of pearls. It was so dark we decided to give the 1st floor a try first. Lots of tiny rooms filled with vintage finds. But I must say - not a patch on the vintage fair in sunny Leeds twice a year. I did make a purchase tho (standard!) a lovely bobbly cream draw-string bag and a red blouse.

In the same room as the ostridge was a real giraffe's head coming out of the wall - with false glittery eyelashes on. Also a stuffed peacock over the bar with its tail falling under the rays of a spotlight.

We left there and joy of all joys - my sailor suit was all paid up and ready to be collected! So its now in my possession! lay-bys is brilliant. paying it off bit by bit every week has really helped. Without that I wouldn't have my dream outfit. 

What doesnt kill you only makes you stronger - oh how true!

No photos of this one as it would make you wince. I had a little accident lastnight. I bumped our car.

I was driving from my first afternoon freelancing at a very lovely fashion company - Metalicus Id had a super best time there, the people are lovely and I was looking forward to going back the next day. off I set to meet my little and extraordinarily lovely and very good at giving advice friend Suzie (my Blog find). So Im using the very special present our friend had treated us to - a Sat Nav. Its been my hero since we've had it and performed exceptionally well on every single journey so far. But, this was my first time navigating through the city at rush hour. One minute I was driving down a road - with it showing me I was driving down a road - then it started going nuts and spinning (do you think it knew?) So, without too much thought, (i thought) - pull into that space there and have a think about things. The space was down the central section of a busy road and I was in the middle lane. So, I swung my content with life, happy little ass over to the right and BANG, SCRAPE, SQUEEL. OH MY GOD I SHOUTED as I glance over to see the driver look as shocked as me. For a split second I thought, aw, thats not bad - just felt like a dodgem bump - keep going! but that only lasted a second and I pulled over to the left. I jumped out my car - dreading what i was going to find - Screaming man? Gripper of a woman full of rage? Neither -  there was a girl - just like me! I ran across the road shouting 'IM SORRY, SO SORRY" and we flung our arms around each other whilst confirming each of us were ok. She was so calm - I hope Im that calm if ever a dickhead hits me - I could'nt have hit a nicer person (you know what I mean). We swapped particulars and moved on. I parked up there - too shaken to drive much farther. My little friend Suzie rode to my rescue and we walked to our destination - this time to no announcement from Mr Sat Nav 'you have reached your destination!'. 

The restaurant was lovely - its called Cookies (check out the website -its FAB) Its like a huge beer hall -no like about it - it is!  And is inside the most fantastic building called Curtain House. the food was delicious and the atmosphere in there was similar to being in a dream (or maybe that was the shock?) naaah - it was very special in its own right. After a sumptuous feed we took the lift up to the top floor where there was a roof top bar! and a huge cinema screen with deck chairs to watch the movies. The whole building was magic - in-fact I bet when I try to find it again I wont.

So I reluctantly said my goodbyes to Suzie and ventured back to check out the damage - ahhh, not too bad me thinks. So I get in to drive home and CLUNK - the steering wheel goes all floppy and the tires start squealing. I make it through the centre of town - on reflection - highly embarrassing as the noise was just hideous. But at the time I just wanted to get out of the city. I wobbled down to a safe little hide away - in a bus lane south of the river. Mr TC is in Sydney for the night so Im panicking all by myself. I call the insurance company - who are utterly unhelpful, they put me through to a tow truck company charging £120 for up to 8k. Then, after a phone call to Mr TC (what I thought he was gonna do from Sydney is beyond me) out of the smoke of the city appears Paul's friends from work - Joel and Brent! After a big man hug I toughen the f*ck up and drive the car all the way home (canceling the tow truck like a good girl). It was awful, it was very definitely dangerous, but thats what i did...and i made it. Im never gonna get annoyed with slow drivers ever again - you dont know what their situation is. Although I did say that to myself some years back when id got my Grandad in the car and he was scared to go over 20 - in a 60....so I really need to have a good word with myself this time.

I drove the car first thing - just around the corner to the garage - looks like it may take 2 weeks to get fixed costing us £250 excess - but hey - like Joel said - 'TC,  some people just have one crash and they die' - so that made me feel better - in a way.

Joel was a real star and lent me his car for my second day at Metalicus (which went even better than the first) and as a thankyou Im going to introduce him to Mr TC's siser - Cock, when she arrives this weekend (yipeee) along with Mother and father figure - Mr and Mrs TC Senior.

And how lucky are we? Our friends we met through cute Mrs Dell are lending us their car while the TC clan are here - so, out of a terrible situation we have coped. Why Oh why its happened is beyond me - my only excuse is - lots on my mind and the Sat Nav - bloody Sat Nav!

Ice-Berging

At Middle Brighton Baths theres a restaurant, cafe and a gym. At the gym theres an option of paying £5 for a swim and a steam room session. This means going in the freezing cold sea (but in the above enclosure) and then quickly into the steam room. I dont know exactly HOW its good for you, but I suppose it runs on the same principal of Turkish baths? There are newspaper articles and photos on the walls inside showing older people who have done this - some, EVERY day for over 45 years! They are nicknamed Ice-Bergers.  The people in the photos look good, but it doesnt look like they have found the key to eternal youth - if you know what I mean :-/

I dont think I will be trying this again. I cant swim, I hate getting wet and Im petrified of fish. So not great, but Mr TC still thought I should give it a go.

Today's the Day!

 

It felt like MONTHS away that my mate Cagoolie set her wedding date...and now its here! Hows that happened?!

Hope its a lovely day for her and Joey Joe and that they enjoy every minute. I wish I could be there in person but will make more than do with gazing at the pictures. Sugar Brown's promised me shes gonna pop some pics on line asap - I cant WAIT to wake up tomorrow and have a look.  

Thinking about you guys xxxx

p.s - I made the above for them :-)

 I just LOVE Anna's hair - its very cross-stitch-able! x

Sitting on the dock of the bay....

      

Not a bad place to have at the end of your road...Mr TC and I sat and watched these little boats go round, and round, and round - why you ask?  Well, we were just enjoying the sun...I know, I know - you mean 'why are they going round and round TC?' - I dunno - and I wonder if know either!

Look at that lovely skyline in the back ground. I always think Melbournes lines just look very heart- warming and friendly. Ive decided that every time I drive over the Bolte Bridge (usually to the airport) Im gonna say 'Pretty' - every single time - day or night, and it will bring me good luck. One interesting fact you might not know about me is that.... Ive never cut my toe-nails on a friday! Never, not once. Bloody Lovely has instilled in my a sense of superstition greater than I care to think about. Even if Ive forgotten to cut my toe nails, and im going out that evening to a posh open-toed-shoe doo, and its a Friday - tut tut TC - you shoulda thought of that one on a thurday. Looks like you'l be named tappy-toes Tulip for more than one reason :-/ 

Its a nice feeling knowing that Ive NEVER done something that most of the population will probably have done. I wonder - have you got something special you have done, or not, that most others would/wouldnt and would care to share? Keep it clean please people.

Finally finished.....

Im done! Ive finally finished my baby blanket and its winging its way as I type to a very special little boy who arrived 4 weeks early - The little monkey - I had to crochet super-fast to get it to him before he grows an inch! I dont think his lovely parents will have time to check Tulip Cheeks before the parcel arrives, so hopefully this little blanket Ive made will be a lovely suprise for them.

This is my first, my last, my everything crochet blanket. Its very rare as I dont think I can physically do another one for fear of getting 'claw' hand. 

I would love to be able to pop over to see the proud parents and baby - Its probably a similar feeling Im experiencing to when a child is put on the naught step and cant join in with anything. Except Ive put myself on the naughty step by emigrating! Id bloody love to see their happy and content faces in real life. Id give them all the biggest heartfelt hug.

Its friday!

Just had a visit from my amorous Post man - this time looking a little sheepish as he hands over a parcel for Mr TC. He wastes no time in dashing off this friday. I glance down at the description of contents - where Mr TC's Mum has written UNDERPANTS. I think he may have got the message dont you?

Have a bloody lovely weekend everyone. Ive got people in Rome, Ive got people getting engaged, expecting babies, selling houses, thinking about tattoos, living in dust and muck, planning weddings - Im thinking about every single one of you - mentioned or not. I love you, and I miss you and no one will ever replace the place you have in my heart x

Ps. Get better soon Grandma xx

Crochet-ing down by the sea

My how you have grown!

I took myself for a walk today - to the beach. it took me only 25 minutes and I perched myself on the steps of number 61 beach hut to do a spot of work on my blanket. Its amazing how may people talk to you when you are doing something. 

Ive cracked on with the blanket and went to Knitting circle for the second time last-night. It was just as lovely again - gorgeous people, great nibbles and I was even given some beautiful flowers.

I did manage to drop a stitch or two - it went un-noticed until I did a FULL lap. I decided not to un-pick it all and just over-look it this once. Oh well,  I think it will be a nice reminder of a lovely evening for years to come.

Its a lovely and sunny day today - and i think my right arm may be going a little pink! I cant wait to come down here in the summer and just lay......

Get me!

Last thursday night I hopped, skipped and a jumped over to the north of the City - to Fitzroy, where a very lovely group of girls were meeting up to enjoy their weekly session of a 'knitting circle'. Never been to one of these before, so didnt know quite what to expect. Id been invited by Suzie and Hollie (my hopeful new friends - Im doing the hoping) last week at Rose St. market - remember I told you?

 

Suzie mentioned there would be a selection of 'vegan' snack to munch on so I scoured the shops for my little effort of vegan biscuits. - its hard when you're a well established meat eater and every meal evolves around meat - suddenly Im wondering what is actually a vegan? 

I manage to find Hollie's house - after getting a bit lost, a bit hot, and a bit teary (to the point of nearly going home - I was so lost i couldn't have even found my own home so I had a good word with myself - decided the map couldn't be wrong and traced my steps back. Sense prevails! Now onto making some friends!

All the girls are great :-) there are about 7 there this particular evening. All working on different things. Im a bit shy at first to unveil my little crochet Granny square, but, its well received and my confidence gets a little boost.

The conversations don't last long about our handy-works (of which there are scarves, animals and more scarves appearing) we chat about all sorts and it reminds me of being with my creative girl-friends at home. I thought about being a bit quiet at this first session - kinda taking it all in, let the others do all the talking - but no....and this is a good thing...I felt so comfortable, and they made me feel so welcome I felt like I chatted away like I had known them years!

Suzie invited me to go to a GO GO dancing class with her - not sure what GO GO dancing was I asked her to show me some moves - it looked fun - so i went.......

  

IT WAS BRILLIANT! The lady who runs the classes looked like Marilyn Monroe but with dark hair. Her hips could move twice as fast as mine and at one point I realised I was jiggling my head to over compensate.

Because its almost the anniversary of Elvis's death she dedicated half the class to GO GO dancing to Elvis songs.

GO GO dancing is a series of moves - like 'shake your tail feather' "pulp fiction' 'the pony' and it was so much fun! She didn't dwell on anything, there were no rehearsals - luckily it was quite easy to pick up if you lost your way.

I loved it, and it was great to look next to me and see a friend. Suzie's really looking after me, Im so glad I randomly emailed her :-)

One year ago...

Mr TC and I got married. It was a rainy day - to say the least (supposed to be good luck, but thats what people say just to cheer up the situation Im sure. I doubt there's been a survey 'put your hand up if you're still married and it rained...put your hand up if it rained and you're not still married...put you're hand up if it DIDNT rain on your wedding day and you're still married....see what i mean? )

Anyway, it was still a beautiful day. We organised the wedding pretty quick - I personally think quick is the best pace to organise a wedding - less time to change your mind (about flowers etc, not the marriage bit.) 

Still time for Bloody Lovely to come out with some classics.... I phoned her from work one day to arrange me taking a day off to go dress shopping with her - and you know what she said? " TC, im not rushing into anything, im just gonna see something and just buy it." to which I replied... "NOT FOR YOU - FOR ME!" another one was.... "you should'a just run away"!!  Mr TC mentioned Bloody Lovelies 'wonderful way with words' in his speech - shes renound!

So on our big day we really just wanted to have fun, and we wanted to see other people having fun. We arent talking bukaroos or anything, just our favourite fast food - fish and Chips from the brilliant Paul at Southgate Fisheries (what a star...hey this is like the oscars isnt it!) there cant be many wedding guests fed at £4 per head and happy with it! Then we had an ice-cream van rock up for pudding, play his tune to which people lined up to pick their weapon - 99's, screw ball, monkey's blood on a 99.... 

We had a little sweet shop dedicated to Bloody Lovely and her Bloody Lovely and more than enough champagne to fuel our dancing to a Freddy Mercury impersonator. 

This formed part of our invitations which my very talented friend Fifi Moon designed. 

So we celebrated our first anniversary by picking up fish and chips and taking them down to the beach and eating them. Followed by a very large vanilla slice - HMMMMMmm

We sat on a step of a beach hut, had our fish and chip picnic and watched the world go by.  Gonna keep this tradition up now of fish and Chips, by the sea, every anniversary - where-ever we are.

 

But I do make very good Yorkshires

Yesterday was 4 months exactly since we landed here in Australia and it felt like homesickness just jumped up from nowhere and punched me in the face.

Bloody Lovely and I chat EVERY day sometimes for an hour. Free calls to Australia from certain landline's in the UK are brilliant arent they!

So we chat - usually about swings and roundabouts and then roundabouts and swings. And at the end of every call we end with us saying "bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye" moving the phone away from our heads down till it hits the receiver (like in slow motion). Yesterday, on the second of the 'byes'  Bloody lovely caught my attention and said a very heart-felt "I do love you, you know" to which I replied "I do love you too" and had to slam down the phone for what was to follow were floods of tears. 

At times I just think - what the HELL am I doing? I hate talking like this, and when Mr TC reads this he's going to worry. But Im fine, I just had my first proper wobble. I still want to be here, I still think this is where we are meant to be right now, it just hurts sometimes.

Ive got so much more...

but Im so tired - will save it for tomorrow. Its hard work not working you know!

Oh My God, Ive got soooooo much to tell you

I dont know where to begin...

I best start from where I left off.

The day after Sorrento I drove over to Wendy's. Crochet hook in bag, even made myself a mug of coffee for the drive over - forgot to drink it so saved Wendy a job and took it in with me....thermos flasks are brilliant arent they.

First off we had a good catch up. I LOVE Wendy's company, shes so cool. She knows stuff - and manages to say the right things all the time - a gift that not many possess - including me.

So after a good de-brief we jump in her car and head off to a huge mass of houses - fresh for the picking -literally. Wendy's daughter and new husband had bought some land and its quite the thing over here to pick a house and specify colours, fixtures and fittings and then they come build them for you - they can be in and out in 7 months! 

Back in the UK houses come in clusters more often than not - culdisacs of similar styles, differing only with their fashion for interiors and cars in the garage. But here - every house as you look down a street is completely different from the rest. (with exception of the gorgeous victorian terraces).

This is an example of one of the show houses. There are pockets of different manufacturers who have built one of each other their houses showing the different floor plans. They are made to look like real homes - and will infact be sold off at the very end and become real homes. You can wander around all day to your hearts content. There are roaring fires, real beds, flushing toilets - fake TV's though - 

Pretty impressive! 

We then went for a bit to eat at our new favourite haunt - Monsulvat (see June's edition) - bloody lovely lunch yet again.

Then off we head back to Wendys for a spot of crocheting - and guess what...its finally clicked! I'l get some pictures up before long of what Ive achieved so far - some better than others.

Wendy's been making a blanket - unbeknown to me she was making it all along to give to me!

Its got pride of place now on my rocking chair. Any burglars peeping through the window will now think "we wont rob this house - theyre old".

Sailor suit starts

Here I am in my first sailor suit. My lovely Nana (Bloody Lovely's Bloody Lovely) - what a wonderful Lady she was.

She could sew, knit, wallpaper, bake, cook the most amazing dinners (probably with one hand) which ALWAYS has extra food spare, She was, and still is an icon of our town. People still talk fondly of her.

She was a very clever lady - infact one cold January day i said to my Nana - "Nana, would it be ok if you saved up my £1 a week pocket money and give it to me at the end of the year?" ....and guess what I got for Christmas - £52 in pound coins! At the time I didnt cotton on that I had just got technically my "wages' for being good as a christmas present - well you wouldn't at age 7 would you? Just to re-itterate - this was my one and only christmas present from my Nana that year - Bless her - hope Im that clever when im her age!

Bit close to that Christmas tree with your fag Nana!

Guess what....

I got it, I got it, I got it! (see below)

So we get to the shop and the one in the window is the only one. I tell the woman behind the counter how Ive been dreaming about the outfit for the past week, I double check the price. It was for real, it wasn't kidding. I walk around the shop, Mr TC suggests paying weekly installments..."Shhhhhh", I scowl, "you cant do that" I say! Highly embarrassed he's said it out loud - what would Bloody Lovely say! 'Scuze me" he shouts "Do you do lay-buys?" LAY-BUY'S - what the hell is that im thinking "oh yes" the woman casually replies "if you put 20% down now you can pay it off with weekly installments". Jaw drops, eyes widen, I make a dash for the mannequin, remove the treasured item and run to the fitting room. "Hows it looking?" Mr TC shouts - "fits like a glove - like a 'made for Tulip Cheeks' glove" after a good prance round, and not a camel toe in sight I jump back into my clothes and put down my 20% - brilliant. Just brilliant.

So its not in my possession yet, but by George it will be soon. I just need to get me a job now to pay for it.

When I was 12 I did a paper-round on my crappy old bike. I had fallen in love with a Raleigh Amazon mountain bike at 'Kar-bitz' our local bike and motor shop. I arranged with the owner that I would take round every saturday, my wage from doing my paper-round - £7.50. -awwwww. 

So, along with a bit of birthday and Christmas money I was £20 off the full price when I came home from school to see the bike resting up against the wall of our passage (/hall - call it what you will). Bloody Lovely and Mi Papa had only gone and topped up the last bit because they thought I had done so well... - i was FUMING! The bike had gone from being 'my' dream to being 'my dream which wasnt ALL mine'! Bloody lovely of my parents mind - looking back, but what a stubborn little bugger I was - even then!

So then - the very same bike got stolen....Id been to a piano lesson in the next village and never saw it again.....until one day i was around at Mr TC's (he wasnt my Mr TC then but he wanted to be!) There was my Raleigh Amazon! Very suspicious as Mr TC Senior was in the police force back then and Im sure he would have seen lots of 'lost property' - say no more!! Mr TC to this day professes - 'I think in a bid to make money Raleigh made more than one Raleigh Amazon TC!"  Thing is, Ive never heard his romantic story of how he got such a beautiful bike. 

Isnt this the most beautious thing!

This is my dream outfit. If I'd have seen this, this time last year I think I would have got married in it. Its me. its so me. I love everything about this one piece - the high-waisted shorts, the sailor suit - everything. When I was a kid, Bloody lovely used to dress me in a sailor suit, and even now, I STILL love them! Especially this one - this one is just perfect.

I couldnt bring myself to try it on - it was a riddiculous amount of money - its imported from America - Ive even tried finding it on the internet! 

A pair of red wedges, and my red floppy hat - yum, yum - Im in one piece heaven!

I never go on about clothes, or shoes, or hair, or anything remotely girly. Im very self sufficient.

Now Mr TC must love me very much - either that or he just wants me to stop going on about this outfit, but he said I can have it!!!....I just cant bring our joint account to do it. Instead I'm going to draw me in it and use it as my logo. 

We may, just may be passing the shop tomorrow - it would'nt hurt to try it on now would it!?

Andy and Laura's Cross-stitch....

Im sure our good mates wont mind me showing you what I made for their wedding present.

All in all it took me about 25 hours to do, but I really enjoyed doing it. Sat in my rocking chair - Lark rise to Candleford on the tele - bliss! Wont be doing many more in my lifetime though as they are very time consuming - so dont get your hopes up!!

Barbie Exhibition

So, good old Barbie was 50 this year. Did you know...she has worn over 1 billion pairs of shoes, her hair comes in 7 shades of blonde and all the famous fashion designers have had a go at dressing her? Well she has, shes does and they have.

It cost me £7.50 to get to find out these snippets of useless information and indeed costs the same for everyone over the age of 12 months! i saw all these poor parents trying to fill in their kids school holidays with something remotely interesting for their child (who, at the end of the day- justs wants to play with the blooming things) gasp at the price and then try get value for money by holding back their kids at every opportunity to read the small print and get their $15 dollars worth! 

It took me about half an hour to look round. the nicest thing for me was picking out which Barbies i had....

This is one of them! She was BRILLIANT! she came with a bag (behind) that doubled up as a skirt, the dress was reversible, so the blue frill could be on the top (day into night time!?) and earings which, at the age of 6 made me beg and beg and beg my parents to let me have my ears pieced - thank you Barbie - you made me annoy my parents for 7 years!

This is my beautiful Dolls house which my Grandad made for my 5th Christmas....

Its been in my parents garage for the last few years (hense its a bit tired), But im going to re-decorate! Im going to re-do the outside as near to the original as i can (the peeling patch at the top was where a Sugar Puff sticker used to be) and then on the inside, i was thinking about Cath Kidston style? Im thinking about designing and printing my own wall papers and then getting a bit handy on the old sewing machine for some soft furnishings. Mr TC's reaction was - get a job, but i think its an excellent avenue for future career prospects - Doll House Interior Designer Extrodinare - "you need to get Tulip Cheeks in - she can whip any old Dolls house interior into shape".

So, you can see its a little bit 1986, but Ive just loved it all my life. im so glad my Grandad made it Barbie sized, Ive been buying furniture for it over the years, and think Ive managed to set up a good home for herself and Ken.

Next time you see this it will be in Homes and gardens magazine im sure, and no kid under the age of 29 can play with it!

When i was a girl....

Bloody Lovely made me go to Church Choir. She wanted me to go to a religious, well performing school and thought my little voice would stand me in good stead. 4 years later when it came to discussing the move, I cried THAT much Bloody Lovely gave up and let me go to the same school as my friends. I am now thick as sh*t, but have great friends. Every cloud!

Choir practice was EVERY thursday at a very lovely old(er) couples house (Mr and Mrs Dell) in a neighbouring village. Mr and Mrs Dell were so cute, and held amazing christmas parties every year where Mr Dell would perform magic tricks and we all had to pretend we didnt see how he was doing them.

Years on, Bloody Lovely and I often see Mrs Dell and shes insisted that I make contact with her Great Niece who lives here, in Melbourne. So last week I call up and the ladies Husband picks up the phone - hes proper Ozzy. "hello, my names, er, er, er.......Im a friend of Mrs Dell, er, er, er. Ive moved here from Yorkshire and Mrs Dell told me to give you a call"  "WHO?" "Mrs Dell" "WHO?" "Mrs Dell, Im sorry, I dont know her first name" "Ahhhhh....Diana?" "Probably - could be - lived in Aldborough" "ahhh yes, she wrote to us 4 months ago and told us you were coming - its just slipped my mind - how the hell are ya?'

Phew....turns out he'd bought a Dell computer 2 years ago and thought it was a follow-up call!

Ray, hes called is a smashing man, full of chat and very, very kind. Asks me if we need any furniture, any help - why didnt i call them earlier! he and I chat for ages - Its very rare to find a man who likes to chat on the phone - dont you think? he LOVES a chat and every-time we round off the conversation one of us stikes up a new one. We finally agree that Deirdre (thats his wife) will call me back when she gets in. She does - she too is lovely, and we arrange to go over to theirs for coffee and cheesecake - which was last-night.

They live in the most beautiful Victorian terrace, very near Albert Park. they have a little boy of 4 and 4 other kids from previous marriages. 

We had a great time chatting to them, considering it was a very distant connection, its amazing how strangers can just crack on.

Deirdre is lovely - i thought she looked a bit like Emma Thompson. Shes lived here 7 years and absolutely loves it.

Ray has been in the Army and tells the best stories - not so great when they give you nightmares - like it did me.

 - How he sprays massive spiders with fly spray and they get THAT mad they come at you, how he woke up one night when they were camping in the bush to find a koala sat on his chest, but he couldnt move because his sleeping bag had pulled his arms in, then the koala ripped his sleeping bag and ran off...

How you should NEVER hit a wombat as they stink and will bugger your car up! How kangaroos never run out in-front of you, they run along side your car and THEN bounce in-front of you. He was telling us how you can buy these things called ROO SHU's" (brilliant) they clip onto the front of your car and when you're traveling more than 60k's (about 40 MPH) they make a whistle sound that scares off any animals. Great for the UK too I think - what with the amount of road kill Ive seen. ROO SHU!

Ray also makes these scale models of most Army related vehicles. He's won awards! He's also also a guru on eBay - this guy knows stuff! 

We are seeing them again soon - this time at ours. Should be interesting as 'we dont know anything!'

How the hell did they get up there?

Im feeling good today. I think we might have turned a corner. I went to see a creative recruitment company yesterday who has given me a glimmer of hope that creative places do exist over here.

I have been doing a one off bit of work for a lady who needed some packaging designing, branding etc for 4 different products. Ive worked really hard to get the first and hardest one designed - it looks fab. She was supposed to come over today to chat about applying the graphics, but her children became poorly. My house is now immaculate for what was going to be her visit....I can now work on the cross-stitch this avo and probably get it finished. Mr TC got his first deal yesterday so we are dealing in deals again! He had a great time in Sydney although we missed each other terribly. We haven't been apart for ages, and weve only had each other for the last 3 month - no popping off to see my Mum, no nights out with the lads (me not him - haha, only kidding) so I was glad to get him home. We've also won an outdoor table and 6 chairs on ebay - I say 'won', we still paid. I think we've got a bargain as we went round the shops looking at them and the cheapest was £500 - in the sale! -Wheres Focus DIY/Matalan/B&Q when you need them - things are so expensive over here.  Mr TC and i are going over to pick it up on saturday - roll on sitting at a table! Ive been doing this packaging project on the floor - cutting mat, scalpul, ruler - my elbows are red! :-( We will use the out door furniture inside as our dining table and just lift it outside on hot days - saves rushing into buying our real dining table - it needs to be the right one as chances are, we will probably have it for ever.

The picture above is just up the road from me. Those boots look too nice to be stuck up there. And how the hell has someone chucked them up there - they must weigh a tonne!?

This is my rocking chair - I bought it a few weeks back and i bloody LOVE IT! It cost me 30 quid - and i think I've got a bargain. Its so comfy and I sit in it to cross-stitch as its got great lumber support!! (hant it Stu-ie!) So this is where Im off to now - Diagnosis Murder/Bergerac/Keeping up Apperances wont know what's hit it!

This is a low....

I knew id get them, Im sure they are very normal. 

Ive just been for a chat today with a graphic design company. Now, the company I worked for in the UK was full of the nicest, loveliest people I could ever wish to meet. I loved every aspect of my job, and, I could do it and do it well.

I know everywhere is different and I should expect that - even if i had'nt moved hemispheres, but trying to find that 'right fit' might be harder than first thought. 

Im saying this like Ive exhausted all avenues - I haven't, this was my first meeting. it couldn't have been further from the way my last company operated if it tried. The fact of the matter is - Im never gonna find what I had before, and I should just crack on and sodding get used to somewhere new, and then succeed at that. When I first started at hallmark I hated it! I used to sit in my car to eat my lunch as no-one would talk to me. How things change.

Suppose the next 'but' is - but what? What do i want to do?  

He's BEEN!

Not Santa, but the amorous post man! Id just popped downstairs, made a cuppa and had just sat down to watch some tv when i saw his white van pull up outside. I jumped up - turned the tele off and made myself look suitably ugly! (id not even got showered yet as i had a feeling he would be dropping off a parcel today - so not only did i look like crap, I stank! - Brilliant.

I could hear him walking down the path and his engine was still running...amazing - he must be in a rush - sigh of relief, I opened the door, hardly a hi or hows your father, snatched the parcels, or course said thanks, and shut the door.

My parcels are brilliant by the way...the one id been expecting today is our photos from a trip to New York for Bloody Lovely's 70th, put into a hard-backed book - Im really chuffed. It took me ages to do - kept having to go off and do a household chore every time i uploaded a picture - and there are 118 of them. Plus it was when we had no furniture - my knees have never recovered, and probably never will.

The other parcel was a suprise gift from my lovely friend from work. How i smiled as i opened every thoughtful gift. I dont know what ive done to have such amazing friends but, whatever it was - i must have done it well!

Cheeky bugger!

Ive just been propositioned by our post man!

He's the parcel delivery man really, he's italian and looks a bit like Lou carpenter (imagine him with a very strong italian accent and thick white hair). 

Every time he's dropped a parcel off he's said something very italian - to which Ive just shown him my teeth and curled the corners of my mouth up and closed the door. A few times hes said something like " Wednesday, very special day" which i thought, oh maybe he just delivers on a wednesday and ive just not registered? But today is friday - sooooooo.

So he hands me my parcel and goes "next time i come we should have a cup of coffee" 

Im stunned, I say nothing, - I cant, Ive got rigid. 

"do you like coffee" he goes on to say

"Im more of a tea drinker" i reply - trying to get the hell out of this horrible situation!

Imagine the skunk of the cartoon - Pepe Le Pew -  the french one who just LOVES the ladies - thats him, but italian! Im sure a lady of similar age, and single would love to have a cup of coffee with him - but I'm half his age, married and have got NO interest in him!

I don't know how I left it, I think I managed to shut the door after the word 'drinker'.

I bet you'l think twice now before you send me anything!!

Im busy - honest!

Heres a little cheeky snippet of what Im working on at the moment. Its a wedding present for our great mates that just got married a few weeks ago.

Its a double edged sword being creative sometimes (is that the right analogy?) I bloody love making stuff, I love giving things Ive made, I love the fact i can make things and that the people will treasure them forever (hopefully) it just takes so bloody long! 

Our furniture arrived!

You might think that because I haven't mentioned till now about this momentous occasion that Ive just let it go by. Well, truth is, when not writing to you guys Ive been unpacking and wanted to give this post the justice it deserves.

It was a bright sunny day when I received a text from darling Mr TC. 'Are you gonna be in tomorrow at 7.30?' 'yes I replied - If i can take you to the station earlier' he replied 'you dont have to tomorrow, Im not going in'. 'why i replied? Slightly worried. "BECAUSE OUR FURNITURE IS COMING!' 

OH MY GOOD LORD - words cannot express how happy I felt. its weird being happy by yourself. Its kinda like that classic - if a tree fell in the middle of the woods and no-one was there - would it still make a noise?  

Typical Tulip Cheeks goes straight into practical mode - clean the banisters. (??)

So, one night left on our air bed, one night left of a dinner plate each, one mug, one set of cutlery and no slippers.

The next morning we giddily prize ourselves off the air bed (theres no elegant way of doing this) to hear the pistons hissing of a rather large truck - ITS HERE ITS HERE! ITS EARLY - SHIIIIIIITTTT!  Its only 7am, but all said, we dont mind - Its here!

The lads are great Mark and Sean. Sean stinks of booze and asks for 3 sugars in his coffee. It only takes them 2 hours to bring everything in. They leave, happy as their working day is over, Sean can go sleep off what ever, or go back to the pub. Our working day is just beginning. 

It takes us the next 3 days to even see a glimmer of the Shire again. We are slowly getting straight.

I now have a piano - it looks (doesn't sound - my fault) amazing. My Dolls house looks great. Dad's (now my) fishing rod is safe and sound, but most importantly - our bed is like heaven!

Ive realised Mr TC loves nothing more than to hang pictures. It can be first thing or late at night after a long working day, and his face lights up at the thought of hanging pictures!

Everything looks great, we still need to buy quite alot of bits, but we can make do for a long time. Ive started to 'stage' little areas - Ive got an English tea party going on, a scandinavian area and a very French looking bathroom! I will take some pic very soon. 

 

To top it off...

We got to the restaurant later than we had hoped. Mr TC had asked me earlier in the day, 'hmmm, what you gonna have to eat at the fish restaurant tonight?'  Scallops to start, and then sod it - I might have Lobster!

They were running low on 'normal' fish. The idea is you chose your food and they cook it in nice ways. The rushing waitress nodded her head when I asked 'you will fillet it wont you, and get rid of the head'. Of course not - its my Birthday, why would they!? it arrived, most of the meat looked like it was on its head - which i wasn't gonna touch. It was a disaster!

We left, Mr TC stopped off for a kebab on the way home, I was understandably off my food. We made it safely home. I went to bed.

My first Australian Birthday - The End.

Its my Birthday today....

And I can honestly say, in all my years of birthdays, this has been the most stressful birthday morning ever.

Some of our best-est friends in the whole world got married back in Yorkshire yesterday and while we slept, and i can honestly say i hardly slept a wink for thinking about them. Then, this morning, I got a lovely cuppa in bed and my presents and cards brought up. they were lovely.

Then Mr TC cooked our breakfast on the BBQ...well the sausages anyway. he did the eggs and beans on the hob in the kitchen and then decided to strip the hob afterwards and give it a good old clean. Now you would think he would remember that stripping hobs and spraying all over with chemicals tend to 'trip' the electricity and ruin the spark of the ignition (after all - hes ruined 2 previous hobs, at two different locations before). Im upstairs having my birthday shower. I usually have a bath on my birthday, but this year, what with the draught i thought id do my bit. So i get out the shower to no music...whats happened I shout "dunno",he said "it just went off" so i call the estate agents, who call the sparkie, who calls me and tells me how to go on. In the meantime Im thinking we need the car out of the garage...and its trapped in by electric doors...so i go and manually try to lift the doors...and i break them...They come off their runners, bolts are flying everywhere and the doors get stuck. I ring the estate agents again and make out It wasnt my fault. they send a handyman (on a saturday - double time). i should mention now that Mr TC had got a lovely surprise lined up for me - two tickets to the theatre (he got given them for free by someone at his work) so we need to get the car out and be at the theatre for 1pm. the handyman comes. hes called paul and is LOVELY, hes been before and attached our tumble dryer to the wall - upside down - thats just what they do over here!). He fixes the garage. We work out how to get the power back to everything but the hob, and away we go. 

So, we get to the theatre....and the sodding play is about the Jewish Holocaust! One and a half hours of depression! If there was an interval we'd have been gone. but no, we sat there all the way through. Puts my garage door fiasco into perspective.

So off we go into the city. Mr TC says - lets go get you the i-phone youve always wanted. So we spend the next 2 hours trying to prove we live here! they wouldnt let me get the phone as i dont currently have a job! i say - how do house-wives get a phone..'they dont' they reply. being a housewife is RUBBISH! so Mr TC has to get the phone in his name, which still causes all the problems under the sun, but anyway, we walk away with said phone!!! YIPEEE!

I swear the only thing thats keeping me from crying today is what my Nana said to me on my eigth birthday party when I was getting a bit highly strung "its bad luck to cry on your birthday!"

So, on the way home we have to stop and feed the cats we were supposed to be house and cat sitting and finally get home to our 'sanctuary?!' 

I manage to make key birthday calls to parents 'thanks for giving birth to me etc, I love you' and now im off to have a MASSIVE bath - sod the draught!

Then we are gonna try have a lovely meal. Wish us luck!!

I have to tell you this....

You know I bought those two embroidery pictures from a junk shop..well, I was just clearing the crap out of my handbag the other night and i glanced over the receipt...and the buggers had only gone and charged my twice for the £4 one!! Im not having that. if it was a charity shop then I might be able to over look it, but no, it was a junk shop. So I made a special effort to go back. I produced my receipt and the man said, "why dont you go have a look round the shop while i speak to the manager" so off i go - you might know Id see something else I want - its a dressing gown - now, dont think Im a scuz or anything, I wouldnt normally consider buying second-hand sleep/underwear garments, but this one looked like it had once belonged to the Queen - Royal purple it is with quilted cuffs and collar - just needs my initials in gold thread on the lapel. So off I go back to the till - flukily the dressing gown is £4 too so I say to the guy - Ive found something of equal value. He looks at me and goes "Ive spoken to the Manager and, well, we dont normally do refunds"  - The imaginary spikes on the back of my head (like a lizard) go straight up...and in classic Fork tongue in the making I go "well, i dont normally get charged twice!"

He then went on to say "and especially after its been this long" I reply "since wednesday?" - its now only Monday. "Actually its been very inconvenient for me to come all the way back here to rectify YOUR mistake" with that he looked at the price tag on the dressing gown and just went "well, we will overlook that this time and we can just do the straight swap" - darn right you will and Im well within my rights to get a big, fat apology. but guess what - I dont even get that, or a bag. Twit.

You couldn't buy the embroidery threads for that!

I've just been to the supermarket for a big shop and thought id have a wander up the high street first. 

I couldn't believe it when I went into a junk shop and saw this.....

It doesn't look great from here..but close up - its amazing. the detail thats gone into this little embroidered and illustrated map of London is incredible. And for £20 i couldn't resist. It just needs re-stretching and framing - Im thinking a heavy dark wooden frame - yum. Have you seen the little guards above - they are incredible!

I also bought this - for £4!! The flowers are cross-stitch on woven fabric - non of that binca stuff that i use! I thought it was quite Matthew Williamson and that it would make a nice cushion - neon piping or something and velvet back - oh my god IM SAD!

One of the great things about having this blog is that Mr TC gets fore-warned about my purchases before he comes home!!

Hi everyone, just to let you know where we are up to... we have put an application in for a house - a beauty of a house! In Brighton (our favoured area) and we are keeping our fingers crossed that the landlord likes the cut of our jib. We hear back today hopefully so will keep you informed.

We are now staying in South Melbourne, in another appartment, but this time we know people! The next door neighbours are the people who own, and have kindly let us stay at this beautiful 1 bed, Victorian terrace appartment. They are the closest we have to friends over here and will hopefully be (if not already) considered so. They have a really cute todler - Alfie, and a great sense of humour (ie - framed picture of Syed outside our bathroom!) I think we have been very lucky so far, infact I KNOW we have.

So, the plan for the rest of the week....if we get the house we can start to get things like - bank accounts, mobiles, a car, suits for Mr TC and more lovely pics of our explorations to show you guys!

If we dont get the house then its back to house hunting! 

We are missing, and thinking about our family and friends in the UK most of the time. I never thought i'd say this, but Facebook has been a God-send! Although it does make me wish away the mornings over here as I cant wait for everyone to get up and get on-line!

Wrapped up..

Well, Tulip lovers, I'm kneeling on the floor infront of my computer surrounded by boxes. We are half way through the packing - and the lads are on their way to finish off the wrapping as we speak. fresh from Bloody Lovely's where they have picked up a piano and a very lovely dolls house made for me by my Grandad. Not to forget the very special fishing rod which my pa-pa is passing onto to me through gritted teeth!

So thats where we are at.

We had the most super best party on Saturday night. Our very best friends Fork Tongue and Madison put on an amazing night for us. We even had a boy band! All our closest and dearest came - there were tears but, its not like im moving to the other side of the world or anything. I am. 

So im off now to defrost the freezer and dodge the next door neighbours between bin runs (pray for me please.)

Hope you are all well. Speak soon,

Love TC x

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