In which we are still mooching along.......

It has been a week of not doing much.  Stitches have been sewn, none have been knitted.  Books have been read.  Notes have been plinked (yay!) and even sung (double yay!).

Stitching down the applique on the Canadian blocks has resumed.  Nunavut is done, New Brunswick isn't far from being done......in that order.  Nunavut had easier shapes for stitching, so it was done first.  

Pictures of these were shown earlier this year and they don't look much different now because the stitching is being done with see-through polyester thread.  If it wasn't, can't you imagine the squillions of thread colour changes?  Doesn't bear thinking about, does it?

We'll have some flowers instead, because it's spring.  These are all plants from our garden in the Big Smoke.

Love the new shoots on this bottle brush - Callistemon 'Taree Pink'.  It was an impulse buy as a very small plant from the local hardware shop, which had a small but excellent garden section.  I took it home, found a spot on the north-east corner of the front of the house, planted it - then stood back and watched while it grew.  I have never know a plant which grew so quickly.

A pink bottle brush poking its head in at the side, and creamy white Grevillea 'Moonlight'.

Another grevillea - I think this is 'Robyn Gordon'.

'Taree Pink' again.  If everything we planted grew as well as this did, I would be a happy woman!

The Big Smoke's climate is much more humid with milder winters than here, and these plants loved it.  We did plant a 'Taree Pink' here; it turned up its toes at the first sign of a proper winter.......but perhaps I might try again.

I really like our Aussie native plants.  They don't have the gorgeous autumn colour that trees from other countries do but their new growth in spring is often a glorious bronze, just as spectacular in its own way.  They are often rich in nectar which attracts a lot of birds, and of course watching them makes for great entertainment.

Speaking of birds......a few days ago I heard an odd tapping noise, and couldn't think what it could be.  It happened again yesterday morning, and turned out to be one of our resident peewees, more usually seen flying around looking for insects.  They are often seen pecking at the 'other' bird in a car mirror or window - this one was pecking at the bottom corner of the big floor-to-ceiling window; its beak tapping on the window was the odd noise.

Have I ever told you the details of my etiquette book, bought many years at a library cull for just a dollar or two?  It was originally published in 1885, probably in the U.S. judging by the spelling, with an Australian edition in 1886; mine is a 'facsimile edition' (meaning an exact copy, even down to typeface) published in 1980.  It's full title is "Australian etiquette, or the rules and usages of the best society in the Australasian colonies, together with their sports, pastimes, games and amusements.  Revised, illustrated and compiled expressly as a household treasure for Australian homes."  Several years ago bloggers were signing off with a quote from a book or poem, or sometimes a Bible verse or inspirational saying - I decided on advice from my book.  It was published at a time when some people moving into 'society' for the first time may have been unsure how to behave in social situations, but for all that is not too stiff - its advice is more about courtesy and making others, as well as one's self, feel at ease no matter what the occasion.

"Punctuality.

The hour generally selected in cities is after business hours, or from five to eight o'clock.  In the country or villages it may be an hour or two earlier.  To be punctual at the hour mentioned is obligatory.  If you are too early you are in the way; if too late you annoy the hostess, cause impatience among the assembled guests, and perhaps spoil the dinner.  Fifteen minutes is the longest time required to wait for a tardy guest."

Advice as true today as in 1885, yes?

Enjoy your days!

It's a big world out there

I didn't realise it was so huge!  Best of all, I can sew - or read, or knit, or do just about anything - without having to stop for frequent breaks because of muscle tiredness around my eyes.  The deterioration was probably such a gradual process for several years that I hadn't realised how bad it had become, so when the surgeon muttered words like "take out at least seven to eight millimetres" which is way over a quarter of an inch......all I could think of was "ohmygawd", but every millimetre has been worth it.  Thankfully the bruises are finally fading now and stitches are becoming less noticeable.

Another house was made, this time twice as big.

It's a bit on the lairy side, isn't it?  For the non-Aussies "lairy" is a word meaning flashy or showy; it is first documented in print in 1906 but sadly isn't heard as much these days, although was still common when I was growing up.  The world needs more lairy houses, doesn't it?

Because our quilt group didn't meet for several months I missed out on my turns for block of the month, so when Madame Presidente asked if I would do one for early October I thought I should say yes.  I did think of handing out the instructions for my little houses but, because some members seem to have an aversion to anything with small pieces, the house size was doubled to 12 inches.  These blocks are often used to make kids' quilts for charity, so bright houses will be fine.  That pink/purple/gold/black stripe is one of my "whatever was I thinking when I bought this?" fabrics but it makes a cheerful house, while the yellow door is nearly the last of that fabric; I shall miss it.

Spring has been springing ever higher now.  Wattle Day came and went with nary a morsel of gold on our little bush, but there has still been plenty of golden gorgeousness around town.

Speaking of lairy houses, isn't it about time that grey has had its day?  It has been popular, inside and out, for some time now.  While we're making changes, whose bright idea was it to paint ceilings and/or walls black, and add dark floors?  Dark kitchens too - dark cupboard doors with black (granite, of course) bench tops suck the light out of a room.  I'm not a fan of white on white kitchens - too cold and clinical for me - but surely there is a happy medium which is not grey.

Those folk who hand over the keys to a renovator and give them carte blanche to do what they like are very trusting, aren't they? I would be saying no black, no grey, absolutely no pink whatsoever, no red, purple or shades thereof, no white, grey or black kitchen, no granite or marble at all.......it still leaves green, and blue, and yellow, and orange, and cream, which is warmer than white.

We have also noticed tables disappearing in some houses, replaced by a high island at which one perches on a stool.  Not for me; I like to sit on a proper chair at a proper table, thank you, and enjoy my meal.

While looking at accommodation options online before our last trip to Canada we saw some apartments which had no table, just the aforementioned bench with stools - which is why the apartment we rented had a table and chairs by a window, with a view over a sometimes busy but always interesting street.

"Dinner a la Russe.

The latest and most satisfactory plan for serving dinners is the dinner a la Russe (the Russian style) - all the food being placed upon a side table, and servants do the carving and waiting.  This style gives an opportunity for more profuse ornamentation of the table, which, as the meal progresses, does not become encumbered with partially empty dishes and platters."

That sounds very civilised to me, but due to the lack of servants in this household is unlikely to happen.

Enjoy your days!

Stitches have been taken out, and stitches have been put in

The stitches around my eyes were taken out on Tuesday morning, and my world is much brighter and bigger than it has been for a long time!  There is still bruising and marks from sutures and incisions, but hopefully they will eventually be less noticeable.  I am self-conscious about going out in public because of the no-doubt-inevitable question "what happened to you?"

As the song says, ain't nobody's business but mine..........

In addition to some hand-piecing and knitting, four little houses were made during the week.

The village now has 15 houses.

The design in "Freddy's house" uses 61 houses; another four have been cut out, if my maths is correct that makes 42 still to be cut.  There's no hurry on this......it's just something fun to dip into when the fancy takes me.  It needs a name, but no doubt something witty will pop into my head one day.

Spring seems to be springing, yesterday was very nice and today is even nicer.......but I can't smell it.  You know that indefinable 'something' in the air - a waft of scent from spring flowers, the feel of warmth on one's bare arms, even having one's bare arms bared at all - it's not quite here yet.

Spring also means pulling out weeds.  Sigh.......for the past couple of years it has also meant glorious golden blossom on our little wattle bush, but something seems to have munched on those tender little blossom buds and this year there are none.  If I could get my hands on those little blossom-munching bugs I would not be kind to them.  I don't read murder stories for nothing, you know.  The knowledge gained may come in handy one day.

The incentive to play music has sunk way back inside my head; not being able to play together with friends has made my brain very sad.  However during the week I did put together a song arrangement and send it around, who knows - perhaps one day we may be able to perform it.

Even sadder is the fact that we don't know when we will be able to see our Canaussian boy and his lovely partner again.  That makes me so sad that I try not to think about it.  International travel has become a pie-in-the-sky dream, whether we go to Canada (looking extremely unlikely now) or they come here (also looking unlikely).  

"The salutation after introduction.

A slight bow is all that is required by courtesy, after an introduction.  Shaking hands is optional, and it should rest with the older, or the superior in social standing to make the advances.  It is often an act of kindness on their part, and as such to be commended.  It is a common practice among gentlemen, when introduced to one another, to shake hands, and as it evinces more cordiality than a mere bow, is generally to be preferred.  An unmarried lady should not shake hands with gentlemen indiscrimately."

I won't be shaking hands with those little blossom-munching bugs.  Should we meet, I will probably slap them from here to next week.  Or even next month.  Or next year.......

Enjoy your days!

Two more sleeps.......two more wake ups

The appointment to have the stitches in my face removed is early o'clock on Tuesday morning, at 8.a.m.; quite early considering how cold it is - we have had some very very chilly weather - but I will be there on the dot, even if I haven't breakfasted first.

It's too soon to notice any difference when looking in a mirror, the same old woman looks back at me - but the difference in my sight is amazing.  As the song says, I can see clearly now!  The bruising is still very noticeable though.  Perhaps when that fades and any suture marks disappear I may look truly gorgeous.  In my dreams......

On to much happier stuff.

It's only been in the past few days I have been able to wear my glasses for any length of time without irritation from sutures.  Some knitting has happened however, the scarf in progress has been undone (again) and is now in progress again (again).  Version 2 was coming along nicely when, a couple of days ago, I looked at what had been done......then looked at how much yarn remained on the ball......and thought "hmmm......this needs to be narrower, or it will end up shorter than I want it to be".  So it was undone and restarted.  About one inch had been completed when it was compared to a previously made scarf, and it still didn't look right.  So it was undone again, and Version 3 re-started with a size bigger needle.  Success!

Oh well.  While all that happened it kept me out of mischief, didn't it?

Warm scarves are definitely the order of the day, yesterday was really really cold and today isn't much better.  Our "feels like" has barely touched 5 deg C all day; last time we were this cold was when we were wandering around Canada late in 2018.  Bianca hasn't stirred much from her cushion in front of the fire.

Aren't these stunning colours?  They were taken at Bathurst on our way home from an Easter trip to Canberra, some years ago.

It can get quite cold at Bathurst, which means their autumn colours are beautiful.  Yesterday they had snow.

The wall below had memorial plaques to pioneers of the district set along the top.

It was a pleasant, if slightly cool, place to stop for lunch.

A couple of days ago while browsing through the book, "Freddy's house" by Freddy Moran, I came across an idea that will work for my little house blocks.  61 houses will be needed, each will be framed by four triangles to make 'square in a square' blocks set on point - and for those frames I will use black and white prints.  Freddy's house blocks is different to mine but is the same size, so the cutting instructions will work.  I like Freddy's work, her colour sense is very exuberant and her designs are fun.

How are you all doing with the new Blogger?  I am still sorting it out but so far so good, although I may need to fiddle around with a different template.

"The word "present" is often used in place of "introduce".  While it is customary to repeat the names of the two parties introduced at the close of the introduction, it is often omitted as a useless formality.  It is of the utmost importance that each name should be spoken distinctly.  If either of the parties does not distinctly hear the name of the other he should say at once, without hesitation or embarrassment, before making the bow, "I beg your pardon; I did not catch (or understand) the name" when it may be repeated to him."

Indeed.  It is probably slightly embarrassing to immediately forget the name of someone to whom one has been introduced.

Enjoy your days!

Slicing and dicing and stitching back together

That is not what happened in my sewing room over the past week......it's what happened to me.

Earlier this year during my regular eye check-up the optometrist recommended seeing an opthalmic surgeon about my diminishing range of vison.  A sad fact of being older is that one's skin sags, and if that droopy skin is in one's eye area it does affect one's sight; just imagine those teeny tiny muscles around our eyes straining to keep our lids open, leading to eye tiredness and a narrowing of our field of vision, as the surgeon explained it.  A date was duly made to have the offending skin dealt with - then the world fell apart, and that date was cancelled.  It was eventually rescheduled so last Monday morning I duly presented myself to hospital, was poked, prodded and spiked, given some happy juice, sliced, diced and stitched back together as mentioned above, bandaged up, and sent on my merry way looking like Dr Frankenstein's monster.

However all is now well, the swelling is going down, the bruising isn't quite so technicolour, and the sutures will be removed in just over a week from now.  Nothing much could be done for a few days (which is very boring) but now I can wear my glasses again so can read on my tablet without having the font enlarged to the point of ridiculousness, and I can knit.  I am already noticing quite a difference in how far I can see vertically and horizontally, so the discomfort will be worth it.  

There were no selfies taken.  Two black eyes is not a good look.  I know this from past experience; 20 years ago I was accidentally hit on the bridge of the nose during Scottish country dancing.  I stayed upright (not sure how, it was quite a whack) but did see stars, and had two black eyes as a result.  Fortunately it was the start of a fortnight's school holidays so by the time I had to go back to work much of the bruising had settled.

This is a roundabout way of saying there are no pictures of my week's achievements, because nothing was achieved.  Revisiting some of the photos on our computer, these were taken in Canberra several years ago in the garden of the National Gallery of Australia.

I don't know what the berry is - perhaps it's poisonous?  Blue plants often seem to be, and this is very blue.  The red flower is a Grevillea.

I don't know this one either, but it's pretty.  Even though it's pink.  Pretty sure it's a native.

If you have left a comment on my blog and I haven't replied, you are a 'no-reply' blogger and might want to look at changing your settings; I haven't been ignoring you, I always reply if possible!  Elaine from Vancouver left a comment recently and I appreciate your visit, but couldn;t let you know.

"It is the part of true politeness, after introductions, to explain to each person introduced something of the business or residence of each, as they will assist in opening conversation.  Or, if one party has recently returned from a foreign trip, it is courteous to say so."

I suspect overseas tripping has been curtailed for good, so that's out as a topic of conversation, isn't it?

Enjoy your days!

Reporting a finish!

'Ontario' is done......finished......completed.

It's 40 inches long, so it's a bit difficult for a short person as what I am to get a good photo without standing on a ladder.

Trees and foreground quilted, and the borders.  I love that rich dark yellow-green border fabric, found in my stash.

Some rays around the sun.  The background was quilted in the ditch.

The pics above are truer to colour, this one isn't; the paler green is a beautiful soft green, not a washed-out grey.  However, you can see how the back is finished, those stripes are offset from the centre.

A souvenir of our trip to Canada in October/November 2015, gifted to me by Rose Marie - thank you, my friend!  It looks great on our dining table, and brings back memories of a wnderful time.

Trying out the new Blogger again; I tried it several weeks ago but found it clunky, so went back to the old one.  However it's time to bite the bullet, put on my big girl duds (which are, sadly, several sizes bigger than they used to be) and go for it, clunky or not.

Life has been going on swimmingly.  Books have been read, stitches have been knitted, tumblers have been sewn.  Socially-distanced notes have been sung at choir.  Same as for the past several months, and probably the same for goodness knows how many more months to come.

The sole topic of many people's conversations currently is, of course, the covid plague.  I refuse to join in those conversations, just as we refuse to watch the news.  We are doing what we can to keep ourselves safe, and what other people do is out of our control - so I will not waste my emotional energy worrying about them, in the interest of my well-being.  Many is the post which has been made to disappear from my facebook feed for that reason.

Some of our TV time......all right, more than some.......is spent watching renno porn.  I like those shows; we see some beautiful parts of the world and some interesting houses we would never see otherwise.  Some of the people though......imagine our smiling agent showing the happy couple around with many flourishes, they come to a room with cupboards, a stove, a fridge, etc., and the agent says "this here is your kitchen".  No!  Really?  No flies on him......it never ceases to amaze me how many couples - sometimes the woman, sometimes the man - says as soon as they walk into a room "this will have to be gutted".  Never mind that it was renovated a month before to the highest standard, if it's not to our taste we have to 'gut it' before we could even think of setting foot in that house to live.  Such a waste.  I know that unless one has a house built to one's exacting taste there will be things to change, we have made changes here, but unless they are in really bad shape that doesn't have to be done before moving in.

Another thing which has us puzzled is the propensity for putting boys and girls, even as teens, together in one bedroom.  Mum and dad have a spacious bedroom and en suite bathroom, while everyone else is crammed into a small bedroom.  We were completely floored recently, however, by a family who bought a holiday home, a one bedroom condo, despite having a boy of 12 and a girl of 10.  It was - of course - renovated before they moved in; mum and dad's bedroom has plenty of space......but the kids will share a fold-down bed in the living room with not even a bedroom to call their own.  Are we the only people who think that is just a teeny bit off?  Would you let your teenage son and daughter, who will both be teens in a few short years, share a bed?

Oh well.  Not my circus, not my monkeys, as they say.

"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."

This is true.

Enjoy your days!

In which Stuff has happened

Another week draws to its close - or does it?  Depends on whether you regard Sunday or Monday as the start to the week, doesn't it?  Our week starts on Monday, so our weekend is Saturday and Sunday.

A momentous occasion during the week - we shouted ourselves lunch out, at a favourite Chinese restaurant.  Tables were spaced out and we were told where to sit; at no time did we feel concerned.  Yes, I could have made Chinese-style food at home, and indeed often have......but it was so good to sit down and order, and have my meal put in front  of me, and not to have to clear it away after.  Besides, I can't make honey chicken and fried rice as well as that restaurant can.

Even bought myself some new shoes, my older ones are getting somewhat tired so called in to the shoe shop near the Chinese restaurant.  Found some casual black slip-ons in my size; my feet like them, my eyes like them, and best of all......they were half price!  I really don't like shopping for shoes, but that's now done.

My Ontario runner is being quilted, there's not much more to go, it will be bound.......and then it will be done.  Tumblers are still being joined.  Stitches are occasionally knitted on the scarf.  Books are being read.  Some TV is watched.  That's about it for our week, really.

We need a picture, and I realised recently when pics were scrolling through our computer that this one has never before been shown on my blog.

Before I retired I worked in the library of a girls' school, and one of my colleagues was also a quilter.  When one of our librarians announced that she was having a baby we decided, of course, to make her a quilt.  She knew she was having a boy but swore us to secrecy - even her husband didn't know - so we kept away from a lot of pink without making it too boy-boofy; it would have worked for a boy or girl.  We both raided our stashes for I-spy prints, put it together, and I quilted and bound it.  When it was presented to its new owner's mummy she was delighted.

Earlier in the week I even braved the mirror at the hairdresser (they are always unflatteringly brightly lit, aren't they? and you have to keep looking at your reflection, which is a bit of a worry) for a trim.  Last trim was in mid-March just as our world was shutting down, but the joy of having long hair is not needing regular trims.  My hair is now the shortest it has been for goodness knows how long, it just clears my shoulders.  Takes a bit of getting used to after so many years, and I've decided I really do prefer it longer......however, it will grow again.

One can't avoid noticing that nearly every second person who sews seems to making masks for the current plague epidemic.  I will not be making any.  There is saturation coverage on news reports, in fact the bulletin is often more than half over before we get to find out what else is happening in the world - and then we are being told "look after your mental health while all this is happening"!  Yes, I know it's serious, but I refuse to dwell on it to the detriment of my well-being, which is why my sewing room will not be used for the making of masks.  I will buy them if we are told that we cannot stick our noses outside without one, but I will not make any.

Continuing on from last week's quote:
"The manner in which a favor is granted or a kindness done, often affects us more than the deed itself.  The deed may have been prompted by vanity, pride, or some selfish motive or interest; the warmth or coldness with which the person who has done it speaks to you, or grasps your hand, is less likely to deceive.  The manner of doing anything, it has been truly said, is that which stamps its life and character on any action.  A favor may be performed so grudgingly as to prevent any feeling of obligation, or it may be refused so courteously as to awaken more kindly feelings than if it had been ungraciously granted."

I am inclined to agree, having been on the receiving end of an ill-mannered act.

Enjoy your days!