Come back to the Five And Dime, BillyBall, BillyBall.

This blog post has been siting in my Drafts since the 2nd of April. Tonight Australian Story on The ABC was about Emma Betts, a young woman who died from melanoma. She had a blog called Dear Melanoma, and sometimes I need something to remind me to practise gratitude. It is not that I am not grateful, but complacency is such an easy thing to slowly slip into. I haven’t used the very long time I have been ill to do anything really worthy, but life has been worth living. We are lying in bed (again) and I decided I would not wait for the right time to post to my blog, I would find some photos and do it now. No one expects The Spanish Inquisition: or decent photos on my blog!

Lorelai Gilmore and I are in bed and Miss Hedy Lamarr is off somewhere creating chaos, or in her Little Box. We are watching Caught Out about the Cricket cheating in the Test against South Africa. One of the people said that we are all sullied by the behaviour of Smith, Warner and Bancroft: that as a nation we have to live with the consequences. I do not feel sullied. Cricket is not what it used to be. It used to be on The ABC and no one wore coloured clothes. I do hope that the men are being well cared for, I am worried about their mental state. 

But I don’t feel represented by men playing cricket, or mateship or ‘if you’re not with us you’re against us’. Sadly, I do feel represented by our inhuman treatment of refugees, by the way we have decreased our foreign aid, eg.

We should be more outraged by the lies and obfuscation of our politicians. That’s my two cents’ worth on that topic.

In good news, I have sewn a new dress: the Beetle Dress. I bought four or five panels of fabric on super special at The Spotlight. Each panel had some tropical leaves, two kinds of lattice and two Christmas beetles. I managed to cut out the pieces to my satisfaction and I love the surprise beetles in the back of the skirt. I tweaked my Upton Dress pattern by moving the shoulder seam forward 2.5cm, moving the side bust darts back 5cm and lowering the under bust darts by a half. Luckily I have short legs and so I was able to eke out the skirt lengthwise. 

I wanted to wear my new dress to WeeJock and Besse’s Dad’s birthday party. WeeJock and Bessie’s Mum was very worried I would be unwell, or unable to walk the steep paths to the venue. In the end I rested and was relatively well and able to go. Jolly good thing I did, because it was a surprise wedding!!! Oh we were all Very Surprised and I had enough tissues to share with my friends when we all cried joyfully. It was such a wonderful evening and two wonderful people shared their special day with us all. Now my dress has been renamed as “My Wedding Dress”, which confuses come people and amuses me no end.

Hedy has had FlippyFloppy Ear and we bought the very expensive new $130 tablets that aren’t steroids for her. She was vaccinated too. Dr Rob says that,when she is not being excited, her heartbeat is nice and slow and she is incredibly fit. Gilly came too, of course, and they are both nice and slim. I always feel happy about that. 

This year I have been unwell, really unwell almost all the time. My immune system is compromised and that is why I am poorly. I have missed out on an Easter Day trip and other outings, I’ve not sewed or knitted very much at all, there has been an awful lot of sleeping and the one thing that is sancrosanct is The Labradors’ Walk. Five times a week we go for a walk, we love going, and I save some, or all, of my energy for that. I hope the cooler Autumn weather brings me some better health.

I have at last finished a pair of socks for my next door neighbour. The Blueberry Choc Shake Socks 2018 are knitted in Opal Fresh and Juicy. Opal sock wool is the work horse of sock wools, and though not the softest, it is comfortable to wear and lasts seemingly forever. 

Someone stole Hedy Lamarr’s red BillyBall when we were at the dam. She has a new blue BillyBall and she loves it. Thank goodness.

However, her love is ephemeral. On Friday we met Sandy’s mum and her grandsons. They had a foam soccer ball. Hedy wanted that ball so badly, that she stole it. Luckily the boys played with the BillyBall: all’s well that ends well. She worked very hard to fit the ball in her mouth.

I sewed two Hold It bins from Made by Dana. I can’t work out how to make clicky links on the iPad tonight, sorry. I am very happy with them, and I plan to sew some more.

I am knitting a cardigan for Kinder Zoe. Her favourite colour is yellow, and I love this buttery colour. I am making Pixie Dust by Lioness Arts. It is a top down raglan with a lovely lace pattern in the increases, repeated across the whole body.

I baked a layered chocolate cake with whipped butterscotch schnapps ganache for MrsDrWho’s morning tea at school. I used my cake levelling tool, so that made me happy. The day was very warm and the ganache would not set, so I had to put the cake in the freezer and it went slightly wonky. I think the women at school used the roses to make it look beautiful.

There, I feel I have achieved something positive. I only skimmed before I posted, so please excuse any errors.

Friday (Food) Friday, Gotta Get Down On Friday.

I am being kind to myself after a tricky week and there is no Friday Food. This week:

• The NBN came
• The phone and internet did not initially
• Nor did the silent number
• The car is leaking some kind of fluid (sp edit)
• We need new tyres
• It has been hot and ever so humid

 

The actual man who installed The NBN was kind and very nice to The Labradors. Gilly was interested and sensible. Hedy was all yes I want a pat/no you are a stranger and had to be put in her little box for everyone's peace of mind. Ipad photos, so worse than usual. Hedy inspected the work.

I am just treating myself a little carefully. After phone calls and emails - from MrsDrWho's mother's house because you can't email or phone if you don't have the internet or landline connected -  my ISP magically found it would not take up to twelve days (5-7 working days with two weekends in the mix) and they had enabled the internet and phone by the next day. I do despair, that I have to exert such effort, but it all ended up being sorted out and my number is silent again too.

Don't know what is leaking from under the car, I just noticed it yesterday, and we need new tyres desperately, so I am off to see what can be done about money. No point in having a car if it doesn't work. We spent all our money on Lorelai Gilmore last year and she is worth every cent!!!

Although it is hot and horridly humid, we have had a cooler summer and this morning it was cloudy so the sun didn't heat the front of the house: a boon.

So I am being grateful and telling people about what is happening. I am thinking today of James Hird. I am not an AFL fan, I only keep an ear on MrsDrWho's mother's team so I can chat to her about the games. I know only too well how easy it is to slip into a state where you believe people would be better off without you, that you are not worth very much and life seems a burden rather than a joy. I hope that whatever has happened, he can find the help and support he needs, anyone needs: BeyondBlue.

The Labradors have new Summer beds. They have a cool fabric outer and are squooshy but not warm, they feel airy. They are very popular, especially after the paddle pool. I think a wet cushion is a lovely cool sleeping place.

When my mum came to visit she came on our walk. The Labradors were astonished, as were the people, at the cicadas flying through the air. Gilly, and then Hedy, found the cicadas which had fallen to the ground but were still flapping, and they became potential friends or snacks: you guess which. They look like birds, but they aren't. The sound is almost unbearable, but to us it is the sound of Summer.

I did some Christmas baking, and made cards. That's pretty much all I did. I made spiced shortbread mini biscuits, gingerbread with fondant snowflakes, vanilla pinwheel biscuits with peppermint candy cane iced on the edges, flourless chocolate biscuits, fruit cake and ganache truffles and lemon and white chocolate truffles. I am so pleased with the way they turned out and I purposefully made things that weren't covered in chocolate so they didn't melt in the heat.

I bought a Craftsy course on sale for $24 and learned a new zip technique and sewed a Becca bag and a Sweetpea pouch. I am totally enamoured with the way the zip works. You cut the zipper ends off and then sew just one half to the bag and then re-attach the zipper pull. I feel very clever!!!

Grocery bags #97 and #98. I am almost to one hundred and I think I shall give #100 away on my blog. It is the very least I can do after subjecting readers to endless bag photos. I have some special material from Spoonflower printed with Gilly and Hedy and I shall use that!!!!

Last two zippy chip bags for the last two children at our Christmas gathering.

Also for Kris Kringle, hot bowl cosies. When you take a bowl out of the microwave, you pop it in the cosy to protect your hands.

And generally the rest of my craft for 2016: I am always amazed that I make so many things. I do sometimes think I waste my time sleeping and feeling not very well at all, but I look at all these things and I feel useful and productive. Of course I love making the shopping bags, but I like to try new things as well.

Gilly is trying new things, she joined in the Border Collie/Labrador Puppy chasing game. We are so pleased to see her being happy and enjoying herself. I wonder if she pined for Peri, after Peri died?

And Hedy is as happy as a pig in mud. She is silly happy, and extra pleased because Gilly stole a present bone from the Christmas bag and I gave half to Hedy Lamarr!!

Here are The Labrador after the gardener whipper-snippered. They have the whole yard to play in and he even filled the paddle pool. He's a kind gardener.

Today I sat down and added one hundred and four books to my sidebar - you can only see the most recent twenty books I think. I hadn't added any last year. I think there are some I have missed. I usually take a photo as I put the book across the opening at The Library. I think there might be a few photos elsewhere. I've already read seven books this year so I hope to keep up-to-date with my list in 2017.

It is still too warm to sleep, and since we did sleep all day yesterday until 4-19pm and then all night again, perhaps we can stay up a little later. Tomorrow and Sunday are forecast to be 30*C so we should take the cool moments while we can.

When I Say I Love You, You Say You Better, You Better, You Better, You: Vet.

By the time it was Monday, I decided that we had gone way past the point of Friday Food, and so we gave it a miss. I have an annoying small cold, and we've had a few days in bed. The weather has been blissfully cool in the evenings and nicely warm during the day. I am apparently doing an amazing and death-defying trick when I wear my Star Wars dress without a cardigan!!! I can't work out how to make the self-timer on my new camera work, so I shall have to rely on a real person to take a photo of my Equinox Cardigan for me. I am knitting a scarf. I'm using some Debbie Bliss Rialto Luxury Sock wool. It is a tad splitty, but is knitting up nicely as a scarf. I admit I threw caution to the wind and bought a simple pattern that I should have been able to work out for myself, but I have Puppy Brian Brain (sigh), so I gave myself leave to do it.

I cried off Sewing this last week of school, but I did buy six new Fat Quarters from Esme's for my Star BOM. Mrs Madcage bought me the four fabrics on the left from Central Australia and I just wanted some more. I need about fifteen Fat Quarters in all. The star blocks are all discrete so it doesn't matter that the greens are not all exactly matching. I like them, and that is all that matters.

Gilly and Hedy went to The Vet for Hedy to be vaccinated. Hedy Lamarr was extremely well behaved, and so pleased to see all the people everywhere. She had worn her collar, but we had not tried the lead, so there may have been some extra carrying. Hedy weighs 6.6kg and is just right. She has doubled her weight in the three weeks she has lived with us.

The Vet's garden is an excellent place for a wee and full of smells. Gilly was tired of waiting and ready to go home. She has her annoyed ears on.

Gilly's friend Rafa, and his mum and dad, gave Hedy a lovely toy to welcome her to our house. Hedy loves the toy which has eight rope ends and a squeak.

Lorelai Gilmore is ever patient and kind and teaches Hedy how to play.

And now I am sneezy and snuffly again. The cold isn't bad, but as I can't have any cold and/or flu tablets, it is most annoying. I waft about smelling of Vicks: which is not a delicate perfume!!!

I have felt well enough to read and I have a backlog of books to add to my sidebar. I've also lain sideways on the couch and started watching Star Trek: Enterprise. I barely remember any of it, and didn't ever see the last season, so it is a bit of a bonus all round.

I think I am making progress on answering my comments?? I was quite a way behind and I think I have to click through to the next page back.

All The Labradors are asleep, so I think it is time for a cup of Ginger and Lemon tea while I catch up on the ABC News.

Some People Want To Fill The World With Gilly Love Songs, And What's Wrong With That?

There could not be a better big sister for Hedy, than Gilly. Lorelai Gilmore is interested and kind and endlessly patient with the very annoying puppy who has come to live with us. She is so very happy to have someone to play with, and since Hedy can't jump up on the bed yet, she has an oasis of peace to which she can escape when the puppy is too much.

Last week we went to The Vet, just for a visit, so Hedy's first experience wouldn't be her vaccinations.

She was very reassured by Gilly, who loves going to The Vet. Hedy went out the back with the nurses and did an accidental wee of excitement. Gilly waited with me and had lots of pats and treats from the other nurses. Hedy has a nice new bandanna and didn't mind wearing it at all. It is very strange hearing what an excellent job Hedy Lamarr is doing when she puts on weight. She has gained almost 2kg in almost two weeks, which is exactly the right amount for a puppy.

Hedy only cried a little in the car, and I think it was because she couldn't see out the windows.

Gilly likes to play with Hedy, they love Tug of War.

They also like taking naps together.

Hedy bites Gilly, she pounces on her, she growls and she inspects Gilly's belly, just in case Gilly might be her mother and there could be a drink of milk. She chases Gilly and steals whatever she has and runs away with it. Through all of this, Gilly is never rough,or cross, and never growls. I think she should be a little more assertive, but they should work it out for themselves. I don't think Lorelai Gilmore realised how much she missed Peri, until Hedy Lamarr came along.

Here are Harki and Peri, and Baby Gilly, seven years and three days ago. I think Gilly and Hedy look very much alike!! I keep calling Gilly Harki because she is so pale in colour and Hedy is caramelly like Peri.

When Hedy sleeps, Gilly goes about her Big Dog business and usually sleeps. I take the opportunity to sleep as well, or to sew. I have made bags #74 and 75 for AuntieDutch and MrsDrWho respectively. I also sewed a sturdy Easter fabric basket for MrsDrWho. I found a less than Fat Quarter sized piece of glitter Easter material and used a free Craftsy pattern. It turned out rather well, and will store folded fat Quarters very nicely.

I sewed the best matching buttons I could find onto my Equinox cardi today and washed it and it is still drying, but it is done. I am very happy it fits so perfectly, well it did before it was washed!! The sleeves are kind of 7/8 and I like that. I used exactly three skeins of wool. I have about a metre left over so not exactly exactly, but so close I think it can count. I can't seem to photograph the colour, it is darker than this.

And now it is an hour and a half since their dinner and The Labradors have spent all of it running in and out playing Labrador games. They are very happy. Soon Hedy will need a sleep. Oh she's here now. Hedy knows her name and will come when she is called. She does almost all her wees and poohs outside (5 wees and 3 poohs inside thus far which is very good) and because we are home she is carried out and popped into the nice grassy area and praised highly when something good happens. Gilly is praised as well, and she gets everything first. First at last!!

We have started out new quilts at Sewing. It is the Summer BOM from 2015 at Craftsy. Here are our first blocks.

Oh, Hedy is complaining because something is not going her way: the door is too open, the water is too full or some other tiny thing is awry in her little world. Thank goodness we have the Lovely Lorelai Gilmore to be a good influence.

Here is The Labradors' Easter picture. Happy Easter!!!

Ready, Hedy, Go!!

Oh. a puppy has a lot of 'go'. She likes to wake up at 4-15am and play for an hour. She does not like to nap in the afternoon at a suitable time for us. She likes to jump and/or slither from a precarious high point to a very low one one. And she is slowly becoming part of the family. When we came home from our walk this morning Gilly ignored the paddle pool, and ran straight to the back door, tail wagging, and then inside to Hedy.

A puppy is a lot to put up with when you are a seven-year-old.

Hedy woofs when she wants something. Or she feels she is being ignored. She is starting to come when her name is called. Gilly can also be sent to successfully find the puppy, and sometimes bring her back.

On Sunday morning she could not go down the steps, or up the steps. By lunch time she had worked out going down, and then by the end of the day she could go up all by herself. And up and down whilst carrying her new squeaky toy, which is a present from MrsDrWho. She can get in and out of the paddle pool too.

We leave the door to The Puppy Prison, as I like to call it, open all the time, except for when Hedy is in there for her own safety when we go out. Gilly likes to go in there too, and I sprinkle puppy treats inside so it is a nice place to be.

There has been precious little knitting or sewing. I made a Cat grocery bag #73. I am starting to number them as I go now.

The Equinox Cardigan is on the verge of being finished. I need to graft the underarms, seam the sleeves and sew on some buttons.  Finding the right buttons is always the most difficult part of knitting a cardigan.

The colour is not true, it is a dark pine green colour. Thanks to people who know I am a Green Enthusiast, I was alerted to The Knitpicks Australia Green sale for St Patrick's Day. Who knew?? A whole sale of green wool. I bought some wool to make a new Solstice Cardi in Forest Heather. I really love this cardigan, and I know it fits. I also bought some Wool of the Andes in 5ply Grass colour. Those two, and some green cotton Dishie and I was 5 cents over the $60 for free postage.

The weather has taken a turn and has been so wonderfully cool. There is a cool breeze now, and it is crisp and darker in the morning. It makes it much easier to be patient with a new puppy and give Gilly all the usual attention too. I can't believe it is Easter next week. I'm really not ready. Not at all. Luckily the puppy can't come into the kitchen, though she barks and cries when she thinks her food is being prepared. Gilly isn't allowed in either, because the puppy isn't. Life is so unfair.

I almost missed my appointment at The Hospital today. I went to have a blood test yesterday, but somehow I thought my appointment was tomorrow. A niggle in the back of my mind made me check after our walk. My numbers are the same, which is good. We are always pleased when my numbers are the same: wrong, but the same. So I have all day tomorrow to think about, and make, Friday Food.

It's On, Like Puppy Kong.

Well, unexpectedly, Auntie Dutch and I were able to visit Hedy Lamarr last night, and here she is!!!

She is as cute as a button and so happy to be cuddled by Auntie Dutch. She's coming home on Saturday afternoon. I brought home a towel that smelled of Hedy and Gilly has been sniffing it. A Lot.

Here are lots of puppies. Hedy has six brothers and sisters.

There are pale, and more caramel coloured, pups. Hedy is caramel, like Peri. The breeder chose Hedy for me, she was the one his daughters liked the most and he said she was a good pup. He could have handed me ANY puppy, and I would have taken her home and loved her!!!

Here is Bruno, Hedy and Gilly's dad, and on the left is Dolly. Dolly is a relative of Gilly and I think she looks like her too. When she saw us she cried and woofed and sounded just like Gilly.

Lottie is Hedy's mum, but she was not for meeting us. She was not very happy last night. I expect it is hard when your puppies are older and leaving home.

MrsDrWho is going to take me to fetch Hedy on Saturday. It has been a whirlwind this week. We have hidden the cords and cables in the bedroom and loungeroom, and put all the shoes away, or in a high sided basket. We are also trying to get everything ship shape out in the world: sewing, knitting, lunches and dinners, things to do, places to go: all sorted out as much as possible so we can stay home with the new puppy for a fortnight or so.

I finally got around to binding Uncle and Auntie Dutch's Christmas quilt. It was inspired by the In Color Order Giant Vintage Star Quilt. I was kicking myself because I only bought half a metre of the reindeer material, but in the end I quite liked the spotty gold points as well.

I've almost completed Block 4 of The Splendid Sampler and now things have ground to a slight halt. I made Suffolk Puffs (or Yoyos) instead of appliquéing circles. I still have to embroider the flower stems. I shall have plenty of time at home later on to catch up, if I want to.

While I was extra poorly with some weird bug last week, I slouched sideways on the couch and watched so many episodes of Marvel, Agents of SHIELD, that I am all caught up. I knitted some more of my cardigan and I have fewer than twenty rows of raglan decreases to go. Then there is just the back of the neck, the collar so to speak, to make. And buttons to choose. The dark pine colour does not photograph very well at night, but it looks like a cardigan now.

Here are the two Labradors, Lorelai Gilmore and her friend Sandy, playing on their walk. One is in and one is out and it is very exciting. Gilly is going so fast the camera can barely see her.

I had to shepherd her out. It was a great game.

Tomorrow it will be 30*C and then only 21*C on Thursday. Perhaps this is the start of a beautiful Autumn?? The nights are drawing in and the Sun is rising so much later. There is a chill in the air of a morning when we walk, but I have yet to change into a long sleeved top.

We are enjoying the last few days of Lorelai Gilmore by herself. It will be a big change for her, but I am very confident she will learn to love Hedy as much as she loved Harki and Peri.

Now And Then There's A Cool Such As I

Oh it has been cooler, not cold, but cooler. It rained all afternoon and evening on Wednesday and it has rained again today. Rather than doing myriad tasks, we have slept. We slept soundly in the cool weather, listening to the rain on the roof. We may sleep again any minute now.

On Tuesday night I could not for the life of me work out the pattern instructions for my cardigan: too hot. Wednesday morning?? Piece of cake!!!

I increased up to the next size for the bust increases and then decreased secretly at the underarm whilst doing the neck decreases. It was a bit complicated , but it meant that the 24 extra stitches were not decreased at the v-neck, so it will slope evenly all the way up. The colour is hard to photograph, and I am a poor photographer, but tomorrow we are up to joining in the sleeves and starting the raglan decreases.

I have some new Star Wars Rey material to make a dress. I bought the Iron colourway, which I think will go well with a bronzy-green plain or slightly patterned material.

I have sewed The Splendid Sampler block 3. Lots of hearts!! MrsDrWho gave me a bag of material bits and bobs, lots of colours I don't have, so that I can use them in my blocks.

Here is the If I Could Shawl blocking. My word, it is large, but I need to block more vigorously next time.

Lorelai Gilmore loves a walk in the rain, and even the little rain we have had has been enough for the grass to start growing. There is a kind of shimmer of green peeking through the pale grasses.

I bought a special deal from the supermarket: four little tubs of yoghurt and an icy-pole making set. In fact it was cheaper to buy this for $10, rather than the four yoghurt tubs separately, so the icy-pole set is really very free. I love that the little sticks are re-usable and there is a nice wooden presentation thing, and you pop the sticks into it to serve.

Today we did some jobs and tomorrow and Friday I am making MrsDrWho's nephew, MasterSingapore, a gold pencil case and filling it with some geodes or rock things from The Museum shop. It is his birthday. I am always late for birthdays, I still have to knit a hat with a pig for MrHouseOf for last year!!

This time next week it will be 30*C, so we are planning on catching up on more sleep, maybe some reading and sewing and A Lot of knitting. I am also very chuffed that once again I have managed to make my Friday Food before Friday. I have it on good authority that it is a delicious recipe, and I am extra pleased because it was an easy recipe too!!

Rainspotting

We are a country "of droughts and flooding rains", as Dorothea Mackeller's My Country poem says. So while we have had record low rainfall, water restrictions and record high temperatures, last week we had the most rain ever to fall in one day: since records began. The East Coast had 500mm, that's half a metre or 20 inches in one day. The highway below our house was cut by flood water: yes, there's a four lane highway divided by a wide strip of trees and grass under the water.

The water collects above our house, flows through the garage, down the steps, the path to next door and then into the garden and finally the street. Last year The Council removed the lovely garden beds on the nature strips and replaced them with clay coloured granite chips (or something). So this happened:

And then this:

Two street sweepers spent an hour trying to clean it up, and then it rained torrentially again and they gave up. I don't blame them, the whatever-it-is stuck to the road.

Ironically, the rain didn't help with the bushfires, in fact the electrical storms started fourteen new fires and there were over eighty still burning this week. The smoke was replaced by mist from the rain.

The dam, which is in the process of having three valves replaced, spilled over and the work had to stop and the road and pad built by the workers was washed away. Oh and it is loud.

Lorelai Gilmore has been fascinated by the insects that have appeared, lots of crickets are chirruping in the early morning and evenings. She likes to investigate and stalk them.

We have had some good news on the Puppy Front: due to an iPhone update the Puppy Man lost our phone number, and we aren't in the book. So he texted from his overseas holiday and then rang from Sydney. He said there will always be a puppy for us. He is not sure if there is a puppy right now, but there are two more litters arriving soon. Peri spent a lot of time standing on the coffee table going "Eek" when Gilly arrived, so it will be interesting to see how much Gilly's nose is out of joint- if at all.

When it is not so hot that I feel poorly and Georgette Heyer "decline-y", I have been knitting along with The Solstice Cardi. I have knitted both sleeves and started the body, which is knitted in one piece to the underarm. I am doing Moss stitch instead of Garter. The wool is Cascade Heritage Sock Wool in Pine.

I finished The Colourful Zebra Crossing Cowl for MrsReno's birthday. It was a very enjoyable knit.

The X Files Season 10 has started on TV. Oh when the music began and the badges - all signed with the same handwriting- appeared and the weird things happened: I wanted to believe all over again!!

Well, the weather forecast is for hot days and hot nights. Gilly is in and out of the paddle pool and last night she was a big bundle of hotness. I poured water over her and spritzed her belly. We sleep after our walk in the coolest part of the day: such as it is. And Summer can last until well into March. How we long for the cool. I can't operate any kind of technology properly when it is hot: can't type, can't make The Ravelry clicky links, can't set the DVR to record.

I am so whiny and moany in the hot weather, but we live in the very South of The World, and it is meant to be cold. I remember the cold: it was chilly. Maybe it will be chilly one day soon??

Every Little Sneeze Seems To Whisper Louise.

Peri and Gilly both looked very happy when we popped into the vet to pick up some tablets. I am always very grateful that they enjoy going to the vet, it makes it soooo much easier.

Gilly has been auditioning for the part of Mata Hari I think: all mysterious with smouldering eyes. She loves to be under The Labrador blanket but doesn't want to totally miss out.

Lorelai Gilmore is all about the not missing out and when we are first to the dam she is on constant "Who is coming?" alert. Peri, not so much, but Lorelai Gilmore looks forward to lots of running with Rafa and Sandy.

Peri does have a bit of a run, usually when she has sneakily opened the gate to the bush herself and then wants to catch up with everyone else. She has a bit of a lopsided straight legged lope, but it works for her. And she is so happy to be running, even if it is a sad old dog's run.

I caught up with TinkingBell on Thursday, which was why I didn't quite get to blogging last week. I did some sewing and cooking on Wednesday and then had a big sleep most of Friday. It is always the way: it never rains, but it pours and I had an appointment at the exercise physiologist smack bang in the middle of the day. So it was out for a walk, then to brunch with Tinking and then off to the EP, then back for lunch with Tinking and then home and to bed!!

It is always lovely to catch up with friends, especially when it is as if you left off a conversation with them just yesterday. There was so much chatting, swapping of new authors, pattern book recommendations and then more chatting. I sewed TinkingBell an exploding TARDIS bag, and made some fudge. I was lucky enough to receive some green Breeze that needed a new home and how lucky that I found I already had a ball and a bit of my own Harmony in pretty much the same colour!! There is definitely enough for a cardi, a cool cardi for the not so cold times.

I have been drinking the carefully chosen for me tasty tea as well, lemon and chamomile, and it is just yummy. It is also good for the digestion, and I sometimes find I need some peppermint or ginger tea, so this is a marvellous addition.

I am also lucky to have received a wonderful TARDIS bag from a lovely friend, Mrs Mitten. Once again my photo unskills mean that I don't have a proper photo, but it is a fantastic TARDIS  bag with a long strap and it is extra special because I make bags for other people, and rarely for myself. I shall take a better photo with my camera, instead of the iPad in poor light, and post it again. Just because the bag is so nice.

I am very lucky to have lots of wonderful friends. Thank you, friends!!!

The Lime Milkshake Milo has been knitted and posted away for a new and very welcome baby. I made the Hugs and Kisses version of the cable: OXOXO, in some gorgeous Naturally Loyal. I do love to knit with the Naturally Loyal, it is one of my favourite wools.

Peri and I have hay fever and we are both sneezy and have itchy eyes. I can't take anything much, but I find one paracetamol in the morning and one in the evening staves off the worst. The wattle is out and I think that might be the culprit for both of us. At least Gilly can see and smell properly. My nose is sore from the constant sneezing and it makes my brain fuzzy too.

The Labradors are in bed. They have had a few naps today as Peri and I find the hay fever so annoying that a sleep really helps. Tomorrow I plan to wash the material for my Star Wars dress and perhaps start adjusting the pattern. I am seriously thinking I need my Doctor Who dress too, so maybe I will cut out two at once. I watched the new episode of Doctor Who on The iPad at 7-45am. I love being able to see it early in the day, and I am very pleased The ABC has continued to do this. Right, bedtime for everyone, and some soothing tea for me.

A (Piece) Of Finger In Every Pie

Well, you would think I would be better, now I have finished two courses of antibiotics for my sinus infection. That would be a No. I sliced quite a wodge off the edge of my left index finger on Wednesday. I was making savoury roll up scones for morning tea. It really hurt, it throbbed and I bled like a stuck pig. Barry The GardyGardener used his First Aid skills and bound me up with band-aids and puffy antiseptic powder. My word it hurt.

I already had an appointment at the doctor for Friday and when I asked the nurse to have look at it for me, she called the doctor and apparently, it is quite bad. My doctor asked why I hadn't come sooner. She said I must be stoic!! I think I am, though I could not bear to look at it. I have to have it dressed again tomorrow and Friday and then we shall see. It is very hard to knit, or type or tie shoelaces or have a shower. I am very cross with myself. The one good thing is that it is my left hand and not my right.

Peri is Very Well. Her liver numbers are back to normal and she has the all clear from Dr David. She loves going to the vet and had another exciting visit with Gilly to have more blood taken. I peeped through the glass door, and there she was, placidly following Dr David about in the surgery area as he chatted to the other vets and nurses. She has been very helpful, especially with my knitting!!!

Oh and here is my knitting. I was up to the underarm of the left front when the piece of finger cutting off disaster struck. I really love this cardigan.

Earlier this month I sewed together the blocks for last year's quilt. I am very pleased with it, and after the school holidays my friends are going to help me pin the wadding and backing to the top.

We had holiday lunch at MrsReno's house yesterday. So nice to catch up with friends when no-one has to go to work the next day. I made the Apple Pie Cheesecake from the new Taste Magazine. It tasted just like an apple pie and MrsDrWho styled the photo for me!!! I think the saucy apple is the most delicious thing I have tasted for a while.

The weather has been very Spring-y. There was a total Fire Ban in the South, the earliest on record. There were forty-seven bushfires. Tomorrow the forecast is for snow. Daylight Saving starts this coming weekend. The Labradors have been waking up very early, so I will be glad of the darker mornings. We leave earlier for our walk and Gilly has to be extra alert because there are more wallabies and potoroos about.

And now my hands are tired from weird nine finger typing. I am a terrible typist at the best of times and holding my sore finger at a strange angle as I type has made it ache. First World Problems!!!