Welcome to 2026

The more often you write the date, the easier it is not to make a mistake and write last year's date instead.  We've all done that, haven't we?

We saw the new year in in bed, fast asleep - at one stage we heard fireworks which were probably being illegally set off in someone's backyard, otherwise it passed us by.  

The Boxing Day project has had its first round (can an octagon be considered round?) sewn in place, and fabrics pulled from the stash and cut into 1-1/2 in strips for a prospective second round.

There aren't enough Canadian-themed fabrics in my stash for all the required strips so fabrics from the autumn leaf and low volume stashes will be used; several of them were probably bought in Canada, anyway.  I'm trying not to be too precious as to placement, although the plan is to hopefully avoid putting similar fabrics together.  There will be trees and open spaces for dancing because those moose like to party with their headphones and flags and bottles of maple syrup.

How has everyone been this week?  We have been well, trying to keep cool - not always easy in summer - and out of trouble.  Appointments were attended, some hunting and foraging was done.  Stitches were sewn and knitted, words were read.  That voile top still isn't done but I have Hopes for it this week, as it's unable to be worn while it sits unfinished on my machine.  The decision about which song to sing at the mid-year Eisteddfod has been made; the words are firmly set in my brain but now the music needs to be learned.

Those Christmas quilt blocks which were shown here several weeks ago found a new home before Christmas.  Kate, a member of my quilt group, decided to take nine blocks to make a festive table topper, and the remaining two for a centrepiece; one block had already been snaffled by someone else, I know not who.  That's fine.  They have been moved out from my house.

Now that the holidays are over, life is getting back to what passes for normal.  On Friday we headed to an auto parts place to see if a CD player can be fitted in our car, new (even new-ish) cars don't have them, and as we are planning our annual trip down south in March we will need some music along with us.  We have....goodness knows how many, several hundred at least....CDs in our collection which we enjoy listening to; we are told that these days one is expected to download everything to one's phone or some such electronic gimcrackery, then plug it in and listen that way.  No.  Not happening.  I just cannot be bothered.  I have, I've decided, reached saturation point with all that electronic Stuff.

Speaking of electronic Stuff, what is it with blokes and remote controllers?  Why do they feel the need to hang onto it like a security blanket, and channel surf to their wife's annoyance without settling on anything to watch?  I check the online guide to see if there is something I wish to watch (we don't subscribe to any streaming service, in fact if the TV were to disappear overnight I probably wouldn't even miss it) because idly channel surfing is something I find irritating in the extreme.

Perhaps that's just me.....

"Unladylike conduct toward a suitor.

It is only the contemptible flirt that keeps an honorable man in suspense for the purpose of glorifying herself by his attentions in the eyes of friends.  Nor would any but a frivolous or vicious girl boast of the offer she had received and rejected.  Such an offer is a privileged communication.  The secret of it should be held sacred.  No true lady will ever divulge to anyone, unless it may be her mother, the fact of such an offer.  It is the severest breach of honour to do so.  A lady who has once been guilty of boasting of an offer should never have an opportunity for thus boasting."

Harsh words, but no doubt necessary. Such a lady would not be worthy of the attention of a good man.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer