Leapfrogging

Which is when one thing is jumped over by another thing, thereby making a change to the order of......things.

The decision was made to postpone the rotary cutting for a little longer, as my fingers are still sore and stiff and complain if asked to do much.  The pieced borders will be made next, then they will be ready to be added after the peeper border is cut and sewn on to the top.  The HSTs finish at four inches when joined so the quilt will grow by twelve inches all around when these borders are on.

Some of one side......

.....and some of the other.

You can see the variety of colours, prints and backgrounds, can't you?  Even on a dull day with the overhead light turned on, rather than natural light.

Today is grey, and cloudy, and quite cold.  Historically the third week of July is the coldest week of the year in Australia, or so I read a day or two ago, and I see no reason to doubt it.  It is freakin' cold.  The "feels like" temperature is nowhere near double figures, and the fire is keeping us warm....I can't begin to imagine how cold the house would be without it.  Towns at a higher altitude, an hour or less away from here, are expecting snow during the coming week; last time snow was recorded as falling here in the valley was in 1984, and we weren't living here then.

My hand is gradually getting used to being able to do more.  I can now use a spoon or folk in my right hand to bring food to my mouth, something not possible until a day or so ago; the twisting in the wrist required to do so was beyond me.  I can also trim and file the nails on both hands, although the slight 'buzz' when filing my right hand nails feels strange!  Last night I diced some fetta for a spinach pie and, although the fetta was fairly soft, my wrist complained.....but Kevin's idea of chopping food and mine don't quite agree and it needed to be finely chopped, not left in large chunks.  So I did it.

It was worth it, though.  The result was quite yummy.

Some hand sewing has happened.  Words have been read, and songs sung, but no notes plinked; I will get the ukulele out again during the coming week as my wrist is feeling stronger.  We hunted and gathered, the usual social highlight of the week as we often greet acquaintances while trundling around the shops, and that was about it.  The coming week might be a bit more exciting as there's a visit to the physio (be still, my beating heart) and a sewing group meeting on Wednesday.  Whacko.....or as my maternal grandfather used to say many many years ago, whacko the diddle-o.

Our speech patterns are continually changing and evolving, and some of the older words and expressions are dropping by the wayside as a result.....including 'whacko', although it's still used in a sarcastic way.  I suppose it's inevitable as more influences come into our lives....first it was radio followed by movies and television, then the internet has since opened up the world......but many folk, myself included, think it's a shame to lose the old words.  No doubt though, when someone uses an expression that you remember from years ago - it's instant bonding, and you have a new best friend!

Our musician friend who has stayed here a few times during the country music festival is from our generation being just a few years younger than I am, and grew up in another state, and we have a lot in common - and one of them is speech and words.  One of his favourites is 'cobber' meaning mate or friend, usually used by and to males.  I remember my Posh Melbourne Grandmother saying of someone she knew "he's a bonzer chap".  'Bonzer' means 'excellent' or 'very good' while 'chap' is 'man'; these days we would probably say "he's a good bloke", however - I cannot imagine my PMG using the word 'bloke'.  Oh, no.  Dear me, no.

"Conduct at charity fairs.

In visiting a fancy fair make no comments on either the article or the price, unless you can praise.  If you want them, pay the price demanded, or let them alone.  If you can conscientiously praise an article, by all means do so, as you may be giving pleasure to the makes if she chances to be within hearing.  If you have a table at a fair, use no unladylike means to obtain buyers.  Not even the demands of charity can justify you in importuning others to purchase articles against their own judgement or beyond their means."

We have street markets a few times a month here, and over the years have noticed a change in goods being made and sold.  These days there is a lot of baby Stuff, and dog Stuff, and as we are not needing any of these things we have gotten out of the habit of attending.  Perhaps when the weather is milder, we may do so again.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A little work has taken place in the sewing room

The other day some tracing preparation for the Canadian mystery quilt from a couple of years ago was done.  No stitches yet, but that's getting closer......I can feel it......just trying to work up oomph for that foundation pieced cat face and embroidered features.......I only make these blocks for charity quilts because I am a nice person, you know, even though there is sometimes a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

Sigh.

Some good news on the pedal extremity front: my foot seems to be improving slowly although it still doesn't like too-long walks.  Our downtown area isn't huge but yesterday's walk from a favourite café to a jeweller then back to the car via the pharmacy was deemed a bit too much by The Foot, so I let it rest for the afternoon and evening.  Best of all, though, is the hip which has been plaguing me for so long has finally stopped hurting!  Yesss!!

It's so wonderful not to have that continuous throbbing ache.  I have become a much happier woman as a result.

Goodness, I don't want to become like my mother with an obsession about my body.  You never said "how are you" to her, because she would tell you in full detail.....she never quite grasped the concept that a greeting is not necessarily a question.  Aussies have ambiguous greetings, there's "how are you" and "how are you going" which mean the same thing - "Hello".  It doesn't mean I want full disclosure about your innards, and it doesn't mean I am inquiring about your chosen mode of transport.

Just realised that we have no photo!  Let's see what can be found.

Early fall in Toronto.  There was a bench in front of these flowers, a welcome place to sit on a hot day.

 This was a gorgeous tree - the photo doesn't do it justice.  We spent a few days in Midland, and each time we used the parking lot behind the shops I drooled over this tree across the road.

 Love the golds......have no idea what the trees are.

 Not what you are thinking!  Cones - pine cones? cedar cones? - which have fallen from trees.  Vancouver Island is the land of Tall Straight Trees.

If not for the cold winters I could live in Canada......and the hot humid summers.....spring is probably nice, and autumn is glorious.  Let's not forget butter tarts.....

Nowhere in the world seems to have an ideal climate, does it?

"Less formal invitations.
Invitations of a less formal character are sent for charades, private theatricals, and for archery, croquet, sailing and garden parties; but, however informal the invitation (except only when a visiting card is used), on no account neglect to give immediate attention to it, by sending a reply, for any want of courtesy in this respect is unpardonable."

How long has it been since you were invited to archery or croquet?  Or to a garden party?  My social life is sadly lacking, it seems.

Enjoy your days!

Shopping WOW

Dear me, this came out a little dark didn't it! This little wombat is decorating my shopping buggy and is the same design we used to decorate our luggage before an overseas trip. Last year when my broken arm was healing I bought a trolley to use - it's still very handy for library visits, because I don't just borrow one or two books. When we first moved here my trolley was still in Sydney so I bought this one, just a cheapy but it is very useful. So now I have two, but only one is decorated with a wombat.....shall have to fix that.We have roses! This evening I picked these beauties and there are still more on the bush. They are large, very dark and velvety, really beautiful, but unfortunately have very little fragrance. The leaves are quite large too. You can see our little back yard through the window with the reserve beyond that. And our oh-so-beautiful wash line.
I left this one on the bush to finish opening up. I love flowers, all flowers, but have to admit to having a particular soft spot for yellow roses.....never thought I would have one of my own.
This is a miniature rose in a small garden by the mail box, the first flower that greets visitors. When the buds first open up they are gold, then they turn orange, then coral pink. The bush has a lot of buds so when it is covered in different colours it will be such a pretty sight.

Because we didn't plant any of these roses we don't know what they are called. There are still some that haven't flowered, a few standard and another miniature, so we are looking forward to seeing what colours we get. I have never grown roses before, but we pruned them in winter as one is supposed to do, and it seems to have worked. The climate here is much drier and less humid than the coast, and I believe roses prefer that. They certainly seem to do well here.

Tammy, Sandy, and Fiona all have stylish new signatures! Don't know about you all, but I thought making my new signature was fun.

My challenge quilt is pinned ready to be quilted, I was going to start today but my back had other ideas. Never mind, there is always another day.

Yesterday we heard the news that Dame Joan Sutherland had died at the weekend. She was a wonderful singer who did so much for young singers, and for opera in general, in Australia. She will be very much missed. However I was saddened to find the notice of her death tucked away on a corner of a major online Aussie news site - because sport was the major story. 'Someone' at the Commonwealth Games had run faster than 'someone else' and that was considered to be the top news story of the day. Whoopee.

Another thing that makes my palm itch (because I want to smack them severely about the head) is the media commentator at the Commonwealth Games - I am not watching much of it, but Kevin is enjoying it - who talks about the opening and closing "ceremoanies". Australians don't have "ceremoanies". We have "ceremonies". While I'n not one of those people who gets hot and bothered about the so-called Americanisation of Aussie English, that particular one annoys me. Language is fluid, it is continually changing and evolving, words are wonderful things and can be very powerful - and part of what makes it interesting are the differences between nations, their cultures and and their language. Let's keep the difference. Homogenisation is for milk, not words.

"Politeness.

Politeness is kindness of manner. This is the outgrowth of kindness of heart, of nobleness, and of courage. But in some persons we find an abundance of courage, nobleness and kindness of heart, without kindness of manner, and we can only think and speak of them as not only impolite, but even rude and gruff."

Enjoy your days!