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