Last WOW for this year

Today is the last Monday for 2009, so this will be the last wombat of the year. Earlier this year one of the houses in our street was sold, and just before the settlement the owners had a garage sale to clear out all sorts of things. There was a box of beautifully mounted photos, all ready for framing, and guess what.....there was one wombat photo in the box! Mark Cox is the photographer. It's a lovely photo, the wombat looks young and healthy, and very cute.

But fear not, next year there will be more wombats. We are by no means at the end of the collection.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, we certainly did. Ours was peaceful, and quiet; Christmas should be about peace. According to a local news report this morning, Australians triple their alcohol consumption over the holiday period...someone is drinking my share, because I certainly am not. I'm happy with a glass of bubbly. I have a lovely new quilt book, and a quilt calendar, among other things.

Progress continues to be made on the hand. Who would have known that six weeks inactivity would lead to such a long period of recuperation? I can now hand-piece but not for too long, or my hand and fingers rebel at being in the same position. Same with knitting, but now I can knit a little longer before my hand rebels than I could a couple of weeks ago. I can touch my thumb to my index finger easily now, and to the next finger, and most times when I try to the ring finger. Sometimes my thumb and little finger will touch, although it is a painful stretch...and sometimes, like right now, I just can't do it. But it will get easier with time, as all these little milestones have done. The nice young physio bloke is on holidays but I will be seeing him in a couple of weeks, so we'll see what he says then. Today I moved some things in and out of my sewing room, perhaps I shouldn't have done it although nothing was very heavy - no doubt I will pay for it later this evening, it always hurts at night when the muscles are tired - but the more I use my hand, hopefully the quicker it will get back to what passes for normal.

Tomorrow we will be packing the caravan with food and clothes, ready to head off the following morning for a drive to Gulgong. That should take about five hours, although we can easily make it longer with a couple of stops, one for a cuppa and another for some lunch. Gulgong is a lovely little town that had its five minutes of glory in the 1870s gold rush, and many of the old buildings are still standing. In past years I have taken my guitar to this festival, but as I can't yet play it will be staying home this time. We would rather spend new year's eve at a street dance with friends in a small town, than in Sydney with its squillion dollar fireworks display. All that money just going up in smoke is very wasteful, I reckon - a feeling obviously not shared by the thousands of people who go to watch it around the harbour or at home on TV, but we are all entitled to our own opinion aren't we.

And now is the time to be thinking of new year resolutions. I have one. It's not to make any resolutions at all. There you are, isn't that easy?

"Be moderate.
Always express your own opinions with modesty, and, if called upon, defend them, but without that warmth which may lead to hard feelings. Do not enter into argument. Having spoken your mind, and thus shown you are not cowardly in your beliefs and opinions, drop the subject and lead to some other topic. There is seldom any profit in idle discussion."

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne?
For auld land syne, my jo, for auld land syne,
We'll tak' a cup of kindness yet, for auld land syne.

From Robbie Burns and me, best wishes for new year.

Jennifer

Merry Christmas from all the wombats

Here's a bouquet of wildflowers from Australia to say Merry Christmas, and if it happens that you don't celebrate Christmas - best wishes to you anyway.

The season of peace and goodwill wasn't on some of the drivers at the shops today. It was busy, we had expected that, so we went to the smaller of the two supermarkets in the local mall. In, shopped, and out in double quick time. We even found a parking spot without too much trouble, we don't mind a little walk to the car, the exercise is good for us. It tickles my sense of humour seeing shoppers followed to their car by a hopeful driver.....only to find the person isn't leaving after all. Heaven forfend that they should have to park more than a dozen steps from the mall entrance! I'm not talking about older or less infirm people, or mums with small children who, as we all know, have short legs which tire easily. Yes it's hot in summer, and yes it's nice to find a parking spot in the shade, but if the car has to be left in the sun while the shopping is done then that's the way it is.

And my blog now has a green (have I mentioned that I really, really like green?) Christmas tree to pretty it up, although I did like the "messy snowflakes" background. It's rare that we have snow in Australia at Christmas, so my snowflakey design was wishful thinking! For weeks now we have had Christmas music played to us while we are shopping, we accept that, it happens every year, I quite like carols......but who decided that songs (not Christmas carols, just songs about winter) like "Winter Wonderland" "and Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" were suitable for playing in Australia in the middle of a heat wave? Open fires are banned in times of high fire danger, we certainly wouldn't light one just to roast chestnuts. Or any other kind of nuts. Except perhaps the nuts of the idiot who decided to play the recording.

Recently Karendianne wrote about losing some blocks which were later found halfway down in the scrap bin. I can top that. A couple of years ago I bought knitting yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills to make a cardigan, the pattern was bought in Toronto, Canada. Earlier this year it became obvious that I wasn't going to have enough yarn and I couldn't find the last ball anywhere in the house, I searched high and low and in between. I could only find four labels (I always keep yarn labels until I have finished what I am making) and I knew I had bought five balls. By then I was starting to panic because I thought I was losing my mind, or my marbles, or something. Finally I was able to get more from a fellow knitter on Ravelry. Last week Kevin was tidying up some papers and having a cleanout, he came across the original receipt for the yarn purchase......and you won't believe it.....but I had, indeed, only bought four balls. Now I am cheesed off, because I wasted a good panic while I was looking for that non-existent ball of yarn. I could have saved the panic up for something really important, if I had but known.

Now I am going to see if I can hold some hand-piecing, I couldn't last week. Today's point of etiquette concerns visitors, and as we all know Christmas is a time of visiting friends and rellies, or having them visit you.

"A call should not be longer than fifteen minutes in duration, nor should it be so long as to become tedious. A bore is a person who does not know when you have had enough of his or her company, and gives more of it than is desirable. Choose a time to leave when there is a lull in the conversation, and the hostess is not preoccupied with fresh arrivals. Then take leave of your hostess, bowing to those you know as you leave the room, not to each in turn, but let one bow include all."

So thank you for reading this far, and to those lovely folk who have visited my blog and left comments thank you, may this Christmas season be one of peace for all.

Jennifer

Christmas WOW

Last year I posted a pic of my wombat Christmas decorations - since then I have two more. The wombat in the Santa hat was part of a Secret Santa gift and is quite bristly; I'm not sure what he's made from, but if he stands on four legs the tip of his hat touches the ground and his cute little face can't be seen, so he sits erect. The dark wombat with presents and a tree was a recent gift from my older son. As a change from a Christmas tree they are posing under a crystal tree; the leaves are green aventurine, and the base is bloodstone. That was a gift too, several Christmases ago from my younger son. And the tatted doyley was made by my Great-Aunt Laura who died when I was a wee baby, I have some of her exquisite tatting - she did beautiful work. That probably dates from sometime in the 1930s. (no, I am not that old)

A couple of pics of the recently painted and curtained sewing room, the first looks to the west over the back yard.....
....and this one overlooks the new house next door in all its huge glory. Today is cloudy, those pics were taken before 3pm, perhaps I should have turned on the lights so you could see the mess better. The pics are not quite so dark when they are full size. And of course you must admire the curtains.....true works of art, are they not? especially when hemmed by a woman with less than two working hands.
Our carol singing concert went well on Friday night, apparently - it's not always easy to tell when one is in the middle of the singers! But people sang along with us and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Good King Wenceslaus and his page made a hit, as did the poor man gathering winter fuel. Nothing like making a production number from a carol.

Judging from a few comments on my blog post one is entitled to be crabby at times...here's the gist of what I wrote in reply. Isn't it funny how we, as women, feel we have to continually present ourselves to the rest of the world in a 'good' light? and when we let our guard down and we say what's on our mind, it doesn't always go over well? especially for those of more advanced years, as it makes us out to be grumpy old women. I have decided that much of my life has been given to pleasing other people, and now that I am on the brink of maybe one day possibly being a 'senior' I am going to say what I really think, although I would never intentionally hurt anyone by doing so.

I have read - sorry, but I can't remember where - that as we become older, we become the person we were always meant to be.

Do you know, we haven't put up our Christmas tree or put out any decorations? Partly because they were packed away after last Christmas, and as things have been moved so we can paint the Christmas decoration box has been covered, and I didn't have the strength to lift boxes and move things, let alone climb ladders and hold on with one hand while trying to hang stuff. Also partly because we are having Christmas Day with our older son and his girlfriend so the house doesn't need to be titivated. And partly because, I suspect, I am just slack. Let's face it, if the tree and decorations aren't put out then they won't have to be packed away again.

Last appointment with the physio tomorrow for a few weeks as he is going away. The swelling is slowly going down, and I am getting more use of my hand and fingers, but I'm a long way from having the range of movement I had before the break. However I am getting better at knitting, my tension isn't too bad now, and last night I managed to plait my hair! It was very painful and slow, by gosh it hurt, but I managed to get it done. One person will be getting an IOU as part of their Christmas gift - I bought a kit earlier in the year and should have sewn it there and then, but not me.....plenty of time before Christmas, I thought.....little did I know......when I can use a ruler and rotary cutter it will get made and handed over.

"Never refuse a present if offered in kindness, unless the circumstances are such that you cannot, with propriety, receive it. Nor, in receiving a present, make such comments as would seem to indicate that your friend cannot afford to make the present. On the other hand, never make a present which you cannot afford to make. In that case the recipient, if he or she knows anything of your circumstances, will think that you had better kept it yourself."

Have a lovely week, and don't let Christmas preparations stress you out too much.

Jennifer

We're healthy

Many thanks to the caring folk who commented on my last blog - we are both well and healthy. Kevin's eye is fine, according to the specialist it's nothing to worry about and the bleeding in his eye will disperse. In a week or two it won't be noticeable. My bone density test shows (so says my doctor) that I have the bones of a younger woman. He didn't say how much younger. But he suggested having another test in a year as a comparison, as I am reaching The Age where things don't work as well as they used to, and start to deteriorate. It's all downhill after 25, you know.

It's raining today and very welcome it is too, after such a stinker as we suffered through yesterday. 42 deg C (that's 108 deg F, for those who still think in old money), it wasn't nice. Today is much cooler, and grey, and wet. Lovely! But according to the people who know these things, we are in for more hot weather next week. There were bushfires on the outskirts of Sydney about 40-50 minutes from here, and we have already had fires last month. That doesn't bode well for the rest of summer.

The new sewing room curtains are up and look very nice, while they don't completely block the view of the large house next door they do screen it somewhat. I have been making a blockout curtain for our front door, which has a large glass panel - it's more glass than door, actually - it will keep the sun out on hot days and keep next door's lights out at night. As it's just measuring, pinning and sewing a straight line it's not too difficult. Yesterday I tried a little hand sewing, tried is the word.......can't yet hold much in my left hand as my fingers don't close enough. But that will come. So I knitted instead. It is slower and more painful than before the break, but to be doing any at all is good according to the nice young physio bloke. The other day he was very pleased with my progress; it seems slow to me, but then I don't know what to expect.

I know you all think I am a crabby old woman, complaining about next door.....no, not really. After having no neighbours for over two years we now have a young family with two small children, one of whom has some sort of motor thing that he revs up and down the driveway....up and down....up and down.....irritating little motor going the whole time. That takes a bit of getting used to. After having darkness all that time we now have large uncurtained windows overlooking us, and lights under the eaves along the driveway next to our bedroom. Even though we have blockout curtains, the lights shine in at the sides and top. That takes getting used to as well. And we have a young bloke who does things like knock down a dividing fence (which legally is shared property, not his alone) and then lie through his teeth, saying "there was no one home at the time to ask". What rubbish, our son was here. And the sounds of building are still going loudly in the evenings, long after local council regulations say they must cease. Listening to tiles being cut with a motorised tile cutter is teeth-grindingly dreadful.

On another note, tonight my choir is singing Christmas carols and songs in a small concert...guess who has the solo part of Good King Wenceslaus' page...only because none of the other women were brave enough, or silly enough, to do it. And because I own a cloak.

"Consistency in dress.
Consistency in regard to station and fortune is the first matter to be considered. A woman of good sense will not wish to expend in unnecessary extravagances money wrung from an anxious, laborious husband; or if her husband be a man of fortune, she will not, even then, encroach on her allowance. In the early years of married life, when the income is moderate, it should be the pride of a woman to see how little she can spend upon her dress, and yet present that tasteful and creditable appearance which is desirable. Much depends upon management, and upon the care taken of garments. She should turn everything to account, and be careful of her clothing when wearing it."

Keep stitching.

Jennifer

Drinking WOW

Unfortunately I can't remember where this wombat coaster came from! I'm pretty sure I bought it, I don't think it was a gift. It is used under my coffee cup but is resting on some pinwheel blocks. This looks like a Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat, they are little different to the Common Wombat - which is what most of my wombats are. They may be named Common, but they are all uncommon to me!

The new sewing room curtains are hemmed, and one set is hanging. Some of the dooverlackies on the curtain tracks that the hooks go into seem to be missing, so we will see if we can buy more tomorrow. You know the things I mean......hooks are threaded into the back of the curtain tape along the top, then they hook into the dooverlackies which slide along the track. It will be nice to have the view of the monstrosity next door obscured a little - even sheer curtains can screen a less-than-lovely view. I'm glad we won't be living next door when that house falls down, as one day it surely must. It's been a long time since I have seen such a crappy building job. Seems the builder's and owner's motto was "near enough is good enough", except that some of it is not even very near.

Today I went for a dexa test. That's when you lie on a couch and relax while a machine above you slowly passes along your length and measures the density of your spine, then you fold your arms onto your chest out of the way, turn your left leg at a funny angle and lie absolutely still while the machine makes a few passes over your hip. Then the technician says relax it's over, so you straighten your left leg and breathe a sigh of relief. It measures bone density, and after the recent break I thought it would be a good idea to have one done. Tomorrow I have to take the result to the doctor, but the technician told me when I asked (although she wasn't supposed to, seems that is the doctor's job) that my bone density is getting low, as happens in a woman of my age and genetic inheritance. My mother had a few breaks, in fact she broke her shoulder just a year before she died. So no doubt tomorrow the doctor will tell me what the report says, and I will ask what that means, and he will probably suggest some wondrous bone-strengthening medication. That's what I am told is done, by a woman who has had the experience.

My goodness.....getting old is not for wimps. Some of tomorrow will be spent at the medical centre as I have an appointment with the nice young physio bloke, then I will hang around to see the doctor. This evening I noticed that Kevin's right eye looked red so we wooshed him off to the doctor on our way to choir practice, and he has burst a blood vessel in his eye, probably when he had a fit of sneezing this morning. So, because he is on blood-thinning medication, he has to see the eye doctor as soon as is possible tomorrow. I wonder if they give frequent flyer points at the medical centre?

"The eyes.
Beautiful eyes are the gift of Nature, and can owe little to the toilet. As in the eye consists much of the expression of the face, therefore it should be born in mind that those who would have their eyes bear a pleasing expression must cultivate pleasing traits of character and beautify the soul, and then this beautiful soul will look through its natural windows.
Never tamper with the eyes. There is danger of destroying them. All daubing or dyeing of the lids is foolish and vulgar."

Just remember that, the next time you pass the cosmetic counter with the oh-so-glamorous eye products.

Jennifer

Knitting s-l-o-w-l-y.........

Some progress to report! This week I picked up the scarf that I started knitting in Canada, and found that I can knit - slowly, and not for too long at a time as my hand gets sore and tired, but I can do it. Only one row on the first try, three rows next time, and I'll see how I go this evening. The re-knitted cardy (which would have been finished by now, had I not broken) can wait a little longer until I am sure I can knit to a reasonable tension

You know, I had great plans to be creative for the two months between returning home and Christmas. And not one of those plans has been achieved. Zilch. Nada. But I have read a lot of books. I had started working on a Pay It Forward gift for Sherry and it's no further ahead than it was when we went on holidays. There's a pretty piece of fabric which will become a new skirt, calling to me from my sewing room - a black textured cotton printed with bright splashy flowers which look as though they were painted by a four year old. It was going to be my Christmas present to myself, and cost me all of $2 for the 2 metre piece early this year. I planned to wear it with a red top. When I can get to it, it may be the first project made with the help of my new overlocker.

But on the positive side, my hand is slowly getting better with the aid of the nice young physio bloke. It still won't support the weight of holding a coffee cup (doesn't matter if it is empty or full) but I can do my hair now. The swelling is slowly going down and my hand is beginning to look like a hand again instead of a shapeless blob.

Ah well.

Last night was the folk club Christmas party, and a great time was had by all who attended. It was a lovely way to end our year of music. I even managed to have a new song to sing.

Unfortunately the night before someone in our neighbourhood decided to have a party which didn't start until after midnight - for goodness sake, why? The music pounded on loudly, and the voices yelled and laughed, until the police arrived at.....oh....must have been about 2.30am. Things quietened down after that. But we could still hear voices at 4am, and at 7am. The music started up again mid-morning, and thumped and pounded on again until sometime in the afternoon. I hope they all had hangovers. It's formal season here - the end-of-school-year formal (or prom, as it's known in other countries) sometimes continues on at an 'after party' so we are assuming that's what it was, and that would also explain the late starting time. But in a usually quiet suburban neighbourhood of people who had to get themselves up for work early next morning, or get children off to school, it probably didn't make them many friends. So after a disturbed night followed by a late night, we are a little more tired than we would normally be on a nice sunny Saturday.

"Singing and Playing in Society.
A lady in company should never exhibit any anxiety to sing or play; but being requested to do so, if she intends to comply, she should do so at once, without waiting to be urged. If she refuses, she should do so in a manner that shall make her decision final. Having complied, she should not monopolize the evening with her performances, but make room for others."

Have a lovely weekend.

Jennifer

Another helpful WOW

Quite a small wombat holding down a pinwheel block on my Singer Featherweight machine. The block is less than three inches square, so as you can see the wombat is little too. He normally sits on the kitchen window sill for a bit of kitchen wombat cheer.

On Friday the orthopedic specialist was quite aghast at how swollen my hand still was so he prescribed anti-inflammatories - to be taken at night as apparently this particular one can cause drowsiness. (doesn't seem to though) Although I have only taken three so far it has made quite a difference to my hand - I can move my fingers now (the joints were too swollen before) and I can nearly use my left hand to pick up and hold things. Nearly....but not quite. Tomorrow I start physiotherapy so I'm betting it will be quite tender tomorrow evening! But as I want to get my hand moving again it will be worth it.

Things are moving along with the house fixing-up. My sewing room is all painted and I am gradually starting to move 'stuff' into place. New living room furniture is being delivered tomorrow, the older furniture was taken today; we passed it on to a charity who will give it to someone who needs it. There wasn't too much wrong with it but we made a mistake when we bought it several years ago - the fabric is a cat-hair magnet, and we have always had cats; and being synthetic it was hot to sit in during summer. But to someone who doesn't have a sofa and two chairs it will be a godsend. The new furniture is leather so the cats will be having regular manicures. And as this summer looks like being quite hot (erk) (I don't like hot) (roll on autumn) let's hope it is a bit cooler than synthetic fabric.

First job in the newly painted sewing room will be to make curtains for that room. It already has pull-down blinds, and I bought sheer fabric a few years ago to make curtains. As we have decided to move I was unsure about making curtains but they don't take much making; the hem is scalloped already and the top has tape in place. All I need to do is cut a very long piece of fabric into four, and hem each side, that's eight hems. I can do that. It's on the sunniest corner of the house - lovely in winter but a bit warm in summer - but even sheer curtains will cut glare and hopefully make it more pleasant. And the room will present better to anyone who comes looking to buy when the house is on the market.

Just pottering around in my sewing room has been quite a tonic. A few days ago I tried crocheting again, and while it was awkward it was better than the last time I had a go. Scissors are OK to use, but a ruler and cutter.....not yet. I can't put pressure on my left hand to hold the ruler without a certain amount of agony. But that will ease in time. And as it's summer in Australia, the cricket is on TV....hours and hours of cricket........mind-numbingly boring cricket......I will continue to potter, and leave the TV to Kevin so he can watch the cricket.

"Invitation to a large party.
The invitation to a large party is similar to that for a ball, only the words "at a ball" are omitted, and the hour may be earlier. The notes of acceptance and regret are the same as for a ball. If the party is a small one, it should be indicated by inserting the words "to a small evening party", so that there may be no misunderstanding. A large party calls for full evening dress, and it would embarrassing for a lady or gentleman to go to a house in full evening dress, expecting to find a large party there in similar costumes, and meet only a few friends and acquaintances plainly dressed. If there is any special feature which is to give character to the evening, it is best to mention this fact in the note of invitation. This the words "musical party", "to take part in dramatic readings", "amateur theatricals", will denote the character of the evening's entertainment. If you have programmes, enclose one in the invitation."

I wonder what the folk of 1886 would make of email invitations?

Jennifer

Great Freebies Site

Check out this great site for freebies....there are great ideas for all sorts of projects! With Christmas coming (looming, actually; it's getting closer by the minute) it will be very handy. I'm on it too, my tutorial for folded star is there. Many thanks to Khris, Sharon and Diana who make it possible.

Jennifer

Plastered Pinwheels

After trying several different designs in EQ6 I have decided to use this layout for my little blocks. The pinwheel blocks are 2-1/4in finished, so by using them in nine patch blocks they will look more important. This layout needs 125 pinwheels and I have 128. The blue and yellow border fabrics may not be the final choice, and the pinwheel blocks are made of lots of different blue and yellow fabrics - I did these in one fabric just to get the design finished. Would you believe that such little blocks will make a 61-3/4in finished quilt?

Now I had better get on and press the remaining pinwheel blocks. When I have a chance (it may be a little while yet before I can drive) I will go to a quilt shop and buy fabrics. Some white on white for the alternate blocks, setting triangles and first border to start with. Then perhaps a pretty yellow and blue print for the wide border, and blue for the narrow inner border, it depends on what's available at present.

Last night I was able to touch the tip of my left index finger to the tip of my thumb. That might seem like much to most of you, but it's more than I have been able to do for over six weeks!

"If by chance anything unpleasant is found in the food, such as a hair in the bread or a fly in the coffee, remove it without remark. Even though your own appetite be spoiled, it is well not to prejudice others."

Jennifer

Sewing Helper WOW

This is a little wombat which was probably made to sit in a potted plant and look cute. He is being helpful by holding down a couple of the little Pinwheel blocks I have been making - you can tell the size of the wombat by the size of the Pinwheel blocks, they are less than three inches square unfinished, and the machine is my Singer Featherweight. Not every block is perfect where the seams meet in the middle, but considering the handicap under which I was working at the time they are not too bad and I am not going to re-make them. It will be a reminder of the struggle it took to get them done.
This is one of the beautiful trees at Scarborough Bluffs Park in Toronto, I don't know northern hemisphere trees so I can't identify it - isn't it gorgeous? You can see the cliffs behind.

The past few days have been so good! Following doctor's orders I am wearing a wrist brace, but it is so light it feels like wearing nothing compared to the weight of two casts. My left arm is very stiff from my elbow to my fingertips, the stiffness is slightly painful, my hand and fingers are still somewhat swollen but that will all pass with time. The most painful spot is at the base of my thumb where pressure from the cast has left a large tender bruise; it is so sensitive that I have padded the wrist brace with cotton wool at that point, as any pressure is more than my skin can stand at present.

The other day I received a package from a friend in Alaska, she sent me a pack of batik charm squares - 40 luscious autumn-coloured pieces, which are just gorgeous. I have some other autumn-toned batik prints so perhaps there is an autumn hanging on my horizon......but not just yet. Have I mentioned how much I love autumn colours, whether in real life or in fabrics?

On another note, the house next door has been empty for over two years while it was being renovated, but I think the owners are just about ready to move in. They are a young couple with two small children so I imagine it will be noisier than we have become used to, we have enjoyed the peace! The dividing fence he knocked down over 18 months ago without consulting us was replaced recently, and we were not consulted about its replacement either. The new fence is fortunately similar to the old one and will apparently be painted to match their painted house....but not on our side, thank you very much. You don't move into a neighbourhood and immediately make the rules to suit yourself. We don't need our side of the fence to match their house.

Today is quite cool and raining, after the heat of the past few weeks it is very pleasant. Kevin has almost finished painting my sewing room and it looks great! But even a newly painted house won't make us change our mind and stay, we are looking forward to being out of a large city and in a smaller community.

"Appropriate Dress.
To dress appropriately is another important matter to be considered. Due regard must be paid to the physical appearance of the person, and the dress must be made to harmonize throughout. An appropriate dress is that which so harmonizes with the figure as to make the apparel unnoticeable. This ladies can wear delicate colours, while stout persons look best in black or dark grey. For young and old the question of appropriate colour must be determined by the figure and complexion. Rich colors harmonize with brunette complexions or dark hair, and delicate colors with persons of light hair and blonde complexions."

Have a lovely week.

Jennifer

Soon will be plastered no more.......yay.....!

This morning the orthopedic specialist said the cast can come off today. But because he is special and doesn't remove casts, I had to make an appointment with the physiotherapist who does. So in less than six hours, at 5.20pm, my arm will be plastered no longer.

It will feel very light for a while! Folk club tonight but I won't be playing guitar yet.....songs will be sung a capella. Again.

Best wishes to my American friends as they celebrate Thanksgiving, it's already Friday here but of course you are probably still in the middle of your family gatherings.

"Refrain from making a noise when eating, or supping from a spoon, and from smacking the lips or breathing heavily while masticating food, as they are marks of ill-breeding. The lips should be kept closed in eating as much as possible."

Jennifer

Some more colours

The reverse of the sign....you can take your pick whether you prefer to read it in English or French!
The picnic tables were on a small rise but there were no picnickers on the day we were there. Wouldn't this make a slightly surreal pic on a misty day with the tables looming out of fog? I haven't seen this grass growing in Australia, it's a lovely emerald colour and is very soft.
And of course leaves don't stay on trees, do they. What a lovely mix of colours.

While browsing blogs recently I found this one - isn't Sarah's idea of making decorations with leftover snips of fabric and threads great? Next time I am The Big Craft Shop I shall look for some of those glass or acrylic shapes, I could hang them in my sewing room at Christmas....or just leave them up all year round.

And I have been enjoying Elaine's travels, she is writing about her cruise on Canada's east coast. It looks so beautiful! She is generously having a giveaway for Thanksgiving.

"When dancing a round dance, a gentleman should never hold a lady's hand behind him, or on his hip, or high in the air, moving her arm as though it were a pump handle, as seen in some of our western cities, but should hold it gracefully by his side."

Now I am off to enjoy making some more little pinwheel blocks.

Jennifer

Cool WOW

This is a four-piece puzzle probably meant for small children......made from wood, so I use it as a trivet.

My little pinwheel blocks are coming along - slowly - but at least they are coming along. I think it will be a very pretty quilt when it's finished. The quilt from which they are leftovers was made several years ago from fabrics collected over a few years, and I had forgotten how pretty the fabrics are. New fabrics are scrumptious, but a whole quilt made from a coordinating range can be a bit too matchy-matchy for my taste. I like the scrappy look, or a planned scrappy look like my blue and yellow quilt or all reproduction fabrics. Have you noticed that more and more fabric ranges seem to only speak to themselves...they're not always happy to mix with fabrics from other ranges or other designers? And so many new fabrics are released each month that one gets dizzy (not to say bankrupt) trying to keep up with them all. Quilters of days gone by used a mixture of leftovers from family sewing and some purchased fabrics, can you imagine the reaction of some of those folk to the fabrics and gadgets we take for granted today?

We're very lucky to have so much choice.

Our little corner of the world has been sweltering for a few days, yesterday was 40 degrees C - that's well over 100 degrees C - Sydney in a heatwave can be like living in either an oven (dry heat) or a sauna (humidity), and yesterday was an oven. At about 1am a cool wind blew through so today is much more pleasant, we have even had light rain showers for which I'm sure the garden is thankful.

Kevin is back to painting my sewing room again now that it's cooler. The room is on the north-west corner of the house - the sun is to the north in Australia - with a flat metal roof, so can get rather warm on days like yesterday. But it's a lovely room when the weather's cooler! We are keeping the door shut to keep the cats from getting into mischief with the paint paraphenalia (don't trust those kitties) but that keeps the room hotter in this weather too.

"Keep your temper.
In discussing business matters, never lose your temper, even though your opponent in a controversy should become angry, and in the heat of discussion make rude and disagreeable remarks and charges. By a calm and dignified bearing and courteous treatment you will conquer his rudeness."

Now I shall finish my coffee, and press the latest batch of pinwheels.

Have a wonderful week.

Jennifer

Slowly sewing!

No wonder it's called "Fall"....all those lovely coloured leaves on the path! These pics were taken at Scarborough Bluffs.
I love this one with the different tree shapes, sizes and colours. The sign you can just see says...........
We photograph signs when we see them, it's a handy reminder of where we were at the time.

I have been sewing! Much cause for rejoicing! In my sewing room was a box of squares, each one made of two half-square triangles, the trimmings of star block corners from a quilt made some years ago. (it's still a top, but what the heck.....you can't rush genius) The fabrics are blues and yellows with white-on-white backgrounds. I found out that I can feed them s-l-o-w-l-y through my Singer Featherweight, four of those little squares makes one pinwheel block. The blocks will only be about 2-1/2in finished but there will be 128 blocks. Setting them on point, using alternate squares and borders, will make a quilt nearly 50in square; I have been playing with a few ideas on EQ6 for layouts. I can't sew for too long at a time as my left arm (the plastered one) doesn't like it, but you have no idea how much I am treasuring this small achievement. When the blocks are all made I will go looking for fabric to complete the quilt.

Yesterday we endured a dreadful day, the temperature was 39 degrees C here - that's over 100 degrees F for those who use those numbers - today is milder (mid 20s), but tomorrow is forecast to be another stinker. Let's hope it's not quite as bad as the forecast indicates. Anything over 25 degrees C is too much for me when Sydney's humidity is taken into account.

"Never turn a corner at full speed or you may find yourself knocked down, or may knock down another, by the violent contact. Always look the way you are going or you may chance to meet some awkward collision. People are very rude and vulgar who do not look the way they are going; it annoys others."

Enjoy your weekend.

Jennifer

Stormy evening WOW

This little wombat is on a glass coaster, a gift from my friend Sandra when we attended the National Folk Festival in Canberra last year. I don't know how it's printed - screen or transfer - but it's cute.

Sydney is in the spring storm season now......we had storms last week, lots of thunder and lightning but very little rain. More lights and music tonight but once again, not much rain. With hot temperatures forecast this week (I'm not looking forward to summer) we will probably have more storms.

I was going to post a few more pics of the lovely fall colours but it is late, and I am tired. Heaving around the weight of an arm with two casts on all day makes my bed very welcome at night. That lovely "aaaaahhh......." moment when I can lie in bed and let the mattress take the weight is bliss.

"Prudery.
Avoid an affectation of excessive modesty. Do not use the word "limb" for "leg". If legs are really improper, then let us, on no account, mention them, but having found it necessary to mention them, let us by all means give them their appropriate name."

Have a wonderful week.

Jennifer

Still plastered

Somewhere in east Toronto, Canada....sorry I can't be more specific but I wasn't with Kevin when he took this pic. It's somewhere near Taylor Creek Park.
Nor this one. Aren't the leaves pretty floating on the water? Kevin took some lovely pics of autumn colours when he and our son Doug went for a long walk while Sayward and I were checking out the Kaleidoscope exhibition of gorgeous vintage quilts at the Textile Museum.
This is some of the view from the bus stop near our son's place - waiting for a bus can usually be rather boring, but not when there are colours like these to look at. I wish I could live in a climate with colours like this all year round.

Yesterday the orthopedic specialist looked at the x-ray taken of my wrist the previous day and said that, although it's healing as well as can be expected (he didn't add "considering your age" but he might as well have done) he wants to see me again in two weeks. He said (once again almost referring to my age but not quite) that it's a fine line between leaving the arm in plaster long enough for the bone to have healed, but not so long that the limb stiffens up. As my wrist has been set with a slight downward bend for some medical reason, can't you just imagine how tender it's going to be when it's finally free? I know there are many people in this world who are putting up with much more than I have to, but it is still driving me spare. Two more weeks will be six weeks since it was broken. I wonder if I will still remember how to knit? or play guitar? and as for using a sewing machine......and my beautiful new overlocker is out of its box waiting for me to play with it and I can't........

In the past five days I have read four books and am half-way through a fifth which isn't grabbing my attention as much as some I have read, so I might give it up as a bad job and not even try to find out who dunnit. It's been a while since I have read such a cliched book. One I particularly enjoyed was "Bugatti Queen: in search of a French racing legend" by Miranda Seymour. Helene Delangle was a racing car driver in the 1930s, and led a rip-snorting life off the track too; she had been a dancer before taking to the race circuit. She was glamorous with a beautiful smile as a young woman, but ended her days in a tiny apartment alone, estranged from her family and in poor health in her eighties. Some of her race driving records still stand all these years later.

My sewing room is unusable at present because it is being painted, we are freshening up the house with a coat of paint before selling it early next year. Kevin's plan is to have it ready for me to use again when I an able to, isn't he great?

"Keep to the right.
On meeting and passing people in the street, keep to your right hand, except when a gentleman is walking alone; then he must always turn aside to give the preferred side of the walk to a lady, to anyone carrying a heavy load, to a clergyman or to an old gentleman."

Enjoy your weekend.

Jennifer

WOW is back!

My wombat coasters are made from pine and are probably cut with a laser because each one of the six is an exact copy of the others. Isn't technology wonderful? If the photo is slightly blurry please forgive me, I am under a slight handicap with only one working hand.
This is a gorgeous tree! Rose Marie told us it's a maple tree, and as she is Canadian I believe her. After all, if a Canadian can't recognise a maple tree no one can. Do you know what I like about this tree.....not only is it a maple tree, but the shape of the tree is almost a maple leaf. Kevin took this pic at Scarborough Bluffs in Toronto. He took many others too, and you will see some of them in due course.

I realised that at the end of October my little blog was a year old. Happy birthday, blog. That means a whole year of wombats!

Today I went to the library for some books to read, my sprained right wrist is just about well enough now to hold a book. It's pretty good most of the time, but occasionally says with gritted teeth 'please don't bend me like that.........' so I stop whatever I'm doing, and do nothing for a while. Today I tried to crochet, it's possible but is a slow painful process. But I shall persevere if I can.

My Beautiful New Overlocker is unpacked and is sitting beside My Lovely New Bernina. They make a gorgeous pair. Hopefully soon I will be able to get to use them again.

Yesterday my folk club had a gig, we enjoyed ourselves....the front row was missing a guitar (me) but at least I can still sing, so sing I did. And I will be able to sing at choir practice tonight.

"Avoid talking of personalities.
Avoid speaking of your birth, your travels and of all personal matters, to those who may misunderstand you, and consider it boasting. When induced to speak of them, do not dwell too long upon them, and do not speak boastfully."

Did I mention that we recently holidayed in Canada?

Have a lovely week, may all your points match and your seams be straight.

Jennifer

Paying a little forward

This is the first of my "Pay It Forward" gifts finished - it was delivered in person to Sayward (whose nom de computer is Kiera-Oona) in Toronto recently. The kitty's eyes were embroidered with glow-in-the-dark thread and the purple border print has tiny gold stars. Sayward likes purple and all things Halloween, and I think she likes her little quilt. I started working on another Pay It Forward gift before we went to Canada, unfortunately it as come to a halt due to my current inability to sew but never fear, it will be finished when I can get back to it.

When I signed up for "Pay It Forward" I undertook to make gifts for three people, but only two joined.....never mind, there are probably so many of these friendship swaps out in blogland that people are swamped. But I am willing to make another, should a third person join.

Pics of our Canadian holiday have been uploaded to our computer and will start appearing on my blog before too long. And of course more wombats too, even though I can't use a camera at present I'm sure Kevin will be able to help me. He's a good bloke.

And when typing isn't so painfully slow the etiquette quotes will also reappear. There have been many positive comments on them!

Jennifer

Home again

We arrived home last Thursday morning after a looong flight, it's good to be home but in yesterday's heat we wished we were back in Canada! Photos will follow in due course. Unfortunately I had only taken a few pics before I broke my left arm and sprained my right wrist, and found out that one needs two working hands to operate even a simple point-and-shoot digital camera. Never mind, Kevin took some lovely pics, the fall colours were so beautiful.

Highlights....it's difficult to say. Spending time with our son Doug and his lovely Sayward, meeting Rose Marie and her DH, and of course making the acquaintance of their kitties Hank and Ashes, and meeting up with Debra. The exhibition of vintage quilts at the Textile Museum was fascinating, and attending a quilt show in Ajax was interesting - it's always good to see what other quilters are doing. The Creativ Festival was fun, I was quite restrained really......just think what I could have done had I been intact.......

Places are all well and good, but it's people who really make a place. Everyone we met was so nice to us, from Deb who owned the suite where we stayed (Deb/Debbie/Debra is a popular Canadian name, it seems) whose lovely mum sent us home-made muffins to spoil us, to the staff at The Scarborough Hospital who looked after this rather shaken Aussie tourist who lost her footing on a rough patch of ground and fell over (Nurse Doreen in particular was wonderful), to the people at the folk club we attended where I won a CD in their raffle - when it was announced that the winner was visiting from Australia there was a round of applause, wasn't that great? Thank you too to the nice folk who have left comments on my blog when I posted about breaking my arm, I will reply as soon as I can.

I did indulge slightly as to fabric, yarn and books, as you will see in due course.

My Bernina machine is home again, and so is my lovely new overlocker although it is still in its box - will unpack it soon. When I am all mended again I will be able to have fun with it. Speaking of being mended, I have seen a local orthopedic specialist and he says my arm is healing well. It will be so good to have the cast removed and to be able to do things again......sew, knit, crochet, to practice spinning, and to play guitar. Our computer had some of its innards fried in a storm the day before we went to Canada and wasn't fixed until last night, so now I can read, do crosswords and spend time on the computer. And watch TV. And annoy Kevin........please can you help me with this, or that.......

Have a wonderful week.

Jennifer

Broken in Canada

We are having a lovely time in Toronto, our son is well and happy, the leaves are beautiful, all is good. Yesterday the Creativ Festival was fun.....haven't gone overboard with spending.......but I have some nice momentoes and souvenirs.

Except one. Last Thursday I took a tumble and broke my left arm. Bugger, double bugger and triple bugger. It will be a long flight home next week with my arm in a cast and sling. Erk. One-handed typing is a bit slow, and Kevin is learning to braid my hair.

Have a good week.

Jennifer

Travelling WOW

A couple of years ago before our last trip to Canada we stencilled wombats on our bags....that is to say, I suggested Kevin stencil wombats on the bags, and he did. I have had the stencil for many years and it helps to identify our bags from the sea of black bags at the airport. The idea came from something I read somewhere on line....wherever it was, thank you.....that suggested painting one's initials on one's bag. But supposing that there was someone else with the initials KR or JR travelling at the same time as us? So we modified the idea and used my wombat stencil instead. Our bags were easy to spot as they were the only bags identified by wombats! I also made wide fabric ribbons to wrap around the handles, yellow on one side and green on the other, serged together with yellow and green thread. The cat hair will be brushed off before we pack, Bianca The Beautiful has been walking around the bags.
Last week Kevin and I went for a Nice Sunday Drive (on Tuesday) to Mount Tomah Botanic Garden who were having a spring display of waratahs, the state flower of New South Wales. Inside the visitor's centre there were large displays of waratahs and related plants, and the results of a children's colouring competition displayed around the walls. We took quite a lot of photos but they will have to wait for another day, however this is one of the arrangements. Walking around the gardens was just gorgeous; the speciality of this garden is cold climate plants, so there were rhododendrons, and acers (maples) in glorious colours, and lots of plants I couldn't identify. One particular area showed plants from collecting expeditions of days gone by, all from various regions of Asia - China, Japan, Tibet, the Himalayas. They will grow at Mount Tomah because it is higher than Sydney, has much colder winters and less humidity.

On the way to Mount Tomah we stopped at Richmond and Kurrajong, two towns where my family lived over 150 years ago. The towns are more modern now of course, I wonder what they were like then?

On Friday we took My Lovely New Bernina to the sewing machine spa to be serviced while we are away as of course I won't be needing it for a few weeks. While we were there I checked out overlockers (sergers for those not in Oz) as I have had mine for 17 years and it has its drawbacks and tension problems, I have been thinking for some time that a new one would be great. One of the models is on special, so guess what.......when we come back I will be the proud owner of a new Bernina overlocker! I have paid a deposit, the shop will have it waiting for me when I collect my other machine. Woo hoo!

Tomorrow morning, Tuesday, we fly out to Canada. We leave Sydney at 11.30am, arrive in Los Angeles after a 13-14 hour flight before we leave Sydney, hang around LA airport for a few hours then fly to Toronto. We're due to arrive at 5.45pm Tuesday. It's going to be a very very long Tuesday............

"Etiquette of Travelling.
There is nothing that tests the natural politeness of men and women so thoroughly as travelling. We all desire as much comfort as possible, and as a rule are selfish. In these days of railroad travel, when every railway is equipped with elegant carriages for the comfort and convenience of its passengers, and provided with conductors and servants, the longest journeys by railroad can be made with perfect safety and but little annoyance."

Now I am going to pack. Have a lovely week. You will hear all about Toronto when I am back!

Jennifer

Special People

I just love flannel flowers, they have a Latin botanical name that I don't know and probably couldn't pronounce if I did. The petals are soft and fluffy - hence 'flannel flowers' - cream with soft green tips, the leaves are grey-green. This sweet vase of flowers was sitting on the concierge's desk at the spring flower show I went to see last month. Seeing them grow wild in the bush is such a pretty sight.

We have been noticing lately that there are many Special People sharing this world with us. You may have come across a Special Person yourself? These are the folk who are so very important that they don't have to wait in a line of traffic with the rest of us, but can drive alongside and push their way into the line further along. Obviously their time is much more valuable than ours, as they are in much more of a hurry. Kevin and I have decided that we feel privileged to belong to a human race which has such Special People in it. Invariably male, frequently driving an SUV (often a large black one) or the tradesman's dreaded white van (a rusty crapheap with at least one ladder on the top and paint tins visible through the windows). The dreaded white van is prevalent in our part of Sydney, and we have yet to see one driven as though its driver knows how to safely control a motor vehicle.

I'm sure Australia doesn't have a monopoly on Special People like those?

I am heading for the sewing machine while I still have it and while it is still daylight, as I need to hem a black top which I am shortening to disguise a tiny hole just near the hem; I need it to take away. Tomorrow morning My Lovely New Bernina is going to the sewing machine spa and will stay there whilst we are in Canada.

"Offensive Behavior.
No gentleman is ever guilty of the offense of standing on street corners and the steps of hotels or other public places and boldly scrutinizing every lady who passes."

5 more sleeps until we fly.

Jennifer

Woolly WOW

One of my fluffy wombats, I think this one was a gift....isn't that terrible, I can't even remember from whence he came. But he's cute and fluffy.
Our pretty Callistemon along the side path has been flowering its little heart out in the last couple of weeks.....just imagine a high bush covered with these deep pink flowers, it's very pretty (and I don't even like pink very much). Unfortunately the winds of the past week have stripped some of the flowers but there are still lots left on the bush.

Sydney made international headlines last week with a red dust storm and I didn't even see it. The reddest part happened when I was still in bed. I don't get up at sunrise for anything........but I have seen photos and it looked very eerie. This time of year always seems to be windy, and wind can do a lot of damage. Yesterday my choir was singing at a charity function in a park, we managed all right because we were on a stage which was only open at the front. Had we been standing on an open stage, we would have been blown away by the wind. My eyes have been watering and stinging from the wind but anti-allergy eye drops have been helping.

On Saturday the quilt group that I used to belong to had their exhibition and I went along for a look-see. Didn't take any photos of quilts because of copyright, but even if I had I wouldn't post them on the interwebz without their maker's and/or owner's permission. It was nice to meet the women again and catch up with their lives - a few asked if I would join again. No, I won't. The pressure to keep producing items for show and tell and for the exhibition held every two years, and the noisy monthly meetings, got to me after several years. At the time I was working in a very noisy environment and found the meetings too much to cope with after spending all week surrounded by noise. I'm not a prolific quilter (and was even less so then when I was working), so I decided it was all a bit much for me. I'm happy pottering along on my own, at my own pace, in my own time, without anyone pushing me to do things I don't want to do. When we move to Tamworth next year I will check the quilt group out and see if I think I will enjoy it; if I think I will then I will join, otherwise I will just keep pottering along alone.

The quilt group also had its own little cliques within the group, which several people complained about....I was one (there were a few of us) who tried sitting with different groups from time to time to get to know some of the other women a bit better, but it was usually made clear that the individual cliques didn't welcome 'outsiders' and wanted to keep their exclusivity, so I gave up.

Ah well. That's human nature, I suppose.

The knitting is coming along in leaps and bounds, the back is now finished and I am charging through the first sleeve. The top I was sewing last week is finished and it fits, although it's a bit big. Next time I use that pattern I shall make a smaller size. But it is certainly wearable, and doesn't even look too bad. Might even take a photo and show the world......don't know if the world is ready for that, however......

From the 1885 etiquette book, a quote from the chapter entitled 'Harmony of colors in dress'. Interesting that they use the spelling 'color' not' colour', which I would have expected.
"Size in relation to dress and colors.
A small person may dress in light colors which would be simply ridiculous on a person of larger proportions. So a lady of majestic appearance should never wear white, but will be seen to the best advantage in black or dark tints. A lady of diminutive stature is dressed in bad taste when she appears in a garment with large figures, plaids or stripes. Neither should a lady of large proportions be seen in similar garments, because, united with her size, they give her a "loud" appearance. Indeed, pronounced figures and broad stripes and plaids are never in perfect taste.
Heavy, rich materials suit a tall figure, while light, full draperies should only be worn by those of slender proportions and not too short. The very short and stout must be content with meagre drapery and quiet colors.
Tall and slim persons should avoid stripes; short, chunky ones, flounces, or any horizontal trimming of the dress which, by breaking the outline from the waist to the feet, produces an effect of shortening."

So there you have it.

Only eight days until we fly to Canada. Last week we picked up our plane tickets - makes it seem more real now.

Have a lovely week.

Jennifer

Cloudy day WOW

Another little wombat probably designed to perch in a pot with a plant and look cute.
And some more of the Botanic Gardens....this isn't the photo I wanted to post but by gosh those thumbnails are tiny, aren't they? Never mind, it's pretty anyway. One garden was planted with yellow, white and blue/mauve flowers which combined with the dull green foliage to make a lovely display. The foliage of Australian native plants is often a soft dull green rather than a bright knock-your-socks-off green. The early European settlers didn't like it, they were used to the bright greens and deciduous trees of their homeland.....but Australia isn't like that.

Aren't you pleased with me, only a few more rows and I can cast off for the shoulders on the back of the re-knitted cardy; that means both fronts and back will be done. Only the sleeves and collar to go. I am surprising myself by the speed of this but somehow I don't think it will all be done before we jet off. That's okay, it will get finished when we come home.

Yesterday I managed to unpick the neck of the top I am sewing and steam press it back to shape, then pin and sew it again; thank goodness it sat properly that time. I don't know the composition of this fabric (a drawback when purchasing at op shops rather than off the bolt at fabric shops) but it is quite stretchy and slightly heavy so I wouldn't be surprised if it's something like a polyester/viscose/lycra blend. Colour is a soft lime green with a dull brown/olive floral design - when I cut it out I tried to carefully pin the front piece so I wouldn't have a daisy centered on my bazoom, let's hope I placed it right. The pattern is Jalie 2005, it's my first time sewing a Jalie pattern but so far so good.

Only 15 more days to fly day. Are you ready, Canada?

"The Street Manners of a Lady (contd)
A lady walks quietly through the streets, seeing and hearing nothing that she ought not to see and hear, recognizing acquaintances with a courteous bow, and friends with words of greeting. She is always unobtrusive, never talks loudly, or laughs boisterously, or does anything to attract the attention of the passers-by. She walks along in her own quiet, lady-like way, and by her pre-occupation is secure from any annoyance to which a person of less perfect breeding might be subjected."

It's not quite like that now, is it?

Have a wonderful week.

Jennifer

It's only words.........

............and words are all I have, so the song goes.

Powerful things, words.

Today when listening to a radio concert I heard the announcer say "and here comes Soloist onto the platform with her shoulder-length greying hair"........her hair is going to affect how she plays piano?

Each Monday evening my journey to and from choir practice takes me past a salon with these words on the awning outside - "International Eyebrow Shaping Champion". Huh? Now I know there are some pretty whacky awards out there in this weird world of ours, but you must admit that's a doozy.

This post is decorated with a few more scenes of our trip to the Botanic Gardens last weekend; red kangaroo paws, yellow paper daisies (the petals crackle like paper and are quite sharp and spiky, although they don't look it) and a view of part of the gardens in the late afternoon with the sun shifting behind the hill. It's a lovely place.

One of my Pay It Forward gifts is finished but I won't show it yet, it will be delivered in person when we get to Canada. Only 16 days to go now, it will be wonderful to see our son again. We miss him heaps but we are glad he's happy.....even if he is finding happiness on the other side of the known universe.

Sydney today is very smokey and hazy from the burnoffs an hour or more away, I keep feeling as though I'm choking. I feel sorry for those folk who have breathing conditions like asthma. I'm staying indoors although the windows are open for fresh air - may have to close them soon as black clouds are building up, it's getting towards thunderstorm season.

The other day I cut out fabric to make a top for me but have run into a snag sewing the neck binding down, it has stretched to billy-oh and I am having fun unpicking (I refuse to say frogging, it irritates me) close twin needle stitching. However I shall persist as I want to try the pattern for fit. The fabric cost me $2 for three metres earlier this year, if the pattern works I have a top I can wear......if not, it hasn't cost much to find out. There are two tops plus leftovers in that piece of fabric, which makes it a good buy in my book.

The quotes from the etiquette book are exactly as written, punctuation and all. The writers were very fond of the comma.

"The Street Manners of a Lady.
The true lady walks the street, wrapped in a mantle of proper reserve, so impenetrable that insult and coarse familiarity shrink from her, while she, at the same time, carries with her a congenial atmosphere which attracts all, and puts all at their ease."

Yep......sounds just like me.......

Jennifer

Happy WOW

Is this snow? not at all.....it was taken yesterday on our lunch trip to Mount Annan Botanical Gardens on a warm sunny day. Different botanic gardens specialise in specific plantings and this one's speciality is Australian plants. I can't remember the name of this interesting plant but it looks like some sort of snowy pine tree. The thin leaves hang vertically like those on many Aussie plants to minimise heat loss (a smaller surface presented to the sun means the plant doesn't overheat) and it has little white flowers that grow along the branches. So, no snow.
We saw this large goanna sunning itself by a pool, it was well over two feet (60cm) long - that's a lot of lizard, although they can grow much bigger. It let us get fairly close and I took a few pics, then it disappeared in a flash over the side.
Today's wombat spends all day lying around munching leaves. What a life! I bought him (my wombats are hers or hims, not its) about 12 years ago in Victoria, it's probably painted plaster designed to recline in a pot plant and look cute.

I am making good progress on the cardy, everytime we go out it comes with me, I knit in the car. Even if I only have time to knit two rows, that's two rows that wouldn't have been done if I had left it at home. I am determined to have this finished to wear as soon as I can. Many years ago I used to knit a lot more than I do now - that was before I took up quilting - when our sons were younger I would knit at band practices, and gymnastic practice, and all day at band or gymnastic competitions. All the mummies used to take their knitting in those days.

Here is the etiquette for travelling by public transport in 1885.

"Etiquette For Public Conveyances.
In street trams, omnibuses and other public street conveyances, it should be the endeavour of each passenger to make room for all persons entering, and no gentleman will retain his seat when there are ladies standing. When a lady accepts a seat from a gentleman, she expresses her thanks in a kind and pleasant manner.
A lady may, with perfect propriety, accept the offer of services from a stranger in alighting from, or entering a tram, omnibus or public conveyance, and should always acknowledge the courtesy with a pleasant "Thank you, sir" or a bow.
Never talk politics or religion in a public conveyance.
Gentlemen should not cross their legs, nor stretch their feet out into the passage-way of a public conveyance."

How times have changed.......

Three weeks tomorrow until we fly.

Jennifer