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