Late Again

Doesn't time fly when you're havin' fun. I can't get over how the weeks seem to be disappearing this year.

I have been chasing my tail trying to get the van packed and ready for our trip south next Saturday.

The house sitters arrive on Friday (fingers crossed) and we will sleep in the van so that they can have the house and then Saturday morning we vote and then head off.

First stop Gympie to help my Dad lift one more heavy steam train item into the container ready to be shipped off to the new owner and then to Brisbane to help DB2 Trevor celebrate his 50th birthday and finally hand over 'the' quilt. Would love to post a photo here, but after he looked at my blog last time and saw the top, I don't want to take the chance of him seeing the back, but rest assured as soon as we get back I will post a photo or two.

We haven't made any plans other than we head for Woolloongong to catch up with Marg and Hans. I have the rose trellis quilt on the long arm at the moment and will post a photo next week before we leave. I will be sewing down the binding enroute and then we're off to Victoria and Reg and Lori who have the huge american motorhome and then spend Christmas somewhere along The Great Ocean Road before heading back north from Portland through Bendigo and Ballarat or is it Ballarat and Bendigo then north to Bathurst where I'll get to drive up 'the mountain'. They say you're flat out getting around it at 60klms.

Did you see the flowers on my cactus last posting. It has now got a second lot and I have a half a dozen flowers, looks stunning. I'm not shifting the plant from where it is - ever!!

I made the fringing for my santa claus tassells, this morning I put the gold paint on the wooden tassels, tomorrow I'll start varnishing, then use the hot glue gun to attach the fringing and braid.
I've also been making tie downs, bags for new camp chairs, shorts for me to wear and having a colonoscopy this last week. The tie downs, bags and shorts all finished and they found 1 polyp which the surgeon dutifully removed. I'll find out next Monday at the drs whether it was a good or bad one.

During this last week I also pressed the wrong key on the keyboard and somehow turned the darn keyboard off, do you think I could get it to work again? In the end I have no idea what or how I did it, but as you can read it's back working again.

Ian has been busy doing the last minute things that need to be done when you're going to be away from home for a while.

Maybe one of you can help me? If where we're staying at the time has broad band and I take a laptop with me will I be able to connect into my outlook express mailbox? I really have no idea when it comes to the Internet and the knowhow of its workings and if I can't how can I?

By Myself

My DH Ian left last Wednesday afternoon to take some of Pete's welding equipment to Gladstone. While there he's trying to find a cousin of his Ken Edwards, the last address we have is Boyne Island. So far no luck, he will be home again by Wednesday, fingers xrossed.

Of course while the cat's away the mice will play.

Guess where I've spent most of my time. You guessed it! The sns shed.

I've finished the quilting on Evelyn's queen size quilt. Practise makes perfect. I've made this months, next months and December's churn dash blocks ready for Kraft Klub's swapping. I've made November's cobblestones and posted them to Stephanie in WA. I've finished zigzag-ing round the leaves and am halfway around the roses on my 'Rose Trellis' quilt. I've got to get a move on with this one as I'm giving the quilt to Marg on our travels. It's only 3 weeks until we leave and I have to quilt DSIL Lyn's quilt first. Actually I would like Lyns finished so that I can take it with me next weekend and give it to her then.

We're off to a family 3day holiday. Not Ian and I and our tribe, but my Mum and Dad and their tribe + spouses. Ian and I, DB Ken and Lyn, DB Trev and Karina and DS Jen and Steve. The only problem is that the weekend starts on Sunday and ends Tuesday. Ken and Trev are both shift workers, Ken with ACI making beer bottles and Trev with the fire service. Luckily it doesn't matter with us 'cause we're retired. But it means that Karina and Steve can't be with us. I wish it could be otherwise but that's just the way it is.

20+ yrs ago DD#2 Robyn gave me a cactus. Until 2001 it lived on the windowsill in the laundry, where it copped the western sun. Every so often I would remember to give it a drink. When we sold our house and moved across the road into the shed it came with me but for the life of me I can't remember where we put it, but put it somewhere we must have because when we moved to Gin Gin it came with us, it then sat under a tree and the main cacti nearly died until one day I was repotting (not something that I do too often, brown fingers that I have) and decided that the pups deserved a second chance. Naturally with my logical reasoning (ha ha) I reckoned it would be happier in sand not soil. Well I was cleaning the kitchen this morning and through the louvres I saw my cactus in flower and I know Ian won't believe me so I took a photo to prove it.

This Weeks Happenings

Each day I endeavour to get out to my sns shed for the afternoon and most days I'm successful.

So far I have made my blocks for October and November for my club's churn dash swap and scquilters cobblestone swap. I am thanful that there is only a couple of months to go in the year and then I can start thinking of ways to put the cobblestones together. So far I am putting them into a quilt for my grandies. Next year I've given myself a goal of making each one of them a quilt. Right now I'm wishing my girls hadn't been so prolific. 10 I will have to make the first one due in Feb - Tanee's, one in March, 2 in April and so on.

The churn dash blocks are going into a colourwash - I have never made one and years ago I saw a churndash colourwash quilt made by a Samford patchworker and have wanted to have a go at making one ever since. I will have 108 blocks to choose from.

To date I've almost finished the 'rose trellis' top and I'm in the process of appliqueing the leaves and roses on the last border. No photos yet as I keep forgetting the take the darn camera with me.

I've been busy on Tanee's first birthday quilt. Its taken from one of Lynette Anderson's patterns which is covered in appliqued butterflies. Early this year on one of my many trips up and down the Bruce Highway I called in and fell in love with the pattern so just had to have it. At the time I had no plans for the quilt just knew that I had to have the pattern. Well now it has a purpose - Tanee's quilt. I've altered it a little (of course, I hear you say) the pattern is for a square quilt and I want it to fit a single bed. After a lot of thought and trying different things I have just decided to add a couple more rows of butterflies.

On the 29th of Sept DH Ian and I headed south for DSIL's 40th birthday party. I couldn't get over that this party was is very first birthday party ever!! It went all day and he had a wonderful time and there was food everywhere. Shane and Sharyn did a wonderful job and we had a lovely time.


My Mum and Dad were there as well and Dad's eyes were like circles when he espy'd his favourite food — lollies. We had a terrible job getting the container back off him. Just like a big kid. Love him heaps.


My problem is that I try to do too many things at the same time and I want to learn every craft known to man and beyond. These little santa heads are 5" high and will eventually be tassells. They have a central hole drilled all the way through for the cord. I still have to finish the gold work, varnish, buy the tassell and trim, glue them on and then I can wrap one of them. The other one is mine, all mine.

I'm exhausted!

It's midnight and I should have been in bed hours ago, but I sat up watching Mr. & Mrs. Smith with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Quite a good movie, a little far fetched but good to watch while I got my vliesofixed leaves for my 'Rose Trellis' quilt cut out and then did a little more crocheting on my zigzag quilt.

I have finished 'Trev's Quilt' even down to the label. Just have to sew the eyes back on and it is ready to be wrapped. Would show a photo but you know what happened when I put a photo of the top here. He hasn't looked at this site since, I scared him that much. lol. Must get onto DSIL to see if she would like to get the card.

DH Ian has been terribly sick for the past 4 weeks, starting with a head cold that of course went to the chest. After xrays it was found that the chest was infected so onto antibiotics he went. He spent the whole of last weekend in bed just coming out to watch the start and end of Bathurst. Now for him that's sick!!!

I have my first outside quilt on the longarm. Thankfully EJ doesn't mind how I quilt it, she will be happy with anything. The quilt is beautiful a single irish chain with a (sort of) log cabin border all done in pinks and burgundys with green and brown as highlighters. It took my about 4 hours to load it onto the machine. I think it is queen sized. Boy is she trusting. We're talking learner here with a capital L.

Retired????

Whoever said that when you're retired you'll have the time to do what you want is obviously still working full time. I feel like I'm being pulled in six different directions and feel really uptight.

DD1 Sharyn arrived this morning with 4 of her 6 littlies in tow and will be here until Friday. Now I know what you're all thinking and saying and yes I do love having my grandies here, but what a full week I had planned. Plus DD3 Katie has now got a date for her gall bladder operation — Wednesday. Now on Wed I'm supposed to be going on a shopping excursion with my craft group and I have a list a mile long (of course) but I shall do the mother thing and be good (can't you see my halo).

No, I'm really just joking, I remember when I had my first operation, my DH Ian had to leave me and milk the cows so I had to head to theatre by myself and back then it was the full cut from neck to knee, no such thing as keyhole surgery and I remember that I was totally terrified, so I will be there if Katie needs me and even if she doesn't.

Marg and Hans are still in Gatton after seeing her doctor and when I spoke to her last week she is trying to contact the PA in Brisbane for an appointment to a vascular surgeon.

Ian is sanding off the stairs in preparation for painting. We tried to buy the rods for the hand rails but I think we bought out Bunnings last time and they still haven't replaced their stock.

This morning Ian headed off the Gladstone with Pete DH of Katie to help with the welding of pipes. They were going to be away for tonight, coming back for Katie's operation and then heading back up for 2 weeks. The company they will be working for hasn't even started drilling yet, let alone be ready for them. Oh well, as Pete said that little trip cost them $1000.

We also picked up our new caravan today. We have gone back to single wheels and a pop-top and we both agreed that it towed a lot smoother than the Roadstar. Next month we hopefully head south taking a boat and trailer on the ute and towing the van. We will visit Marg and Hans and then head to Melbourne and spend a week with the owners of the boat. Then we are heading along the Great Ocean Road, a trip that we have been wanting to do for ages. We will be gone for roughly 2 months and will be spending Christmas on the road. I got onto the website for house sitters and one couple are free for this time and we will be meeting them next Monday. Hopefully we both suit each other.

Where did September go?

I can't believe the month has gone so quickly. Here we are the 22nd already.

I have been busy sewing and practising on the quilting machine. Have another piece of calico quilted ready to sew up as pillow protectors or some such item that takes my fancy. Also quilted a cot panel that has been hanging around for years. It has clowns on the front and I first thought I would get it done for my DD#2 Robyn's DD Skyelah who turned 7 earlier this year, but nope didn't get it done in time in fact didn't get it done period. But now its quilted and bound, just waiting to get back into the SnS shed to machine a label. Usually I embroider my labels by hand but seeing this isn't a proper quilt I'm taking a shortcut and then the quilt can go in my cot that is here for my visiting littlies. I've also made my Churn Dash for my clubs monthly swap and yesterday I posted away my cobblestones for scquilters swap.

I've also started on the vliesofixing of the butterflies for DGD Tahnee's first birthday quilt. Hopefully will have them all stuck down by Tuesday so that I can machine blanket stitch them at Kraft.

'Trev's Quilt' is being put onto the quilting machine tomorrow. I have been procrastinating (what's new I hear you ask), but I'm a little hesitant as my quilting is not the best, though I have also been told to stop being a perfectionist, you can only get that with practice.

Ian and Hans have outdone themselves this time.

Now for those of you who think they have left a gap in each panel. No - those 3 rods are painted green to match our gutters and they go down to the flooring.

Next job — the step railings which Ian will have to do by himself.

Marg and Hans head back south tomorrow. First stop Margie's doctor in Gatton where she will hopefully get a referral to a vascular surgeon in Woolloongong where their kids and families live. Her test results showed the femural artery in both legs above the knee were totally blocked. Not good news for Marg, her father died from this, so she is understandably a little nervous, but I kept her spirits up by telling her that she will be fine - only the good die young.

Our new van arrived in Bundy last Thursday. I emailed the company with the van name which is going to be printed and stuck on before we pick it up sometime next week. Our van is called "Day by Day" - how original and apt is that?

DD Katie's DH Pete is due home on Tuesday, he has been away for 5 weeks. At first Katie was fine and phoning each day but this last week and a bit she has been coming over for some adult contact. I wish that somehow she and the littlies could travel with Pete, it would be so much better for all of them. Each time Dylan (2) hears or sees a truck, tractor, motorbike or mower he immediately says what the vehicle is and then says Daddy. He misses him terribly and I know Pete is the same. Dylan is terribly sick with a cold at the moment, he sounds like a little old man when he coughs. Seeing his Daddy on Tuesday will make him feel a lot better and as usual once his Daddy is home he's not allowed out of his sight.

Next Sewing Session & More Renovations Started

We couldn't get together and continue on our Rose Trellis' quilts until I had caught up. Being away for a week put me a little behind, so once I was caught up we organised another sewing session. Yesterday we all met again in the SnS Shed for a day of sewing, laughter and talk, hopefully more sewing than the other two.

This is Evelyn's on the design wall before sewing

and the top ready for the first border and embroidery

and mine on the design wall

and the top ready for the first border and embroidery

Sue and Rhonda are making theirs Queen size so have a lot more cutting, sewing, everything to do. This is Sue's up on the wall. Before Sue left yesterday she had 3 rows sewn together and at craft this morning a lot more.

Rhonda is still fussy cutting her hydrangea blocks, but at the moment she is up to her neck in clothes sewing for an upcoming wedding she and hubby Kev will be attending in a couple of weeks. So once that is out of the road it will be upward and onward with her quilt.

Now while us ladies were busy sewing Ian and Hans were also busy building handrails. I can't believe it these are the last things that have to be finished for the final house inspection. If we were able to have got them done earlier they would have been inspected at the same time as the sheds, but Ian wasn't sure on tackling them at that stage.

Here Ian is busy at work drilling the holes in the top and bottom rails.


and here is Hans busy painting the rods.

The finished project, well 2 of the bays, only another 7 to go. I must admit they do look stunning.


one very pleased and proud hubby.


Today at craft I started sewing my September's Churn dash. I had to leave early because we celebrated Margie's 66th birthday at the local with a $7 pub lunch. Marg informs me that its her 12th birthday 6+6+12. So if thats right I'm only 10 - good for another 80yrs or so. Ha Ha!

After coming home I finished sewing them and now they are ready for swapping in a fortnight. I also got my cobblestone material out ready for cutting and sewing tomorrow. I also put some practice calico on the quilting machine and this afternoon after a lot of broken top threads - Grrr, I finally gave in and changed the needle and away we went. Tomorrow I will put a cot panel on the machine and see how I go. If successful the next top to go on the quilting machine is Trev's Quilt. I want it completely finished by the end of the month. His birthday is the 19th November but I don't want to be sewing the binding down on the way to the party.