Back to normal programming

Or what passes for normal here.

The music festival has happened, our musical guest has been and gone - and what fun that was, we shared many laughs over many a cuppa while he was here - and our quiet life has resumed once more.

We went to a few concerts which we really enjoyed, and kept out of the way of noisy places.  It has been said "if it's too loud you're too old".....but I beg to differ; back in my younger days when I used to go to concerts and dances amplification equipment was nowhere near as loud as it is nowadays, and my hearing wasn't damaged as a result.  Earphones were a thing of the future too, we didn't spend our time with sound cranked up to an unbearable volume ringing in our ears.  

Some stitching has happened, diamonds have been cut and joined.  No stitches were knitted, although they will be when summer isn't so fiercely warm.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung.

The house blocks were laid out and pinned into rows, the sewing of which will commence before too long.  There are eleven diagonal rows labelled by small pieces of leftover fabrics with numbers written on using fabric pen.  They were made when my tumbler quilt was being laid out and were going to be tossed once it was joined, but a little voice in the back of my brain said "hang on......don't do that, those labels can be used again....and again" and sure enough, they are.  Being fabric they will not tear like paper labels would.

On the last post I mentioned Mary Card and her beautiful crochet designs.  This mat, made by Kevin's maternal grandmother, is possibly another of her designs.  It sits on top of my bedside chest, and is made from very very fine thread.

Such exquisite work should be celebrated and enjoyed.  Many years ago when my brothers and I were clearing out my mother's house after her death I took the beautiful lace - tatted and crocheted - and embroidery work, mostly made by my mother's aunts.  My sister-in-law (who has an opinion on everything) said "I don't want any of that old stuff"....which was good, because I was prepared to take it by force if necessary.  But....when I am gone who will get it?  I have no daughters or granddaughters to inherit any of my Stuff.  If it ends up an an op shop it may be bought by someone who loves it, and that's fine by me.  Better that than having an unwanted bequest dumped on you, yes?

It's not very often I have a win, but I had one recently.  Just after Christmas I ordered black cropped pants online because the local store had none.  The money was quickly taken from our account but no pants arrived, and no notification of a post tracking number to let me know my order was on its way.  So....a few weeks later I rang their 'contact us' number and was told, we don't have your goods.  We are looking in our distribution centres.  Ring us again in about seven days.  That was when a little something went 'ping' in my brain and I interrupted her....."no....no.....no" I said....."I will not ring you.  You will contact me.  You have taken my money and have not supplied the goods I ordered.  If you cannot do so, then I want my money back."  I was not rude, but by heck I was firm.

And a couple of days later that money was back in our account!  But I still have no black pants.....

Contrast that with an order placed on Monday evening for a few sets of ukulele strings from an interstate dealer, which were in my hands by lunchtime on Friday.  I love the email I received from them - "Congratulations on your order Jennifer, you Ukulele Rockstar you!"  How could you not shop from someone with such a fun attitude and such excellent service?  There is a music store here but they have proven to be unhelpful and unreliable (and they don't call me a ukulele rockstar), so I shop elsewhere.  

Summer's heat has arrived, and with it some quite fearsome storms with lights and music echoing from the clouds and rolling around the hills.  There have been some spectacular pics on social media of the lightning a couple of nights ago.....a shame that thunder can't be photographed too!

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Lady and gentleman walking together.

A gentleman walking with a lady should treat her with the most scrupulous politeness, and may take either side of the walk.  It is customary for the gentleman to have the lady on his right hand side, and he offers her his right arm, when walking arm in arm.  If, however, the street is crowded, the gentleman must keep the lady on that side of him where she will be the least exposed to crowding."

Yes indeed.  A lady does not like to be crowded.

Enjoy your days!

Back into the neighbourhood

How is everyone this week?  Our weather is warming up somewhat but not - yet - unbearably so; there were complaints from some locals before Christmas that "we haven't had a summer.....whinge, moan......" but I for one wasn't complaining about our late cool start to the season.  Some rain would be good, though; since the flooding rain stopped it has been quite dry, and our skin and our hair are complaining about that.

On Tuesday the house blocks and their sashing, together with my Singer Featherweight, were packed up and taken to quilt group where sashing was sewn onto several blocks.  The last blocks and sashing are being worked on in the sewing room as we speak, or will be after I finish here.

Being an older Singer it doesn't have a 1/4 in foot, the foot is 1/4 in wide on the left and 1/8 in on the right, but the bed is wide enough - and the blocks still small enough - to sew from the 'other' side.  This pic shows one block under the needle, one waiting its turn on the left, and a few completed blocks at the back.  

It's going to be a very colourful quilt.

Diamonds have been cut and sewn.  The guitar block needs a little modification, which has been partly done.  No stitches have been knitted.  Words have been read.  Music has been played and sung, as we have a gig next Sunday morning.

Now that the Christmas wombats and Flossie their Guardian Angel have been packed up for another year, I thought it was time to change the cloth on my grandmother's 1925 Singer treadle machine where they were sitting.  I have a few embroidered and lace cloths so, as wood can stain them, a plain blue cloth was spread first then a crochet linen cloth on top.  The crochet cloth came to me from my mother and - I think - was made by one of her aunts.

As I stood back and admired it a thought popped into my head out of nowhere (as they often do) that I had read about an Australian woman who, 100 years or so ago, made quite a name for herself as a crochet designer.  Her name was Mary Card, and this may be one of her designs.  

Mard Card was a superstar in her day; she was known around the world for her beautiful designs.  Some were designed for the country where she was living at the time, as she was very good at tapping into people's patriotism.  This page has very good information, too.

I like the fact that after so long Mary Card's name is still known around the world and her designs still admired, to the extent that finished articles can be bought online for hundreds of dollars.  

We also have a larger cloth, a tulip design, which came from Kevin's maternal grandmother who was known in the family for her beautiful crochet work.  It, too, may be a Mary Card design.

These are filet crochet, I've tried filet - it's the crochet equivalent of counted cross stitch.  The wrinkled cloth between the crochet panels is linen; I think the wrinkles are caused by differences in tension between it and the crochet.  Probably wouldn't hurt to kiss it with an iron, either.  One day.....

No doubt a cloth such as this would have been spread for a genteel afternoon tea served in dainty cups, saucers and plates, while a little genteel character assassination may have been indulged in about those absent.....can't you just imagine it?  "Oh Mabel, did you see what Gladys wore to church last Sunday?  And her top button was undone, I'm sure the minister in the pulpit had a good eyeful!"

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Talking with a lady in the street.

In meeting a lady it is optional with her whether she shall pause to speak.  If the gentleman has anything to say to her, he should not stop her, but turn around and walk in her company until he has said what he has to say, when he may leave her with a bow and a lift of the hat."

There is obviously a reason why a gentleman should not detain a lady to talk to her, but it was quite correct to walk with her....however, that reason escapes me.

Enjoy your days!

Best wishes for 2023!

Well, we made it......another year done and dusted!  It will be interesting to see how it develops, won't it?

Did you all have a good Christmas?  Ours was very quiet, just the two of us this time.  Who knows what a year may bring?

As usual there will be no resolutions made in this house, but there will be hopes; hopes that a few projects will be closer to being finished by the end of the year than they currently are.  That will do me.

A new project has been started, a gift from a friend in Canada.

This was a block from a 'shop hop' back in 2018.  My music notes didn't fit on the lines without being too crowded, so one fell off.  Which sometimes happens, as many musicians will tell you.

Rather than using a dark brown or black for binding, this deep yellow from my stash will do nicely.  There may be just enough.

The applique is fused to the background; stitching it down will be done as it is quilted.  It will make a fun table topper.

Several diamonds have been cut, and quite a few joined.  It's about time that the finished blocks were counted, although there are nowhere near enough made for a quilt top.....even a small one.

Words have been read.  No stitches have been knitted as it's getting a bit warm to have wool on one's lap.  No notes have been plinked, although that will change tomorrow as the uke group has a rehearsal for a gig in a couple of weeks.

Recently a women's clothing shop, one of an Aussie chain, closed its doors here as a stand-alone shop and moved into a 'mega outlet' shared with other brands.  It's a brand I have been wearing for a long time as their clothes are suitable for those of us of the more mature years.  However, I don't think I will bother with them again; before Christmas I was able to find crop denim pants (the style worn by the older woman when she doesn't feel comfortable wearing shorts in public any more) in deep blue.  The same style in black - actually, a deep charcoal - would also be useful, I thought to myself, as my black pants are getting to the not-fit-to-wear-out-any-more stage....but alas, the black in my size was not to be had.  Any more out the back, I asked the assistant.....oh, I don't know, she said with a shrug.  A few days ago I called in again just on the off chance that luck might be on my side,  but once again drew a blank.  Blow it, I thought, so when we arrived home I ordered the very same black pants from their website.  Yes, I will have to pay postage, but that will be offset by the much-reduced sale price.  

I have never been much of an online shopper, but after being so disappointed by the alternative I can see the attraction.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Do not lack politeness.

Never hesitate in acts of politeness for fear they will not be recognized or returned.  One cannot be too polite so long as he conforms to rules, while it is easy to lack politeness by neglect, to them.  Besides, if courtesy is met by neglect or rebuff, it is not for the courteous person to feel mortification, but the boorish one; and so all lookers-on will regard the matter."

Politeness must be the oil with which the wheels of interraction with others are greased - yes?

Enjoy your days!