Pussyfooting around the neighbourhood

The neighbourhood has had its edges tidied up, and both side borders have been attached.

There are many greens in the gardens surrounding the houses.  There are even stars, frogs and butterflies.

Trimming just out from the sashing points, so they won't be cut off, turned out to be a good idea.  The top and bottom will now be measured, so their borders can be cut and attached.

I had nearly forgotten how much fun this quilt is!  It was coming along really well until that fall back in April 2024 while we were travelling, resulting in a fractured arm and subsequent hand problems, but it's back on track now.  So, fortunately, is my hand and arm.

The title of last week's post, 'A little trimmer' has a double meaning - but no one seems to have picked up on it.  I am old enough to remember singing a song 'Where the dog sits on the tuckerbox' which includes the lines 'I think she's bonza and she reckons I'm good-oh, she's such a trimmer that I've entered her for the local show'.  Jack O'Hagan was the composer of this little gem (and of many other similar gems too) which dates from the late 1930s, one of several of his songs which mention the town of Gundagai.  As well as referring to losing weight, or mowing the grass, 'trimmer' can mean something excellent.  'Bonza' (or 'bonzer') means the same; I can remember my Posh Melbourne Grandmother describing a man of her acquaintance with the words "he's a bonza chap, you know".  It must have been considered suitable to use, as I'm sure there was no way on earth she would have used what she would have considered slang.  Here's a helpful guide to Aussiespeak to entertain you.

By the way - unlike that song I don't date from the late 1930s, but old and even older songs were still being played on the radio when I was young.  Someone once said to me that I must know every song ever written, because I know lots of old songs.....well, no, but I wish I did!

How has everyone been this week?  Kevin had his visit with the geriatrician - now, that's a word I never thought I would have to spell - who seems a nice enough young bloke; Kevin was, I think, more impressed with him than I was, but I will reserve my judgement for the time being.  The $$$$ weren't as bad as we had been expecting, and Medicare did pay some of it.  

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Songs have been sung and plinked.  Hunting and gathering took place so we can eat for several more days, which is probably a good thing.  The balls are mostly staying in the air, although occasionally one slips a bit.

There is an organisation to help carers but I am holding off on contacting them.  Their website has several case histories in which folk are quoted as saying "it's a privilege to care for my loved one who has dementia".....well, I don't feel like that.  I resent it, it's not how we wanted our lives to go.  They seem to have gatherings for carers and their charges - I can imagine how cheerful they would be.  No.  I would rather have our own gathering of just the two of us, even if at times we can't understand what the other one is saying.

Back to the happier note of weddings.

"Duties of those invited.

People who receive "At Home" wedding breakfast invitations, are expected to acknowledge them as soon as received, and never fail to accept, unless for some very good reasons.  Guests invited to the house, or to a marriage feast following the ceremony, should not feel at liberty to decline from any whim or caprice."

I understand, from what I read, that the custom is creeping in of not replying to invitations....holding off in case a better offer comes, perhaps? - making the organising people chase after them for an answer.  No matter what the reason is, it is a rude practice.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A little trimmer

The house quilt is now laid out on the work table, ready to have its edges trimmed before borders can be added.

After thinking upon it I have decided to trim the edges 1/2 in from the yellow sashing; when the first white and black border is sewn on those yellow points won't be cut off, because there will still be 1/4 in between the points and the border.  So, that's the next step.....there will be a lot of trimming, it's a fairly large quilt so it's a long way around.

Blogger still seems to be playing up, posts are not appearing in my feed so if you have posted and I haven't commented, I'm not ignoring you.

How has everyone been this week?  Words have been read, stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  Food has been gathered and foraged.  Balls are being juggled, and so far are - mostly - staying in the air, although it's not always easy.

During the week I was summoned for a bone density test.  I'm pleased to say that there have been no changes to my bones since the last test two years ago so there is no need for follow-up appointments and such like, which is a relief.  There is more than enough to do with Kevin's medical Stuff.

A couple of weeks ago was Father's Day, and hopefully those of you with a daddy - your own, or someone else's - in your life were able to touch base with him.  Here's a daddy story for you:

Many many years ago, when our sons were probably mid-teens or so, we were sitting in a cafe at a shopping centre not far from our home in the Big Smoke.  Nearby a little boy - perhaps three-ish, I would say - was having a total meltdown, as only a small child can do; he was so upset that he was almost incoherent, and was sobbing through a face full of tears and snot "daddy, daddy".  Because of the aforementioned wet face it sounded like "gaggy, gaggy"..... and our boys though that was the funniest thing they had ever heard (mid-teen boys have a slightly warped sense of humour) so, for years from then on, they called Kevin "gaggy".  Or just "gag".

There is no weekly wattle pic today, because it's past peak flowering and is looking a bit scrappy.....but we enjoyed its golden gloriousness while it was blooming.  Spring flowers are popping up everywhere we go, blossom trees are blossoming all over town, and trees which were bare a week ago are now showing off their new leafy green growth.  In a couple of weeks it will be time to change the clocks once more for daylight saving, for what I suspect will be quite a warm summer - if today's temps are any indication.

Our re-marrying widow is now up to sending out her invitations.

"On her wedding cards of invitation, her maiden name is used as a part of her proper name; which is done in respect to her parents.  Having dropped the initials of her dead husband's name when she laid aside her mourning, she uses her Christian name.  If she has sons or unmarried daughters at the time she again becomes a wife, she may prefix the last name of her children to her new one on all ceremonious occasions in which they are interested in common with herself.  This respect is really due them, and etiquette permits it, although our social usages do not command its adoption.  The formalities which follow the marriage of a widow can seldom be regulated in the same manner as those of a younger bride.  No fixed forms can be arranged for entertainments, which must be controlled by circumstances."

These days I have noticed, we don't have Christian names.  We have first names.  Signs of changing times, I suppose.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Moving onward and upward

Now that Arboretum is finished, and the show has been put to bed for another year, it's time to move on to the next project.  The neighbourhood needs to have its edges trimmed and borders added, then it can go off to be quilted as it's much to big to tackle on a domestic machine.

The top is finished - it's just not photographed!  The label will be a house, a plain house (unlike the houses on the front) with the details embroidered in multi-coloured floss

The weekly wattle....it's nearly done for the year.  

The last of the snowdrops and the first of the bluebells, neither of which were planted by us, but just the same they pop up in early spring for us to enjoy.

The port wine magnolia is flowering; not as prolifically as in this pic taken a few years ago, but given that it doesn't flower every year any flowers are welcome.

It smells wonderfully fruity.  Its botanical name, so the interwebz tells me, is 'Michelia figo', and it originates from China.  It too came with the house and is quite large; I leave it alone, it's never pruned, and it receives the rain that Mother Nature sees fit to send.  As a result, it doesn't flower in dry years.

How has everyone been this week?  We have drifted along as usual; words have been read, stitches have been sewn and, because we each had appointments some knitting was also done.  All was going well until I came to a cable row - the pattern is worked over eight rows, with the cable worked in the 3rd and 7th rows - and realised that the previous cable row had been worked wrongly.  Well, bother, I said to myself (I said more than that, but I won't sully your delicate ears) but after un-knitting several rows, and correcting the mistake, all is now going well again.  Songs have been sung and plinked.  Food has been foraged, and that's another week done.

Am I the only one having problems with Blogger again/still?  The comments issue seems to have sorted itself out, but now no posts from the blogs that I follow are appearing in my feed.  Perhaps I'm holding my mouth wrong.  If you have posted and I haven't commented, it's because I haven't seen it and I have no idea what in the name of tarnation is going on.

Our daily lives continue.  Kevin has good days, and days where he isn't so good.  The hardest thing I am finding is sharing my life with someone with whom I can't have a lucid conversation; if he's having a good day we can talk, but if he's not - well, that's how it is.  His speech problems make it difficult.  Later this month he will be going to see the $$$geriatrician$$$....my gawd, those specialists can charge!  The proverbial wounded bull has nothing on them!  Hopefully whatever he tells us will be worthwhile hearing, because I don't like to think about the rate per word.

The hayfever from Hades has made an unwelcome return visit, fortunately not as badly as last time a few months ago, but I can do without the hacking coughcoughcough.  Never mind; it, too, shall no doubt pass.  And no doubt return again....

Now for the second time around.

"The marriage ceremonials of a widow.

The marriage ceremonials of a widow differ from that of a young lady in not wearing the veil and orange blossoms.  She may be costumed in white and have her maids at the altar if she pleases.  This liberty, however, has only been given her within a few years."

This will be broken up into smaller bites, as it's a bit long for one post.  No doubt the rules for remarrying as a divorced person - shock, horror! - would be different again; divorce is not mentioned in my book.  Perhaps it hadn't been invented in 1885.  (yes, I know it was.  It just wasn't very commonly done.)

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The binding choice is turning out well

I was hoping it would, but of course until it's actually sewn on it's not always possible to tell, is it....but it sets off the colours of the various trees beautifully.

It looks good with the backing fabric, too.  They hold hands and play together quite nicely.

The weekly wattle.

Today is overcast and cool, but the wattle's perfume is a foretaste of spring.

Just as I pressed the button a little breeze sprang up, just a gentle zephyr, but still enough to make those golden blossoms dance.  

This species is, I have been told, a sawtooth wattle, so named because of the shape of those small fingernail-sized leaves.  Their edges are a bit prickly, but fortunately not too sharp.

Well, the day I have been dreading has arrived.  At Kevin's medical appointment during the week his doctor said the time has come for him to give up driving, so I am now the (reluctant) chauffeur.  He has alternated between disbelief, resentment, annoyance....all understandable, but no need to take it out on me.  Driving has always been important to him; back when he was young and silly he was into motor sport and used to race on weekends.  He doesn't take well to being a passenger.  Yesterday he said he thought he might go to the bowls club for a while....do you want me to drive you there, I said....no, he said, I'll take the car.....you can't, I said, doctor said you can't drive now.  That was just a few days afterward, and it was already out of his mind that he had been told "no driving".  He hasn't yet handed in his licence, I thought I wouldn't push that too hard, but it looks as though it might have to be sooner rather than later.  

As people say, it is what it is.  Much as I dislike that expression, it's pretty spot on at present.

Next year will be 30 years since Kevin's father died, and he had to give up his licence a few years earlier - much to his resentment, too.  "Nothing wrong with my driving......"  However, I recall one time a few years before he died MIL's mortification one day on answering a knock at the door, to find the police asking to speak to FIL.  He had damaged someone's car while in a car park and had been seen doing so; a bystander had made a note of his car's number, hence the police. He had no memory of hitting another car badly enough to leave damage and had driven merrily on his way.  His licence was taken away but was given back on appeal, however it wasn't long after that (thankfully!) he stopped driving.  

How has everyone been?  Time has been spent accompanying Kevin to his various appointments - that's my life now, whether I like it or not; I can't leave him and go off somewhere, because of his speech problems.  Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and also knitted, as the knitting comes with me to fill in the waiting time.  Songs have been sung and plinked.  The weekly hunting and foraging happened.  

On Tuesday evening I filled out our census form, something which is done every five years.  For many years now, even before we moved out of the Big Smoke, we have using the online option rather than paper forms; it's easy, much less tedious and is soon finished.  The year after we moved up here was a census year and talk at a sewing group turned to filling out the forms.  We'll do ours online again, I said, it's easy....oh no, said one woman, I'll use the paper form because I don't want the government knowing all about me.....well, isn't that the idea?  In vain did I say they don't care who you are, only what you are, but to no avail.  Closed minds, and all that.

We're still getting married.

"The evening wedding.

If the wedding occur in the evening, the only difference in the ceremonials from those in the morning is that the ushers or groomsmen wear full evening dress, and the bridal pair retire quietly to dress for their journey before the dancing party disperses, and thus leave unobserved."

An evening wedding seems like quite a civilised idea, to me.  We were married in early evening, but there was no dancing party.  Kevin does not and will not dance.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Binding away

The sewing of Arboretum's binding has begun.

The next side is pinned ready to be machined down.  

The weekly wattle.

I made sure to hold my breath when taking this.  There are, of course, more blooms out in the main part of the bush but they are scattered, whereas this shows them clumped together.  When I was snapping away I was even able to get a waft of its delicate perfume, letting us know that spring is definitely on the way....not that we have had a really cold winter, but we have had some very chilly frosty mornings.  We won't be sorry to say goodbye to them.

My guitars have come home, and they look and sound wonderful!  During the coming week the plan is to pop into the music shop for a couple of tuners, so each guitar will have its own tuner in its case.  An out-of-tune instrument, no matter what it is, is not lovely to listen to.  When I was playing them regularly the nifty clip-on tuners now available were fairly new on the market; I had an older tuner which had to be held close to the instrument to get the note, and before acquiring that I used a tuning fork.  Many years ago there was a lovely man (sadly no longer with us) who used to attend various folk festivals and who had a collection of different instruments - and his car bore a sticker saying "Love thy neighbour.....tune thy piano", which always made me smile.

Now I need to get back into practice, however I won't be volunteering for a duet with our muso friend when he returns in January for the country music festival.....he would leave me for dead, he's a professional after all and I am but a mug amateur.....

How has everyone been this week?  Stitches have been knitted as we both had appointments so there was (of course!) waiting time.  Stitches have been sewn by hand and by machine.  Songs were sung and plinked, as choir has returned from its brief break.  We shopped.  We won't starve.

These days our house is fairly quiet.  One of Kevin's symptoms is a form of aphasia, meaning he finds it difficult to get the word he wants; many a conversation is left unfinished as those words prove to be too elusive, and a lot of the time I have no idea what we are talking about anyway as his speech is often mumbling and indistinct.  If we didn't have the radio playing, our world would be nearly silent.

Continuing on with weddings at home.

"When the marriage ceremony is concluded, the party turn in their places and face their friends, who proceed to congratulate them."

Short and sweet, and probably very decorous.  No doubt the happy couple yipee-ing and turning cartwheels would be somewhat frowned upon; however, a smile of happiness would be considered suitable.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

It's not ~quite~ warm here today

It is far from being freezing cold, it's quite nice when the sun peeks out from the clouds....but then it goes into hiding again and it gets cooler for a while.....still, July is the coldest month and we aren't even halfway through.

Never mind; it won't be long and we will be complaining about the heat again.....

Some diamond trios have been joined into strips.

Three strips, two of five trios and one of four, seams not yet pressed (which won't get done until I know which way they have to lie) but enough for a preview of the finished product.  The maths have been worked out; there need to be 11 strips of four trios and all the rest, however many that is, will be joined into strips of five.  First and every other row is 20 across, rows in between have 19, and the holes along all the sides will be filled with partial blocks continuing the pattern.  It's very therapeutic sewing, something much needed at present.

These days there are many phone calls to be made and some forms to be filled in on Kevin's behalf.  I have never liked filling in forms for any purpose....it makes me feel like I'm back at school doing a test, something I always dreaded, and I freeze up.  Ditto on the phone calls.  No good asking Kevin to make them, he gets confoozalated and difficult to understand, so it falls to me.  I find it quite stressful and I'm sure he has no idea that I do, because I can't seem to make him comprehend.  Come to that we don't really have many conversations about anything much, any more.

On to happier Stuff.

The choir has been practising for our winter concert to be held next Saturday afternoon, with proceeds going to a charity which supports cancer sufferers.  A few years ago our director Bill announced that we would no longer do concerts, and there was quite a bit of mumbling about that; just going along each week to sing is one thing but practising for a performance really gives us incentive to strive to do better, so we were all pleased when he eventually decided that yes, we would still perform after all.

Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  The label for Arboretum has been printed and traced onto fabric, a floss colour has been chosen (a warm brown DMC colour, a favourite for labels) and the non-woven interfacing has to be ironed onto the back before stitching can start.  It will take but a moment to do - the trouble is finding the moment!

Songs have been sung but not plinked this week as I've been too busy to pick up an instrument, and I miss it.

The new white kettle works very well.  The pretty green one would have worked equally well too, but would it make my coffee and Kevin's tea taste any better?  Well, that's the question, isn't it.....

Our musician friend has already booked his bed with us for next January's music festival, and we are looking forward to spending time with him again.  He, too, will be able to try out the new white kettle.  I'm sure he will be impressed.

Many folk during the past week have had phone problems, myself included.  I could send and receive text messages but couldn't make or receive calls.  That was somewhat of a nuisance so I had resigned myself to some time spent getting frustrated in the telecommunications shop trying to make young folk understand, but this morning I had a brainwave.  I turned the phone completely off then charged it fully.  Turned it back on, tried ringing Kevin's number - it worked, yay!  Tried ringing my phone from his and once again, it worked.  Fingers crossed that it stays working.

We are still finding out about the latest ceremonials.

"While the bride and bridegroom are passing out of the church, the bridesmaids follow slowly, each upon the arms of the groomsman, and they afterward hasten on as speedily as possible to welcome the bride at her own door, and to arrange themselves about the bride and groom in the reception room, half of the ladies on her side and half upon his - the first bridesmaid retaining the place of honour."

How many bridesmaids and groomsmen were in a wedding party, one wonders?  Sounds like rather a lot.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Midwinter sunshine

Today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year...and the longest night.  The sun is shining brightly, but the warmth isn't ~quite~ there.  It's definitely not the day to be prancing around in shorts and bare feet, that's for sure.

This is today's view looking over the back gate.

Not so long ago there was no lush green grass, everything was dead and brown....but we have had good rain in recent weeks, and this is the result.

Looking to the left below we can see one of the cows from the other side of the hill, who roam freely from time to time.

Lots of lovely shades of green!

During World War II all this land was occupied by the Australian Army, and many soldiers spent time in camp here - my father included.  When I was a child, some of the old wooden huts which had been used to house soldiers were still in use as social housing; there was a great shortage of houses for all those returning servicemen (in those days they were nearly all men) and their young families.  In the early days of their marriage my parents lived with my maternal grandparents, certainly until after I was born....and, I think, until my brother was born just 13 months later.

When we decided to buy this house I had forgotten all about that connection, it only came to mind when I was looking at the photographic history of the town on my bookshelf.

How has everyone been this week?  We have been drifting along; the backing pieces for Arboretum have not yet been joined, but that's on the list.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Words have been read, many words (probably the reason why those backing pieces haven't been joined, if truth be known).  Songs have been sung and plinked.  My troublesome foot spent time with a physio but is feeling better every time it goes, so we are spreading the appointments further and further apart.  We hunted, foraged and gathered.

Much time has been spent on the phone trying to make the appointments that Kevin needs.  It's frustrating to be left on hold until a call drops out - especially as the hold 'music' is not something to which I voluntarily listen - or being told, "no, we're not the people he needs to see, you need to talk to so-and-so else".  No doubt there will much more time in future spent in the same manner, time in which I could be sewing, or knitting, or reading.  

Many years ago I spent six months working in the city - the heart of the Big Smoke - I was the telephonist, and one day had occasion to hear their 'on hold' music.  Much to my surprise it wasn't the latest hits, or even a spiel for the company (which supplied legal stationery and software), it was music of the Baroque era, early to mid 1700s, which is music I really like.  When I mentioned it to one of my colleagues he said that studies had shown that, when people have to spend time on hold, the music which puts them in the best frame of mind is Baroque music - who knew that?  Not me!

All I can say is, it doesn't happen these days......

Continuing on with our bridesmaids-less wedding.

"The bride leaves the altar, taking the bridegroom's right arm, and they pass down the aisle without looking to the right or left.  It is considered very bad form to recognize acquaintances by bows and smiles while in church.

The bride and bridegroom drive away in their own carriage, the rest following in their carriages."

These days it is smiles all around as the happy couple leave the church.....and oh, how perfectly spiffing it would be to have one's own carriage.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The road ahead

At Kevin's last medical appointment the doctor confirmed what we had suspected for some time - a diagnosis of dementia.  He has Alzheimer's.  It's early stages yet but given that both his parents suffered from it in their later years, it's not surprising.  I don't know if there is a hereditary component, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was.

So we don't know if the road ahead will be bumpy - I suspect at times it will be - or smooth, which it mostly is now.  It will probably be a combination of both.  

Oh, well.  We can only do what we can do, can't we.....which is to keep our sense of humour as intact as we can as much as we can, and smile when we can't.

Moving on to happier Stuff.

We both had medical appointments during the week (mine was nothing drastic, just the Olde Pharte quarterly check-up) so the knitting came along with me to pass the waiting time.  The finished back and sleeves are plain knitting but I can't resist adding a pattern panel in the centre front; it's interesting to knit, and it's interesting to wear.

This is a cable panel from one of my knitting stitch dictionaries.  I can't remember what it's called, but its basketweave effect puts me in mind of wet sand on a beach as the tide goes in and out.

The collection so far of three-inch strips for the outer border on the house quilt.  It's a large quilt so is quite a long way round.....and I haven't cut very long pieces, which was probably a bit short-sighted of me......so some longer strips, which can be mixed in with the shorter ones, will be cut.

The house quilt will have its turn back in the sun once Arboretum is off being quilted, and I am looking forward to working on it again after so long.  There are a couple of days in the coming week which don't have commitments, so that drive to the quilt shop further north looks like being a goer; it certainly has a much bigger selection of batik fabrics than the local one here.  Kevin is still able to drive, for which I am thankful (I don't like driving but I know that one day I will have to be The Driver) so it's an excuse for an outing.

How has everyone been this week?  We spent time at appointments, and foraged enough to avert starvation.  Stitches were knitted, and also sewn by hand; the pile of diamonds waiting to be sewn together is getting smaller, then the three-diamond hexagons will be sewn in rows, or perhaps in blocks of three or four.  Yet to be decided....songs were sung and plinked, but there will be no uke group tomorrow as it's a public holiday for the monarch's birthday.  Most of my life it was the queen's birthday, it's been a few years but I'm still not used to saying 'king'!  There was a king when I was born, but I was quite young when he was replaced by a queen.

It's now June, so winter is well and truly here.  This morning was cold enough for a frost and quite frosty it was too, we are enjoying having a fire.  There is chicken simmering away in the slow cooker which, I suspect, will be welcome in a few hours; chicken thigh fillets cooked with Dijon mustard and maple syrup which we will have with rice and vegies to soak up the sauce.  On the kitchen bench is a butternut squash waiting to be turned into soup tomorrow as it's definitely soup weather now, and I haven't made any yet.  My version of pumpkin soup is cooked with green Thai curry paste, chopped onion and chicken or vegie stock, and some coconut milk stirred through once the squash is soft enough to be blended.  Depending on how heavy-handed one is with the curry paste it can be a good way of clearing out one's sinuses, too.

Neither of us like very spicy foods so there will be enough curry paste to an interesting bite, but not enough to take our breaths away.  We prefer flavour to heat - they aren't necessarily the same thing, you know.

"Presents of the bride and bridegroom.

Where the bride makes presents to the bridesmaids on her wedding day, they generally consist of some articles of jewellery, not costly, and given more as a memento of the occasion than for their own intrinsic worth.  The bridegroom sometimes gives the groomsmen a scarf pin of some quaint device, or some other slight memento of the day, as a slight acknowledgement of their services."

Pictures are appearing online of the wedding of a minor member of the British royal family, a second wedding for both bride and groom.  The bride went for the full white regalia, even a veil over the face when entering the church (an anachronism if ever there was one, I reckon; these days a groom is quite familiar with his bride's face before they meet at the altar) and the teenage daughters of both bride and groom had to wrangle a long train and veil while walking into the church in the rain.  I don't know what, if any, gifts were given.  Those girls certainly deserve a diamond or two each, for sure.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A bit of a fizzer

Is what my birthday was.  

The Hay Fever from Hades had moved in earlier in the week, and from then on it has been cough-cough-cough and more cough.  Sadly the anticipated birthday lunch had to be postponed, but it went ahead yesterday and was all the more appreciated for being delayed.

I can understand why sleep deprivation is used as an instrument of torture, sleeping is so difficult when one is continually cough-cough-coughing.  However the cough is more settled now and I have managed a few nights of nearly uninterrupted sleep, which certainly makes me feel better.  The rib muscles which had been so painful (because: cough) and made machine sewing difficult as a result, are also easing.

Consequently, much as I had hoped it would be, the top of Arboretum is not quite finished.

The section on the bottom right needs to be joined to the section above it - you can see my yellow pin marker top centre on the blue peacock tree - then that whole section will be joined to the much larger section to the left.

Then - it will be done!

I could manage an occasional stitch by hand or by knitting needle in between coughing, but much of my spare time was spent reading because it doesn't require much physical effort.  This was on the "take one, leave one" table when I went to the physio recently; I have read another of Jane Harper's books so this one came home with me.

I enjoyed it, although it's by no means a light-hearted read.  It centres around an annual memorial for Sam, a man who disappeared on his 21st birthday five years earlier, and we find out relationships are falling apart....buildings are falling apart....the town itself is falling apart as a nearby mine encroaches closer and closer.  Despite that it's not all gloom and doom, and there is much positivity.  The book has now gone back to whence it came, for someone else's enjoyment.

Words, as you can see, have been read.  Stitches have occasionally been sewn or knitted.  Not one word has been sung or plinked; I haven't been to choir because it's difficult to sing when one is coughing, but that also means that no practice has been done for the Eisteddfod competition in just two weeks (eek!).  Appointments were kept, something which seems to be happening more and more these days.  We managed to go out for food to keep starvation at bay, and that was our week.

When one is spending more time at home because one isn't well one's world shrinks, doesn't it?  Not sick enough to need medical attention or to take to one's bed like the heroine of a Victorian novel, just unwell enough to feel tired and listless and to occasionally spend time in one's comfy chair wrapped in a quilt.  Which, of course, one made some years ago.

For many years it was my caravan quilt, and now it's my comfy chair quilt because it matches my comfy green chair and because it's warm.

Early last week we had a small rain shower which was very welcome, and more is forecast over the next few days.....which will be even more welcome.  Our drive on Saturday for lunch was to Bendemeer and we drove through very dry brown country, so that rain is needed.

Here we are back at the altar.

"The bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Only relatives and the most intimate friends are asked to be bridesmaids - the sisters of the bride and of the bridegroom, where it is possible.  The bridegroom chooses his best man and the groomsmen from his circle of relatives and friends of his own age, and from the relatives of his fiancee of a suitable age.  The dresses of the bridesmaids are not given, unless their circumstances are such as to make it necessary."

You notice that small children are not mentioned.  For many years now small children - some quite small - have been part of a wedding party, and I must admit to not being a fan.  A retinue of cutesy-poo kiddie-widdies seems to de rigeur at royal weddings; I remember reading many years ago it started with Princess Margaret of the British Royal Family as she and her groom were short and didn't wish to have bridesmaids towering over them, so her attendants were all or nearly all pre-teens.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

One down, eight to go

Arboretum is being constructed in panels, for ease of handling.

The trees are set 11 across by nine down in the finished quilt, but four across by three down is a manageable size to work with.  New panels will be joined to the previous one as we go along; the next piece will go on the bottom of this one, hopefully that will be done later today.  There will be nine panels.

Some jiggling of blocks is still happening.  Every time I walk into that room and look at the trees spread out on the design bed another one or two get moved......but it is getting closer to being the final design.

It will go out to be quilted as I'm not sure that my sometimes-painful shoulder and wrist could handle machine quilting, even though it's not enormously huge.  It's about 60 inches across by 72 down.

How has everyone been?  We have dealt with our usual Olde Pharte appointments, and even fronted up with our sleeves rolled up for the annual flu shot early in the week.  Geez, I hate having pointy things poked into me.....apart from tiredness for the next couple of days and a slightly sore arm from the pointy poke there have been no side effects.  I've been having the flu shot for over 25 years without a problem, but I am not having any more covid shots after bad side effects from the last two.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  The shops were shuffled around for the weekly wanderings and food was purchased for the consumption thereof, in a never-ending cycle.  Songs were sung, and the realisation come to that I had better get cracking on learning the chords for my Eisteddfod song; the poem is in my brain, the words of the song likewise, but those chords have yet to follow - and they have just a month to do so.

Our autumn weather has been pleasantly warm, not hot, but it is oh-so-dry....no rain has fallen at all this month.  Not one dribble, not a drip.  Nothing.  Reports have been coming in on social media about kangaroos coming into town because their usual food supply in the bush has died off due to the complete lack of rain.  Apparently autumn is usually our wetter season, so a dry autumn does not augur well for the year's crops.

If wishing would make it rain we would have a flood, but alas......

Do any of you watch the program in which people get 'fake married?  Just seeing the ads is bad enough....I think to myself (and indeed, usually say out loud) "what drivel!"....there are far too many programs in which people are pitted against each other to win a cash prize, or perhaps a fake spouse....the TV stays off more than it is on in our house.  We don't subscribe to streaming (I nearly wrote 'screaming' there) services, either.   I would far rather read a book.  Growing up without television didn't bother my brothers and I; we were teenagers when it finally arrived in our town, and I was far too busy being a social butterfly to stay home and watch.  Kevin is a great one for channel surfing with the remote - it's a bloke thing - but doesn't end up watching much anyway.

 We have finished the chapter on Courtship and Marriage, so now we move onto Etiquette of Weddings.

"The circumstances under which weddings take place are so varied, and the religious forms observed in their solemnization so numerous, that to lay down rules applicable to all cases would be a matter of great difficulty, if not an impossibility.  Consequently, only those forms of marriage attended with the fullest ceremonies, and all the attendant ceremonials, will here be given, and others may be modelled after them as the occasion may seem to require."

Nothing here about fake TV weddings, you notice.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

They call me mellow yellow

How many of you remember that song from back in our hippie days?  Yellow is a glorious happy colour, so here are some yellows from our recent trip.

The rose garden café where we breakfasted before leaving Cowra:

I'm always drawn to yellow/gold roses rather than pink or red.

Lovely molten gold roses, like this one.  There may have been a label telling its name but, if so, it was at ground level, and I don't get down that far because getting up again in a dignified manner....well......

I don't know what these pretties are called, I thought perhaps autumn crocus, but the leaves look wrong....I thought autumn crocus leaves were quite skinny, and these aren't.  Taken in Molong at the 'Yarn Cottage', a visitor information centre in a cottage dating from 1860 or so, with a Cobb & Co Coach House at the back; these flowers were growing in its garden.

Some fabrics bought in Canberra for the yellow quilt, the plan is to hopefully start it before the year is out.

Hopefully......not too sure about the fabric on the right, it could be a bit brown, but we'll see.

And these because I couldn't resist them, they were bought in Tumut at The Cotton Merchants:

Because one day there may be another autumn quilt in my future. 

How has everyone been?  Hopefully we have caught up with various appointments - for now, at least - and we won't starve, because some hunting and foraging has been done.  Words have been read, stitches have been knitted and sewn.  My right wrist is a little limited at present; it was broken in the fall two years ago (two years this coming week, actually) and, while it's mostly not giving much trouble, of late it has been sore.  On Friday the chiropractor said it appeared to have a slight sprain and recommended wearing a brace for a while....well, how lucky, there is a right hand brace in the drawer as it was worn after the plaster was removed.  So now my wrist is braced again, but the support helps with the discomfort so it can stay on.  It makes some activities a bit tricky but provided it's worn more than it's not worn, it can be taken off occasionally.

Best of all, summer has drawn its last breath!  Daytime temps have still been fairly warm, but last night a cooler breeze blew through....quite cool, and now it's properly autumn.  Today is cold enough to wear long sleeves, and even proper shoes with socks rather than sandals.  Some rain would be welcome, though, as it's been a couple of months since any rain worthy of the name fell from the skies.

The blocks for Arboretum are in the process of being laid out as we speak, and oh - they look so good!  There is a red house BOM to be made for my quilt group, and as soon as that's out of the way the trees can be sewn together.  More diamonds need to be cut, over 400 three-diamond hexagons have been made (although I don't think of it as a hexagon quilt) and diamonds for only another 10-12 triples need to be cut.  Without the brace.  The cooler weather gives my brain a boost, and it's easier to get motivated to do Stuff when one's brain cells aren't frying.

Continuing on with our wise words on Breaking an Engagement:

"It is generally best to break an engagement by letter.  By this means one can express himself or herself more clearly, and give the true reason for his or her course much better than in a personal interview.  The letter breaking the engagement should be accompanied by everything, by way of portraits, letters or gifts, that has been received during the engagement.  Such letters should be acknowledged in a dignified manner, and no efforts should be made or measure be taken to change the decision of the writer, unless it is manifest that he or she is greatly mistaken in his or her premises,  A similar return of letters, portraits and gifts should be made."

I can remember a song from the radio during my childhood 'A broken engagement is like a divorce'.  These days it would probably be considered a somewhat mournful country song....it was certainly mournful when my mother sang along with it, for sure.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

My halo is all polished and shiny!

The top which has been languishing in my sewing room for far too long is done, and you can probably see the gleam of my halo from wherever you are right now.  Big pat on the back for me!

The decision has been made on the backing for my table centre.

My stash includes some of the scattered cream maple leaves on red which was my original thought, but then the red leaves on cream came to the fore, jumped up and down and said "what about me?"  So, that's what it will be; a strip will be cut, the printed stripe will be sliced down the middle and the lighter strip inserted, then it can be layered and quilted.  I am even thinking of turning one of the two striped pieces to face the other direction so that the stripes don't have to match across the inserted strip.  Binding still to be decided, but possibly might be red.

The original plan was to have it done for show and tell at quilt group next Saturday but that probably may not happen, as there are concerts to be attended, and music to be played, and musical friends to be seen.  Never mind; if it's not done for next weekend it will do nicely for February's meeting.

Our annual challenge for this year is to finish a UFO - now, which one shall I choose, I wonder?  Decisions, decisions....the idea is that we take it along next Saturday where it will be duly photographed and recorded, then we flash the finished quilt around at the final meeting of the year.  I am thinking that my house quilt will be Just The Very Thing, as I am determined to finish it this year anyway.

Our musical friends arrived yesterday, and we have spent some time catching up over a cuppa and a piece of fruit slice.  We spent money - a whole $10 (!) and bought an official program, something I don't usually bother doing, but finding out what's on and who is where is much easier that way.  Feedback from our friend's time spent strolling the main drag yesterday afternoon checking out the many buskers was - don't bother.  It was far too loud for comfort, he said.  My ears thank him for his research on our behalf, so we will keep away.  Buskers have always been a major part of the festival and are spaced close enough that, if one player turns up their sound to be heard over a player nearby, everyone else around them turns up theirs too....and so it goes on.....

Fortunately, too, the weather is kinder than usual.  Some rain during the week and again early this morning has cooled temperatures down to make getting out and about much more pleasant than usual, too.  Higher temps aren't supposed to arrive until much later in the week, and even then not as hot as most years have been.  Those folk camping in their tents may have been somewhat nervous during this morning's thunder, though.

My doctor visit during the week was supposed to be for one thing but I ended up being called in by the nurse first....our records show that you are due for two immunisations, she said....I expressed some slight scepticism (not fond of injections, me) and she pointed out that the five yearly pneumonia vaccination was one, so I reluctantly said oh all right, go for it.....and she did.....not kindly, either.  So roughly, in fact, that I pulled away and apparently ended up with only half a dose and a scratch wound on my upper arm.  I have dealt with her in the past too, and she isn't as gentle as other nurses at the practice; she has a way of making a question sound like an accusation.

Another grumble:  the annual package of goodies for our son and his partner way over there in Canada was packed and wrapped using copious quantities of tape, taken to the post office, the customs form was filled in and taken to the counter.  Oh no, said the post office woman, you haven't put the weight of each individual package on the customs label....it's apparently a new thing, it used to be just the total weight of the whole parcel....so now it has to be taken apart, some items weighed because they don't have the weight printed on them and the label re-written (I was so annoyed that I tore it in half) and taken back to the post office to go through the whole procedure again.  Sigh.....

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted, the second sleeve on my jumper is coming along well and is an ideal project to pass the time while waiting at appointments.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  We hunted and foraged, and visited the post office - see above - and that's another week gone.

"The rejected suitor.

The duty of the rejected suitor is quite clear.  Etiquette demands that he shall accept the lady's decision as final and retire from the field.  He has no right to demand the reason of her refusal.  If she assign it, he is bound to respect her secret, if it is one, and to hold it inviolable.  To persist in urging his suit or to follow up the lady with marked attentions would be in the worst possible taste.  The proper course is to withdraw, as much as possible, from the circles in which she moves, so that she may be spared reminiscences which cannot be otherwise than painful."

We don't want our rejected suitor to be tasteless, that's for sure.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Around the octagon

All four rows of strips have been added to the moose fabric centre, which makes the top complete.

As there aren't enough Canadian themed fabrics in the stash, some of my favourite autumn prints have also been added.  The top measures a smidgeon over 20-1/2 in across....

....but the stripe fabric chosen for the backing isn't quite that wide, it only measures a smidgeon over 20 in across.....

It's long enough in the other direction being the full width of fabric selvedge to selvedge, but when it was purchased this project wasn't in mind.  Never mind; it's an opportunity to be creative, isn't it.

Sewing has been a good pastime in the heat; today is a wee bit nasty hot although not as bad as many other areas are getting.  With the fires down south, and cyclones up north, it's definitely summer in Australia, folks.  

How has everyone been?  We've been staying inside, and keeping as cool as possible.  I'm ready for autumn to arrive as summer is for enduring rather than enjoying, in my book.  Just a few months to go.....we are making plans for our annual trip down south for our older son's Major Milestone Big 0 birthday in March, and we hope it may be a bit cooler by then.

Words have been read....many many words, as staying inside and reading doesn't use much energy in hot weather.  Stitches have been sewn by hand and machine, although that voile top still isn't done....My Lovely New Bernina is set up with the right colour thread, and the right presser foot, and the right throat plate to do so.  However, that machine will be needed for quilting the moose table centre as my 1950 Singer Featherweight doesn't have a walking foot, so that top had better get done first then thread, foot and plate can be changed for quilting.  No stitches have been knitted this week as it's been a bit warm for having wool on one's lap.  

A few days ago was my annual eye exam, and they received a very good report - so good, in fact, that my glasses prescription doesn't need to be changed, which is not bad for a decrepit Olde Pharte of my advanced years.  Besides which, I like my pretty green glasses and will be sorry when the time comes to say goodbye to them; new lenses were put in the same frames last year, but that's not always possible as the frames get older.  The slow-growing cataract on my left eye which has been hanging around for a few years hasn't advanced which is probably a Good Thing, despite the fact that many folk in my age group have already had surgery for theirs.

We will just have to see what the future holds, won't we....eye eye, sir....

People are gearing up for the big country musical festival, which starts next Friday.  Camping areas are filling, and buskers have started appearing in the main drag.  Many locals loathe it, many leave town to avoid it, while others can't get enough of it.  We're somewhere in the middle although we tend to avoid crowded loud venues - I would rather stay home than have my senses assaulted by sound.  It is said "if it's too loud you're too old", but I beg to differ; back when I was young (and slender....sigh....) sound gear wasn't what it is now, and certainly wasn't cranked up to the same volume as it is these days.  There will be ukulele sessions, something which hasn't been done before - not in our time living here, anyway - so I might trot along to the first one to suss it out and decide if I wish to continue.

Who knows, perhaps fame is just around the corner!

"No true-hearted woman can entertain any other feeling than that of commiseration for the man over whose happiness she has been compelled to throw a cloud, while the idea of triumphing in his distress, or abusing his confidence, must be inexpressibly painful to her."

Perhaps the true-hearted woman's name is Tess?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Stormy trees

This week has lived up its reputation as being the time of years for storms......thunder, probably lightning too (I wasn't getting out of my warm bed to find out), and quite a bit of rain for which the garden is thankful.  The tree in our front garden is now missing several branches, too.

Never mind.  The trees in my sewing room are safe.

A blue-grey print of eucalyptus buds and blossoms, with a bright contrast.  Eucalyptus flowers come in many colours, even this bright pink/red.

A gold tree, just because I like the colour.

Two contrasting trees this week, taking the total up to - 94!  Five more to go.

Gold trees really do exist - taken in Bayfield, Canada, on an overcast autumn day.

This is the pink apron which is no longer in our house.  Melissa likes it, and it suits her vintage style.

The cross stitch design would have been easy, and quick to work up with just three colours, pink, green and deep dark blue; the trim on the pocket is nylon lace.  It is pretty but being pink it's just not "me", so it has gone to a more appreciative home.

A visitor has been lured back by the recent rain and storms.  Monsieur le Frog is back in the drainpipe and the garden croaking his little heart out, as he lives in hope of finding an inamorata with whom to share his life.  He was fairly quiet during the storm last night and this morning, though, so perhaps he has already found a nice Mademoiselle la Frogette to warm his clammy bed at night.....or perhaps he wants more than one, as he's just started croaking again.

You might be familiar with at least one version of the song 'Frog went a-courting', but did you know that the first printed version was published in Scotland in 1549?  That's getting on for nearly 500 years ago; it may have been sung for many years before that, but without printed proof we don't know.  Nevertheless it's a much older song than many people realise, and you could spend much time researching it should you wish.  Or you could take my word for it.

How has everyone been this week?  We've been busy here; stitches have been sewn, but not many knitted.  Words have been read.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  Another visit to the physio for some ongoing treatment for my troublesome right foot....it's been broken twice in recent years, has a bunion and now is suffering from plantar fasciitis which is not much fun, but the physio is helping so I will keep going.  At least all the problems are in one foot - the other foot is amazingly fine.  A veritable princess of a foot, one which deserves its own tiara.

Something about the rain has brought out the somewhat *rural* aroma emanating from the hill behind us, thanks to the herd of cattle which roam freely.  We wouldn't mind if they buggered off to from whence they came and stayed there, taking their smelly deposits with them.

Our hopeful suitor is still waiting.

"No lady worthy of any gentleman's regard will say "no" twice to a suit which she intends ultimately to receive with favor.  A lady should be allowed all the time she requires before making up her mind; and if the gentleman grows impatient at the delay, he is always at liberty to insist on an immediate answer and abide by the consequences of his impatience."

I wonder if that also applies to green tree frogs?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer