Last for March, and for a while

Books and bookmarks! The books have been gifts and so was one of the bookmarks. The bookmark with lots of writing is an Australian birth sign one - it was on the table upside down, silly me. Never mind. It seems my Australian birth sign is a wombat as my birthday falls between April 21 and May 21, isn't that amazing?

I have quilted the border on my Road to St Louis quilt, and machined the binding on the front, now I am hand-sewing it on the back. When it's finished I will put up a photo. It's such a great feeling to be so near to finishing!

We have had a reply to the letter we wrote to the shopping mall after our experience last week. The man concerned has been rapped over the knuckles, they took our complaint very seriously for which we are thankful. The letter concluded by saying something along the lines of "we hope you will continue to shop with us". We are not sure about that - today we drove to another mall a little further away, and will keep away for a while in case the bloke has revenge on his mind.

Speaking of shopping....one thing that bugs me is people who push the trolley by leaning on it with their elbows....how do they expect to steer the darn thing? Usually it's short older women although I have seen men do it too. I'm short too, but I use my hands not my elbows. End of whinge. Thank you for listening.

We will be going away this coming weekend for a few weeks, the National Folk Festival is held in Canberra over the Easter long weekend and we have been going to it for several years. We set up camp in our RV the previous weekend as I am a volunteer, I work in the office leading up to the start of the festival. Kevin isn't volunteering this year although if they find a job for an Olde Pharte that's not too strenuous he would be available. Last year he volunteered and was put on the Bar Set-up team, hoisting around kegs of beer and cider - he found it very difficult, I think it's a job for younger blokes. The festival is always good fun; lots of music, singing, dancing - I used to dance all day and night but haven't for a few years. If my foot lets me I might have a go again this year. Many of the performers are from overseas and it's always good to catch their acts as well as see the locals we love.

Then we will head off for our first trip away as retired folks. We don't yet know where we will be going but we will enjoy it when we get there. We'll be away for 3-4 weeks altogether.

The cat quilt on my last post has gained several comments! Thank you, I haven't been ignoring your comments, it's been difficult to reply as I have been having email problems again. I am in the process of getting a new email address and changing all my contacts over, then I will give my current address the flick. And good riddance.

Have a lovely week.

Jennifer

Random thoughts for Friday

Isn't the interwebz an amazing place! Zoe in Germany (who doesn't have a blog) found my Folded Star tutorial and emailed me to say how pleased she was, as she made one of those years ago but had lost the instructions to make another; and Geta in Romania has also found it. Check out Geta's blog, there are several tutorials, her wonderful trapunto and quilting, and she is having a giveaway. She has photos of a beautiful pale green bag she has made, it has an orange flower on the front and orange lining.......just scrumptious.

Thank you to all the lovely folks who commented on Monday's post, about our scary experience with the shopping trolley bloke. We have posted our letter to the shopping centre management so will see if anything is done about it. Hopefully it may also lead them to put up advisory speed signs in the carpark, far too many people (mums with children in the car as well as the young macho blokes) drive too quickly.

So far we are two weeks into Kevin's retirement and murder has not yet been committed, in fact not even an angry word has been spoken. And we have our wedding rings back so we are married again.

Do you like the kitty quilt? I used lots of bright prints with a black border to match the black noses, eyes and whiskers - all stitched with one thread of DMC black stranded cotton in hand buttonhole and stem stitch. The backing is a bright allover cat print and I called it "Psychedelicats". It was even pictured a few years ago in Down Under Quilts magazine, in an article on cat quilts. The fireplace is in our living room, our house is nearly 60 years old, and was built when nearly every Aussie house had a fireplace. It's not the most beautiful feature of the house so I hang a quilt in front of it in summer; we have a gas fire in it for winter warmth.

And tonight is music club night - wonder what cake I shall buy for supper? - our theme tonight is songs or poems on age. Old age, young age, teen age - any age. Should be fun.

Have a lovely weekend!

Jennifer