Not creating anything yet...

I am beginning to regret saying I was taking this year off sewing for markets.  Nads at work went to the new Barn market at Rosny on the weekend and said it was great.  I felt a little pang of regret I am not madly sewing towards a market.  Maybe when the weather cools down a bit...

So what have I been doing with my spare time so far in 2010.  Here's the list under my paperweight: 

• Getting in as many swims as possible before the cooler weather starts.
• Planning for our big overseas trip - forever online looking at wonderful destinations in Santorini, Rome, Florence, the Cinque de Terre, Nice, Dordogne, Portugal and Paris.  Will we stay in a convent in Rome or Florence? Where in the south of France will we rent a villa?  Such hard decisions.
• Trying to decide which window treatments to get to make our sunroom warmer this winter.  We are getting a green loan to get better window coverings, a new solar water heater, plus new false ceilings and insulation in a couple of rooms.  I saw a furnishing shop in Kingston advertising window covering choices for energy efficiency and I thought  this was smart advertising as a couple of places I have been into in town didn't know what I was on about..
• Clutter clearing (I am not really but I thought if I wrote this it might get me back into it - as I was on such a high before Christmas when I was).  This is my 'Fake it till you make it' philosophy!
• Spending as much time as I can with little Izzie Bizzie who seems to like being babysat by her Nana Lee now.
• Trying hard to not do any 'shop bothering' or spending as we are saving for our big trip.
• Admiring my husband who has become a 'step counter extraordinaire' - forever out there walking the streets with his pedometer on.  He has lost heaps of weight and is looking and feeling terrific.  I need to join him more often...
• Gathering herbs from my splendiferous vegie garden and watching the apples grow on the apple trees.
• Trying to remember to breathe out more deeply more often.  Doing it now..... Woosh. A big out breath to get rid of some stress, which has been accumulating lately.
• Putting ice cubes in my white wine (Shauna's advice) so I drink less.  An extra bonus - the glass tinkles nicely.

Too good to be true really

This really does have to be the best Hobart summer I have ever experienced.  A great long weekend - more swimming, my suntan got another little top-up and we had lots of great outings. 

Saturday was a trip to Middleton Fair, which was very hokey and fun  - bought lots of nice fresh vegies and exotic jams. Later we had dinner at friends discussing European travel plans for later in the year.  Sunday was a trip to Eagle Hawk Neck for a special bookclub occasion at Louise's lovely house in the hills - Blowhole fish and chips, a Pirates Bay walk, swim and ice cream.  I know I was relaxed because sitting on Louise's deck aferwards in the late late afternoon I felt like I could have happily sat there for hours more, idly chatting and watching night fall over the water.

Today was brunch at Peppermint Bay with my daughter, adorable grand-daughter (I can't kiss her enough) son-in-law and hublet.  Alan and I had a swim at Coningham Beach on the way home, which really is a very picturesque spot.  This afternoon I was beaten again at scrabble with my aunt Cissy - but it does make her happy to win - so I don't really mind losing.  (I lie - a win again might be nice!)

Life is a tricky one - we have lots of family issues at the moment simmering away below the surface, niggling worries about health issues for the senior folk in our clan and a few issues for some of the youngest ones too - I guess both groups are always the most vulnerable.  But I am trying to grasp the moment and appreciate life as it comes day by day.  Feel like I am succeeding although sleeptime is revealing.  I am waking with a sore jaw from teeth clenching.  We are complex creatures... 

Below is a pic of ust one of the intriguing collections in a little corner of Louise's home.  She's not a gal who is into 'clutter clearing' but openly admits to very selective 'clutter gathering'.  She's building a shed to house her collections!

Hot summer segue

Hobart is having the most amazing Summer and one of my new year's resolutions is to get out there rather than sitting inside sewing on the weekends.  We've also been to Sydney and New Zealand for Kerry and Johno's big birthday celebrations (that's our jaunty carvan from the NZ relies' caravan circle) - so it's all been wonderful but I haven't been 'making' much.  Although that said I have just whipped up a little baby shower pressie for Amy - a teething square- as it is too darn hot and blustery to be outside at the moment.  Me thinks a thumderstorm is brewing.

Saw some great art and craft in NZ so I'll post some pics of these to inspire.  The necklace below is from a very groovy shop called Jet in Raglan.  It's made from greenish coloured rocks tied on a woven flaxy neck piece.  I love it.

 

  

The garden sculptures above are at the Lillypad cafe near Cambridge NZ.  Love the teapot towers and will be scouring our local tip shop for some teapots soon. 

The pic below is of the entrance to the Boatshed cafe at Palm Beach.  This too was wonderful. 

My fav reads in 2009

A new year and time to start a fresh new list of the books I am reading.  Of the books I read in 2009 my fav reads were Breath by Tim Winton (adventure story, amazing writing, a few suprises, loved the beach and coastal imagery); My Driver by Maggie Gee (set in Uganda, quirky, great plot and characters, lots of laugh out loud moments, romance, drama); The Household Guide to Dying (a novel) by Debra Adelaide (again a bit quirky, funny, sad, family drama - great read); Vertigo (a novella) by Amanda Lohrey (short, evocative, moody, bushfire - fabulously written - made me feel like I was there in the story); and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (set in southern states of America, sad, funny, a bit spiritual and uplifting). 

The books I gave four stars to were also rave-worthy.  I was very lucky last year - I really didn't have read too many duds at all.  So here's my reading list for 2009 with my star rating:

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz **** (Australian author)
Breath by Tim Winton ****1/2 (Australian)
Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui by Karen Kingston **** (very motivating read!!)
Eating Chinese Food Naked by Mei NG ***
Evening is the Whole Day by Preeta Samarasan ****
Mercy by Jodi Picoult ***1/2
My Cleaner by Maggie Gee ****
My Driver by Maggie Gee ****1/2
One Thousand Chestnut Trees by Mira Stout ***1/2
Rouseabout by Rachael Treasure ***1/2 (Australian)
Stranger by Anita Brookner ***
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne ****
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer ****
The Household Guide to Dying (a novel) by Debra Adelaide **** (Australian)
The Hunter's Wife by Katherine Scholes ***1/2 (Australian)
The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood *** and 3/4
The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville ***1/2 (Australian)
The Lost Children by Maggie Gee ***
The Other Hand by Chris Cleave ****
The Pages by Murray Bail ***1/2 (Australian)
The Road Home by Rose Tremain ****
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd ****1/2
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas **** (Australian)
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey ***3/4
The Young Widow's Book of Home Improvement by Virginia Lloyd **** (Australian)
Three Junes by Julie Glass ****
Vertigo (a novella) by Amanda Lohrey ****1/2 (Australian)
Wanting by Richard Flanagan **** (Australian)

I love love love Summer

It has been the best Christmas/New Year break from work I can remember.  Sunshine, swimming, sleep-ins, sewing - all the favourite 's' words.  (I was going to be risque and throw in another but this is a G-rated blog.) 

We have had lots of house guests coming and going - more Melbourne university students than I can count emerging from the shed in all states of undress and disrepair, pre and post the Falls Festival.  Also cousin Vicki over for Micaela and Aaron's lovely bush wedding yesterday at Koonya.  We had lots of laughs together.

I've had great times too with little Izzie and Lilli - outings to the Taste, Conningham beach and kayak fun. 

Husband has continued his walking addiction over the break and stirred me into a bit more activity too so despite Christmas lunch and the Sue/Steph Christmas take 2 eating and drinking excitement I am feeling quite healthy. New Year's Eve was memorable up at Johnny's watching the amazing lightning storm right above us, full moon and blackout.  

Only nine more days of work and then it's off to Sydney and New Zealand.  Life is good.  2010 promises lots.  Happy birthday today Kerry.

Above is a photo of our new outdoor light shining on John's pumice masterpiece and Tom's wooden fish.

Boxing day reflections

Huge sigh of relief - Christmas day is over.  It was brilliant but big as always - too much of everything - emotions, food, alcohol, pressies....  Boxing Day is always welcome for being so low key.  Husband and I alone at home - A prone a lot of the time watching the cricket, me doing what I seem to like doing most of all for relaxation - sewing away.  Made a shoulder bag to take to NZ and a nice spotty top.  Managed also a walk and a swim and a sort of house tidy up.  Lots of ham fillups.  Still thinking of that wonderful salad Claire made up for us yesterday - spinach leaves, pecan nuts, raspberries and persian feta.  Was yum yum.  Bruce's hovering, whizzing, flashing, alien spaceship gizmos the big hit of Xmas - must track some down for James and Zach for the NZ trip.   Bye for now... take care.

House titivation

Phew - now all the millymaking sewing and markets are over for the year I am concentrating on getting the house ready for our Christmas guests. We realised we've made do without an outside light near the front door for over a year now but better not have the rellies struggling around in the dark trying to find their way to our front door this Christmas. I've ordered a groovy new outdoor light today from an online store selling lighting of every description. Don't you just love online shopping - too easy.

That reminds me - I really must create a website next year for our millymaker products.  Put that on the new year's resolution list... watch this space.