Stitchy weekend....

Just back from three days away at a stitching retreat in Burra.  Great time as always and I even got a little stitching done!  The days always fly by! Feeling very fortunate that in the current climate we were still able to get away while so many others are unable to do so. Things can change so rapidly one cannot take anything for granted. 

Burra is a very old town and it's always interesting to visit. A few pics from the weekend....

I made these Flowering Snowball blocks to add to the 40 or so already done over a couple of previous retreats....might even get around to putting them together one day...

and for a change up I put this table runner together....

As always the Featherweight didn't miss a beat ...

And after the stitching is done for the day a chocolate mint liqueur is the perfect nightcap....

must remember the liqueur glasses next time!  

Keep safe out there!

2020 ...so far...

So almost half the year gone and 5 months into retirement 2020 has been an "interesting" year so far!  The declaration of the Covid 19 pandemic pretty much put paid to any travel plans ..actually any plans at all! An outbreak of the virus among a group of tourists to the Barossa saw travel in or out of the area discouraged so thank goodness for technology which meant I could at least catch up with the kids and grandies  - not the same as IRL but better than not seeing them at all! A bit of online shopping kept Australia Post busy and time in the sewing room kept me busy!  To be honest I quite like the implementation of "social distancing" especially when  grocery shopping!  

A routine visit to the optician in February turned out to be not so routine when I found I had to have cataract surgery - the first one was in early March - the surgery went well, but my eyes didn't work together very well and my distance vision wasn't great so I couldn't drive which meant I had to rely on friends for my sporadic trips to the supermarket and I suffered bouts of vertigo - the second surgery was scheduled for later in March but was cancelled the day before due to the cancellation of elective surgeries - my wonderful optician agreed to open his business to see me and organised glasses so at least I could drive again (not that i could go very far) .....fast forward to late May and the second surgery has  left me with perfect vision!  One happy Granny!!  

Some of the restrictions put in place to keep everyone safer are gradually being lifted so we can travel intrastate and restaurants and pubs are open for small groups. I was able to see the family on Mother's Day and a couple of times since then  which has been brilliant. 

Had  to share  this - my fridge stopped wanting to freeze things so even with the fridge part working fine it was time to upgrade (it has given me 10+ years so it doesn't owe me anything) so ordered a fridge and arranged for it to be delivered 

...they explained that the delivery driver wouldn't be able to bring it into the house because of the virus, yep got all that....so this was fridge delivery Covid style...

as I was asking the delivery driver if he could just push it in a little further I heard the truck start and drive away! 😳 made a quick call to a friend who arrived and (after he finished laughing) pushed it into the house for me and helped me set it up.

A few finishes from the sewing room...

 My  favourite recent online purchase from @redraspberrycrochet arrived just in time for the first day of winter - 

just perfect for cold morning walks with this one....

I will try to post here more often - let's see how that works out 😬

2020 - Changes, changes........

Well, here we are in 2020 - ten years ago my world as I knew it was changed when I suddenly became single again and I started again in a different town in a different house - it seems (in so many ways) like yesterday but so much has changed since then - including me!  I rediscovered my independence, worked hard in a job I enjoyed and at the end of 2019 I was able to retire!  

So, more changes afoot as we enter 2020 - I am excited!

After working full time for many years - 17 in the most recent position - I wasn't sure how I would feel to retire. It does feel a little strange not to be part of an organisation I have spent so much time with, but I am getting there!  The days are filling up with other things and I am enjoying being able to accept invitations for week day stitching catch ups and lunches here and there - not to mention the ability to spend more time with family.

Rhiannon and Wade gifted me a calendar for Christmas and I fully intend to head into 2020 with the exuberance of Ezra pictured on the front cover....

Since I last wrote in I think August last year Rhiannon and Wade have welcomed little Eli into their family - Ezra is enjoying his big brother status I think!

Christmas was a fun, busy time with family ....I didn't take many photos on the day - but here is the annual Santa visit pic.......

the boys are very much into playing Hide 'n Seek and Lenny and Ezra found a mattress and a couple of Granny's vintage quilts made for the perfect scenario.....gosh it was hard to work out where they were! Such fun....... 

I think that will about do it for now - have to ease myself into this blogging a little more often!

'Til next time.......Lorraine 

Not sure I even remember how......

It's been so long since I posted!  So a bit of a recap....since June 2018 ....Spring, summer, Christmas, New Year and in the blink of an eye we are here at the tail end of Winter 2019.
So to recap the year and a bit that was........30 September Mark and Terri welcomed Lenny's little brother Jude into the family...... 

then before we knew it, it was Christmas - Wade reading a Christmas story to Lenny, Ezra and Jude.....

After Christmas we headed off for a family holiday at Tumby Bay...and surrounds....

 We visited a Christmas display at Cummins.....complete with authentic sleigh...the pony wasn't quite as authentic.....(but still cute)..Lenny wasn't keen to be on board....

....But Ezra was happy to drive...

Australia Day came and went - the Mayor presented me with flowers at the end of our Council's event.....I have been organising this function for quite a number of years, but I will be retiring at the end of this year, so will be a casual onlooker for the 2020 event.

Lenny turned three - looking very pensive about the cake in this pic...

 Ezra turned two and had fun with friends at the beach.....

Jude was there to help celebrate.....

Winter was footy season again and Mark decided to hang up the boots after the last game which was just last week....Lenny enjoyed going to the games .....photo credit to Terri for these pics......

Retreats....there were a few ....at Burra - Sew Delighful Quilting Retreat x 2 .....

.....and Aldinga where I started and finished this Elizabeth Hartman quilt for Jude.....oh apart from  the quilting which was added after the retreat.....and Rose had to give her seal of approval.....

You may remember the Christine Vlasic, Marrakesh quilt started a couple of years ago.....after a marathon effort it is finally finished and quilted - the hand quilting was done over about a year I think....with long breaks in between stints....

and.....done......

Pretty happy with this one.

I also finished two Penguin quilts one each for Ezra and Lenny...

  a couple of pics from a recent weekend away with Rhi, Wade and Ezra.....

I don't think anyone will be going far in this boat on the banks of the river.....

....and that's about it I think......off to Burra again later in the year so have to get some projects organised to take with me....I have a few :) 

'Til next time (hopefully it's not such a long break.....) - Lorraine