We Forge Ahead

It's getting closer, my sanctuary— the sewing room.

The formwork being done ready for the slab and the fellas hard at work levelling the slab. The shed and house in the background belongs to Pat and Toby. We cut our original block in half, we now have 2½ acres, and P&T bought the other half. We have known them for around 7-8 years, lovely people, caravanners, can rely on them, just exactly what you want in neighbours.

Ian watering the edges so they don't dry too fast.

a photo of my home (not a good one) taken from the slab, but that is how far I'll have to walk to get to the sewing room.

Can you tell I'm excited!!!

This Week's Rush

What a week!

I'm typing while the next door neighbours dog is busy yapping at something. It's really not like him to do that, so I'm assuming that Jill and Selwyn are away. Having only arrived back home this afternoon myself I'm a little behind in the gossip stakes.

I had to make a quick trip to Brisbane last Thursday to sit with my mum Rosalyn, sister Jen and brothers Ken and Trevor while our dad had shoulder replacement surgery. Mum and Dad only saw the surgeon last Tuesday but had decided that because Dad was in so much pain that if Dr. Duke could operate straight away he would have it done. The Dr could fit Dad in on Thursday afternoon, so it was all a mad rush to be there. The operation went well and after talking to Mum tonight he's now getting out of bed, doing his exercises and going for slow walks around the ward.

I made sure that I packed plenty of hand work to do, miles too much as usual, rather have a glutton than panicking because I have nothing to do. I took with me two projects, my rag rug and Postcards from the Past BOM by Robyn Pandolph. I didn't end up touching the BOM it was just too awkward in the hospital as I didn't really have myself organised, but the rag rug which I'm making in latch hook style was definitely worth taking. I had all the strips cut, it seems like there are thousands of them and I am now over half way. It has a hessian backing and I pulled out every sixth row to keep the each row straight. It's looking fantastic IMHO. I shall post photos when it gets closer to being finished.

On the way home I called into Patchwork Angel, what a lovely shop and of course had some quality squishy time, also had to purchase material for our club's Churn Dash swap and Scq Cobblestone swap, bought both April and May's material. Patchwork Angel doesn't have much in Japanese material but what they do have is beautiful, I think I chose the best.

Tomorrow its unpacking and putting the house in order though Ian DH hasn't made too much of a mess so it's just general tidying.

I admit it!

All right I admit it — I'm hopeless at keeping this thing up to date.

Have been busy working on my 'hearts in blue' getting the cream border embroidered and it is now ready for the final navy border, then I'll take a photo and post it here.

Last year I taught the stained glass stack and slash at my craft group. As usual I still have to finish mine, it's ready for quilting but I'm still tossing whether to add borders to each side and make it into a tablecloth for the back patio. I just love the colours in the top.

This is a close up of a block, it really is so easy to do.

I've also made a stable bag in the last week. The pattern was a bit expensive $22 and I found the instructions weren't crystal clear but I muddled through and I'm thrilled with the results.

I just love the way it opens up and everything is able to be seen at a glance. It would be fantastic to take to workshops with your stuff in, just open up the bag and everything is in front of you, no searching through the depths.

2 posts today - to make up for last week

Took some photos of the latest addition to our growing family, which I now hope has finished growing. With 3 daughters and all of them wanting mum to be a support person when they go into labour I am glad that (fingers crossed) they are finished with babies. When Katie was in labour with Taneesha the midwife, Jennifer, was a lovely lady whose own daughters didn't just want her to be there for support, they wanted mum to deliver the babies. Poor Jennifer was so terrified in case something went wrong with the births. I really felt for her, watching your daughters in so much pain and knowing that so many things can go wrong, you spend the whole time praying to God that he takes good care of everyone.

What a beauty, but then I am just a leetle bit biased.

... and she has a good set of lungs too.

Poor Katie has had to put Taneesha on the bottle, her nipples couldn't stand the pace. They ended up in a terrible mess, she was expressing over 100mls for each feed and as soon as the nipples healed Taneesha would suck them to death again. She definitely has a grip and a half. Just try and get the bottle away from her.

Lots happening/Camping - Christening Shed

As usual this place is a mad house.

Took 'Hearts in Blue' for S&T at craft last Tuesday, have a swelled head and had to come back to earth, which was very easy in this household.

Got back from Dr Debbie on Thursday to the news that we were going camping at Gayndah for the weekend leaving Friday am. spent the afternoon packing as we camp in the back of our ute which has been built to be self sufficient. Bit of a climb for the old bodies when we go to bed and the mattress is getting thinner I can feel the wooden board underneath me and before you say anything it doesn't have anything to do with the extra weight that I carry - according to me that is.

Left home at 10.30am Friday morning texting our friends that we were on our way when they phone us with the news that their one and only grandchild (boy - Lachlan) 5 months old has been rushed to Mater Childrens Hospital with a rash covering his body. With thoughts of meningicoccl (sp?) racing through their heads they tell us they might be driving straight through to Brisbane. An hour later and better news, they have been able to talk to Lachlan's father (DSIL) and not menin... but a severe reaction to School Sores. Lachlan came out in little blisters that busted and took skin and all with it. It was like he had second degree burns and that is how the hospital treated him. Put him into isolation and wrapped him up like a burns victim. At the moment he is only allowed one visitor at a time and the parents dissuaded Kym & Phil from travelling straight through and to enjoy their weekend with us. Who would believe school sores would be so savage ... and we did enjoy our weekend - we christened the new shed.

Sunday morning we head for home the back way, we haven't travelled this way before usually travelling to Ban Ban Springs, Biggenden, Booyal and home, usually takes 1½ - 2 hours depending on traffic. The back way takes an hour and a bit, narrow bitumen road with dirt sections, through private properties, over grids, winding up hill and down dale, in other words a lovely trip. The difference in the countryside is amazing, dry dead grass giving way to lush green pasture.