Aaarghhh......

.....I hate monofil thread. After having it break a few times while free-motion quilting I am unpicking it and I will never ever use monofil again. And of course the fabric is batik, so unpicking is leaving holes in it. I suck at free-motion quilting anyway. Perhaps I should just throw the hanging out and be done with it.

This pretty shrub flowers in autumn and spring, I think it's called Tibouchina and comes from somewhere like Mexico. It's one of the few remaining from when we first moved here nearly 22 years ago, what with my brown thumbs and The Great Hailstorm of 1990 that shredded all the gardens in the district. But this keeps flowering, so we have let it stay. The lovely wire fence is between us and the building site next door, it's been over 18 months now since the building started. On one hand it's peaceful having no neighbours on one side of us, on the other hand living next door to a building site for so long has its drawbacks. At least when the workmen go home at the end of the day it's very peaceful. There's a house near here that has been a building site for at least ten years, probably closer to 15 or 20 - I really can't remember it ever not being partly built. I feel for their neighbours.

I am being taken out tonight for dinner but really wouldn't care if I didn't go, the prospect of getting out of my comfy slippers and tracky daks (sweat pants for those not in Oz) is taking on huge proportions. I would far rather stay home and sew, and be comfortable and warm. But I suppose I have to be grateful. Still, a birthday flower or card would have been nicer than being left on my own for much of the day.

Best wishes for Mother's Day for all the mums tomorrow.

Jennifer