The computer has been unwell

So, too, have I.

The computer spent several days in hospital having its innards poked and prodded before returning home.  It seems to be just hunky dory tickety-boo, now.  However, when I suggested earlier that it could get some photos from my camera's SD card it shook its head and said, nuh-huh.....and the computer hospital is closed now for the next couple of weeks.  

Fortunately my innards didn't need to be poked and prodded like the computer's did, it was a very nasty dose of sinus/hayfever with a non-stop cough.  While the cough is settling it hasn't left, but I have high hopes that it, too, will soon be healed.

Hence the radio silence last weekend.

With the SD card reader not working the pics taken earlier today cannot be uploaded, which is disappointing.  Take it from me, though - two trees started last week were finished this week.  Autumn Rhapsody has come home from Margaret quilter and looks great; sadly I have been in no position to start on making the label, hanging sleeve and binding....but that, too, will happen, hopefully before too long

We survived yesterday's summer solstice, and can now look forward to summer.  We have been having hot temps for some time now anyway, and more is forecast, but now the solstice is over I am telling myself -  every day that passes is a day closer to autumn.

A couple of Christmas pics to round out the post.  This is my collection of Christmas wombats, a small tree and my Jim Shore angel.

My collection of Canadian decorations, another small tree and even a sparkly red maple leaf.

So.....no matter where you are, and no matter what - if anything - you believe, best wishes for a time of love, and peace, and good health.

And chocolate.  Good quality dark chocolate.

Enjoy your Christmas days!

Jennifer

Having a whole heap of fun!

That was what the choir did last night, at our World Premiere.  We sang our little hearts out, managed to achieve our bits of (sitting) choreography without making fools of ourselves, and enjoyed listening to the lead actors sing their parts with and without us.  It was a pleasure and a privilege to be part of it....and even if our composer/director/musical director Bill is able to have it orchestrated and produced on a stage somewhere, we will still be able to say "we did it first"!

So now our moment of fame and glory is over, and it's back to everyday reality once more.

The back of Autumn Rhapsody is done.

This is a queen-size bed; the bottom corner was pulled up to show the outer border of that gorgeous leaf print.  Almost all of that pale background piece was used, there was very little leftover.

The strip goes from over an inch at one end to over two inches at the other as it wasn't quite cut straight - not much was wasted, was it?  It won't be thrown out either; you never know when it may be Just The Very Thing for a scrappy project so it will go into the bin of autumn fabrics, and probably be thrown out on some future date when it isn't big enough to use for anything anyway

Stitching down the peeper border is proceeding well, the final side is almost half done.  What an achievement that will be....then quilter Margaret will be contacted and decisions made as to thread colour/s and quilting design.

Words have been read.  Stitches have, of course, been sewn both by hand and by machine.  Songs have been sung and strings plinked.  A little shopping here and there to keep the hungry wolves at bay, and that was it.  The various hurty bits are healing well, for which we are thankful.  Today is the seven month anniversary of the big fall and subsequent damage and, while the hand and arm are still weaker than they were beforehand, they are slowly recovering.

It has rained, wonderful rain, which came with lights and music - thunder and lightning - and more is forecast for tonight and tomorrow.  The rain delayed my sewing the quilt back together as My Lovely New Bernina has computer Stuff in its innards, and according to technical sewing machine people it's not a good idea to use a computerised machine during lightning storms......so I don't.  The plug is even pulled out from the wall socket, because I'm not taking any chances.  About 15 years ago we lost a computer to a lightning strike; it was plugged in at the time, so we know these things happen.

What is blogger playing at these days?  Every comment comes up in my email inbox as a "no reply"; hopefully though I can still reply if you are in my contacts from previous replies.  I love reading  your comments, every one is appreciated, and I endeavour to reply as and when I can.

"A lady obliged to travel alone.

A lady, in travelling alone, may accept services from her fellow-travellers, which she should always acknowledge graciously.  Indeed, it is the business of a gentleman to see that the wants of an unescorted lady are attended to.  He should offer to raise or lower her window if she seems to have any difficulty in doing it herself.  He may offer his assistance in carrying her packages upon leaving the car, or in engaging a carriage or obtaining a trunk.  Still, women should learn to be as self-reliant as possible; and young women particularly should accept proffered assistance from strangers, in all but the slightest offices, very rarely."

Assistance offered to those of us of the more senior persuasion is much appreciated, let me tell you.  One cannot do everything by one's self any more.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Back on line

But - oh dear! how to upload photos is still a mystery.  Perhaps it will become clearer eventually.

Everything else seems to working just fine though, so we are once more connected to the world......even if that pic I took earlier and tried to upload has disappeared somewhere into cyberspace.  We have been connected to the world via our computer since 1997 - and our world has certainly changed since then.

There are a couple of people in our U3A ukulele group who don't have a computer and whose eyes glaze over with fear at the very thought of using one.  One of the women uses her age as an excuse (oh I'm 80, I'm too old) but she hasn't always been 80 in the time that computers have been around, has she?  Some of the most enthusiastic users are seniors who see the possibilities for keeping in touch with distant family and friends, and indeed with the world in general.  Since moving here to the Small Smoke in 2010 we have noticed more and more folk getting online, despite their scepticism at first; Kevin was told "don't send me an email, I never use it" by more than one person who did have an email address - but didn't bother using it.

Ah ha - one more try, and success!  We have a photo!

Next Sunday a Spring Fair is being held at a local house museum, Calala Cottage.  I will be taking one of my 1920s Singer 66 treadle machines along to demonstrate how it works; I have done that a couple of times in the past, and it always generates interest.  Many people can remember such a machine being in their family...."oh, Dad's mother had one but no one ever used it" or "I remember Mum's auntie had one but it was thrown out after she died" etc., but not many people these days have seen one in action.  As before I will be taking along some bags already prepared and pressed, so only straight stitching with no seam finishing (all raw edges will be covered) is required.  

The print fabrics will be the outer layer and handle trim, the solid fabrics will be lining and handles.  Taking three bags is a bit ambitious considering that the ukulele group is also performing so when I'm not treadling I will be plinking, and vice versa.....with, of course, breaks for coffee and lunch, but just the same some stitching will get done.

Recently we have had some proper spring weather and had even let the fire go out, but our old friend winter has returned just to remind us that, after all, it's not the middle of September yet.  Last night's fire was very cheery and warming, and tonight's will be too.  

Words have been read.  No diamonds have been cut or sewn, but once the jumper is completed that will change; it's nearly all sewn up now.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  Bags have been prepped.  The usual hunting and gathering was done, and I even found time for a visit to the hairdresser for a trim.  Since having had eye surgery three years ago a hat is a necessity outdoors, something easier with shorter hair, so my longer locks were sacrificed for hair above my shoulders.....but I still haven't gone for the very short Olde Ladye Choppe.

Our lovely wattle bush is nearly finished flowering for the year, just a few little golden yellow balls of fluff are left, and it is missed already.  It was very beautiful this year.

Concluding our Etiquette for Public Conveyances:

"Gentlemen should not cross their legs, nor stretch their feet out into the passage-way of a public conveyance."

No, gentlemen.  Don't   We don't wish to trip over your feet.  Keep to your own space, and we will keep to ours.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Back in the land of the living

The computer living, that is......our computer has been in for repair.  The verdict is - its condition is terminal, something quite annoying considering it's only a few years old.  Forgive the recent lack of blog comments, we've been cut off from the world without it.

Oh well.  We have ordered a new computer, and will continue to nurse this poor old thing along until its replacement arrives and is installed.

The annual record of the blooming back yard wattle bush.

She's getting to be quite a big girl, isn't she?  (Anything this gorgeous has to be a girl, no way could it be a boofy boy!)  Considering she came *this* close to being pulled out when she was a mere stripling, just a few nearly dead sticks with three tiny green leaves, she's doing very well.  Kevin was going to get rid of it, don't you dare, I said, it's not dead yet....it has green leaves.....so, fortunately, he left it.

There have been no pics of diamonds for a long time, have there?  These are on the ironing board waiting to be pressed; it's more a summer project when the weather is a bit too warm for knitting.

Although......it's not the act of knitting, the problem is the weight of a woollen garment on one's lap on a hot day.  The current jumper is all knitted, and the seaming is well underway; there won't be enough winter left this year for its auspicious debut, so it can be flaunted next year.

Many words have been read.  Not one stitch has been sewn either by hand or machine, the motivation hasn't been present, but it will return.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  There are songs waiting to be arranged but that will be left until the new computer is ready; no sense spending that time until I know the result won't disappear into cyberspace never to be seen again.

Yesterday we took ourselves off for a Nice Sunday Drive to Nundle, about an hour away, for a concert featuring harp and classical guitar.  The music was sublime, the instruments amazing - I greatly covet that beautiful guitar, even though we're not supposed to covet other people's gorgeous Stuff.  Nundle is a higher altitude than here in the valley and winters are much colder, but yesterday was pleasant; there was no nasty wind, and the sun was almost nearly not quite warm.  Nearly.

Back when I was a stripling of about 17 or so there was a 'music shop' here which sold, among other things, LP records.  (Remember them?)  I used to check out the sale racks for anything that looked interesting, having begun to develop fairly wide musical tastes, and one day I bought a recording of Spanish guitar music by Brazilian guitarist Laurindo Almeida.  What a revelation that was!  It sparked a love of classical guitar which has never abated, indeed, I had lessons in classical guitar for a couple of years in my 20s before I started having babies.  There never seemed to be time to go back to it but I still use the techniques that I learned to this day, even when playing ukulele.  Several years later I bought another guitar and still have them both, one classical, one more folky/jazzy...and of course, three ukuleles.  Kevin is very supporting of my musical efforts and I appreciate that very much, because I cannot imagine my life without music in it.

As a child and teen I wanted to learn music but it wasn't possible, there was no spare money for frivolities such as a daughter's music lessons.  (It seemed, and still seems to me, that there was really no place in that family for the fish-out-of-water-daughter anyway.)  Both my brothers learned because a state-wide youth organisation had a branch here including a band which was free to join and to learn music, but in those days it was an organisation for boys only.  My mother had played piano in her younger days and picking out tunes on her piano, still in her parents' house (but sold with the house a few years later when they died) gave me endless fun.  My father had played violin as a child.  I was the only one in the family who was left out of playing music, and I have always resented that.  While I know there is no point in dwelling on what's passed and can't be changed it still saddens me that I was never given that chance - even though it probably would have meant learning scales on piano, something that didn't appeal at all.  But....once I heard that guitar recording, I knew it was for me.

Continuing on with Etiquette for Public Conveyances:

"Never talk politics or religion in a public conveyance."

One might add, especially not using a loud voice on a mobile phone.  The rest of us neither want nor need to hear your thoughts on these or indeed any other matters, unless we are engaged in conversation with you.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Never be seen?

Back in those long-ago days when I was a Sweet Young Thing it was said that "blue and green should never be seen" - sometimes, "without another colour in between" was added.  Now I don't know about the rest of you but every day we look out onto the green hill behind us and the blue sky above, and I think to myself, I think......"whoever thought that one up?"

Early last month it was my turn to supply a block for the members of the quilt group to make or not, as they chose, and this was mine.  Yesterday I received some completed blocks and couldn't resist laying them out.

There are several blocks with green leaning toward khaki but brighter blocks will be made to balance that......there is quite a bit of green in my stash, you know.  Have I ever mentioned that I am quite fond of green?  It will be fun when done, but there is no hurry.  After all - it's not as though I lack for projects.

It needs a title.  Eventually my brain will think of something clever, but until then it will be referred to as 'the paving quilt'.

The batting borders have been cut for my Canadian quilt, and I have hopes that it will be prepped this week for the borders to be quilted.  I had hopes it would be done this week, but alas.....it was not to be.

Some people make resolutions at New Year - I have hopes, some of which eventuate and some of which are doomed to languish forever unfulfilled.

Well, this morning I took my courage in my hands and joined in Chookyblue's zoom......it was great fun, and lovely to see a familiar face, and to meet new ones......even if they couldn't see me!  The camera on our computer doesn't always like zoom so perhaps the time has come to trot off to the big office supply store and see what options are available.  We have had this camera for quite a long time; perhaps it hasn't kept up with the updates that the computer tells us need to be done from time to time.

I can't be beautiful and have a technical brain as well, you know......

The week started off with more storms; although we don't live in the tropics there are times when the weather touches on the tropical with hot days and afternoon storms.  The past couple of nights have even been cool enough to have on more than a sheet over us.  I suspect that Kevin would prefer to throw off the sheet on warm nights, but I like a layer of protection between my skin and Bianca's claws.  She might be geriatric, but her claws are still quite sharp.

It has been a very quiet week; had the country music festival not been cancelled the town would have been bustling with people and music and concerts.  We probably won't be here for the postponed April festival as our plan is to head south to spend time with family and to enjoy some autumn colours, provided the world is open by then.  We live in hope.....

The coming week brings a couple of celebrations, Australia Day on Wednesday and, to stir my Scottish blood, Burns Night the previous evening.  Many years ago in the Big Smoke I belonged to a Scottish country dancing group which was asked to dance at a Masonic Club Burns Night - and what an interesting evening that was!  When we arrived we joined the ladies downstairs while the men conducted their Secret Business upstairs, then they joined us.  After dancing we took our seats for the serious part of the evening; the haggis was piped in as was the whisky to be followed by Burns' 'Address to a Haggis', and for the first time in my life (and so far the only time) I tried haggis......it's a variation on meat loaf, served with 'neeps' and 'tatties', mashed turnips and potatoes, and was quite tasty.  The haggis was duly toasted with whisky - a Scottish variation on home brew made with whisky and oatmeal was served, and very potent it was - more toasts and replies, and we were asked to repeat our dance performance as our hosts had enjoyed it so much.  I do not recommend dancing reels after partaking of home brew, but somehow we managed to keep our equilibrium and our dignity intact.  As we all had to drive home afterward we certainly didn't chug it down!  You can read about Burns Night traditions here.

Many Australians have Scottish roots; my great-great-grandparents on my father's side came from Scotland, my great-grandfather Arthur was born in the 1840s after they arrived here, my Posh Melbourne Grandmother Florence was his daughter......so the roots are there, but they run deep.

"The number to invite.

Persons giving balls or dancing-parties should be careful not to invite more than their rooms will accommodate, so as to avoid a crush.  Invitations to crowded balls are not hospitalities, but inflictions.  A hostess is usually safe, however, in inviting one fourth more than her rooms will hold, as that proportion of invitations may be declined.  People who do not dance will not, as a rule, expect to be invited to a ball or dancing-party."

Scottish dances were popular at balls in the time these words were written; indeed, 'Professor Christison' (as he called himself) wrote a manual of Scottish dancing and etiquette after coming to Australia, morally dubious character though he seems to have been.

Enjoy your days!

Before today's storm hits.......

Of late it has been quite stormy, with more forecast for this afternoon and the next couple of days.  Every time there is a decent clap of thunder our internet goes off, thanks to the wonderful (not) system that the Ozzie government gave us some years ago.  Perhaps that's all they deem us worthy of.

Oh well.  Moving right along.

This week has been quite busy, so busy that I have barely set foot in the sewing room!  However two houses were made, taking the number of completed houses to 37......another 24 to go, as 61 are needed for the pattern.  No more are cut ready to be sewn, but that will be remedied in coming days.

A rainbow house, and a quiet house.  Not every house is a loud screamer, we need quiet neighbours too.

On the original quilt the outer setting triangles were made from lots and lots of red squares, but instructions are given in the book for cutting them from yardage.  I like the one-colour scrappy idea, so have decided to make mine from - of course! - green, so my houses will be surrounded by parkland.  The maths has been done; it will mean cutting lots and lots of 2-1/2 in green strips, then piecing and cross cutting and re-assembling, but it will be easy peasy sewing......and be worth the effort when done.  

Despite the busy week some stitches were made on the tumbler quilt, the centre panel of which is now two-thirds done.

Another end-of-year lunch on Wednesday, this time for my sewing group.  Two volunteer days, one at a gallery and one at a historical museum, an appointment or two......and the week sped by on wings.  The coming week looks to be a little calmer with a nice lunch to look forward to on Christmas Day, and another lunch with visiting friends next weekend.

Hard to believe that we are so close to the end of what has been a less-than-fabulous year, isn't it?  I don't think there will be many people who are sorry to bid farewell to 2020.

Kevin has been keeping himself amused of late by some family history research.  On his father's side there is a connection to a circus which toured Australia for over 100 years, Perry's Circus; his father's mother was Emily Perry, described as an "equestrienne" (she was a bare back rider), and his father's dad played in the circus band.  We took our boys to see the circus a couple of times when they were young, they were most impressed - imagine finding out, at about 6-8 years of age, that you were actually related to a lion trainer and being able to watch him in action!

Back in those days the house we lived in was not far from a park where the circus would set up, and the vet who treated our cat was nearby too.  One time when we mentioned our connection to the circus he told us that he had been contacted to ask about a 'home visit', to which he replied that he didn't do that, the animal would have to be brought to him.  "Ah - no, I think you had better come to us" was the reply.  One of the circus lions had an ingrown eyelash which needed treatment - he said he managed to get it sedated and treated, but also that it was a bit scary trying to sedate a lion while it glared at him balefully from the other side of the cage bars.

"Wines at dinner.

The menu of a dinner party is by some not regarded as complete, unless it includes one or more varieties of wine.  When used it is first served after soup, but any guest may, with propriety, decline being served.  This, however, must not be done ostentatiously.  Simply say to the waiter, or whoever pours it, "not any; thank you."  Wine, offered at a dinner party, should never be criticized, however poor it may be.  A person who has partaken of wine, may also decline to have the glass filled again."

Wise words to keep in mind during the party season, although I suspect that this year's party season will be tamer than in past years.
 

Enjoy your days!

Today was going to be the day

We have a fancy-nancy new computer, and the plan was to load new pics from my camera and update my blog......

but alas......

......it was not to be.  When Kevin (acting on instructions from our computer guru son) ordered said fancy-nancy from the computer building people, it seems that one seemingly unimportant feature was forgotten.  A photo card reader.  Fingers are not being pointed here.  Now there are pics on my camera and no way to get them to the computer until we buy a card reader, which won't be until tomorrow morning as it's way too hot to go out this afternoon.

Sigh......

So you will have to take my word for it that Stuff has happened in the sewing room, because I can't show you. 

The spotted fabric for the backing of MUSIC was bought yesterday, tiny rainbow coloured spots on white.  Just the very thing.  Two blocks from the Canadian mystery quilt from 2017 have been prepared ready to have the applique stitched down.  Lots more tumblers have been joined.  Believe it.

Regardless of whether the latest pics can be used, we can still have pictures.  These were taken at a lovely old house an hour north of here; because they are a higher altitude than we are they have a very different climate, so they can grow plants that gardeners here can only dream of having.  I think these may be California poppies.

 I don't know what this is - white flowers on a bush, will do.

 This was the first house on the property.  Once the family had grown and had become more prosperous they moved to a larger house.

At first it was a also single story house, but with more money and a bigger family a top floor was added - the architectural details, while balanced, don't match on top and bottom, but on the whole the various styles live happily together.  The house is called "Saumarez" and it has about 30 rooms, many of which still have furniture and articles belonging to the White family. 

There are several lovely vintage sewing machines.  I would happily give each and every one of them a home.

It has been, and is, very hot.  It has also rained, for which we are most thankful - the hill behind us is now green!  Such a change from dry, dead and brown. 

We survived the country music festival, the ukulele group had fun, and we had visitors to town join us - we even had people just coming along to listen.

"A lady need not lay aside her bonnet during a formal call, even though urged to do so.  If the call be a friendly and unceremonious one, she may do so if she thinks proper, but not without an invitation."

The day we visited "Saumarez" was warm and sunny, so I wore a hat which was taken off inside.  Outside in the blazing Australian sun is another story.....we need our hats.

Enjoy your days!

Not one, but two busy weeks!

However, life in the Chateau des Wombats has now returned to what passes for normal.

It has rained!  Wet stuff has fallen from the sky!!  Last night and this morning some very welcome rain fell.......nowhere enough to break what is turning out to be the worst drought for a century or more, but each and every drop and dribble is welcome.  Hearing magpies and kookaburras singing in the rain earlier today was a beautiful thing, and kangaroos have been on the hill munching away at damp dry grass.

Our moment of musical fame and glory went well last Sunday, and we have been invited back as often as we wish.  I'm all for playing every month, but every second month seems to be the choice of the rest of the group at this stage.

My back is now happy again, so my quilt is being bound!

It is bright.  Gorgeously bright.  I love it.  At this stage I don't know if there will be a recipient......it may just join other quilts in the cupboard, to be brought out and gloated over occasionally.

The meeting with our prospective house sitter went well, and we have no qualms about leaving the house and Bianca in her very capable hands when we go away.

You all know the old saying "A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing"?  Kevin was trying to download something onto our big computer which would never have worked, I have told him in the past that it wouldn't work, but being a bloke he couldn't help himself, he just had to try......goodness knows what he downloaded, possibly something quite nasty, so the computer made a trip to the repair shop for some much needed R and R early in the week.  It now runs quieter and much quicker than it did this time last week, and we are a little poorer.

Sigh......

I have been mentally going through my sumptuous wardrobe and deciding what, if anything, I need to buy for Canada.  Some more jeans, most of mine are getting elderly.....perhaps a nice new pair of trakkie daks, sweat pants for the non-Aussies.  "Daks" are long pants, "trakkies" are what used to be called track suits but are now leisure suits, sweat suits. yoga pants etc.  Doesn't trakkie daks sound nicer than sweat pants?  (anything sounds nicer than sweat pants, I reckon)  Perhaps I should say "a jean" instead of "jeans", I know it's only one garment but it is bifurcated; I crack up laughing at "a pant", "the jean", "the short" etc.

Some of us are easily amused, aren't we?

"Evening dress for ladies.
Evening dress for ladies may be as rich, elegant and gay as one chooses to make it.  It is everywhere the custom to wear full evening dress in brilliant evening assemblages.  It may be cut either high or low at the neck, yet no lady should wear her dress so low as to make it quite noticeable or a special subject of remark.  Evening dress is what is commonly known as "full dress," and will serve for a large evening party, ball or dinner.  No directions will be laid down with reference to it, as fashion devises how it is to be made and what material used."

Not one word about comfortable trakkie daks, you notice.

Enjoy your days!

Visitors

We have had visitors popping round lately, but not human ones......

 Ever since we moved here we have been entertained by kangaroos and wallabies on the hill behind us.  Sometimes they come fairly close to our fence, as they did earlier this week.

It was late afternoon, as you can see by the shadows.  Rain is badly needed, so the roos are coming close to fences in search of grass.

Occasionally we have seen two males roos fighting, and I wouldn't like to be nearby when they do as it looks quite vicious.  They balance on their tails while raking at their opposite number's chest with those powerful back legs and claws, while their heads are held back out of the way.

It's been an interesting time lately here at Chateau des Wombats.  Recently our main computer displayed a message that our virus protection wasn't working and suggested what to do about it......Kevin duly followed the suggested steps......computer told us that any added apps would be removed......right-oh, he said and pressed the 'run' button.......

......and all my bookmarks have gone, EQ7 disappeared into the ether, as did many other programs.  All are being slowly re-instated, the wonderful technical support folk at EQ helped with re-installation, and I am slowly becoming a happy woman once more.

Sigh.

The green purse only needs handles and an internal base to be finished, then a new guilt-free project can be started.

According to some people - not me, I hasten to add - today is the first day of spring.  Many years ago a bright spark somewhere decided that the first day of the months of September, December, March and June would arbitrarily bring a change of season, but you and I know that a new season doesn't suddenly happen overnight; it's a gradual process over several weeks.  It would make more sense had the first day of the following month been chosen instead, i.e. October, January, April and July, because that's when there is a noticeable difference in weather.  So every three months I yell at the TV when the announcer says "Today is the first day of a new season"......"No, it isn't" I say loudly.......

So spring is coming and that means the weather will get warmer, and before we know it summer will be upon us with its heat and I don't do summer very well, so will be hanging out for autumn to arrive......it's no wonder my life is flashing by before my eyes, is it?

My Winding Ways quilt is hanging in an exhibition at an art space in our local council building, the exhibition is of work by volunteers at a local gallery so there will be textiles, and paintings, and all manner of interesting works.  I shall endeavour to view it, for the thrill of hanging in public, before it closes; it only opened today, so there will be opportunities next week.  Fame at last.......

"Public mention of private matters.
Do not parade merely private matters before a public or mixed assembly or to acquaintances.  If strangers really wish to become informed about you or your affairs, they will find the means to gratify their curiosity without your advising them gratuitously.  Besides, personal and family affairs, no matter how interesting they may be to the parties immediately concerned, are generally of little moment to outsiders.  Still less will the well-bred person inquire into or narrate the private affairs of any other family or individual."

When I was growing up family affairs were never spoken of outside one's family, they were regarded as being no one else's business, and while this seems to have changed (reality TV, anyone?) I do my best to ignore other folks blathering on about their own and their family's private life.  I mind my own business, and expect others to do the same.

Enjoy your days!

The answer, my friends.......

.........is probably blowing in the wind today, because it is very windy and the wind is not warm at all.  Not sure of the question, though......

Meet some of the new members of our garden family:  first, "Big Red".

 Still only a teenager, and already nearly up to my chest!  (not difficult considering I'm only 5ft 2in tall anyway)

"Kay Williams" - pretty apricot flowers, she will be gorgeous when bigger, and already birds have discovered it.

 One day there were four or five honey eaters hanging off these two flowers getting as much nectar as they could, many Aussie birds are nectar eaters.

 Need to be careful working nearby though - leaves on some grevilleas, this one included, can cause contact dermatitis if touched with bare skin.

The view from our front verandah, with a native frangipani tree shading the mail box and our red callistemon "King's Park Special" peeking round the corner of the garage.

 We may have made a mistake planting this one so close to the house as it still has a lot of growing to do but we can always prune it if it starts getting ideas above its station......right now, though, it is spectacular.

Native plants are a better choice in this dry climate than exotics.  Yesterday we were very excited to have some rain, the official weather station at the airport measured 19 mls of welcome rain, but considering that a local agronomist said on the news last night that at least 150mls are needed to break the current drought we aren't too excited.  At present we are only allowed to use a hose to water our gardens for two hours a day, between 6pm and 8pm, but if the drought continues hoses will be banned completely and we will have to care for our gardens using buckets and watering cans.......so our fingers are crossed for some rain, although forecasts for the coming summer aren't too optimistic at this stage.

One of the tops cut out recently is nearly finished, only needs hemming, and could have been finished yesterday except for the storm which hit us in the late afternoon.  I always turn off My Lovely New Bernina during storms as it's computerised and I have heard horror tales of computer machines frying in electrical storms, a fate I don't want for mine.  It would be covered by our house insurance and I might get a new machine.......but I don't want a new machine, I love that one.  Today is not looking good for sewing because of forecast storms either, but never mind, that top will be done soon.

Our computer is always turned off and unplugged during electrical storms too, we learnt that the hard way five years ago when our modem was fried by a lightning strike, so now we err on the side of caution.

Still undecided on the sashing and cornerstone colours for Cricket/ette's quilt.........it will be left until we return from our holiday and the Big Decision will be made then.

Are TV weather persons as inane in other countries as some of ours, I wonder?  Every evening our weather chicky or bloke is on the screen to finish off the local news, and nearly evening said weather person says with a big smile "hello, good to see you again".  No, you can't see us.  Don't pretend you can.  We can see you, but you can't see us.

Oh dear......I have become one of those Grumpy Old People who talk back to the television.......no, you can't see us at all, don't be silly.......is it any wonder that, given my way, the TV would seldom be turned on in this house?  However as I'm not the only person who lives here, it's not always my choice.

"Flippancy.
In conversation, all provincialism, affectations of foreign accents, mannerisms, exaggerations and slang are detestable.  Equally to be avoided are inaccuracies of expression, hesitation, an undue use of foreign words, and anything approaching to flippancy, coarseness, triviality or provocation.  Gentlemen sometimes address ladies in a very flippant manner, which the latter are obliged to pass over without notice, for various reasons, while inwardly they rebel.  Many a worthy man has done himself an irreparable injury by thus creating a lasting prejudice in the minds of those whom he might have made his friends, had he addressed them as though he considered them as rational beings, capable of sustaining their part in a conversation upon sensible subjects.  Flippancy is as much an evidence of ill-breeding as is the perpetual smile, the wandering eye, the vacant stare, and the half-opened mouth of the man who is preparing to break in upon the conversation."

Does this mean that TV weather persons who say "good to see you", although they can't see us, are being flippant?  I rather suspect it does.

Enjoy your days!

Thank goodness that's done

The dreaded squish is finished and done with, and I decided I am not doing it again, I have taken my name off the list; I would only be eligible for one more free test anyway because of my age.  It wasn't great, was somewhat painful, and of course embarrassing and humiliating as always.  But what I really find confronting is the fact that the change room has disappeared.  When I first started having them back in the 90s one was shown into a waiting room, then ushered into a change room by one's self where one undressed from the waist up, replaced one's top, then went back into the waiting room until called.  Said waiting room also had magazines, a TV, and tea and coffee.  Gradually the amenities disappeared, and on my last Sydney mammogram four years ago the change room had also disappeared; one had to undress and dress in front of the technician.  Somewhat undignified I thought, but had to go along with it.  Two years ago for my first local test here there was still a change room.....but alas, last week it was back to undressing and dressing in the room with the machine and the technician.  Talk about stripping the last shred of dignity from a woman who already hates her aging body........

Never again.  I sent a comment on the breast screen website to the effect that I found the lack of a change room only added to the unpleasantness of the experience but, apart from the automated "we have received your comment" haven't yet heard from them and indeed will be surprised if I do.  As a friend said the other day, our generation is fairly modest.  Despite reports to the contrary we weren't all raging exhibitionists in our younger days, even though it was the 60s.

My cyclamen is flowering!  When we lived in Sydney I could never get them to grow, but last year I succumbed to a pretty cerise one thinking it would be showy for a short while then it would die.  It flowered, then died down as they do but didn't die completely, and recently I noticed it is flowering again. 

Isn't it pretty?  When this pic was taken it was sitting in its small pot inside the larger pot, but it has been repotted and now it lives in the striped pot.  It lives in our beer garden not far from the cerise zygocactus, and they are very cheery flowers during winter.

Yesterday I splurged and bought myself a new electronic gadget with which I can listen to music, and read books, and surf the web, and all other manner of wondrous pastimes.  It is a Samsung Galaxy and will be a very useful addition to our electronic gadgets.  Not that there are many, you know.......we still don't have smartphones, we are a couple of old dags.  Our phones are quite low tech.  

Not much to report from the sewing room, the engagement project is proceeding slowly (life has been very busy lately, what with shopping for the new electronic gadget and also for a new oven which should arrive in a few weeks) but is coming along nicely.  Uke practice is powering along and I can play the chords to "Hotel California" quite well.....all together now, 1 2 3 4, B minor strum strum strum, F sharp strum strum strum, A strum strum strum, E minor strum strum strum etc.......on a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair.......in ten days' time we will play it in public.

Last Friday a group of us from the Monday night choir sang for a local women's group and I was also asked to play uke and sing a couple of songs on my own, which were very well received.  It went well if I do say so meself, she says modestly.  We have been asked to sing for them again next month so perhaps I should learn some new songs; probably shouldn't inflict "Hotel California" on them.

Although this winter has been fairly mild the nights and mornings are cool, and while we have several frosty mornings the temperatures haven't dipped unbearably low.  Despite the sunny days it's quite cool in the shade, so the winter clothing choice of some locals makes me wonder......sweet young things wearing shorts and summery tops, with high woollen boots and thick scarves wrapped round their necks......little bare thighs blue from the cool breeze wending its way round corners.  

"Coughing, sneezing, etc.

Coughing, sneezing, clearing the throat, etc., if done at all, must be done as quietly as possible   Snuffing, hawking and expectorating must never be done in society. A sneeze can be checked by pressing the thumb or finger firmly across the bridge of the nose.  If not checked, the face should be buried in the handkerchief, during the act of sneezing, for obvious reasons."

As children, we were told "coughs and sneezes spread diseases".

Enjoy your days!

The table runner is done!

Here it is in all its glory.....this is Christmas fabric from about 12 years ago, when The Fabric Designers decided that Christmas would be soft and muted rather than primary and bright. The cream setting fabric and pink binding are new.
Here is a close up of the quilting, the centre is quilted with a continuous curve design....very easy with the walking foot and just eyeballed, not marked on the fabric. But I want you all to take a close look at and be gobsmacked by the amazingly outstanding quilted- not embroidered, but quilted - holly leaves. This is done by someone who avoids free motion quilting because she doesn't do it very well. The cream setting triangles looked a bit stark when the runner was together and the centre quilted, so I found a suitable sized holly leaf picture on the interwebz, traced it onto lunch wrap, pinned it on and quilted through it - then decided the cream borders on the ends looked bare, so they were given similar treatment. Then I stood back, looked at what I had done, and gasped in amazement.
Here it is again all dressed up for Christmas, with the little silver tree matching the silver metallic on the pink and green prints. That's my sewing room through the door on the left, wherein this masterpiece was created.

Those of you out there in blogland who can quilt a king-sized quilt on their DSM in an afternoon and still whip up a dinner party for 20 people that evening wouldn't understand why I am so excited, but for me it's an amazing achievement. Might even spur me into trying again. Table runners are a good size to try a new technique, aren't they?

Last weekend the rivers and creeks rose again, we had a flood which was deeper than the one in late July. According to the long-range forecast we are in for a wet summer so we may yet have more floods. My Canadian and American friends and family are freezing in their winter, while we are having a soggy summer.

This morning the new reading glasses were ready and I am wearing them as we speak.......OK, type.........while not yet quite as comfy as the last pair, I'm sure they won't take long to get used to. They do not have skinny rectangular lenses. I am not that trendy.

And the computer seems to be working, the problem of the missing doo-dad was solved by plugging things into different holes. And other technical stuff like that. So I have my EQ7 back again, woo hoo! And the wombats can come back, yay!

We are being entertained or assailed, depending on one's point of view, by Christmas music in shops now, have you noticed? Aren't some of the versions dreadful? I do wish some of the singers would remember that it's not a pop song they are singing.

"The Christening.

The christening and baptism usually occur at the same time, and are regulated according to the practices of the special church where the parents attend worship. As these are quite varied, it will be sufficient only to indicate the forms and customs which society imposes at such times."

So far this month I have attended several Christmas parties, but no christenings.

Enjoy your days!

Water, water everywhere.........

Earlier this year much of New South Wales was in drought, now it's flooded.......that peaceful river in the picture above is the mighty Murrumbidgee River at Wagga Wagga, now it looks like an inland sea. My blog header is a picture of the Macdonald River about 30 minutes from here, it flooded last week and certainly didn't look like that placid stream in the picture. Dorothea Mackellar's poem "My Country" says it well:

"I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains".

Dorothea's family owned a large amount of land just an hour or so west of here, amid sweeping plains.

And today is the anniversary of the day that John Lennon died, I can still remember the shock that echoed round the world....we were all in disbelief, John was such a peace-loving person which made it so sad that he died the way he did.

On a slightly happier note, my signature has made its appearance again and seems to be staying. However Kiera-Oona has made me a selection in different colours so I can have a choice! I just need to get around to loading it on the computer. Speaking of which, we have our new computer back but there is a little doo-dad that joins the keyboard to the computer because the connections are different and it seems to be absent....probably still at the computer shop.......so I am still on the old computer, but hopefully only until tomorrow. Then my new signatures can be loaded.

Today was very fraught. I had my eye check-up, it's been nigh on two and a half years since the last one and I am getting new reading glasses.......erk, I hate having to choose glasses and try on different styles and look into the mirror and no matter which style I choose I still look awful.......was there for ages trying to decide......many of the styles available these days are narrow rectangular frames which I don't like and which look silly on me. The sales assistant helping me didn't think so. But I do. Absolutely ridiculous on my round square fat face. So then I came home and had some chocolate, which made me feel better. Thank goodness that's over for a few more years. Getting new reading glasses and buying new bras are at the top of my "really hate having to do" list.

Decided last week that we need a new table runner to deck the table for Christmas, so went looking in the Christmas stash for some fabric that a friend gave me many years ago.....must be at least ten years.......have made the top and will layer it tomorrow. The fabrics are different Christmas colours, instead of bright red and bright green these are dusty pink and soft blue-grey green with Christmas roses, poinsettias and mistletoe - they go very nicely with this house. Pics will follow soon, when the new computer is on line again.

The new dishwasher is wonderful.

Last Sunday night one of the choirs had its annual carols concert, the usual carols that everyone knows plus some very very old songs that I had never sung before. It went very well and the choir received many compliments, one person even said she has never heard it sound so good before. Must be because I am now a member.......

"Remain until the performance closes.

At a theatrical or operatic performance, you should remain seated until the performance is concluded and the curtain falls. It is exceedingly rude and ill-bred to rise and leave the hall while the play is drawing to a close, yet this severely exasperating practice has of late been followed by many well-meaning people, who, if they were aware of the extent to which they outraged the feelings of many of the audience, and unwittingly offered an insult to the actors on the stage, would shrink from repeating such flagrantly rude conduct."

No one left our concert early. This is probably because they knew there was an excellent choice of yummy treats awaiting them, and also because it was raining and they would have been very wet.

Enjoy your days!

WOW Coming and Going

One of the many kits I have bought over the years.......I have often wondered what to use these for, but now that The Age Of Table Runners has arrived perhaps they could feature on some table linen. In my not-inconsiderable stash there are some Aussie fabrics which could be used to set off these two to perfection.

Sydney (not the rest of New South Wales or Australia which couldn't care less, just Sydney) is going nostalgic over the Olympic Games which were held there ten years ago. Like all Olympic Games they had their daggy official mascots based on Aussie animals and birds the names of which have completely left my mind, which tells you how memorable they must have been. The wombat was not one of them.....not until Fatso The Fat-Arsed Wombat was chosen by a TV program as an unofficial mascot. Fatso became more beloved than all the others put together and to find one now would be as rare as finding hen's teeth; I don't have Fatso in my collection but would love to. We went to New Zealand for the duration and the games completely passed us by; we even met some people we knew while we were there, as New Zealand was full of Aussies like us who were also sport refugees. And everyone we met there knew about Fatso.

But I am finding the nostalgia vaguely sickly....the way the media is going on about it nothing good has happened in Sydney since then, its glory days are behind it, it was such a wonderful time, nothing will ever be as good again etc.....come on people get over it, life has moved on and we are all ten years older.
Now that spring seems to be sprung there are many surprises popping up in our garden including these daisies which grow in dappled shade, so they are a darker colour than the ones in bright sun -which are paler purple and even white. I don't know what they are but they open up on sunny days, close up on dull days and grow like weeds. Perhaps they are weeds......they are quite pretty......the back garden has a small tree which lost its leaves just after we moved here in autumn, now it is covered in tiny buds two of which are about to flower, and it looks as though they will be pink. I have no idea what it is. And we have bluebells, and white May bushes in flower. May bush flowers in spring - September - in Australia, not in May as it does in the Northern Hemisphere, but of course it is still called May bush just confuse everyone.

The sad and sorry saga of EQ7 and our computer continues. We thought it was fixed last week, but no.....it lulled us into a false sense of security. Last October, two days before we flew out for our Canadian holiday, we had a severe electrical storm which hit j-u-s-t as I switched off the computer. The storm fried the modem as well as doing some damage to the computer but we knew not what. After we came home we bought a new modem and had some work done to the computer but it seems that the damage done then is causing problems now, to the extent that we are thinking that a new computer may be in our near future. At least we have a new keyboard and mouse. I am getting very good at sighing.......

At least I worked on my challenge quilt while the computer was back in hospital for several days. The blocks for the centre are all laid out and some are joined. It will have a narrow inner border of dark blue but I am a little undecided about the outer border, so I will sew as far as the blue border then listen to what the quilt has to say about what it wants.

And joy of joys, I have found someone to play music with - a local bloke who likes lots of the music I like - I am so happy.

"Your children will form habits of evil-speaking if they hear you deal lightly with the reputation of another - if they hear you slander or revile your neighbour. If you wish your children to show charity toward the erring, you must set the example by the habitual exercise of that virtue yourself. Without this your teaching will be of but little avail. If you take pleasure in dwelling upon the faults of others, if you refuse to cover over their infirmities with the mantle of charity, your example will nullify your teaching, and your admonitions will be lost."

Now I have just finished a cup of most excellent coffee so back to the sewing machine. Have a lovely week!

Jennifer