Did You Know?

Hi everyone,


I didn't know that 17 September is Australian Citizenship Day, did you?

This was in a letter I received around a month ago.  (I love the nice little quilty touch they included in the graphics just for me LOL)

I passed the citizenship test back in May.  Next step after that is to wait for a letter of invitation to attend a ceremony and taking the Pledge of Allegiance.   The ceremony is tonight at 7pm.

I don't know how to knit, so I asked my friend Maria if she would knit a scarf in red, white, and blue for me to wear to the ceremony tonight.  She went to great lengths to find the colours especially for me because all of her usual places to shop didn't have what she needed.  It is so pretty, thank you Maria! Pop over to Maria's blog to read this post about what another lady made with one of these scarves...it is very clever!!

I will leave you for now with one of my favourite Aussie pictures as I reflect today on the day I arrived just over 9 years ago, with two suitcases, a new job waiting for me, and plenty of dreams for the future.   Tonight is really the night! :)  xx debbie

Boy 16, Turtle, Veg Pie, and Rhonda

Hi everyone,

I was so happy when dear Boy 16 came home from work yesterday. We have been apart since Friday morning!

I think he was happy to be home too.  He played with NEMO for ages (seems to be his fave), and then he cuddled up to his giraffe for a nap.  This picture just melts me :)

He is such a sweetie. The back of his legs look odd because that is a bit of late afternoon sun shining on him.  We will have to say our good byes Friday morning as he continues to pass all of his training. I sure will miss him.  He has been good fun.

I had a letter last week saying the power on my street will be off for 8 hours Monday. Yikes! I am dependent on the power for nebuliser treatments.  The power company suggested I spend the day at the hospital. *NOT*!!  I decided to do extra treatments up until the time of turn off, then make myself sit quietly all day.  I managed to finish all the basting prep for the turtle pincushion by Anni Downs.

The same rainbow silverbeet I paid 50 cents for many months ago is still feeding me and the baby spinach seeds in the next pot are now pretty leaves ready to pick too.

 

The cherry tomatoes are still coming. That is a jalapeno pepper at the top.  I am not a huge lover of green stuff, but if I chop all those leaves up and make them into an impossible pie with some tomatoes and cheese, that green stuff will be tasty :)

 

 

I know quite a few people on my blog list also have this blog on their reading list too.  If you read Down to Earth, you will know her name.  She and husband Hanno have been speaking at libraries in my area. Tomorrow they will be at Redcliffe Library, which is the closest to where I live.  I signed up to attend around 3 weeks ago, and the day is nearly here, at last!  I have been so inspired the past few years by all the simple living things I have learned from Rhonda. I think my favourite of all was learning to make my own yoghurt with no special packets or equipment needed.  I am very much looking forward to this special day.  xx debbie

 

BOL, Boy 16, First Kiss

Hi everyone,

Not too much sewing lately as I have had several other commitments and also seem to have a bad case of "spring cleaning" too. (Anyone else detail the entire guts of their vac lately)? I scrubbed the filter with a fingernail brush and cleaned all the other bits I could get to.  I even took the hoses apart and soaked them in a tub of hot soapy water and it was amazing what came out! LOL!

  These are two BOL that will be sent on to Cheryll soon. I just want to do a little quilting before I send them.  Both quilts have the white flannel backing with little blue stars and stormy skies with bunting on the front. The white bunting was given to me by De as scraps from a quilt she made.

This was to be our last weekend together, Boy 16 and I.  I have new neighbours that moved in a few weeks ago and their dog barks a lot. This does not worry me at all as I love dogs and  I am just SO happy to have NEW neighbours :)

 

Yesterday morning, I let Boy 16 out and of course the new dog went crazy again, but the neighbour was there and talking to her dog trying to calm him. Meanwhile, Boy 16 didn't bark back but he had a crazy fast run around the back yard.  When I let him in, I saw a few tiny drops of blood on the floor so I mentioned it to his trainer when he was picked up soon after.  His trainer said he would take him to the vet right away, which led to  me getting a phone call later saying his foot is bandaged and he will be confined to a small area to rest all weekend. Really?! It only bled for a couple minutes and a tiny bit!  I am so sad...I know I have to give him up next Friday morning, so I was looking forward to having him here all weekend.  :((((

These are all of his toys missing him too.

Sort of wishing I didn't say anything now.

 

 

I've recently mentioned that my lawn guy also does estate clean ups. He brought me the gorgeous cot in my previous posts.  He also brought me the pink wooden ladder and was kind enough to cut it in half for me.  The old ladder on the right was brought to me by another friend. All 3 pieces are in need of a good scrub and hosing off and they will soon be displaying quilts, doilies, and dollies here.

 

 

Another friend came over last night. We shared a few beers and he admired my rotary cutter, mat, and daylight lamp. (?!!)   He replaced the dowel which is hard to see at the top left of the canopy. This is the only part of the cot that had any damage.  I haven't cleaned the canopy yet.

 

 

This guy actually lives with another friend in the house straight across the street from me.  I have had a little mini crush on him for months now.  I knew he would be leaving late September to go work in PNG for a couple months.  When he came over last night, he said they only told him that day that he is flying out early  this morning for 3 weeks to work in the mines there.  Anyway, we had another nice chat while he was repairing the cot canopy on my cutting mat (LOL) and then he had to go. He is building a huge model ship and so would love to have the daylight lamp, cutting mat, and magnifier that I use for stitching.  Before he left, he gave me a kiss :)  I was shocked and didn't know what to say LOL. It's been a long time since I was remotely attracted to anyone...I love being single.  I think he was feeling very shy too.  It was probably nothing more other than a good bye kiss for a friend, as you do :)  Anyway, he is gone for now, and I  am  just a bit sad Boy 16 won't be back until Monday night at the earliest, and my friend not for 21 days!  Happy weekend to all xx debbie