Saturday, October 16, 2010

Koala in the wild

Wasn't sure if that was posted - all gobblededook showing! Anyway, I love this photo I took while we were travelling home from visiting DS#3 and DDIL. We were lucky enough to pick up a pamphlet which told us what we could see en route and this led us down a little track into the eucalyptus forests. The koalas didn't seem fazed at all by the half dozen people who'd stopped to take their photo at the same time! Everyone was hushed and quiet while they did it, which was good.

MARION: Can those people 'in the know' say how long the aftershocks are likely to continue?

ROSIE: What a job! Good that family and friends are willing to help with this yearly chore. Shannon said he'd be thinking of you all!

Off to start the day.
Hugs to all
Fran

Preparing for Winter


Being able to include photographs adds so much to the Chat Board, if not for the colour alone. We have lived in the country for nearly twenty-three years...hard to believe sometimes, and I would not move back to the city for the world. Towards the end of the summer we purchase one or two flat-bed trailer loads of wood, eight to ten feet long and at least eight to ten feet tall strapped onto the trailer. The trees, stripped of their branches require a cherry-picker to remove each tree which is carefully swung off the flat-bed and onto the ground beside the laneway. Once September comes, the cutting begins. By Thanksgiving, the second week-end in October, we are ready for family & friends to come and help split the wood with a commercial log splitter. This should all run smoothly. This year, it didn't. With fifteen hands ready to help split, the log splitter gave up the ghost and the job was left unfinished. A few die-hards took the axe and started splitting but tomorrow will see the last of it split. Another log splitter sits in readiness by the wood pile. It's fun getting ready for winter but it's a two-person team effort to live comfortably in the country if you're going to heat by wood. We go through 7 to 8 bush cords a year from Oct. to May.

Marion, I cannot ever imagine having to live under the conditions of unexpected earthquakes. I would be completely unnerved, as I'm sure many are in the area of Christchurch at the moment. I don't know how you keep calm and likely you don't. You must be aware and on edge since this has happened.
Off shortly to assess an Australian Shepherd for Aussie Rescue. That part of rescue, for me, is not easy and in fact, quite painful. But rehoming dogs is a good thing when it needs to happen.

Rosey

Friday, October 15, 2010

travel insurance

Marion in NZ - Aftershocks after this much time! How unnerving... I can not even begin to imagine how jumpy people must be.

How interesting about the price of travel insurance going up with one's age, but it does make sense. Thank you for telling us that, because it never occurred to me. I'll keep that in mind when DH and I plan trips.

still shaking here...

We've just had another after-shock here. It's nearly five weeks since the earthquake. During that time we have had hundreds of after shocks, many of them over magnitude 4 and several over 5. Tonight's was 4.6. We are tired of them. The don't seem to be causing any damage except to buildings which were already damaged, but people are twitchy and children are nervous..

Wasn't it wonderful to see the Chilean miners rescued yesterday ? Talk about compulsive viewing ! Everybody seemed to have their TVs on and it was wonderful to see the joy and relief on the faces of the miners and their families.

DH and I took the dog to the beach today . She enjoys a good run down there and the weather was perfect. Only one other person down there and she was walking her Labrador dog. We all enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine. Tonight we have been baby sitting for a neighbour. Not something we often do but the neighbours have got two foster children staying at the moment, and had a prior engagement. Nice children. A brother and sister, both in their teens. A difficult age to be moved around various foster homes. They are with our friends just for two weeks while their usual care givers are away..

DD#1 flies out of HK for Scotland today, her 7yr old flies out for England tomorrow. There he will be met by his 13yr old sister and together they will fly up to Scotland . Early next week they will collect another sibling from his boarding school for half-term and the older brother will make his way home from his boarding school with friends and public transport.. DSIL will join his family next week for a few days and then they all go back to where they've come from.... Confused ? So am I. I just hope DD remembers where they all are and where they are all heading...

DH and I paid for our tickets to HK this week. (we are going over for Christmas) We had saved enough for the tickets but were a bit put out when told how much the travel insurance was for the over 70's.... It's even worse for the over 80's, so we'll have to pack in as much travel as possible in the next few years !

Had a mammogram on Thursday, just routine. They don't get any easier do they ?

Time for bed. Enjoy the w/end.
Marion.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Thanks...

Thanks for all the nice comments on our pictures. It really was a nice day.

Donna, neat quilt! Congrats on the ribbon, too, they are always fun to get.

I'm working on a BOM design for Blank quilting fabrics. The top is done, except for the final borders. Need to quilt it and make a duplicate in another colorway. Then there is the couple of other quilts and odds and ends to make for market. I'll sleep in a couple of weeks!

Hugs to all,
Sandi

Back again


I have not been able to get to this board and I wonder if I will find my way back again... I found it thru Facebook. I tried to leave a comment and had to reset my password to sign in...

I hope I can visit and check up on you gals more often. I have been very busy with three grandchildren living with their parents and my self and DH, it gets rather busy. DH's parent are in the late 80's now and not always doing well. We are trying to get down in FL to see them soon. They have not seen the great grands in many years and they are getting bigger each day. They youngest, they have NEVER seen.
I have been busy as treasurer of the guild. Trying to find the time to make my own stuff and getting them complete has been trial. Working full time is cutting into my quilting time. But I find time here and there, so I get some stugg done.
I entered my Christmas Lights, Bonnie Hunter design, that appeared as a mystery last year in QuiltMaker Magazine, into the local quilt show and received a second place red ribbon. I was so surprised.... I love her designs. I got to take a class with her in Hershey, PA this summer. I have made two tops with her crumb design already... It is atticting...

I will be reading the boards and hope to remember to re-bookmark them again. Keep well all.

Donna, LEH,NJ

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

OK, a bit late with the good wishes. Glad things are going well for the neighbors to the north.
I've been diging in the yard, trying to clear out a small space to put some pansies. I realize that the reason I never did this before is that the ground is as hard as rocks. Lots of roots, old ferns, etc. Doing 30 min. a morning, hopefully will get the pansies in the ground by Sat. morning.

I have to clean up my quilty room for Fri-Sat. company. DH's buddy from So. Fla. is coming in to go to the FSU game on Sat. at noon. Hope he likes the new day bed.
We finally got some pictures of DD and family from N.D. She is now working part time as the postmistress of the little town's post office. The postmaster for 30 years wanted to retire. She works 4 hrs. a day, and 2 hrs. on Sat. morning. At least I know they will get my cards and letters.
OK, off to the bank, etc.
Sara in Fla.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Sandie

Just checking the board and saw Sandie's post. Congratulations on the anniversary. Pictures are nothing to sneeze at either . Lovely Sandie, and so much more meaningful since having met you. It is so great to able to even visualize the person .
We are having a great time here on Vancouver Island. Had a wonderful Thanksgiving and the weather has not been too bad either. They keep talking about rain but so far it has not been too much of a bother.
Sunday was an especially beautiful day and we really enjoyed it.
Better go now and get more coffee and get the rest of the brain cells moving. Have a wonderful day all and I will likely catch up again once I am home.
Later
Grace from Ont., visiting in BC.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Suzanne's in Moultrie

wELL.... I think I accidentally touched something on the keyboard and maybe posted an empty post ...

About Suzanne's quilt shop in Moultrie...... A few years ago, I ordered some fabric from her online shop. When it arrived, it had a musty/mildew odor to it that washing did not remove. I finally filled up the washer, added a little bit of Clorox bleach, let the (substantial) yardage soak for eight hours, rinsed & washed again, and the odor finally was gone. Be wary of anything you buy there, if you are allergic to mold like I am.

Sandi in MN - Congratulations on 25 years and Happy Anniversary! Thank you for posting the lovely photos and sharing with us.

Doris W. in TN

Suzanne

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Ocean & beach

Laura, before your post runs off the board and I forget, please will you post that picture in January of 2011 while I am freezing my buns off up here in the countryside of Southern Ontario? Visuals are good...lol.

Jane, you had to go and remind me that I'm not 39. Darn it.

Just had my family here for Thanksgiving turkey and our traditional logsplitting day. And the large log splitter quit in the middle of the day. Will have to return it, renegotiate for next week-end and have another day of it Sunday. With twenty people here today to help out, by next week-end we will have just a few volunteers. It's great to have family and great to be able to have them with us. My mother's family & my father's family were both represented. My mother used to keep the family tradition of family gatherings and I'm delighted that it's continuing here. Being with family matters greatly to me as I was an only child but brought up with lots of uncles, aunts and cousins who were always around.

Rosey

Thomasville, GA

Have been off the board for a few days as a GF and I were in Thomasville, GA. checking out B & B's for a girlfriend's weekend for next spring. We found out the 2 there had closed (due to the economy most likely) but did find 1 that will be perfect. It has a freestanding cottage in the back with 4 bedrooms , 4 baths and 2 sitting rooms, and a kitchenette. If you add up the price and divide by 7 girls it will only be $87.00 per night per person. That includes a big breakfast, and tea or wine and cheeze in the afternoon.
Thomasville is a quaint, Victorian type town. There is a plantation near that does tours, and a goat farm where they make their own cheeze. If anyone in the area near Ga. wants a place for girls or a romantic B &B I would suggest it. The weekend of April 21 and 22 of 2011 is their rose festival, with parades, etc.
There was a great quilt shop in Moultrie, GA also. It is big, with lots of displays--baby, fall, Christmas, batiks, etc. It is Suzanne's quilt shop, that used to be located in the West Palm Beach, Fla. area. She and her DH got tired of the high prices, etc. of south Fla. and moved to GA. a few years ago.
Slept in this morning, the driving made me worn out. Now we have put the A/C back on as it is over 80 outside. The past week has been cooler, had the windows open. The ragweed or something out there is blooming, and doing a number on my sinuses.
Hope all are having a peaceful Sunday.
My DH's college team won last night--Fla. State beat Miami, a big win.
Sara in Fla.

KUDOS TO THE TEACHERS

They have a huge impact on our future second only to parents. I hope that government meddling in the classroom hasn't made it impossible for you to do what needs to be done. To wit: make sure that our future voters and leaders can read with comprehension, calculate accurately without a gadget to do the thinking, understand the lessons of history and the great literature of the ages and take responsibility for their behavior. As for morality and ethics, those should come with mother's milk and have begun to be established before they step across the threshold of school only to be reinforced there.

Oh well, Jane, dream on. Hang in there teachers. Do the best you can under very difficult circumstances.

Jane in a philosophical mood.

beach


I am actually caught up on my work, as I have been on fall break. I drove down to the beach at Gulf Shores for a day and stayed with my cousin. This is what the beach looks like after the clean-up from the oil spill.
There were people swimming and fishing, and a local festival was taking place. Lots of people went out of business due to the lack of tourism this summer.
I had a wonderful day!
Now I get to go home and finish out this term. I'm hoping next semester will be less stressful.
Laura

MARION AGAIN!

Sorry, ladies for having to do this. Marion, thanks for your email. I replied via my hotmail account and it bounced again! So I've sent via bigpond instead. Can you just let me know whether it arrived or not?