Love these pants.

G'day. We have a great clothing shop here in town called Accessories. It sells women's clothes, shoes, boots, bags and jewellery etc. None of it is cheap, I might add. But, the few things I have bought from there over the years, have been very well made. I went in there yesterday looking for a pair of dressy black pants. Got the black pants ok and also came out with these as well. That sales lady sure knows her business.

Once upon a time, I wouldn't even look at pants like this. Though I would have admired them on somebody else no doubt. I just happened to comment on the great colours as the sales lady was putting them back in the rack. As quick as a flash she said "try them on". Oh no, said I, they are not something I could get away with wearing. "Just try them on".  The rest they say is history. They are just fabulous and so comfortable. They look fantastic with my little fitted black jacket and also with a soft black roll neck jumper I have.  Even a lady that was in the shop browsing commented on how good they looked. So of course they came home with me. 

I was up early this morning as I have a 70th birthday lunch to go to today. Hubby has been away for the weekend on a car rally and won't be home till late this afternoon. I decided to make him some chocolate muffins to take to work through the week. These are gluten free and wheat free and are just yummy. Of course I had to try one and was tempted to have another, but was good and resisted. 

It's probably not a good day for me to be going out. I am having a colonoscopy tomorrow and have been up three times through the night, not to mention all the trips to the toilet this morning, due to the tablets I had to take before going to bed. The birthday lunch is a good 50 minutes from me,with no toilets in between. My breakfast by the way was mashed pumpkin, now that's different, isn't it. I am restricted to what I can eat. No cereal, no brown bread etc, etc. I will be having a light lunch with salad, then no more solid food. Lots of jelly and clear drinks for the rest of the day along with the 4 litres of special drink that I have sitting in the fridge. Oh well, I am sure it could be worse. 

I still go to hospital every 3 weeks for the cancer treatment. I have had a mammogram, but haven't been given the all clear. Though I am not worried about that. We will keep on keeping on. 

Have had some fantastic rain overnight, along with a thunderstorm. It is pouring down now as I type this. Saves me watering the garden. 

Take care.

Liz...

Another birthday come and gone.

G'day. I turned 62 last Tuesday and I wish someone would please tell me where the years have gone and why are they hurtling by so darn fast. Another few weeks and it will be Easter, then before we know it a half a year will be here, then we will be thinking about Christmas again. What's going on? That's what I want to know. Is it because we are getting older. That's one theory I keep hearing about, or our hectic lifestyle. I'm putting the brakes on, but it's not making the slightest difference.!! 

Anyway, I did have a good birthday, even though I was at work. The staff at the nursing home where I work ( and the way the time is going, will probably be in one day) gave me a lovely morning tea complete with a yummy sponge cake. Hubby took me out for tea that night, another yummy meal. Went to my daughters on Friday and we stayed the night and on Saturday, daughter and her fiancé put on a lavish BBQ lunch. Daughter made the most delicious cheesecake and baked home made bread. More yum. 

Son and his partner arrived with my present which is so big we couldn't fit it in the car, simply because on the way to my daughters we picked up 2 white cane chairs I had bought on eBay, plus we also had loaded in the car, a gorgeous little coffee table, another eBay purchase that was close to where my daughter lives, so she kindly picked that up for me. My son and partner bought me a gnome, but not just any gnome. This lovely fella stands about 4' tall. I will have him home here next week and will post a picture of him. I don't know where he will go, but I will find somewhere special in the garden. My daughter bought me two beautiful lime green and pink cushions for my cane chairs. Hubby bought me a gorgeous ring. I did indeed have a most fabulous birthday. 

I took these photo's at around 7.30am yesterday morning at my daughters place, they have just had part of the outdoor area covered in and it looks amazing. I love this pool. As much as I dislike the hot weather, I always hope for a warm day when I visit my daughter so I can go for a swim. Unfortunately this weekend the weather was not ideal for swimming, it was a bit on the cool side. I did dip my foot in and decided against being brave and putting my whole self in. 

Take care.

Liz...

This is what happens when a kangaroo runs into your car.

G'day. At 6.30am yesterday morning, hubby was on his way to the farm where he does a bit of work, when a large kangaroo came hurtling up an embankment straight into hubby's car. The damage is very extensive. This photo only shows a bit of it. The bonnet is smashed in, the front left hand light set was totally destroyed. The windscreen is cracked where the poor roos'  head hit it. The whole side of the car is damaged from front to back. The side mirror was wiped clean off. Hubby only bought this vehicle a few months ago. It was a cheap used ute that was for sale in the street behind us. Hubby wanted it for work, so his good car wasn't getting wrecked. He has spent considerable time and money doing it up and it looked fabulous. We had been out for lunch on the Sunday and took this vehicle and we both said how good it was going. 

It is now classed as a write off. But, intrepid hubby doesn't give up that easily. It was insured, so that is good. But, hubby likes this vehicle and reckons he will get it back on the road. He, of course, will do all the work himself.

I should tell you that hubby wasn't hurt, just very badly shaken up. In all our years of owning a property and living in the country, neither of us have had a serious encounter with a roo. I came close some years ago, but was lucky that the animal veered off slightly at the last minute and I just felt it's massive tail hit my car. It put a decent dent in my little Toyota. Other than that, we have been very lucky.  When I questioned him about the roo, he said by the time he managed to get off the road where he wouldn't cause a problem for other traffic, the roo was no where to be seen. It would have been badly injured. It would be a miracle for it to survive. Hubby said he looked around for some time trying to see if it had collapsed in the bush nearby, but it wasn't there. I don't know what he would have done if he found it and it was still alive. A roo at the best of times is not to be trifled with, unless it's a tame one in an animal park. 

Oh well, it looks like hubby will have another project to keep him busy for some time !! 

Take care.

Liz...

On a roll..

G'day. Well, I have been sewing up a storm the last week or so. Of course it will all come to a grinding halt now.  I go back to work tomorrow. I have had three weeks off, since having the gallbladder removed and I must admit I really like being home. It's times like this that I seriously think about retiring. 

This bag is my latest project. Hubby and I have a wedding to attend next Saturday. Dress is formal. I decided to make myself this sweet little bag, which I just may take with me.  I have also decorated it with a handmade fabric flower on the right hand side. It hasn't shown up too good in the picture unfortunately.

My outfit is black slimline pants, just above the ankle,  gorgeous soft grey and white scooped necked long flouncy tunic with a lovely little black shrug. Shoes are strappy black satin with diamontees on the front. I will also wear my grandmothers' pearl necklace. The bag is mainly black and grey with a little splash of red here and there. Should look good hopefully. Maybe some "hit you in the face " red lippy to tie it all together!! 

Take care.

Liz...

Autumn has arrived.

G'day. We have officially said goodby to another Summer and welcomed in Autumn. Not that the weather itself knows that of course. It's sitting on about 32 degrees at the moment where I live  and that sun really has some punch to it. We will continue to get some warm to hot days right through to April possibly. Those terrible weeks when nearly every day the temperature was in the 40's and bush fires were raging , have now taken a hike and as far as I am concerned that is fabulous news. Hard to believe we are starting off a new month and a new season.  Time really does fly. This is my birthday month and there is nothing I can do to stop it rolling around.

I made this wall hanging some years ago, but was never happy with it. So, early last year I pulled all the borders off and straightened it up as best I could. I made the mistake originally of sewing a decorative stitch by machine all around the cream Homespun once the hand embroidery was complete. I wish I hadn't done that. It never sat right from then on. Even though I cut off the top and bottom row of stitches, I chose to leave the decorative stitches down the long sides. They are not easy to see in the photo, they are in yellow thread. It would have been a nightmare to try to unpick the stitches, so they stayed. On with the new border and some freehand machine quilting, then the binding and I have finally finished it. I did say that I took the old border off early last year. It is now early this year and I have just finished it !!! This project has sat in my sewing room all this time ( along with a lot of other projects I might add). Oh hum...

I am still not happy with it. It won't hang right and it's all to do with that pesky decorative stitch. But, I am not going to worry about it. It is hanging on the door of my sewing room and that's where it can stay. 

Take care.

Liz...

Some sewing completed. Woo hoo

G'day. I started making this bag late yesterday  afternoon. Was still sewing at 9.00pm last night. Still had the handles and the tab to do and then put the lining in, but couldn't stay up any longer. After doing some housework etc this morning, I got back in the sewing room and finished it. It's the first item I have made for some time. Not that I need another bag, as I really don't, but a girl can never have too many bags. Isn't that what they ( whoever they are) say ? I only received the pattern in the mail last Friday, so to have it done so fast is a real achievement for me. I have patterns sitting here that I bought years ago and have not even touched!!  This bag was just a trial run, using fabric that I had here. It turned out rather well, though I think the handles are a tad long. 

The second little bag was started before Christmas last year. I was going to give it to a good friend as a thank you for all the support she has given me over the last 12 months. But, I never got it completed. I had the embroidery panel done and the basics of the bag sewn together, but that was a a far as I got. It has been sitting on my sewing table looking very lost and unloved. The main fabric is a really lovely floral flannel. It is a great bag. I had made one of these bags for myself some years ago,  though it had a garden scene embroidered on the front. I happened to take it into work one day and one of the nurses saw it and asked could I make her one. I ended up making and selling 23 of them to nurses and staff. One is in Germany, one in Thailand and one in Sweden. One nurse asked for three of them. I was well and truly sick of them by the last one and haven't made another one since, until this one. My friend is a sewer, so the three ladies sitting at the table seemed appropriate. I have embellished it with a few beads. 

So I am well and truly pleased with myself today. Not one, but two things finished. I just have to keep the momentum going.

Take care.

Liz...

. 

A flourishing garden.

G'day. Today I had my first mammogram since being told I had breast cancer 12 months ago. It was a very quick trip into the hospital. Caught the 7.00am train for a 10.00am appointment, then caught the 11.30 am back home again. Got home at 2.00pm. Probably not such a quick trip after all !!!! It all went smoothly, at least the train trip did. Not sure about anything else. The woman who did the test was very noncommittal. They don't give much away. So I just wait and see now. But, I would be very surprised if there is any bad news. After all the cancer stuff I have had pumped into me and will continue to have for another few months, no self respecting cancer would dare grow.

I am now sitting with my feet up writing this. I am tired. My gallbladder op was only a week ago and I am still very sore. 

To walk up to our back door, you have to walk by this garden area. A little over 12 months ago, this was a useless area of very patchy grass. I knew when we moved here that I would make a garden out of it. I have always been a fan of the cottage garden look and this seemed as good a spot as any to get one growing. I dug this whole area out myself. Took me a while, but I persevered. Hubby offered to help, but I wanted to do it, so he let me go. Of course, he just retreated to a back area of the garage when he heard the grunting, swearing and cursing about how hard the soil was etc, etc and why can't we live somewhere where the soil is sweet and beautiful and easy to dig. Why do we have to stay in an area where the soil is mainly clay and as hard as old boots to dig ? So on and so forth. Well as you can see, I obviously got it done and planted. Hard to believe that this has grown from nothing to a near jungle in just over a year. A year out of my life has been taken up with cancer. A year in the life of this garden has turned into a beautiful thing. I look at it everyday and appreciate the journey this garden and I have taken together over the last 12 months. We have both flourished in many ways. An odd word to use when one has cancer, but yes, I have flourished in many ways like my garden. It will continue to grow, as will I.

Take care.

Liz...