Some I’ve seen in old writings or modern ‘period’ novels
I wonder if there’s any place where they’re used/spoken today?
Are any still in use today…..
🧶 Last of the season …..
‘Want to come for a drive….
’What today….
’Yes, I need to go down The Bay…
’What today….
’Yes, I need to go to a golf outlet in Dromana ….
’I’ll buy you lunch while we’re out….
’Say no more, what’s another drive in the rain in the last week of Autumn…. as long as you promise I’ll get to see the sea when we’re there….
We left home under cloudy damp skies and returned to those same cloudy damp skies
And true to his word I did get to see the sea
Under cloudy blue skies not a drop of rain to be seen
Just what I needed
And he did buy me lunch ~ sort of😊
My view of the sea (Port Philip Bay) from ‘our table’
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I’m finishing off the last of those seasonal knits (for the time being). I have these three newborn cardigans (similar to the ones given to nephew recently) they just need some work done on the neckline then they’re also off – not to the charity as planned but to a friend’s new gt granddaughter. A ‘tiny wee baby’ so she said, which means they’ll last a while I replied- no she’ll grow into them was her reply. Reminded me of turning up hems and rolling under cuffs when mine were little.
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And this has been the lucky last of my seasonal reads
Early Autumn – Louis Bromfield 1926
A really good well written read – well at least I thought so!
A family saga relating the goings on in the lives of a wealthy upper class family in post WW1 New England – too much for me to summarise. The wiki article sets it out better than I could ever do.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Autumn
Kat has open house on Unraveled Wednesday . click the (safe) link to see who’s been there and what they brought with them
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Gotta do what you gotta do…..
Yes I know not great English but my interpretation would be ‘when you’re left with lemons…..make lemonade!’
Although in this case I chose to pick up the ‘lemons’
The little Butternut pumpkin is the one I choose for winter soups. It’s usually nicely sized …..and I can cut (and peel) it easily. I know other pumpkins can be used but half the time I can’t even pick them up let alone cut the skin off so it’s the Butternut for me.
The cost of fruit and vegetables fluctuates greatly with seasons and no matter what supermarkets say about keeping prices low we keep seeing them rise week after week . At the moment, Butternuts, which are sold by weight, …in my mind…. have an exorbitant price attached to them so as I’m going to be peeling and seeding (in other words tossing some of it) I’ve been loathe to buy them.
Carrots on the other hand seem to be really cheap. Carrots are a staple in our house…..no matter what time of the year there’s always some in the fridge. In summer they are grated or thinly sliced julienne style with salads – in winter, well you name it they turn up in just about everything cooked in our kitchen
Oh look at that, said Catherine when she saw an enormous 5kg bag of carrots going for $3
‘And how long do you think it’ll take you to use all of them’ said The Golfer!
These days with there only being the two of us I usually don’t buy fruit and veg in bulk ……..unless I know we use it regularly, it will last or I have something special in mind but also…. because He with the long elephantine memory will always remind me of the times he’s discovered things in the fridge I’ve forgotten I’ve even bought!
So with those words having been spoken (and knowing The Golfer, who doesn’t usually come grocery shopping with me, would object to backtracking through the shop to pick them up later) I had to do a bit of quick thinking.
How many casseroles did I have in mind to make during the next week? Soup?? What do I have in the fridge at home? Oh blow it, pick them up. They’ll keep out in the freezing cold garage!
Broccoli or as known to some of our grandchildren in their very young days as green forest… as opposed to white forest…which was the name for cauliflower 😊 is another veg we use a lot of. It’s usually sold by weight and I find it ‘fun’ to watch shoppers choosing their broccoli – some just pick up a piece and carry on while others turn the pieces over and over to find those with the thinnest stems because they will be throwing that part away and don’t want to pay for something they won’t be eating.
Lately the stems, you know the bit in the middle where the little stalks and the green flowery bits grow from, have been really thick. Occasionally I’ll put them in with other bits if I’m making vegetable stock but last week it seemed like most of the weight was in the stems so after slicing and dicing them those pieces went into a chicken and veg soup.
Now that did turn out good – economical, what’s in the cupboard style, certainly not glossy cook book style. As well as a small sliced chicken breast it included onions, the last of a packet of frozen mixed veg, also same of frozen peas and corn, some McKenzie’s dried soup mix, potatoes, broccoli stems, potato stock from the freezer mixed with chicken stock powder plus several carrots. After cooking I gave it a little whizz with Bamix using the chopping blade to ‘break up and circulate’ the chicken
Top shelf of freezer holds several tubs of Carrot Soup,…….. a fairly basic recipe, except I added some curry powder when I fried the onions and garlic to give it a bit of oomph…..plus one remaining tub of the Chicken and Veg – well it was cold and that’s all there was left after having it for dinner two nights in row.
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It’s Monday, the day I sit here thinking and chattering about anything and everything – and as it’s the first Monday in Winter it’s a good enough time to let you know what we had for dinner last week😊
So tell me, what did ‘you’ have for dinner last week ??
Remembering when…..
A little rearranging in the linen press aka the hall cupboard means the warm cosy winter sheets have been moved to the front and cool cotton summer ones are now ‘resting’ at the back. We’ve had these several years now and they definitely have to be one of my best buys ever. I still chuckle thinking about the day I first sighted them
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Sales time in a bedding store, I’d picked up all the ‘bargains’ I wanted and was in the check out line all ready to ‘tap and go’ when this slogan caught my eye.
“Sleep warm and cosy with this soft touch sheet set”
Does anyone remember a few years ago when soft and cuddly bedding was what I wanted but what I ended up with were sheets like velcro ? I had brought them out of hibernation for another chance turn on the bed….but even with silky pjs on it still felt like trying to roll over on velcro…..the decision was that they maybe possibly were definitely going to the op shop!
So warm and cosy in soft touch sheets sounded very interesting 😊
A little fondle of the sample and I was hooked.
It reminded me of the brushed nylon sheets we had back in the 1960s, similar…..not the same, thicker but softer.
…..They are constructed from washed microfibre that gives them a relaxed look and soft texture. These everyday sheets are lightweight, easy to care for and naturally wrinkle resistant…..
Oh I’m easily pleased
One queen size set went into the trolley!
I was definitely pleased.
They were smooth, warm and cosy with not a hint of velcro to be found, they received both mine and The Golfer’s seal of approval … so much so that after a week of sleeps with them on the bed in my silky pjs, then a look at how they laundered, I nipped back to the shop and came home with another set!
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I have been thinking about this over my early cup of tea and realise that over the years I’ve never given much thought to sleepwear and bedding – you needed it so bought it. Soft warm comfortable pjs are a ‘well into retirement’ necessary requirement as is soft warm/cool comfortable bedding. If my mother discovered what my thoughts on both of those things were she’d say I was going soft in my old age ~ but golly, it’s good to be pampered now and again isn’t it.
What’s been going on….
When I think of May here in Victoria I’m reminded of rain – years ago the state school year was made up of 3 terms – (not 4 as these days) – so beginning the year in hot summery February the weeks would go by, cooling off gradually until the ‘pre winter month’ of May arrived and with it school holidays. And as sure as fate it always rained….and trying to entertain several youngsters in those conditions when cash was short was trying to say the least.
This Melbourne related climate change – climate ready pdf (interesting reading dated 2015) mentions the wet 1970’s years and the whats/hows since then and into the future.
No matter what’s going on in the world (and there’s certainly plenty of it going on isn’t there) the weather will always be a talking point
At the moment here in Victoria it’s…..
Are we in drought?
OR
Where has the rain got to?
Proper rain…not the drizzling nuisance sort we actually had yesterday
People living in parts of NSW know full well the answer to that one!
Victoria’s water storage levels are dropping slowly
https://www.melbournewater.com.au/water-and-environment/water-management/water-storage-levels#/
So much so there are plans to open up the controversial desalination plant
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-04/wonthaggi-desal-fired-up-to-ease-dry-conditions/105089636
Anyway we do like to take advantage of our bright sunny (cool) dry winter days like this one last week when we nipped out to the sprout farm at Coldstream …..a fairly quiet morning in the packing shed with everyone else out in the paddocks. Just two smiling faces and the big machine (which does a lot of the work these days)
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A lovely quiet rural scene as we drove past – Healesville here we come
The sheep are down near the vines and the cattle on the flood plain
Not quite the same as ‘sheep in the meadow and cows in the corn’ 😊
The leaves on the vines are changing colour and dying off yet the end of row roses are still flowering – it’ll soon be time for the pruning gangs to be out there….though I think the late yield under the white (keep the birds off) cloth will be out of bounds until they’re all picked
https://www.wineselectors.com.au/selector-magazine/wine/vineyards-and-roses-a-perfect-pairing#:
Then it was off for lunch. Changes to the bistro menu meant I had the most delicious piping hot beef roast – sliced thick country style- as well as chocolate slice for dessert.
Lunchtime special ~ Two courses for $20….
And there’s been changes in our fruit bowl as well.
Australian grapes are just about finished now and their place is being taken by another favourite – Imperial mandarins. Winter sunshine!
How are things at your place – anything interesting going on?
Why don’t you visit Min (who’s about to enjoy a week on the Sunshine Coast) and find out what others have been up to…..you’ll find them HERE
How things change….
Except in some cases very little….
This popped up in a social media feed – from one of those Then & Now sites
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Isaac
I’ve never been to Cornwall but seeing the name Port Isaac had me trying to remember why it was familiar
Of course…..home to the Fisherman’s Friend group – the one who sing all those lovely sea shanties
Lots of views of the little town plus some great music by the band
🧶May you be loved…..📘
May is the third and last month in our autumn, a time when some days are still ‘shiny bright’ compared to others which are cooling down (definitely colder overnight) preparing for the real go slow part of the year.
I’ve been feeling a bit that way this past few weeks – some days were great with a bright and shiny go get ‘em attitude evident from morn to night……others a bit cold and dreary, need to stay home and hibernate. Mind and body have played up so (as per usual) I retreated mentally as well as physically ‘into my shell’ until I felt safe enough to face the world (IRL as well as online) again.
As you can see, the charity box was going to benefit from my sit down and rest calming knitting sessions (top photo) then our youngest nephew became a father…..of a daughter instead of the predicted son….I gifted them a couple of newborn sized cardigans (lower photo) and laughed at their remarks about babies not being concerned about boy/girl clothes as long as they’re warm and comfortable so followed up by sending them a slightly larger one in a traditional girly pink shade. ‘Love it, so pretty’ was the new mother’s reply……sounds like she isn’t as modern as I thought!
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What has been on my mind is that the garden certainly suffered over the hot summer months. There’s still so much ‘catch up’ to do outside which is going to have to wait a while because even though things are slowly improving I still can’t get down enough to clear and weed….those forecast rainy days haven’t been that rainy out our way but the soil has softened a fraction so once mobility becomes a little easier let’s hope rose pruning and maybe a bit of ground clearing will be achieved
We’re on track to make our way up north about the middle of next month and if the pruning is done that’ll keep them happy until growth begins again in the spring – and honestly what’s a few weeds between friends😊
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As well as needing ‘simple easy’ craft to occupy my mind during that time I also wanted – what else but – something ‘uncomplicated’ to read so ended up rummaging around various online sites (going to the library meant I had to actually socialise with people) and found these with a seasonal flavour- that is they had autumn in the title
- Quartet in Autumn – Barbara Pym (Libby)
An easy to read, relatable 1977 Pym novel about the lives of four people in late middle-age – Edwin, Norman, Letty and Marcia – who work in the same office, are all nearing retirement and suffer the same problem – loneliness. A really good read! - A Breath of Autumn – Lillian Beckwith (Internet Archive)
A ‘delightfully soft, humorous at times and very descriptive’ story by a new to me author of life on a small island in the Hebrides owned and inhabited by Kirsty McDonald along with her small son plus a stepson. The regular pattern of her solitary slow life changes with the seasons and as strangers appear needing her help and involvement in their lives other changes happen. Some she slowly welcomes- others she spends a great deal of time contemplating. One of those ‘could not put down’ books where even though the pace is slow you can’t wait to read more
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian_Beckwith
Excepts can be read HERE - The Autumn After Next – Margaret St Clair (Project Gutenberg)
What can I say – this is exactly what it is about … a different, interesting sort of read that makes you think
Famous and Classic Science Fiction Novel
Being a wizard missionary to the Free’l needed more than magic—it called for a miracle!
The Autumn After Next” by Margaret St. Clair is a science fiction novella written in the early 1960s. The story explores themes of magic and cultural dissonance through the experiences of Neeshan, a wizard missionary trying to teach a lazy and indifferent tribe called the Free’l about the proper use of magic. The novella highlights the challenges of bridging different worldviews, especially when one party lacks the motivation to engage with the teachings being offered. source
And look here, as well as being able to read the very short story on screen – you are also able to listen to it being narrated by William Sky
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This post has become rather on the long side – word brevity has never been my strong point – so thank you to anyone who has reached here.
I have to say that one thing that helped me a lot over these past weeks were the simple thoughts of loving kindness meditation (directed to myself) and I often found myself muttering or repeating them silently ‘in my head’ adding love into the mix ~ it’s strange how unloved one can feel even when surrounded by it.. The Golfer would have a fit if he heard me say that because supportive is definitely his middle name
My love to you all – thanks for reading- see you soon
Cathy
I know this isn’t exactly whimsical or crafty but I’m joining Min’s link up as well as Kat’s as a way of saying ‘I’m back’
🧶 Autumn Activities…..
So what do you do when you think the longed for rain is on it way but when some actually arrives it fizzles out two seconds later leaving everything slightly damp but not wet…….and not as warm as you’d like it to be?
Looking for something to do sounds good (wash clean cook iron…..no definitely not those sorts of things 🤭 ) something like rustling up a book plus something to keep your hands busy while you wait a while in a comfy armchair until the front has passed and some warmer air plus sunshine arrives
I gave up on A Lesson in Dying very early on. Couldn’t relate to it at all, picked it up – put it down- after a while decided I wasn’t in the least bit interested in who did the headmaster in. So……chose Lying beside You from ‘the pile’…..see this post
Here it is propped up by contents of my knitting bag (a very handy book rest – if the balls of wool wouldn’t move each time I turned a page).
Starting to renew my acquaintance with Cyrus and Evie (this is book 3 in the series) it’s been a while since I read the first two so some revision in the form of glancing at online reviews had to take place. The back of Mia’s jumper also got an airing and some rows added. The pattern says knit 102 rows then shape shoulder……by golly it seems to be taking forever to knit them. But then my mind has been elsewhere ……concentrating on the charity knits from a couple of weeks ago
Ta Da……Two boy’s shirts are finished – there are plans for more
when I get round to it
Slightly off topic…..
Our cooler Autumn nights now mean changes to nightwear…..sleeveless cotton nighties have been retired, arms (and legs) need covered so my silky pyjamas have made their seasonal appearance once more. Why the emphasis on silky ones?
So I can roll over in bed is the answer 😊
For some reason other pyjamas cling to the sheets which means I’m waking up feeling a bit ‘strangled’ in places, floundering about straightening tops and bottoms and having to sit up to roll over. Any attempt to do it lying down often results in some strong language coming out of my mouth as twisting can cause discs and nerves to come in contact with each other – I’m certainly not happy when that happens
It’s a different story when I wear my slippery silky pyjamas – they just slide and glide over the bottom sheet so there’s no friction at all.
And they have a smooth sleek s*xy feel to to them as well…..nothing wrong with that is there🤭😉
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Unraveled Wednesday … ..hosted by Kat encourages bloggers to chat about their craft, reading and life in general – pop over, see who’s come to visit- stay and say hello.
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📘What’s it all about……
Well, what it was all about is the fact that some of the books that were ‘on order’ at the library…..yes, you’ve guessed it. They all turned up together!
A mix of old….. in publication dates and new ……in previously unread series
So, it’s been eyes down reading, that way I didn’t have to try to renew and be disappointed when I discovered someone else wanted to read the same one and it had to be returned
What are you currently reading?
A Lesson in Dying – Ann Cleeves 1990
Inspector Ramsay #1
Several of Ann Cleeves older works were reprinted recently so there’s been a renewed interest which is why I had a very long wait for the first of her Inspector Ramsay series.
The version I picked it up on Wednesday (see below) only has 165 pages so I’m looking forward to an Easter weekend in Northumberland finding out ‘who dunnit’!
What did you recently finish reading ?
Not sure why but not a great deal at all.
Just these three plus The Chocolate Factory which I spoke about HERE
Bitter Wash Road (Hell to Pay) – 2013 Garry Disher
Hirsch #1
Oh, you must have…the reaction from someone at book club when I admitted to not having read any of Australian author Garry Disher’s books. Nor Chris Hammer – oh the shrieks of dismay when I said that…..which changed to smiles when I said yes to Michael Robotham, Christian White and Mark Brandi. Shame about the blank looks I got when I mentioned Peter Temple, John Marsden and Peter Carey (all Australian)…….tastes vary I suppose.
So to keep them happy (and satisfy my curiosity) and because I’m in a series mood I chose the first book in Disher’s Paul Hirsch mysteries. .
A modern western set in an isolated Australian bush town with a soaring crime rate, where a local constable with a troubled past must investigate the death of a teenage girl whose murder threatens to set the dusty streets ablaze.
- It reminded me of the Raymond Chandler I read recently, Disher’s writing was direct, easy to read and to the (at times humorous) point, might be short on words but I loved every one of them, the ones he wrote counted. They told the story without it being padded out, uncovered a whole lot of unusual happenings in the rural town and surrounding district and definitely left me wanting to know more. As the saying goes ‘do yourself a favour’……and read this book. You won’t regret it! #2 is on order!
The Defector (Betrayal) – 1981. Evelyn Anthony
Davina Graham #1
A ‘chance remark’ with a friend about knowing an author, knowing you’ve read them but can’t remember what had me trawling the library and online for books by Evelyn Anthony. I’ve still no idea what I’d read previously but the library came up trumps with this unread series!
A man and a woman have arrived at an English country house to spend a quiet weekend in the depths of Wiltshire. The man is top KGB agent Ivan Sasanov. The woman is Davina Graham, one of British Intelligence’s key operatives. Between these two very different people a strange, emotion-charged relationship has developed. The only person with whom Ivan feels any rapport is Davina and Davina is falling in with him. Leading to an almost impossible mission, ringed by treachery and counter-treachery.
- Take happenings during the Cold War era, MI5 agents – spys , double agents, mix them all up, put them all together and you have a great read. Twists and turns with secrecy, trying to keep the news of a spy ‘coming over’ out of the news at the same time as trying to get him to reveal information about ‘the other side’ Well written, had me hooked from page 1
Darkhouse – 2005. Alex Barclay
Joe Lusschesi #1
Libby has a search feature where the reader can look for the ‘first in series’ and this caught my eye…..something that definitely wouldn’t have crossed my path beforehand. Seeing the book cover I’d have walked on past the library copy but seeing it on my screen I thought……why not give it a go
Book Blurb:-
In 1985 in a North Texas backwater, two teenage boys made a chilling pact that would unite them forever in a dark and twisted loyalty.
Now one lies dead.
And the man responsible is going to pay.
In this electrifying thriller—Alex Barclay creates a stunning array of contrasts—from the violence of a cop’s world to the fragility of an embattled marriage, from the danger of New York’s gritty streets to the quiet of a seaside Irish village. With brilliance and subtlety, Barclay delivers a nerve-wracking tale of a troubled family, facing a brutal danger rushing relentlessly out of the past.
- Another novel about an American police officer moving to a small village in Ireland to ‘heal’ after a traumatic incident. Quite strangely the disappearance of his son’s Irish girlfriend and what happened in Texas become linked. Even with all the different storylines taking your mind in different directions it ended up being one of those ‘couldn’t put it down’ books.
If you have access to Libby I recommend looking for it
Darkhouse by Alex Barclay
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And what will I read next…
Well there’s a few here to choose from – a little pile I was gifted last week – Plus my ‘just arrived’ Ann Cleeves
eeny meeny miny mo…..which to pick I do not know
Suggestions anyone?
I’m interested in knowing what your answers are – Now Then & Next
You could let me know in the comments
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Click the link below to see what others have been reading
What’s on your Bookshelf
And talking of families….
As I do now and again….
A dna connection contacted me the other day. Looks like a family line has been located. Older generation on the top line – younger below.
Mine are on the left – theirs on the right.
Makes me feel good all over
Wondering, just wondering ……
I wonder……
Were they ever on sale at full price – are they not selling as quickly as the company hoped – or was the ‘discount price’ a marketing ploy from the minute they were placed on the supermarket floor?????
I wonder….
Why the city was barely visible through a murky haze when it was fairly sunny day in the eastern suburbs? I know Andrew can see the hills from his high rise ……if I’d known which one he lived in I would have waved….
Up there that day on Mount Dandenong at the SkyHigh it was cloudy at times with a fresh breeze……
It was a school holiday week so the car park full – the place packed to the rafters with families
Years ago it was the place to go on a hot day, – 15min drive up the hill from home – a ‘cheap’ economical family activity. A bottle of fizzy drink and a packet of chips to share, byo chairs to sit by the car while the youngsters explored the bush walks round the back of the building, unlimited time in the cooler air looking down on the suburbs, recognising main roads and landmarks (eg factories – footy ovals…..even the watery coastline of bayside beach suburbs ).
Things change, no free entry now ( double the charge in school hols! ). If you live within 10kms free entry – our street down the hill in Kilsyth is 11kms!! Trees have grown so only distant views, certainly not uninterrupted as was the claim for many years…..unless you could edge your way past all the kids to get a spot at the railings to look out on the upper level
The beautiful upstairs dining room with floor to ceiling windows is now for functions only
There was a bl……great big jumping castle on the grassy area. I’ve just begun to accept that screaming kids now get on my nerves, especially those with parents who don’t keep an eye on them
Yes I know I’m a grumpy old woman😊
Not everyday – just some days – like today
Possibly due to this👇
Just wondering….
Why this looks so simple. When your back and legs are not happy……wayward shopping trolleys have a lot to answer for……it’s not that easy to get down and dirty on the floor. Mind you the torso on this chart showing the position of the sciatic nerve exiting the spine explains how it can be compromised by the narrowing of the discs due to lumbar stenosis. Yes it can be a pain in the backside – literally as well as figuratively
I wonder what silly little things you are wondering about this week?
It’s a living thing….
Conversations with your children often bring up long forgotten memories)
Summer 1978 – The Golfer and I were the best parents in the world!
At least that’s what we were told that warm February evening as we all sat near the front (not up the back ‘in the cheap seats’ on the grass) of the Myer Music Bowl waiting to hear this sung in real life
Sailin’ away on the crest of a wave, it’s like magic
Oh, rollin’ and ridin’ and slippin’ and slidin’, it’s magic
And you and your sweet desire
You took me, oh (higher and higher, baby)…
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It’s nearly four years since ‘our big girl’ and her partner left town (towing their home behind them) looking forward to doing ’a big lap’ of Australia.
After a year on the road she mentioned that so far they’d had the time of their lives.
Yes, so far, is what she said – at that time decisions were being been made and they were soon to be off again to give it another go and see some of the things they missed.
Impressions at that time (2022) – contrary to what some may have said – everything’s alive out there.
Even during Covid times….Australia was a living thing!
(Cue 1978 memory)
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At that time I wondered how I’d feel when the words Good Bye were spoken again. There were mixed feelings on my part when they drove off…….. ever since she was young child we’d provided her with roots and wings which she’d acknowledged several times so I was comfortable waving her off………it was just that I knew they were looking for something different but didn’t know what……and of course when after another year had passed and they reached the other side, the far western side of Australia they knew that they had found it……that was the place they wanted to be.
She’s been back since then (latest Oct ‘24) – knowing they are living The Dream (their way) makes it easier to say those two words but it always leaves me in a reflective mood, wondering if time is running out – wondering if I’ve lived all my dreams, – are there any more waves for me to crest’?
How about you – do you ever feel like life is passing you by?
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🧶 As Carol King said….
Well, it was her along with a couple of others but here’s what they wrote….
Don’t you know that you can do anything
You can take anything and make it your own
Don’t you know that you can do anything
And you don’t have to do it alone
https://www.caroleking.com/discography/songs/you-can-do-anything
The song is in no way linked to handicrafts and the online community of crafters but the sentiment is the same…….
This week I’m back to filling my charity box with little knitted shirts…
……using a tried and true pattern from
a very old – pre 1972
(because it came with me to Australia)
well used now out of print book
……taking measurements and instructions as a base, making them my own
After an altercation with a shopping trolley last week in a very uneven supermarket car park ( my trolley would you believe it….acting like a 3yr old wanting to go where it wanted and not where I wanted it to go) which in turn stressed my spine, things have been very ‘ouch, ouchy, which means retreating (after doing ‘I don’t want to but I need to’ stretches) and not doing anything strenuous – knitting is always a good way to take my mind off other things…..result – two sleeves and one front finished plus the back begun.
So No.1 is nearly finished!
And to keep me company I’ve been contemplating knitting my own boyfriend Spotted on the library shelf this little book just had to come home with me
I could make him short and stocky or short and thin…..I rather fancy my own surfer guy – with his bleached hair and all over tan I think he’d be fun to have around…..but what about a computer geek, now he’d come in handy at times…..and the thought of my own action man has me wondering how high could I fly😊
But really I don’t need to knit one – I’ve got a real live one of my own
Unraveled Wednesday . …..Kat’s open house link up – click the (safe) link to see who’s there and what they brought with them
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It’s not what you say….it’s the way that you say it…..
Agreed?
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Spare parts dept…
After I’d emailed my cousin about the new hearing aid purchases, she (because she’s like me and ‘holds on to ‘things’ ) forwarded to me an email I wrote years ago
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November 2016
Hello there Heather
There’s going to be another division of the spare parts dept in our household opening soon.
The trial period is over and the verdict is – I’ll take one (or even two) !!
I have had a pair on trial for the past week and among other things discovered my neighbours to the left of us have a couple of budgies and more birds spend time in our trees and bushes than I realised. It’s amazing what a difference a little thing stuck behind your ear can make 🙂
Yes, after having the eyes renewed a couple of years ago (cataracts) it’s now time to bring the ears in line. No need to shout, it’s the pesky high sounds that I’m losing – a nice lady at Australian Hearing called it High Frequency Hearing Loss.
She’s been monitoring this very slow decline in both ears for a few years now and suggested a trial run of a loan tailored to my requirements so I could actually see hear the difference.
So come the New Year (because I can get a better health benefit payout) I shall be the proud new owner of two tiny little things that will mean I make less mistakes in thinking I heard something when it was actually something else that was said 🙂
How I get on with this remains to be seen because mentioning it to friends has brought forth lots of horror stories about things whistling in the dark (as well as in the ear), hearing being worse than before and ‘Uncle Joe” still not being able to hear at the pub so I’m taking them all with a grain of salt.
Over the past few years B & P (my sisters) have both had new hips – several friends acquired new knees – many friends have had new sets of teeth – yet nobody has admitted to having new ears. What is about deafness (no matter how slight) that we are loathe to admit to?
How will I cope with these new appliances? I don’t know. We shall see what happens when the time comes. 🙂
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So back to today over 8yrs on…..I’m even more enthralled with the new world they opened up. The new ones are the same ‘level’ as before (my loss hasn’t altered much in that time) but technology has
The only thing the consultant was surprised about was that I declined a rechargeable device preferring batteries – we’re all different, my reasoning being it’s what I’m used to and one less thing to worry about when travelling. The packs of tiny batteries are much much smaller than the charger and no need to find a power point
Anyway enough about me:-
How do you view ageing and the decline of body parts?
Everything old is new again – a trip to the spare parts dept!
Does it bother you or are you glad there are ‘things’ out there to lessen the burden
What thoughts are roaming round your head this Monday?
Yes, it’s Friday….
No Fun Friday here today though
My friend Mr Insomnia……..has decided to visit again
I’m not feeling the best – in fact I’m feeling b…..awful
I’m thinking of having a break until I can find the cause
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I started this post awhile ago……didn’t ever publish it. Did have a break earlier on this year and here’s the continuation of this sorry tale of woe……..
Everything…..
There are days when all I hear is my mother’s voice
‘Everything comes to those who wait! – Patience is a virtue!’
There are days I even acknowledge she might have been right 😊
Things are a bit better now – I’m dropping off more quickly and staying asleep longer. Yes, there’s been some of those dreaded 2hour cycles and there are still some of those ‘why can’t I go back to sleep moments’ but they are definitely much less frequent than before.
With The Golfer’s help I gave the bedroom a deeper clean than usual, turned the mattress, added a small blanket beneath the sheepskin underlay on my side – I need the firm mattress but occasionally my back and hips ‘tell me’ they would like it a tad softer – then finished off by changing my pillows to some from the spare room bed. The pillows (new in January) may not be the problem but thought no harm in trying so they could be reinstated some time
At the moment I’m also trying out a few handy hints :–
* wind down earlier
* no screens before bedtime
* turn the clock face away
* now the nights have cooled a bit open window/fresh air in bedroom
* using the fan was a help for a breeze on those hot nights
* hot water bottle on some of the cool nights, it’s comforting when my toes get cold.
Everything I’m doing/have done may be making a difference or the problem could just be going away naturally – whichever it is I’m definitely feeling more alive now.
As an aside…..I had to laugh, after a chat with my GP he more or less said the same as Mum would have – have patience, take it slowly, try working things out and often it just happens when you least expect it!
🧶Inch by Inch….
The past few days have been pleasant
Sunny and dry – not hot – just comfortable
The sting has gone out of the sun now
Knitting has resumed…..
Outside on the deck where it’s certainly been calming
Appreciated because of a few things going on at home at the moment
Plain stocking stitch means I can close my eyes
Think of nothing……
Just concentrate on feeling my fingers ‘make the stitches’
Sounds great doesn’t it
‘Cept for these words that were rattling round my brain
Inch by Inch
Row by Row
(Gonna make this garden grow)
Where did it come from……I’ve no idea……those pesky little ear worms have a habit of just appearing
But…..
It could have been because earlier in the day I’d been measuring the first sleeve (in inches…..yes I’m old😊) plus counting rows to double check
Mia’s teddy jumper has progressed to the point of having both sleeves finished – the front (with Teddy waiting to have his bow started) is tucked away in the knitting bag for the time being……which leaves me working on the back…… inch by inch – row by row
In slow methodical eyes closed calming stocking stitch
Well that was the crafty part which has me feeling pleased because I thought I’d never get those needles moving again……want to see what’s going in the literary dept.?
I got a bit fed up reading The Country Girls – yes I know that’s almost unheard of …I’ll get back to it sometime – so started The Chocolate Factory.
A novel whose storyline follows the early 20th century (1921) decision to build a Cadbury chocolate factory in Tasmania (which is still in use today) blending it with the fictional life story of one of the employees ‘brought out’ to start things off
Such an easy read I had it finished in a couple of days – the historical content was interesting, not just about the company but social history as well….attitudes to women post WW1, mental health of returned soldiers and more ( plenty of research put to good use)…the addition of industrial espionage seemed right as well (seemingly the ingredients for making Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate are still secret to all but a few employees)
This wiki entry is also a good read
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadbury_Chocolate_Factory,_Tasmania
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Kat has open house on Unraveled Wednesday . click the (safe) link to see who’s there and what they brought with them
To comment please click on post title and scroll down)
Would you like something to go with your coffee……
Lemon coconut slice?
What do you think?
After the appointment I’d just had at the hearing centre I certainly needed it…..tell you what…..you can add hearing aids to the list of items that have definitely risen quite steeply in price. Granted my trusty Signia ones, the ones I’ve used for the past 7yrs – (once I accepted I needed them in certain circumstances) – do work just fine, they really needed to be updated. Talk about sticker shock!
So the March Equinox been and gone – another quarter turn of the wheel happened – and Autumn has truly arrived…..days and nights here at home are about equal at the moment
but that loss of light will soon become very apparent. ……
These are the times for Friday 7:29 am Sunrise – 7:20pm Sunset.
Another 9 mins gone!
And while my whinging complaining won’t stop all that happening there is something I do enjoy about this season.
.
Brussel Sprouts — fresh from the farm!
Look at them, planted just up the road from us in the paddocks along the Maroondah Highway at Coldstream, lined up in straight rows as far as the eye can see…… so easy for the picking gangs to harvest them.
I know I’m in the minority who really do enjoy eating them and look forward to adding another vegetable to our plates.
Have to be cooked plainly though – steamed then served with a dab of butter (salt/pepper optional).
No oven or frying pan involved – no weird and wonderful ingredients added – I’ve seen olive oil, honey, soy sauce, lemon juice even Parmesan cheese mentioned. Do those things and I’ll not even look at them never mind eat them!
https://www.adamsfarms.com.au/our-story
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Oh and Footy’s back 🙂
Footy = Football, often Australian Rules Football or Rugby League depending on region. Not soccer.
source
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Football_League
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rugby_League
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Monday’s here again…..gosh that week went by quickly…….
…. Blink and you missed it….
How was yours? Fast and Furious or Slow and Steady?
Sharing with Wednesday Words and Whimsy found HERE
📘If you’re Irish this was the month for you….
I know I said I wasn’t going to get involved in any reading challenges this year but this is March (the month connected to Ireland and all things Irish)……and there is an actual challenge called Reading Ireland Month ☘️
Just by chance in amongst my reads these past few weeks were some by female Irish authors….a young ‘un and an older one (now sadly no longer with us) The well established Maeve Binchy and the now becoming very well established Claire Keegan – so when I was made aware of Reading Ireland I picked out a few more authors from my TBR list that I knew would fit the bill…..and my library happened to have available😊
- So late in the day – Claire Keegan 2023.
Three previously published very short stories. All different, could be described as ‘dark’, certainly not pleasant.
So late in the day:- Poor man, got what was coming to him
A long and painful death:– Some people have a knack of taking the pleasure out of everything.
Antarctica:- What you want is not always what you get
- Foster – Claire Keegan 2010.
A short story about life in rural Ireland with a lot to say in very few words.
The little girl goes to stay with what is implied to be foster parents but what I actually thought was her aunt but maybe I misunderstood……a place where life is so very different to what it is like at home. Then the new baby is born and it’s time to go home – where life and the attitudes of her parents are so very different. Has a ‘strange’ ending that is open to individual reader’s interpretation/imagination
- This year it will be different – Maeve Binchy 2008.
Short stories with Christmas (and relationships) as the common theme.
Christmas…..that time of the year when people are supposed to be on their best behaviour and things just have to be ‘perfect’ but we know life isn’t like that…….and that’s just what’s covered in these very readable and relatable stories.
They include the problems of Grannies coming to visit – mothers deciding they’ve had enough and this year it will be different – overseas visitors wondering what Christmas will be like in another country – lovers thinking about each other while separated, then reaching slightly different decisions about their future – plus others that will make you feel happy….and sad
- The Searcher – Tana French 2020.
Cal Hooper #1
American ex police officer Cal Hooper hoping to get away from a previous life has bought a run down cottage in a small village in Ireland. Getting to know the community but remain anonymous has been a hard task, then a young boy turns up asking for help and much to his better judgement he agrees to look for a missing brother.
Easy to read, first half flowed along nicely……then after a twist in the storyline I sort of lost interest. The mystery was solved in the end – after we learn many of the secrets of locals plus the boy isn’t what you think he is
- The Transatlantic Book Club – Felicity Hayes – McCoy 2019.
(I’d actually had my eye on another of this author’s books but saw this and thought the idea of an ‘international’ book club rather novel (yes I know 😊) so it came home with me.)
Eager to cheer up her recently widowed gran, Cassie Fitzgerald, visiting from Canada, persuades Lissbeg Library to set up a Skype book club, linking readers on Ireland’s Finfarran Peninsula with the US town of Resolve, home to generations of Finfarran emigrants.
A fun easy read – part the Finfarran Peninsula series – characters and backgrounds were (re)introduced slowly so it wasn’t difficult to get acquainted with everyone. The Skype sessions were more visual general get togethers with hello’s and past differences making appearances plus the choice of book to be read caused problems. A little romance was added….. well, a long distance ‘will he be there on screen tonight’ does he feel the same as me even though we’re an ocean apart.
All’s well in the end…..life in the little Irish town settles down again
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And because life has got in the way a bit I’ve only just begun to read this one…..
The Country Girls – Edna O’Brien 1960.
Debut novel turned into a series
Kate and Baba are friends, live in the same village in entirely different environments, go to the same school, need each other’s company but treat each other differently……being short in length it’s not going to take me too long to finish……I’m hoping Baba will stop being a bully
Click the link below to see what others have been reading
What’s on your Bookshelf
(To comment please click on post title and scroll down)
The Life and Times of…..
Earl….or you…or me…
Still Waters 