Slide down the ladder….no wait, that’s not right!

July 2, 2009 in Health, Mental Health by Caitlin | Comments

Sometimes I like to think of my life as a giant game of snakes and ladders. No particular reason… but dentists definitely qualify as “snakes”, and they knock me back several squares every time.
29178-large
Last week, I went to the dentist for my 6 month check up and clean. She found a CAVITY. *shudder*
spelunkers
So I made an appointment for Wednesday this week, and went home feeling pretty ok.

Until yesterday morning… when the tooth in question started feeling like it was about to explode. Owie. Didn’t help that my recurrent sinus infection was playing up…
A quick discussion before she starts on whether I should have white or amalgam fillings, The amalgam ones last twice as long as the less visible kind, so I opt for the metal, and she numbs me up. (Oooh boy was I numb! The appointment was at 2, it took ’til 7pm before I could feel the left side of my face properly!)

Drill, drill, whirr, whirrrrr grrrrrRRRRRRRiiiiinnd, drill drilll…
“OH.” She says. “The hole has spread to the adjoining surface. We might as well do that one today too, hmmm?”
“Mmmwrffgggl”, says the quivering wreck of Caity. (Did I mention that I’m not good at Dentists? No?! Well, I’m NOT. I didn’t go to the dentists for FIFTEEN YEARS and then I had to go every fortnight for most of a year. Hence the now religious 6 monthly appointments.)

(My Canberra Dentist, the wonderful Jo Newton, used to sing the Dentist’s Song from Little Shop of Horrors to me. She also had the Larson cartoon below next to the chair. I’m not sure if dentistry requires a certain sense of black humour to begin with or if you develop one as a result of spending your days looking at people’s teeth!)

I blame my dental phobias on childhood dental trauma (doesn’t everyone?) Imagine, if you will, that it is 1972, in a small town in rural New South Wales, and wee Caity is 4 years old. And there’s a GREAT BIG HULKING DENTIST with smoke stained fingers (this was waaaaaaay before gloves, let alone the anti-smoking movement!) like swollen sausages, trying to shove his fingers in my mouth. Without my permission. And then pulling out my teeth, because my teeth were too big for my mouth.

Oh shut up, I do so TOO have a small mouth.

Not Actually Me, But You Get The Idea

Not Actually Me, But You Get The Idea

Then we skip through time (insert wavery dream sequence thingy here if you’re so inclined) to my early thirties, where my sins are starting to catch up with me. A series of root canals, another tooth pulled, (which is when I had my appointment times restricted to “Last of the day ONLY” so I didn’t scare off the other patients) and then The Big Mistake: getting my wisdom teeth out in the chair. If you ever have to get wisdom teeth out DO IT IN HOSPITAL. The Temperomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) problems from those 4 teeth lasted years. YEARS!!

Of course, I already had TMJ issues as a result of my first husband’s propensity to connect his fist rather solidly with my jaw whenever he got really drunk, and add the fact that I grind my teeth when I sleep … well, each visit to the dentist tends to leave me rather. bloody. miserable.
Farside

Finally I hear the best words possible: “You can Rinse out now”. YAY! I didn’t scream, not even once! (I also doubt I could recognise my dentist out of her rooms, sine I keep my eyes scrunched up for as much of the whole procedure as possible.) The Health Fund only paid about a third of the cost.

At least I didn’t grind my teeth last night – I know I didn’t because I didn’t sleep. My face still feels like I’ve been stomped on by a soccer player, and I’ve taken every combination of painkillers I’m allowed to have, up to and including Lindt 85% Cocoa chocolate. Think I’ll just head back to bed and moan some more for a while…

My Magic Pattern Book

June 28, 2009 in Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | Comments

The girls at the PRDU get together yesterday were rather amazed by my Magic Pattern Book. I must admit, I kind of take it for granted – but their reactions reminded me that others might like to see how I do it!

See, I’m a hopeless pattern-aholic. Seriously. Sometimes I buy patterns just to read the instructions! So obviously I don’t remember all of them. But more importantly – I’m not good at estimating the amount of fabric to buy for a particular design. I know there are common rules to use – twice your length plus this or that – but that often results in having to be rather creative in getting an outfit out of the amount of material available.

So – I either scan (for out of print patterns) or pop over to the pattern company’s website and catch an image of the pattern. Then I stick it in my Magic Pattern Book, and write the amounts of fabric I’ need for my size, and usually any other notions I’ll need. My book is an A5 “visual diary”, available at any office store or newsagents – just blank pages work better for me.

book click to see bigger!

Once I’ve actually made a pattern the idea is to write notes and add swatches of fabric. I don’t always remember to do that! But I did on the left hand side of the page you can see above.

Sue’s version of the book is better organised than mine- she cleverly found a notebook with coloured sections, and has divided heres into the same sort of pattern categories that the Big 4 companies use in their catalogs – tops, skirts, wardrobes, etc.

Meantime, I’ve still lost that koala pattern – methinks there is now a HUUUUUGE Frustration Field in place…

My Magic Sewing Book; SE QLD PRDU Day!

June 28, 2009 in Friends, Mental Health, Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | Comments

WELL! Yesterday Sue and I ventured down the hill and into the big smoke – and right out of the big smoke again to the faaaaaaaaaar side of BrisVegas. We met up with a bunch of the girls from the Pattern Review Down Under message board – frustratingly, my camera didn’t work, so I can’t show you a picture!!

We started at East Coast Fabrics at Lawnton. A few of us HAD to buy this fabric:
floral
It’s cotton, a good weight for a coat or a skirt, and was only $5.95 a metre!! (That’s my Magic Pattern Book on it for scale – the book is A5, which is 5.8 X 8.3 inches. More on the Magic Pattern Book soon.) I’m thinking it will become either this coat
106(#106 from Burda WOF 4/09 – because I have been in LOVE with this pattern wince I first saw it; and even more so when I saw Anne’s gorgeous floral version!

The other possible pattern is this “Hortensia” coat from Ottobre Spring/Summer 09.
Ottobre Hortensia

We then managed to get lost (It was the Magic Talking Lady’s fault! She kept blanking out her little screen map and tsking at us: “RE-Calc-u-lating!”) and find our way again to Indooroopilly shops, where we had lunch, and a shop at Sckaff’s Fabrics. I was VERY GOOD and though tempted (mostly by their hats!) I didn’t buy anything there – this time!

We were reluctant to say goodbye to the PRDU girls, but were late getting on the road already. Still, we figured a quick stop at Gardam’s (just around the corner from the Indooroopilly shops, after all!) was in order. Sue managed to find exactly what she’d been looking for; and I grabbed this 95% poly/ 5% wool tweedy/herringbone fabric to make a skirt.
poly wool

The trip home was looooooooong! It took us ages to get anywhere – major roadworks combined with the first night of the school holidays left us with plenty of time to put on a CD of ’80s favourites and bop along… two forty-somethings singing “my job is very boring I’m an OFFICE CLERK!” with great gusto, and “air drumming” along with Adam Ant… it passed the time, anyway!

We’d already booked for a girl’s night out with friends from the gym, but I was soooo tired I left early. I did manage to get a leeeetle bit squiffy and attempt to teach my favourite drunk tongue-twisters to a couple of the girls!

Bed day today. If it’s not drizzly tomorrow I hope to get my new fabric washed and the patterns traced – because I neeeeeed a floral coat, don’t you think?!

Revealing the Rhino

June 24, 2009 in Friends, Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | Comments

rhino

So there he is, in all his rhinosity! Little Caitlin, who has just had her first birthday, is the Aussie baby of South African parents, and she apparently thinks that his best feature is his handle – otherwise known as a horn!

And his Grandma – who is about to leave for Namibia to lead a safari tour – was UTTERLY thrilled that not only is he a white rhino, but his mouth is in the right place (not all cartoon-y anthropomorphic) and he has authentically short sighted little eyes.

I’m hoping Mum will send photos of the delighted recipient soon!

I HAD intended to make this pattern yesterday or today, from the same very talented designer. Sue and I met Pauline at the Brisbane Stitches and Craft fair, and I think she was worried that I wouldn’t give her sample Rhino back – he was so soft and cuddly!

KOALA_BABY_SOFT_TOY_PATTERN

But I’ve LOST the @&#$(*@& pattern somewhere in my sewing room….

You can also see on of the mouse pads I made last week over on Sue’s blog. The other one was for our friend V who is recovering from some particularly nasty wrist surgery. (and check out Sue’s gorgeous shirt!)

I’ve been using fairly inexpensive polar fleece (from Lincr*p, if you’re an Aussie – it was about $6 a metre, I think) and I’m surprised how wonderfully these toys (and wrist rests!) turn out.

Bet you didn’t know I used to be a full on cloth doll maker, didja? Ahhh, the dim distant past… my total time from tracing the pattern to tying the bow on the mouse was about 40 minutes. The Rhino was about 90.

There are a few tricks to keep in mind – make sure you shorten your stitch length; trace a stitching line template onto freezer paper and then iron the freezer paper to your fabric (using very low temp for polar fleece) and stitching around that – this avoids having to mark the fabric directly, so there’s no risk of the pattern tracing showing through on a light colour;
FP_all
(someone gave me a 150 yard roll years ago – I’m only just coming to the end of it!)
and I find the best tool for turning through teeny pointed parts (like the mouse fingers) is a tube about the same diameter as a drinking straw (sturdier plastic if you can get it) and the blunt end of a bamboo skewer assisted by a lockable hemostat (available from medical supply stores quite cheaply.)
hemostats

Ok – off to find that PATTERN!

Good thoughts etc please

June 18, 2009 in Family by Caitlin | Comments

This is my Dad
dad and chips
with the cat that owns my parents, Chips.

Chips is a “retrofitted scottish fold” – see his poor little ears? He was rescued, but the nice vets couldn’t help all of the burns. The scumbuckets who hurt him as a kitten should die painfully.

ANYWAY, Dad is currently in hospital in Wagga Wagga, recovering from what he (rather graphically) described as “A pull-through with a live ferret” – otherwise known as prostate surgery. Apparently it’s a nasty one to recover from. So please send any prayers (if that’s your thang) good energy (ditto) best wishes and kind thoughts, eh?
Ta.

Sneak Peek!

June 18, 2009 in Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | Comments

sneak
He’s for a little girl who’s turning one year old…. Will show more once she’s got him!
(meantime, see more of his friends at Funky Friends Factory)

I hab a code id by node

June 18, 2009 in Health by Caitlin | Comments

So logically I KNOW that this:

ice2

is not really related to the fact that I hab a code id by node. Really. But going out to take pictures of the half inch thick ice from the wheelbarrow probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

Lots of bed time this week!

Oh boy! OH BOY!

June 10, 2009 in Gym by Caitlin | Comments

OH YEAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

What’s that strange noise, I hear you ask?

Well, Dear Reader, that would be MEE, back at the gym, back training with my Personal Trainer! I’ve had *mumblety* weeks off,  and even longer since I did a proper weights session.  IT FEELS SO GOOOOOOOOOOD!

exercise-machine-4

Ahhhh.  And it feel even better after doing Pilates class last night.

Of course I’ll probably crash into a nana nap later this arvo, but right now I FEEL FANTASTIC!  WOOOOOOO!!

Got Skype?

June 4, 2009 in Memes rants and silliness by Caitlin | Comments

Just put Skype on my computer.  Hmmm.  I can CHAT now! Cool!

Had another bed day today :-(

Not much going on.

I did go to a Pfaff day at the local Pfaff shop yesterday.  I was disappointed that the new couching feet being demonstrated weren’t available for my very expensive machine – at only 5 years old, I expect better support than that on such a pricey item.  Guess who’s not going to be buying that brand next time??

I did enjoy the ruffler foot demo – but at $144, I won’t be buying one of those, either.  It would be nice, but I already have ruffler feet for my century old Singers!!

Ok – off to see who I can find online….

TERRIFIC DAY!

May 28, 2009 in Friends, Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | Comments

I had a WONDERFUL day today!

BFF and I went to a sewing class.  With a very brilliant teacher.  Felicity knows SO much about industry techniques for production sewing, and sewing couture… my mind was in OVERDRIVE! (Fortunately I can read my own scribbled notes, since as we know, my memory is rather dodgy…)

Two important mantras I MUST repeat, especially when sewing samples:

  1. IT’S ONLY FABRIC and
  2. IT’S SEWING, not MICROSURGERY.

My perfectionist tendencies need to be on a tight leash in class time.  In fact, next time I don’t think I should take my seam ripper with me at all.  Hmmm. Does it really matter if somethings out by a milimetre or two on a sample? GET OVER IT!

I really loved the structure of the day – we got to ask questions, veer off into things that weren’t necessarily in the plan, and learned even more on those side excursions.  I’m feeling much more confident and enthusiastic about tackling shirts again.  Yippee!!

And it was funny to see someone else press – I am have been waaaaaaay too timid about really leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaning on the iron.  No more – when Felicity says PRESS, she ain’t kidding!

I even liked sewing on Baby Pfaff.  She’s not at smooth as The Goddess Pfaffalina, and sounds a bit clunkier at first – but she does everything I ask of her with no complaining.

And spending time with BFF is sooooo good for one’s mental health. Should be more of it.

I resisted buying any fabric (good girl, woof!) but did succumb at long lsat to the luxury of my very own Point Presser /Tailor Clapper. Ahhhh!  If you’re not a dressmaking enthusiast, you’ll probably be wondering why on earth I’m so excited about this gadget.

pressers_small

If you DO sew, and you don’t have one of these – GET ONE.  It will improve your sewing immensely.

After all  that and a lovely (unexpected!)catch-up with friend C at lunch, and wind-down with Sue over tea and chat, I had the best email EVER arrive in my inbox.  A friend I hadn’t been in touch with for ages – (isn’t it awful that the only time we are in touch with important people in our lives is when there’s a funeral?  That needs fixing) – wrote in reply to a recent snail mail sympathy card I’d sent.

All the store bought cards were a) expensive b) TACKY or c) both.  So I made a card using tools from the art cupboards (Fiskars embosser, if you must know – hey, I never claimed to be a purist!) and wrote about my favourite memories of the person. Turns out this was the right thing to do – far far better than any pre-printed guff from an anonymous card company.  It was so wonderful to know that what I’d written meant something more.

NOTE TO SELF: Make more time to do this stuff!!

And now, the cuppa tea cake is nearly ready; I have a brand new roll of pattern paper, and a sleeve to alter.

Total (lack of) Recall

May 27, 2009 in Friends, Health, Mental Health by Caitlin | Comments

My memory is going.  Or rather, parts of it have already gone.  Anyone who knows me In Real Life will have already noticed the phenomenon – and I suspect, Dear Reader, I may have bored you with the same story more than once, too.  But I can’t remember.

My long term memory still seems to be mostly okay.  My short term memory is… ummm, what was I saying again?  And I feel like the transition between short term and long term memory just isn’t happening very effectively.

I don’t know if the loss is due to general anaesthetics (four in one year is NOT a good thing) – I asked my darling SIL (a super smart nurse, now cardio sonographer and probably going back for yet more study) about it and she said there is certainly a lot of anecdotal evidence for the link, but hadn’t read any peer reviewed studies about it.

(I also have to fight any tendency to think “Well this is it, the brain tumor”…. because there is NO evidence that my sister’s illness and death were caused by anything but a random rogue cell gone berserk. Still, I worry…)

Of course, there’s always the “major depressive disorder” diagnosis to account for memory loss as well.

Internet induced hypochondria is always a fun game to play.  I love this list of “some of the earliest signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease” from the Mayo Clinic: (My typical responses in this funny green colour)

  • Asking the same questions repeatedly (What are we having for dinner? Was there any mail today? Did you go to the shops already?)
  • Difficulty remembering common words when speaking (You KNOW, the WHOSAMATHINGER!!  The WHATSIT!! THE DOOVERLACKEY!! Damnit, what’s it called? Oh yeah – the CAR.)
  • Mixing words up — saying “bed” instead of “table,” for example (I’ll just put this on the trouser, then, shall I? And mop the kitchen …. thingummyjig.)
  • Being unable to complete familiar tasks, such as following a recipe (Muffins need FLOUR? Oops!)
  • Misplacing items in inappropriate places, such as putting a wallet in the refrigerator (Isn’t that the first place everyone looks?)
  • Getting lost while driving on familiar streets (La la la I’m sticking my fingers in my ears, I only had to drive around the big block once…)
  • Undergoing sudden changes in mood or behavior for no apparent reason (I’M NOT GRUMPY! Oh. Is there any tea left in the pot then?“)
  • Becoming less able to follow directions (”No, truly, the sewing pattern companies JUST DON’T MAKE SENSE.  And I’ve ALWAYS been left/right dyslexic. That’s not new. Hang on, this says do WHAT?)

alz-signI finally  – FINALLY!! After months of trying to remember – got a friend’s surname last night at about 2 am. The annoying thing was that his surname is also his nickname (as is the way with many Aussie nicknames – shorten and add an “ee” or an “oh”) and it was just… GONE from my memory.  I could see his face, hear his voice, remember his first name – but the surname? Nope.  I even sent an email to my Mum back on April 14: “What was the surname of S, that Nif used to share a house with?” – and that was a last resort, after wracking my brain for weeks.  ARRRGH!! (she didn’t know either.  But I’ve stayed at his house, had him stay at mine, written letters back and forth, etc!)

I recently bought a book that we already owned – a Bad Thing when our book buying is so limited – because I didn’t remember it AT ALL.  And I used to be the one that people were awed by, since I could remember whole slabs of reading.   I could cite names and arguments for academic debates and essays.  Now I get to re-read books over and over – because the plots and characters disappear between one reading and the next

There are patterns and fabrics in my sewing stash that I have absolutely no recall of buying.

And I often get things wrong because I JUST DON’T REMEMBER.  And sometimes my mind tries to fill in the blanks anyway – which means that sometimes my version of events is significantly different from what others remember.  I know that happens anyway – no one’s perception of events is the same as anyone else’s, right? I mean, we can’t even be sure that we’re all seeing the same colour when we label something as “red”.  Let alone more subjective and emotionally coloured experiences.

Old age? Sleep deprivation? Drug interaction? Just plain getting DUMBER? I don’t know.

Or maybe I just don’t remember. Am I alone in all this? And why am I writing this anyway? Who are you, I’ve never seen you before in my life!!

More on memory in another post…

(and now, I must go and play with the poor neglected Pfaff machine that only gets dragged out for classes or when the Goddess Pfaffalina is busy embroidering.  Got a class to go to with Sue tomorrow and I need to remember how to sew on the baby Pfaff!)

Nothing for WEEKS then they all come at once…

May 25, 2009 in Family, Food, Health by Caitlin | Comments

Yes, I know I have remarked previously that my posts tend to be like busses… (the public transport kind, not the kisses.  Although it would be sweet if you think of them as little kisses, too!)

Do please pop on over to Mr Beloved’s blog to see some bamboo. (and be sure to check his previous entries for some lovely water dragons).

And I’m thinking about food.

express

I made a brilliant (if I do say so myself!) quick Thai chicken curry (oooh, modifiers – it was the CURRY that was quick, not theTHAI or the  CHICKEN!) from one of my favourite Nigella recipes tonight.  (Her Green Curry in a Hurry recipe, on her website.) I was totally extravagant and used TWO chicken breast fillets.  Nearly $10 of meat, for just the one meal for the two of us. (Well, I couldn’t finish all my chicken, there’s actually enough for Mr Beloved to have that plus noodles for his lunch tomorrow).

Which set me thinking: I need to be kinder to myself about food.  Actually, I’ve been thinking this for a while, (and BFF has been prodding me about it, too!) but having lunch in Canberra with friend M (*mwah*, sweetie!) slapped me upside the head with the realisation.  M is going through a horrible breakup with a man who has been abusive for years – but she told me “I’m not scrimping on food.” So for lunch together we had a gorgeous duck ravioli with luscious sugo, followed by a green salad and then small cakes for dessert.

For YEARS I have treated myself as though having good food was something I need to do in secret: going out for coffee and cake.  Refusing to buy the “nice” biscuits.  Eating the cheapest possible meat.  I’M WORTH MORE THAN THAT!!  I’m not saying I’m going overboard – I am NEVER going to be over 100 kg again (and am looking forward to the “never” number heading ever downwards). Nor am I saying that it’s all foie gras and scotch fillet from here in – I simply can’t afford to eat like that, even if I wanted to! I don’t actually *like* meat all that much, so only having it once or twice a week is fine. And I don’t mind cheaper cuts of meat slow cooked – mmm, maybe I’ll make stew later in the week, yum!

But – I’m not going to feel guilty about using the whole tin of lite coconut milk in one meal. Or splurging on fruit and veges in season. Or even on decent tinned fruit (does ANYONE still eat tinned fruit in heavy syrup?), since I lack the patience, space, and skill to perserve fruit the way my Nana did…

rice-pudding

pudding-and-apricots

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to have rice pudding and apricots. Enjoyed my rice pudding with apricots – It was sooooooooo gooooooood!  Creamy and nutmeggy.  Proper arborio rice – what a joy!  (Although in my scrawly handwriting, Mr Beloved read the shopping list as “aboreal mice.” We truly do not need to buy tree-dwelling rodents. Especially since next door’s locat tree is full of ripe fruit and therefore many fruit bats….)

And now: some housework. Actually, now I check my list, I see I need to make cards (two, sympathy) TONIGHT.  Off I go.

Blah.

May 25, 2009 in Health, Home and Garden, Mental Health, Vanity, Weight Loss by Caitlin | Comments

Apologies for my silence, Dear Reader.  I have been ill.  *sigh* Again.

The tummy pain is back with a vengeance… almost to pre-surgery levels.  It’s stopping me from doing things.  I hate that.

I haven’t been to the gym in WEEKS.  I haven’t trained, haven’t done weights, haven’t been to a SINGLE class.  Ugh.  And you know what? Not only do I feel awful, my skin has gone really ratty too.  Who knew that even my SKIN was benefiting from exercise? I know it makes sense, skin being the largest organ, etc, but sheesh!

(Fortunately when I was at the GPs today to get a coupla new scripts and a referral to Yet Another Expensive Doctor, I jumped on the scales: 98 kg.  I honestly thought that I would have been back over the 100kg mark, what with not worrying about calories AT ALL while I was away, and not going to work out. )

I have done no sewing.  Not even tracing patterns.  Or finishing off a dress that only needs armhole and neck bindings and a hem to make it wearable.

I have managed a small amount of house cleaning, though.  I get tired of living in my mess every so often and then tend to overdo things (does that sound familiar to anyone else?) so I’m limiting myself to half an hour a day of solid housework.

Mr Beloved, Constance J. Woodle, Miss Kit Tern and the birdies are all well, if slightly bored by my constant whining about my tummy hurting.

We watched a documentary yesterday about guitars (Mr Beloved is a talented muso, I don’t know if I’ve mentioned that? All self taught, and very fond of experimental music and mucking about on guitars) and he said:”Do you think I would be less depressed if I played more often?”

Um.

Do you think *I* would be less depressed if I actually sewed/made art more often?

Um.

It’s all about balance, isn’t it?

balancing act...

balancing act...

Back from the trip…

May 18, 2009 in Family, Friends by Caitlin | Comments

canberra-morning

So, that’s the view from my friend R’s 9th floor flat in Kingston, Canberra, this morning. (For any foreign readers, the big flagpole-y thing is the top of Parliament House.)

Nice place to visit, but I couldn’t live there again.  It’s funny how quickly one acclimatises to a new place! I lived in Canberra (brrr brrr brrrrr) from mid-1990 to the end of 2003.  It’s changed a LOT in the last five and a half years – much bigger, with more buildings everywhere, and even worse traffic.

I’m VERY glad to to be home in Toowoomba!  The funeral went well, and all the travel was ok.  I shall blog more later… meantime, I need to go SLEEP!

Sad News…

May 8, 2009 in Family by Caitlin | Comments

My Nana (Dad’s Mum) passed away on Thursday May 7th.  She had a stroke (they think) and went very quickly. She was 93. (I think. Oh, I feel awful not knowing, but I just can’t remember right now!)

I’ve been asked to give the eulogy. I feel really honoured – I’m looking forward to it, even though I know it will be hard… but there are so many good things about her life.  I have so many happy memories of her (and my Grandpa, who died in 1997).

She was funny and compassionate and strong.   She valued learning and having a go at things, from building bookshelves to learning to knit for her baby son while her husband was away for the War.  She taught me to make her prize winning scones.  She never had a teddy bear as a child (because she was born during the First World War) so at age 50 something she rescued a darling old nearly furless bear from the tip, sewed him new clothes, and that was her bear. She never had a paid job, but she worked hard all her life looking after other people – whether family or the charities she supported.  Her favourite colour was green (which we’ve been asked to wear for her funeral. I like that.)

nana-bikie-pic

(She wasn’t actually a bikie – LOL!! A local group of motorbike enthusiasts visited the retirement village where she lived in 2002, and she happily posed for this picture…  it was the photo on my wall calendar for all of 2003!)

Her funeral is next Thursday in Leeton, NSW.   I’ll be travelling down south on Tuesday; then heading over to Canberra to catch up with some friends over the weekend before flying home Monday.

At last – The Brisbane Report – long!

May 7, 2009 in Friends, Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | Comments

On May 4th (Star Wars day – May the Fourth be with you!) Darling Nic from Canberra wrote:

Ok, you’ve rubbed it in – I’m stuck in Canberra with craft shops closing left right and centre. So where is the craft show debrief??? you’ve been back for at least 2 nights? why are you making us wait? where are the great photos of the clever peeps that I’m sure you took, the detail of the fab quilts, who did you hob nob with, how did the clothes shopping (not buying) efforts go? spill the beans Ms Caity.

WELL, since you asked, Miss Nic! I do apologise for the delay in reporting in – I totally wore myself out! (And then the new neighbours moved in with a Very Barky Dog who didn’t shut up all night – for the last two nights in a row. Grrr!)

So here is the somewhat delayed (and I hope not too disappointing) review:

MEH.

There were hardly any stalls – I mean, you know how normally craft fairs are so packed with women-with-backpacks (Guilty! this year:-))and strollers and strolling middle aged women with their Mums… well, you could have swung a cat-printed scarf through the aisles with ease.  Apparently a lot of the stallholders pulled out in the last couple of weeks leading up to the show. (You have to wonder how much of that is due to the heavy promotion being done by the rival mob – who have a show in just a month’s time.)

The hall decorations were cool – although if you saw any of the fab bloggers writing about the Melbourne version of the show, you’ve seen this already.  I did get the chance to see the awesome Selvedge dress (and chair!) however:

That's a LOT of selvedges!

That's a LOT of selvedges!

How clever (and dedicated!) is Jodie of RicRac blog? AWESOME!
I’ve put that pic in at a large size so you can see what I mean (in the dark background) about just how empty the place was.

Also, some things that got fairly big billing on the show’s website were quite – how do I say this – UNDERWHELMING.  “The Teacosy Revolution” had FIVE teacosies.  I had hoped to see a LOT more than that! (Never mind, her blog about them is lovely!)  There were some bead stalls, some of the usual quilt stores, but nothing that really had me falling over with WOW, y’know?

NOW that’s the whinging over – let me tell you about the GOOD BITS!!

And oh, they were VERY good.

First – the company was grand – thanks, BFF!! We met the fantabulous (and so busy!) Nikkishell of BurdaStyle.com, Wardrobe Refashion, and one of the founders of Mixtape magazine.  (Can I be Nikkishell when I grow up?!And Oh my GOSH now she’s gonna be a Melbourne’s Tessuti Fabrics!!  AWESOME!!)  BurdaStyle.com had a fashion parade – which was GREAT (even with those poor teeny weeny malnourished models – seriously, I just wanted to take them aside and say “Have a crumpet and a cuppa before you CUT yourself on your own bones, dearie!).  Seeing clothes In Real Life is so much better than peering at a pattern on a screen…

"Judy" skirt - pattern from BurdaStyle.com

"Judy" skirt - pattern from BurdaStyle.com

Paola wrap dress pattern from BurdaStyle.com

Paola wrap dress pattern from BurdaStyle.com

These were two of the patterns paraded – seriously gorgeous and made me determined to get sewing on some soon!

Another fashion parade featured garments from Wardrobe ReFashion – I was pleased to see the mob of shcool kids watching the show tooks HEAPS of pics of those!

We also met Justine (The other force behind Mixtape zine – it’s very cool, now I can see why people were excited every time the new issue comes out!) in blog alley – a row of indie/bloggers with their products which along with the fashion shows wsas really the highlight of the event for me.

scanned-mags

We hadn’t seen  peppermint magazine before either – not that I’ve had a chance to read it yet!

I couldn’t resist a couple of patterns from the very clever Pauline of Funky Friends Factory – seriously, how cute is Kiki the Koala? These patterns were all designed to be baby safe, are made of snuggly polar fleece, and I had a great deal of trouble giving back the rhino toy, he was so cuddly…

Sue got some GREAT organic cotton jersey hand printed fabric from Thea and Sami, which I’m sure she’ll show you when it’s made up!

sue-and-stuff

I was worried given the sparse offerings that my two absolute MUST STOP retailers wouldn’t be there – but they came through for me, Yay!!  I always need more scissors  – this time I needed to replace my thread snips, so we had to stop at  Scissorman.  I bought some lovely curved blade snips and a little brush-tipped bottle of oil – gotta have the right tools for the job!(Onya, Trevor!)

And my other MUST visit is of course Stephanie at Can Do Books and Perpetual Patterns.  I knew I wanted at least one pattern – and I got the Liberty Shirt from The Sewing Workshop.  I already have fabric in my stash – I just  need to trace the pattern out and get going…

Then into town across the bridge (slap upside the head to IDIOT Caity – MORE THAN ONE PAIR OF SHOES next time, OKAY?!) and over to Borders bookshop.  Another delightful Canberra pal (I miss you guys!) organised a book voucher for me at Borders, knowing that this was the one day I had access to a big bookshop.  It took me aaaaaaaaaages but I finally decided on two FABULOUS books:

nineteenth-fashionworld-fashion

and one just for fun – the EXTREMELY silly “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.”

Braaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinsssss

Braaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinsssss

Then Sue and I window shopped for while before going out for dinner – we had the NICEST meal at San Marco’s, overlooking the river. Then eventually to bed.. and more shopping (mostly of the window type!) on Saturday before heading home.  We did stop in at Gardam’s  (fabric heaven!)new location but no fabrics really grabbed us – then to Sckaffs fabrics at Indoorapilly, plus a good look round a lot of other shops there.

And by about 3 pm we were totally shopped out – and I came home and went  to bed for a coupla days!

There is more (and I’m sure I’ve missed out stuff I wanted to show you) but I am too tired…. ttyl!

ONE MORE SLEEP!

April 30, 2009 in Friends, Health, Vanity by Caitlin | Comments

Yep. Just one more sleep to go and then Sue and I are headed to BRISVEGAS, baby!

Friday AND Saturday -  so not only will we be going to the Stitches and Craft Show, we might also do a bit of shopping and checking out fabric stores… honestly, I’m so excited about this trip away!!

Not least because for the first time IN A VERY LONG TIME, I might be able to try on some clothes.

shopping-taipei-life-magazine

Yeah, you heard me – NEW CLOTHES!!  Even though I have been quite crook this week with swelly belly (?endometriosis returning? Seems VERY likely given symptoms and duration – off to see the specialist again soon) the dietician assures me that I have lost another couple of centimetres from my waist.  My (normal, not fat chick sizes!) size 18 jeans are falling down on me.  Obviously, I’m a different size and shape to where I was last winter!

I’m not planning on BUYING any clothes, mind you – not financial enough for that! – but just being able to try on different shaped things will be awesome.  There are things like tunics that I would love to make but I need to know first if they look ok on me – same with dresses.  It’s a lot of work to sew something and then decide you HATE the style!

But more than the shopping – I’m super excited about the inspiration I know I’ll get from the show.  I hope to meet Nikkishell (from Wardrobe Refashion and Burda Style) and buy some clothing patterns from Stephanie at Can Do Books and Perpetual Patterns… and I’m looking forward to the fashion shows and the teacosy exhbition and  – well, EVERYTHING!

get-excited

I will, I will!!

(Meantime, here’s something else I am super inspired by – from another shop I wish I could afford.

bustle-white-back

In fact, if I had money I would buy one of EVERYTHING from Clothkits… meantime I have a panel of this fabulous Olivia fabric that I am dying to give the same lining-and-bustling treatment!

Some YAYness! And some thoughts…

April 25, 2009 in Health, Vanity, Weight Loss by Caitlin | Comments

So after 12 months of feeling guilty about not keeping up my food diary as well as I should; 12 months of (pretty much) weekly weigh-ins; and hearing the same info nearly every visit….today (Thursday when I started writing this)was my penultimate visit with the dietician.  I had my end of program medical on Tuesday…the doctor (also my GP which is handy) was VERY pleased.

Me? I’m a bit … meh.

Until – it actually hits me that:

  • losing 16.5% of starting weight is considered a BIG success in weight loss terms (5- 10% is considered enough to be significant for health)
  • Instead of having blood pressure in the “OMG MEDICATION NOW!!” range ( I was on 16 mg candesartan a day) – my BP is now on the low side (110/70).
  • The last blood tests I had done showed that I’m still getting fat OUT of my liver  – a huge benefit, and one that only comes from exercise…
  • In the last year I’ve lost *deep breath* THIRTY CENTIMETRES OFF MY WAIST AND NINETEEN CENTIMETRES OFF MY HIPS.
  • (for those  non-metric readers I’ll say that again: 12″ from the waist, 7.6″ from the hips.)
  • I’m  (mostly) enjoying going to the gym now – I would have laughed if you’d predicted that a year ago.
  • and let’s not forget that I had major surgery in  August last year – only  8 months ago.

Do I look like this?

skinny

DEFINITELY NOT!!

Do I want to? On my more irrational days I have moments of thinking I’d like to be THIS THIN (size 6? or smaller?)  just for a little while, just to see what it’s like… then reality hits me upside the head, reminding me that I am FAR too enamoured of pastries, banana muffins, and cheese for this to EVER happen.  Not to mention – there’s no MUSCLE on those skin and bones, is there?  Ewwww!!

(Please go read the excellent post that brought this picture to my attention, on Spring Girl’s blog, Healthy from 25 to 100)

(And here’s Mia’s take on the same photo)

Well, if not the super skinny model above, who DO I want to look like, as I lose weight and as I get fitter, leaner, stronger?  No one immediately springs to mind – I’m not aiming to look like Jennifer Anniston, or Madonna, or  whoever… I just want to NOT WOBBLE.  And yeah,  B-cup boobs would be ACE, thanks very much.  Nicely defined arms, and a tummy that didn’t embarrass me, yep.

Is that enough of a goal?

Sometimes.  Other times (like whenever I have to walk past a BAKERY) it takes more willpower than I have to remember that I might as well just smear those pastries on my tummy, not even bother eating them, because that’s exactly where they’ll end up.  And do you KNOW how long it takes on the treadmill to walk off the 292 calories in this?

escargot

HOURS. And HOURS.

(note: picture nicked online.  I don’t actually have one of those yummy scrummy custardy sultana-y cool pastries flakily awaiting me in the house. I haven’t bought one in at least a month…)

*sigh* I need something tattooed on my wrist to remind me of this, I swear.  Maybe just “REALLY?” would do it.  Or a small script version of “An instant on the lips…”

(And please don’t tell me not to walk past bakeries.  They’re insidious. Bloody things are everywhere, LURKING. Don’t even get me started on coffee shops…)

Ahem.  My rationality obviously left the building for a while there….

I missed Ki Max class on Friday – swelly belly struck me down yet again.  I’m hoping that it will settle down again and it’s NOT a return of the endometriosis – that would be very annoying.

But even when I miss classes, at least I’m still getting to the gym regularly.  Step class tomorrow – yay!

and now – boringly – I’m off back to bed.  Ciao!

I am a big fat WUSS.

April 17, 2009 in Family, Mental Health by Caitlin | Comments

I couldn’t do it.  I just couldn’t make myself go to the 18 year old’s funeral.

Excuses included: my bones ache; I’m too exhausted; it’s about to rain (and the church is never going to fit in all the people who will attend); and the ever popular tantrum cry of “I DON’T WANNA.”

The real reasons I didn’t go include: the last funeral I attended was my sister’s.  And somehow, I’m still not ready to see someone else’s siblings and parents grieving.

Also, I’m a wuss.  When his parents asked everyone to “Please wear bright colours to celebrate his life” I had to fight back tears and a ginormous lump in my throat.

I’ll send a card, but I just couldn’t do the funeral.  Does that make a selfish bitch?

For the want of a zipper… and rabbits next door

April 15, 2009 in Gym, Other Sewing Projects, The Neighbours by Caitlin | Comments

… my dress sewing has stopped tonight.  I can’t find my camera (hopefully when the TeaBot 5000 reads this post he’ll remember where I put it, LOL!) to show you progress, but apart from the zipper and binding the neck and armholes and doing the hem, it’s done.4505

Simplicity 4505 is long out of print, which is a shame, since it’s a useful pattern, with a jacket, dress, skirt, and pants all in the one envelope.  No linings though, and  I couldn’t be bothered THINKING about linings, so the dress is unlined.

(photo will go here when the camera is found!)

I perhaps should have made a full pattern and tried to match the pattern in the fabric a little (naaah, this ain’t couture!) and I think if I bother to do this one again, a slightly heavier fabric would be better than the 100% cotton I used in this version.

I cut out a 22… but cheated on the seams at the waist and managed to squeeeeeeeeeze enough out to fit in my waist (groan mutter curse curse) It’s okay… not as good a fit as I’d perhaps like, but hey, it’s fabric that was $5 per metre from Spodshite, it’ll do.

In other news….

I got to gym last night for cardio + Pilates, then again this morning for BodyStep.  Managed to do more of the class actually using the step today.  Yay me, huh?!  Tomorrow: cardio + Oxigeno (love those functional movement and stretching classes!).  That’s provided the neighbours let me sleep…

You see, we live in a worker’s cottage.  And very close next door is what started out as an identical worker’s cottage.   So the floor plans are exactly the same in both wee houses.  Which means that THEIR loungeroom? Is about 5 feet from our bedroom.  (Don’t even get me started on uncorrected property boundaries, grrr!)

Not soooo bad when all they’re doing is watching (violent, noisy) movies late into the night. Up until about, say , midnight, I don’t care, I’m usually awake anyway.  But combine the loud action flick with even louder sex?  That becomes less tolerable.

The straw that broke this poor old camel’s back, though, was that that decided to DO IT with the lounge (sofa) jammed up against the outside wall of their house.  5 feet from our bedroom and RESONANT.  And they’re young, so they go at it like rabbits.  HYPERACTIVE RABBITS.

"Wait wait! I think I've got a hare in my throat!"

"Wait wait! I think I've got a hare in my throat!"

Bang a bang a banga banga bangabangabangabanga ooooooooohhhhhh bangabangabanga banga YES!  OH YES! bangabangabanga….

This went on until 4 am.

When I overslept the alarm this morning and had to rush to get to the gym, I mentioned that the neighbour’s shagging had kept me awake.  Various suggestions on how to deal with the problem were made:

  • Ask loudly “Is that IT?”
  • Join in the over-the-top moaning
  • Play baaaaaaaaaad 1970s European (*wink wink*) film soundtracks: Chicka booowwwww!

All good – but not as funny as the song that appeared as track 5 or so in the BodyStep Workout: Yep, Acka Dacka’s “YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG”

sing along, everyone!

sing along, everyone!

I was laughing so hard I was nearly crying, and still trying to do the step class!

Ahhh, ya gotta laugh, eh?!

Anyone got any further suggestions?  Would a note saying “HI! We’re your neighbours! Would you mind moving the couch out from the wall when you have noisy fun?” be too much, do you think?