Back in the Small Smoke again

No doubt about it, travel is good, one gets to see interesting places and meet fascinating people.....but to be back in one's own bed with one's own pillow under one's cheek is bliss.

Had fun last week in the Big Smoke, at the craft show and associated quilt show......oh my, the standard of quilts this year was very high.  Quite a lot of repro quilts so that style is still hanging round, not so many of the shabby chic style so perhaps that's on the way out?  Not even a lot of bright quilts this year, many colours were quiet and muted and the country colours from several years ago seem to be making a comeback.  Should you so desire you can view the winners here; this page shows the Special Awards, if you click on the headings "Professional", "Amateur", "Open" and "Junior" you can see all other winners.  The quilt which won Best of Show is really exquisite, and I can honestly say in all my years of attending quilt shows......over 25 years, now.........I have never seen one quilt win so many awards.

This is the usual view looking up the hill behind our house, our back fence is in the foreground.

 A few times this week it has been replaced by a very different view.

Foggy and frosty mornings are here to stay for a while now.  Fog can be quite eerie, can't it?

Progress is being made on a new skirt.  The Monday night choir's performing outfit for women is black pants or long black skirt, and a white shirt.  I have always worn pants as I don't own a long black skirt, but recently decided that a long skirt could be handy for times when the musical director decrees that all the women in the front row should wear skirts, because "it makes a nice line"........as she did with just a few day's notice for last year's Christmas concert, which I didn't take part in because I missed too many rehearsals while we were in Canada.  Because I am short I sometimes sing in the front line - we are arranged by height - I have been keeping an eye out in the local op shops (thrift shops) but so far haven't found a long black skirt in my size.  Never mind, thought I, I shall make one.  So a pattern has been duly bought, and some black fabric, and the pattern is currently being tweaked to take four inches (10 cm) off the length before the fabric is cut.  Yes, I am that short.  Extra wide black fabric is in short supply here but a black damask found in the curtain/upholstery section will do nicely; the skirt is flared and the front is seamless, hence the need for wide fabric.  It's not because I am huge.  Even though I am not the slender little thing I used to be.......sigh.

Road works between here and town are proceeding well.  Like most of the locals we have been taking the "short term pain for long term gain" point of view but we will be so glad when it's all done.  I feel sorry for the people living along that road, the dust from the various digging and scraping machines must be awful at times.

The uke group is getting brave, our latest piece is "Hotel California" which has some fiendish chord changes. Never mind, either they will get easier with practice or my fingers will fall off, which is more likely.

"Evening dress for ladies.
Evening dress for ladies may be as rich, elegant and gay as one chooses to make it.  It is everywhere the custom to wear full evening dress in brilliant evening assemblages.  It may be cut either high or low at the neck, yet no lady should wear her dress so low as to make it quite noticeable or a special subject of remark. Evening dress is what is commonly  known as "full dress," and will serve for a large evening party, ball or dinner.  No directions will be laid down with reference to it, as fashion devises how it is to be made and what material used."

No low necks for the choir ladies, our dress is so modest as to be a teensy bit boring.  There is also a long scarf knotted in front with the ends hanging down......as I said, boring.  At least it's not beige.

Enjoy your days!