Good Things Finished

This was one of my crazy starts last year. 



Good Things
Designer: Lizzie Kate

Finished 27 January 2013

I'm going to give away the chart so leave a comment if you would like it.  If more than one wants it, comment by Friday and I'll draw a name next weekend.  Chart only, no fabric or threads included.  I will post overseas.

I needed to do something to distract me from the weather.  It's Sunday night and we are expecting several more hours of strong winds, heavy rain.  Still under a (mini) tornado watch - never expected that in Brisbane!  Not sure that a watch is very helpful as they are over in less than a minute and can't be seen coming!  Nevertheless, we are advised to stay indoors and this morning I moved all outdoor loose items into the garage.  We have had nearly 250mm  (10 inches) of rain in the last 2 days - most in the last 24 hours. The wind started getting unpleasant from this afternoon, but luckily the only issue I've had is a leak in the kitchen window so I've got a couple of towels on the kitchen bench which I wring out every hour or so.  The pool is overflowing but it can wait until tomorrow.  I did duck outside to empty the raingauge because I was worried the wind would blow it over. 
Up late again tonight to keep an eye on things.  Maybe I'll be able to do more stitching!

Australia Day and Tassie Photos

Happy Australia Day to any other Aussies.

That means a long weekend!  But, we are battening down in preparation for Ex tropical cyclone heading down the coast towards us.  Up near my Dad at Yeppoon they had 550mm (22 inches) in 24 hours till Friday morning.  
They have forecast up to 400mm rain and stroung winds over the next few days for us here.  Showery and windy already.  I went out yesterday morning and now have enough food until Tuesday and the car is full of fuel, kids have books and computers. 

I've done some stitching.
I've finished another section of Herz Yin Yang

Herz Yin Yang part 3

Here is my start of the Pineapple Sampler from the Sticklounge group

Pineapple Sampler part 1
Cloudberry Samplings

Here are some Tasmania holiday photos from last month.  We flew into Launceston, hired a car and drove clockwise staying at Freycinet national park (east coast), Hobart, Strahan (west coast), Cradle Mountain national park and back to Launceston in 10 days. It was wonderful!

Freycinet National Park - Lots of hiking, gorgeous weather.  Saw dolphins at Wineglass Bay beach and a wallaby on Hazards Beach.  It was a steep walk down to Wineglass Bay from the lookout.

Wineglass Bay, Freycinet National Park

 

 

Hazards Beach, Freycinet National Park

Someone wanted our lunch, but went away empty handed.

Wallaby, Hazards Beach

Sleepy Beach, Freycinet National Park

Sunset, Freycinet Lodge

South of Hobart we went to the Tahune Airwalk in the forest canopy and also hiked over suspension bridges.

Tarkine River

 

 

 

 

Strahan - weather turned cold and wet, but it was still fantastic.

We went on 2 boat cruises, 1st to see the little penguins on the smallest boat, and 2nd up the Gordon River in the largest boat.



Strahan, Macquarie Harbour

 

 

On the cruise to see penguins, we went to an island near the entrance to the harbour.  Only 10 of us were on the boat - another family, tour guide and boat skipper.  It was cold and wet but saw lots of penguins so close we were almost tripping over them!





Little Penguin, Macquarie Harbour

Macquarie Harbour entrance - 'Hell's Gate'

Fish Farms, Macquarie Harbour

The Gordon River is a World Heritage area and the cruise was a highlight of our trip.


Gordon River, Strahan

Cradle Mountain National Park was another highlight of our trip.  It was sleeting as we drove into our accommodation.  Cold and wet while we were there, but we hiked around Dove Lake at the foot of Cradle Mountain. 

Saw lots of wildlife in this area - wallabies, echidnas, wombats, pademelons (a type of small wallaby), native hens.  We visited the Tasmanian Devil park and saw devils and quolls. Patted a devil!

Cradle Mountain - Dove Lake

waterfall - Dove Lake

I hope you enjoyed this brief glimpse of Tassie.

 

Sad News

Sad, but not unexpected.  DH's grandfather passed away just hours after I last posted on January 10th.  He would have been 93 on January 26 (Australia Day).  His funeral was last Wednesday - yes, DS's 16th birthday.  My mother in law has lost both her parents in the last 12 months.  At least DH was in Australia, he leaves tomorrow for nearly 3 weeks.  We didn't tell DD until she arrived home on the Sunday before the funeral. 

DS passed his learner's test on Thursday and we've started taking him out to quiet car parks to get used to starting and changing gears before we get him on the roads.  He has to log 100 hours of supervised driving and be 17 before he can do his practical driving test. 

DD had a wonderful time at the scout jamboree.  I took her to a podiatrist last week because she has been complaining of a sore foot - the one she hurt at netball 18 months ago - she has a damaged ligament and needs orthortics.  Now, she has her instep taped up.  I saw 3 different medical people when she did it and while they all said different things, none picked up the ligament damage. It didn't slow her down or stop her running, playing sport, etc.  Only now she tells me it has been hurting all the time!  We did an 11 km hike in Tasmania and she was running ahead all day.

I still have to track down the Tassie photos - they're on DH's work computer so I need to get them tonight.

I haven't done any stitching to speak of.  It has been hot and humid, not good stitching weather and I wasn't in the mood for it last week.  Only another week until the school chaos starts and I am out 4 nights a week with various kids activities. 

After last year I've decided to limit my stitching commitments this year and not do any SALs.  I haven't even set any goals, just to do what I can around family obligations.  I will be having a giveaway soon to thank my readers.

2013 First Finish and New Start

Ok, I'm back blogging after a very busy end of 2012. 
First, I'll do the stitching news, then all the rest below.

I have finished my Many Years Ago sampler on January 5. Designed by Gudi Kolden and done through the Sticklounge yahoo group.  I used a custom HDF silk on a pale violet Jobelan from Stitches and Spice.



Many Years Ago Sampler

I have a new start, also on January 5 - Herz Yin Yang designed by Jean Louis Grandsire, also through Sticklounge.  I am using mauve and gold DMC on 32ct Fog Lugana from PTP.  The inner hearts are a slightly lighter shade.



Herz Yin Yang - part 2

While I'm waiting for part 3, I've pulled out a UFO from last year - Good Things by LK.
I hate the fabric I'm doing this on - 32 ct Tumbleweed linen from Wichelt, but I'm going to finish.



Good Things  - LK

Well, on to other news.  We had the usual end of school year chaos in November.  DS got a chess award at his schools annual awards night.  DD and I weren't well but DH was overseas so we both had to go.  A few days later DD came down with gastro and ended up missing over a week of school - seemed like every second person knew someone who had that nasty virus which started as a sore throat.  DD missed a lot of her specialist lessons exams which she was happy about.

DH and I had a weekend up at Coolum with the car club for our Christmas party.  We went up on Friday night this year and had two nights away.  We stayed at the same place as last year - lovely and relaxing.

Twin Waters Resort

The next weekend DS finished school and had a venturer (scout) camp at Noosa. DD and I ended up taking a car load of teenagers up there on the Friday night - 10 minutes notice for a 3 1/2 hour round trip.  I did stop at home on the way to grab some water for DD and I.  DD was sick with a fever the next day and ended up missing 3 days of her last week of school.  I got her on antibiotics quickly because she had a nasty cough. 

DD had a scout camp which started the Friday night she finished school.  She wasn't 100% well but she needed to get more nights camping before the scout Jamboree in January.  We picked her up at 8am on the Sunday morning and she had time to shower at home before we had to leave for the airport and our flight to Tasmania.

Our 10 days in Tasmania was so good I'm going to make a separate blog entry.

Just before we left, DH's grandfather had a serious health scare.  He is in a nursing home and on a pureed diet, but he was accidently given the wrong meal and choked on some meat.  The doctors in the hospital prepared the family for the worst, but he pulled through. Now, however, he has a damaged lung and is on oxygen fulltime.  He is around 95.

We got back from Tasmania on the Wednesday night before Christmas and my dad arrived on the Thursday to stay for a week.  DH and I did all the Christmas present shopping on the weekend before Christmas, the tree went up on the Sunday afternoon, the only cooking done was a fruit cake and the pavlova I took to the Christmas family lunch.  On Christmas day we drove down to DH's brother's place on the Gold Coast.  Had the big family lunch with cold meat, prawns, salads and pavlova, cheesecake and fresh fruit for desert.  Here is the view out their apartment looking over the broadwater. They have glass windows all along the front.

After Christmas I was busy getting thing ready for DD to go to Jamboree.  It's just a few hours up the road at Maryborough this year.  We were waiting for the bus at 6.30am on New Years Day!  She comes back this Sunday (13th) after 12 night camping in a tent.  I've seen a few photos of her on facebook which has been great, and photos of the things she will be doing.  She is one of 11,500 scouts taking part.   I was worried the weather would be wet but it has been hot and dry, but at least not the heatwave conditions they are getting in the southern states.

When she gets back she has 2 more weeks of holidays before school starts again.  Time for the dentist, eye check, haircut, etc.
DS turns 16 on the 16th (!) and will be able to get his learner's licence and start driving.
DH has been home since late November but goes away again in 2 weeks and will be gone for nearly 3 weeks overseas. 

I've been relaxing this year - sleeping in, reading and stitching.  A few more easy weeks, then back into the usual grind.
Ok, the next post will be up soon with lots of Tassie photos to make you all jealous!