A Bit of This and That

I seem to be fiddle faddling around lately with very little to show for it.

Since New Year all I’ve done sewing wise is started the quilting of Verandah Views. It started puckering, so I just walked away from it, as I was getting quite frustrated with it all.  Now it has come to a stand still while I decide whether to take it slowly or start again.  I’ll look at it when the weather cools down a bit.  I know my patience level will be rather low in this heat.

I’ve signed up again for OPAM this year.  I’m already behind the eight ball, so I’d better make something this weekend.  I’d hate to not have a finish each month, although they are usually quite small projects.  It was a bit of a challenge to load the new counter button, but we got there in the end.

While I was at it, I also updated my blog background.  The code had to be updated by the end of the month, so now was a good chance. 

How’s everyone coping with the heat?  It is stinking hot here.  37 degrees for the last two days, but I think I’m noticing it more after such a mild summer so far.  There hasn’t really been much in the low 30s for us to get used to.  Apparently it is to be a bit cooler today and tomorrow. Let’s hope so.

My mind seems to be a whirl at the moment.  The Bathurst Historic Car Club holds its Swap Meet on Sunday 6 February.  We are both very involved in the organisation and we seem to be constantly thinking about it and making sure nothing is forgotten.  If you are anywhere in the area, it is a great day out.  There are the usual car and bike bits and pieces, but there is lots of other bric-a-brac as well.  We usually bring quite a bit home.

This year will be different though.  Last weekend I started going through some cupboards and seeing what I can live without to put on a stall.  I had to stop, as there wouldn’t be room on the table. We have got to the stage where the collections just don’t fit anymore and something has to go.  Now I just need people to think that they can’t live without my bits and pieces.

Also, our big trip later in the year is starting to loom large and we need to start making lists.  There is so much to do and organise beforehand.  You see, we are once again heading over to the Isle of Man.

I’ll get to catch up with Loulee again, which I’m looking forward to. 

We are taking “Olga” over and will be riding around the British Isles for eight weeks on her.  It should be the best fun and a lovely, relaxed way to see the countryside.  Olga leaves Sydney in early March and then we head off in early May.  Travelling around by motorcycle does, unfortunately, require quite a bit more organisation than just hopping off the plane into a hire car or tour bus.

By the way, the bike problems we had on our weekend away to Scone have all  been fixed.  Mick fitted a new you-beaut shock absorber to the sidecar today, so I should have a nice comfy ride. We had a great day out for the Australia Day Celebrations.  Our local council hosts a day out at one of the local villages each year on a rotational basis.  This year it was the old gold mining village of Sofala.  Yes, where we stopped in the park on our way to Scone. I didn’t take a single photo.  I think I was just too hot to concentrate.  Mick did take a few though.  There were quite a few stalls, many with crafts. Quite a few of the Historic Car Club members took out their vehicles.

The Red Cross always have a big white elephant stall and we usually bring quite a bit of it home.  We were a bit late this year, so it was already well picked over, but we found a few books and some lovely linens. 

There are also some great cooks among their ranks and we bought some preserves.  The tomato sauce is the very best.  I always buy it.

There are all sorts of interesting things in Sofala.

We decided to take the scenic route home along the Upper Turon Road.  This runs beside the Turon River for quite a while.  We encountered a few deep gutters across the road, as expected, but we didn’t expect the road to be completely gone in some areas.  Where the road used to be, there was a gully the full width of the road and about 3 feet deep!!!   This ran for about 200 metres.  Fortunately there was a grass area between the road and the river and a new two wheel track has been formed.  We stopped at the next causeway to skip some stones.

The road was completely covered in the river rocks.  Just the occasional turret of the causeway was showing through.

It was tempting to have a swim, but we weren’t exactly dressed for it.

Now for the exciting bit……

Drum Roll……

Guess what???

I won a raffle for the flood appeals. Yippee!!!

Rather than bid in the auctions, I worked out how much I intended to donate and made a few donations of $5 and $10. I then entered some of the raffles.  I was lucky enough to win a layer cake of Sherbert Pips from Ladybug Quilting.  You can see what will be arriving in  my mailbox on her blog.  Mick and I had fun looking up the designer Aneela Hoey’s blog where she talks about the evolution of the fabric range.  This is the first layer cake that I have had, so now I will have to think about a pattern to show off the lovely fabrics.

It is such a credit to the crafting community that they raised so much.  Just mind blowing.

Well, I think I’ve probably bored you enough by  now so I’d better bring this to an end for today.