July Update

A quick update for July before moving into August..... The month of July always brings our mum's birthday and time for another family celebration in Sydney but unfortunately due to lockdown that was not to be so a "virtual" birthday cake was sent and a shared cup of tea.....

.....Mum received her presents by post including this one I finished in time ........

Apart from this little bit of creativity have, as always, been reading......This was a book bought at Storyfest this year .... a biography about Elizabeth von Arnim - an early twentieth century author...was interesting.... 

"Happy" mail arrived during the past week....time to knit myself something - let's see how long it takes as the last garment took 3 Winters to finish! 

And while we can't really travel too far Megan & James in England went mountain bike riding in Wales - Megan's new found sport and Hayley in Queensland spent a few days camping with friends in Girraween National Park - well known for it's boulders! 

So that's about if for July......maybe August will bring a little more creativity, some more reading and warmer weather which for me brings more motivation! 

 

How Time Flies!

 Oh my! Has it really been that long since my last post!! Well, time to do a bit of a catch up with a few photos thrown in...... 

Going back to end January the family gathered together in Sydney again for an early celebration of my sister Linda's birthday....

Into February and - surprise, surprise - I actually had some creativity happening..... a friend was gifted a "chicken" and some time ago (won't say how long ago but I've never known of chickens to take so long to incubate!!)  she asked for a couple more.... finally they got made...and a needle case for Linda - who is quite an avid embroiderer! 

And, of course, a bit of reading - really enjoy books by Kate Morton......

While we were enjoying some Summery weather here over in England Megan & James finally had snow towards the end of February..... she said it was just like walking through Narnia from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.....

Now for some holiday photos ...... No overseas holidays yet so early March my other sister & I spent a week at Linda's place on the mid-north coast....We had many afternoon / morning teas out.....here we are at Miss Nellies in Kendall - who was to know that just a couple of weeks later it was inundated by the severe flooding experienced in that area. 

The local garden centre also (very conveniently) has a great cafe - a couple of visits here....

One morning we managed to arise before sunrise and headed up to a vantage point to watch the sunrise.... with a thermos packed we enjoyed a cup of hot tea as it was rather cool at that time of the morning!

Another day and we enjoyed catching up with a dear "old" friend over lunch at the Gladstone Pub - she was our neighbour in Sydney where we all grew up together and now lives about an hour north of Linda.....lots of stories to share that day! 

With so much eating out a little exercise was to be added to the itinerary..... believe me this did not happen often! 

And.... we did get to the beach but not for long as bearing down on us was a big storm - but we did get our feet wet!

Now.... what holiday would be complete without finding a patchwork shop!! Tucked away through the gate and down an overgrown path - "I Love Country" - full of a great range of embroidery threads, a small but very interesting range of fabrics and any other notions required for stitching!! Was a purchase made you ask? Well, of course! Unfortunately, I did see on their face book page that they were closed due to water damage from the recent flooding. 

And..... my sister has a cat called Milly who shared my bed, my lap - even sleeping in my open suitcase so while on holiday I was not deprived of feline company while Dora was back at home enjoying her "holiday" at the pet motel! 

Holiday over and it was back home and back to work...... a few days off again with the Easter holiday just around the corner...... some quiet time, some catching up with friends and some stitching - have a few things on the go at the moment  - perhaps too many so will be taking a while to get something actually finished I think..... will pop back sooner next time!

Happy Stitching

Asta

 

The Last Month.....

Here we are into August already....life as we know it has still not changed and so I go between work and home.... we did have a scare of the virus here a couple of weeks ago but thankfully has now passed and this week  am looking forward to my small embroidery group getting together again .........but, to catch up since last posting.....
There have been a couple of birthdays over the last few weeks....firstly Megan's in England and as always I sent her a "virtual" birthday cake.....

.....then a few weeks later is was my mum's 91st birthday.... plans to head to Sydney were cancelled so thought it a nice idea to also send her a "virtual" birthday cake together with a cup of tea and flowers.......

 A couple more books have been read..... thoroughly enjoyed "Becoming Michelle Obama"  they were an amazing couple and very interesting reading about living in the White House! This was followed by an all time classic.... "The Hound of the Baskervilles" - bought in England in 2018 (!) 

And..... (drumroll happening here)..... I finally finished Hayley's quilt - started some time ago (!)  and has been waiting for the binding to be done since last year....

Unfortunately the true colours don't really show up as there was no white - it was all blacks, greys and beiges with a touch of "wine". I posted it to Queensland and was very pleased knowing it had arrived when she sent me a lovely thank you message! 

Also out of the basket with further progress being made is my crochet blanket started 3 Winters ago.... perhaps this year I'll get it finished?? 

While Megan was in "lock down" in England she took up embroidery and has done some beautiful work.....  here is my Mothers' Day present she sent....I think I have forgotten to "show it off" in any previous post..... 

And will finish off with photo of a double rainbow I came across on my way home from work a few weeks ago....... 

Off to find another stitching project and book to read!! 

Happy Stitching

Asta

Further Catching Up!

Here I am back again..... and what a lot has happened since our family wedding! ...
Towards the end of February my sisters Linda and Vivien and brother-in-law Graham headed to Sydney for a great concert by a group called.... 

Little did we know that this would be the last of our get togethers for some time...... Covid 19 had reached Australia and we were in lockdown.... looking back it does seem a while ago now and as of writing this we are finally starting to ease our restrictions! How lucky were Megan & James to make their wedding after the fires and then get back to England before lockdown! 

With all in lockdown my Rock & Roll classes were put on hold and getting together with the lovely ladies in my embroidery group also was no longer an outing to look forward to....though in the last week we have got together again - after nearly 3 months! Rock & Roll has still to start..... I continued to work as we were still open though many shops and businesses had to close..... 

Easter arrived and was spent at home.....this was soon followed by ANZAC Day

I remembered this special day joining with neighbours on our nature strips in the early hours of the morning. 

Then it was Mothers' Day and like many others it was spent at home instead of heading to Sydney to celebrate with mum & dad. Once again I received my Mothers' Day message from Megan (together with James this year) ....from out on one of their many bike rides..

During their lockdown in England Megan has also taken up embroidery.....very impressed with her work especially as she has not done this before....she ordered kits and I have also sent her "care packages" with some of my surplus (!!) embroidery supplies... they were rather large parcels! .....though I don't seem to have made a dent! 

And Hayley in Queensland has been painting a "mural" on her bedroom wall.... still waiting for a photo of the finished masterpiece! 

During the past few months I have not really been very creative...... have done a lot of mulling over projects to start with nothing really happening.... did take up the knitting needles though - seemed like the the thing to do when I really couldn't be bothered gathering quilting / embroidery material together....maybe a sign of the general "flat" feeling of the times?? I knitted a "Miss Marple scarf", a few face washers (one in constant use and is doing quite well even after going through the washing machine a number of times!!) and a dishcloth - still to be tried out - knitted in a cotton from USA and looks and feels like the genuine old fashioned dish cloths! 

I have read a few books.....

Have been out walking.....more than I usually would!

Fingers have also done some walking.....online!! A new pattern from Anni Downs and some Tilda fabric....there has been a bit more shopping done but photos have not been taken yet! 

And.... while not at work and isolating on weekends have, of course, enjoyed Dora's company......

That about brings me up to date....... but I do finish off this post on a sad note..... my dear brother-in-law, Graham, is now in Palliative Care after battling an illness over the past 3 1/2 years. Thankfully, due to our restrictions being eased, I was able to go and see him last weekend..... these next few days....weeks...will be a sad time for our "small" family.... 

Till next time....

Asta