virginia

I spent the afternoon cutting the lining and straps and sewing up the bag sections for the 3 new Kon&Tarol shopping bags. I estimate it has been a few years since I have sewn anything black and Holy!Goodness! I can definitely mark myself down as an old lady. It was virtually impossible to actually see where I was sewing. And that one time I had to unpick – ARGH! I was forced to use a needle threader for the machine and I was in bright daylight. Time for magnifying spectacles and a dazor lamp.

I’m somewhat flippant about it, but I had really not appreciated how much the eyesight deteriorates in the … ahem … mid to late 40s. Thank TheUniverse! for the wonderful, magical kindle – where I can bump up the size of the font to my liking, otherwise I would have trouble reading. As an aside, I was very much enjoying Clive James: Cultural Amnesia, but thought it would be one of the rare non-coffee table, full of pretty pictures, books improved by reading the hard copy version (for flagging and annotation purposes). That was until I saw one InRealLife and the typeface was so tiny that I could barely discern it.

When I think that I have another whole lifetime ahead of me (ZOMGWFTBBQ! Just ponder that for a moment!), I shudder to think of my eyesight at 90!

But I digress. What this sewing and cutting and ironing did was really reinforce that I need my own little nest for pottering/crafting. ThePalace(OfLove) is perfect – except for that (okay, and a couple of other very small hideously expensive things).

Bessie was back in her other home this weekend so I took over her room (after tidying it – what a messy puss she is!). It was blissful to be able to spread out and leave the ironing board up and sewing machine out – and enjoy the company of sprawled out kitties.

I really, positively, definitely must fit-out the upstairs landing (though I must compete with the weekly washing laid out on the drying racks) for such (and other) activities.

ActionItem for October/November.

muddy

I’ve been relatively productive this weekend – on Saturday I’d been for a 3km run, visited the butcher, greengrocer, chemist and filled the car with petrol before 9:30am and had chicken stock on the go before 10:30. Full of win and achieving!

Then I spent a good deal of time doing laundry tasks, making chili con carne and watching many episodes of grand designs. And I knitted a lot of stocking stitch.


admire the evenness of my stitches

I love this acrylic yarn and the stripey effect, but I have NO idea what to do with it. I was thinking a cushion, but I’m really not feeling it. What I really need to do is get about 20 balls and knit a stocking stitch blanket. From memory, the ball was $2.95, so I’ll have to do some maths to see how much I’d need for to make one – and wait for a sale. The stocking stitch is very meditative.

Yesterday we bought garden things and did the spring planting. The soil in all the pots was dire and needed an injection of manure. It was a difficult decision between cow, chicken and sheep – but we went for the traditional cow. It’s a shame kitty poop is not known for its fertilising properties because we have PLENTY of it. We’ve gone for minimalist plantings this year: basil, parsley, coriander, additional thyme, mint, rocket and a passionfruit vine – which hopefully eventually will cover the railing and provide shade for the seedlings and more delicate plants. All thoughts of tomatoes and cucumber have been abandoned – inevitably ends up disappointing.

Today is a public holiday. Daylight savings has commenced, the weather is gorgeous and Don will be smoking ribs in harky, the smoker. I plan to pack away the winter clothes, embrace the ironing and maybe finally complete those shopping bags.

I do so enjoy these lazy times. As do the kitties: