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!

MYA part 5

I've just finished part 5 of this sampler.  I'm doing this through the Sticklounge yahoo group.

Thanks for all the comments on the last post.  DD's theatre has finished, and it looked like everyone had a great time on stage.  I went to one of the earlier performances then 2 later ones which were much better.  I'm still recovering from all the late nights!

October TUSAL

Nearly forgot.

Lots of pink from Sweet Flowers.

See Daffycat's blog here for information.

MYA part 3

I've just finished part 3 of the Many Years Ago sampler I'm doing with the sticklounge yahoo group.

It's opening night tonight for DD's theatre performance.  Lots of late nights coming up in the next 10 days.  Her friend in the cast broke her leg at the start of the week but is still performing in some of her items, just with modified movements. 

Sweet Flowers part 9

I've finished Sweet Flowers part 9 and I've got the final 2 parts from Angie.



Sweet Flowers

I'm working on the Many Years Ago sampler for the next few weeks.  Part 6 has been released and I'm still on part 3.

What bird is this?
We had a wet day on Thursday - the first decent rain since June.  I was sitting in my reading chair in the office when I saw this in our yard.

Pheasant Coucal

I saw this bird months ago and had no idea what it was.  Since then I've managed to identify it - a Pheasant Coucal -  but I hadn't seen it again.  It is the only cuckoo in Australia that makes it's own nest and raises it's chicks.  (What did we do without Google?)  I did see a strange bird last week that I half think/hope could be a young chick.  My neighbour thinks the nest is in her yard next door.

The fun begins.
The next 2 weeks will be very busy.  DD has her musical theatre opening night on Friday and 2 performances Saturday, then 5 performances in 4 days the following week. So, it's rehersals most of this weekend and Wednesday night.  In fact, we are out every night this coming week Sunday till Saturday except Monday.  Most nights we will be getting home 10.30-11pm.  Getting the kids to school on time in the mornings will be a challenge!
Of course, DH is away - he is fishing at Fraser Island with his Dad, uncle and several mates this week.  They go every year at this time, I don't mind as long as he brings home some fish.  He left before 4am today so I ended up having an afternoon nap because I didn't go back to sleep after he left.  He is home next Saturday afternoon, then off to Singapore the following Tuesday for a few days.

Holiday planning
We wanted to go skiing again in January next year but DD is going to the Scout Jamboree during the first 2 weeks of January, so we've put that off for another year and decided to do something in December when the kids summer holidays start.  We thought about New Zealand or Perth, but we've decided to go to Tasmania. 
DS finishes school a week before DD, so we're going to pull her out of school 2 days early and fly to Hobart, hire a car, and spend 10 days driving around Tasmania.  That way we will have a great holiday and be back home a week before Christmas.  Just need to work out our itinerary and book accommodation and flights in the next few weeks.

DD's finger is mostly better.  I'm not sure I liked the glue, maybe she would have been better off getting it stitched.  She bumped it the other day and part of it reopened under the skin - she ended up with a large blood blister and bruising, but it didn't stop her playing tennis followed by a  game of netball.  It doesn't hurt and the bruising is fading so I'm leaving it alone to heal.  She is not able to play netball or cricket for the next 2 weeks due to her theatre commitments so hopefully she won't hit it again for a while.

I'm catching up on my blog reading and will be able to start commenting again in a few days.

I hope everyone has a good stitching week.

Saturday Stitching

I finished Sweet Flowers part 8 on Friday night

Part 9 has to be finished by October 10.
Here is what I did on it yesterday.

The kids have just started 2 weeks of school holidays and DH is going away for a week from Tuesday so I'm going to do lots of stitching.

The first week is going to be even quieter than I had planned.
This is DD's hand -

She had an accident with a craft knife at school on Thursday and the Dr had to glue her back together - the cut was too awkward for stitches.  It's not too bad, but the cut is on the back of her hand over the knuckle at the base of her index finger so we have to keep the finger still until next Saturday so it can heal.  I've strapped it up so she doesn't forget and try to use it. 
She's sad because she likes to climb up the mango tree in our backyard and sit there reading.

DH had last week off work and spent the time painting our house gutters and eaves with his Dad.
We got our roof repainted earlier in the year before the solar panels went on and the old gutters were a lovely 80's pink.
Old roof and gutters -

House showing repainted roof and gutters and solar panels.

The White house in more ways than one!! 

Looks like the garden needs some serious work.  The new roof colour is lighter than we planned but if it makes the house cooler in summer I don't care (we have no airconditioning)
The solar panels are fantastic.  We got a 5Kw system and we have a credit on our last electricity bill which was for the winter months when it was unusually wet and cold. 

We wish it was wet again, there's been no rain to speak of for the last 2 months.

I'm hoping to get caught up with my emails and blog reading over the holidays.  Since my last post we've had some nasty cold viruses through the house.  Everyone has been sick at some time except me and DD is still on antibiotics for a nasty cough.  I think they were playing tag - first DH, then DS, last DD.  I'll be glad when I have no sick/injured patients.
Looks like I will have to fight DD for computer time, she's waiting impatiently for her turn.

August TUSAL - I'm Back!

I'm still here, haven't fallen off the face of the earth if you were wondering. 
I have been busy stitching amongst other things, so I'll start with some photos.

First, TUSAL up to now

This is on my table next to my stitchy chair with my favourite Aussie flag scissors in front.

I have been busy and here are some finishes.

1. Pine Tree Inn by LHN, recommended fabric and threads

2. I did a box finishing class with Meari from ILCS yahoo group.
I chose to do Seaside Retreat from A Stitcher's Journey by Blackbird Designs.
I used Golden Wattle 32ct lugana from Stitches and Spice with Old Maid of the Sea HDF silk.

3. I joined the Sticklounge group in January and I have my first finish with them.
Thimble Collection designed by Karen of Sunshine-Stitches
I used a 32ct lugana with DMC





What am I working on now?

WIP 1.  Another Sticklounge piece - Many Years Ago Sampler designed by Gudi.
I'm using a pale violet 28ct Jobelan from Stitches and Spice with a custom colour by HDF.

I have finished parts 1 and 2.

WIP 2.  Sweet Flowers.
I had lots of problems with this piece last month.  Every time I did some stitching I had to pull out most of it and restitch because I was out with my counting.  After doing that for 2 weeks I was ready to throw it across the room, so I put it away for several weeks.  I picked it up again at the end of last week and finished part 7.  I am working on part 8 now and part 9 comes out at the end of the week so I'm hoping I don't end up too far behind again.

Well, that's the end of the stitching news, so the rest is about family and holidays.

We went up to Yeppoon to visit my Dad in June for a week of the winter school holidays.
This is the view from his deck looking out to Great Keppel Island.

Dawn, looking towards North Keppel Island. My favourite time of the day.

This is the Singing Ship at Emu Park which commemorates the landing of Captain James Cook in 1770.  Yes, it sings!

On the drive home we were waved to the side of the road and stopped by the police so this could go past. A dump truck body heading for one of the coal mines in Central Queensland.  Luckily it was on a 'good' section of the road - that's our national highway once you're more than a few hours north of Brisbane. 

Family life is still busy.  DS has made the top chess team at his school  - not bad for grade 10. He plays against other schools this term, but he trains all year.  He is also playing rugby this term.  This month he has to pick his subjects for grades 11 and 12.  It looks like his electives will be physics, IT  maths B (maths required for uni ) and maths C (maths useful for engineering at uni). He has to do English and Study of Religion (catholic school). He wanted to continue Japanese but has decided he probably should do both maths instead. He has no idea what he wants to do but his passion is IT. Out of school he is involved in the older scouts.

DD is even busier.  She is doing live musical theatre with the scouts. Rehersals started in July and they do 8 performances over 10 days in late October.  She has just finished winter netball and will start summer netball on Wednesday nights in October. She had a scare during her last netball game - came off at half time and asked me to take her to the first aid room to get a hurt finger taped up. The first aid lady said we should go to the hospital emergency department as she thought it was broken.  The doctor and nurse at the hospital thought the same, but luckily the x-ray was clear. They splinted it anyway as it was pretty sore, but the pain stopped after 4-5 days.
She has also signed up to play cricket again this summer, that will be on Saturday mornings. DD will be going to the scout Jamboree in January for 2 weeks.  It is held every 3 years and next year DD will be just old enough but it is in Queensland, only a few hours from Brisbane, so we said go for it.  She still needs to get some more experience camping in tents with the scouts before January, but she only moved up to the scouts in May.  DD also plays tennis, is in the school choir and does speech and drama lessons.  Her last eisteddfod was a few weeks ago so next up is the voice and drama exam in November.

DH is home at the moment.  He has been fighting a bad cold the last few weeks but he is going car racing this weekend so it is good he is starting to feel better.  DD is also away camping this weekend so it looks like it will be a quiet one for DS and I. 

I was trying to catch up on my blog reading before posting this, but it just wasn't happening.
If you have read all this, thank you.  If you leave a comment, you are awesome.