In my life

Well, last week saw my return to work after 2 weeks leave - which was a bit of a shock!

However, my being back at work didn't last very long - I was sent home on sick leave after only a couple of days.

I twisted my knee last weekend. hurt like the blazes - but was slowly improving - until I returned to work. Now its braced and I have been to the doctors and need rest and nurofen. To add a little icing to the whole business I have also picked up a nasty chest cold. So I am downright miserable....The doggies, however, are very impressed. Temp has been -7 to 16 and they don't mind a bit of warm snuggling and hours spent watching Miss Marple DVDs during the day!


How did I hurt my knee, I hear you ask.

It wasn't anything exciting or athletic. I had spent some hours on my feet in the kitchen - making hamburger patties and a generous quantity of gooey chocolate cupcakes for the car club function that we were organising. When I went to rest the poor old bod following this task , I sat down and heard (and felt) my knee go 'pop'... and it was really rather painful.

Saturday May 8th was the Car Club craft and hobby night. Here are some photos of the night, with thanks to Bronywn for sharing her photos as my camera battery died. You will notice some of my quilts on display.

Above: These are mine.

Above: Lots of other quilts, not just mine!

Above: All the boys seem to love their car collections.
(I won't state the obvious)

Above are Bron's dolls with their blue ribbons!

The above are Arthur's model cars - he has actually
owned the big versions of all these cars at during his life!

Above: some lovely home made bears


Above: Graham's F1 Car collection

Above: Graham being a masterchef - I made enough food for twice as many people!!

Sunday May 9th was mothers day. Andrew took Graham and I out for a lovely brunch and then bought me a red hat! Sean and Emmy sent these lovely flowers.



I'll have to get a photo of me wearing the hat!

Until next time ....... Kim

In my life - Introducing Alfie

Graham and I spent the past weekend in Sydney. The mission was to choose a new doggie family member and bring him home.Georgie had been rather sad and lost since Ruby didn't come back from the vets.

We thought about a new puppy but I didn't think we could stand the chaos. I also worry that some breeders make lots of money from designer cross breeds with very little thought towards the welfare of the dogs. My thoughts go out to Georgies poor little maltese mother, I wonder how many puppies she will be expected to produce in her life.... (I never got to meet Georgies parents - the breeder would not let us come to his kennels and the whole transaction took place in the Bathurst tourist information centre carpark! In fact he wouldn't even let me hold the puppy until he had the cash in his hand... He is still breeding, but for a dog like Georgie the price has gone up to over a $1000)


Even before Ruby had gone for her long sleep I started researching how to get a small adult dog. I found that there are lots of organisations that do great work re-homing dogs that have been surrendered or abandoned. It upset me that so many dogs are put to sleep as they can't find a home and there are too many people in this world who feel that pets are disposable.

I tried to find a little dog closer to home, but all the dogs here are big or working dogs. Then I found a wonderful website - Monikas Doggie Rescue - and Monika was really helpful in trying to match us with the right dog. Here is the link if you wish to have a look at it ......... http://www.doggierescue.com

We visited the rescue centre on Sunday morning, the place was very busy with lots of volunteers coming to walk the dogs. We were introduced to our 3 doggie "finalists". And then we had the difficult decision of which dog to take - Graham liked a dog called Albert straight away - I liked Fletch--- - but Graham was able to talk me around and he was right - Albert was the sensible choice.



We were going to call him Bertie, but then changed our mind as soon as we got him in the car. His foster Mum had been calling him Alby so we felt Alfie was very close in sound to that and he liked it!! Alfie is approximately 2 years old, weighs a little more than 5 kg and has lots of personality. He was apparently terribly neglected and rescued from the pound..

Alfie was absolutely a perfect angel on the 6 hour car trip home! When we did get him home he spent the first hour weeing on everything! Not accidents, but marking all the furniture with his scent........... Horror............. BUT, since yesterday morning (when he did a wee in Graham's shoe, bless him) he's been perfect. Even today when its cold, miserable and wet we haven't had any mishaps.

Georgie Girl was actually a little bit horrified about the whole business - this was a surprise to me as she has always luvvved being with her cousin dogs. So it just goes to show that Millie and Seth must be family and must be special.

GEORGIE GIRL & ALFIE EARL

But they are starting to bond and I'm sure they will become good pals after awhile. He's a delightful little fellow.

This is a photo from a few minutes ago - Alfie helping me to write this blog! In his new coat that I made him this afternoon... Don't know If we'll be able to find him in the backyard now he's in camouflage gear,,, ha ha.


Until next time...... Kim

In my life - RUBY

Ruby
29th March 1995 - 27th April 2010

It is with a very heavy heart that I announce the death of our dog Ruby.

She had become very elderly over recent weeks and could no longer get in her kennel, was falling over and at times could not get herself up again. She was 15 and in doggie years, according to the poster at the vets, she was 93!

It was very sad at the vets last night and tears were shed by all. My thanks to all at the creeklands vet for treating her with such dignity- she has now gone off to be cremated.


Ruby spent the first half of her life as a farm dog. I remember the day she was born. I must of held her in my hand and picked her as mine when she was only moments old. In some ways it must have been a great life for a dog - in others it was tough. She was a very pretty puppy.


This is my photo "City dogs and country dogs"... can you tell which are which?

above: in the back- Ozzie, Beauie(her Mum) Ruby, in the front- Peter (her dad) and Marty. They have all gone now. Ruby was the last of them.

above:- this is her brother Ozzie, Ruby and their mother Beauie.


She adjusted well to the last 9 years in town. She had Marty for company, then to her horror 3 years ago we got a puppy (Georgie) who adored her and wanted to jump on her head and smother her with kisses!



They mellowed and became friends in time - I think Ruby thought she was also a fluffy little house dog!

Georgie keeps looking for her today - we will miss her xxx

Until next time ....... Kim

My quilt world - "Our House" progress report

The "Our House" quilt has returned from the quilters and all there is left for me to do is attach the binding and label it.


I use a double thickness continuous mitred binding. I machine it onto the front of the quilt then trim the batting and backing. I then hand stitch it on the back to finish. The quilting, as seen below, is a simple ric rac pattern.



Here are the bears in my sewing room supervising this final stage!



Hopefully the next time I post about this quilt it should be finished... But must go now and mop the floor!!

Until next time.......Kim

In my life

Woo Hoo - I am on holidays for two weeks. Not going away anywhere, but maybe to Sydney for an overnighter this weekend. I have lots of plans to clean the house, but we shall see......I have a lot of doggie business to attend to. That sounds very mysterious, but all will be revealed in future blogs.



This past weekend was a long weekend with Anzac Day on the Sunday and a public holiday yesterday (Monday). On Sunday we went on a Car Club BBQ at Malpas Dam. This is north of Armidale and is our major water supply.

Unfortunately, you will notice in these photos the absence of any Lotus. We got as far as the meeting point at the tourist information centre... the handbrake handle broke and the handbrake got stuck on! So we drove the lotus home (with the handbrake still on!) and swapped to the Mondeo,,,



The sky was dark and threatening the whole afternoon - with the rain coming down as things were winding up. So maybe it was just as well that the Lotus stayed at home...



We had our 5th Wedding anniversary on Friday the 23rd and bought ourselves a GPS Navman - a gadget for Graham to play with........ now we need to go somewhere and see if it works!

Otherwise, I have been busy with the binding of the "Our House" quilt and am nearly there!

until next time....... Kim

My quilt world - "Most people I know..."

This is a quilt that I completed in 2008 and is currently on the bed in my guest room.


It is a traditional "ocean waves" design and I can't remember how many triangles it was BUT it was a LOT! Hence the name... "most people I know... think that I'm crazy" which is a Billy Thorpe song.

It took me about a year to complete and the only fabric that I bought new was the blue background floral - (and the backing) all the rest of the 'bits' came from my stash. I was really please with how the colours turned out !


This is the first quilt I have had professionally quilted By Kay up in Toowoomba and the quilting is a continuous swirling floral in gold.



It is also the first time I used printable fabric as a label - I do it all the time now. ... Design a label on word and then print it onto fabric - works great!


Until next time........... Kim

In my life

I've been a bit slack ! - so now its time to catch up with the events of the past couple of months!

Graham and I went to Sydney to see the military tattoo which was FANTASTIC! We have also been to Canberra to see the masterpieces from Paris, at the national gallery. (along with half a million other people)



And of course there has been a family wedding. Sean & Emmy were married on the 27th of March at Petersons winery here in Armidale - I'll post some photos at some stage in the future.

Quilt wise - I have just got the "Our House" quilt back from the quilters and it is ready to have its binding and label sewn on. The "Beatlemania" quilt is ready to be basted and I'm going to machine quilt that myself. I hope to have these 2 quilts finished in 3 weeks so I can display them at the car club hobby night.

The pin wheel quilt, "A kiss to build a dream on" is coming together nicely and I have started piecing a new quilt as I had no portable project at the moment. AND if that wasn't enough - I need to have the borders and backing finished for the 2 "Colour of Magic" quilts by the 4th May for Kay to collect to quilt! Just as well I only have 2 shifts left before my holidays......I will post about all these projects in the future. (no wonder I never get any housework done... ha ha)

This week has been a little sad. Our old dog "Ruby" is nearing her end. She is 15 now and we are taking things day by day. Her back legs are gone and she has difficulty standing. I think my holidays might be the time to deal with this - we are planning to get a new dog to replace her to keep the princess/tomboy company. So it is a changing of the guard.......

until next time ....Kim