Bargain

Its a hot one in Brisbane today, so while I've taken 'just gotten home from work' outfit photos, I can't post them.  I'm all hot and wreaked looking.  A cute work dress was definitely the order of the day.  And my $7.47 bargain from Target was the go-to dress of choice.  I can't wait to share it with you, on a non-sweaty, fresh looking photo!

Australia day

Yesterday was a public holiday in honour of the awesomeness of being Australian.  And finally, it was a proper hot, sunny, endless blue sky day.  I'm afraid I don't have any photos of the day, but it did involve a BBQ, a backyard game of cricket and for some reason miniature remote control helicopters.  I'm also enduring a somewhat guilty feeling about drinking American beer on Australia day.  
It was a 34 degree day (although the forecast said 30, but our weather station at home told us 34), so light, loose clothing, and lots of sunscreen were the go.  I totally recommend Nivea Sun Light Feeling Sun Lotion for your body, and the Clinique Super City Block 30+ for your face.  A day spent in the sun, and all I have is a light golden tan, with no icky greasy feeling from lotions.  Perfect.  

Stripes

Last night I went to dinner and a movie with some girlfriends.  It was great, apart from a group of eight being split across the restaurant (yes we should have booked), and the film not being quite as awesome as I'd hoped.  (It's OK Paul Rudd, I still love you).
After a minor freak out about personal safety on the train home late at night (and Mr Man bravely coming to my rescue), I was feeling pretty wiped out when I set out for work this morning.  Cue one of my favourite Christmas presents from my Mum this year.  Stripey platform Guess flip flops.

When I was a kid I had a pair of plain white platform flip flops and I loved them.  Until I left them behind from band practice (yes I was in the band....two in fact, school band and the city band).  Devastated when I never got them back.  It may have taken many many years, but this replacement pair with its pretty charms is exceptionally satisfying.

Dinner party

Saturday night Mr Man and I went to a dinner party.  It felt terribly grown up, and yet because our hosts are so amazing, we had a wonderful time too.  Perhaps too wonderful, the hangover hasn't been fun.

I know my friends, so I wanted to look casual, but nice, and plucked this little sale dress out of my wardrobe.

Dress $17 Target

It was the little things that made it such a wonderful night, never having an empty glass, a beautiful three course meal, jugs of ice water, and having stayed the night, waking up to find towels had magically appeared for us in the morning.

Shoes $49 Betts

I'd love to reciprocate and have our friends over, but while I love to cook for people, I get too frazzled to keep the experience going all night!  P and S are definitely the greatest hosts ever!

Friday favourites

I've been thinking about this one a lot.  And I'm choosing to focus on some of the smaller things, as opposed to the fall out and clean up from the floods.....for the most part.

Number one:  The candyfloss pink nail polish I've been sporting this week.  I picked it up cheap from Diva (a two for one deal) and its been fun.

Nail polish $7.95 for 2 at Diva

Number two:  My new organiser, which has been travelling EVERYWHERE with me.  I love the pretty blue, and thanks to some gift vouchers, it was very cheap.

Kiki K Large Time Planner, $79.95

Number three: A new discovery this week.  Starbucks Skim Mocha Hazelnut Frappucino.  I'm in love.

Number four: My long awaited Victoria Secret delivery.  It should have come last week, but with the flooding, got delayed and turned up Thursday afternoon.  So very very happy!

Number five: Getting back into outfit posts and blogging.  It seems like the strangest start to the year, but hopefully now we're back on track!

Happy Friday!

First day back

Monday was our first day back in the office, and you know what?  Apart from the mild hangover it felt pretty good to catch up with my girls.

Hat, Just Jeans $9.95

We were advised of a more 'relaxed' dress code, which I couldn't quite work out what that meant, so threw on business pants and a singlet, figuring it could work both ways.

Singlet, Target $12

My little gold peep toe flats were a $5 bargain on the weekend, and made it easy getting around.

Pants, Ann Taylor

The hat?  Well, it was lying on the dining room table when I went to take photos, so I just threw it on for your benefit!

Sunday session

Sunday night, we went to the pub for a few 'quiet' drinks with some friends and a fabulous steak.  I wore another Jacqui E find, bought on the same shopping trip as last time, and felt pretty cute.  (It was actually Mr Man's pick for me to wear).

Only trouble we had, was a few quiet drinks turned into Cooks nursing a hangover at her first day back at work.  But it was all in good fun, and I think I handled it stoically thanks to berocca and a big bread roll sandwich for lunch.

Next time?  Less beer, more water.

Date night...before the flood

The Sunday night before all hell broke loose in Brisbane, Mr Man and I went on a date night.  It was I think meant to be a movie and a meal, but Mr Man ordered the biggest darn bucket of popcorn I've ever seen in my life.  So we just had bacon sarnies later on at home.  We saw Gulliver's Travels, and it wasn't bad.  Very watchable. 

The day before I'd been shopping with my gorgeous friend Summer and bought this very easy to wear dress from Jacqui E.  A bit more expensive than my usual purchases at $55.  But I was pretty happy with the outcome!

 The necklace was a Christmas gift from my mum, and I love it.

Week of wet

Wow.  What a week.  And yes I realise for some people the clean up will take an awful lot longer.  You could say I've been lucky.  Very lucky.  So how did it all happen?

Monday: G-man, good friend and colleague gets the news of flash flooding in his home town of Toowoomba.  He's completely cut off from his wife and two children and takes comfort in the fact that if he can't get there, at least they and his home are safe.  His car, not so lucky, and we watch footage of the street he parked in and the ensuing damage.  G-man stays with Mr Man and I for the night, and is in constant contact with his family.

Tuesday: G-man and I head back into the office.  Me to work, he to try and source a way home.  Its raining hard and consistently.  Friends that work in neighbouring buildings start sending messages that they've been evacuated and to leave as soon as I can.  My mum rings and insists I go home.  G-man can't find a way home.  He's still stranded.  The big bosses meet repeatedly, and decide to send us all home.  A friend in Burpengary messages to advise her brothers house is underwater.  G-man and I head back to my northern suburb, stopping to pick him up some clean clothes as stores close around us.  Its 2pm.  The media are running wild on the story, so we put on a movie and I paint my nails.  Inappropriate natural disaster colours, but it kept me distracted.

Wednesday: This is the day the waters peaked.  G-man and I spend most of the day glued to the 24 hour flood updates, stunned.  We promised ourselves we wouldn't buy in emotionally, as the media here is prone to overplaying scenarios just to make audiences cry.  We play some chess to distract us from the media.  

In the afternoon we walk up to the 7-11 for an ice-cream, and a walk around my suburb.  Everything seems so normal, that after a day watching the rest of the city it seems so strange.  Mr Man concedes that maybe we should do another food shop because food shortages are a real possibility with all roads into and out of Brisbane cut.

Thursday: G-man and I do said food shop.  One of the guys at the supermarket starts telling me about how little they have, and we do the best we can.  No point getting stressed when there's no bananas so Mr Man gets grapes instead.  Our supermarket guy points out that's the last box of grapes, and that's it when their gone.  We spend the afternoon at the local mall, and G-man picks up some clean clothes.  Management from work call all day trying to work out how to get him home.  In the evening G-man and I worked out a convoluted flight path for Friday, but, to our amazement, the Toowoomba bus line has worked out a way through, much longer than usual, but it starts Friday afternoon.  Amid whoops of excitement we book him on it, knowing within 24hours he'll be back with his family.  But at this point, our promise not to get emotionally drawn in is tested.  The story of 13 year old Jordan Rice, who drowned after he told rescuers to take his 11 year old little brother Blake first.  Blake survived, but before rescuers could return, Jordan and his mum were swept away.  This shakes G-man badly, as the father of an 11 year old son, he found it hard to cope with.

Friday: We need to kill time until the bus leaves.  I take G-man out to Sandgate to look at the debris washing up on the beach.  Its sobering to see, and yet amazing to see the volunteers out at work clearing it all away.  By 4pm we have G-man on the bus, and later that evening I get the message that he's home.

Saturday:  Everything feels very very normal.  Mr Man has worked all week as his workplace was unaffected and none of the roads between there and here were cut.  Normal sounds can be heard in neighboring houses and streets.  But not that far away, an enormous clean up is commencing.

On hold....again

Hi gang, just a quick note that this blog is temporarily on hold....I live in Brisbane and work in the CBD, which has been evacuated due to flooding.  It seems a bit insensitive to be taking outfit photos while people are losing their homes, possessions and in some cases lives.

Rest assured, I'll be back before you know it!

Welcome back...

..and welcome to 2011.  I've been pretty quiet the past two weeks (OK, completely quiet), but that's because I took a break.  From work, from blogs, from everything and escaped to my parents with Mr Man up the coast.  And due to torrential flooding in Queensland, we got stuck there.  No damage, just no way home for a few days.  Then we came back.  Had a great time at a rooftop NYE party (wearing my first work Christmas party outfit) and came back to work on Tuesday after 10 glorious days off.

And I learnt....this stuff is great.

KMS Flat out anti-humidity spray $28.95 from hairdressers

I used it NYE, and with our stormy, rainy, dodgy weather it kept my hair free of static, fly aways and smelt really really nice.  (Yes, people smelt my hair and commented.  Weird but true). 

I have 'so far' avoided any major shopping despite the sales.  Except for this little guy:

Owl ring $5 on sale at Lovisa

This fantastic bangle which my sister immediately went and bought when she saw it (it says LOVE on the opposite side),

Promise bangle $5 on sale at Lovisa

and this pair of shoes.  Which I only bought because my cobbler is unavailable until Monday and I need black heels for tomorrow.

Black denim heels, $10 London Rebel

Here's to another year, another list of resolutions (some of which I'll keep, some of which I'll break) and another chapter in blogdom!