Hey, rain.....

....rain coming down,
On the cane, on the roofs of the town......

From a poem by Aussie Bill Scott, and very apt today because we are having some very welcome rain.  It's not so welcome in Queensland, they are having tornadoes and floods, but it has been so dry here lately that we will take whatever we can get and be grateful for it.

It rained the day we visited Kincardine, too.  That's Lake Huron in the distance.

 Don't you love the different colours of autumn?  It's not all orange, or gold, or red....there is such a mix of colours.

Just taking a coffee break from sewing blocks together for a charity quilt.  The blocks were made by group members and when I measured them I found that some folk were rather creative with their seams.......one in particular was not well made, it had equal sides but wasn't square, more of a parallelogram and the sides may have measured equal but they weren't straight......but I was determined to use it because there were nine blocks and if that one wasn't used another would have had to be made in its place.......so its sides were trimmed as straight as possible, and all blocks were bordered with 2-1/2in borders of cream fabric.  Then, genius what I am, I made a paper template 9-1/2in square and used it to cut all the blocks on an angle to get wonky squares.  They are now in the process of being sashed with pale blue solid, then bordered with mid and dark blue solids.  The block design is a bird, a swallow, hence the blue borders - and because they are wonky they look as though they are darting round the sky.  A pic will be taken when it's all together, I promise.  Those blocks have been taking up space in my sewing room for well over a year so it's time they were moved out.

For the border design and measurements I used EQ7, drew it up , used their measurements to buy the border fabrics, and to cut them, then wondered why they wouldn't fit the by-then-trimmed-to-size blocks, and realised that although I had cut the fabrics to the measurements given, I had put the wrong size into my design in the first place.  Fortunately the error was easily fixed as I had put in a bigger size and the sashings and borders needed a little trimmed off them; it would not have been good had I put in a smaller size.  So if you would like 24 pieces of light blue solid fabric each half an inch by 1-1/2 inches, speak up now.

We have been enjoying some of the festival music, even though it's called a country music festival I wouldn't call all the music we have heard 'country'.  Why put music in boxes?  You either enjoy it, or you don't.  We spent yesterday afternoon at a pub on The Other Side Of The River......yes indeed, we crossed over......listening to a musician we have heard play at folk festivals in past years, Andy Baylor.  Great music, really danceable; some people took to the floor, and we enjoyed watching them dance as much as they enjoyed dancing.  We came home with three new CDs and are looking forward to hearing them.  Next month Andy will be playing at a jazz festival - see what I mean about boxes?  Folk festival, country music festival, jazz festival.....who decides how these genres are defined?

Unfortunately my healing foot didn't allow me up on the dance floor, but I would have if I could have, and if I had a partner.  But it is getting better, the swelling has nearly all gone down which makes it easier to move, which in turn means that I move more.  However, this year was to be the year that my torn shoulder was fixed, I had psyched myself up to Going Under The Knife and was looking forward to being pain-free, until Kevin (being a tough Aussie bloke and not asking for help) hurt his shoulder loading a suitcase into our car at the very start of our Canadian holiday last year, we hadn't even left home. He has now found out he has torn two muscles in his shoulder, so bang goes my chance to be fixed....I only have one torn tendon, even though it was done a few years ago and it is uncomfortable and sometimes annoying.....can you blame me for being slightly miffed?  I was told that immediately after the operation I would have to keep my arm in a fixed position for six weeks, then limited movement while having physiotherapy, all of which would take at least three months; I had been hoping to have it done before next summer, as having one's arm strapped to one's body could be uncomfortable in hot weather.  Being one-armed means depending on one's partner for help with tasks like hair washing, so the aforementioned partner needs to have two working hands, arms and shoulders.  By the time Kevin gets to see a specialist (probably in the Big Smoke), and arranges for his operation, and goes through his rehabilitation of at least three months, it will be getting on for summer again......so there goes my chance to be fixed this year.  I am peeved, and more than a little resentful.

Ah well.  No doubt these things happen for a reason.  I have yet to decide what that reason is, in this case.

"In society, everybody should receive equal attention, the young as well as the old.  A high authority says 'If we wish our young people to grow up self-possessed and at ease, we must early train them in those graces by giving them the same attention and consideration we do those of maturer years.  If we snub them, and systematically neglect them, they will acquire an awkwardness and a deprecatory manner, which will be very difficult for them to overcome'"

If we were both to receive equal attention then we could both have our shoulders fixed at the same time.....but how would we cope, with both of us being one-armed for a while?

Enjoy your days!

Summer is definitely overrated

It's been very hot, I have decided I am over summer.  I wish I was back in nice cool Canada with its rain, and cloud, and a little bit of snow, and mist like the days we visited Butchart Gardens.  In summer this is a mass of coloured flowers and visitors, but in autumn it is peaceful.

 The pic below is part of the famous Sunken Garden.  Have I ever mentioned that I am quite fond of green?  The different shades of green make it a year-round garden.

 Sometimes one leaf stands out from its surroundings, as this one did.

 This maple leaf on a driveway seemed to be on fire.....it was glowing on a dull afternoon.

Much cooler weather than we are currently having, and much more pleasant.  Many Canadians we met on our holiday were surprised that we would choose cool weather to visit them, but if those nice folk were to suffer (and I do mean suffer) weather like we are having this summer they would know why we enjoyed their fall.  Oh well, only a few months until autumn rolls round once more.......hope we can survive that long.

Yesterday morning the broken foot and I had a session with Emma the Physiotherapist, and I am pleased to report that we - the foot and I - are now moving much more freely and with less pain.  The swelling isn't as bad as it was, and we have some exercises to do to help the healing along and an elastic bandage to wear to help keep the swelling down.  Halloween was many many weeks ago and my foot has been swollen and sore since then, and I am fed up with not being able to take a step without it hurting.  I was pleased, though, to have a reason for the swelling and pain, that it wasn't just me being a wuss.  According to the medical report it is "still healing", so things are being taken gently.......dancing the rumba will have to wait a little longer.

Unfortunately it has also curtailed my machine sewing, but the new jammies are getting closer to be finished.  One pair is already done, while the other only needs hems on the top and pants to be measured, pinned and sewn.  That won't take long, indeed it may even get done today.

A few hours west of here over the past few days have been suffering very bad bush fires with many houses and farms destroyed, but no lives lost thank goodness.  It saddens me to watch, on news reports, people who have lost nearly all they own except the clothes they are wearing being asked by reporters "and how did you feel when you saw that your house and everything in it was gone?"  How crass and insensitive is that?  For heaven's sake, leave them to grieve their losses in peace and privacy.

There are no more unfortunate lapses of good taste in clothing to report this week, you will be pleased to hear.  However, as the town is now having its annual influx of music fans we can expect to see more.  Why is it that many people, when on holiday, don't think that ordinary rules of dressing decently apply to them?  Do they leave their good taste (if, indeed, they have any) at home?  Just because you are visiting a town you don't live in is no reason for sloppiness.

"Opera dress.
Opera dress for matinees maybe as elegant as for morning calls.  A head dress is generally worn even by those who occupy boxes, it may be as dressy as one chooses to make it.  In the evening ladies are at liberty to wear evening dresses, with ornaments in their hair, instead of a bonnet, and as the effect of light colors is much better than dark in a well-lighted opera house, they should predominate."

Performances during The Festival will be in a variety of venues from small halls to large theatres, but except for one gala night people don't generally dress up to this extent.  Wouldn't it be nice if they did?

Enjoy your days!

We're having a heatwave.....

.......a tropical heatwave,
It isn't surprising the temperature's rising,
She certainly can.....can can!

Remember that song?

We are indeed having a heatwave, although it's not tropical.  For over a week now it's been very hot with the occasional day of 40 deg C, that's over 100F in old numbers, and more to come in the next week or so.  Bush fires have burnt many properties in different states, although, touch wood, so far no lives have been lost.  But people have lost their homes, businesses, all their possessions, schools have gone; while it's not as catastrophic as the fires of a few years ago it's not over yet.  Coastal towns which usually have milder temperatures than we get have been hot - some even hotter than us.

These are some of the bags which came home from Canada with me.  Isn't this a fun bag?  The pattern and fabric were a gift from Rose Marie when we stayed with her.

The fabric is Stonehenge by Northcott, both the prints and the black tone-on-tone, and is beautiful fabric to work with.  The pattern didn't use lining, but I added one - the base is quite sturdy so I felt the sides needed more than one layer of fabric.

This is a bag from my friend Lois who doesn't have a blog, it's a Canadian postcard print - I would love to visit all the places in the pictures!  It's a good-sized bag, both ends fold in and are closed with studs; when the studs are open it holds a lot of shopping.  Or knitting.  Or fabric.......Lois and I had a great time at a quilt shop, you know.  I could have come home with much more fabric than I did........and I feel very lucky to have such generous friends.

 Last but definitely not least a small bag won on Bev's blog which contained some sewing goodies - spotted white fabric, thread in a very useful colour, a tape measure and a packet of emery nail files.  Rough fingernail edges can catch on fabric edges, so emery files are very handy.  The bag lining fabric is a black on white print of vintage sewing machines, and yes, the zipper on the bag is indeed purple.  Bev and I were hoping to get to meet while we were in Toronto, but sadly it was not able to happen.

Last week I mentioned to my doctor that I was having trouble with a very sore ankle which didn't want to work properly, probably because I hurt my right foot while in Canada - it's difficult to walk when every step hurts, which it did for several weeks, indeed the foot and ankle are still swollen a couple of months later - she suggested having an X-ray to see what happened in there, and guess what she told me today......my foot had indeed been broken.  The second little toe broke, and the rest of the foot was bruised and injured.  But being a tough Aussie I just continued walking on it.....walked round Butchart Gardens and goodness knows where else......I drew the line at climbing up Mount Doug in Victoria, B.C. even though the view was glorious, because that did hurt.

While at the doctor today we saw a sight that is still burned on my eyelids.  Picture, if you will, a somewhat-less-than-slender middle aged woman wearing a summer dress, floor length as are many of the current styles, the top being two triangles joined onto the waistband.....not all the sagging flesh was contained, if you get my meaning......front, back and sides.......it was not pretty.  Unfortunately the current hot weather has brought out the worst in some people's clothing taste.  While at home I do admit to wearing very casual clothing, but out in public - no.

The new pjs are progressing nicely considering that the broken foot is the pedal foot, so the sewing is being done in short bursts rather than long marathons.  Next project will be a kid's charity quilt, the blocks for which which have been sitting in my sewing room for over a year - then fabrics will be gathered for one of my Canadian patterns.  There are some batiks in my stash which are calling my name......

My own radio program is getting closer, there have been a couple of training sessions with more to come.  Once I get the hang of which button to press, and when, and some other details to remember, I might be ready.

"Dress for morning calls.
Morning calls may be made either in walking or carriage dress, provided the latter is justified by the presence of the carriage,  The dress should be silk; collar and cuffs of the finest lace; light gloves; a full dress bonnet and jewellery of gold, either dead, burnished or enamelled, or of cameo or coral.  Diamonds are not usually worn in daylight.  A dress of black or neutral tint, in which light colours are introduced only in small quantities, is the most appropriate for a morning call."

Well.....this morning's woman did wear (but only just) a dress of black and white, while small quantities of light colours were introduced by way of the tattoo on her back.  And it was morning, even though a visit to the doctor is not considered a social call.  However, as she wore no bonnet or gloves, or collar and cuffs, her dress probably would not be considered appropriate.

Enjoy your days!

Here we are in 2013

It seems like yesterday that the world was so worried about the Y2K bug.....remember that?  It was a bit of a fizzer, from memory.  We spent New Year's Eve watching the last night of the proms on TV, drinking bubbly, and eating nibblies; we even made it to past midnight, a feat not accomplished every year.

Here's a pretty party frock for you to drool over.

 I'm sorry about the reflections but as it was behind glass it was difficult to avoid them.  Believe it or not, this pretty dress and flower bouquet are made of table napkins!  It was a display at the Butchart Gardens.

Joan's Bench looks over a beautiful view in Sidney, on Vancouver Island.

We also enjoyed the view and the wonder of it all.  Benches overlooking the bay were dedicated to different people.

How are you going with your new year's resolutions....have you broken them yet?  I decided years ago that I would only have one, and that was not to make any resolutions at all.  Saves a lot of strife and heartbreak, don't you think?

It's been a lazy time over Christmas and the new year.  Our older son and his girlfriend came to visit and it was good to see them.  Next time we're together will be at Easter.

The sewing room has a project on the go, or rather two projects - some new summer jammies for me.  Bright yellow jammies, just shorts and a tank top in knit fabric, comfy and cool for the heat we've been having.  Solid yellow fabric and yellow spot fabric, with the pieces being mixed and matched.  There may be a pic of the finished garments, but not with me in them.  Trust me on this.   There are also blocks to be made into charity quilts so perhaps that should get done....and I am itching to get stuck into the projects brought back from Canada.  Karen very generously sent me a couple of her patterns, they were waiting for me when we arrived in Toronto, and some fabrics purchased in Victoria (that's B.C. not Aust.) will be just The Very Thing for one of them.

A few days ago while having the fit of the new glasses tweaked I had the opportunity of watching the passing parade, as the optometrist is situated on a corner of the main street.  When will people realise that rubber thongs (that's footwear, flip flops, not underwear) do not constitute fashion wear?  One young chicky was wearing a pretty dress, carried a nice bag, and had rubber thongs on her little tootsies.  I felt like taking her to the shoe shop across the road and pointing out the pretty sandals which were on sale.

"Visiting costumes.
Visiting costumes, or those worn at a funeral or informal calls, are of richer material than walking suits.  The bonnet is either simple or rich, according to the taste of the wearer.  A jacket of velvet, or shawl, or fur-trimmed mantle are the concomitants of the carriage dress for winter.  In summer all should be bright, cool, agreeable to wear and pleasant to look at."  

"Pleasant to look at"......I'm afraid that rubber footwear is not.  It may be very comfortable in the privacy of one's own home, and that's where it should stay.  It does have its uses I will admit, but in public, worn with a pretty dress, is not it.

Enjoy your days!

Merry Christmas to all!

For my Australian friends - here's something to make you feel a little cooler, and for those who live in colder climes a little taste of what to expect as winter continues.

We woke up to this snowy view after spending the night with a musical friend in Ontario, and were very entertained watching birds at his many feeders.....a cardinal, chickadees, nuthatches and finches......and our first woodpecker!

Best wishes for a Christmas full of peace and love.  For those who have lost loved ones during the year, I hope Christmas brings healing and hope for the future.

Enjoy your Christmas Day!

Travelling on from last post

While in Ontario we spent a couple of days in Goderich, which we enjoyed - it's a really nice town.  We stayed in a lovely B&B for a few nights, and had a great time exploring the town and the local district.  The historical museum and gaol were fascinating; small towns often have interesting histories.  It has a good quilt shop, Quilters by the Square, where one can buy fabrics for one's autumn leaf fabric stash.  As one did.

In August 2011 a tornado cut a swathe through the centre of Goderich, killing one man.  The beautiful gardens round the local courthouse were flattened and large trees snapped like matches - surprisingly just a few were not harmed, and are still growing while the gardens are being replanted around them.

This wonderful metal sculpture and the plaque below are in Lions Harbour Park overlooking Lake Huron.

 If one is really keen one can watch the sunset from the lakeside beach, then run at great speed up the hill to see it again.  We settled for just the hilltop view.

The east coast of Lake Huron has beautiful sunsets.

A bag has been made from fabrics and a pattern which were a gift from Rose Marie when we visited North Bay, as soon as its pic gets taken it will be posted here for you all to see - it has turned out very well.

Not many sleeps until the fat man in the red suit drops in for his annual visit.  Have you all been good?  Somehow I don't think he will be stopping here this year; that Canadian holiday was a nice present from both of us to each other so the fat man will pass by our house without stopping this year.

Last week was the biennial eye appointment and fitting for new reading glasses.  Don't you just hate having to try on all those different styles, looking in the mirror the whole time?  It's difficult not to be too critical and it is a very fraught exercise, I find.  The new glasses have dark red frames, green would have been nicer......I'm quite fond of green, you know......but all the green frames were styles I didn't like.  Clunky plastic frames seem to be on the way back after several years of fine metal ones.  My new frames are not clunky.

Speaking of green, did you know that emerald is the Pantone colour of the year for 2013?  Apparently that means you will be able to find emerald green in home accessories, and clothing, and anything else your little heart desires.  I'm rather fond of emerald, you know.  A judicious sprinkling of emerald here and there might be just what the Chateau des Wombats needs to spark it up.  Unfortunately there were no emerald green frames at the optometrist........

"Short-sightedness.
Short-sightedness is not always a natural defect.  It may be acquired by bad habits in youth.  A short-sighted person should supply himself with glasses exactly adapted to his wants; but it is well not to use these glasses too constantly, as, even when they perfectly fit the eye, they really tend to shorten the sight.  Unless one is very short-sighted, it is best to keep the glasses for occasional use, and trust ordinarily to the unaided eye.  Parents and teachers should watch their children and see that they do not acquire the habit of holding their books too close to their eyes, and thus injure their sight."

Unfortunately it's not that simple, there's a congenital eye problem here, folks.  It's not just age-related, although that does come into it a little.  It has nothing to do with all the thousands of books I have read over the course of my life either........

Enjoy your days!

Powering along.......

........which is good, because yesterday evening we weren't powering at all - we had a blackout.  It's storm season here and a week ago there was an almighty storm with lots of thunder, lightning, wind and rain; on the other side of the river a lot of damage was done by hail.  We were spared any damage.  There were also power blackouts.  Another storm yesterday afternoon and this time we weren't so lucky because we lost power for an hour and a half.  So the computer was turned off, and the sewing machine was also turned off because it's a computerised model and I didn't want its innards fried by lightning.  A bag has been cut out ready to be sewn but it may have to wait for a few days to be assembled, until the storms have passed.

Here's a couple of pictures from our holiday, you can see how gorgeous the fall colours were.  This bloke is quite armless, I would say......he doesn't look a happy chappy, does he?  Have you ever seen anything more mournful?

 The local park in Bayfield, Ontario.  It's a beautiful village which has been on the shores of Lake Huron since the early 1800s, and we enjoyed our visit.

Now that the heat wave has finished for now my guitar has come out of its case and you will be pleased to know I haven't forgotten how to play it.  My fingers remembered the chord patterns, and my brain remembered how to transpose to a different key.  Might even have have a plink on the ukulele from time to time too.

What is it with some blokes and their facial hair?  I don't mind a neat beard and/or moustache, but how about that little tuft of hair on the chin under the bottom lip?  It looks as though its owner spilt gravy on his chin.  Does anyone honestly think it looks good?

Here at Chateau des Wombats the Christmas decorations are up, such as they are.  Now that just two Olde Phartes live here we don't have a large tree, but we do have a few smaller table top trees.  A glass dish of glass Christmas tree balls, a couple of sparkly gold reindeer (which shed a few more of their sparkles each year), some red and green candles, a Jim Shore angel named Flossie and my wombat tree decorations complete the festive look.  There's something to be said for minimal decorating - it doesn't take as long to pack away again after Christmas.

"The beard.
Those who shave should be careful to do so every morning.  Nothing looks worse than a shabby beard.  Some persons whose beards are strong should shave twice a day, especially if they are going to a party in the evening."

Is a chin tuft regarded as a shabby beard, I wonder?

Enjoy your days!