So it has been announced...

I think it's OK to make the announcement now, I think some have got their mags.

I made it to the For Keeps Design Team for Issues #52-57. I was very very thrilled when Julia rang asking me to join their Design Team! And that was back in October 2006, after the deadline for the Awards for Excellence. It was excitement through the roof!!! On the other hand, it was almost quite a kill joy cos you've just been told the greatest news, but you are not allowed to tell anyone. For these past months, we've just been powering through DT layouts but cannot show or tell anyone about them! That was not too fun. But then, I wasn't quite the good girl. I told a FEW friends. I had to. It was just too painful not to share joy.

Nevertheless.... I made it!!! I've done 3 months' of briefs. I was finding it rather challenging, but I usually quite like the end results. These are my 1st 2 layouts for Issue 52.





OK. So much for sharing joy. This is another story from my Coffs Harbour trip. This happened on the drive home.

We have always made ample allowance for toilet breaks. We did not have a problem driving up to Coffs. But on our way home, my daughter's central nervous system decided to work overtime, and she had to go. We were on the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway ... no toilets in sight for miles. When we finally found one 10 minutes later, it was a dunny with a difference. But by then, I had to go too.

Me - city girl.
Toilet - cavemen invention.

It was a composting waterless toilet. And if you are one smart ass trying to google what one looks like, let me tell you, this one we found looks nothing like those on these googled websites. It is one that is supposed to do wonders for the environment, cos it doesn't use water, so no flushing. The entire procedure involves you doing it, "it" goes straight down to the composting system, you leaving. "It" is collected and composted as fertilisers and what not.

This thing stank from 50 feet when we were approaching. Of course, my daughter had to go first and we had to hold them while they were sitting on the toilet seat for fear of them becoming "it", then my son's turn, then finally mine. This had to be the longest moments of my life, and I made sure I broke my own record when I had to use it myself.

When I came out, I had to wash my hands. And there was this miserable little sink outside the sad toilet, that the tap just trickled some water over my hands. I wonder where this water came from..... hmmmmm. We had to leave. I couldn't stand another moment near this toilet. And quite frankly, I'd rather stand next to a barbeque AND a smoker, and hence smell like a combination of charcoal, oil and nicotine, than have this toilet stench lingering in our car. For the next 1/2 hour, I was in search of another toilet just to wash my hands properly cos I just didn't feel clean. I shudder at the very thought of these inventions. I know it's all meant to be good for the environment and so on.... but I'd much rather do it on a roadside and risk another human being (or animal) catching me in the act, than use one of those toilets again.

That was my other instalment of MFM - Michelle's Funniest Moments, Version COFF.

I hope I've kept you entertained.

Signing out.