Each day - a little closer to a finish!

How have you all been this week?  We have been enjoying some slightly - only slightly, but it's an improvement - cooler weather, giving us hope that one day this interminable summer heat will finally end.  Some rain showers are forecast for the next few days, so if they arrive we will be happy people.

Over the past few days I have been working on finishing my musical hanging.  The (slightly wobbly) quilting is done, and finally the outside had a line of stitching to hold the edges together while it was trimmed and had the binding stitched to the front.  Even though I always measure the outer perimeter of a quilt I always seem to cut too many binding strips - but not this time!

That little strip of fabric, barely one quarter inch wide, is all that was left after joining the two ends together.....how's that for cutting it fine?

Thoughts were thought about how to hang it on the wall, and the winning thought was to make three or four tabs so it can hang from a narrow rod or dowel.  Jolly good idea, I thought to myself; the piece left after cutting binding (which wasn't huge to start with, it was left over from a project several years ago) was 6-1/2 inches wide by about 20 inches long.  Four 2-1/2 inch strips were cut across the width, and they will be turned into tabs.

It didn't occur to me until after they were cut that I could have cut one long strip, sewn the edges and cut it into four tabs.....but working with shorter strips will, I suspect, make for more accuracy.  That's what I am telling myself, anyway.  The block kit was part of a shop hop row by row and instructions were very basic, but I can work out how to make a hanging.

Kevin had his Major Milestone birthday during the week, and we enjoyed a very nice lunch at a pub about 45 minutes north of us.  If we lived on the other side of town it would be barely half an hour, but those extra minutes gave me more knitting time.  This is the river which runs past the pub we visited, although this pic was taken in winter - and it is far from being winter now, but it is still the same peaceful river.

Stitches have been knitted, some machine stitching was done.  No diamonds were cut or sewn but the supply of them needs topping up, so the trusty cutter had better hop to it in coming days.  Words have been read, plinking and singing have happened.  My knee (which seems to be doing well so far; neither it nor my leg have fallen off, which is a good sign) allowed me to join in the hunting and gathering during the week, so we can eat again.

Yesterday afternoon the choir sang at a memorial "soirée" for the woman who formed the original choir over 25 years ago, and who passed away a month before Christmas.  She seems to have been quite a force in the musical life of the town in years gone by - she moved away several years before we came here, so I never had the chance to know her - and people came from out of the woodwork, and indeed from all over the world, to farewell her in style.  Originally the concert was to be a modest affair in a small hall but as time went on it was realised that the hall wouldn't hold all the people who wanted to attend, so it was moved to the town hall.  We performed our two songs after an introductory film and song; before it all started we were told that we would be filmed for posterity (!) and also for last night's news (!!).  Sure enough during the 6p.m. news bulletin, in between the stories of murder and mayhem around the world, there we were in all our elderly glory.  Ohmygawd......

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"If a Protestant gentleman accompanies a lady who is a Roman Catholic to her own church, it is an act of courtesy to offer the holy water.  This he must do with the ungloved right hand."

I believe that in years gone by people used to attend whichever church they were curious about - 'church shopping', perhaps?  I can remember when Roman Catholics were not allowed inside a church of another denomination, not even for an occasion such as a wedding.  They had to wait outside the church but were allowed to join in the festivities afterward.  As for so-called mixed marriages....dear me no, can't have those.  I remember the mother of a friend in my teenage years being more upset that her daughter was marrying a Roman Catholic in his church, than the daughter already being several months pregnant.  Another wedding, a friend of a friend, involved a daughter marrying in a different church other than her own Roman Catholic church - and the mother's priest forbade her to attend her own daughter's wedding.  Religion doesn't always bring people closer together, far from it.....it can drive a sizeable wedge between people.

Ah well.  We could solve the problems of the world if there were no people, couldn't we.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Answers

Answers are good things to have.  Some of my recent medical Stuff has an answer - one I wasn't expecting, but it's good to know that I'm not just a wuss!

A few weeks ago my left leg started being sore around the knee area....above, below, inside.  Well, darn, I thought, but didn't let it stop me from going out and about. One of those recent 'outs' was a trip down town and all was well although my leg was complaining mightily, something I was doing my best to ignore.  On the way back to the car we were crossing the road in the middle of the main drag when suddenly my knee collapsed and I could go no further; fortunately I managed to stay upright although by now in more than a certain amount of pain.  Well bugger, I thought.  (And probably said too.)  Eventually between us we managed to get me to a seat on the footpath....for my overseas friends, we don't have sidewalks in Australia, we have footpaths.....while Kevin brought the car closer.  With the aid of one of the helpful pharmacy assistants and the wheely walker she brought out, I made it into the car and we drove home.  The next day Kevin went to the op shop and bought a walking stick, something which has proven very handy, and an appointment with the physio a few days later has helped muchly too.  Turns out that the meniscus in my left knee was playing up so some treatment and daily exercises have made it easier, with a return visit in another week to check its progress.

Look after your meniscus, folks.  They really hurt if they aren't happy.  Still, all is good.....nothing has fallen off, my leg is still intact, and I can get around without the stick now although it comes with me when we go out.

Best of all - this week is slightly milder, and we welcome the cooler temps.  Some rain would be nice, though.  We're even noticing a few leaves beginning to turn and others losing their bright summer green, looking slightly tired and faded.  Days are getting noticeably shorter, too.  Roll on, autumn!

With the slightly cooler temps my thoughts have turned to knitting once more, so last night stitches were cast on for the back of the next.....probably jumper, although it might yet turn out to be a cardy.  Decision yet to be made.

This book is a good source of patterns; I have already three jumpers using their basic raglan sleeved jumper pattern, with my own touches added.  The bright green markers are placed every 20 stitches for the cast on because, if stitches need to be counted in that cast-on row, it is easier to count to 20 several times than to 139 once.

This is my bewdiful yarn, bought last year.  Every ball has the same colours, and the knitted examples on the Bendigo Woollen Mills website look very interesting.

Thirty years ago I worked for a time in a girls' school run by nuns, a couple of whom were inveterate knitters, and they told me about Bendigo yarn.  In those pre-internet days one had to ring the mill store (an interstate phone call!  how extravagant!!) and ask for a shade sample card which was duly sent, then one filled out the attached order form, returned it by post and eagerly awaited the arrival of one's lovely new yarn.  The balls are quite large, so there are very few joins to be dealt with during the finishing process.

We have an outing planned for Wednesday, Kevin's birthday, as we will be driving to a pub half an hour out of town for lunch.  It's a significant Big 0 birthday (mind you, at this age every birthday achieved is a significant milestone) so we would like to make it more special than a peanut butter sandwich at home.  The trip will be long enough for a few rows of knitting, then our trip down south next month will make opportunities for much more so the new knit will be progressing nicely by the time we return home.

Not much sewing has happened this week apart from a little hand piecing, and some more diamonds have been cut.  Words have been read.  Lots of notes have been plinked and sung as U3A ukulele returned on Thursday, and we have some new people too; we're quite a big group now.  No hunting and gathering was needed - I couldn't have walked around the shops anyway - but we had food, so we haven't starved.  We probably will if hunting and gathering isn't done within the next few days, but my leg should be fine by then.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"When the services are concluded, there should be no haste in crowding up the aisle, but the departure should be conducted quietly and decorously.  When the vestibule is reached, it is allowable to change greetings with friends, but here there should be no loud talking or boisterous laughter.  Neither should gentlemen congregate in knots in the vestibule or upon the steps of the church and compel ladies to run the gauntlet of their eyes and tongues."

Yes, indeed.  There is no need to engage in unseemly sprinting to be the first out of the door after the service, and as for compelling ladies to run the gauntlet of eyes and tongues - well, shame on you for even thinking of it.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The best laid plans, and all that Stuff

Things do not always work as we had planned or hoped, do they?

The planned sewing didn't happen this week, sadly.  There has been some medical Stuff to get sorted out....but I have high hopes for the coming week.  It has also been very hot with severe heatwave conditions which saps my energy and makes me feel like doing nothing.  I am over summer - I'm ready for autumn now.

Never mind.  This, too, shall pass.  

We did have some excitement last week!  Just before lunch time on Monday Kevin and I were on our way out, and, as usual, he unlocked the right hand garage door to get the car. I usually get in the car in the shady garage. Imagine my shock horror when I spied a wriggling snake disappear under the left hand door, going into the garage! When we arrived home we contacted a snake catcher who duly came, as we thought it might be a brown snake. Brown snakes are nasty buggers.....very nasty indeed, and it was light brown. Probably not a brown snake, said our intrepid snake catcher, probably a whip snake, also venomous but nowhere near as bad; they are apparently quite placid and have tiny teeth, so don't inject much venom.

I don't care. A snake is a snake, in my book. I know they are protected, but there is only one of me and I like to think I am protected, and Kevin is too.

This is not a brown snake, it's a blue-tongued lizard, known in Australia as "bluey", but that is indeed the garage door under which the snake slithered.

Isn't this a peaceful spot? It's near the centre of Canberra, just 15 minutes from the centre of Australia's capital city.

And - we are planning the annual Easter trip to Canberra again, as we speak!

Our visiting musical guest has gone home, and - as always - we enjoyed having him.  He's not sure if he is coming next January, but somehow we think he will.  He's a nice bloke, and fun to have around; I have memories of him and I sitting around our kitchen table singing Hank Williams songs......well, why don't you love me like you used to do.....how come you treat me like a worn out shoe......

Words have been read, diamonds have been sewn although no more have been cut; the supply is perilous low, so hopefully more can be cut soon.  Choir and uke group are back so words have been sung and plinked; in a couple of weeks we will the first act at a memorial concert for the woman who originally formed the choir over 25 years ago, so that is a great honour.  The usual hunting and gathering have ensured that we won't starve, and that's it for the week.

Viola - you asked how many wombats are in my collection - the answer is.....I don't know!  Quite a lot, but I don't buy every wombat I see; they have to look like a wombat, not like something they are not.  The heaviest is a big 16 kg solid bronze feller which holds the front door open, and the smallest is a tiny gold wombat on a chain.  Many of my collection have been gifts too, so they have good memories.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"In visiting a church of a different belief from your own, pay the utmost respect to the services and conform in all things to the observances of the church - that is, kneel, sit and rise with the congregation.  No matter how grotesquely some of the forms and observances may strike you, let no smile or contemptuous remark indicate the fact while in the church."

The fashions of the mid-1880s when this book was first published would, I would have thought, have made it difficult to kneel gracefully in public?  Remember - this was the age of the large bustle.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Yee har!

Yep, the country music has come to town......however it is fun, and some of the sights - oh, my goodness.  We know it's been hot (very hot indeed, actually; the severe heatwave conditions this week have been making life difficult) but perhaps not so much bare flesh hanging out would have been nice.

We have attended a couple of concerts and spent quite a bit of time sitting chatting with our musical guest, putting the world to rights.  He leaves tomorrow, and he has presented us with some tasty Stuff for drinking - Baileys for me, Irish whiskey for Kevin - to remember him by.

Our Tuesday night gig went off better than we hoped, but I still don't like playing outdoors.  Over the years I have had my share of music stands blowing over in the wind, music blowing off stands, insects buzzing around, rain storms forcing the event to be cancelled even while performing, the one and only electrical plug for all the sound gear being accidentally pulled out of the socket, freezing cold winds, you name it, I have played in it.  It was windy on Tuesday so I suppose we were lucky that our stands didn't blow over, I managed to grab mine a few times just before it fell.  Oh well, the audience liked us.  If we sign up for that gig again I will be investing in a heavy duty music stand; I have folding stands one of which is heavier than the others, I nearly took it.....of course 20 minutes out of town it was breezier than here at home so I should have done so.....we'll know better next time.

Very few stitches have been taken this week, and most of them were on Tuesday during my regular volunteer shift at a gallery.  It's always interesting at the gallery during country music time because we gat a lot of visitors from other parts of Australia (and occasionally even overseas), and this week there has been music.  I was lucky enough to be able to listen to a wonderful gallery concert by some local performers I hadn't heard before, although I had heard of them.

With nothing to show for the week, let's see what we can find in the picture vaults.

On Friday we celebrated Australia Day.  While many people like the idea of having a national day there are also people who feel that it marks a day when the land now called Australia was invaded by Europeans to the detriment of the indigenous population, so there is a growing cry every year to "change the date".  Well......yes, and no; changing to another date will not erase the fact that invasion and its consequences happened, which seems to be the thinking of many people.  "If we celebrate on another date it won't be celebrating an invasion" they seem to think.  Ah....no, I don't think it works like that.....

Regardless of which date is celebrated, Australia is the best country in the world - because we have wombats!  This little feller was the first in my collection, over 25 years ago.

I was visiting my mother here in the Small Smoke a couple of years before she died (25 years this August, which is how I know the wombat's age) when we stopped for a cuppa at a long-gone café/gift shop/plant nursery, and this wombat called to me.  I succumbed to the call, and so began an interesting - still ongoing - collection.

Taken on an autumn day when we were paused for roadworks, while travelling the Mid Western Highway between Cowra and Bathurst.  We were on our way home from Canberra.

So peaceful......

Very few stitches were made, but plinking and singing was done.  Words were read.  Many words were spoken and listened to, many cuppas consumed, with our musical friend.  Out we go for the hunting and gathering, and so passes another week.

However, I do have hopes to achieve something - anything! - this coming week.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church.  We will combine two, as both are short.

"It is courteous to see that visitors are provided with books, and if the service is strange to them, the places for the day's reading should be indicated.

It is perfectly proper to offer to share the prayer-book or hymn-book with a stranger if there is no separate book for his use."

Yes, indeed.  It is easy to lose one's place during the service when one is unfamiliar with its form.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Melting moments again

Not the sweet treat, just the weather.  There is a severe heatwave forecast for the coming week which will be unpleasant, but hey.....it, too, will eventually pass.  At least we had some good rain a few days ago, although campers setting up tents and vans for the country music festival probably didn't enjoy it as much as the locals. 

This morning's gospel breakfast went off well, but could have been better organised.  Other performers took their sweet time getting ready......oh, perhaps I'll do this song.....oh no, I'll do that one instead.....come on, folks, you know you will be performing.  Is it too much to hope that you will be ready when it's your turn?  As for those two singers who had their karaoke machine and fancy microphones with them, the less said the better.  It is possible to sing in tune without spoiling a song, you know.

Oh well.  Onward and upward.

Next performance is on Tuesday evening, also out of town.  Being outside on what will probably be quite a warm night won't be too bad; we have already wised up to taking along insect repellant.  It should be much more lively than this morning's gig.  We have been told that we are tight performers - which is a compliment, as it means we don't dither around.  

No sewing has happened this week apart from a few stitches in some diamonds, but that will change again after Tuesday night.  Words have been read.  It has been a busy week with not much to show.  Many notes have been plinked and sung, but once they are done and sent out into the air they are gone forever with nothing to show for them.  The usual hunting and gathering has been indulged in.....although shopping for the necessities of life isn't really an indulgence, is it?

Recently I was thinking deep thoughts about finishing the house quilt once the outer green borders have been added.  Binding....well no, not green.  Not yellow, there is almost nothing left of the yellow and black sashing or I would use it.  Black and white.....yes!  In my stash is a goodly amount of a black and white plaid; it was used to bind another quilt a few years ago, and I think - I hope - it will make an excellent binding for this, too.

This is the extra wide backing fabric purchased some time ago, the uneven plaid will be cut on the bias for binding, and the multicoloured Valdani stranded floss will be used to embroider a fun label.  It couldn't be sourced locally so was purchased from a very helpful shop in another state, Sew Bright Alpine Quilting in Bright.  We haven't been to Bright for years, it's quite a pretty town.

During the week my so-far-borderless house quilt came with me to sewing group to be admired; not everyone in that group is a quilter, but everyone sews.  Our oldest member (in her mid-80s) remarked on how cheerful it was, she specially liked the black and white fabrics bordering the houses.  "I wouldn't have thought to do that", she said; "I would have probably used a neutral colour".  So I said......"and wouldn't that have been boring?"  "Oh, yes!" she said.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"If books or fans are passed in church, let them be offered and accepted or refused with a silent gesture of the head."

One does not need to pass, accept or refuse a book or fan noisily, does one?  A nod of the head, with or without a smile, is sufficient.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

I can see clearly now!

That would make a good song title, wouldn't it?  Oh, wait......hmmmm.....

My new glasses were collected a few days ago, and now all is clear.  Deep teal and sort-of-bronze, with more of those details on the arms.  They are quite pretty, with a slight Art Deco styling.

Much to the interest of the staff I took along a needle, thread and fabric to try the new glasses before bringing them home, and yes - they worked!

With my spiffy new specs, I should be able to read a menu correctly too.

A couple of weeks ago we met up with a friend for lunch at a pub not far from here - when you live in a country town, an hour is considered "not far" - and when perusing the menu I thought is said "bananas and mash".  Well, no....it was "bangas and mash".  For the non-Ozzies "bangers" (the usual spelling) are sausages (definitely not hot dogs) grilled or broiled, and mash is of course mashed potato.  It is usually served with copious amounts of gravy, and sometimes "dead horse" - tomato sauce.  Not ketchup.  We don't do ketchup.  

The week hasn't entirely slipped by, some sewing has happened, and the quilting on my musical hanging is done.  Now the edges need to be stitched and trimmed, then it can be bound with the dark yellow fabric shown; it picks up the yellow in a couple of the music notes, and will add a bright touch to the edge.

Nothing fancy about the quilting, just some lines echoing the design.  Perhaps they are sound waves.  It's supposed to be a guitar - tenor guitars (and ukuleles!) have four strings, so we will say it's a tenor with slightly crooked strings.  Once it is bound and hanging on the wall it will look like a true work of genius.  I hope.

Diamonds have been sewn, and more cut.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung in readiness for an annual gig next Sunday morning at silly early o'clock, for a gospel breakfast at a small church just out of town; the folk who run the church are all nice people, and they like our songs.  The usual foray for hunting and gathering has taken place, and that's it for another week.

Our next caravan trip away will be in March, so thoughts need to be thought about a knitting project to take along.  It's over 700 kms from here to Canberra by the most direct route - which we don't always take anyway - so that is a lot of knitting time.  There is some bewdiful new yarn waiting in my stash for inspiration to strike......cardy or jumper, jumper or cardy......

Recently while eating our way through (chocolate chip!) shortbread, part of a Christmas gift, I wondered why shortbread seems to be associated with New Year, so looked it up......and yes, it is, particularly in Scotland.  Shortbread was once considered quite a delicacy, and Hogmanay - New Year - used to be an important celebration in Scotland; indeed, it still is in many places.  Of course a celebratory occasion calls for celebratory food, and so the association between New Year and shortbread was started.

Last night we watched two parts of a documentary on railways of the world.  The first part was set in Scotland, but we weren't provided with subtitles or an interpreter.....those Highland Scottish accents were very thick and broad......just because we speak the same language (sort of, more or less) doesn't mean to say we can understand each other.  The scenery was pretty, so we just watched it roll by and picked up the occasional word as best we could.  Part two was in California, we had no trouble with that!

Once again the rain has passed us by, but we have hopes - which may be doomed to disappointment, but we can always hope - for the coming week.  We might be doing that rain dance yet.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"Do not turn around in your seat to gaze at anyone, to watch the choir, to look over the congregation or to see the cause of any disturbing noise."

No, not at all.  Eyes front, and all that.  Not even if something untoward occurs.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

 

Happy New Year!

Here we are - a week into 2024 already.  Every time you write 2024 it gets easier, doesn't it?  Each year we have to retrain the old brain to change that end number, but it's doing well this year.

So....new year, new(ish) project.

Last Tuesday at quilt group the centre block of my quilt was made.

Lurve those autumn tones; my birthday is in early May, autumn in Australia, perhaps that's why I like them so much.

Some of the work for the next round was also done, these half-square triangle units were made.  A few are laid out here to show how it will go together.

The following round uses some leaf blocks and some half-square triangle blocks, and also uses four inch wide strips of.....

one of these two fabrics.  Much as I love the bright reds, golds and greens of the fabric on the left, I think I will use the softer gold/brown toned fabric for those strips.  Further into the quilt there is a 1/4 inch wide 'peeper' border, so those brighter colours will be ideal for that.

However, it needs a name.  The original quilt in the magazine is called 'Groundcover', but I'm not sure I love that enough to use it for my quilt.  'Leaf litter' isn't quite right, either.....'Leaf Mulch', noooo.......never mind.  No doubt something suitable will pop into my mind, one day.

My musical hanging has also been having some work done.  The applique pieces are stitched down and quilted in one step, so that has been happening....some of the narrow strips are a little fiddly-diddly to do, but once they are done there won't be much left to do.  It has been sitting on my working/cutting table for too long and other Stuff was starting to pile on top of it, so it's time it was done.

Diamonds have been joined, and more have been cut.  Words have been read.  Not one note has been plinked or sung, although that will change tomorrow when uke group resumes.  We have hunted and gathered, and so has passed the first week of the year.

It was also time for my annual eye exam, it happened earlier than usual this year because I have been noticing a deterioration in my vision.  So - off to the optometrist; the usual tests were performed and my eye health is good, for which I am thankful.  I have a slow-growing cataract on my left eye which has been noticeable for a few years but it's not to the stage of needing surgery, I was told it may not be for several years yet - but I did need a new prescription for reading glasses, so they are being made.  The dreaded shopping for frames was undertaken (all that trying on and looking in the mirror gives me the heeby jeebies) and new ones selected, not an easy task this year as the current style of thicker plastic frames does not appeal to me at all.  We wore those back in the 1990s because that's all there was, but I don't feel they suit my face at all.  This year's choice is a deep teal - almost nearly not quite green but close enough; I didn't really love any of the green frames on offer except for one which didn't fit my head, so they were out of the question - and hopefully in a week or so they should be ready, and my eyes will be pleased.

Storms have been hanging around us but no rain has fallen here on the hill, not a drop, not a dribble, not a spit.  We could do with some, so let's hope the coming week's forecast rain does, indeed, happen.  We might have to go outside and perform a rain dance, and the world is not yet ready for that.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"A person should never leave church until the services are over, except in some case of emergency."

No, indeed.  You would be the cynosure of all eyes, and that is not necessarily a good thing in church.