Easter

 Not a huge blog today, more of a Happy Easter sweep through.

The Picket Fence Household swelled in ranks for the Easter period with my two brothers, their wives and respective broods landing in town for a bang up Easter weekend. To celebrate the occasion, my fridge died. Well it didn't really die, the hinge holding the doors snapped (too much fridge art) and the result you can imagine was distressing. Mr Picket Fence and I stood holding disconnected fridge doors, and in gay abandon, butter, sauce,  jam jars and forgotten once tasted trendy chilli spreads from places called " Disaster Bay" (irony) lay strewn around our feet.

 To fix it, we tried the old "stand there and yell at each other with children watching open mouthed method" surprisingly, that didn't work ;) and a sign saying "do not open"....also,  didn't work (one has to eat and opening a fridge is habit, one doesn't read signs when one fancies a little midnight snack .... more "fridge yelling method"...still didn't work....can't blame us for trying ) Mr Picket Fence suggested electrical tape, which did work, and, to please me / pacify me, dragged up the verandah / beer fridge and plonked it in the middle of the kitchen next to the table, "So people can just reach over and grab what they need" Good thinking he thought. We again tried the "yell at each other" fridge fixing method, but only half heartedly and with that Mr Picket Fence left for work.

 I stood there taking photos of my lovely "designer" kitchen fridge and thought about how many hours I had to fix things before the family arrived. Basically nowhere near enough time to salvage any sense of country style chic for my house....the Picket Fence Kids were very quiet...they're not silly me thinks ;)

 Anyway, what was a girl to do, we went out for the morning and enjoyed a local once a year small town festival and for a few hours forgot about fridges,electrical tape and storm clouds.

 We caught a bus ( a big deal for my girls who never get to catch one ) our town is small, most journeys are made by foot or car.This journey alone would have made their weekend.

  The day was full of vibrant colour .Clowns ( from whom we spent a great deal of time racing away, pram wheels nearly smoking, because, it seems Baby Picket Fence is terrified of clowns) There were screams.

 The usually sleepy little town becomes hustle and bustle for one day a year.

 Market stalls were everywhere, lovely local talent, art, craft and food. Heaven.

 This treasure is by " Gail Bellette Mozaic" mammak@bigpond.net.au I want want want one of her house name signs... very gorgeous , a million hints were dropped to Mr

Picket Fence, but as mentioned,  he was busy running away from clowns ;) ....hmmm convenient, maybe next time?

 Here's a big secret, this is my all time favourite antique shop, it's amazing how much of the Picket fence income has been channeled in this direction.. I'm not about to give you a figure because Mr Picket Fence is my biggest blog fan and we can't have him knowing nuts and bolts can we ?? I've found beautiful antique jewellery, Czech Amphora to die for, Australian advertising, must have kauri pine bits and bots and English china ...need I go on. I have my eye on a beautiful kitchen dresser. Don't buy it .... its mine.... I just need to work on Mr Picket Fence a little longer and the fridge thing is working in my favour  ;)

  Arriving home, the weekend flowed surprisingly well. The Picket Fence children flowed with their cousins in a current of chocolate fuelled enthusiasm, nobody mentioned the fridge in the middle of the room ( which mind you, morphed into my mothers spare fridge after the verandah/ beer fridge  suffered performance anxiety, flew a white flag, and has been wheeled out the back ready for council clean up ) Yes...that's two dead fridges in two days . Not kidding !!

 A game of cricket (or 6) occurred, seafood and perhaps a little (or a little bit more than a little) alcohol was consumed at a local beach, the sun shone and the birds sang. It was good... actually very good, a weekend  worth remembering.

 We took in the local Anzac Day march. It was a lovely service and pleasingly, the crowds turned out in large numbers ( for a small town ). We thought about our Picket Fence Grandpa who is flying his spit-fire in heaven. The Picket Fence children behaved beautifully. He would have approved :)

 On a final note ,we attempted to photograph the collective children. Truth in art ;) Enough said, We had a (chaotic) Picket Fence ball.

 I hope you all had a beautiful Easter, be it with family or friends or just your nearest and dearest, Life here will roll on, my new fridge hinge should arrive tomorrow,  great timing huh :)  Will let you know!

Thanks for stopping by

  xx Ava