It's a big world out there

I didn't realise it was so huge!  Best of all, I can sew - or read, or knit, or do just about anything - without having to stop for frequent breaks because of muscle tiredness around my eyes.  The deterioration was probably such a gradual process for several years that I hadn't realised how bad it had become, so when the surgeon muttered words like "take out at least seven to eight millimetres" which is way over a quarter of an inch......all I could think of was "ohmygawd", but every millimetre has been worth it.  Thankfully the bruises are finally fading now and stitches are becoming less noticeable.

Another house was made, this time twice as big.

It's a bit on the lairy side, isn't it?  For the non-Aussies "lairy" is a word meaning flashy or showy; it is first documented in print in 1906 but sadly isn't heard as much these days, although was still common when I was growing up.  The world needs more lairy houses, doesn't it?

Because our quilt group didn't meet for several months I missed out on my turns for block of the month, so when Madame Presidente asked if I would do one for early October I thought I should say yes.  I did think of handing out the instructions for my little houses but, because some members seem to have an aversion to anything with small pieces, the house size was doubled to 12 inches.  These blocks are often used to make kids' quilts for charity, so bright houses will be fine.  That pink/purple/gold/black stripe is one of my "whatever was I thinking when I bought this?" fabrics but it makes a cheerful house, while the yellow door is nearly the last of that fabric; I shall miss it.

Spring has been springing ever higher now.  Wattle Day came and went with nary a morsel of gold on our little bush, but there has still been plenty of golden gorgeousness around town.

Speaking of lairy houses, isn't it about time that grey has had its day?  It has been popular, inside and out, for some time now.  While we're making changes, whose bright idea was it to paint ceilings and/or walls black, and add dark floors?  Dark kitchens too - dark cupboard doors with black (granite, of course) bench tops suck the light out of a room.  I'm not a fan of white on white kitchens - too cold and clinical for me - but surely there is a happy medium which is not grey.

Those folk who hand over the keys to a renovator and give them carte blanche to do what they like are very trusting, aren't they? I would be saying no black, no grey, absolutely no pink whatsoever, no red, purple or shades thereof, no white, grey or black kitchen, no granite or marble at all.......it still leaves green, and blue, and yellow, and orange, and cream, which is warmer than white.

We have also noticed tables disappearing in some houses, replaced by a high island at which one perches on a stool.  Not for me; I like to sit on a proper chair at a proper table, thank you, and enjoy my meal.

While looking at accommodation options online before our last trip to Canada we saw some apartments which had no table, just the aforementioned bench with stools - which is why the apartment we rented had a table and chairs by a window, with a view over a sometimes busy but always interesting street.

"Dinner a la Russe.

The latest and most satisfactory plan for serving dinners is the dinner a la Russe (the Russian style) - all the food being placed upon a side table, and servants do the carving and waiting.  This style gives an opportunity for more profuse ornamentation of the table, which, as the meal progresses, does not become encumbered with partially empty dishes and platters."

That sounds very civilised to me, but due to the lack of servants in this household is unlikely to happen.

Enjoy your days!