Rain!

We have had rain!  Wet stuff has fallen from the sky!  So much rain has fallen this month that a new record has been set - the previous December rain record was set four years ago, and this month we had much more.  Quite ironic really, considering we are still in drought......

Gardens in the town are looking lush and green and healthy, and gardeners are smiling, and local farmers are over the moon.

On Tuesday we will be driving to Canberra to meet the smallest twig on the family tree, and the rain means that we won't have to fret about our garden while we are away.

 

Even the roses are enjoying the rain. This was taken a couple of years ago before we lost our tree in a storm, but the rose is just the same.

The new skirt is nearly done, only the hem needs to be pinned and sewn (by hand - I prefer hand-sewn hems) now.  It may even accompany me to Canberra, because it will be cool and comfortable in the expected warm weather.....and a new skirt makes one feel like a new woman, yes?

While in Canberra we will be staying with our son's in-laws, which will be really nice - it will give us a chance to get to know them better.  We will even see the new year in while we are there, if we can stay up long enough.  Young Euan has no doubt been told that Grandmama Jennifer and Whatsisname (who hasn't yet decided what he would like to be called) will be visiting, and we trust he will be on his best behaviour.

I am hopeful of fitting in a little shopping whilst in Canberra, I know where there is a wonderful fabric shop.....lots of quilting fabrics on one side, a very good selection of dressmaking fabric on the other, and in the middle enough haberdashery to make a semster's eyes light up with glee.

Isn't 'semster' a wonderful word?  It's very old and was in use before 1000AD, meaning 'one who sews', although it was eventually replaced by 'seamstress'.  So much better than 'sewer', don't you think?  Or - my pet hate - 'sewist', which doesn't even appear in a dictionary.

"New-Year's Calls.
The custom of New-Year's calling is prevalent in some cities, and most villages in the country, and so agreeable a custom is it, that it is becoming more in favour every year.  This is the day when gentlemen keep up their acquaintanceship with ladies and families, some of whom they are unable to see, probably, during the whole year."

An interesting custom, and it seems to have been fairly new in 1885 when this was written.  Best wishes to all for a happy start to 2015, we won't meet again until next year.

Enjoy your days!