In which we are still mooching along

It's the times for mooching, isn't it?  Very little outside social life, not much happening at all.......so we mooch along, day by day.

Not a whole heap has been done, although thoughts have been thunk about doing Stuff.

A couple more houses have been built.

 Cats peeking through a window, and kittens playing on a door.  I hesitate to use the term "cat house" because it has connotations......so these are houses with cats, not cat houses; the peeking cats have flowers in their garden, while the playing kittens just have lawn.

These are two Row By Rows which were gifts on our visit to Canada in 2015 - I love the colours!  Top one is from B.C., bottom from Ontario.  They are both supposed to finish the same width but don't, because after the Ontario row was assembled I saw the line I had missed in the instructions:  "Trim strips to 1-1/2 in wide before joining."  Oops......mine are wider but I like the extra width; it is going to have borders added and will be a table runner.

They have been sitting patiently waiting to rise to the top of the pile of Stuff to be finished.  Ontario will have a narrow border of brown to match the trunks then a wider border of green to compliment the trees.  Thoughts are still being thought about finishing B.C.

Thoughts have also been thought about the scarf currently on the needles, and the thought is that it might be pulled undone and a different pattern knitted.  It's self-striping yarn and I don't care for how the stripes are falling.

There is supposed to be a lot of rain forecast, but apart from a dribble early yesterday morning we are still waiting.  Never mind......if it comes, it comes, and if it doesn't - why then, there is nothing we can do about it, is there?  This morning was very foggy, so at least there is moisture around.

When we tire of mooching, one way to switch our brains off is to watch renno porn - house hunting and renovation shows.  We have our favourites although there are some we don't watch because we don't like the presenters, but the scenery is often gorgeous and the houses are interesting.  One thing, however, which has me saying "ew" is carpet in bathrooms......why?  I get the thing about warmth underfoot on a cold morning, but in the toidy area.......ew.  Obviously put in by someone who never had to toilet train small boys.

There are, however, many evenings when we just turn the TV off and listen to classical radio or find an internet station which plays our kind of music.  Doesn't seem to matter how many channels there are, there's still no guarantee that there will be something which appeals, is there?  We both grew up in an era before TV, so not having it doesn't bother us; if it were to suddenly stop working tomorrow I wouldn't be worried, but Kevin might miss his occasional sport fix - although it must be said, there isn't as much sport as usual in these current times of plague because so many events have been cancelled.

"Australians indulge and excel in all kinds of manly sports, and healthy and invigorating pastimes, games and amusements - boys and girls at a very early age are adepts in nearly every kind of out-door bodily exercise, and would seem to have inherited a natural aptitude for attaining in early youth proficiency in nearly all the sports for which their Anglo-Saxon forebears have been famed.  Climate undoubtedly has had much to do with this, for the youths of the "Radiant Land" of Australia are peculiarly favored in this respect."

That may have been thought to be true in 1885 when it was written, but not every Australian has "Anglo-Saxon forebears" - and certainly did not back then either!  We are a mix, a melting pot of ancestors from many nations, as are other countries.

Enjoy your days!

We have had visitors!

Such a rare thing these days, except for the electricians who recently installed a couple of lights.  These were proper visitors, friends on their way home from visiting family.  It was so good to see them, and to sit and chat for a while, and to enjoy coffee and a nice slice together.  For the non-Aussies, a 'slice' is what you would call sweet bars or squares.  This recipe is very forgiving; so long as you use the correct weight of fruit it doesn't matter what the fruit is, you can even throw in some walnuts or pecans for variety.  This morning's was a mix of sultanas, chopped dates and dried cranberries and is very nice. 

Aren't these gorgeous mugs?  They came all the way from Canada - thank you, Rose Marie!  They are even sitting on Canadian fabric.

We certainly needed that coffee to warm us, this morning was freezy frosty chilly.  It was cooler than towns north of here which are usually much colder than we are!  We even had frost on the front lawn; I don't remember that happening for the past couple of years because there was so little moisture in the air thanks to the drought, but not so this year.  We have already had several frosts on the hill, and winter is a long way from being over.

The mindless feeding through of fabric continues in the sewing room.  More leaves have been made, only two left to go now, and lots of these blocks are done.  This is the start of over 300 required for the design.....all lovely autumn colours.

Once the leaves are done it will be put aside for a while as the blocks on my Canadian quilt are calling my name.  Lots and lots of applique stitching down to be done on those; to make it easy I will use poly thread, otherwise the thread colour changes would give me the heeby jeebies.

Some music notes have been plinked.  Playing by oneself is nowhere near as much fun as playing with others, but it's better than not playing at all, isn't it?  My finger callouses have softened so they need to be worked on to toughen them again.......which means playing more than I have been.

Our world is opening up.  During the height of the plague we had no trouble getting a parking spot right outside our pharmacy, but no longer.  However, we're still keeping cautious for a while yet.

"Do not lack politeness.
Never hesitate in acts of politeness for fear they will not be recognized or returned.  One cannot be too polite so long as he conforms to rules, while it is easy to lack politeness by neglect to them.  Besides, if courtesy is met by neglect or rebuff, it is not for the courteous person to feel mortification, but the boorish one; and so all lookers-on will regard the matter."

Indeed.  It is still possible to be polite while maintaining the required social distance, as we need to currently do.

Enjoy your days!

To my Canadian family and friends......

.....best wishes for Canada day!

The town is growing

Another couple of house blocks were made the other day, taking the grand total to nine.

One house doesn't use much fabric as they are only 6-1/2 inches square, so they are a long way from being stashbusting blocks!  It's just for fun......and we all need fun in our lives during what is becoming a trying time, don't we?

Some leaf blocks have been made, six are now finished.  This is how the quilt centre will be arranged, not necessarily with these four blocks.

There are also over 300 half-square blocks to be made each measuring four and a half inches, so they have become leaders and enders while making the fifteen leaf blocks - and I am very happy with it; those gorgeous autumn colours make my heart sing.

Yesterday was quite a momentous occasion, the first Saturday quilt group meeting since late February was held.  We aren't a big group even when everyone is present and there were a few missing anyway, but it was good to be out among friends chatting and sewing together.  To make the day complete we even had our morning tea and lunch at the cafe attached to the store where we meet.  That made the second coffee in a few days that someone else made for me, because we did shout ourselves a coffee and a treat earlier in the week.....and what a treat that was, after so long.

We have had a few cold frosty mornings, not surprising considering that it is, indeed, winter.  I much prefer winter to summer but do feel the cold, so you will usually find me rugged up for all I'm worth.  Our stroll along the main drag for coffee was a chilly stroll, but it was worth every minute when that coffee arrived in front of me.

Kevin has gone back to playing lawn bowls, and I am enjoying a little 'me time' when he does.  Twenty fours hours a day for weeks on end is a lot of togetherness.

We've been in the fortunate position in this town of having very few cases of the current plague with no new cases for two months now, so we're much better off in our smaller community that if we still lived in the Big Smoke.  Providing that things don't get much worse we are tentatively planning a trip to Canberra in September, nearly six months after we would have gone, but it is still tentative.  We won't be going to the folk festival north of here in October because sadly it isn't going to happen this year, and of course the festival at Easter had to be cancelled, but a break away would be nice.

"Requirements for a happy marriage.
Respect for each other is as necessary to a happy marriage as that the husband and wife should have an affection for one another.  Social equality, intellectual sympathy, and sufficient means are very important matters to be considered by those who contemplate matrimony."

I wonder if the writer of those words could anticipate the happy couple being shut up together for months on end?

Enjoy your days!

Time for the autumn leaves

Now that the tree hanging is done, it's time for one of my favourite pastimes - mindlessly feeding fabric through the machine.

A couple of years ago while going through some 'free to good home' magazines at a local quilt shop a front-cover project caught my eye.....can't resist those autumn colours......so it came home with me.  All the fabrics have been cut for a while, some half square triangles sewn as leaders and enders then trimmed to size.  One hundred and twenty 2-1/2 inch squares are a wee bit fiddly-diddly to trim - not all at once, thank goodness - but they are now all done.  Then 15 stems had to be made, because there are 15 leaves.  This will be the first one, pieces are laid out ready to be joined.

The magazine design (an issue from 2007 of a now defunct Aussie magazine) had the leaves all in shades of one colour, all red, all green, etc., but I like my autumn leaves mixed, so mixed they shall be.  Just like leaves are in real life.  Lots of different backgrounds (but no white, the corner piece is actually a pale beige print) and lots and lots of leaf prints, many of which are souvenirs from Canadaian trips.

Then.....would you believe it?  While going through magazines recently to sort out what to keep and what to give to the Rotary Club book shed I found I already had that magazine!  The spare copy has now been donated along with other books and magazines, and a couple of books from the Rotary Club book shed came home with me in return.  We have all missed the Book Shed which has, of course, been closed for a few months but is now open again.

Every town needs a Book Shed.  It's a place for us to donate our unwanted books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, jigsaw puzzles.......and a place to buy more.  Yesterday my $5 bought me two good quilt books (each of which probably cost up to $40 new, and they are both only a few years old) and a CD, and the money raised goes to support various worthy causes.

Welcome to Frédérique from France, the first time I have had a French visitor to my blog!  

What do you think of the new Blogger?  Looks like it is being forced on us whether we want it or not, so I might as well give it a try.  No use postponing the inevitable, is there.  

Today is the winter solstice, the day of the year with the least amount of sunlight.  Pretty right too; it's been a cold grey day with a few showers, a good day to stay indoors and sew.  Or look at those two new books on scrappy quilts.  Or veg out on the computer.

"Always recognize acquaintances.

One should always recognize lady acquaintances in the street, either by bowing or words of greeting, a gentleman lifting his hat.  If they stop to speak, it is not obligatory to shake hands.  Shaking hands is not forbidden, but in most cases it is to be avoided in public."

Looks like that answers last week's question, doesn't it?  Of course, when that was written in 1885 people - most ladies and many gentlemen - would have worn gloves in public, so no touching of actual hands would have taken place.

Enjoy your days!

Is finished!

Ta da!  Quilting is done, binding is on.  Sleeve is yet to be sewn down on the back, but I am still calling this a finish.

The hall leading to our bedroom might be just the place to hang this, there is a blank wall crying out for decoration.  The quilting will never win a prize, but as it won't ever be entered into a competition - that doesn't matter.

It was bought at the Creativ Festival in Toronto way back in October 2012, so it's about time it was finished and enjoyed.  Pattern is called 'Hanging On' by Laundry Basket Quilts.

Even made a couple of houses yesterday afternoon, once my little Featherweight machine stopped having a conniption over something, I know not what.  I stopped for a coffee and a deep breath, and it was fine and dandy after that.

These are very bright little houses; some have a beautifully manicured lawn, while others have flowers in their garden.  They will all have blue skies, because - like Camelot - it's always sunny in my town.

Bianca had her Senior Pet Check on Friday.  Each year in June her vet has 'Senior Pet Month' with a free check-up, so off she went.....we had to drive her, of course, she's not great behind the wheel of a car......and she received a good report.  Considering her advanced age of 17-1/2 years (don't forget the half) she is doing well; coat good, teeth excellent, heart strong.  She has lost a little weight as the elderly often do, but she is in very condition.  We don't know how much longer we will have her, but we'll just enjoy her company while we can.

Activities around town are starting to resume.  While there haven't been many cases of the plague in our region and none at all for over a month, many people are still careful about putting themselves out there again.  Unfortunately it looks as though choral singing is one activity which can spread droplets (infected or not) much further than talking - so that means my choir and ukulele groups are still on hold for a while longer.  I really miss my music.  Playing by one's self isn't the same as playing and harmonising in a group.

This morning we woke to very welcome rain, and it rained steadily for a few more hours before stopping.  So far we have had more rain this year than the same period last year, fingers crossed that pattern continues.

"Shaking hands.

Among friends the shaking of the hand is the most geniune and cordial expression of good-will.  It is not necessary, though in certain cases it is not forbidden upon introduction; but when acquaintanceship has reached any degree of intimacy, it is perfectly proper."

Are we allowed to shake hands yet, or is the official policy strictly "keep your hands to yourself"?

Quilting is done!

Sides have been trimmed......now to add binding and sleeve.  Finished will be a good feeling.

I am not, and never have been, a fan of stippling as a quilt design but it suits this picture, creating a sense of air movement and wind around the leaves and branches.

After all - wind is the reason there are so few leaves left on the tree!

The edges of the leaves are left unstitched, all were cut from one piece of fabric.

A couple of weeks ago when we bought our new rosemary and lavender plants I couldn't resist this pretty cyclamen.

It's difficult to get a good photo; the petals are so large that light shining through them washes out the colour, but you can see those petals have a white edge.  The bird baths are in a shady corner of the garden.

Have you all had a good week?  We have still been staying home except for hunting and gathering, and the weekly drug run.  We used to sweeten said drug run by stopping off in a cafe for coffee and sometimes a treat, but haven't done that now for nearly three months.  Oh well......perhaps one day soon. 

Some more stitches have been knitted on the scarf, more tumblers have been joined.  More books have been read.  Some TV has been watched, even an occasional movie.

We have noticed a popular trend in home renno shows is to get rid of any carpet and replace it with wood floors, while in older houses ceilings  are removed so beams/rafters can be exposed or installed.  Add to that the open plan so popular nowadays with all its togetherness, and bare uncurtained windows........don't these people ever realise how cold and how noisy that house has now become?  Factor in a clodhopping clumping loud-music-loving teenage male or two......I would leave.  Yes, I know carpet has to be cleaned.  We have carpet in some rooms, and tile in others.  We have an open plan kitchen/family room too, but overall it's not a noisy cold house because of the carpet and curtains.

If you have ever had a coffee or a meal in a restaurant with polished cement floors, no window coverings and no seat cushions - a trendy thing over the past few years - you will know how noisy that is, making it difficult to converse with one's table companion/s.  Now imagine living in those surroundings, day in, day out, with no escape.  No, thank you.

Winter has definitely arrived.  Each morning this week has been colder than the day before, and we have even been visited by Jack Frost......a taste of weather to come, no doubt.  Having a fire is lovely - and of course, Bianca thinks so too.

While reading a social media page on fashions of the past I came across the comment "it used to be regarded as a social responsibility to dress as well as possible".  'Social responsibility'......I like that, and I wish it still held.

"Indifference to dress.
Indifference and inattention to dress is a defect of character rather than virtue, and often denotes indolence and slovenliness.  Every woman should aim to make herself look as well as possible with the means at her command.  Among the rich, a fondness for dress promotes exertion and activity of the mental powers, cultivates a correct taste, and fosters industry and ingenuity among those who seek to procure for them the material and designs for dress,  Among the middle classes it encourages diligence, contrivance, planning and deftness of handiwork, and among the poorer classes it promotes industry and economy.  A fondness for dress, when it does not degenerate into vain show, has an elevating and refining influence on society."

You could say so.  Perhaps it's not so much that standards of dress are slipping, as that some people just have very low standards and do their best not to exceed them......which is not quite the same.

Enjoy your days!