New Carpet

Finally! Our new carpet is to go down next week! After much procrastination and endless debate (not all pleasant) our home is to be re-carpeted. Of course it has necessitated a big tidy-up, which is the reason for the debates. We have so much "stuff": bookshelves and cabinets full of things that we rarely use but are of sentimental value, some monetary value or "likely to be useful sometime." Anyway lots of things have gone to Lifeline and several boxes that have been put into the shed will not return to the house until they have been sorted through. I am finding the whole exercise emotionally draining. Lots of old books and magazines that have been sent to new homes are a record of our activities and interests over the years: cars, motorbikes, archery, guns, woodwork, gardening, alternative health, camping, caravans, nutrition & cooking........plus a big box of video tapes and LP records (we haven't had a turntable for years!) Lots of things are staying: a couple of early editions of Popular Mechanics (1949), a postcard album dated 1903 that belonged to a great aunt, a selection of National Geographic, Australian Geographic and Nature Australia. We have plenty of more recent publications to fill our shelves, and how many photo albums have we accumulated over the years?!!

Our living area has been thinned out. Next task: the bedrooms!

Winter Solstice

We've had some miserable weather in recent weeks - but it is winter and there have been some bright spots! The advent of our winter solstice means that from now on the days will get longer. Hooray!! I understand completely why this date features in pagan celebrations.

My cymbidium orchids are flowering and so too is my sole camellia (in a pot.) I am convinced that position is the most important factor that determines whether or not one's orchids flower.

Finally, we have got the website and blog for Toowoomba Quilters Club Inc up and running. It needs some work - but it's up.

Also I had a pyjama day last week. For those who don't indulge in such decadent behaviour, it means that I spent the entire day in my pyjamas, large parts of it in bed being a sloth. It was a bright spot because, afterwards, I felt so much better for being lazy and self-indulgent!

Our next major project is to re-carpet the house and I am somewhat heartened to know several people, including Di, who are managing to stay sane during major renovation projects in their homes. Packing up the contents of shelves, sideboards, dressing tables....not to mention the mess behind the computer desk...(Does everyone have endless cords, wires, connectors behind their electronic equipment?) ..is a nightmare!

A Winter's Day

I have just spent a large part of today sitting in a sunny corner of our house reading People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. What luxury and what a good book - highly recommended if you enjoy a bit of history woven into the plot.

I did venture outside into the cold wind for a short while to tidy up a few broken plants after the storm cell that passed through here early yesterday morning with lots of wind and not much rain. Fortunately there was not a lot of damage although we had a few garden chairs that travelled a long way.

...long time, no post.....

..and the longer I leave it the more daunting it becomes! I've done lots and lots has happened since February - and I've just read my previous post to refresh my memory.

I did visit my old school friend and she didn't appear to recognise me but I'm glad I made the effort. Then in April she died, as did Trish who had endured the ups and downs of cancer treatment for several years, and then a friend's husband died suddenly and unexpectedly from a heart attack. I suspect that these events contributed to a period of nightmares and bad sleeping (which is not normal for me) as my brain attempted to come to terms with what had happened. For some time I have believed that during sleep the brain attempts to "re-file" the information overload that ocurs during a typical day.

Good things have happened too! We made another trip to Wonboyn in February and have been out on another (unsuccesful) gold prospecting trip. During March I spent a few days in Sydney, went to a high school reunion dinner and visited some more old friends. My sister from NZ stayed with us last week which was wonderful especially for our mother who rarely gets to see her daughters together. And I know how happy it makes me to see our two daughters together!

Our elder daughter is currently touring around Europe. I'm so glad that she eventually made it. It was quite weird to get a text message from her saying "We're in the tube on our way to our London hotel." Decades ago when I travelled around Europe my parents were lucky to get a few postcards! I knew we were in a different world when she asked me what money I took overseas and my response was "travellers' cheques". (Like - what are they????)

I've done a couple of small contract jobs this year which pleases me as my superannuation funds continue to shrink.

My winter vegetable patch is looking good especially after some wonderful rainy days last week. Unfortunately little rain fell over the dam catchment areas so there has been no easement of water restrictions in town.

I have taken some nice photos in recent times. "A frog in my mesclun" is a good one. The discovery was most amusing!

Not a UFO and other things

I have finished one of my table runners - hand-quilted, machine quilted and bound it - and I don't like it! The colours suit my home and I think I have done some good work but the design is too structured and formal for me - and yes I should have thought about that ages ago! Never mind, I shall use use and not get upset if someone spills red wine on it. I guess everyone makes something that they end up not liking? I chose it originally because the pattern provided opportunity to do a "bit of everything" and it certainly did that. I reiterate my opinion that a table runner is a good beginner's project in terms of learning experiences, manageability and cost.....I have more to finish!

Talking about the formal style: my husband's comment was: "You've done a good job, it would look good on a communion table!" (Not sure that he knows what that is!) However it did remind me of our visit late last year to St John's Church at Gordon in Sydney where the pew cushions made a big impression on me. I hadn't seen anything like them since my early childhood and you have to be impressed by the work of the parishioners - so I'm going to share my photos.







My father-in-law who was with us has many forebears whose graves are in that church cemetery and that was the reason for our visit.

Last week I read "One Unknown" by Gill Hicks, an Australian survivor of the July 2005 London bombings. Easy to read, it was an emotional and inspiring book that reinforced my belief in the value of gratitude. It also motivated me to action one of the things on my "must do " list. (I have lots of lists!) Just before Christmas someone who went to the same high school in Sydney as I did during the 60s (and we've had no contact since then) traced me through the internet to tell me that a mutual old school friend was very unwell and that her husband who had recently relocated them to Brisbane would be grateful for some support. So I am off to Brisbane tomorrow to meet up with them; he is a complete stranger , I haven't seen her for over 20 years and there is every chance that she will not be able to recognise me. I am a bit nervous.

January is half gone!

I had a very lazy day yesterday, sitting in a comfy chair finishing a novel, Katherine by Anya Seton. In recent times I've enjoyed reading a few historically-based novels and this one called upon the history I learned as a child at school in England. (So it wasn't all a waste of time!)

At least my body had a bit of a rest from outdoor labouring - which I do enjoy. Our block and my outdoor pot plants all look pretty good at present although the forecast of possible rain later this week is good news. My tomato production is beginning to fall off now but we have had another wonderful crop this year. Decades ago I made a batch of tomato relish and am going to do a repeat performance this week. It's an old recipe from my sister who makes those sorts of things regularly and frequently.

One of my favourite things about Christmas and birthdays is the exchange of greetings with old friends with whom I would otherwise lose contact. I have several friends in that category including Pat who now lives in Newhaven in England. Our mothers were friends when we were small children in Surrey and I guess we kept in contact through our mothers. Later, in the 1970s, we met up in London and have exchanged news and seasonal greetings ever since. The "credit crunch" as she calls it has impacted severely on them and she is waiting to hear about the possible termination of her job.

Our local economy appears fairly buoyant. However I do remember experiencing a completely different sentiment when I was in Sydney late last year. Try as I may to understand what's going on, along with most of the population I have to believe that our government knows what it is doing.

Time for a gripe! Why do we have to buy in multiples to get "special" prices? I don't want to have to buy two loaves of bread or six cans of tuna in order to get the good price. We don't eat any more of the discounted items and storage becomes a problem.

Such a glorious sunset . . .

(photo taken from our verandah last night) after such a dull grey day!

Today is dull too but pleasantly cooler. I'm not sure whether it has been the heat &/or the aftermath of Christmas but I have been totally lethargic and unmotivated for days now. Jokes about Ross River Fever by friends attempting to humour me were not well-received so I'm pleased to feel a bit better in body and mind today.

We had a lovely Christmas and were able to spend time with our parents and partners and with our children and partners. We all had a good year although lots of things didn't get done (because the lists are endless!) There are no New Year resolutions but there is a consensus feeling that we should be positive and hopeful of good things for 2009. And for anyone who happens to read this: I wish you a healthy, peaceful and happy year.