Parcel in the Post

There is something so special about getting parcels in the post.  This one arrived from my quilting pen-friend Rose, who lives in the New Forest area of UK.  It was so lovely to meet up with Rose and her husband Bill when we did our Big OE some years ago, and they made us very welcome for the afternoon.  Rose doesn’t keep good health these days, so I really appreciate her taking the time to remember my birthday.  She sent me a lovely assortment of 10 fabrics, plus a covered notebook.  I’m a great one for always having a notebook in my handbag, so handy for bloggers to jot down a few notes.

From Rose, all the way from England

I attended another birthday lunch earlier this week, this time with a group of friends we have known for quite some years.  We all get together once a month, and one of us is responsible to organise the day.  We do all sorts of things, and visit all sorts of places and attractions.  Years ago our outings involved a lot of walking up and down hills, but these days we are a little more sedentary.  After our lunch, everyone came back to our home for birthday cake (my 2nd) and a cuppa.  Robin is wondering how many more birthday celebrations I’m having.  As many as I organise, I told him.  After all, you only turn 70 once!

Another birthday lunch

And another birthday cake

Sew Wot Tuesday with a Difference

Our Sew Wot group of ladies enjoyed a get-together with a difference on Tuesday.  Just for a change we all took a drive up to visit  Aimee’s Homestead Quilt Shop in Palmerston North. Mary kindly collected me from home and we had a little trouble finding the venue.  Never mind – our journey took us down roads we had never travelled before, and we eventually found the road we were after and arrived at our destination.

Aimee in her shop

We had a lovely time looking at all the lovely fabrics and notions, buttons, beads and trims, plus plenty of tools.  There was a nice selection of doilies too, and Heather B took several home for a new doily project she is just about to start.  I admired the Christmas fabrics, and the batiks, and pondered over some blacks and greys for my new own project.

Lots of lovely fabrics on display

With a metre of Steam-a-seam, and just a little fabric, my purchases were complete for the day.  In fact, most of our group bought a little treasure or two.  We didn’t go hungry either, not with the amount of delicious morning tea Helen had brought along.   Carol helped with making the teas and coffees as required, and we sat around the lovely big table and tucked in. 

Helen and Carol organising morning tea

Lots of interesting little parcels came my way during morning tea, birthday gifts from my Sew Wot friends.  Added to the gifts I’d already received from a couple of members, I have been very lucky indeed.  Thank you so much, ladies. 

  From my Sew Wot friends

There was a group of ladies who come along to stitch regularly sitting at another table and they were interested where we had all arrived from.  We offered them some of our morning tea, and one of the ladies kindly took a photo of us all.

The Sew Wot ladies at Aimee’s shop

No sewing got done on our outing, but Helen brought along her Christmas quilt to show us.  It is almost finished, with just a little more of her clever machine quilting needed to be done.  When completed, Helen will hang this in the Cancer Society property, Manchester House, to give the rooms a bit of Christmas cheer.

Helen’s lovely Christmas quilt

And just outside the shop were these little darlings.  They had guzzled up their bottle before I had time to whip my camera out, but happily came to the fence when I called.  You can tell I’m a townie, when I get excited about a bunch of little lambs.  Just look at those faces!

So cute!

We had a lovely morning, and many thanks to Helen for organising it for us.

Who doesn’t like pressies!

The actual day for my BIG birthday had finally arrived, although I got in early and I’ve already had a couple of celebrations. Although we specified “no gifts” at our family lunch last week, that didn’t stop the wrapped presents arriving.  Mind you, I’ve been guilty of ignoring such a directive myself, as I’m sure we all have.  My son Michael gave me a book about Tom Jones, that gorgeous Welsh singer with such a wonderful voice.  (I’ll be taking Tom Jones to bed with me).  We have been lucky to see him on two occasions over the years when he performed on concert tours  out here to New Zealand.  It goes without saying that I was completely smitten, watching him on stage.  I’m sure he was singing just for me!   My daughter Nicky gave me two vouchers for lunch out at a nice cafe, so that was a very welcome gift too.  Then I received some lovely towels from my sister, plus a bunch of flowers, and a pretty satin jewellery roll from my Aunt Dawn. 

Pressies from the family

The postman has been kept busy delivering cards and parcels all week, and although I opened the cards as they arrived,  I patiently waited until the big day before opening the parcels.  I had seen quite a bit about colouring books for adults lately on the internet, and received such a book and a set of colouring pencils from my oldest friend Merilyn.  I imagine this would be quite a soothing and meditative thing to do.  My pen friend Janet from Norfolk, UK, made me the pretty pink and blue purse, and I received a set of New Zealand designed coasters from my younger sister Karla.   And Christmas came early from South Dakota, with a parcel from my pen friend  Carol.  She sent me two wonderful little Jim Shore snowmen figurines, wrapped in Christmas fabric.  I’m getting the figures for my birthday, she said, as she knows I like to put my Christmas decorations out at the beginning of December.  How kind, I love Jim Shore things, and Carol had previously sent me one of these lovely little snowmen a couple of years ago.  So now I have a set of three – she told me they come in a set of four so I’m hoping the last one will wing its way to me for a future birthday. 

The post man came calling

Birthday celebrations were suspended on Wednesday with a trip to hospital.  Not as bad as it sounds, no nasty accident, just a small operation in waiting.  My name had finally reached the top of the list, and my presence was requested on Thursday, one day before my big birthday.  The pre-op interview was conducted over the phone, and I was feeling quite pleased with myself as I answered “no” to all the questions.  No, I don’t smoke, or drink, don’t have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, piercings, steel plates or screws, don’t take any medication, etc. etc.  One question really made laugh, when I was asked if I take “street drugs”.   No, again - wouldn’t really know how to find any.

Everyone arrived at the same time and we were settled down on lazy boy chairs in the pre-op room.  I was given a hospital gown, long white socks, a blanket, and a bag for my clothes and sent down to the changing rooms, then to return to my seat and await further developments.   I had seen some of the blokes walk back with those most unflattering hospital gowns gaping at the back and lots of bare skin showing, so I made sure that my blanket was securely wrapped around so I wasn’t giving a peep show to anyone. 

The surgeon arrived with a marker pen and drew on my arm so that she would be sure which arm she was dealing with.  It’s obviously a sign of getting older as this young lady seemed hardly to be out of college.  There was no worry that the anaesthetist wasn’t old enough, he appeared even older than me, and he drolly related all the things which could go wrong while I was out cold.  Soon after, I was wheeled into the operating room, and after three or four tries, the canella was finally inserted in my wrist.  “You’ll be out to it in 15 seconds”, the elderly anaesthetist told me.  And I must have been, because that’s all I remember.

Luckily I survived my time out cold, the offending lump was removed, and I woke up feeling a little groggy but otherwise well enough to have a cuppa and something to eat.  The nurse arrived with a discharge form for me to sign, a few dressings, advice on what to do if I felt unwell, my bag of clothes, and I was free to go.  And with dissolving stitches in place, I don’t even have a follow-up visit.  My hospital adventure was over, we drove back home, and it was an early night for me.  Blessedly pain free, as long as I didn’t lie on the arm with the stitches. 

Ready for home after the op

The Ladies who Lunch

The “Rangeview Ladies” from our end of the village have been meeting once a month for a social outing, and we take turns organising it.  With October coming up, and my big birthday, I put my hand up to take that month.  Originally, the idea was to meet for Afternoon Tea, but this soon morphed into lunch dates – and why not.  So today, two car loads of ladies drove down to Reds Cafe in Otaki for lunch.

The menu was interesting and quite extensive and we dithered over the options a little.  But with our changeable Spring weather turning cold and windy once again, several of us chose the hearty Seafood Chowder.  What a good choice, chock full of fish, and so tasty.  The other choices looked very tasty too, I have to say. 

Rangeview Ladies at lunch

Several birthday cards came my way, which was lovely, one signed by everyone there, so I’m not quite sure when they all got together to make that happen.  And the other two were hand made cards by Gill and Audrey, very clever ladies indeed.  (Card making is not something I have ever got into.)

So nice to get birthday cards

There was a shop full to the brim with Christmas goodies close by, so we just had to check that out after lunch. There were lots of beautiful things to look at, to pick up and inspect, and to wonder if I really did need one of those or not. In the end I did finally make a small purchase, a little something for Robin which should raise a smile from him at Christmas.  And just how many days till Christmas?  Mr Google just told me it is 64!  Goodness me.

Birthday Celebrations

My birthday celebrations have started early.  I can’t believe that I’m reaching the grand old age of 70 years – how on earth did that happen, I have to ask!  My birthday always falls over the three day Labour Weekend, and nothing, I’m told, should get in the way of a caravan weekend away, big birthday or not!  So we had a family celebration a week early at the Quarter Acre Cafe a little out of town.  It was pouring with rain and blowing a gale, but that didn’t dampen our spirits one little bit.

Son Michael flew up from Christchurch to visit his now elderly Mum. 

   Daughter Nicky with husband Robert arrived for the day from Kiwitea. 

My grand-daughter Emma who hates to have her photo taken   

It was great to have my sister Kathleen down for the weekend from Hastings.  Accompanied by my niece Lisa who did the driving, and great-niece Kate who came along for the ride.  They got a guided tour through our new home, as they had not made it down this way since we had moved house.

   Kathleen, Lisa and Kate

And our very special guest, my Aunt Dawn.  Dawn is my last remaining aunt, and was my Dad’s baby sister.  We were so pleased she could make it, as we had lost touch for many years and Kathleen managed to track her down when she was working on family genealogy.  Dawn had not met some of the family and was thrilled to finally put faces to names.

Robin, Dawn and Jenny

We enjoyed a lovely lunch together and then the birthday cake came out with (luckily) three candles blazing.  Don’t think I could have managed to blow out 70 blazing candles without doing myself or the cake a little mischief!  I did the obligatory “cutting of the cake” and slices of the chocolate gateaux was passed around the table and consumed.  It was delicious.

Cutting the cake

It was so nice having family members with me to celebrate my milestone birthday, and most followed us back to our home for a cuppa before heading off on their separate ways.  And despite being told “no presents please” I received some lovely gifts.

All the girls in the family

But as it’s not quite my actual birthday, the birthday celebrations aren’t over yet.  It will be happening again as I have a couple more celebrations planned over the next week or two.   After all, 70 is a big number to celebrate, wouldn’t you agree?

October Allcomers Stitching Day

I had to miss out on the October Stitching Day because we had a BIG family birthday to celebrate (mine) and family arriving for the weekend.  Which meant extra meals to cater for, and every thing else which goes with visitors arriving.    But I did manage to pop down to the hall for morning tea to take a few notes and photos for the club newsletter.  As soon as I walked in the door, the  ladies burst into song, all joining together to sing me Happy Birthday.  That was so nice, and such a lovely surprise.  Val had baked some of her world famous Ginger Gems to share for morning tea – so kind, she knows I really love them.

Val with her Ginger Gems

There were about a dozen happy ladies stitching away.  My Sew Wot buddies Moira and Rae had popped in just for the morning, and were busy doing their hand stitching together at the round table.  Janneke was working on another charity quilt, and Jeannette was finishing off a pair of floor cushions for her grand-daughters.  And I loved Ruby’s project, she was making “Star Burst”, a Susan Claire design.  With all the stars completed, Ruby was now making lots of little filler blocks with tiny coloured squares in the middle. 

Ruby’s Star Burst project

Cats seemed to be the flavour of the day, and Madalyn was happy for me to  rearrange her lovely quilt to photograph.  Such happy lovey-dovey cats they are too. Alison’s theme  was cats too.  Her cat blocks with their individual expressions were stitched in a mixture of grey and taupe fabrics.

Madalyn’s cat quilt

Alison’s cat blocks

I left the ladies to their stitching day and returned home.  With visitors expected for the evening meal I was busy in the kitchen, whipping up a bacon and egg pie, then a rhubarb crumble for dessert, ran around with the vacuum cleaner and flicked the duster around.  Whew!  I needed a sit down after that lot, I can tell you.

Doily Cushion

When we moved to our new home, I decided I would like a chair in the corner of the bedroom.  Not just any old chair – it had to look nice and fit in.  (And not to fling your clothes on either, I told DH, but he doesn’t always listen!)  After our new pale green drapes were made, there was a couple of metres of curtain fabric remaining.  That would do nicely, so I sent one of our old dining chairs to the upholsterers to get recovered. 

As there was still a piece of curtain fabric left, I decided to make a cushion to sit on the chair.  And perhaps make use of a hand made doily I was gifted by a work colleague many years ago    How would that look, I wondered?  So I cut, and stitched,  and this is the result.  One matching cushion for the bedroom chair.  The colour of the fabric did not photograph well, it is really a pale sage green.

New cushion on the chair

Bedroom corner with chair, and my quilt rack under the window