Back to normal programming

Or what passes for normal here.

The music festival has happened, our musical guest has been and gone - and what fun that was, we shared many laughs over many a cuppa while he was here - and our quiet life has resumed once more.

We went to a few concerts which we really enjoyed, and kept out of the way of noisy places.  It has been said "if it's too loud you're too old".....but I beg to differ; back in my younger days when I used to go to concerts and dances amplification equipment was nowhere near as loud as it is nowadays, and my hearing wasn't damaged as a result.  Earphones were a thing of the future too, we didn't spend our time with sound cranked up to an unbearable volume ringing in our ears.  

Some stitching has happened, diamonds have been cut and joined.  No stitches were knitted, although they will be when summer isn't so fiercely warm.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung.

The house blocks were laid out and pinned into rows, the sewing of which will commence before too long.  There are eleven diagonal rows labelled by small pieces of leftover fabrics with numbers written on using fabric pen.  They were made when my tumbler quilt was being laid out and were going to be tossed once it was joined, but a little voice in the back of my brain said "hang on......don't do that, those labels can be used again....and again" and sure enough, they are.  Being fabric they will not tear like paper labels would.

On the last post I mentioned Mary Card and her beautiful crochet designs.  This mat, made by Kevin's maternal grandmother, is possibly another of her designs.  It sits on top of my bedside chest, and is made from very very fine thread.

Such exquisite work should be celebrated and enjoyed.  Many years ago when my brothers and I were clearing out my mother's house after her death I took the beautiful lace - tatted and crocheted - and embroidery work, mostly made by my mother's aunts.  My sister-in-law (who has an opinion on everything) said "I don't want any of that old stuff"....which was good, because I was prepared to take it by force if necessary.  But....when I am gone who will get it?  I have no daughters or granddaughters to inherit any of my Stuff.  If it ends up an an op shop it may be bought by someone who loves it, and that's fine by me.  Better that than having an unwanted bequest dumped on you, yes?

It's not very often I have a win, but I had one recently.  Just after Christmas I ordered black cropped pants online because the local store had none.  The money was quickly taken from our account but no pants arrived, and no notification of a post tracking number to let me know my order was on its way.  So....a few weeks later I rang their 'contact us' number and was told, we don't have your goods.  We are looking in our distribution centres.  Ring us again in about seven days.  That was when a little something went 'ping' in my brain and I interrupted her....."no....no.....no" I said....."I will not ring you.  You will contact me.  You have taken my money and have not supplied the goods I ordered.  If you cannot do so, then I want my money back."  I was not rude, but by heck I was firm.

And a couple of days later that money was back in our account!  But I still have no black pants.....

Contrast that with an order placed on Monday evening for a few sets of ukulele strings from an interstate dealer, which were in my hands by lunchtime on Friday.  I love the email I received from them - "Congratulations on your order Jennifer, you Ukulele Rockstar you!"  How could you not shop from someone with such a fun attitude and such excellent service?  There is a music store here but they have proven to be unhelpful and unreliable (and they don't call me a ukulele rockstar), so I shop elsewhere.  

Summer's heat has arrived, and with it some quite fearsome storms with lights and music echoing from the clouds and rolling around the hills.  There have been some spectacular pics on social media of the lightning a couple of nights ago.....a shame that thunder can't be photographed too!

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Lady and gentleman walking together.

A gentleman walking with a lady should treat her with the most scrupulous politeness, and may take either side of the walk.  It is customary for the gentleman to have the lady on his right hand side, and he offers her his right arm, when walking arm in arm.  If, however, the street is crowded, the gentleman must keep the lady on that side of him where she will be the least exposed to crowding."

Yes indeed.  A lady does not like to be crowded.

Enjoy your days!

Back into the neighbourhood

How is everyone this week?  Our weather is warming up somewhat but not - yet - unbearably so; there were complaints from some locals before Christmas that "we haven't had a summer.....whinge, moan......" but I for one wasn't complaining about our late cool start to the season.  Some rain would be good, though; since the flooding rain stopped it has been quite dry, and our skin and our hair are complaining about that.

On Tuesday the house blocks and their sashing, together with my Singer Featherweight, were packed up and taken to quilt group where sashing was sewn onto several blocks.  The last blocks and sashing are being worked on in the sewing room as we speak, or will be after I finish here.

Being an older Singer it doesn't have a 1/4 in foot, the foot is 1/4 in wide on the left and 1/8 in on the right, but the bed is wide enough - and the blocks still small enough - to sew from the 'other' side.  This pic shows one block under the needle, one waiting its turn on the left, and a few completed blocks at the back.  

It's going to be a very colourful quilt.

Diamonds have been cut and sewn.  The guitar block needs a little modification, which has been partly done.  No stitches have been knitted.  Words have been read.  Music has been played and sung, as we have a gig next Sunday morning.

Now that the Christmas wombats and Flossie their Guardian Angel have been packed up for another year, I thought it was time to change the cloth on my grandmother's 1925 Singer treadle machine where they were sitting.  I have a few embroidered and lace cloths so, as wood can stain them, a plain blue cloth was spread first then a crochet linen cloth on top.  The crochet cloth came to me from my mother and - I think - was made by one of her aunts.

As I stood back and admired it a thought popped into my head out of nowhere (as they often do) that I had read about an Australian woman who, 100 years or so ago, made quite a name for herself as a crochet designer.  Her name was Mary Card, and this may be one of her designs.  

Mard Card was a superstar in her day; she was known around the world for her beautiful designs.  Some were designed for the country where she was living at the time, as she was very good at tapping into people's patriotism.  This page has very good information, too.

I like the fact that after so long Mary Card's name is still known around the world and her designs still admired, to the extent that finished articles can be bought online for hundreds of dollars.  

We also have a larger cloth, a tulip design, which came from Kevin's maternal grandmother who was known in the family for her beautiful crochet work.  It, too, may be a Mary Card design.

These are filet crochet, I've tried filet - it's the crochet equivalent of counted cross stitch.  The wrinkled cloth between the crochet panels is linen; I think the wrinkles are caused by differences in tension between it and the crochet.  Probably wouldn't hurt to kiss it with an iron, either.  One day.....

No doubt a cloth such as this would have been spread for a genteel afternoon tea served in dainty cups, saucers and plates, while a little genteel character assassination may have been indulged in about those absent.....can't you just imagine it?  "Oh Mabel, did you see what Gladys wore to church last Sunday?  And her top button was undone, I'm sure the minister in the pulpit had a good eyeful!"

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Talking with a lady in the street.

In meeting a lady it is optional with her whether she shall pause to speak.  If the gentleman has anything to say to her, he should not stop her, but turn around and walk in her company until he has said what he has to say, when he may leave her with a bow and a lift of the hat."

There is obviously a reason why a gentleman should not detain a lady to talk to her, but it was quite correct to walk with her....however, that reason escapes me.

Enjoy your days!

Best wishes for 2023!

Well, we made it......another year done and dusted!  It will be interesting to see how it develops, won't it?

Did you all have a good Christmas?  Ours was very quiet, just the two of us this time.  Who knows what a year may bring?

As usual there will be no resolutions made in this house, but there will be hopes; hopes that a few projects will be closer to being finished by the end of the year than they currently are.  That will do me.

A new project has been started, a gift from a friend in Canada.

This was a block from a 'shop hop' back in 2018.  My music notes didn't fit on the lines without being too crowded, so one fell off.  Which sometimes happens, as many musicians will tell you.

Rather than using a dark brown or black for binding, this deep yellow from my stash will do nicely.  There may be just enough.

The applique is fused to the background; stitching it down will be done as it is quilted.  It will make a fun table topper.

Several diamonds have been cut, and quite a few joined.  It's about time that the finished blocks were counted, although there are nowhere near enough made for a quilt top.....even a small one.

Words have been read.  No stitches have been knitted as it's getting a bit warm to have wool on one's lap.  No notes have been plinked, although that will change tomorrow as the uke group has a rehearsal for a gig in a couple of weeks.

Recently a women's clothing shop, one of an Aussie chain, closed its doors here as a stand-alone shop and moved into a 'mega outlet' shared with other brands.  It's a brand I have been wearing for a long time as their clothes are suitable for those of us of the more mature years.  However, I don't think I will bother with them again; before Christmas I was able to find crop denim pants (the style worn by the older woman when she doesn't feel comfortable wearing shorts in public any more) in deep blue.  The same style in black - actually, a deep charcoal - would also be useful, I thought to myself, as my black pants are getting to the not-fit-to-wear-out-any-more stage....but alas, the black in my size was not to be had.  Any more out the back, I asked the assistant.....oh, I don't know, she said with a shrug.  A few days ago I called in again just on the off chance that luck might be on my side,  but once again drew a blank.  Blow it, I thought, so when we arrived home I ordered the very same black pants from their website.  Yes, I will have to pay postage, but that will be offset by the much-reduced sale price.  

I have never been much of an online shopper, but after being so disappointed by the alternative I can see the attraction.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"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."

Politeness must be the oil with which the wheels of interraction with others are greased - yes?

Enjoy your days!

Wherever you are, and whatever you celebrate.....

....even if you don't celebrate anything at all.....best wishes for a season full of love and peace, and good health in the coming year.

And music.  Lots of music.

And, of course, chocolate, preferably good quality dark chocolate.

Enjoy your days!

As we march ever closer to the Big Day....

A small amount of decorating has been done, as you can see if you come to our front door.

Welcome - do come in!

Flossie the Angel is guarding the wombats; some of the wombats were gifts and some were bought by me.

Or.....perhaps the wombats are guarding Flossie?  Who knows?

The Canadian tree, once again some gifts and some purchases, but all come from Canada.  The tiny green lights are little pine trees, appropriate considering how many of them we have seen growing in Canada.

That's pretty much it for this year, folks.

We have bought a seasoned turkey roll so we can feel a bit festive, it will be cooked on Christmas Eve (if I am organised enough) or Christmas Day (if I'm not).  The turkey farm just outside town has a shop; it's been a local hangout for years but we hadn't been before, so yesterday we harnessed up the trusty steed and out we went.  Anything turkey - you name it!  We also bought some turkey sausages to try.

Now I think I have said that I never make new year resolutions, but I do have Hopes.  Some of the current Hopes are gifts from a friend in Canada that I plan to make; since making my tree hanging and my Canadian quilt I have lost my fear of fusible applique, so it's time these were done.

First will be the musical piece on the bottom right; the fabrics are mostly from the Grunge range in muted browns and greys, appropriate considering that guitars and ukuleles are mostly made from wood.

It may go on the wall, or it may become a table centre.....yet to be decided.

Some (many!) notes have been plinked, some diamonds joined although more need to be cut, not one stitch knitted.  Words have been read.  Rehearsals have happened.  The usual hunting and gathering took place, and so another week has passed.

The ukulele group played its last gig for the year last night at a small village not far out of town, and considering that it was pretty much thrown together with not a lot of organising it went off well.  The folk who ran it were lovely and they want us back next year; we sang our funny and happy Christmas songs, a choir sang a few songs, and there was a pianist leading everyone in the carol singing.  

Seasonal music is taking over the air waves, as they say, and we are being regaled with the usual December selection.  While I don't mind most of the traditional carols - indeed, I grew up singing them - I do draw the line at songs which are about winter but not about Christmas. Songs such as 'Let it snow'......'Winter wonderland'.....'even 'Jingle bells' was not written as a Christmas song, you know.  Our Christmas is in summer and it can be very hot, so we don't need songs about nostalgic winter Christmases in our December playlists.  Many Christmas songs are too sentimental and mawkish for my taste, anyway;  I don't put my foot down very often with the ukulele group, but under no circumstances whatsoever will I ever sing 'I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus' - I can't stand that song, grumpy Olde Pharte though I may be.

Some recent visitors to my blog have come up as "no-reply bloggers", meaning I can't reply to your welcome comments....if this is you, you might want to change your settings so I (and other bloggers) can reply.

 Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Bowing to strangers with friends.

If a gentleman meets a friend, and the latter has a stranger with him, all three should bow.  If the gentleman stops his friends to speak to him, he should apologize to the stranger for detaining him.  If the stranger is a lady, the same deference should be shown as if she were an acquaintance."

Indeed.  One should always be polite.  Politeness costs nothing, and leaves a lasting impression.

Enjoy your days!

Moving back into the neighbourhood

The big box which until recently held all the requirements for my Canadian quilt now has a new project - the house blocks have moved in.

'There goes the neighbourhood' is back!

Earlier in the week I took the blocks, the cut sashing pieces and my 1950 Singer Featherweight machine to quilt group, and sewed sashings to blocks.  Nearly half the blocks have now had sashing sewn on one side.

Some of the result laid out on my work table to be admired.  The sashings will be joined to one block side first, the blocks laid out to mix the house and background colours to my satisfaction then they will be joined into rows....after that the looong narrow sashings will be made and atttached, and the top made.

It will be a fun happy quilt, with a lot of yellow.

Some diamonds have been cut, no stitches knitted.  Words have been read, notes have been plinked, songs have been sung.  Hunting and gathering has taken place.

Because it's getting to 'that' time of year, here is some New South Wales Christmas bush.

We had a couple of plants in our garden in the Big Smoke but sadly they don't grow here, we're too far away from coastal humidity and don't have the right soil.  We could probably spend an exorbitant amount of money and buy some from a florist, but for now I'll live on the memory of it.  The flowers are teeny tiny little white blooms, nothing much to look at; the red - sometimes it is really vibrant bright red, not pink like this - are the sepals behind the flowers.

Last night we atttended a concert featuring instruments not usually seen here.  We had a saz....and an oud.....flamenco guitar, double bass, clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophones, piano, a singer.....it was a fun night and the music was really interesting, a mix from different cultures.  We were told that there will be more similar music next year - looking forward to that!  It makes a change from twanging country music guitars, usually a popular choice hereabouts.

The weather folk have told us to expect some rain tomorrow, and it will be very welcome.  You wouldn't think that after all our rain and floods of recent times that we would need more rain, but we do; the warmer dry weather of late has really dried out our gardens, our skin and our hair, so we are looking forward to some moisture.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"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."

I wonder why that should be the case?  A handshake is not an intimate greeting like a hug or a smoochy kiss, something which a bystander might find embarrassing to witness.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Yay! Double yay and triple yay!!

Yay even unto the nth degree yay!!!

It is done!

I am very happy with it, too.  When I can I'll get a better pic, but it is done.  The hanging split sleeve still needs to be sewn down on the back, but that doesn't count towards done, does it?

During its making I earned a lot....I learned how to quilt as you go; I learned how to do raw edge applique, something I had done very little of before this.  On our last trip to Canada our DIL and I went to a quilt show which had one of these hanging, but I didn't take a pic - because I wanted to photograph my own when it was done.

However, the most impotant thing I learned was - don't ever do anything like this again!

Now things can be moved around again in the sewing room.  The house blocks have been brought back into daylight and will now be worked on, likewise a foundation pieced project which needs its turn in the sun.  Each project has its own box; for some time now the biggest box has had fabrics and patterns for the Canadian quilt because it was large enough that the blocks could stay flat, but now it will be used for another project.

A few diamonds were cut but none joined.  No stitches were knitted; it's getting a bit warm for knitting.  Words have been read.

A few nights ago Kevin was standing over the barbecue on the back verandah (which we call the beer garden although we seldom drink beer in it) and a few of the neighbours popped by for a visit.  I think the one on the right should be wearing a "baby on board" sign.

There's always one who likes to be Nigel or Noreen No-friends on its own....

The year is slowly winding down.  A few nights ago the choir had its end of year dinner at a restaurant for a very nice meal and in a week or so the sewing group is doing lunch.  The quilt group had theirs last Saturday but I didn't go as it clashed with the choir concert, and as it was probably our very last performance ever there was no choice, was there?  Choir won't stop meeting, but we won't do concerts.

Ads are starting to appear for so-called 'talent' programs starting back on TV next year (nothing like getting in early, is there) and one young feller shown was singing, head back, eyes closed, throat tight, face contorted in agony.....if you don't enjoy it, mate, don't do it.  Simple.

Houses in our street are putting up fancy lights, the neighbours two doors down at no. 72 have a large display with just about every light flashing merrily.  When we came home from our dinner on Thursday night we passed several houses with their flashing displays and it was already 9.30 p.m......if we lived near one of those displays I would be asking (nicely, of course) (at first, anyway) if they could be turned off no later than 9 p.m.  Or preferably earlier when it just starts to get dark, because flashing lights annoy the bejabbers out of me.  Bah humbug.

This year will be just the two of us so the house will be quiet, but there will be a few decorations put out.  My Canadian tree - a small tree with decorations from Canada, some bought by me and some gifted - will go up, and the Chrissie wombats will of course make an appearance.  Even Flossie, the Jim Shore Christmas angel, might pop in for a visit.  She can keep an eye on the wombats, because Santa Paws doesn't come to naughty wombats, you know.  Even Christmas decoration wombats.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"The first to bow.

In England strict etiquette requires that a lady, meeting upon the street a gentleman with whom she has acquaintance, shall give the first bow of recognition.  In Australia, however, good sense does not insist upon an imperative following of this rule.  A well-bred man bows and raises his hat to every lady of his acquaintance whom he meets, without waiting for her to take the iniative.  If she is well-bred, she will certainly respond to his salutation.  As politeness requires that each salute the other, their salutations should thus be simultaneous."

I remember being out with my maternal grandfather, Pop Davis, when I was a child, and he would always raise his hat if he saw someone he knew - particularly a lady.  I don't, however, remember if their mutual salutations were simultaneous.

Enjoy your days!