Ripple scarf at last!

My ripple scarf modelled by  a friend........no it's me!! I had always hoped every-one would see me as a very young grandmother, blonde. now you will see the white hair and know the truth!!

Kate gave me the lovely wool from the Sublime range and I just love the colour. I used the ripple pattern from the amazing Lucy at Attic24 to get me started and then having completed a few rows then followed around the end of the rows as well to 'finish' it off and make it a little bit longer.

I took our refugees to Melbourne on Monday and said a sad good-bye yesterday. It has been such a special time for us getting to know mother and baby really well in amongst their angst of aftershocks still occurring. By now they will be reunited with our son who has been desperately missing them and our house is quiet, a mixed blessing!!

Busy days and good naps

Days are going past in a bit of a whirl but today the house is quiet and I am pottering...loooking forward to a nap after lunch!
The cubby house is a fantastic box our new dishwasher came in and has been sitting on our verandah waiting for the right moment. We now have the two armed house, curtains and all. Sadly only enough room inside for one little one at a time and the whole house has to be lifted up to gain entry! Glad I am that we don't have to do that with our house!! Thank goodness for doors!!
The 7 yr old grandson and almost 4 granddaughter formed their own pizzas. After all her hard work come dinnertime a little voice said "I don't like pizza'. It was such a good recipe for the pizza base thanks to 'Phyllis at allrecipes.com.au....
1tbsp dried yeast
1cup warm water [45deg]
315 bread flour
2tbsp olive oil
1tsp salt
2tsps caster sugar
in a small bowl dissolve yeast in warm water, stand until creamy...10 mins
large bowl place flour oil salt sugar and yeast mixture. Stir well, beat until stiff dough. Cover and let rise, until double, about 30 mins. Oven 180deg. Dough on floured surface and roll into pizza shape. Place fillings on and bake about 20 min.
The base really was great, very light.
Last night we had a friend to stay with her baby, 2 weeks older than Lulu. The two girls were really fascinated with each other. Our visitor came with dinner for us, a real treasure.
Off to a nap now, see you all soon! Aubrey

A FEW PIPS AMONG THE CHERRIES!!

What a time it has been! The earthquake was a great huge PIP, sending forth it's shocks physically, mentally and emotionally to all who were there at the time. Our CHERRY was the prolonged visit of Carol with Lulu. It has been such a beautiful time with them here and then a visit from Son No 1 who flew over for the weekend, needing his family for some respite from the tremors that have continued......I am not sure about the last 24 hours but they have really slowed down and then there was a 5.something yesterday.

I had some difficult 'teeth' work over the last 3 weeks and then the appendix put me into hospital for a few days. So... more PIPS! All over now and I am back to the bowl of cherries!! We have Carol and Lulu, two more little grandchildren staying for a few days while their parents show Sydney off to  a visiting Irishman.

Great guard dogs here!

Lulu loved snuggling in to Bear, all soft and warm. He is nearly 3, a big buffhead and so very gentle. We also have the Jack Russel pup here and the two play together for hours.

A new baby blanket, knitted in garter stitch using Luxury wool from Bendigo Wool

and the last one I knitted being used ALL the time!

I knitted my first sock for ages from this wool, then found my guessing of sizes was soooo wrong, I had to pull it out and will begin again. Nearly 4 yr old granddaughter's foot is not 9cm as I thought but a whopping 16 cm!! How could I be so wrong!

I'm on light 'duties' for another week so am sure I can put in a few more crafting times . I did tell the big one I wouldn't be able to cook or do anything for another month but he didn't quite buy it! I wonder why??????

 Great to be back in blogland, I have had little peeps to see what is happening but the concentration hasn't been great. See you soon.....

Silver Linings No 2

The last week hasn't been one of our best ones with family in Christchurch but on Monday the old adage of 'it's an ill wind that doesn't do any good' came true for us as daughter-in-law and new grand-daughter came to stay. Son No 1 stayed at home and is very relieved to have his little family here and of course we are loving it. Their house is reasonably all right, a wonky chimney and a few cracks so they are the lucky ones. However all the aftershocks are very worrying for every-one, people reacting in different ways and so many having had devastating losses...but no deaths. How amazing!

We are now centred around the baby, gorgeous granny and pa time, also aunty and two cousins. So lovely to see the instant bonding between cousins!! Having family here is a great excuse to sit down and ...I could say 'gossip'...but it is exchanging ideas and informative conversations I am sure. Aunty Kate is very green not being here too, instead of safely in the norrth island of NZ. At least I am getting more knittting for the Bald and the Beautiful Shavathon, the blue beanies they need to keep their shorn heads warm.

Today we alsoo have a 10 week old Jack Russel Puppy visiting. He is having a lovely visit, although we did have to stop her from chewing the baby's toes, however tempting they might have been! Bear is our big galumping golden retriever who will always think he is a baby is having a great play......

I know there are more photos of the dogs than the baby but just be patient!

More soon, have a great and peaceful day!!

A WEIRD START TO OUR DAY!

This was last Saturday

This is today, exactly a week later!

We had very heavy rain last night on top of a damp week and really plenty of rain. The big one slept through it all, rain on a tin roof isn't exactly quiet! Just as well we had our surprise visit last weekend!

My morning really began at 6.30 when I crept out of bed to make a cup of tea, let the dogs out and put wood on our fire. I had thought it was 7.30 so a bit early for me to be up on a Saturday I'm thinking. I switched on the computer to have a quiet catch up before any-one else is up, our home page is the ABC news and there before me was the massive earthquake in Christchurch where my son lives with his family, Lulu is only 3 months old. You can imagine my instant panic, why do mothers always react this way...or is it only me! They are fine...when I eventually rang his mobile. The landline wasn't working as the power was down so of course i thought they might have been under rubble or goodness knows what! They did shelter under the dining table, sleeping baby and all but their house is all right apart from a crooked chimney and lots of pictures, ornaments, kitchen stuff damaged, nothing serious.

I grieve for the old parts of Christchurch, their lovely Arts Centre which was the old university has been badly damaged my son thinks, along with other old buildings. It was such a beautiful city. No-one has been killed, many hurt so it could have been much worse for so many. Phil's electricity is back on but they will have to ration their water, perhaps I could send them some.

I always feel so much angst for all the different places in the world, where so many things happen, floods, fires, wars, earthquakes. We are all people exactly the same, all feelings, we care for our families and I think how would I cope if I were one of those women, my baby dying in my arms because I didn't have anything to feed it with, my family  I couldn't find. So as a Mother, I have had a tiny taste of possible devastation in my family.....it is not very nice and my family has a happy ending.

A WALK AROUND THE GARDEN

I am off to the dentist in Melbourne to begin the journey of a root canal in a little while. As you can imagine I am not looking forward to it and am not having my regular dentist as he is too busy for an emergency appointment so I have his partner< I am sure he is just as good but I need my security man! I feel like a child who can't have what she wants!! my dentist is Scottish and a really lovely person.... boo hoooooo!

Enough complaining, I will let you know tomorrow how I get on!

SO I needed a walk in my garden before I get changed and wend my wa to Melboure, on the train so that is easy. I thought you might like to walk around with me!

The above photo is an old plum tree that struggles on, lovely shade in the summer and the birds love to enjoy their day in and under it.

This almond tree must be very very old , gnarled and twisted and again struggling to live through all the droughts we have had. It is just outside the garden and doesn't get watered so a brave old tree. 

We have three Manchurian pears all coming out, I do love them.

An old japonica resued from the old garden.

Daffodils shy of the 'cuddling couple' statue given to me by No 4 grandson, so thrilled with himself as he knew I would LOVE it!

And some of our black babies outside the garden fence! They are very curious and always come to check out what we are doing, especially if the dogs are with us.

Have a good day and send me good vibes at the dentist today!