Back to nearly normal

We arrived home a week ago but have been busy since then, and I have been reclining on my bed of pain and suffering.  However, the lurgy seems to be on its way out the door, the fractured foot which has come back to haunt me is being treated, and all is slowly getting better with the world.

We had a good time - and would you believe, slacko that I am, no photos were taken?   Not one?  Probably because we have been to Canberra so often, and to the towns en route, that it would need to be something special to make me get out the camera.

Never mind......here are some pics taken on previous trips of some of the towns we drove through or stayed at.  This is the Japanese Gardens at Cowra, in the late afternoon.

 A pale camellia against one of the big rocks in the garden.

 Bathurst, which has lovely parks and gorgeous historic buildings.....

 .......and Sofala, a former gold rush town.  This magnificent tree 'disappeared' one night, taken down by a couple of locals with a chainsaw because they didn't like it, and Sofala today is much emptier without its canopy.

 We had an extra day on the way south and stayed in Cowra for two nights instead of the usual one, to see a quilt exhibition at the local regional gallery.  This tells you a little about it - the exhibition has now finished, but you can see one of the quilts.  Something not seen at many quilt exhibitions was the number of men present, both accompanying their female partner and on their own; perhaps the idea of recuperating soldiers making quilts and military tailors sewing was of interest to them.  It was really amazing and we are so glad to have had the chance to see those quilts and read their stories.

The costume exhibition from "The Dressmaker" was not large, but wonderful.......oh, those frocks!  Most of them silk, either vintage or newly made from vintage fabrics.  Sigh.......

In past years we have stayed on in Canberra at Exhibition Park, the site of the folk festival, but this year we were told to clear out by lunchtime on the Tuesday straight after Easter.  Scram.  Vamoose.  Seems the site was booked for a rock festival the following weekend and we didn't want to be around for that anyway, so we moved to Yass for a further week and commuted to Canberra as we needed to.

A little retail therapy was indulged in.......

 ......the black and white prints are for the background of a quilt, and the orange batik was just because I loved it.

Aren't these gorgeous flowers?  They arrived yesterday while we were out at lunch, a birthday gift from Young Euan and his parents.  He is four now and is shooting up like a weed after rain, with an interest in super heroes and fantasy characters - his father's son all over again.

That's a little of what we have been up to over the past few weeks.

"How to have shoes made.

The great fault with modern shoes is that their soles are made too narrow.  If one would secure perfect healthfulness of the feet he should go to the shoemaker and step with his stockinged feet on a sheet of paper.  Let the shoemaker mark with a pencil upon the paper the exact size of his foot, and then make him a shoe whose sole shall be as broad as this outlined foot."

Not a word about having a rigid heavy moon boot - not the most comfy shoe I have ever worn - made for a fractured foot, you notice.

Enjoy your days!