Meet Rusty the wombat!

Rusty tried living in a pot with a succulent.....he was a bit too big to fit; he's longer nose-to-tail than he looks.  He tried another pot....there was room for either Rusty or a plant, but not both.  So he and I had a chat and we decided to move him to the back garden, where he now resides in his own little spot among some rocks.

There is a wombat friend behind him to make sure he doesn't get too lonely, although I don't think the friend is ever awake.  Rusty is made from metal, and has a spike stuck in the ground to make sure he doesn't go anywhere.  The post behind is one of the uprights for the wash line.

The Christmas occasions continue.

Yesterday the quilt group had its last Saturday meeting for the year, we waved around our challenge quilts (in my case still just a top but mine wasn't the only one unfinished, which made me feel better; the most popular two-colour theme was blue and white/cream), we had a cuppa, some small quilts and the bags I made were handed over to a representative of a charity, and we had a 'lucky dip' gift exchange....not a Secret Santa, as we weren't given names.  My gift is lovely!  A zipper bag with sewing notions stitched in silvery-grey on a yellow background which contained a spare cutter blade (always welcome); a pretty lacy hanky for when I feel like being a posh lady (I do sometimes, you know); a pair of 'Thangs' in a felt case; a pack of stationery notes and cards; and a gadget with a secret.

The back of the bag continues the yellow/grey theme, my two 'Thangs' show up against it - and the secret of the gadget is revealed!  The long silver end pulls out and is reversed, placed back in the holder, and it becomes a stitch ripper.

There was also a beautiful hand-made Christmas card with an Aussie bird, but it missed being in the pic.  The 'Thangs' case has the name "Sewmadic" so I looked it up and found that, through Kiva, they help women in developing countries to start and run their own businesses.....definitely a cause to support.

Next year's challenge was voted on, a few suggestions were tossed around, and the winning idea is to make a row by row quilt, something I have never done although they were all the rage several years ago.  I am feeling a bit lukewarm about it.....a regular commitment doesn't work for me, because if life is busy and I get behind it causes me stress, and I don't sew to be stressed.  I looked at ideas online, and none of them really floated my boat.  It's not compulsory to participate, so perhaps I won't.

After our meeting/cuppa/gift exchange/charity handover we adjourned to a pub on the other side of town for lunch.  It was a very wet drive; we've had quite a very welcome wet week, with more rain forecast.  Lunch was yummy, and you will be pleased to know that I stuck to alcohol-free as a 15-20 minute drive home in steady rain is easier with a clear head.  (Not that I indulge at lunch time, anyway)  There were several family groups in the pub and, because the rain was so heavy; all the little kiddie-widdies who would otherwise be running around in the outdoor playground were stuck noisily inside.  I was glad I hadn't worn my very bestest sandals as my feet did get very wet going to and from the car, both for the meeting and for lunch.  Splish splosh.

Diamonds have been sewn.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung as the uke group is playing on Wednesday afternoon at a seniors' residence, and as I have a solo gig (!) next Saturday night at the choir Christmas party (which has been called an "extravaganza" by our director) so that will be fun.  The usual hunting and gathering, and that's pretty much it for this week, folks.

The U3A ukulele course leader and I have decide to divvy up the job.  She is quite happy to continue being the contact person and to do any admin Stuff, and I don't mind taking the group on Thursdays when she isn't available - although she said recently she thinks they do really well under me, better than under her!  (I don't know about that.....)  I did suggest that she add my name as official joint leader so the previous leader can't push his way back in, which she said she would do.  We aren't doing this to be nasty, you know; there are valid reasons for our thinking the way we do.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places.  The first two are quite short, so we will combine them.

"Conduct in church.

A gentleman should remove his hat upon entering the auditorium.

When visiting a strange church, you should wait in the vestibule until an attendant appears to show you to a seat."

The 'conduct in church' chapter is quite lengthy.  I suspect that, in days gone by, many folk did not go to church because they believed in the message being preached, but because it was a social activity - a case of seeing and being seen, particularly while wearing one's newest finery

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Very worthy Stuff

This week has seen very little action on the Getting Stuff Done front, but has seen quite a bit of running around.  The Christmas occasions have started; yesterday morning the Historical Society had theirs under the shady verandah, and today we attended a charity fair.  It was strange to just be at the fair without playing music as we have done in past years but at present the ukulele group's numbers are down, so there is no way we can do an outside performance.  We have two indoors gigs lined up in the next few weeks, we can manage those.

We did make a few purchases....Kevin bought himself a magnifying glass with a bone (deer antler) handle to help him decipher the family history information (the writing on some of those old hand-written certificates looks legible until you try to read it); we bought some meat pies, currently in the fridge, which will be frozen later and which look very yummy;  I bought a new wombat, made of rusty metal, for the garden (we have a large pot with a succulent growing in it, which will make a nice home for Rusty the wombat) and a couple more goodies with an eye to Christmas gifting.  I drooled over Annette the jewellery lady's lovely trinkets.....I already have some of her beautiful pieces.....I could quite happily have bought several pairs.  But I was strong, and I didn't.  The home-made lemonade we had was welcome on a warm sunny day, too.

So....let's see what we can find in the photo treasure vault, to liven up this post.

All 225 (!) of these basket blocks were sewn together some time ago.  It was the first time I had tried hand-piecing, and I found I enjoyed it......so much so that the original plan of 169 blocks, 13 rows by 13, was enlarged to 15 by 15.  They all face the same way.

The blocks were sewn into sets of nine, with alternating print and white corners.  The design looks better with matching corners, hence the number of blocks.

However, it is huge.....about 90 inches square unquilted......and I find myself wondering if those extra blocks were really necessary?  Why didn't I stop with the smaller size of 78 inches square when I had the chance?  Now a little voice in my brain is telling me to unpick two rows each way, and be happy with the smaller size.  Which I just may do.  It will still be a reasonable sized quilt, after all.

Some sewing of diamonds has happened, and more have been cut.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung, some of the Christmas variety and some not.  The hunting, gathering and foraging essential for survival took place, and also a little op shopping; I am now the owner of a red bag, something needed to match the red straps on my red, black and cream sandals.  They entered my (not quite) sumptuous wardrobe a few years ago, a new purchase on an annual trip to Canberra, and have been asking for a co-ordinating bag ever since.

A link to this quote was posted earlier today on a vintage sewing machine social media page.  It certainly made me chuckle, and I'm sure you will laugh with me:

Advice to the ladies from Mr Rowley of the Sydney Sewing Machine Co:

"An hour's sewing with a good machine soothes a woman's nerves, and exerts the same calming influence that tobacco does with a man. She sews all her little irritations into the seams, imprisons her fancied wrongs into the double gussets, or stays them into the gores; every sensible woman will confess this."

The quote is, unfortunately, not dated. I don't know about the rest of you.....but I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing a garment with so many irritations and fancied wrongs in its seams, gussets and gores!

Continuing on with Etiquette of Public Places, following on last week's quote:

"They seem to know, as if by instinct, how to conduct themselves, wherever they may go, or in whatever society they may be thrown. They consider at all times the fitness of things, and their actions and speech are governed by feelings of gentleness and kindness towards everybody with whom they come into social relations, having a due consideration for the opinions and prejudices of others, and doing nothing to wound their feelings. Many people, however, either from ignorance, thoughtlessness or carelessness, are constantly violating some of the observances of etiquette pertaining to places of public assemblages. It is for this reason that rule are here given by which may be regulated the conduct of people in various public gatherings, where awkwardness and ostentatious display often call forth unfavorable criticism."

Perhaps some nations could also take note of this advice, then the world would not be in such a mess.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Even more streets in the neighbourhood

  It's up to seven streets, now.

Eventually they will meet in the middle....and I will soon need to find somewhere other than the spare bed to lay them out, as they will outgrow it!  It will be a fairly large quilt, and it has to be one of the funnest quilts - is there such a word as 'funnest'? because there should be - that I have ever made.  It's been a portable project for a while, going to the monthly first Tuesday quilt group with me, but after next month's streets have been added it will become a 'work at home' project; those seams are getting quite long, so it can stay here.  The only fabric bought is the wide backing, it's all from my stash.  The decision to make pieced setting triangles was a leap of faith, and I love the result.

How has everyone been this week?  We are doing well; we even had some welcome rain, although it came in the form of a storm.  My Thursday evening drive to choir was through barely sprinkling rain, the heavens opened while we were singing for a couple of hours (although we didn't hear it) and I barely made it home before it started up again; fortunately it's only a five minute drive, or six minutes if the one and only traffic light on the way is red.  However we aren't complaining, and our garden is smiling.

Stitches have been sewn on the musical hanging.  Some diamonds have been sewn and more cut.  Words have been read, notes have been plinked and sung.  The usual hunting and gathering has taken place, and heigh ho.....so passes another week.

It's been an anniversary week for our town.  Back in 1888 Tamworth was the first town in Australia - yes, even before much larger cities - to have a municipal street lighting scheme.  You can read all about it here and here.  In those days it was a town of only a few thousand people, so the town council of the day took quite a brave decision.  Don't you love the concern - from men, of course - that the new lights would make women look pale!  The large building in the first pic of the article is the post office, which is still there today.  Mrs Piper, wife of the Mayor - Madame Lady Mayoress - turned the lights on with a golden key which stayed in the family for a long time, and is now held in the Powerstation Museum.  While Tamworth was not the first town in Australia to have electric lighting many were run by private owners......but ours was the first municipally-owned scheme in the country.  

On 9th November every year those noisy old steam engines are fired up to celebrate the anniversary, and quite a sight (and sound!) they are too.  And of course - as is often the case - Hizzoner The Mayor Mr Piper has a street named after him and we hope also after his wife, although Elizabeth Street is not far away.

There is getting to be more and more Christmas Stuff appearing in shops......Chrissy food (I love mince pies)......decorations everywhere......the occasional piece of music on the radio......c'mon, folks, it's not for several weeks yet......the ukulele group is practising Christmas songs for a couple of gigs....all together, now...."I want a ukulele for Christmas, dear Santa please".......

We have come to the end of our Etiquette of the Street, so we move on to Etiquette of Public Places.

"All well-bred persons will conduct themselves at all times and in all places with perfect decorum.  Wherever they meet people they will be found polite, considerate of the comfort, convenience and wishes of others, and unobtrusive in their behaviour."

It seems to be fashionable to decry today's manners and standards.  I don't usually join in the decrying, but I must say that find decorum to be sadly lacking at times.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Finally....

....some quilting is happening on my little hanging.  Some is still to be done, and provided that he promised storms don't eventuate that may happen later; being slightly fiddly stop-start stuff it takes longer than one would think.

Using a computerised machine in a storm is not, apparently, a Good Thing.  So I don't.  The plug only goes in the wall socket when I am using the machine.

Incidentally, something we have learned while watching home renno shows on our visits to Canada  - what we call a socket, or a power point, over there is called a 'receptacle'.  We speak the same language, but sometimes you would never know it.

Because it is autumn over there in the Land of the Maple Leaf beautiful pics are appearing on social media, and I am sighing with longing.  These trees were taken on the same visit to Bayfield.

The colour difference from green to orange is striking.  Obviously this was trimmed by someone who went to the same school of tree lopping that some people attend here, with the same unfortunate result....but the leaves are a lovely colour.

Bayfield is a very pretty town and the trees make a beautiful display, even if the occasional specimen wasn't trimmed as well as it could have been.

Diamonds have been cut and sewn.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  Words have been read.  The usual forays to shops for various items....and so passes another seven days, or sennight, as we apparently used to say in centuries gone by.  It means - obviously! - seven nights and days.  A week.

It is indeed storm season here, and we have had a few of late.  As we speak the wind is picking up and a check of the weather radar shows storms not far away.  We had some welcome rain last night, a change from the previous day which was quite miserable; we woke up to the smell of smoke - even inside the house - from fires a couple of hours north.  My eyes were miserable, my nose was miserable, and I had a miserable headache.  Fortunately yesterday was much clearer, the weather change is helping put fires out and the smoke is blowing somewhere else.

Last month was an anniversary, 15 years since I started blogging.....it just passed me by, I completely forgot about it.....that's a lot of waffle over a long time about not much, isn't it?

Christmas Stuff is starting to appear in shops, Christmas music is sneaking into the classical music station playlists.  It will be here before we know it, folks.  We have made no plans for anything special although I did point out that, if I still had to prepare and cook a fancy meal (even a fairly plain meal) it was just the same as any other day for me.  In years past we have gone to a restaurant for lunch, but they are pricing themselves out of our reach for just one meal.  Perhaps we could go to a Chinese restaurant instead.....I like honey chicken, I know it's not very authentic Chinese food but I don't care.  I just like it.

Our U3A ukulele course leader was back on Thursday, much to my relief.....however, she announced that she was stepping down next year.  I know she would like me to take over, but I am undecided; while she knows I already have other Stuff in my life as well - we both do - a previous male leader is making noises about coming back and taking over, and neither of us want that.  We are meeting up tomorrow for a cuppa and a chat so I can find out just what is involved; if she is prepared to back me up, it might be possible.  We'll see what our chat throws up.  Even if I give it a trial for a year.....I'm sure I can survive a year.....

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street, Some General Suggestions:

"Do not quarrel with a cab driver about his fare, but pay him and dismiss him.  If you have a complaint to make against him, take his name and make it to the proper authorities.  It is rude to keep a lady waiting while you are disputing with a cabman."

Words just as relevant now as when they were first published in 1885, yes?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A little of this, not much of that

Pretty much sums up my week.  How was yours?

The decision was made to use the darker fabric to bind the blue and green quilt, so strips will be cut this week.  The bags shown recently have been handed over to the Worthy Cause, so they have left the sewing room.

Diamonds have been cut, and also sewn.....an easy mindless project in front of TV.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung; once again I was the leader for the U3A ukulele group, and once again we managed without descending into total anarchy.  I have to admit to being floored when I mentioned making sure ukes were in tune....one woman said she never tuned hers, didn't own a tuner, in fact didn't think it made any difference!  Ohmygawd......if you have ever heard an out of tune instrument, doesn't matter which instrument it is, it's enough to set your teeth on edge.  (well, mine, anyway)  She has instructions to buy a tuner before next Thursday, and I will show her how to use it.

Many years ago we used to meet up at folk festivals with a lovely man and his wife who had a sticker on their car window which read "Love thy neighbour - tune thy piano".  Never a truer word spoken.  Or written.  He used to have a beautiful green parrot on his shoulder, and a permanent trail of bird poop down his back.....but his piano was always in tune.  Sadly, he is no longer with us.  I don't know about the parrot.

As not a great deal of note has been accomplished this week, we will trawl back through the vaults for some photographic inspiration.

When Kevin was putting the 1926 Singer treadle machine back together he noticed this piece of metal on the floor that he thought must have come from the machine.  I duly photographed it and asked the "what is it?" question on a social media vintage machine page.  It is the central piece of the tension assembly, I was told by Those Who Know.  Kevin checked - but it isn't from that machine!  So - it either came from the 1925 machine, or I have ended up with a spare.....and a mystery.

Pics are appearing on social media of autumn on the other side of the world, beautiful droolworthy pics of glorious fall colour.  These are a little different; they are fungus photographed on an autumn trip to MacMillan Provincial Park on Vancouver Island.

This looks like two birds, or perhaps two fish, doesn't it?  But no - it's fungi.

The park had lots of different fungi.

There are very tall straight trees in that park, too.  Vancouver Island is the Land of Tall Straight Trees.  We have tall trees in Australia too, but they aren't very straight.

The weather has gone from quite hot to rather cool, and hasn't yet swung back.  It's the time of year where the big decision as to what to wear is dependent on conditions, and will we be inside or outside, will it be sunny or windy......however, we know it probably won't be wet, although it rained a few nights ago.  We were woken at stupid dark early o'clock to very loud thunder and the garden enjoyed a drink, although it would like more.

Continuing on with Etiquette if the Street, Some General Suggestions:

"A gentleman will always precede a lady up a flight of stairs, and allow her to precede him in going down."

Of course he should.....and just think, this was written many years before the advent of mini skirts when some men tried to walk up stairs behind a lady!  Shame on them.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A day for the wombats of the world

Because today is International Wombat Day!  It does seem a bit silly to have an 'international day' for an animal which lives in only one continent - Australia - unless we count the small number in zoos around the world, but wombats are wonderful and deserve a day of celebration.

The first wombat in my collection was bought in my home town (where we moved in 2010, and where we still live) while on a visit to my mother, back in the late 1990s.  There used to be an interesting shop which was part plant nursery/part café/part gift shop - gone for many years now - and we took ourselves there for a ladylike morning tea.  On a potted plant there was a cute little wombat which appealed to me, I bought it for not many dollars......and the rest, as they say, is history.

Here it is, posing on a daffodil fabric from my stash.  It is slightly creased, but wombats don't use irons.

It has since been joined by many many more.

My blue and green quilt has been booked in with a long arm quilter, and will be delivered a week from tomorrow.  It occurred to me the other day that no decision had been made on binding - woops!  These are a couple of options:

The green swirl used as backing, and a dark blue/green/edging toward purple Fossil Fern which has been in my stash for some time, and which is richer in real life.  The swirl would be interesting in a narrow strip but I am leaning to the dark fabric, which I think it would make a better 'frame' around the quilt.  Thoughts will be thought on the matter over the next few days, and the cutter will be taken to the chosen fabric.

Words have been read, diamonds have been cut and sewn.  Notes have been plinked and sung; our U3A ukulele group leader is away for a couple of weeks so I led the group on Thursday and will do so again next Thursday.  We blundered through without descending into total anarchy; I am not a trained teacher and many people (including, I suspect, the (now ex) DIL) (who is a proper musician herself) would consider that I'm not a proper musician either, but we managed.  I had the heeby jeebies on arrival and breathed a sigh of relief at the end, let me tell you.

The heat of summer is upon us, and it's not pleasant.  If we were to set foot outside this afternoon we would probably be blown to kingdom come, so apart from hanging out washing this morning and bringing it in at lunchtime, we are staying inside.  We are promised a few more hot days with cooler relief by the end of the week, which will be welcome......and rain would be even more welcome, as we are tumbling headlong into another drought.  However - that's Australia for you; if it's not flooding it's on fire, or it's in drought, or it's flooding again.

Despite all the weather throws at us, though, I can't imagine living anywhere else.  Except perhaps Canada, in autumn......but definitely not in winter.

On Friday I had a foray into a new-to-me op shop (although it's been open for some time, I just hadn't been before) and came away with two tops, one dark blue with orange/red flowers, brand new with tags, and another bright yellow with tropical flowers and an interesting double flouncy sleeve.  I have also removed a few shirts/tops from my sumptuous wardrobe; unfortunately I have inherited the thick neck that comes from my mother's family, and now prefer shirts without collars.  Both my brothers have/had it, until a few years ago I hoped I had escaped......but alas, no.  If I have another chance at a life after this one I will pick parents who have slender swan-like necks.

The term 'op shop' - short for 'opportunity shop' - is, it seems, unique to Australia.  It was coined in Melbourne by Lady Someone-or-Other to reduce the stigma that was around at the time for those who bought second-hand goods, but an opportunity shop....who can resist an opportunity?  My Posh Melbourne Grandmother used the term 'opportunity shop', but somehow I don't think she ever shopped in one.  These days, of course, we're all about recycling and being environmentally aware, so opping - or thrifting, or whatever you call it - has become quite popular.  So...someone else will like my collared shirts, and my neck will be more comfortable.

 Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street, Some General Suggestions:

"A young lady should, if possible, avoid walking alone in the street after dark.  If she passes the evening with a friend, provision should be made beforehand for an escort.  If this is not practicable, the person at whose house she is visiting should send a servant with her, or some proper person - a gentleman acquaintance present, or her own husband - to perform the duty.  A married lady may, however, disregard this rule, if circumstances prevent her being able to conveniently find an escort.

Funny how that little gold ring suddenly renders one safe on the street alone at night, isn't it?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

All bagged up

Finally - the second bag which was started on my treadle machine last month is finished!

The blue and yellow floral bag was made on Spring Fair day at the house museum, and the tan and brick bag started.  (The solid fabric was called "Brick" on the cardboard roll, so "brick" it shall be.)  Today it was finally finished, so they can be ticked off the imaginary-in-my-head list of Stuff to do.  The tan fabric was a lucky door prize several years ago and, while it's nice enough, it's probably not something I would choose were I to go fabric shopping; those squares don't lend themselves to being cut into smaller pieces, but it's fine for a bag.  The blue and yellow floral has also been in my stash for *ahem* quite a while, and now there is a much smaller piece of it.

The lavender and pink bag was made yesterday on My Lovely New Bernina (24 years old and still going strong).  It too was already cut out and pressed; in my optimism I took three bags with me, but in the end managed to make one and a half.

The floral fabric is a blend, poly/cotton, possibly 65/35% - I have no recollection of when or why it came into my stash, but it was a very long time ago.  Some has been used for small projects in the meantime, but now it is all gone.  Used up.  Finis.  Done.  It was slightly sheer so a few different colours of solids were tried with it, and much as I don't really care all that much for pink I had to admit this particular shade of  pink suited it best......so, pink it is.  

These bags will go to a group which assists women in hospital, so it's a Worthy Cause.  I don't mind supporting the occasional Worthy Cause.

Words have been read.  Diamonds have been joined, and more cut.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  Hunting and gathering was indulged in so we may eat, which is probably a good thing.  My brain and the clock are once more in synch with each other, so life proceeds along.

Our weather is in the 'warm one day, cool the next' time of year; a lull before the more extreme heat of summer, and we have been warned by 'Those Who Know' that the coming summer will be hot and dry.  Oh well.....we have survived hot and dry in the past, and will no doubt do so again.  The children next door are already using their pool, to the usual accompaniment of squeaks and squeals.

When out and about a few days ago we stopped for coffee, and while sipping and watching the passing parade - always an entertaining activity, no matter where one is - I was taken by a woman wearing a bright orange tee shirt teamed with loose orange and purple pants and orange footwear.  Her tee shirt read:

                                        I don't want to

                                        I don't have to

                                        You can't make me

                                        I'm retired!

Isn't that the best ever?  I commented on it, and she told me it was a gift.  I don't usually stare at other women's chests, but that was definitely worth a look.

Continuing with Etiquette of the Street, Some General Suggestions:

"Never turn a corner at full speed or you may find yourself knocked down, or may knock down another, by the violent contact.  Always look in the way you are going or you may chance to meet some awkward collision.  People are very rude and vulgar who do not look they way they are going; it annoys others."

Words as true today as when they when they were written in 1885.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer