BLESSED SPEEDY

Here we are on day 4 - however by the increasing case numbers, I wont be surprised if this lockdown goes on for longer than a week, sadly. My Mum is in an aged care facility just near me and due to covid (sensibly) the facility is locked down - so no visiting inside the facility. However you are able to talk to residents "through the glass" and I did that with mum today. We did the same many times last year during that lockdown and memories came flooding back of me feeling like the locked out one with staff etc inside cheerfully walking past and saying hi and me freezing sitting outside with a take away coffee talking to mum. The things you do - but I do know that mum likes to see my face and not just talk on the phone so it was good.  I also worked on a secret quilt project for a new to be born family member- no picks as its a surprise!

Well today is Sunday - so usually I go to church, however because of the lockdown of course we couldn't, but thankfully our Pastors David and Rosanna Palmer produce an online service so we watched that from the comfort of our lounge room and no need to get dressed in respectable clothes either! After that I worked on tidying up my knitting projects and finished off some socks For those that know me, know that I love knitting socks - and from Ive been told people like receiving them. The first pair Ive finished are for Gary (and yes he likes wearing the socks I make him) The pattern is called Endless Maze Socks  ravelry link  and I used some Kathys Fibres Yarn in the colour way Forest that I had been gifted  And then a pair for (possibly) me from Knit Picks felici yarn and the pattern is Vanilla Latte Socks and this is the 12th time Ive made this pattern - I love it, its my go to and always try and have a pair on the go as the pattern is simple, gives a great result and pe...

 Here we are on day 2 of lockdown And what is it about lockdown that gives you the desire to do the things that you've been putting off for ages? As Ive been reminded we are dairy farmers, so life is sort of normal for us - we aren't home from work (cos we work from home), milking doesn't stop nor do the tasks associated with it. But.... what have I achieved today? Cleaned out my shoe cupboard - and score found a brand new pair of moccasins Id forgotten I have - Im taking that as a covid win! Next cleaning! Kitchen and lounge room cleaned from top to bottom as well as - wait for it - oven cleaned, even took the door apart and cleaned the glass (I did have hubbys help - thanks Gaz!) But it does look lovely and clean doesn't it And finally just to add to the madness - I replaced all the felt things on the bottom of our kitchen chairs.  They had all been falling off, half falling off etc and very annoying - well all nice and tidy now! And yes I did go for a walk with the d...

 Well here we are in lockdown again in Victoria - this time for 7 days (hopefully)  I thought this might be a good time to resurrect my blog and post on here what Im doing each day - mainly to keep myself accountable as I would like to use the time productively and not just let it slide. To be honest, as we are dairy farmers, life is mostly normal here on farm - except for no visitors and mask wearing when needed as we are deemed an essential service.  It's just when we go outside the farm gate that life is different. The lockdown conditions are - no leaving home unless for food and supplies, authorised work, medical care and caregiving, exercise within 5 kilometres of home and getting vaccinated.  No visitors allowed and no public gatherings. So what am I going to do? Im intending on doing something new to me each day as well as exercising and my usual daily tasks - and blog! So, first things first, washing on, house tidied and off for a walk - its a cool breezy day...

OK enough is enough! Two issues are driving me mad! Over the last few weeks and days Ive noticed a really disappointing thing happening on social media People are attacking people over issues - personal and nasty attacks, and many of these people I thought were friends with each other As someone who has been a "victim" of social media attacks on myself in the past, I know how hurtful and definitely unhelpful these things are What benefit does it give the poster? What damage does it cause the victim? What happened to "if you can't say anything nice dont say anything at all? And finally - why are you attacking and not showing both sides of the argument? Thats the first issue - the second one is, keeping people angry Is it necessary, truly necessary, to keep people angry over an issue? Wouldn't it be more sensible and prudent to sit down, have a rational discussion about what could legitatmately be achieved and try and work together? Yes Im talking about...

Kate Morton is the author of The Clockmakers Daughter and this is the blurb on her blog about the book - In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins. Over one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist’s sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river. Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets? Told...

My previous post talked about how I love creating stuff I also love reading stuff too - and if you think about it that is also creative I love reading fiction, sci fi, self help and lot of other genres Many of them take you to others places and times and even self help books take you to places you would like to be Last year I had a huge pile of books beside my bed and I set myself a challenge to NOT buy any more books or acquire them from others means - but to read through them.  Which I did really successfully However something "odd' has happened while I wasn't looking Cast your eyes on the photo - shall we call it exhibit A ?????? Somehow a new (and large) pile has evolved beside my bed - to be fair some are some I acquired from my daughter Sarah when I had to collect some of her belongings So it looks like I need to put myself once again on a book diet - BUT ITS HARD!!!!!