Tag: Life is what you make it

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Just one of those months…..

Not the best of months as I sort of knew it would be but we survived……

Thankfully The Virus and all it entailed that had me low for a while has now moved on its merry way – a month ago The Golfer (who doesn’t deal well with sickness in any form) was driving and back at the golf club a week after his first cataract operation – then last week had his second eye surgery…

The day started with an admission time of 7.30am in a day procedure clinic about 25kms from home, take it from me I wasn’t too impressed when the heavens opened just as I reversed up the drive. Contending with early morning traffic while its bucketing down isn’t my idea of fun…..there’s always that one driver who wants to get ahead of everyone else and lane hops all the way up the road….so there was a big sigh of relief when we finally arrived

….it was a more complicated procedure than the first….A Vitrectomy which means I’m still on ‘drops duty’ ….4xdaily for one – reducing frequency for the other – and he is certainly not happy after learning the restrictions on this one could last a while. e.g. no flying, no driving, no golf, no gym, no gardening (digging) or lifting anything heavy – these are just a few- until the inserted ‘air bubble’ has disappeared.

But look, there’s been some laughs…..putting his spectacles on and wondering why one lens was all fuzzy – forgetting his sight on that side had been ‘restored’ – then trying to wrangle the very well secured lens from the frame. With luck (fingers crossed) new ones won’t be needed as there was cataract surgery on the 2nd eye as well

Another good thing to come out of all this sitting around keeping him company is I’ve used up several lots of excess wool ….Voila..…36/20x20cm knitted squares…..with (as requested) long ends left for sewing together to make a large sized cot blanket. Win/Win situation!


Our weather has been changeable revolting…..Spring has been ghastly – Summer starts in two weeks time ……hopefully some dry sunny days will turn up and I’ll not need to turn the heating on again

Last Sunday (Nov. 9) was a miserable cold wet day just right for more bingeing on outback noir…….so after introducing TG to audio books on Libby I set to and enjoyed some of Garry Disher’s ‘Peninsula Crimes’ series where Detective Inspector Hal Challis plays the lead role.

Most of the action – and there’s plenty of it – takes place south of Melbourne on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula..(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mornington_Peninsula)….
an area enjoyed by the rich and famous as well as ‘ordinary Australians’.

📘 The Dragon Man
Peninsula Crimes #1
📘 Kittyhawk Down
Peninsula Crimes #2
📘 Snapshot
Peninsula Crimes #3

November is Novella time so I’ve a couple lined up to see the month out

The Girls on the Shore – Anne Cleeves
(A very short tale featuring Matthew Venn)

The Catch – Mick Herron
(A little bit of spying going on)

Plus
Walk the Blue Fields – Claire Keegan
(Very short stories about life)

See you soon!

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Back in the business…..

Yes the middle of last week saw me back in the business of living….

So off to my weekly date with 60+ other retirees who sing with a U3A choir. We have another new conductor- who is definitely keeping us on our toes and testing our thoughts on (and acceptance of) new genres and styles.
.
Show tunes are on the list again – we’re going to belt out a version of Cabaret (words&music – John Kander/Fred Ebb)….,maybe not quite so flamboyantly as this one sung by Liza Minnelli – the artist who made it her own in the 1972 film version.

Maybe not with the plunge neckline either……but then you never know. Growing old disgracefully is the name of the game these days 😊

Liza Minnelli 1988

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabaret_(Cabaret_song)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabaret_(musical)

🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼

And from one extreme to the other this is also on our program. Some choristers are familiar with it – others never heard it before….so it’s been a testing time for us all


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

It’s difficult enough at times to remember lyrics in English – these are in Latin 😦 .
Let’s just say thank heavens for online rehearsal aids that allow you to practice at home……although it’s strange trying to get your part right without the other (higher and lower) voices around you.

Like many things in life – you can’t do it all by yourself – and this is one where it’s good to have a bit of help nearby

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🧶 Now for something different….

For some reason I’ve been tired, weary and rather flat recently….

A bit like this year’s ‘winter shoes’ that have seen better days and will be retired when we return to Victoria in a short while….

I’m just biding my time here now really hoping ‘new shoes’ in the form of returning home and viewing it with fresh eyes will put a spring back in my step….

Kilsyth – A different environment altogether
End of my street looking towards Montrose and The Dandenongs
2km/1.25mi away
A sea of trees – not a wave of water in sight


It’s been such a strange winter up here – earlier on it was much colder than usual and now it’s become exceptionally warm – far too early in the season for day after day of very high 20s/80s. Unlike at home where we’re renowned for the ability to have 4 seasons in one day, here there are only 2….. this link describes it as wet/dry – hot/cool also windy all year round😊

But I really shouldn’t complain – because after my last feeling sorry for myself whingefest a certain someone aka The Golfer said “come on, we’ll go and have coffee at ‘the club’ ….it was so relaxing sitting on the high outside deck enjoying the view along with the cooling sea breeze (such a pleasure to be there) I forgot my aches and pains…..and also to record my delicious coffee and cake🙁

For various reasons we’ll both miss this town – it’s one place I enjoy returning to. A ‘working town’ that carries on living its own life after the seasonal visitors have all left but never complains while they’re here

So what’s the different bit all about??.
Well since unraveling and righting the guernsey ready to finish the front I haven’t touched it again. Enthusiasm left the building right there and then….but I am about to use my fingers in a different way.

Many years ago xx cross stitch xx was my craft of choice – then the eyes started to (we all know about the ageing of eyes don’t we😊) so as yarn is easier to see than embroidery floss it was back to knitting.
Because I’m hoarder person who is loathe to throw/give anything away……I paid good money for that…I might use it again – there are still pattern/design books, silks/threads, tools etc etc sitting in a cupboard just waiting for that to happen- well you never know, it might…..


Before we came away I had a little rummage – had reason to look for something and tucked away in this publication I found a nearly finished slightly adapted ‘new house’ sampler.

Who I had it in mind for and the reason it’s unfinished is long forgotten – after adding a little saying under the houses…..‘Happiness is homemade’ – corny but cute….I’m hoping I can revive it.

I read an article once about creases in Aida cloth.
(I know, it should have been rolled or stored flat)
which involved the freezer and ironing ‘frozen’ or microwave. Must see if I can find it.

A granddaughter has just bought her first house, and unlike some of her cousins (everything must be brand new or definitely unused) she’s been gathering new or nearly new bits and pieces from friends and other family.

“I want a home grandma, not a showroom” which I’m hoping means my ‘new with maybe a little lived in look to it’ sampler will be well received.
*****

And here’s my breakfast table early this morning (Tuesday)…..before it became a fraction on the warm side
Cereal with dried fruit, fresh fruit, cuppa tea…..plus embroidery paraphernalia to sort, a handheld fan and a book.
What else do I need to begin the day?

* * * Ann Cleeves first published novel A Bird in the Hand….a laundry room find……is a bit of a slow starter. Three chapters in I know a local ‘birdwatcher – twitcher’ has been murdered and retired civil servant George Palmer-Jones (who shares the same hobby) has agreed to ‘find the murderer’. Apart from that I have no idea where it’s going but am enjoying how new characters and little bits of the story line are being introduced as though they’ve been in full view all the time.

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I’ll be sharing this post with :- 
Wednesday Words and Whimsy hosted by Min and found HERE. 
Also Unraveled Wednesday hosted by Kat and found HERE

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🧶And just like that

There I was on Monday morning complaining about the cold southerly wind that had made life difficult for days on end when by late afternoon it was ‘all change’ – which meant it was smiles all round at ‘my happy spot’ early Tuesday morning
Empty beach – calm seas – pleasant temperatures- book to read – what more could I want 😊😎

(Photos will enlarge with a tap/click or using two finger spread)

9am Tuesday Aug 6

Well, a large bright striped beach towel would have been nice.
But it’s back home in the hall cupboard!.
10mins down the road the day we left I remembered I hadn’t picked them out when gathering up all those odd tucked away at the back bits to bring so had to make a quick stop at BigW in Mackay as we passed through the day we arrived . No big ones like that anywhere so had to make do with a couple of oversized dark bath sheets instead….no problem though (Animal Aid will benefit) these will just replace a couple on their way out at home.

July 2022 /July 2019
Shifting sands have covered the flat rock. Could be different again in a couple of years time

*******

I had another little think about the ‘baby jacket’ during the windy days and found this in amongst some patterns brought up from home. 4ply – which could work with that yarn….so nothing ventured – nothing gained.
Looked simple, kimono style, straight up & down with some shaping on the fronts along with guernsey style dropped sleeves. I’ll place buttons/button holes where those ribbons are. Plain stocking stitch with a purl stitch at regular intervals to give a little interest.
Well, that’s what I thought…..

Except these are the instructions for what I thought was just a purl stitch!

Does anyone understand them…..
because for the life of me I can’t get my head round them at all!
So I’m using a purl in that spot😊🧶

Now I’m off to enjoy some more of an (ex library) Ann Cleeves – a surprise find in the laundry room. A surprise because I’d only been talking to someone about it recently.
The Crow Trap – Vera’s first appearance (1999) and my first time reading about her.
A really good read that has me turning those pages

Today is the day Kat and friends gather for Unraveled Wednesday – books and craft and ways of the world are the talking points. Why don’t you pop over and see what’s going on

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