Category: All things family

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Sharing is caring…

Talking to my sister the other day she mentioned how touched she was by some of the recollections of our late sister that friends had shared with her.
It reminded me of how I felt when someone ( a stranger) had shared some information with me – information that helped to unravel a ‘mystery’ concerning one of my grandfathers.

The man seated is my maternal grandfather – Isaac John Joseph Thompson, my mother’s father.  A few years ago I posted this photograph (and his name) on a military forum in the hope of getting it dated – to my surprise I learned a whole lot more than the date.

Yes, we knew he served in the RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corp) and we knew he was a regular and had ‘fought’ in both WW! and WW2 – Mum had told us he was a hero, ‘mentioned in dispatches’ but that was it.

Well, from that photograph, I was given the approx year it was taken and his rank.  Also from looking at the medal ribbons on Grandad’s uniform this person was able to determine his ‘mention’ and  (through contacts he had) then went on to supply me with information on which conflict he was in at the time.

This is when my jaw dropped – after giving me the date of the award, the forum member told me “he earned his mention for gallantry in the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF)”  When I looked it up I discovered the MEF is another term for The Gallipoli Camapign!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipoli_campaign

Even though I was not born here in Australia (am a long time naturalised Australian) it brought a smile to my face when I realised he took part in and performed an act of bravery in a campaign that is dear to the heart of most Australians.

Anzac Day – National day of remembrance and first landing of the Anzacs at Gallipoli – is this coming Sunday 25 April.
source – https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day

Are there any unknowns in your family’s past
that have become known through research?

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He’s been at it again….

I didn’t do it on purpose
at the time it was easier for him to do it than me.
Just look at what he came home with this time.
Theres no point in me complaining about him bring home unnecessary stuff because
I did ask him to look around and maybe pick up something ‘interesting’.
Interesting- adjective
Unusual, arousing curiosity or interest, holding or catching the attention, strange or different

They definitely caught his attention 😊

We have lots of little shops out here in the eastern suburbs that sell ‘interesting’ food stuffs. Little corner like asian shops where as you walk in you get the feeling you’re walking in to an Aladdin’s cave as well as slightly bigger bordering on small supermarkets selling ‘international’ bits and pieces.

When our loose leaf Chinese Green and Oolong tea is getting low it means a trip to one in Croydon to hunt through the shelves jam packed with things I’ve never heard of but look very interesting…….if I was confident enough to try.

It’s the only one locally where loose leaf is available rather than just tea bags and as they move things around the ‘teas’ are never where they were before, which means I’m constantly getting lost in unfamiliar territory trying to make sense of packets in very unfamiliar languages – now I’ve got into the habit of taking the tin along and asking for help. Which in turn makes other shoppers in there curious and they all have a go at finding my tea. It’s a very relaxed environment with lots of interesting chatter between shoppers and owners…..not that I can understand a word they’re saying to each other…or me at times…interesting to say the least😊

Further up Main Street is what we used to call ‘the dutch shop’ (now goes by a more upmarket name) where for years it was the only place I could get sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis) and the lovely oval almond cakes we enjoy. Now it has branched out and specialises in food from all over Europe, if The Golfer is curious to know if things he ate as a child still taste the same he’ll pop in there for English sweeties…..an international food mart indeed. If you’re a European migrant hankering for home, they have so many unusual products that something might catch your attention as you look at the interesting catalogue

And for real modern ‘interesting’ stuff there’s the chain that buys up weird and wonderful unheard of imported brands plus well known but nearly out of date products, also non sellers with what you think are surplus ingredients the manufacturer wants to get rid of. It began by buying and on selling goods that came off the conveyor belt looking ‘not quite right’. Perfectly ok, but maybe not the right shape or size. Now it’s all about clearance and discounts- buy now before it’s gone but occasionally they do have some ‘interesting- wonder what that tastes like’ things on the shelf

Guess where The Golfer picked up the chips with the ‘interesting flavours’ 😊

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I’m slowly catching up on the new daylight hours after our recent time change- it’s dark at the moment, the sky starts to lighten about 6.30am, so there’s still a bit of time left to enjoy another cup of tea before the day proper starts.
The Golfer is all set with tea for a while now (Oolong is his morning choice, mine is Dilmah Premium Ceylon….I’m not a strong tea lover) and as I was able to get a soft pack refill for him the other day he can continue to use the old tin caddy.
Our gain….the op shop’s loss!

And I just have time to wonder if anything interesting in the form of strange, different or unusual will happen this week. Here’s to an interesting one for you too!

Do visit Denyse’s blog to see the latest edition of Life this week – you’ll find lots of interesting people over there

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Gone bush…..

The phone’s off the hook – we can’t hear you!
The blog is off limits for a little while 😉

‘60 Years’ might sound a long time for some
We’ve been too busy enjoying life to notice it passing by

8 April 1961

Shame we can’t have another 60!

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Thoughts from the Village

It’s fifteen years since The Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne.
15 – 26 March 2006
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Commonwealth_Games.

During the year leading up to the games The Golfer and I were involved with Team Melbourne assisting organisers and their staff in various roles. The Golfer was part of the organising team getting The Queen’s Baton Relay ‘up and then off and running’ – I spent many hours with the ‘entertainment staff’ involved with the Opening Ceremony. All good fun doing a couple of shifts a week in the World Trade Centre.

Once the games started he took up his allocated position with one of the visiting teams and I began ‘working’ in the Guest Pass Centre situated right beside the main entrance to the Athlete’s Village. Nobody got in without the correct pass – press included. I refused entry to a BBC reporter one day, she was all geared up to interview a medal winner but the agency responsible for obtaining their passes hadn’t done the necessary paper work. Not a happy chappy indeed – she got her interview in the end, not in the village but outside the gate under the nearby gum trees.

I’m on another clear out mission and found a journal of my thoughts from that time
Here’s some of them

“Australia Day was great. The two of us took part in the parade down Swanston Street wearing the official uniform…..what the Melbourne Press are describing as Smurf suits. There are thousands of us running around the city and environs having fun ‘volunteering’. Only a few weeks until the games begin!”
~ ~ ~ ~

“Well, its been quite a while since a week has passed by as quickly as this last one. All I seem to have done is travel, smile at people, travel and then sleep.”

“Life in the Athletes Village at Parkville is becoming more hectic each day as teams are arriving along with their officials. I am slowly getting to recognise some of the team colours and their outfits – even a few large as life characters attached to teams – so can say Hello and know where some of them are from. Its a good job they have the country names on the back as I’m not sure if I’ll get to remember all 71 team colours when they have all arrived.”

“There are lots of visitors passing through the area where I am working – am having a lot of contact with what we would possibly call the general public (guests of the athletes and officials and Village Management) – not the VIPs tho – they are ushered into the lounge next to ours. Its got carpet on the floor and not vinyl!!”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“I have regained all that feeling of confidence and corny as it may sound ‘worth’ that I had whilst I was working, it is sort of taken away when you retire especially when asked what you do. Why does it seem as tho people lose interest when you describe your daily life in retirement and they realise its not a working for cash life.”

“I think about all the people I am working with in my area at the village and realise some of them would drive me nuts if I had to work alongside them permanently. Then I wonder if it is me and whether I am set in my ways having worked on my own or in a small office environment for most of my working life.

There definitely are some strange pedantic people out there and I wonder how they got on with their work colleagues during their working life.

Maybe they drove them nuts as well😊”

~ ~ ~

“Today Sunday has been HOT and very windy and not a comfortable day out at the Village. With it being a Fire Ban Day and having a Northerly blowing its been hard to reassure guests that they will enjoy their visit. Hopefully their hosts took them to the dining room to cool off for part of the time – its airconditioned in there – and allow them to recuperate”

“Loads of extra security today……………..we had a visit from Mr Howard (PM) who just popped in to say hello and have a look see. Wonder if Her Majesty will be along when she is in town?”

~ ~ ~ ~

“The look and feel of Melbourne is good at the moment.
Yesterday I took my turn at Federation Square welcoming visitors onto the Village Shuttle service, my goodness the amount of people out and about was overwhelming.

Had a little break and was able to wander round the Square, nearly got crushed in the crowd. Discovered the big hoarding with the photos taken during the Australia Day Parade. Was surprised to see little short me in the corner right on the edge (under the word centre) next to the tall fella. Someone took my photo as a keep sake 😊

As well as the crowd in Fed Square, the outside of Flinders St station and St Paul’s Cathedral was packed with people listening to the group playing by the church as well as deciding which way they had to go to reach different venues. It was windy and a bit chilly part of the time but that didn’t seem to bother anyone at all especially the kids by the thousand and their frazzled carers ( parents, grandparents or whoever). Lots of noise, smiles and laughter, had a great time and hope I’m on the Fed Square roster again next week.”

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There’s always one…..

A long time ago (like back in the 1970/80s ) we’d gather the children together towards the end of November to take what we called our end of year breakup photo. It was a way of knowing there was at least one record of them all together each year…..copies were made and one went into each of the grandparents Christmas cards so they could see how much they’d grown during the year. (We were here in Melbourne- they were up there in the cold and often snowy UK). Anyway as is the norm someone would try to be funny….rabbit ears, tongues out, strange faces….


We did the same when grandchildren came along and as usual there’d be one who made a fuss. Or tried the tricks their parents did like little ‘bug eyed boy’

I was beginning to think it was a rerun of those days the other week trying to get a photograph of some cardigans before closing the ‘charity box’. The office had reopened so spent time checking seams (and buttons) getting things ready to send off. Strange I know but I do like to have a record of how most turn out, especially those engineered with pencil & paper (plus a few terse words) using a design from one pattern and sizing from another.
There’s the red one with the pockets finally finished, the grey cable has been done before, the royal blue is simply stocking stitch with a purl row on the right side every six rows (hard to see in that light) while the denim blue on the end was a definite pen/paper add /subtract job.

And just like with the children once you get them together they decided to have fun. Twisting this way and that, clothing disheveled, not looking at the camera, one even turned it’s back on me – lol I can assure you the rib band on the denim doesn’t droop and hang down like that but lies flat and even.

And for your…..’ ahhh aren’t they sweet’ moment…….here are some for the baby 12 month packs. Simple raglan mix and match – white always goes well with another soft colour which is good because it’s a great way to use up some half balls. And look….. the green/white striped one came good in the end.

It isn’t only ‘big kids’ who get to climb trees

So now that all of those cardigans plus quite a few more newborn size have finally made their way to Knit one Give one aka KOGO the time has come to concentrate on finishing some of the children’s jumpers on the go. And after that…..well take a look at this delightful photo of my (sadly late) blond curly haired little sister Patsy (aged about 3) forwarded to me a couple of weeks ago…….maybe just maybe, there might be some woolies coming up featuring little bunny rabbits 💕

It’s time for another cup of tea and a think about it.

I’ve just had an (awful) thought…each of those children is now in their 50s and each of those grandchildren is in their 20s……so what does that make me???

Joining Denyse for the latest edition of Life this week – pop over and see how others fared.
Linking to #MondayMusings hosted by Corrine at Everyday Gyaan




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Family Friday…..

It’s certainly been a strange week or two, on top of loads of other happenings our internet has been what you might call ‘touchy’ so I’m saying thank goodness for post scheduling because without it Sunday and Wednesday’s would still be sitting there

Anyway there were days of forgettable weather…those middle of last month warm days a sweet memory now, daylight is fading and lights are needed from about 8pm, some nights were dominated by a very large shiny bright full moon that lit up the house so much it had you thinking a light had been left on. Middle of the nights punctuated by a symphony of weird and wonderful sounds from one side of the bed accompanied by cries of ‘oh oh bl**dy cramp’ as I leapt out of bed holding my leg in agony. My friend Mr Insomnia came visiting for a while but I seem to have shown him the door, which is good because there’s nothing worse than trying to relax and let your mind go blank hoping that sleep will come back.

At one stage I was beginning to think I was falling apart – what with the non sleeping issue, the night cramps and the funny turns. well not turns as such but wavy things in front of my eyes. The first time I thought – well I didn’t know what to think – my sight was sort of distorted, clear in all but one area, with a strange cloudy shape with jagged edges there. No pain of any sort, just this vision thing that lasted about 20 mins… thinking ‘might have to see the Dr in the morning’ later I remembered something I’d read years ago (when I got full blown migraines) about no pain migraines. Looked them up and yes, very similar so not life threatening and ‘oh well if that’s what it is I’ll put it down to experience’. When I saw the GP last week and mentioned there had been several episodes over a couple of weeks he wasn’t concerned at all – linked them to the stress of my sister’s illness and her death.

She arrived back in England last week and her funeral was this past Monday. This might sound ‘wrong/insensitive’ to some but my other sister mentioned that Patsy and the funeral director had been good friends for many years so he ‘reported’ he’d been there at Heathrow in good time for the meet and greet and made sure she was comfortable in his limo for the drive back home. A lovely lighthearted touch that was appreciated by the family

A sign of the ‘strange times’ is watching a funeral service being streamed into your living room. It felt very cold impersonal – ‘short and sweet’ and so very sad for those few allowed to be there, masked and sitting so far away from each other. Covid restrictions meant there was no gathering afterwards. That will come whenever it’s possible and she will be toasted and talked about for many an hour, day, years to come:)

But enough of the moaning and groaning- the whinging and whining.
It hasn’t al been gloom and doom ……I found Minnie
Remember Minnie?

I thought she was lost but now she’s found
and she wasn’t really lost at all.

And that’s a tale for another day 😊

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Time gone by

I hope this doesn’t distress anyone — It’s something I feel I must write.
A follow up to last weeks post
It is also a fairly lengthy post — so you may choose not to read it

It all began with a tight painful feeling in the chest and shortness of breath……an ambulance was called and it was off to the hospital where they ‘didn’t know for sure’ but thought the problem was ‘a travelling blood clot’ (pulmonary embolism). Various unknown tests done, oxygen levels low so assistance given which helped.
Tests ‘inconclusive’ MRI needed, no clot but ‘serious lung infection’ so decision made to be transferred to a hospital closer to home where lung specialist is.

Oxygen level going up, chosen antibiotics seem to be working, Covid test negative, possible if all goes well she could be home for Christmas. Happy once her phone was charged and she could talk (breathlessly) to family.
Days later (Christmas Eve) told not well enough to go home…..”seriously pissed off but knows it’s for the best”.

Sudden turn for the worse, now sedated and intubated to help with recovery…… then septicaemia (sepsis) reared its head, medication changed, next 48 hrs vital but so far response is good.
31 December: Condition – serious but stable
2 January: Condition – deteriorated now critical but stable

By 5 January Drs are taking a different tack.
Covid negative- responded to septicaemia treatment but original lung infection has re-emerged. Trying to wean her off life support but lungs keep collapsing so ‘they may ask permission to perform a tracheostomy’. Cardiologists are monitoring her heart, on steroids for weak muscles. They’ll keep trying to ‘wean’ her.
The next day her husband signed the consent form
No luck getting her to breathe on her own so operation went ahead four days later
Now being ventilated in a different manner.

Day after operation there is the first bleed – a known complication. Appears she has a ‘weak trachea’ ??..hence the bleeds so more steroids to try to strengthen it.
Days pass, problems getting her lungs to work on their own without the ventilator, other organs strong plus good brain activity. Drs say it’s just a matter of time before she responds.

19 January: Decision made to give blood transfusion because of trachea bleeds – blood count good, transfusion has not been rejected, no change in condition. Hopeful this will make a difference.
Couple of days later news she now has an infection….family told nothing to worry about “ it’s something that can happen if you’re in hospital for a long time….however (not actual words) it’s playing havoc with her vital organs, but don’t worry they are dealing with it”. (Bloody golden staph!)

Many days of no change, respiratory condition still the same, no progress. Has been un-sedated at times but not responding as they would like.

29 January: Not doing well, getting weaker, drs doing all they can 2 steps forward 1 back. Condition gone from critical stable to critical.

1 February — Goodnight Patricia ….sleep well my little one ❤️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s been a difficult time for family spread over 3 ‘continents’ – a husband and a son….hers not his…. living locally, other children plus extended family in UK and us out here.

Because of different time zones communication was difficult (husband not internet savvy) so son set up a messenger group where he posted up dates. Even though we all spoke independently to each other it meant nobody could complain they ‘weren’t told that’ even if they read it at a different time to others. It also meant I was able to refresh my memory to be able to write this post.

Language could have been difficult – English is mainstream now not the 2nd language it used to be but it was a help to have son’s Cypriot partner available when meeting with specialists.

Covid regulations meant no visitors – same worldwide restrictions only eased in exceptional circumstances. After applying (and reapplying) to the hospital director husband was only allowed four very short visits in the eight weeks, he was reliant on daily bulletins same as everyone else. Patsy’s son none (except to ‘view his mother’).

COVID stopped any travel in its tracks. One of Patsy’s daughters booked early on to go and visit and help husband- then all flights cancelled. Sister planned on quarantine before being able to help nurse Patsy (for when she would be discharged) but it became difficult after flights were cancelled….and then sadly not necessary. Strongly voiced emotional disappointment.

Also something that happens many times after a traumatic event like this. Strongly felt views on ‘decisions taken at hospital’ are emerging, little cracks are appearing……..why the operation….we know it’s not what she would have chosen , why not have left her to recover slowly in her own good time (or not) how on earth was she infected with golden staph (we should sue them )

Now there are other ‘arrangements’ to make. Husband and son are doing that without the healing cocoon of family close by. Something that expats, still with strong ties to family (and a country) elsewhere, have to cope with.
Patsy is being repatriated to England- her long time wish – the decision made to honour her wish feasible but so difficult to execute (well, involved more than difficult) especially with a pandemic ‘raging’ . It will happen, all in good time. So will husband’s return to England sort out other legal ‘problems’ but nobody knows when.

Then, all things being well and local Covid restrictions allowing it, children will be able to farewell their mother, grandchildren their Nana, and siblings their sister

~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a very reflective mood today, I like to think my early attempts at loving kindness meditation were felt by Patsy.
I’ve been assured she died peacefully with no pain, in a quiet warm safe environment

It’s nearly time for my second early morning cup of tea then to start the day. Supposed to be fair to middling 20c/68f cloudy with a low chance of rain……no grizzles from me about the rain because even though we’ve had enough of it lately to ‘float an ark’ I still have vivid memories of the 10yr Millennium Drought .

Joining Denyse for the latest edition of Life this week.

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Down the rabbit hole….

I know what started it……middle of last year (2020), little internet messages between sisters. ‘Do you remember this….when we did this’ backed up by photos floating through the airwaves (or whatever you call what the internet runs on). Thoughts on what we inherited from our mum….I got the knitting gene…..middle sister got the sewing machine gene….and little sister joked and said, all she gave me was her arthritis. Which sent us into fits of ‘LOLs’ because we all inherited it in one place or another. Them in both hips, me in my spine and little brother in his knees.

Feeding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square 1954 – we ( just we three girls then plus mum….baby brother was there but not in person….yet) were on our way to Germany. Dad was there already, he’d been posted weeks before, so we made our way with lots of other service families on a very old ship across the North Sea from Harwich to Hook of Holland and then by train to RAF Wunstorf.

This photo of little sister’s beret shows mum’s love of fair isle knitting, something I enjoy as well. I’ve never attempted to knit a beret, wouldn’t it be a good project to take on I thought. Maybe even try to reproduce one like little sister’s. No pattern in my pile so off I go the source of all things knitting (preferably free if you know the right way to ask)…..yes, I changed my name to Alice…..which incidentally was my mother’s and my gt grandmother’s name, ……and made my way down the rabbit hole of the WWW.

I came up trumps with this pattern (pictured on the right) but it’s in 3ply so saved it for another day, however the site itself (Vintage Knitting Pattern Archive) is a fantastic source of free vintage patterns.

Another find was this picture of a very unhappy looking little boy wearing a really good looking fair isle style jumper/sweater similar to some I’d made for my children…….if you’re interested the pattern is here…. A Boys Jumper.

Look what came to light this past weekend when I sorted out some WsIP I’d tucked away in favour of doing something else. So enthused at the time by how easy the pattern ( as in the colour work stitches) appeared to be (and actually turned out to be) I’d started on it there and then, finishing the back and a sleeve before putting it to one side. Even though I like the distinct sharpness of the suggested red, white and blue on the cover and knowing I have no control of wherever it goes and to whom, I feel the softer colours will make it suitable for both girls and boys whatever their circumstances.



Looking at the wrong side you can see that like traditional fair isle there’s only two colours to each row, short breaks between each colour meaning short strands. And I tried to have the same colour on the top as I went along the row.


So when I get around to giving some attention to those half finished projects I think this little jumper will be the first cab off the rank.

First book for this year will be A Month of Sundays- Liz Byrski. Four women who have only seen each other on screen during their monthly online book club sessions decide to spend some time together …in person…at a property in the Blue Mountains. A soft read, with lots of tears, revelations and decisions coming up I think.



Unravelled Wednesday hosted by Kat is here at As Kat Knits. Lots of knitting and reading to see there.

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How can Peggy be short for Margaret….

Often the names of our ancestors recorded on census returns or other papers never seem to line up with their given names. I’ve been struggling to find the ‘real’ name of an ancestor recorded on documents as Minnie.
Is she Mary or Martha?
There were oodles of females named as Mary and also Martha in this family.
And to complicate matters I can’t find documents with either name for the time period I’m looking at so I can pinpoint which name she was given.

In another line I’ve got a Kathleen known as Kitty and a Mary known as May.
John was Jack and Charles was Chuck, oh and James was Jim

Nicknames- the bane of a genealogist’s life

If you’ve ever wondered how they came about you might be interested
in these (safe) links.
They are all similar but fun to read and could supply the answer
As to why your Aunt Margaret was often called Daisy

https://www.buzzfeed.com/katangus/how-is-polly-short-for-mary

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/24761/origins-10-nicknames

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Traditional_Nicknames_in_Old_Documents_-_A_Wiki_List

https://usefulenglish.ru/vocabulary/womens-names.

https://www.behindthename.com/glossary/view/diminutive

https://cafemom.com/parenting/172329-30_nicknames_that_make_better

Fun Friday – the day you forget the worries of the week. 
I think we all deserve a smile at the moment 😊

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Where did it come from

My mother and her sister were twins. Fraternal not identical. Two eggs producing two sisters who were so very different. One blonde – one dark. One out going, talkative, loving life to the full, an extrovert – the other quiet and retiring very much the introvert. One definitely liking the drink – the other very much the teetotaller.

Children of the 1920s when money was a bit hard to come by. I love these photos of the two of them in their homemade shifts, with my grandma standing to one side, smiling at them getting to know the parrot in the big cage. Mum (the dizzy blonde with the curly hair and her drawers hanging down) is trying to open the cage, Aunty Madge (the dark haired quiet one) is obviously not that interested.

That’s the way they were all their lives.  Aunty Madge (below L) quietly and politely waiting  her  turn.   Alice (my mum) ‘quick’ impatient, impulsive, outspoken, always wanting to lead, never wanting to be left behind.  Sometimes known to bite her tongue when she saw things she didn’t like but decided that wasn’t the time to let people know.   Not quite sure what it was the photographer was doing she didn’t like but her tongue was obviously being bitten lol

They grew up ‘motherless’……my grandma died when they were just 7 so an aunt helped raise them as well as their two brothers.  All mum ever said was ‘it was was fun when her father was around, not so the aunt’.  
So come the time of WW2 what does a very high spirited young woman do when advised by her father (a career soldier mentioned in dispatches for bravery during WW1) that women do not go to war but take the overnight boat from Belfast to Heysham and enlist in the WAAFs.  Yes she ran away from home to join the Air Force.  

Aunty Madge bided her time and was ‘allowed’ to work in a munitions factory where she found a husband and lost the tip of a finger.  Mum spent her time dodging bombs on an airforce camp, packing parachutes and dancing.  She ‘reacquainted’ herself with Dad (who she had known in Belfast) and the rest is history.  

Alice and James 1985

During this time of lockdowns and restrictions I’ve been trying to do something different for a change – I gave up on ‘teach yourself crochet’ because I just couldn’t get a grip on manipulating the wool in my left hand – so dug out some cross stitch that’s been on the go for a fair while.    
A little something for The Golfer, ( a sampler of historic buildings in Colchester which is where he was born and bred) supposed to have been a surprise birthday gift a couple of years ago it never got finished in time and has been loitering  waiting patiently for me to rediscover it.  Yes I know I should have rolled it……..I’ll have to wash it so hopefully the crease will come out when it’s ironed/blocked before framing.

I know my love of song and family was passed down from my father, the thrill of dance came from both parents, my delight in knitting was given to me by my mother who ‘was a whizz with the needles’ but I’ve often struggled wondering where did my interest in needlework come from.  
https://cranethie.com/2017/06/23/putting-it-all-together/

I certainly didn’t inherit the sewing machine gene – that delight was passed on to my next sister and I don’t ever recall mum with an embroidery needle in her hand.

But see this lovely embroidery hoop and floor stand – it was given to me years and years ago – by Aunty Madge!  Unbeknown to me my quiet patient retiring aunt shared the same interest and thought I might like it.  It’s great for large pieces, I can adjust the height and angle of the hoop or remove the hoop and use it on my lap.  Perhaps as she had no children of her own she had silently (Invisibly) gifted me with her passion for threads of all sorts.


Linking to Monday Musings 

 

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He must think I’m daft…..

Oh I’m wise to his games
Trying to get in my good books
Thinks these’ll do the trick

Choccies  and Allsorts
My favourites!

Oh wait, could be he’s trying to cheer me up

Maybe I’ll crumble 😊

What little gifts would you crumble for?

~ ~ ~ ~

It’s Monday June 22…..(Winter Solstice time)…we’re on the way up or is that down … hours of daylight might be on their way up but our winter temps have yet to reach their lowest.

 Coffee (and chocolate) later will buck me up no end

 

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Friday Finishes…

It’s a standing joke amongst  some of my friends that I’m I known as ‘the little old lady who knits’. It’s something I’ve always done.

Most of you know that what I knit these days goes to a local charity rather than family – and instead of the scarves beanies and gloves that other volunteers make I prefer to give my time to the baby and toddler programme.  I bet you’ve all been bored by  seen lots of the little cardigans and jumpers I’ve worked on, the reason for me making those sizes is (not because I’m permanently clucky 😊) but because they grow quickly which means they are finished before I get bored with them’ which then means I can get on with something else!

Over the recent ‘stay at home’ weeks the needles have been clicking like crazy – it passed the time in what I’m calling the ‘horror season’  I don’t know about you but a fair bit of news …..national as well as international…….has been watched, each and every bulletin available devoured.  Anyway that……like the  confirmed cases……has slowed down considerably thank goodness, so now I’m recovering my composure by  staying away from ‘news channels’, biding my time gathering all things together and tidying up loose ends.  Sewing up and placing buttons so the finished garments are ready to go to their new homes (wherever that might be)

Hot off the needles this week is this little grandad neck shirt

 Over the years I’ve knit oodles of them….these below are just a few…….using the stitch count on the pattern to get the sizing but altering colour and design.  One feature of the original garment (picture below from pattern) – the collar- has been ‘deleted’……after a couple of times of trying and not being able to get it to sit right I decided a neckband worked better for me.

 

 

 

This time I decided to add the mock cable design from this pattern on the left – one that’s been in my pile for a long long time.

Thankfully the stitch count worked out right……juggling stitches – adding/subtracting….is par for the course when you  adapt patterns….so once I’d set the first four rows it knit up a charm.   I think knitting  plain stocking stitch on the back and sleeves gave it a more simple boyish look, as well as highlighting the front panel.

Agreed ?

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And here’s a funny story about a little boy whose Mum (she who many years later became the little old lady who knits)  put that very same cable pattern on the front of one of his jumpers.

One day long ago in 1969 he went on a drive from Ipswich where he lived to see his Nanna and Grandad in Colchester, which is where they lived.  He fell asleep in the car and woke in a very grumpy mood when they arrived.  His Nanna asked his Mum and Dad if they would take him and his brothers and sisters to a local park and take some photographs with her old box brownie because she didn’t have any recent ones.

So back into the car they all get which didn’t please him at all.  In his temper he took off his shoes and got even more ‘angry’ because his Mum wouldn’t put them back on, instead  carrying him to the chosen bench, where he certainly made his feelings known 😊

He was feeling very sorry for himself so his Mum tried to cuddle him while his sister (the one his Mum refers to as ‘our litte girl’) undid the buckles on his very (expensive) nice red shoes.

Lots of cuddles later (with his shoes on) he sat with the others on the bench but no matter how many times his Mum and Dad tried  to coax him there was no way he  was going  to  ‘smile’.   In fact he was starting to annoy the others with his sulking.  His favourite brother kept  giving  him dirty looks,  ‘our big girl’  kept telling  him to  shush,  ‘our little girl’ was thoroughly fed  up and his big  brother just wanted it over and done with.

Let’s get Daddy (later to be known as The Golfer) to sit with you on his knee – after all it’s  his Mummy who wants the  photographs.  The little boy had calmed down by then …..unfortunately by that time everybody else was more interested in what was going on around them to look at the camera…..so they gave it up as a bad job and went back to Nanna’s  house for  tea!

It’s strange the *fun* memories that surface when you’re not really looking 😊

Fun Friday – the day you forget the worries of the week.

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Remembered in colour…

April 25 2020 – A very different Anzac Day in Australia.

No parades – no dawn services –  no ceremonies – no gathering of ‘mates’

So here is a different way of remembering the young men /women who have served Australia.

A mural commemorating The Cooee March which started in Gilgandra NSW
Photographed Sept 2015

 During World War I, a recruitment march to Sydney began in Gilgandra, known as the Coo-ee March. The men who enlisted on the way became known locally as "Coo-ees". The march was given this name because the marchers shouted the old bush call of "cooee" at each town along their journey in order to attract recruits. Twenty-six men left Gilgandra on 10 October 1915. At each town on the route, the marchers were feted and a recruitment meeting was held. By the time they reached Sydney just over one month later on Friday 12 November 1915, the number of recruits had swelled to 263. They were welcomed on arrival in Sydney with huge crowds lining George Street near the Town Hall to welcome them and an official address given to them by the Minister for Works representing the Premier of NSW. Source

Painted Silos in Devenish Victoria depicting army nurses/medics from WW1 and modern times ….as well the men and their horses of the Australian Light Horse
Photographed Nov 2019

The GrainCorp Silos at Devenish in North East Victoria were painted by Melbourne Street Artist Cam Scale and are officially the 19th Silos to be included in the Australian Silo Art Trail.  

Stage one which comprises of the two tall silos was officially unveiled on Anzac Day in 2018. Marked as a tribute to help celebrate the 100-year centenary of the end of the First World War.  The stage one artwork depicts a stunning image of a WW1 nurse and a modern female military medic in the Australian Armed Forces. This mural also depicts the changing role of women in the military and society in general.

Stage two on the short silos were officially unveiled one year later on Anzac Day 2019. This mural is a tribute to the Australian Light Horse. The Australian Light Horse were mounted troops with characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry, who served in the Second Boer War and WW 1. Source

Every generation of my direct (and extended) family from my 3xGt Grandfather down to a son and a nephew have served (several fell in battle) so it is second nature for me to say

Lest we forget

We Will Remember Them

Please visit Sami at COLOURFUL WORLD to see Monday Murals 

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What did you say…..

Last week Kay was wondering ‘what day is it‘ – JayCee was asking ‘what shall I do today‘
Linda was talking about ‘Good Orthodox Friday’
While Cat was curious about ‘the annual flu vaccinations’  

And here at our house?  Well there’s not a lot going on at the moment.

Life is quiet, restrictions will be in place for another month (at least), shopping has been fast and furious…….trolley sprayed and cleaned by a lad at the door, list in hand , up and down the aisles, only shortage last week was soap and cleaning products, oh and powdered milk.  Friends have asked why I’ve not gone with home delivery – well I did consider it, our children and some grandchildren offered to do it for us but in the end decided it was easier (and quicker) to do my own.

Every country is different, our case load here in Australia is very low compared to many other countries. (6606 confirmed with ‘just’ 71 deaths nationally on 19th April)   I personally do not know anyone with or who has had the virus, we are very aware of what needs to be done,   people do not seem to be scared or panicking,  we really do (with some exceptions) seem to be doing the right thing.

There haven’t been any recorded cases here in the eastern suburbs, and yes I realise one shouldn’t be complacent, there’s always a first and you never know what’s in the air….or on the shelves…..   knowing the layout of the shop helps,  meaning  I’m not ‘pottering around searching for things’ and I’m of the opinion that getting it picked for home delivery (from there or elsewhere) means one more person (maybe more) handling the goods.  Plus if what I want isn’t there I’d rather it was me choosing alternatives for myself – or not

Communication with The Golfer some days is getting to be a bit like that Peter Dehany recording from the early 2000s.  Sort of Dunno Nothin.…..very much like talking to a teenager

Where are you going – nowhere

What are you doing – nothing

What would you like for lunch- don’t know

He’s not sulking – apart from being a bit lost and restless and having finished nearly all his books on hand (apart from those on his iPad) he’s just crook that Victoria put a restriction (ban) on golf.   All the other states and territories decided there would be no harm playing as long as recommended precautions were taken.  What’s the betting he’ll be up there the day after restrictions are lifted 😎

Hope nobody else is having to deal with a moody teenager 😊

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The first of many

These days the beginning of the new year often sees us thinking/discussing how to spend our time, will we try several mini breaks of a week here and there or stick to our couple of months away in the winter?  Yes I know, first world problems 😊

At the moment a week in Mildura later this month is on the cards and all being well we’ll once again do the four day drive up to Bowen to enjoy the winter sun.   Anyway all this ‘holiday chat’ brought back memories and had us laughing and reminiscing about a trip we made a long time ago – well over 25yrs in fact.

A little bit of background:-  Quite a few years ago I used to contribute  posts to a now defunct website – one of those ‘follow the prompts and tell us a tale’ sort of things.  My mind seems to have gone to pot these days and there are times when I find it hard to string two words together but it was fun while it lasted.

THE LONG DRIVE

It’ll be fun, they said.

‘They’ being friends who wanted to go but not on their own and now were suggesting a very long drive. Two couples together for a few weeks – it’ll be fun.

I’d grown accustomed to the idea and was planning likewise, we’d all use their car and they would do most of the driving.

Then they pulled out; we could all do it another time they said, but our leave was arranged and we needed a break.

We’ll do it ourselves he said, but we only have a six cylinder sedan not a 4wheel drive.  Don’t worry he said, most roads are sealed these days.

What about petrol and water, no worries he said, roadhouses and homesteads about every 200kms, fill up car and us there. Have cans boxes esky in the car and carry spare fuel, food and water.

So off we went, us who’d never been further than Adelaide or Sydney (and we thought they were a long drive away) we were going to be more than a month away from home by ourselves, heading north to the Territory.

Took the easy way to begin, a quick drive to Adelaide,  put the car and us on that fabulous train The Ghan to The Alice (which is as far as it went in those days)and then began The Long Drive – Up the Track – Alice Springs to Darwin (on a highway with no maximum speed limit at the time) and then lots of other points along the road on the way down again.

We tented, we on site caravaned, we moteled, we cabined, slept in rooms tunnelled into the ground and I even got one day and a night (my ‘big’ birthday) in a flash very expensive hotel at Uluru where I was able to lounge in a bath for the first time in four weeks.

We sat for long hours in the car between places, saw nobody on the road for hours, waved at passing motorists when we did see them, took turns at driving, listened to many books on tape, stretched and ran about when we stopped, saw wildlife galore, viewed paintings on rocks by people who were in those places so many years before us, climbed that big thing in the middle of the country (that’s what you did then), were wary of road trains,  watched beautiful sunrises and even more fabulous sunsets and experienced so many other things in a part of Australia I knew existed but never thought I’d see.

Came home exhausted but so fulfilled and wanting to do it again.

Can’t remember the exact length of the drive – it was a Very Very Long Drive.

As well as the enlightening moments there were the lighthearted moments – I’d do it all again in a flash – Just to see a petrol/service station like this

Or drive on roads like this.  

.or be scared s………..less by things like this roaring up the highway behind you

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We’ve done many ‘long drives’ since then but this one was special

One for some reason we’ve never repeated.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Highway

How about you? Have you ever repeated ‘special’ events?  How did it go?

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Who’s that girl, what’s her name….

She was named in the semi traditional Irish way which varied from family to family,  that of first daughter being after both her grandmothers.  So Catherine Mary is on her birth certificate as well as other ‘important’  documentation.

Catherine aged 2

Her mother’s name was Alice Mary but she was always known as Al – her father’s name was James, known as Jim…….Jimmie to his family

Her paternal grandmother was Mary Elizabeth after both of  ‘her’ grandmothers – we have no idea what her family called her……to us she was just Granny S.  Granny’s oldest daughter was also named Mary, we knew her as Aunty May.  The next daughter was Margaret Anne known to us as Aunty Maggie.

Our little girl’s mother’s mother, the grandma she never got to meet was Catherine Jane Mary. 

On Irish census records she was called Kathleen and then it was discovered she was registered at birth as Katheline – possibly the result of her father’s accent.  John Joseph Patrick Doyle was from Waterford – Kathleen’s birth was registered in Tralee, Kerry.  A name spoken in an out of town accent possibly being misheard by someone not used to that accent then transcribed as heard …..if you get what I mean 🙂

Before she married she was known as Kitty to her family, after her father’s death she married Isaac John Joseph T (known to everybody as IJJ)  and became Catherine.  IJJ was from the north of Ireland, at that time Kathleen was a ‘southern’ name – say no more!

The Jane was after ‘her’ grandmother (the little girl’s gtgt grandmother) Jane Gatherer who was known as Jean!  Oh that would be the Scottish influence coming into play 😊

So back to Catherine Mary…..she has been known as various names over her lifetime.  Her mother and sisters always called her Cath – at high school it was Katy which then morphed into Cathy.  As she gets older Catherine has come back into play….sounds more mature she often says.  

Trouble is it gets tricky at times when she’s introducing herself as Catherine to someone new and an old acquaintance at the same event comes along and refers to her as Cathy….there can be confused looks or laughter all round.  Then making an appt the other day she offered Catherine as her name,  long pause and the receptionist could be heard muttering away in the background, then came back to ask if she had family with a similar name because all she could find was a Cathy.  She’s going to need a little black book soon to make a note of who knows her as what😎

So here I am on a Monday morning wondering if I’ll ever be known by any more names in my lifetime –  more and more frequently we are identified by a number/letter combination, (user/screen names, pins, passwords etc) in person eye and finger recognition is becoming more common (not sure if it’s more acceptable though). 

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