Happy New Year!

Best wishes for a wonderful year ahead.....heavens, 2012 already!  Seems like only yesterday we were worried about the millenium bug, remember that?  The world was going to end because all computers everywhere would suddenly freeze.  But they didn't, we are all still here and so are our computers although I suspect there wouldn't be many of us still using the computer we had in 2000.

We had a relaxing family time over Christmas, sitting in our beer garden.......

..........looking at the view over the back fence.

Even New Year's Eve was quiet for two Olde Phartes like us.  We enjoyed an entire whole bottle of a rather good bubbly wine - Australian, of course - washed it down with some nibbles, and stayed up long enough to see in the new year.

Santa was good to us too; we received a weather gadget that tells you what temperature it is outside, and inside, and how much rain has fallen.  Nothing, yet.  As part of our Christmas present to each other we have ordered ourselves a new TV, so we will really then be part of the 21st century.  Other gifts were chocolates, some scrumptious fabrics, a calendar all the way from British Columbia.....I like to have a scenic calendar or two around the house.....a scrumptious hand-dyed scarf, and some gorgeous smelly things from Fenella Jane.  That was for me.  I was also sent a wombat calendar!

Here in the Small Smoke we don't have a humungous fireworks display, although we did hear a cracker or two go bang.  When we lived in Sydney we never went to the NYE fireworks display, the crowd is a frightening size - last night it was expected that one million people would all sit around the harbour and go ooh and aah over the pretty bangs.  One million!  All those noughts!  What a scary thought.  The idea is all those people will spend lots of dollars while in town for the fireworks, so that is the justification for sending the equivalent of the gross domestic product of a small country up in smoke.  While I don't wish to be a party pooper, I would like to ask - how is it that so much money (we are talking many millions of dollars here) can be found for fireworks, but not for our hospitals, schools, and other places where it could make a difference?

Our local paper yesterday had a story about the Catholic priest from a small town north of here who has a pyrotechnics licence and stages fireworks displays in some of the small towns and villages hereabouts, with the profits going to the church.  He calls his business "Holy Smoke"....isn't that a hoot?

This year, as last year, I do not intend to make any Resolutions although I do have Plans.  Those Plans include finishing off a quilt top or two which are languishing in my cupboard waiting to be quilted (believe me there are more than a few, but we have to start somewhere), make one or two more and quilt them straightaway, and make more clothes.  The new scrumptious emerald/jade/teal green skirt is wearable as is although I have A Plan to trim it before it's worn, and the top which will be worn with it is in progress.  It looks a wee bit small......let's hope the stretch factor is right......when it's done there will be a picture but not of me wearing it, because there are some things for which the world is not yet ready.  While I was never a raving beauty when young I'm certainly no oil painting now and cannot pass a mirror or shop window without shuddering, so there is no way the world is going to see a picture of me in all my glory or lack thereof.  There are a few pictures of me out there on the interwebz, but be assured they weren't put there by me.

Now that summer is here and today is hot and sunny, we may need to make use of this recipe just as our foremothers did......or if they did, they were braver than I would be.

"To remove sunburn.
Take two ounces of borax, one dram of alum, one dram of camphor, half an ounce of sugar-candy, and a pound of ox-gall.  Mix and stir well for ten minutes, and stir it three or four times a fortnight.  When clear and transparent, strain through a blotting-paper and bottle for use."

Enjoy your days!