More sewing,More food, best of all More Sunshine

A really warm sunny day, Ben has had 2 good walks and I have 2 loads of laundry blowing in the gentle breeze.

I completed my November swap block and it will be in the post to Switzerland in the morning. My sewing is better traveled than I am. My partner this month asked for Grey, purple and white, BINGO, I have plenty of those colours. As for the block pattern, as it was so fresh in my mind I made a zigzag rail post block.

These colours have come out pretty true, the grey Pearl Bracelets print has featured in several things, I need to get some more and the mistletoe print is a favourite of mine, I have had it in about 5 different colours but only have this one left now. I may have a search on line to find some more, it is a very good blender. The light print is a very fine light grey polka dot which reads as a solid. The dark purple is a remnant from a long ago Trip Round the World Quilt, I made it in 2006 from a book by Eleanor Burns.

I set to with all my Christmas fabric  and pressed and bagged all the strips and bits and bobs, it will be much easier to work with now. I want to hand over a nice bag full of things to sell.

My Brother in Oz always goes out to celebrate Australia Day, there are big public events everywhere, free breakfasts are to be found in parks, there are gas operated barbecues in most parks as well and whole families gather to have a fun day and watch the fireworks as soon as night falls. There will be around 25 in his group next year so I thought that I would make him a throw quilt for the little ones to sprawl on when they get tired. It is at the end of January and the grass will be dry and very scratchy. I pulled these fabrics, vaguely patriotic but not a flag, I want them to be able to use it all summer. The top colour is a very dark blue, not purple, I am going to make the Rail Fence again, it is easy and a fast make, the post will be mayhem in another 2 weeks.

Dinner tonight was going to be a fridge bottom pie, but we have had pie this week so it will now be a hotpot. The slow cooker is on with an onion, 1 leek, 2 carrots and 1/4 of a swede all sliced up and simmering in the juices left from Sundays dinner. Later I will add the left over Brisket diced up, stir that in and cover with some sliced potatoes. Equally I had intended to serve cauli cheese and cabbage but now will just use plain cauli to go with the cabbage.

Pudding will not be needed but just in case there is a fresh dish of cinnamon and brown sugar stewed apple in the fridge and a jug of custard could be whipped up in no time.

Reasons to be grateful. 

1. A no pain day.

2. Warm sunshine.

3. Ben snoozing at my feet, dreaming of all the squirrels that he wants to chase.

4. Laundry done, dried and folded.

5. 3 days sewing organised.

I have blitzed the sitting room, all the wood is gleaming and all the glass is sparkling and boy is the sunshine bouncing about. Setting a list if "things to be done" each day is working well for me, I have to focus to get through the tasks to have time to sew. I do not mind what it takes, as long as it works.

Time to plug the iron in, I want to do that before I make more tea.

              TTFN                                              Pam