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MOVE!
I reckon every so often, you need to MOVE. (Not just your body – although please, please PLEASE let the Oroxine work and me stop being such a slug!)
No, I mean, a MOVE. Where things get sorted out and clutter gets thrown, and you get to actually organise and start fresh.
- tackorama.net
So – I’m packing (virtual) boxes, loading them into my (virtual) car and caravan (so cute!) and moving. Stay tuned!
AHA! Went to the doctor today – my thyroid levels have gone quite wonky since my last lot of bloodwork. So – I get to start on yet another medicine (Oroxine) – which hopefully will help with the constant cold, dry skin, and generally feeling like a particularly lazy three toed sloth.
Our internet access is throttled so I’m spending a lot of time waiting for pages or mail to load (playing a lot of “mah jong” – it’s not mah jong at ALL, it’s like memory or patience or something, anyway…)
Did I mention that the Oroxine could well help with the thingummyjig? You know, the bit where my remembery isn’t working terribly well? Hmmm.
Must go now. Cold.
Also – new domain coming soon. Wheee?
Sorry if my words are a little indistinct – I’m talking to you whilst eating (dreadfully rude, I know!) HUMBLE PIE.
(Thankfully, not Umble pie – because, you know, the origin of that? The umbles were the guts of the beast. I don’t care if that is venison, beef, whatever – it’s still OFFAL PIE. And I do not eat offal, it’s awful… (And to further parenthesize that statement, the joke probably only works with a certain sort of accent) (and can you tell I just re-watched The Pirates of Penzance on the weekend?!) (how many parentheses does that make?))
Not that long ago (see post HERE and here…, because I forgot I’d already done a rant about the same topic) I was VERY dismissive of scrap-booking and scrap-bookers. I believe the question “where’s the creativity?” may even have been asked, in ALL CAPS yet.
ANYWAY.
Humble, humble, apologetic pie. Because I have been doing some surfing online and maaaaaaaaan! What I saw! Yes, there are a lot of people out there doing ho – hum – follow -*to the millimetre* – what - Simon – says (for “Simon” insert magazine/tutorial/teacher/whatever) – they’re not the ones I’m talking about. No, the really inspiring ones are people like Ali Edwards, Jen Fei-Fan Balzer, Dina Wakley…
And the TOYS! I want a Cricut Expression (with the design software, please and thank you), oh, sooooo much. (And not just for its possible use in ummmmm… pirate stencilling, *wink*).
And spray inks! and oh, the pretty pretty papers… and grungey papers… and rub ons (not as dirty as they sound, you feeeeelthy minded person, you!).
And then there’s the digital side.. which has opened my access to whollllllllllllllle ‘nother world, even if I am still at the stage where I like to play with the images on the computer screen but then print and hand colour and cut and paste (nothing wrong with hybrid stuff - – I mean, have you SEEN Marsha’s work? She makes beautiful wonderful art… and so does CD Muckosky - and so do many others, I’m sure).
And it’s not all expensive stuff – check out this tutorial (which I haven’t watched because our internet is throttled, arrrgh!)
Apart from the fact that ‘they’ tend to work on 12×12 pages, and generally use a few more photos than I do (although THAT will be changing, I’m taking LK’s Point and Shoot Journalling class in just over a week!) – where is the difference between what ‘they’ are doing and what I’m calling art journals?
Not a whole lot. I tend to use more handwritten text but even that’s not a distinguishing factor. So do ‘they’. So – (as I take another slice of humble pie) – I was WRONG.
WRONG WRONG WRONG.
Sorry.
SO what IS the difference, can anyone enlighten me? Between – hmmm, let’s call it ‘liberated scrap-booking’ (and hope no one else has already called something that!) and art journals – WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
“]![[click for big - be warned, LARGE so you can read if you want]](http://caityquilter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Sept-20-prompt-201x300.jpg "Sept 20 prompt")
![[click for big - be warned, LARGE so you can read if you want]](http://caityquilter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Sept-20-prompt.jpg "Sept 20 prompt")
[click for big - be warned, LARGE so you can read if you want
Nope, not a sepia tint – this is really how it looks outside right now!
[clicky for big on these images]
The air is full of dust. Super fine red grit is all over everything. And it tastes… dusty. We’re both snuffling and sneezing and my eyes are watering (it’s going to be a day when I use a LOT of my eyedrops – I have chronically dry eyes anyway, so with dust in them? BLEAGGH!) Planes have been diverted from Sydney to Brisbane (! ) and Brisbane planes are waiting for the dust to clear.
I’m going to be hiding in bed, possibly with my CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine running – it has good filters and the humidifier really helps – I can feel my chest getting tight so I’m off to grab some ventolin (bronchodilator) . Hope everyone else is ok!
[clicky biggy, yada yada]
Yep, my memory… what was I saying?
A bit insular – behind tinted glasses (they’re those ones that go darker in the sun, but I won’t be buying them again – I think ordinary glasses plus sunglasses are better) and with my MP3 player blasting P!nk.
I was thinking about how most of my time is spent in the company of women … apart from Mr Beloved I have very few interactions with men. Most of my doctors are female; most of the shop assistants I talk to when I shop – the only men (apart from Mr Beloved!) I talk to on a regular basis are my Dad (on Sundays, during the weekly phone call) and the Butchers at the shops.
It’s not that I’m anti-men, there are many good blokes around. Just not that many around ME.
Most of the BOOKS I read are written by women. Most of the music I listen to is created by women. (Well, written/sung by , if not produced by.)
Ah, I’ve just thought of the exception: the radio. I listen to ABC Radio National a lot, and on there I’d hear more men that women, every day.
As I was thinking about this, Ricë wrote a post about men & art. I think I am stuck in a bit of an “all girl’s club” – but to be honest, I’m grateful to find people who ‘get’ me at all, regardless of how they identify.
Thing is – I’m not very good at people right now. Men OR Women. I’m feeling pretty vulnerable, tired, fragile, uncertain. Like if just one person comes along with a sharp pin that I might just explode – or maybe just sag away quietly, a soggy mess in the corner.
The visit to the gastroenterologist was… interesting. Let’s say that she and I have very different values. And because it was the first time we had dealt with each other, she didn’t really know (or take time to know) the back issues that got me here… ah well, I’ll take some of her advice, but I don’t think what she suggested is going to fix the problem. At least she’s sent me off with a form for more blood work in January.
Meantime, I keep plodding along…
So I’m doing this online thing with Kelly Kilmer and it’s AWESOME, a painting prompt, collage prompt, and journalling prompt every day. I think it’s really pushing me out of my comfort zone (layers of acrylic paint!) and yesterday I was happily painting the background when I saw this figure start to emerge.
(Be gentle, she’s not done yet, and I don’t normally paint – ummmm – recognisable things! )
What do you think? I’m not quite sure where she’s going next, why there’s a bird on her head, or what she’s doing but we’ll work it out.
And now my confession: I LOVE ALL THINGS HALLOWEEN-Y!!
There, I’ve said it.
It’s not a holiday we celebrate down under (sadly!) so the very few bits and bobs of Halloween stuff we get in the shops tend to be of the very low end, cheap-nylon-witch-hat-with-attached-purple-wig variety. (No disrespect intended to any cheap nylon witches.)
And alllll the arty blog girls are making AWESOME Halloween stuff – I mean, check out these bunnies who’ve decided that Bunnies aren’t just for Easter! And of course the SPOOKTACULAR stuff over at Cart Before the Horse (who BTW are having an awesome giveaway, go there now! Oh wait, DON’T, cos I want to win it! No, hang on, DO, because their stuff is WONDERFUL!).
Am I a lone Aussie in love with Halloween?
Loved
Stairs
I didn’t forget to take my 365 self portrait yesterday – I just didn’t have my computer. It had been getting a wee bit unstable, as these things do, so it was time to save all the data and do a “nuke & pave” – wipe the whole box clean and install a whole new Operating System. I must say, I LOVE LINUX MINT!! Super easy to manage, (I did the install by myself! Try doing THAT with a w1nd0ws OS!) and the price is awesome (FREE!). My computer is now back up to date and running faster – I just have to make time to trawl through all the backed up files and see what REALLY needs keeping.
And I’m very gradually learning how to do more things in GIMP – all the layers and brush tools and so on like ph0t0sh0p, but again – FREE!! We love that price!
Today I had a lovely shopping morning with BFF Sue – I only bought a couple of very necessary T-shirts, booooooorrrring! Oh, and a small pressie that I have to mail off tomorrow for a friend in Oregon. (Tee hee! I will show what it is once she has hers – it was so cute I had to buy one for myself, too!)
Off to the gastroenterologist this arvo. *shudder* Hope she can at least point me in the direction of some answers – I’m really tired of stomach/abdominal pain. Ugh.
Open the door and come in
[clicky biggy, obviously]
And finally for this post – a book recommendation. I’m a hyuuuuuuuuuge fan of Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody mysteries, but she’s getting on (both Elizabeth and Amelia!) and I dread there being no more new books. So I was delighted to read a new (to me) archaeological/mystery heroine – not the same as Amelia, no one ever could be, but quirky, completely in her time period ( I have been known to throw books at the wall for the sin of anachronism) and with delightful detail. Barbara Cleverly is possibly my favourite new find this year! I stayed up finishing the first book (Tomb Of Zeus) last night and started the second over breakfast this morning. I’m hoping this will be the start of a looooong series of Laetitia Talbot books!
(Barbara Cleverly also writes the Detective Joe Sandilands series, but I haven’t read any of those yet.)
Right, that’s about it from me, gotta go find where I’ve put the papers I need to take with me to the specialist…
He’s 70 today but in this photo he was still showroom shiny!
Look at that booful smile! Look at those chubby cheeks! Who’s got wuvvy curly hair, then! (You were a beautiful baby, Dad, who grew into a beautiful man, and I love ya!)
This was a postcard preview made by the studio photographer – on the back it has “Mrs Miller” and her address in Rozelle (A Sydney suburb they lived in , this would have been in 1940, and Granpa was probably already away at the war). Then the scrawl continues:
1 Colour Panel, 2 Sepia Panel 11/6
Fair hair
Blue eyes
apple green suit
collect Nov 9th
deposit 2/-
When Nana gave me this photo she told me that the “apple green suit” was her first bit of knitting. (She went on to become a PROLIFIC knitter!)
I don’t know if the colourised or bigger sepia versions of this picture even exist anymore. We weren’t a big family for having photos up – probably because Granpa and Dad both used slide film up until they mid 1980s. There are HUNDREDS of yellow boxes of slides sitting at Mum and Dad’s that need to be scanned and recorded (or tossed..) – again, I’m really ITCHING to get my hands on them, but I have to be patient!
(If nothing else, all those potential altered slide mounts! Wheeeeee! But do I really need any more clutter?)
I’m hanging out for some photos of us all from younger days – as my memory gets worse (and yes, I have booked the tests to attempt to quantify this) having pictures seems more important.
By the way, I’m taking a class next month on using photos in art journals – L.K. Ludwig’s Point and Shoot Journaling.
(Bugger – does journaling have ONE L or TWO? I can’t decide and the spellchecker is not helping.)
I’m all set for the class to start – just need to find a better alternative to “Clear spray paint” (I assume to seal the images once we’re done working on them?) because that stuff a) totally sucks for the environment and b) flares up my asthma. So does anyone have any suggestions for me, please?
So I’ve been thinking a lot about ephemera lately – finding it, and using it in my journals. When my Nana’s house was cleared out, I inherited many interesting things – this is one of my favourites that I only recently discovered in an envelope full of saved stamps:
The stamp dates from 1936 and celebrates the Centenary of (the State of) South Australia, where my grandfather was born (and coincidentally, where my brother now lives in the very small suburb of Granpa’s birthplace!
So I love the handwritten notation “This is news to me.”
I have no idea who wrote it but it makes me laugh.
My parents are currently cleaning out their house of many accumulated things and part of me want to go down there and RESCUE it all and bring it back here! HOW HOARDISH AND SILLY IS THAT?
(but look, you never know what cool stuff you might find….)
An action shot today! Yep, despite the low level migraine that’s been bothering me since early last night, I actually got some journalling done today. (Of course, if you wanna see JOURNALLING, you must go check out Teesha Moore’s most recent posts – I am in AWE, always, of her work.)
One of the things I do when I get into a period of slump and self doubt about my art (dare I even call it that?!) is re-read two fabulous books by Peter H. Reynolds: (Who now has a blog!)
Both are wonderful stories about overcoming your fear of creating – Vashti’s teacher gets her to just make a mark in art class… and her creativity leaps from there. And Ramon’s drawings are not to his satisfaction, but his sister treasures them and says it doesn’t matter what it was supposed to look like – it looks (x) ISH!
*sigh* Love that.
I’m off to make DOTS. (Speaking of which, you might also like to see Jude at Spirit Cloth’s exploration of dots – really beautiful textiles.)
Although it was previously thought that there were only two types of dirt: white dirt that shows on dark things, and dark dirt that shows on white things, recent experiments with sepia images proves that there is in fact another type – SUPER WHITE dirt that shows up on sepia.
(and hey look – all those books are right – the size of one’s hand IS just about the same as the size of one’s head! Useful to know to get proportions in drawing right…)
I fell asleep during the race this arvo. *sigh* I woke up just at the end of the last lap when Mr Beloved was shaking me “You’ll want to see this!” – poor Lowndesy was pipped at the post!! Never mind, we’ve got Monza to look forward to in a couple of hours – and LEWIS is on pole!! WOOOHOOOO!
I’m sure most of that was gibberish to most of you, never mind, I will find other things to tell you.
Ummmmmmmm…..
Not so much going on with the art of late… I really should go up and paint now, instead of hanging about down here online. It’s just that there is there rest of an utterly DELECTABLE rice pudding upstairs, and I am weak…. if I go near it, I’m sure another bowlful will mysteriously disappear…
Nope, I will be strong. I need to go play with paint!
Playing with settings on the camera. I like sepia.
Another day where I was so exhausted and in so much pain I went back to bed at 4 pm and just stayed there til 9 pm.
Ugh.
Couldn’t even READ.
Tomorrow has to be better, if only because I want to watch the V8 supercars in the first of the enduro races…
(and a postscript: scrolling back through previous posts, I was amused by the similarity of these two images:
4 (turning 5) and 41. Scary!
Yeah, it’s not going to win me any photographic awards, but I kinda like the dark foreground. Me and Miss Kit Tern this arvo.
Also today – The Story Of The Printer. Which Mr Beloved is writing up has written and he tells is much better than I do – I shall just say KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! And don’t buy a Kodak ESP-3 All in One multifunction printer. They suck.
For the purposes of where Mr Beloved originally sent the story, Caity is referred to as The Evil Vicar’s Wife (TEVW) and Mr Beloved is known as The Goat or as The Irreverent Mr Black.
Probably best not to ask why….
It came to pass, in those days, that TEVW did purchase a new printer for her photography and fiddly stuff, and behold, it was made by the Yellow Box Photo Stuff People. Here is its likeness.
(image: http://photography-mag.com)
It printeth not upon the square, and its rectangles were sort-of trapezoids with some curvature. Lo, its suckage was great. TEVW looketh upon the sites and forums, and crieth: “Bugger. Lots of people are having trouble with these. I shall send it back for a refund”.She calleth upon the Children of Off-Us-Jerks. Verily, they sendeth her on telephone tag round their encampment, even unto the whole goddamn twelve tribes, until her call pitcheth forth at the tent of Tech Guy.
“Alas, O Tech Guy. My printer functioneth not as a printer, but melteth my images as if the demon Salvador Dali tormenteth it. This is a curse upon its kind, as written in the chronicles of the prophet Intarwub, and I wish to get my shekels back.”
The Tech Guy maketh the sound of the Hrumph, and reciteth he from a scroll by the phone, saying: “We refundeth not, nor giveth we credit. No, there are no exceptions to this rule, and we don’t care nyah nyah nyah. We sendeth thy piddly little piece of equipment to its makers beyond the sea and they fixeth it, for no fault attacheth to us and it is all out of our teflon-coated hands, so there.”
TEVW saith, “But surely the Fair Trading Act 1989, Section 40…”
But behold, he cutteth her off, saying that there are no exceptions to policy.
A certain Goat was close by, and heareth the woe of TEVW. He waxed, both wroth and the tips of his straggly moustache.
He strideth to the phone, and dialleth the tribe of Jerks, specifically Off-Us. His tone was as honey, and his pronunciation was as precise as an old-time ABC newsreader, for a very angry Goat must constantly remember to be polite.
“Good morrow, entry-level staffer. I am sorry, but I must speak with a manager, as our last call has been largely disappointing.” (words have been changed for archaic effect, but the tone is similar.)
And in due time, cometh the manager to the telephone.
The Goat, who was Black, recited the Litany Of Crappy Results, and brought the tidings that the tribe of ESP-3 was cursed by the peoples of Forum.
“We expected a printer”, he saith. “A distorter of images was not what we paid for.”
And lo, the Manager beginneth to read from the Scroll Of Store Policy.
Quoth the Goat: “Does the policy override Consumer Law, or is it the other way? Please remind me as I am a very forgetful Goat, and would not like to need to ask the Office Of Fair Trading which was more powerful.”
And behold, the Manager’s eyes were opened. Fucking wide.
And so it was that a refund was issued.
The moral of today’s sermon is to know your consumer rights. How the hell it is, that a store can have a “policy” which encourages staff to flout the law, and can continue to promote such a policy, is a mystery which is not to be unravelled this side of the grave.
(Note: Good service was given at the same store, and many of its staff are great help. It’s the policy that sucks donkey-spheres.)
So there you have it. Good Triumphed over Evil and they All Lived Happily Ever After. What more could you want from a story?
I had zero zip nada energy today. In fact, at one point Mr Beloved brought me in a cuppa and a bikkie in the hope it would wake me up. I woke up several hours later with a cold cuppa on the table beside me and a shortbread with one bite taken out of it in my hand…
THIS IS NOT NORMAL!!
But NOT HAPPY, Telstra!
*sigh*
Not much to say tonight, have a picture or two:
5 of 365
Tuesday morning she was woolly…
And then in the afternoon she came home looking much more svelte! Here she is today:
and of course now it’s supposed to be only 8 overnight (C, that is!46.4 F) so we had to dig out a jumper (sweater) for her.
Connie was Not Amused.
“These are NOT MY HAPPY EARS!”
Hiall,writing this from a kiosk( and trying not to breathe since the man nexttomehasa VERY different idea of personal hygienetomine…) and the spacebaronly workssometimes..
Ourphone line at homeisdown. Grrrr bloody telstrainfastructure,this happensevery time wegetmorethan about3mm ofrain…. sono phone andNO INTERNETforgoodnessknows how long.
ARRGH!
Me, early-ish this morning. I have Big Plans for today – yep, we’re going out. To the shops. To buy food.
Yay?
Say WHAT? So, now not only are we likely to be treated in hospital for emergency care by some poor bugger who’s been up for 72 hours, they’ll be jittery on caffeine as well? Oh please tell me that this is someone’s idea of a joke… not more doctors, shorter shifts, nooooo, MORE DRUGS, that’s the answer! Why not just give them those Sooper Sekrit combat drugs that I’m sure various armies have developed and let them go until they COLLAPSE IN A SCREAMING JIBBERING HEAP, huh, Queensland Dept of Health?
You know, I’ve been pretty lucky with health care – touch wood – I’ve been able to go to hospital when I needed to. And when I’ve been there, I’ve had excellent care. But WHY would anyone WANT to be a doctor, knowing these are the conditions you will be forced to work under, at least while you complete the hospital part of your training? Is there ANY other profession that treats (ha!) people like this?
I am shaking my head in wonderment.
And considering not reading the news anymore, it’s just FREAKIN’ ME OUT.
3 of 365 – not something that needed hospital care, just a slight burn to my inner right arm from hugging a hot water bottle.
I started re-reading (for the gazillionth time) The Princess Bride. (And you know, I can’t decide if the book is better than the movie, they’re both awesome.)
Then when I got downstairs this morning, I saw this in the news feeds:
RODENTS OF UNUSUAL SIZE, anyone?!
(yes, I know there are much bigger rodents around the world. But sheesh, work with me here, ok?)
(Also – FANGED FROGS? How freakin’ cool is that? In a creepy, gawd I don’t ever want to meet one unexpectedly kinda way. Obviously.)
[click if you want to read it]
The journal prompt was “Who in your life talks too much?”
My answer – me. ARRRGH!
Do you think my journal pages are improving?
My tonsils are spotty and I am having a bad fibro flare up – I think I’ll be having another bed day today.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
(This was taken in May when I was in Wagga for a visit. Isn’t this vehicle cool? It’s a miniature version of Dad’s vintage car – a 1925 British Leyland Trojan Ute – but this one is designed to run on the little railway at the botanical gardens.)
And here’s my brother, Gordy. His son is finishing high school this year!
Happy Father’s Day, Gordy!
And also a VERY HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO MR BELOVED, who hates being photographed, but is well loved by all the fur and feather kids!
And here’s day 2 of 365:
very attractive, non?
[click through only if you're brave]
For some reason unknown to me at this stage, I am going to take a photo of myself every day for a year, starting today.
So this is what I would look like RIGHT NOW if you could see through your screen all the way to me.
Scary, huh?
I have had sleep problems again – two nights with about 3 hours sleep each, then could not MOVE today. Symptoms of a flare up of the fibromyalgia (I now know that a full hour of Pilates class on Tuesday night was overdoing it. DAMN!)
I have made no art for 2 days.
Also, on Thursday I went to the first Sewing Guild meeting for The Darling Gowns group. Sue did a wonderful job getting this organised and leading the discussion about what we members wanted to do as a group. But as usual, I talked too damn much (arrrgh!) and talked OVER people… it’s one of the worst things I do and it makes me cringe when I realise that I’ve done it. *shudder*
And it was just exhausting – being with people is great, but draining.
And then for some STUPID reason, channel 10 decided to run the finale of So You Think You Can Dance (USA) starting at nearly 11pm!! And you know I loves e some dance, I was determined to watch but sheesh! I was thrilled when Jeanine won ( even though I was dying to know, I didn’t let myself be spoilerised on the outcome!)
Here’s a journal page for ya:
[click if you wanna read it]
And that’s it from me today, folks. One cuppa nice hot milk and bed for me!
Oh, and PS – we had a storm last night and actually recorded 25mm of rain at the airport – which tends to be dryer than where we live, but anyhow – that’s the most rain we’ve had since… ummmmm…. well since I can’t remember when! (yes, I know, given my poor memory that doesn’t mean much, but the dams are seriously low still and I think the Level 5 water restrictions are pretty much permanent.)
I was born into a country town full of Italian migrants and their children. I remember using Italian words for naming things with the other kids at preschool there.
The next language I fell in love with was Spanish – thanks to Sesame Street. I told my kindergarten teacher I could SPEAK SPANISH!! which I’m sure must have amused everyone in the staff room.
In High School I studied German.
At university I studied Japanese.
These days, I’m learning poodle.
BUT – I’d really like to learn Spanish. My Mother’s Mother spoke Spanish, I think – (I know very little about Rosita); and my Father’s Father studied Latin at university and then later in life studied and was fluent in German, Italian, and Spanish.
I was making a journal page about all this (pardon for the crappy photo, that’ll teach me to make art bigger than my scanner, eh?!)
[click for big, but the handwriting in ink is just about illegible]
So I’m writing away about my memories of my Grandfather and how I can use the materials I inherited from him to teach myself Spanish, when all of a sudden a dream TUMBLED OUT onto the page:
“…one day I will follow the hummingbirds from Mexico to North America and I will call them ‘Joyas Voladores’ – flying jewels.”
So I’m sitting at the kitchen art table with tears dripping off the end of my nose thinking “I didn’t know I cared about it that much!”
Maaaan this journaling thing is SNEAKY!
And the second, yet! Sheesh!
This month:
- my Dad will have his 70th birthday
- it will be the first time his Mum, my Nana, hasn’t been here for that (or for her birthday a week later)
- I am trying to will journal more every day
- I will sew at least one garment
- I will get to all 4 Pilates classes this month and at least 2 other gym sessions each week
- I am going to the first ever meeting of a new chapter of the Australian Sewing Guild - “The Darling Gowns” group meets tomorrow - (it’s called that because geographically we are on the Darling Downs – clever, huh!) led by the talented Sue .
- I am seeing a new gastroenterology specialist (new to me, not new to the specialisation)
I’m sure there’s more but that’s not a bad start.
I went to Pilates class last night for the first time in 8 weeks – maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan! What a GREAT stretch out that was! I’m sore as anything this morning, couldn’t do an early morning training session, but will go in later even if it’s just to walk on the treadmill. Has anyone else ever tried Pilates floor classes? Did you get a lot of relief from aches and pains?
It’s quite cool this morning – August was HOT HOT HOT and now “Spring” (reckoned by the calendar, not by any actual reference to the way seasons work in Australia) is here we’ve had big feather down quilt-a blanket-another handmade quilt- and a hot water bottle as well as my winter jarmies nights. Brrr!
No pic today – I have been slack about using the camera of late!
[clicky et cetera]
No photoshopping – the sky really was that blue!
and I didn’t know it!
But today I was in another scrapbooking store (souffle pens!) while Hill$ong crappy charismatic creepiness blasted from the store stereo. That was ok, I could block it out by humming my favourite Lily Allen track (”Fuck you.. fuck you very very muu-uu-uuu-uch…”).
But what intrigued and frightened me was the group of women sitting around a table all with identical pieces of various papers while the teacher drill sergeant said things like “And now we are going to take our 8 cm square of green paper and stick it exactly one inch from the bottom left corner” and the women responding with worried tones: “Have I got this right? Is this ok?”
I would have told her exactly where she could stick her square of paper, I would. This class was obviously for beginners, ok, but it was doing NOTHING towards raising these women’s confidence or belief in their own right to make decisions! ARRRRGH!
Please note – I’m not (totally) anti-scrapbooking. I love the toys in those shops, love the huge variety of coloured papers and printed papers and rub ons and stamps, and the PENS, OMG the pens, I loves me a good pen, who doesn’t? I am THRILLED that scrapbooking stores are around not least because there are such limited options for buying other art supplies locally.
But – WHERE’S THE CREATIVITY? WHERE’S the EMPOWERMENT that making something YOUR OWN brings?
In the last few posts I have shown you my visual journal – and you can see that I have been learning from other people’s styles. I am so excited at the prospect of learning more, of getting the INPUT I crave. But I don’t ever want to just make something exactly the same as anyone else (let alone as the other 6 women at the table (”Now post your cropped photo of your schoolchild 5 inches from the right of the page…”)
Look, I know you’ve seen (heard?!) this rant before, and I’m sorry, you’ll probably hear it again… but if we are not here to be INDIVIDUALS and find meaning in our own lives – then why are we here at all?
(To see where the thoughtless copying mindset leads, have a squiz at “you thought we wouldn’t notice”, a blog highlighting laziness amongst “creatives” … and see also this post from the (hugely talented and inspiring) Marsha at Tumblefish Studio. )
(apologies for the somewhat blurry text – getting to the end of this book and I really should have propped up the low side on the scanner!)
At least it’s different
a boring page….
Mexican turquoise pic from a back issue of the Smithsonian (another wonderful subscription I had to let go…)
[you know how to see it bigger.]
One of my favourites from the old portfolio:
[click big, yada yada...]
We are about to have our internet access throttled (aaccck!) because SOMEONE was a bit naughty and looked at lots and lots of bandwidth munching art sites this month, didn’t they CAITY?!
(At least they just reduce the speed, they don’t let us keep going and then send a bill for excess use like some (coughb1gp0ndcough) providers.)
I am getting STUCK in my visual journal – too much same same, you know? I really need to get into some online classes and LEARN STUFF!! (cheaper than books and you get feedback straight away – I ? technology!)
[bigger if you click]
Got the new printer hooked up today (yay!) but sadly, it has no drivers to make it run on Linux OSs. Bummer! Luckily we keep a Windows box around for just such things – my embroidery machine software and Electric Quilt programme also need the infernal Windows. (Don’t tell me to get a Mac, please – they are NOT for povs! $$$$!! And Linux is open source and FREE.)
Also dug out the little photo printer but discovered that leaving the ink cartridge in it for (la la la!) years doesn’t do it much good. Still, when life hands you lemons, make margaritas:
Only half the nozzles on the inkjets worked – but I am going to pretend I MEANT that to happen so I could alter/add to these postcard size prints anyway. Yep! (I’m hoping that when the new cartridge goes in things will right themselves – if not, I’ll have to do some opening and tinkering – good thing it’s well out of warranty, eh?)
The weather has turned cooler this evening – supposed to only be 8 C (brrr!) overnight. Yes, I know when I ived in Canberra, it was a good winter day when it got UP to 8 sometimes! But I’m spoilt living here. The weekend is supposed to bring more heat again.
OK, that’s it for now… things might be slow with only limited access here til midnight on the 2nd!
Mid afternoon, Mr Beloved returned to The Room Of Migrainous Hell (aka the bedroom) looking pale and shaky.
“What’s wrong”? I asked, ever perceptive, even in my tortured state.
He held his hands apart about 1.5 metres.
“Brown. Back of shed. I dropped some wood and saw it slither past….”
We’re not sure if it was an Eastern Brown, King Brown, or some other (venomous) snake – but as Mr Beloved says, they’re all part of the genus ahgettawayfromme.
Yep – no more winter in Toowoomba, this year Mother Nature has jumped right past Spring to Summer! There are already bushfires and today was around the 30C mark again (that’s 86 F for you furriners) and it’s supposed to only drop to 17C / 63 F overnight.
[click for big]
Done at the same time as “Scared of Numbers” , watercolour, ink, and pearlescent ink on old history textbook page.
I didn’t get to watch the V8 races after all – I had a migraine that saw me cowering in the dark bedroom for most of the day. Bugger! Off to take more aspro to try and keep it down to a dull roar (I can’t take other anti- migraine medicine becuase of other drugs I have to take. Sucks, eh?)
So I was reading Michelle Ward’s blog earlier and she had an image of these AWESOME stamps from Stampotique, by an artist new to me. Daniel Torrente’s style really spoke to me – possibly because of the sunken eyes and scratchy lines being exactly how I’m feeling right now. (grrrrrr.)
So as I was listening to the race (vroooooooom….) I started making little scratchy sketches.
[usual deal - click images to see bigger]
And then some more characters came out of the pen. (I drew a self portrait of myself as an anorexic, too, but that was just so disturbing on so many levels I shouldn’t have even mentioned it….)
Now that I look at those stamps again I’m pleased that they AREN’T really copies of his style. (For a start, mine are nowhere near as detailed or as good!) but they have definitely come from the Danny Elfman/Tim Burton/Tracy Moore zettiology/ Scott Radke’s awesome puppets/ freaky goth kinda headspace… I really want to work on more of these.
(Technical details, as if anyone is interested: Lamy fountain pen with EF nib; Noodler’s walnut ink, on al cheapo A5 visual diary paper.)
(also – note to self – get the green paint splodge off the scanner screen, sheesh!)
What do you think?
Another stressful Friday night as the DICKHEAD across the creek thinks he can play music as loud as he wants any time he wants because he’s in “an industrial unit”.
Um, no, he can’t.
Unfortunately, no one in authority want to take responsibility – is it a council/police/EPA/? problem? They’re all buck passing and meanwhile we hear “The Best of the ’80s” DOOMPHING through our bedroom….
Much more to the story but suffice to say: we are both incredibly tired and stressed and grumpy.
I am probably not even going to watch the V8 supercars race and it’s the Queensland Raceway meet… so you KNOW I’m feeling unhappy!
[clicky to see biggy]
This is “The Icon of Saint Robota”.
Ink, watercolours, acrylic inks on an old spelling list page.
(I inherited a LOT of school textbooks from my grandfather. I like painting on pages that are not blank. I think my artist’s statement at the time I had to present this in a portfolio was more eloquent, but that’s what it boiled down to.)
We have wooden floorboards in our house, and our house needs restumping (bloody termites!) so the floors tend to MOVE when we walk around. Normally that’s not an issue – but over time, things perched precariously on top of other things (ahem!) tend to get closer and closer to the edge until….
CRRRRRRRRASSSSSSSSSSH!
SQUAAAAAAAAARK! EEEEEEK! Help!
Poor Mr Beloved was ATTACKED by a falling clump of THINGS this afternoon. NOT a good thing for my poor PTSD sweetie…
Anyway, the fallen objects included an A3 cardboard portfolio, which turned out to contain some art works I had made in… ummm… 2005 or 2006, I don’t have a date on any of them.
And I was pleasantly surprised! OMG, I LIKE THESE! I drew these AND I REALLY REALLY LIKE THEM!! I’m not as hopeless at this as I thought! And I had completely forgotten they even existed.
So, if you’d like to see them, I’ll post a few. Here’s the first one out of the envelope:
[click to see image larger]
Watercolour, ink, on old text book page.
ARRGH! I have LOST an issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine and I MUST FIND IT!! It’s soooooooooo frustrating – I have every .single. other. issue and there is stuff I HAVE to re-read RIGHT NOW in issue #15 and I have been looking for it for days. ALL WEEK, in fact.
I have looked through all my nests. (This is what Mr Beloved calls the accumulations of STUFF that appear around me when I get interested in something… my armchair and my bedside table are permanent nests.)
I have shaken out every magazine on the bookshelves in case this issue somehow got tangled inside another one. I have pushed and pulled at books in case the magazine had slipped behind a larger volume.
I have looked in the sewing room, under the kitchen table, under the sofa, behind the tv.
I have found MANY MANY places where this magazine ISN’T.
I have found the instruction sheet for the washing machine (the powder is meant to go WHERE?), many old envelopes (pre-paid – I wonder if Australia post will still honour them?) and where the missing reams of printer paper have been hiding.
I have found several older journals with only a few pages used up. (It’s hereditary – my grandfather was just the same, he’d use up three or four pages of a writing pad and then start a new one. 10 years after his death, my parents and I are still using up his writing pads. I particularly like the ones which have aged to a yellow or brown, it’s a very nice patina to them.)
BUT I HAVE NOT FOUND CPS 15!!
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!
[bigger image if you click]
I had just cut the word “clone” out of an old (2003 – can I hoard or WHAT?!) magazine, and as a result of my (ahem!) Studio Practice, A Serendipitous Event Occurred. (Or in non art-wank terms – I work messy, and stuff falls on other stuff.) When it landed on the stamped image it just had to stay – I mean, a stamp is a CLONE, yes? Even when it’s a very cool stamp.
And then while I was thinking about stamps, I noticed that a damaged old stamp would fit really well on this page. (A stamp for a stamp, geddit? Oh, the subtlety!!)
Did I mention that I wandered into a local scrapbooking shop yesterday? Well, not quite wandered, since I had to stop the car and park, but it was a spontaneous decision. The first 10 minutes or so were overwhelming – so many shiny pretty things! But then once I’d got over my initial shock, it made me very sad.
Because there was all this “pre-made” stuff. This “copy this exactly and you’ll have ART” stuff. Now, before any keen scrappers jump down my throat, I’m sure there are LOTS of people who buy “scrapbooking” marketed stuff and make original art with it. I’ve bought scrapbooking papers to use too (mostly plain ones, I have to admit – the colour ranges are so HUGE!) BUT – that’s not what I’m talking ranting about here.
It’s like the quilters who want to make a quilt out of a magazine or pattern using EXACTLY THE SAME FABRICS in exactly the same positions as the picture.
I JUST DON’T GET IT! I mean, yes, I know all about lack of confidence in one’s own artistic judgement. I know all about feeling like I shouldn’t be using The Good Stuff when it’s “just” something I’m making. I have art heroes, people I am HUGELY inspired by, whose style I might even try to imitate…
BUT…
why use someone else’s art? I just don’t get that.
It may be weird but at least it’s mine….
Caity the Muddle-Headed: Darling, I’m looking for a book I’m pretty sure I own – The Creative License by Danny Gregory? About [this] big by [this] big? Paperback?
TeaBot5000™: (after brief rant in which he expresses frustration at being required to be The All Knowing Librarian, WHO ALWAYS has to shift books around, etc, all of which is true) Of course you can’t find it, you’re LOOKING for it. You’ll have to wait ’til it sneaks up on you.
CTMH: I know, I’ll go look on amazon and see if… AHA! I do own it, I ordered it in 2006!
TB: It may not have made it out of the bedroom yet sweetie.
CTMH: I must have cleaned the bedroom since 2006! SURELY!
TB: “Cleaned” is different from “Left the bedroom”, sweetie.
CTMH: Humph.
It turns our it HAD left the bedroom (ha!) And was having a lovely confab with ANOTHER book I’ve been trying to find:
They were huddled at the far corner of the bottom shelf of the bookcase behind the TV. You can’t tell me THAT wasn’t deliberate hiding, you bad books!
Oh, and I’m also re-reading Sabrina Ward Harrison’s Spilling Open: The Art of Becoming Yourself.
And noticing, yet again, that I have TOO MUCH STUFF. I wrapped one treasure last night in hand stamped brown paper, addressed it, and will take it to the post office on Monday morning with a bunch of partly used up booklets of stamps. (Apparently I thought about sending a lot of Christmas cards in 2005. Bought stamps and put them in a safe place…)
I’m thinking a lot more “deaccessioning” (isn’t that a great word for “getting out of the collection”?) is going to HAVE to happen. I’m still recovering from the LAST move – things are still in boxes, suitcases, unsorted piles of STUFF…after 5 years. ARRRGH!
[clicky biggy, yada yada]
Why yes, I have been looking at a lot of Teesha Moore’s work, she is awesome! (of course, this is just my very basic version inspired by her style – she is really one of the Goddesses of Art Journals…)
I’m also playing around with just making stuff that makes me HAPPY. Orange always makes me happy, it always has – I went through a phase in my early teen years where I wore the most amazing ORANGE tunic style shirt ALL THE TIME, it had a cowl neckline, a twisted cotton rope sash, and was hip length. I loved that top!
Yesterday I dragged out a box of other paper art/journal art stuff – found stamps (including a little date stamp – yay!) and all sorts of painted paper that I’d forgotten I’d made. And paper napkins and sequin waste and stencils I’d cut and one very sad stamp pad – the surface just DELAMINATED when I tried to use it – another timely reminder to USE YOUR STUFF!!
No makeup and bright sunlight… I’m good at ugly photos!!
VERY short (because 8 months of being white blonde, even with SHORT blonde hair, doesn’t leave you with much to work with) and I expect the colour to fade. Very easy to manage, though! (Ever noticed that the majority of post-menopausal women – ok “women of a certain age”, if you prefer – have short hair? It’s because they realise life is too damn short to worry about hairdryers!)
Meanwhile I’m making LOTS OF MESS up on the kitchen table. MESSMESSMESS! Lots of background-y, collage-y papers. I’m just playing with paints and having fun.
But now it’s nap time again – maaaaan this swine flu thing is a COW to kick!
Reluctantly, I am leaving the Happy Land of the Blonde.
I have enjoyed being blonde. It suits my skin tone. I like super white blonde hair.
BUT it costs too many $$ too often. *sigh*
Stay tuned – new hair tomorrow!
Peach Tree worm tree, useless for most of the year – but oh, the spring blossom!!
… if you’ll show me yours.
Here is my current workspace (sometimes known as the kitchen table) mid art journal page the other day:
[clicky for biggy, you really want to see some of this!]
I cannot create in a sterile space. I also find it very difficult to leave white space in my art. (An art teacher commented on this negatively – to which I replied “And which part of BIPOLAR DISORDER are you not understanding?”)
And there must be tea. Lots of tea.
So -how about you? Do you DARE show your workspace in full fling? And do you crave chaotic clutter to create, or seek serenity in your space? I personally subscribe to at least three of the Guiding Principles of the Institute of Backyard Studies:
- A big mess in the shed or the backyard is only a problem for those without a clue.
- Reticence, mumbling and disorganisation are the signs of a deep and enquiring mind.
- Good ideas are precious beyond rubies but if not shared freely are as useless as tits on a bull.
My art spaces and sewing piles are my “shed” . If you haven’t heard of the Institute before, do go and visit – make sure you check out the youtube of Hoke’s Random Excuse Generator working, it is a Thing Of Beauty.
And in further backyard news… we went and looked at chooks today!! Hoping to have the run built and the snake (and fox) proof wire costed within this fortnight…
At long last – yesterday was THE DAY for the solar hot water installation! We’ve had the unit and various boxes for SIX WEEKS but because of bad weather and then we were sick and then the installer was sick – well, it was THE DAY. Things didn’t start all that well – the Blokes arrived (having driven up from Brisbane) a bit after nine and discovered straight away that VITAL COMPONENTS WERE MISSING. Oh noes!
Boss Bloke got on the phone to the supplier. Did I mention the AGONY we had already gone through getting anything done with the supplier? Because our solar electricity panels were part of a government pilot program, we were assigned to a supplier who had won the government tender. Had we but known…
The supplier has been just AWFUL to deal with. At one point they even sent OUR information to another customer in Toowoomba (!!) and we received yet ANOTHER customer’s personal details – bad enough, right? But add in the phone calls never returned, the forms not sent, yada yada yada… Anyway, we had already ordered the solar hot water system at the same time (last NOVEMBER, can you believe it?!) as the solar electricity, well before we knew what a stuff up they would make of everything.
So we’ve got Offsider Bloke getting down to things and removing the old hot water heater (which we then discovered had been leaking for quite some time..) and removing Lino of Renovations Past and (aha!) mouldy newspapers from 1976. Which means our hot water heater was 33 years old – no WONDER it was getting sicker and sicker! They have a mean time to failure of about TEN years!
(Floor is actually still pretty solid – looks worse than it is, and needs a good drying out)
Outside, Boss Bloke is ranting (quite justifiably) at the supplier saying “Vital Parts… you do this to other tradies but you don’t bloody well do it to ME… get it HERE!” and being told that the part was leaving on a courier RIGHT THEN. (Which turned out to be a LIE on the part of the supplier – what a surprise, eh?)
Long story short – even after spending an hour for lunch and driving round various stores in Toowoomba, the tradies couldn’t get a replacement part. Obviously made of pure unobtainium, that bit. More angry phone calls, drama, etc… and tradies standing around doing NOTHING – which as you know, costs $$$.
I phoned the CEO of the supplier and had a rant. The courier still not here – a 90 minute trip had so far taken 6 hours, if we were to believe the supplier. Roadworks? Sure, there are roadworks on the Warrego Highway, but SIX HOURS? I DON’ THINK SO!!
Offsider Bloke is getting increasingly surly as the afternoon wears on… Boss Bloke is fuming but still chatting amicably some of the time… both Mr Beloved and I are EXHAUSTED from dealing with people in our space (and demanding people at that) all day… and at close to 5 pm the courier arrives!!! YAY!!!
Eventually we get the paperwork sorted, I’m out of pocket a HEAP extra (well, actually, Mum and Dad are in the long run, since they have kindly and generously offered to fund the solar hot water, *mwah* Mum and Dad!) that I am going after the Supplier for. The invoice from the installer notes that the extra impost is Due to delays caused by non-supply of parts, as discussed with CEO of Supplier.
Boss Bloke and Offsider Bloke finally get away at almost 6 pm. Mr Beloved and I manage to eat something (hooray for about to be out-of-date filled pasta on sale at the supermarket!) and end up in bed by 7:30 pm. (although Mr B gets up and does his computer and online stuff, which is Good For Him.)
At this point, I am VERY glad that Supplier is so stupid about record keeping and paperwork – you see, THEY HAVE YET TO BILL US FOR THE SOLAR HOT WATER UNIT. Which means that WE have the winning hand – and if we have to take them to small claims court it will still be worth our while. Because as I said to the CEO – I can’t afford to have had tradies standing around doing nothing . So he’s bloody well gonna wear that charge.
[See the solar panels? The one on the lower part of the roof is the new solar hot water one. As you can see, it's quite overcast today, so it will be interesting to see how much hot water we get. Fortunately the hot water heater also has an electric element and a pump, so we ALWAYS should have hot water...]
The late afternoon thrill was my very first sighting and identification (thanks to our venerable 1963 edition of Mr Cayley’s What Bird Is That?)of red browed finches in our yard!! I was lying in bed this morning just replaying the excitement when I realised I suddenly GOT IT – the thing that mad twitchers (birdwatchers) are about. I’m hoping that today I might be able to get a photo, you really have to see the RED on these teeny birds, and the way they are totally fearless about hopping around in front of you! (And I think I might have to treat myself to an updated bird book – this one tells me that the Latin name is Ægintha temporalis, but it’s now called Neochmia Temporalis.)
And this morning I also heard the wonderful “mooopmoopmoopmooop” call of the Tawny Frogmouth. Ahhh! Birdy bliss!
Well, It’s now 10 am, I better get my day started… before I go, here’s some other birdy news: our cockatiel hen, Bolly, is spending all her time in the nesting box, sitting on at least two eggs! She has yet to actually get eggs to hatch (although the last lot did appear to have chick embryos well formed before she gave up on them) but this could be the year we get baby birds…
[click to see a bigger image]
The writing says “I know I am losing my memory… But mostly I forget to worry about it.”
Think it might be a good one to show the psychologist tomorrow, yes?
Do you have ANY IDEA how frustrating it is to constantly read the word “Slip waxed paper in between the pages”… or variants thereof WHEN THERE IS NO WAXED PAPER TO BE HAD ANYWHERE?!!?
Seriously, every bookbinding/journaling technique I am reading now recommends this, and assumes it’s easy to get.
BUT IT’S NOT.
Not a single supermarket in town even STOCKS waxed paper anymore. You used to be able to buy rolls of it, or packets of precut sheets, but NOOOOOO, not now! Mr Beloved and I think it’s because those little zip-lock sandwich bags have become ubiquitous.
And no, silicone coated baking paper/”parchment” does NOT work as well. *sigh*
Can anyone help me in locating and buying some? PLEASE?
[clicky=biggy]
Yes, I know too much is BAD FOR YOU (heck, isn’t that what “too MUCH” means?!?!) but there is NOTHING to compare to home made lemon butter on toast. Mmmmmmmm. I used Nigella’s Lemon Curd recipe from How to Eat. (I don’t know why the names – butter or curd – are interchangeable, but apparently they are.)
This was a recipe that would be utterly UTTERLY perfect if I already had two of my dream things for the house: chooks (for the 4 whole eggs plus 4 yolks) and a lemon tree (for the 4 lemons). Slowly, slowly, we’ll work towards getting things set up the way we would like.
I have very fond memories of my Mum making lemon butter – I think we must have had a lot of lemons available! I also remember that Lemon Butter was a good thing to buy at church fetes and street stalls… possibly because it came from people who had chooks +lemon trees.
Oh, and after the first spoonful of the luscious home made version, the remainder of the FOUL store bought version (all citric acid and cornflour, possibly with artifical lemon essence… ewww!) was binned. We kept the jar (of course!) to use for the next batch…
At least I’ll have an adequate vitamin C intake this week, eh? The flu symptoms are FINALLY abating (fingers crossed!) – as in, I only wake up coughing a couple of times a night now, and the aches are approaching normal range (underlying fibromyalgia has NOT helped with recovery!). I was somewhat heartened when watching the V8 supercars racing yesterday to hear a comment that one of the drivers – and bear in mind that these guys are endurance athletes, wrestling their cars around for hours at a time in temperatures often over 40 degrees – anyhow, one of these super-fit guys was still recovering from the flu that had laid him low at the last race meeting a month ago. And I am NOT an athlete! Another week off from the gym, though, then I get to start back gently gently…
Oh – and it amused me that the stove was so far out of scale with the lemon person. Tee hee! I am being Very Good and actually USING my “good” art supplies – there are still a lot of colours in my tin of 30 Caran D’ache Neocolor II watercolour crayons that are untouched, but at least I have used SOME now!
In a flu-dazed moment the other night…
[clicky for biggy, do I have to keep saying this?]
Luckily once I’d got the top off I realised the tube I had in my hand was TOO BIG to be the lip balm.
Am I the only one to have these sort of near misses? (Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?…)
I am getting better, slowly. Yet again the solar hot water installer declined to come near the obviously germ-ridden House of the Beloveds. Grumph. Next week, we hope. I had to cancel another specialist appointment because I didn’t want to sit about in a waiting room full of people even more vulnerable to this wretched flu than I was.
Time for my next cuppa tea (It’s important to get fluids in, right?!)
[as always, clicky=biggy]
Frosty morning, and I’m squatting down on the grass to get the camera at just the right angle to catch the sunlight through the frosted weeds… just as well the neighbours already think we’re mad, eh?
And I forgot to turn on the red eye reduction but here she is in her winter fur (and winter fat, since she’s had very few walks of late…)
Well, today was the first day I haven’t actually felt WORSE than the day before. Yay?
For all that, it was still Another Bed Day. *sigh* And our solar hot water didn’t get installed yesterday because – THE PLUMBER WAS SICK! We’ve rescheduled for next Wednesday, just gotta hope that the weather doesn’t work against us.
Ricë wrote a post today about the intrusiveness of muzak. I started a rant in reply in my comment on her post, but here’s some more rant:
I’ve been rabbiting on at various In Real Life friends about the new growth industry (no, Dustin, it’s not PLASTICS) – it’s audiology. Seriously, every time I go to the shops there seems to be a new one offering hearing tests and ever smaller hearing aids. I think Toowoomba is up to about 20, for a population of 90,000. And do you know why?
I’LL TELL YOU WHY.
It’s because almost nobody can stand SILENCE any more. When and how did we become a culture that feels the need to be constantly immersed in man made sound? Waiting rooms are drenched in either overly loud muzak or blaring televisions. Supermarkets and shopping centres play their identifying jingles over and over and over. We get in cars and immediately turn on the radio or a CD. Those ubiquitous white dangly cords drape from ears to iPods, cocooning each wearer in their own world of individualised sound.
Our house is near the local railway yards, and surrounded by train tracks. We expect a certain amount of noise each day from the coal trains and maintenance vehicles, and most nights we can hear the chiropractic clunks and crashes of carriages being shunted. Some of the train drivers are artists, echoing the horn of their diesel engine around the valley as they pass by the yards.
On clear nights I can hear the “ping… Ping… Ping… pokpokpokpokpokpokpok” of the traffic signals over 150 metres away across the creek. Some nights we are visited by the local owl (mo POKE! mo POKE!) and some nights the plovers scream from the vacant, weedy blocks.
Some nights we are woken by domestic quarrels; by neighbours who think that chopping wood after midnight is a perfectly reasonable thing to do; by dog fights, screeching engines and tyres sliding on the bitumen. Or the ever-so-charming individual who believes that by renting a nearby industrial unit he has the right to super-amplified music at any time day or night. I don’t think in the 5 years I’ve lived here there has been a single night without hearing at least one set of emergency service vehicles dopplering by on one of the main roads.
Oh, and I mustn’t forget to mention Bung Lung – one of the new neighbours who, although appearing to be in his mid 20s, has the emphysemal lungs and bronchial function of a 50 a day pensioner. (We’ve started referring to their household as The Brueghels – because they’re phlegmish. (groan!) Nothing like hearing a lugey hawked up outside your window at 3am to jolt you out of a dream. (The cigarette stench is a subject for another post…)
All of those are noises which are beyond my control. When I can choose my audio surroundings, more often than not I’ll choose silence. Because it’s rare and I enjoy it. I have quite enough trouble fighting with my head to get anything done, without inviting more noise in.
I’ll listen to Radio National, if there’s something good on. My CD collection is almost exclusively female singers (loving the new Lily Allen album, and I never get tired of Kirsty MacColl)but I really only listen to music if I’m sewing or at the gym.
But Mr Beloved lives in a music centred world. Where I find it VERY difficult to process two audio signals at once (especially if one of them is voice), he thrives on audio complexity. (Not suprisingly, he’s a long time fan of Brian Eno.) I can’t read if there is competing audio – my brain just gets frustrated. My Dad can listen to radio, watch TV, AND read the newspaper all at once – I have no idea how he does it and even THINKING about it makes me feel quite ill.
My ideal world would have a soundproof room, possibly with squishy walls, and maybe a coat with arms long enough to actually fit me…
And now I’m off to take my medications. Night!
[click to see bigger]
I’ve been dragging our old art supplies and starting to play with them again. I’m fighting against my inner critic to actually post anything here – be gentle and remember that it’s nicer to ask “Tell me about your art” than to say “Ummm – what is it?”
(Sometimes I have to “wreck” a page before I can get going. The background of this was one of those trainwrecks – luckily, a thin coat of gesso can make messes look better, or at least ot quite so hideously unworkable. This page was completely without a plan or goal, obviously.)
I have no idea why there is a clunky spaceman/repair-tech here or what he’s here to fix. Although if he could get rid of the bright yellow polka dots on my tonsils, I would be very grateful. Yep, Day 11 of the flu and I had the worst night yet last night – at one point I was coughing so hard that I thought I would break my back.
I have cabin fever. I haven’t left the house since last Tuesday when I went to the doctors. Mr Beloved is almost as sick as I am, but has managed to at least struggle out for milk and bread. And cuppa soups – normally I don’t like them but there’s only so much hot lemon/ginger/honey/hot water mix I can keep down…
Tomorrow (provided the weather stays fine) we’re getting the solar hot water system installed. Yay! It’s going to cost more to install than the actual gizmo (that would be the “evacuated tube collector“, Caity dear) and tank cost. Weird, huh?
I am sooooo looking forward to being able to have a hothothot bath all the way full – and with more hot water to top up! Of course it’s a super-rare luxury, and I will have to bucket all the water out to the garden once I’m done, but ooooh – sheer bloooody looxury!
Right – back to back issues of Cloth Paper Scissors and my hot water bottle…
From The Saturday Bulletin.
Meantime – I have flu. Swine flu? Who knows. The doctor said to keep doing what I’m doing (lots of fluids, bed rest, paracetamol, aspirin) and come back immediately if it gets worse.
Poor Mr Beloved is on his first day of the wretched virus now. Nothing to do but ride it out…
And we’re so faithful with getting our flu vacs super early – not fair when a whole new virus jumps out at ya, is it?!
Ugh. Have pretty much lost my voice. Hurts to cough – the pain goes right down my sternum and also right down my back. Off to Doctor’s tomorrow arvo. Not my usual (wonderful!) doc, but another in the same primary health care centre, so that’s ok.
It started with a sore throat on Friday, got to hurting on Saturday night, and yesterday and today I’ve mostly spent trying not to cough and swearing when I do, and sleeping. Very boring to do and even more boring to read about. Even more boring for the puir wee poodle, who sees it as her DUTY to stay by my bed. She won’t even eat until I’m up.
Tonight I’ve been catching up with a lot of blogs that I’d stopped reading – I’d kept them on my bloglines rss feeds, but just hadn’t had the energy to follow them. Very interesting to see the development of many of the Artful Quilters BlogRing. Some people who were just starting their adventures way back have become successful artists, some published authors.. and many have found other interests as well.
And I’ve been well looked after by Mr Beloved, Bringer of Cups Of Tea (also known as The Teabot 5000™) – ahhhh, so loved!
Another good activity when confined to bed is flicking through back issues of Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts magazines … gotta do something with my time after admitting that I needed to suspend my gym membership for the fortnight, since even if I’m not infectious I’m not about to go and hurl myself about! I’m getting inspired, starting to draw, and seriously considering some inchies as a way to get back to art quilting… and drawing and painting and collage too. Anyone wanna swap some inchies with me sometime?
Which is why I stayed indoors for most of today. Didn’t get anything DONE, mind you, but at least I was warm! I wasn’t expecting to achieve much today anyway since it was a race day – the V8 Supercars were racing in Townsville. More motor sports tomorrow with the 2nd race from Townsville and then the F1Grand Prix from Germany… yay, brrrm varoooooooooooooooom!
Something interesting happened this week when the latest Cloth Paper Scissors magazine arrived: I was actually INTERESTED in it! I’d been seriously thinking about letting my subscription lapse, since it wasn’t really lighting my fire the way it used to do.
But this issue had me thinking about dragging out art materials again. Yippee!! I’ve even been reading my back issues of this and its sister publication Quilting Arts.
I’m not entirely happy with the direction these magazines have taken since they were – umm taken over? Acquired? – by Interweave Press – there are a LOT more ads for the company’s own products (something which contributed greatly to my no longer bothering with Stampington’s magazines) and the store discount that used to come with subscriptions no longer applies. I can totally understand why the founder/editor, Pokey Bolton, decided to go with Interweave – talk about a MASSIVE job with just those two titles, let alone the special issues and the shop! – but the trade-off is the lack of service.
I haven’t bought a new quilting art/inspiration book in – ummmmmmmmmmmm… gosh, over 12 months? Maybe 2 YEARS?! (I know, I know, my In Real Life friends are worriedly running about for their thermometers and tests to check that Caity is still Caity – I mean, they know my library!) but it’s been as much a function of my lack of enthusiasm for textile and other art as of our impeded financial situation.
There are two new books that I am just DYING to get. (Ok, not DYING… but I would really reaaaaaally like). If I buy them from Interweave they will cost $US 54.90 PLUS either $23.19 for International First Class Postage or $39.82 for International Priority Mail. That’s a total of $78.09 or $94.72 for the two books. Which is $AU $99.92 or $ 121.02. OUCH!!
OR – thanks to a heads up a while back from Ruth (Ta, Roo!) I could use the Book Depository instead: FREE POSTAGE and a total for the two books of £31.68, which converts to just $65.73 in Aussie dollars. For exactly the same two books. Bit of a no-brainer, really, eh? (except for the sad fact that I can’t actually afford that amount, either… LOL!)
Melanie Testa’s recent articles in both Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts have been really – just wow. INSPIRING!! She makes me want to draw and stitch and collage… and Carol Shinn’s work is awesome, from the first time I saw the cover of this book I knew it was one I had to have. Just the thing to get me going again on machine embroidery.
I’ve always been inspired by books. I love the way reading about techniques and seeing new work sets off sparks in my brain, I can’t resist, I have to grab a blank page and draw and write “Yeah, that’s interesting, but wouldn’t it be cool to use THAT idea to make THIS thing and then do THE OTHER to it, and then maybe even twist it around to SOMETHING ELSE…
So tomorrow’s job: investigating the art boxes that have been stashed under the table for the last *mumblety* months. Sorting through them and re-discovering what there is and what I’ve run out of. (I know for sure that I’m completely out of my favourite paint OF ALL TIME - Jacquard Lumiere Halo Blue Gold …)
I still intend to sew clothes (oh, the INTENT is always there!) because I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR. But it’s time I started feeding my arty bits again, dontcha think?
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.
Last week, I went to the dentist for my 6 month check up and clean. She found a CAVITY. *shudder*
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
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.
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…
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.
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…
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:
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 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.
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.
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?!
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!
But I’ve LOST the @&#$(*@& pattern somewhere in my sewing room….
You can also see one of the mouse wrist rest here – I nicked the photo from 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;
(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.)
Ok – off to find that PATTERN!
This is my Dad
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.
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)
So logically I KNOW that this:
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 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!
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!!
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….
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:
- IT’S ONLY FABRIC and
- 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.
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.
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?)
I 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!)
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.
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…
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.
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...
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!
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.)
(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.
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!
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
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.
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!
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:
and one just for fun – the EXTREMELY silly “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.”
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!
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.
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!
I will, I will!!
(Meantime, here’s something else I am super inspired by – from another shop I wish I could afford.
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!
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?
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!!
(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?
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 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?
… 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.
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!"
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!
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?
Yep, it’s that time of year again… time for Miss Caity’s Annual Rant about Easterfest (previously know as the gospel music festival, but generally known in our house as “THAT BLOODY NOISE”.)
Usually I’d go on and on about the way the super-amplified bass and drums drive right up the creek and into our house; then I’d have a rant about the way that the entire Queens Park is shut off from the people it’s meant to be there for (pardon grammar) and finish with the fact that the organisers of the event don’t give a shit about noise complaints and in fact won’t even supply the correct number for the regional council to register a proper complaint.
But I’m really tired, have spent a lot of the weekend sleeping (to get away from the noise, and because I’m just feeling like a wrung out dishcloth these days) so we’ll just leave it at that, yeah?
I’m popping into Lincraft tomorrow (not sure how they got dispensation to be open when just about every other shop will be closed – I don’t understand Toowoomba’s trading attitude at all) to pick up two Simplicity patterns for just $7.50 each, plus one Vogue pattern for only $12. Yay!
Simplicity 4014
Then I really have to sew my little heart out this week. I have to have a decent black dress for Friday (a funeral to go to) and my previous funeral outfits are now way too big.
(I’m just working out what to do with the seam finishes on this unlined dress and jacket - I can do Hong Kong bindings (like Sue just did) on the straight seams, not quite sure how I’ll finish the princess seams.. maybe just hand overcast? Hmmm…. suggestions welcome!)
Oh yeah – I have to buy black shoes, too – I don’t know about you, but I cannot wear red shoes to a funeral. Nuh uh.
AND – I fell off the food plan in a bigggg way over the last week or so. And I didn’t even eat any Easter eggs! Never mind, I’ll climb back on… unfortunately my plans for attending BodyStep this arvo were hijacked by my overwhelming need for sleep. THe gym re-opens Tuesday, so I’ll be back into it then…
wah wah wah.
Another day of blah-ness. Still SUPER tired – and I didn’t even get stay up late and watch the Formula One Grand Prix because – surprise SURPRISE SURPRISE – when you (and by “you” here I mean the Evil Power That Controls F1) schedule a race in the tropics IN THE MIDDLE OF MONSOON SEASON in the late afternoon, IT GETS RAINED OUT. A LOT.
Jenson wins in the wet
This isn’t the first year, and it won’t be the last – but honestly, when the race gets red flagged at not even half way – well, booo hissss! I don’t want the drivers or the cars to come to harm: the race HAD to be stopped, it was ridiculous. But why in MONSOON SEASON, huh? WHY?? *headdesk* *headdesk* *headdesk*
At least all this jumping up and down in a rage counts as exercise, yes?
Hmmm, what other news? Well … I haven’t been sewing. There are several (completely lame-o) reasons for this:
- I’m tired (yeah, wah wah wah)
- I can’t seem to keep the table cleared off for long enough to lay out fabric, pin the pattern to it, and get it cut out
- My sewing machine is overdue for a service (and this is possible the LAME-EST excuse of all, because in fact I own *mumblety- three* sewing machines at last count.)
- oh, and here’s a good one- I’m feeling too fat to sew. Yep, that’s right, I’m feeling frumpy so rather than sewing myself something fun and enjoying wearing it, I’m moping about and being grumpy about having nothing to wear.
It’s my head, I never said it had to make sense….
Tomorrow I’m off to see YAED (Yet Another Expensive Doctor). Last week’s YAED was the dermatologist, who changed the long term antibiotics I’m on, said to take them for another 2 months, and call him if the rash came back when I stopped taking them. Ummm, guess what? I missed 3 tablets and it’s BAAAAACK, like some sort of horror movie freak show skin-itching DEMON. I remembered to take the medicine today so hopefully it will calm down again – but sheesh!
And did I mention the wonderful side effect of itchy itchy ITCHY OH MY GOSH PASS ME THE GARNET PAPER I NEED TO SAND MY SKIN OFF IT’S SO ITCHY skin when I go into the sun? No? Oh well, probably only a MINOR side effect…
And tomorrow’s YAED is the gynaecologist – will I spare you the gruesome details? Dear Reader, will you survive the SUSPENSE?!
I’ve slept. And slept. And slept some more.
SO WHY AM I STILL TIRED?
*ugh*
It’s my birthday tomorrow – in fact, it’s the 1st anniversary of my 40th birthday. Look what Mr Beloved got for me!!
Both movies I’ve wanted to see for ages; both extremely chicky flicks; and, I just noticed – both starring Amy Adams, and I don’t think I’ve seen her in anything before – how odd! I wanted “Miss Pettigrew” primarily for the ’40s fashions. Which of course I adoooooore!
And “Enchanted” just looks like so much FUN!
In other news – my weight is DOWN this week (hooray!) – I’m now 97 kg, and my blood pressure was 117/83. Sometime in the next few visits I’ll get the dietician to take my measurements and do the Body Impedance Analysis thing that measures how much lean muscle mass and how much FAT there is now… I’m hoping, obviously, that the fat has decreased and the muscle has INCREASED!
It does annoy me though that the dietitians seem to be OBSESSED with “working at 65% of heart rate to lose fat”. Uhhh – for a start, I don’t have a heart rate monitor, and there’s no way on earth I’m going to be able to stop and count my pulse while I’m exercising – it takes all my concentration to just keep going! And for another thing, surely ANY exercise will help? Yes, I might be “burning carbs instead of fat” but given that this time last year I hadn’t been inside a gym in 20 years – well, I think I’m doing ok getting there regularly.
And yesterday I did Bodystep – remember the disastrous first attempt at that, back in January? Well, this time, I DID NOT FALL OVER… and I managed the whole class – although I did it at a much lower intensity than people like Sue, who have been doing it for a lot longer. I’ll get there!
No matter what the scales read, I’m happier that I’m fitter than I used to be. SO THERE, scales! (No really, it’s hardly bothering me at all, WHY DO YOU EVEN ASK?!)
Meanwhile, do have a read of what I think of the latest Vogue patterns over on Sewing Queens…
BOOOO! I hate it when races are decided on legal technicalities – and while the brand new “Brawny Virgins” (tee hee!) team had a great weekend, the outcome of the Melbourne Grand Prix will ultimately be decided in court. BOOOOOOO!
In other news: I’m really hoping to repeat last Monday’s effort and get to the super early Body Attack class in the morning. Last week I ended up doing:
Monday: 1 hour Body Attack
Tuesday: 25 minutes cardio followed by one hour of Pilates
Wednesday: MIGRAINE
Thursday… ummmm – I can’t remember what I did Thursday! Oh, that’s right – still migraineous, and since it was show holiday the gym was only open in the morning, and I missed it.
Friday: Ki Max, one hour.
Saturday – ummmm … slobbed on the couch and slept!
Sunday – same again. In my defence, it was (of course) the first Grand Prix of the year, and the only one where we get this much coverage – normally we’re lucky to see qualifying and the race.
So – not a good week. And a really dreadful week food-wise too – I STILL have this GINORMOUS MENTAL BLOCK about recording what I’m eating. A coupla days I did use the online food diary on Calorie King, but that’s not really working. But then, neither is my not writing stuff down!
ARRGGGGH! WHAT is going on here? I feel simultaneously out of control and not WANTING to be controlled – What the …?
I KNOW what I have to do to lose the weight. I KNOW IT!!! I know I have to eat at regular times, and watch the calories, and make sure I’m getting the right balance of carbs and protein and everything else. WHY CAN’T I DO IT?
This is not helped this evening by my enormously bloated tummy. Whether it was something I ate today (I was bad – dates! pecans! almonds! curry with sultanas in it (again) for dinner!) or having a late afternoon sleep with my CPAP machine on I don’t know. But it hurts.
Last time I weighed myself I was heavier than the week before. Again, I KNOW that measurements on the scale are NOT the most important thing – but they can really de-rail me. You can tell me ’til the cows come home that what matters is lean muscle mass, that getting stronger and losing inches are better indicators of how I’m doing… but none of that helps when I’m feeling blah.
BLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
Anyway, new week, new start: I will do better on recording what I eat. I will get exercise on more days this week. And I will go to bed right now! My gym gear is all ready to go, the alarms are set.. I just have to sleep.
I’ve started a new blog with Sue, that will cover some of the same stuff as I do here, but will probably be more about sewing. Here ya go:
THE SEWING QUEENS BLOG!
I love this image from Vivienne Westwood, don't you?
It’s early days yet, haven’t done the graphics, and so far only one post, but we’ll get there. Wooo hoooo!
And be sure to check out Sue’s other blog, Fit and Forty *mumble* ,about her fitness adventures. (I tell ya, the woman is INSPIRING!)
I am still somewhat migraineous. (is that a word? who cares?!) BUT I did manage to go to Ki Max (boxing and kicking on a bag) class today and really enjoyed it. There’s something very satisfying about pretending the bag is an ex who was in my NIGHTMARES last night, and really REALLY belting him (it!) up. Oh yeah.
It’ a race weekend, so you might not hear from me ’til Monday. THE FORMULA ONE SEASON STARTS!! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!
Sadly, my team’s cars are not really cutting it so far. And having the best driver in the world doesn’t do much if you’re up the back of the grid. And I’m not happy about the twilight timing of the race, but what can you do? Can’t wait to see how the new rules play out… slicks! and the KERS! WOOOOOOOOOOO!
Hmmm. Time to go have a nice calming cuppa, perhaps?
BOOOOOOOOOOPH!
BOOPH! BOOOOOPH!
BOOOPH!
What’s that, you ask?
It is the sound of bubbles in a glass of soda water – when I have a migraine. Yep, I get the full-on deal – pain and weakness down one side of my body, sometimes loss of vision in one eye, nausea, and extreme sound and light sensitivity.
Why thank you, Jeeves! Silenced soda, just as I ordered!
Of course, today was the day the neighbourhood’s neglected dogs decided to sit a foot away from each other across the fence and see who could make the most annoying barking noise for the longest.
I think the migraine started last night – I suspect that one of the fluoro lights in the gym group fitness room,was doing that ever so subtle flick-flick-flicker-flick thing that they do before they fail – I know that sort of flickering is a trigger for my migraines. Especially if I’m tired to begin with.
So I’m heading back to bed, having been upright for a grand total of maybe 2 hours today. Bleagh.
Also, humph.
I am in shock. And most people who know me will also be STUNNED to hear this:
I WENT TO A 5:45 EXERCISE CLASS THIS MORNING AND I ENJOYED IT!!
Not quite like this, obviously!
I’ll just give you all a moment to pick yourselves up from the ground…
The instructor was very kind and demonstrated “Level One” (aka “you unfit slob, you”!) moves; the rest of the class were regulars and mostly did all the high impact high energy stuff.
I don’t think I’ve been up this early for YEARS, let alone up this early to exercise! Well, that’s not quite true – I got up around the time the dog usually gets me up so she can outside for a wee – the difference is that this time I stayed upright and tried to wake up.
And now I’m feeling terribly virtuous and efficient, which we know I’m NOT…. and I expect I won’t make it through the day without a nap, but – baby steps, eh?!
(PS: Suzy Suzy Sue, you are soooooooooooooooooooooo lucky I didn’t text you and make you come to class too – I admit, it was only fear of you doing it back to me another day that stopped me, LOL!)
TWIRL!!
So here it is: The McFractured Tartan skirt. As you might be able to see, I went a teeny bit berserk on the piecing… there was no plan, just lots of hacking fabric apart and then sewing it up again. I *could* have just used the fabric as it was off the bolt, but – naaaah! I have more of the same fabric on layby, and the plan is to make a little jacket that is *perfectly* matched across the plaid. Just to show I can, you know!
Fabric was a bargain buy from Gardams. It’s a wool/ poly/viscose blend, and creases just seem to drop out of it. It also goes through the washing machine very well! I used a couple of metres of inch wide black grosgrain ribbon for the waist ties. Top is a $7 special from Rockmans; shoes are my favourite I Love Billys that you have seen me wearing almost every photo.
Pattern is the wrap skirt included in this book:
which of course I have mentioned previously. I did alter the pattern for length. And for width *sigh* since I am CONSIDERABLY larger than the pattern given, LOL! Still got a long way to go on this weight loss/getting fit thing…
… as the dog and I are both showing our rounded tummies in this pic!
McFractured skirt= FINISHED! Pics tomorrow….
My new shoes? ARRGH! One of them had stitching coming undone after ONE WEAR!! So I took them back to the shop, who offered to get them repaired – I’m not happy, but I felt I had to be reasonable – if I have ANY other problems with them I will demand a replacement.
Grrr! They had better be ready tomorrow…
I had my Personal Training session last night, which turned out to be a long discussion about how I was going to work out for the next two weeks – I’m all about the cardio, baby!! I felt that my weight loss was slowing down so Gwennie reckoned changing to more group fitness might do the trick.
Group fitness is never this crowded at my gym!
So tomorrow I do half an hour of cardio then Oxigeno class; Friday is KiMax; Saturday I would usually do Power Fit but the new Radical Fitness classes are being released so I’ll do a 40 minute KiMax class, the 40 minutes of Oxigeno; Sunday is either X55 or taking the dog for a walk/run; Monday is (possibly!) a VERY EARLY CLASS (quarter to six AM. Really?!?)of Body Attack, and that brings us back to (DO oh oh oh, DOE, a dear…) Tuesday, with a half hour of cardio before the Pilates class.
Are you tired yet?! Just the video for that new U-Bound program that Radical is starting wears me out!
Let alone the planned 7 and a half hours of training this week Whew! It will be interesting to see how I go…
Today was my rest day… so I didn’t get much done. I’m going to watch House ep 516. I know, I know, totally fangeeky to know the ep number, but that’s me! (I won’t link in case you don’t want to be spoilerised.)
So I didn’t go to the gym on the weekend – which would have been FINE had I not baked Peach Crumble Slice last night. And eaten ALL OF IT with Mr Beloved. Oh dear.
Never mind – rather than dwelling on the mistake, I took myself and my new cross trainers off to the gym this arvo.
Asics Gel 580-TR cross trainers
Did my 30 minutes of cardio stuff (Translation: panting on the treadmill while it makes whooshy up and down noises as it changes the gradient – so high tech!) and 30 or so minutes of upper body resistance training (Trans: Wobbly tuckshop lady arms struggling to lift teeny weeny weights).
Then home via the library (because as we all know, there is NOTHING TO READ in my house….) in time for Scrapheap Challenge.
Tomorrow I’ve got an Exciting Thing to do! It involves the transformation from this old version of Caity….
Caity, June 2008
… into the new (slightly more slimline!) short haired blonde seen around here lately… with more make-up. Think I’ll even ending up wearing the same top (although we might have to pin it back slightly!)
More on that tomorrow. I’ve know about this for a week, and kinda wish that I had known longer in advance, because then I would have attempted the stupid unrealistic thing of “how much weight can I lose before THEN?”!
Uh – maybe not, eh? I’m where I am NOW. That will do.
I mean, I’ve come a long way already in the weight loss/getting fit/getting healthy stuff… I’m just feeling frustrated at myself because I feel like the results aren’t happening quickly enough. I know, it takes time, it takes training – but my inner toddler says “WANT IT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!”
Fortunately my inner surly teen whiner (”what’s the use, this isn’t gonna work, you can’t make me do this ANYWAY”) is securely locked in her room and is not allowed out.
So I’ll keep going. And going. and talk to my personal trainer after Pilates class tomorrow night about re-focussing and what I need to do next.
Time for a (lo-fat!) hot choc and a few pages before I zonk. Night all!
Now THAT’S What I call a chick flick!
- Funny movie with lots of laugh out loud moments – check.
- Cute boy? Uh huh.
- Enjoyable minor characters? Yep! Especially Kristen Scott Thomas’s fash mag editor with her outrrrrrrrrrrrageous French accent, (which is doubly hilarious because she does speak perfect French)… and debt collector Derek Smeath is perfect, just PERFECT!
- FABULOUS clothes? You betcha! The shoes! The iconic green scarf! The plaid cloak!
- Unexpected quirks? Oh yeah! (store mannequins that tempt, I’m sure I’ve seen those….)
- Happy ending? OF COURSE!
What more could you possibly want from a Saturday afternoon at the movies?
And to anyone who has been swayed by the critics telling us that the heroines of recent chick flicks are “… brainless idiots, you know, with nothing more on their minds than, you know, getting a man or shopping” (thanks, Margaret Pomeranz – NOT!) Nope. In denial about her out of control spending – yes, and I certainly can relate to that.
I didn’t get myself into quite as much debt as she did – but then, I don’t have access to the luxury outlets she did, nor did I have multiple credit cards. Not for want of the big banks trying – the rotters just sent me another “you have been pre-approved for a credit increase” letter this week, which would have taken my credit limit to substantially more than my annual income – now, how STUPID is that?
(Mr Beloved insists that When He Comes To Power, any banks or financial institutions offering credit cards to those who clearly can’t afford them will be deemed to have given a GIFT of that amount to the offer-ee. Fair enough!)
And to those who say that the film is inappropriate during the Global Financial Crisis, I say: HELLLLLLOOO? Surely if we’d all been less shopaholic and not been living way beyond our means there wouldn’t BE a GFC?
And now, since we have just had a brief rain shower, my sinuses are acting up and insisting that all my top teeth are about to be shot out of my jaw, and that someone has punched me in the nose. I’m off to lie down.
This is something of a turn up – I’m going to the movies for the second time in two weeks! My normal rate of movie attendance is about two a YEAR.
Last Saturday I saw “He’s Just Not That Into You.” with my bestie.
Here’s my review:
“It Just Wasn’t That Funny.”
For all the rantings and ravings I’ve heard and read from various commentators about the “ditziness” of recent rom-com heroines, I thought MOST of the people in this movie – male AND female – were pretty dumb.
Ok, I admit: I have been dumb over relationships. REALLY dumb. I’ve married abusive men; I’ve stayed in relationships long after it was obvious that they were not only dysfunctional but downright unhealthy. Many people are dumb about relationships. That doesn’t mean we want to see a fairly boring movie about it!
The good bits: Scarlett Johansen has an awesome body! Ginnifer Goodwin is Pretty! The scene settings of women around the world telling the kind lies to their friends was funny. The one couple who shoulda been together were awwwwwwwwww…..
Today we’re off to see “Confessions of a Shopaholic” which has also been reviewed as having a DUMB heroine. I’ll let you know. However, it also has the divine Kristen Scott Thomas, who, quite frankly, I would watch in ANYTHING.
I’m also off to spend money (eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!) on new sneakers for gym. (are you even allowed to CALL them “sneakers” when they cost so much?!?) because my 14 month old ones are now making my feet hurt.
See ya later!
[memedex: pollid#489175]
Threads April/May 2009
OMFSM!!* This latest issue of Threads magazine, issue 142, has got to be the BEST EVER!! And I have every single issue from issue 53, June /July 1994. So that’s really saying something!
(and no, you can’t borrow them. Unless I really really trust you and value our friendship. And know where you live.)
You know how sometimes you get the latest mag (not just Threads, any magazine) and flick through going “Ho hum same-o same-o yawn blah”? And then sometimes you get an issue and every turn of the page IS EXACTLY SOMETHING YOU NEED RIGHT NOW?
Yep.
It’s not just that this is a fitting special – although obviously, given my changing shape and my desire to actually wear clothes that show I have a waist (YAY!) I’m getting a lot out of that; no, it’s also got a super groovy article on splicing knits (swoon!)…
Connie Long's article on splicing knits looks like fun...
(you don’t think they could look too star-trekky, do you? I mean, that’s the appeal of CURVES over straight lines, but still…)
… and another neat article on various hem finishes . As well as the usual gorgeous image on the back cover of a divine vintage garment. Oh, and the Quick to make wrap…. and the gallery of winners of the Threads/ Association of Sewing and Design Professionals challenge… and oooh, the article on making fabric roses, I always like new techniques for those, and….
Well. I’m kinda keen, as you can tell.
No brown paper bags or affils, yada yada – I’m obviously just a huge fan of the mag and the consistently clear photos and instructions.
Now I’m off for a quick cuppa with my bestest sewing buddy (yay!) and then some more sewing on the “MacFractured” wrap skirt before Pilates class. Whew!
*oh My Flying Spaghetti Monster.
…just hate that day…
Well, not really. Got up, went to gym for Oxigeno class, sat around and chatted over coffee then did the groceries.
And now I’m off to SEW, yippee!!
(Or at least trace a pattern off so I can sew later…)
Our entire HOUSE would fit into this space!
Didn’t sleep well last night, one of the mysteries of the universe, that…
So as I was lying in bed this morning debating whether or not to get up (Caity’s Conscience: “But you missed gym yesterday!” Caity’s Rationalisation: “But I can’t train EVERY day…”) when my BFF texted me: “Shoe shopping after gym?”
WELL!! Caity’s Conscience and Caity’s Rationalisation both got a swift kick in the behind and out the door! Once I got there I *was* just going to do my weights program…but I’ve been dancing around the idea of joining the Ki Max class (group class with lots of boxing and kicking, 4 people to a standing bag) and when one of the other newbies I’d spoken to recently was doing I thought – why not?
Another newbie for the class?!
IT WAS AWESOME!! It really oughta be illegal to have that much fun while actually doing a good workout AND getting to smash the (imagined) anatomy of various people who have aroused my anger.
*side-strike side-strike back-hand* THAT’S for your pr0n collection, 2nd husband!
*jab jab hook* and THAT’S for your not processing my bank transfer in a timely matter, big bank!
*thingummy whose name I can’t remember but where you hit upwards – body strike?* OOOMPH! and TAKE THAT, rude checkout chicky babe!
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh. The release!!! The HIGH!!! The satisfaction!
I have never sweated so much in my entire life. I had to stop and sit down a coupla times, but WOOOOOHOOOOO!!!! Of course, it helped that one of the gym owners was giving us three newbies our own little tutorials – how good is that service?
The only baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad thing was that because I did the class at the last minute, I had to use the old sweaty gloves that are kept in reserve … omg, the PONG!!! So before next Friday I will do as everyone else does, and buy my own gloves.
I am amazed how far I’ve come in that last twelve months – I do need to be reminded (perhaps LOUDLY, dear readers!) of that.
Now I am taking my sore shoulders and abs for a nice soak in the bath.
(I'll probably NOT be wearing my ruby lipstick, though!)
(hands up who now has a David Bowie earworm? You’re welcome!)
I have made a lot of changes in the last year. Losing weight, starting exercise; the TAHBSO (Total Abdominal Hysterectomy and Bilateral Salpingo-Oopherectomy and ensuing surgical menopause; taking better care of my skin, wearing make-up more; and getting more interested in clothing and fashion again after years of hiding in shapeless oversized clothes.
Not to mention actually getting real help with my mental illness(es?!), being in a stable and loving relationship (*mwah!* to the Teabot5000) and working towards not only getting out of debt but STAYING out of debt.
Most of these changes have been difficult, and especially so for the poor old Teabot5000 – He. Does. Not. Like. Change.
I mean, it would be hard enough for most men – but throw in the Asperger’s and you could have a disaster.
So far, we’ve managed to keep sailing. Mostly. We’ve had a few instances where we’ve both had to bail water out of the bottom of the boat, so to speak…
But then today I was soooooo ANGRY!!!
Not really at himself. Just at – well, EVERYTHING! I’m tired of being broke. I’m REALLY tired of that. I’m tired of having to watch every single cent as it briefly transits through our bank account into someone else’s pocket.
I’m tired of being TIRED. Still. (although some of that may be due to not getting enough iron – see “watching every bloody cent” above…)
I’m tired of feeling like my life has no meaning.
Yes, I know we’re well off compared to many – we have the house, we have the car, we have each other, we’re not starving, we have clean water etc etc. I know I should be grateful for all that and I am – but I am feeling whiney and miserable and I just want to know WHY IS IT ALL SO HARD?!?!
There are some luxuries in my life, after all – the gym membership is expensive (but nowhere near as expensive as staying fat and inactive); and I generally get help to see the medical professionals I need to see. We have the internet, for gawd’s sake.
And I am fully aware that my former spending habits (and a few episodes of uncontrolled mania) are largely to blame for our current situation.
Maybe if I sell a kidney, I could afford some fripperies?
(you know I’m joking about the kidney, right? But if you’re interested in second hand sewing machines, let’s make a DEAL!)
BUT – I would like to be well enough to work. At something meaningful. Is that too much to ask? (Probably, given the economy – with so many able bodied/non-mentally-ill/more recently employed potential employees out there, who on earth is going to “spare a shekel for an old ex leper?”, to slightly misquote The Pythons.)
They all want the one advertised job...
Congrats if you’ve managed to read this far without my whine turning into the noise Charlie Brown’s teachers make:
Wah Wah Wah
New (old) skirt
So remember a few posts back (before the blog was Hjørsejacked for the nano song) I mentioned I was reworking a skirt? Here it is.
(As you can see, I still have quite a way to go on getting rid of the tummy *sigh*. I think I’m doing SO well and then I see a photo of myself and get all discouraged.)
Mr Beloved says this is NOT the most flattering outfit, and he’s right; but at least I have a wearable skirt for a little while. And the trim is so much fun!
Ribbons (mostly from the stash), some measuring tape (which may have belonged to my Nana – or someone else’s Nana, I do seem to get a lot of inherited craft bits and bobs!) that had suffered an unfortunate accident with a rotary cutter; and a flurry of tulle at the hem. (also unintentional but inevitable trim: small feathers from the cockatiels, cat fur, and poodle hairs.)
Anyway, I’m happy with it, it’s a fun skirt to wear, and even though I ended up pretty much remaking the darn thing from scratch, it was worth doing. PLEASE tell me honestly what you think of the skirt!!
(if you’re interested, the review is here on Pattern Review)
Now if only the new Ottobre Woman magazine would come so I could make some other patterns up….
Meanwhile, I’m off the to the gym for Pilates class. I went to the physiotherapist (again) today and he worked out that I have some residual nerve damage from my glorious ankle twist of mid January… also that I have long-standing issues with my C6-C7 neck joint which are in fact the cause of some of my wrist weakness and pain. Huh! I also have ulna/radius joint weakness as well, so it’s lost more rehabilitation exercises for me and even more phsyiotherapist appointments… it never ends!! Who knew that hyper-flexible joints were such a problem?
Who's a cutie, then?!
She’s just adorable, yes?
You might also notice from this photo that our lawnmower still isn’t back from repair. This is what 3 weeks of no mowing and intermittent summer rain does to our yard!
Oh yeah – And I went blonde a few weeks back!
So before I went on my holiday to Adelaide at Christmas, I made a skirt. Which didn’t fit, and so didn’t go on the holiday with me. Which was a shame, because it was a CUTE skirt, with a border of this fabric from the “Sew Girls” range by Loralie Designs:
Loralie Designs Colourful Manequins
And it was this skirt pattern, View A:
McCalls 5591
Seriously cute, yes?
But at the time I was still suffering badly from swelly belly (which I’m very glad to say has settled down considerably with a different HRT regime and the new-found love of gym) and so had to add an ENORMOUS amount of width to the front to compensate.
Now – I’m taking the width OUT again! But since I didn’t want to remove top stitched angled pockets on the front of the skirt, nor did I want to make a centre seam, I’ve had to get a little creative. Which has involved unpicking EVERYTHING except the front with attached pockets, and the side seams under those pockets.
My sweet wonderful friend Sue *mwah, sweetie!* gave me a book this week – out of the blue – and it’s so INSPIRING I have to jump about when I’m trying to tell anyone about it!
This is the book:
Forty Nine and a Half Sensational Skirts
(Aussie readers will find the same book under a different cover)
The artist is just … wow. Talk about really exploring an idea! Talk about your working in a series!! So many pieces that share elements but are each unique - love that!
This isn’t just me going off on a tangent – really! – because one of the ideas Ms Willoughby explores in the book is cutting new seams in reclaimed (or new) skirts to add embellishments or other features. That neatly solves my problem – I can make 2 new cuts in the front of the skirt (thereby making it look intentional from the start!) and reduce the width by the necessary amount without an ugly centre front seam. AND I get to add more splashes of colour to the plain black body of the skirt, so it will look even better with that colourful border! Très clever, très chic, oui?
Why now? Well, another friend is launching her new business on Friday night – and what better excuse to get this skirt finished than to wear it to a sewing teacher and designer’s party! I’m pretty sure I can get it done. But not if I don’t get to bed NOW – got a gym class in the morning, then lunch with the girls…. eeek! GOODNIGHT!!
Sorry to have been absent – I swear, this sinus/migraine headache pattern is NOT FUN!! And I have been doing a lot of sleeping again, which is ever so boring to blog about.
However, I did play photographer for Sue one day last week – her sewing is awesome, I think she’s just getting better and better!!!
I took a heap of patterns around to her place the other day to sort out – and discovered that I keep buying similar things! So it’s WAAAAAAAAAY past time to make up: *deep breath* A pencil skirt, a pinafore, a puffy sleeved blouse, and a tailored jacket.
Possibly this is next up: Do you think the straight skirt or the swingy flared version is that way to go?
Simplicity 3673
after months of no migraines – 2 in 3 weeks.
Pardon me while I go throw up again.
With jodphurs and whip and chair, oh my!
Today Sue and I wrassled our overlockers (sergers for my US readers).
WRASSLED THEM TO THE GROUND AND MADE THEM SIT UP AND BEG!!!!
We did have help:
and this one:
I thoroughly recommend both books. The ABCs of Serging is a great basic book with clear line drawings and great information on the basics. (And since it was published in 1992, reminds me a little too much of the clothes of my misspent youth – frills!! And MORE FRILLS! And let’s stiffen those ruffles with FISHING LINE that would catch a marlin, yeah baby!!)
The Easy Guide to Serging Fine Fabrics is exactly the quality we sewing enthusiasts have loved in Taunton’s books: Clear text, informative pictures, and techniques that really lift your sewing out of the ordinary. (WHY they aren’t reprinting this yet I just don’t know!)
The instructions for making bias tubing in the Fine Fabrics book had us rolling on the floor - not because they were WRONG in any way (in fact, we’ve both decided that this is THE way to make those tricky little filled cordings) but because Ms Benton instructs that once you have your turner-looperer- thingummy (ok, she used the real name, I don’t have the book in front of me!)
hooked at the end of the tube, you put the circle handle end over one of your thread spool holders and “Back away slowly” to turn the tube through.
“Don’t spook the sergers – they’re skittish beasts!”
“Maybe if we blow in their nostrils and offer them a carrot?!”
“*snort*” (that was me making an unladylike noise after too much giggling, not the sounds of the unruly overlocker!)
ANYWAY, the point is that while we may not be qualified Serger Whisperers yet, we can now at least approach from the correct end and saddle up the beasties. WIN!!!
And now – I shall tackle threading the upper looper with *drum roll and audible intake of breath from the crowd* WOOLLY NYLON THREAD.
If I’m not back by sunrise, bury me with my boots on.
(Still haven’t found the Møøse!)
Did two hours at gym today – I need to remind myself that I feel SO GOOD when I get done, it’s worth dragging myself there! Also it was my first day without the ankle brace – woo! I’ll definitely be propping it up on the upturned washing basket for a good hour or so before I sleep tonight, though.
This week:
SEWING: – yep, this is the week Sue and I are going to CONQUER our overlockers, oh yes indeedy! (Provided we can fit it in around other appointments – I have another busy week, *sigh*)
Coverlock 4862
I WILL MASTER YOU, oh Coverlock 4862!
Also – hoping to cut out at least one top, and finish a pair of yoga pants for wearing to the gym.
I have a medical for the Weight Loss program this week – that’s going to be interesting! I’ve been able to stop my blood pressure medication completely, which is AMAZING considering I was on 16mg a day this time last year.
Please spare a thought for the Aussies battling disasters right now – 66 (that was a few hours ago – now it’s 84) people so far have lost their lives in the bushfires down south, and goodness knows how many homes… meanwhile, Queensland is 60% flooded (none down our way, it’s up north) and lives and homes have been devastated there too. On Friday the Victorian Coroner had already announced that the Melbourne morgue was full to capacity from heatstroke victims, and now these horrendous fires on top of that…
I was in Canberra during the 2003 fires, and even watching fires on tv is still very frightening to me. Houses in my street were just – gone. We were incredibly lucky, but so many others weren’t.
It’s going to be a very tough year for everyone – lives, homes, infrastructure and crops have all gone in fire or floods since the start of the year. Add the world economic crises and well – belt tightening all round.
Do what you can to help, eh? If you can donate blood (I can’t) PLEASE PLEASE DO IT. Burn victims need lots of blood and plasma, apparently, so call the Red Cross and give…
The hunt for (un)read Ottobre continues. (See what I did there with the lame Tom Clancy reference? Oh wait, there’s obviously a redundant word there – I mean, he was GREAT for the first coupla books, am I right? But give him dialogue or female characters and – ewww. No wonder he franchised himself out…)
Small diversion there while the steam escapes from my ears. Seriously, WHERE IS THIS MAGAZINE HIDING? (And why can’t I just LET IT GO?!?! It’s not like I don’t have – oh, I dunno – about a GAZILLION other patterns I could be sewing!))
And speaking of things hiding: When I was in Adelaide I bought two glove puppets from Ikea. (Not that I can find THEM on the Ikea websites anywhere in the world, either – it’s a conspiracy! Stop me before I get back onto the Tom Clancy stuff, ok!) One was a pantomime-y sort of horse, and the other – to my great glee – was a moose.
I have a thing about saying “CHOCOLATE MOOSE!” and making antlers with my fingers whenever the opportunity arises to have chocolate mousse. (Obviously). So I was having the BEST time running around Ikea saying “CHOCOLATE MOOOOOOOOOSE!” with this silly $4 glove puppet.
But as The Teabot5000 pointed out, the ways of the moose are subtle. And moose has become quite well travelled as he lurks, hiding, until the other person finds him and squirrels (SQUIRRELS! Nothing up my sleeve! – Oh, I just slay me. And wasn’t Tom Clancy still a bit obsessed with Boris and Natasha types?!) him away to turn up – anywhere. He’s already been to the gym with me, hidden in the ginger-nuts container, and developed a lovely singing voice when placed over the old doorbell chime unit.
MOOOOOOOSE!
Today I was innocently out at my Personal Training session, then lunch with the girls, and I get home to find my blog has been MOOSEJACKED!! (tee hee!)
I’m not looking forward to tomorrow. Mostly because I have a 9 am appointment at a different gym as part of the Weight Management Program and they’re going to make me run on a treadmill (HA! So THEY think – I can’t run on those things!) and then keep pricking my fingers and measuring the lactic acid levels in my blood or some such, which allegedly will determine my ideal cardio training rate. Whatever. I have to - get this – FAST – and have NO CAFFEINE – for three hours prior to this torture.
I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON.
NOT EVEN THE DOG WILL COME NEAR ME BEFORE MY FIRST CUP OF TEA.
(In fact, I suspect the Teabot 5000 actually uses a tray on a looooooong stick to deposit my first cuppa on my bedside table. Possibly while wearing full protective gear just in case. I don’t know this, because I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON.)
Suspected First Cuppa Delivery System
And they want to make me do their DUMB tests when I’m already HAPPY with MY Gym and MY personal trainer? GRRR! If I had liked these people AT ALL I might have started training with them at my other session of this sort of torture months ago – but they were nasty and the gym they were working out of then was vile. They’re at a new place now, but I really resent having to go and waste workout energy on stuff that’s not MY program…
Ahem. I may just have a teensy issue or two around this, ya think?!
And now I think I have definitely earned some raspberries and ricotta and maybe a banana as well. Since I’m going to be clawing at my STOMACH in the morning anyway…
Caity will explain Møøse later. Probably after Caity discovers Møøse.
Went to the pyhsiotherapist yesterday, who said: WE CAN FIX YOU!!
YAY!!
Turns out that a lot of my hip problems are caused by very weak deep muscles – hence my balance probelms and arlaming tendency to fall down and hurt myself. I now have a new regiem of strengthening exercises – some of them obvious, like being able to stand on tip toes with eyes closed for increasing amounts of time; and some that look like I’m just lying down but in fact I’m making very controlled movements to work deep muscles in my hips. Cool, eh!
And my Personal Training session is today, so I can ask Gwennie for help in getting the exercises right.
(Have I mentioned how much I’m enjoying the gym? I LOVE THE GYM!)
Ok, I'm not up to star jumps in heels yet, but I LOVE GYM!
Off to lunch with the girls today – photos to follow later!
- Made it to Pilates even though I woke up exactly 45 minutes before class start time
- Remembered to pack both clean undies AND a clean bra to put on post-class-shower/ pre-going out
- Went with Sue to our first time at The Australian Sewing Guild meeting at Highfields, which was worth the trip. And while there I traced the pattern to make the tunic featured on the cover of this magazine:
Ottobre Woman 2/2008
(Now I just have to grade it up *very* slightly, add seam allowances, tissue fit, choose which fabric to use, and actually sew it up)
- Did a VERY intense session with the psychologist, working with a technique that I have scoffed at previously but which today saw me burst into tears… I remember now why I don’t usually wear mascara to these sessions!
- Managed to eat and enjoy two hot cinnamon donuts even though buying three would have been better value – I only wanted two, so that’s all I had. And they were GOOOOOD!
- Spent another couple of hours STILL trying to find these back issues of Ottobre Woman (so far without success, obviously, and it’s driving me NUTS)
-
- Ottobre Woman 2/2007
(And then I asked the Teabot5000 if he’d seen that cover and YES, he’d saved a magazine called Ottobre in a box that he’d mentally marked “Important Textile Magazines KEEP THESE”!!! YES YES YES!!) So now I just have to locate the 2/2006 issue somewhere in our house/shed/combined clutter and I can stop obsessing:
Ottobre Woman 2/2006
Why were these suddenly VITAL, I hear you ask? Well, because I am now so very very close to fitting into some of the patterns that I adored in these but which would have been just too hard (I told myself) to re-draft to fit my larger size. Now I don’t have to re-draft, just trace, add seam allowances, tissue fit, and sew! I suspect only another delusional sewing nut would understand the difference, but trust me, it’s VERY motivating!)
- Watched the second auditions episode of So You Think You Can Dance – you all know I LOVELOVELOVE that show, right?
- Did I mention that part of all the work I’m doing with the psychologist is clearing out unhelpful attitudes? And that part of this is examinning what’s really important in my life? So a lot of PHYSICAL clutter is getting sorted through, too; and I decided that the hugely expensive machine embroidery component of my fancy schmancy sewing machine is something I want to – hmmm, conquer isn’t quite the right word – perhaps – feel confident about exploring? Yes. So I *eventually* located the necessary bits and pieces (software, dongle, serial to USB converters and so on) and – TA DA – reinstalled the software and started to learn the programs over again. Woo, yes?
- Tomorrow: The physiotherapist. And maybe some sewing. And possibly a gym workout before those things. So I must away to bed.
PS: Several LOVELY blogfriends have nominated for awards – I will get to them soon, thank you sweeties!
I slept through most of Australia Day. Don’t know if I ate something wrong or just picked up a bug – but it wasn’t pretty. So – I’ve got nothing to report, AGAIN. *sigh* Terribly boring of me.
Trying to get in to see a doctor tomorrow – should my back really still be hurting this much eight days after a fall? Then I’ve got the psychologist AND the psychiatrist to see this week.
Yep. That’s always FUN.
Tomorrow HAS to be better, yes?
As I write we are in the middle of a wonderful fabulous heavy rainstorm. Ahhhhhhhhhh! I know this makes me sound like I’m 80 instead of 40, but the relief in my joints when a storm finally arrives is BLISS.
The other cause of happiness: Today a book arrived from my Mum and Dad:
On Food and Cooking - you NEED THIS BOOK!
I had the first edition – in fact, I have had SEVERAL copies, one I which I gave to my Dad – but somewhere in one of the moves I lost MY copy. When I was at my brother’s over Christmas I was browsing his copy and remembered how much I enjoyed it – and so Mum and Dad kindly agreed to buy me a new copy.
So now I have the revised edition, with lots more info, I think I may have got the better end of the deal!
The charming and erudite Harold McGee continues to write about food and science – his most recent monthly column can be found at this link or by clicking the “news” tab on his website.
(*giggles* I might add that the book doubles as a handy weight for triceps and biceps work – you need strength to hold this up to read, or your nose will get smashed!)
Waving goodbye to his beautiful ringlets
OBAMA!!!
Falling over at step class: free.
Supports to help heal the injuries: $120
Ankle brace - not MY ankle, obviously!
Feeling like a TOTAL TWONK: PRICELESS.
*sigh*
An expensive lesson in not pushing myself QUITE so hard quite so fast.
Still feeling quite cross with myself, but I need to keep going. Pilates class tonight – normally I would do this on Monday mornings, but my ankle and calf were not going ANYWHERE yesterday.
Not much else going on – just about finished reading this:
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale. Interestingly, the same Great Detective, Mr Whicher, was a key investigator in the case of the Tichborne Claimant – something of a celebrity connection with my home town of Wagga Wagga, NSW!
And now, I’m off to the libary, because I’m about to enter into that most dire of states: I HAVE NOTHING TO READ!! Then to Pilates class… ouch ouch ouch ouch….
But needed to be a post. So here goes:
Annie said:
Egads you’re game, I cannot do classes anymore. Was totally addicted to them when I was in my twenties, but now I am just too self conscious, to say nothing of too arthritic to look graceful anymore!
Arthritis is still an issue for me, but the class instructors and my personal trainer take it into account – I do modified version of some exercises and leave some out altogether. But the pain management specialist I see is very big on building muscle to support arthritic joints, and he hasn’t steered me wrong yet…
Of course, it’s early days for me a the gym. But I am SO determined!
“Self conscious” – I am at the point where I honestly don’t give a STUFF about what anyone else thinks I look like when I’m working out! Of course, it helps a LOT that this is a fantastic gym with friendly people and a wide range of members – there are women (and men!) bigger then I am, and people wear what’s comfy.
Also, I have noticed that the only time anyone really looks in the mirrors is to check their form – if they’re performing the moves correctly - no skeezoids hanging about checking out the chickybabes of any gender! I think this might be because this isn’t a “trendy” gym – yes, they’re apparently the only gym in Queensland to offer some of the classes, so they’re modern, and the machines and facilities are kept super clean – but they’re not like SOME places I could name which are owned by franchises and have sales targets and glossy advertising that they have to cover… *wink* I’m sure you know the sort of places I mean!
I’ll NEVER be “graceful” – I mean, you should see the Oxigeno instructor, she moves like a ballet dancer, only with even more amazing muscles – but I expect I’ll get less clumsy and klutzy as I learn the routines and get some balance and core strength. Even SHE falls out of balance poses and admits some days are better than others!
I guess what I’m saying is I’m not letting any of my old ideas about being “perfect” at everything I try hold me back any more. Note: i am NOT saying that “near enough is good enough” – what I’m saying is that I am finally at the point where I can do this for ME, at my pace, and with the expectation that there will NOT be instant results, it’s a long road and I’ve barely taken the first steps.
I’m a bit tireder than usual, but I think when I do get to sleep I’m sleeping better. Going to the gym everyday has definitely improved my mood: even when I’m sore, I still like getting into the workout, and so enjoy the feeling of accomplishment once I’m done!
That said, I’m off to the gym again now. Just doing the two machines I know so far and some stretches – unless the Step class looks like too much fun!
OI! Hello! It's meeeee!
Hello! It’s me, Caity! Shocking you as I reveal the alarmingly unflattering arms-length self portrait to show you my even shorter hair and new green framed glasses! Wooooo!
Yep, that is grey at the temples there. The pink just fades too darn fast, so I’m going BLONDE next. At the next haircut. And I finally got to see my waxer today, so I’m no longer auditioning for any roles as “grotesquely bearded lady” – just “slightly spotty” one. And given how NONE of you wanted to hear about my facial hair woes mentioned in the last post, I’ll just leave that there, eh?
Sewing: ummmmm – well, I’m going to Gardam’s to order velvet tomorrow after gym… does that count? And I’m planning on rethreading the @*&#!)&*(# overlocker (serger) tonight and replacing the needle that broke right before I went on holidays. Provided the front room has cooled down some – our wee hoose has no insulation and the temp got up to 36 degrees INSIDE today. That’s 95 F… hot for Toowoomba, but nowhere near the summer scorchers of my childhood.
(In primary school in Dubbo, we all FERVENTLY believed that when the temperature outside reached 46 degrees (115F) we’d be allowed to go home. I have no idea if it was ever true, but I do remember when the temperature sat at 44 or 45 degrees for weeks and we’d have our classes outside under trees instead. Back in my day, sonny, we didn’t HAVE aircon at school…)
And I will confess to ordering a couple of new Vogue patterns: I like this one from Sandra Betzina especially.
Once my stupid swelly belly problem is a bit more sorted, I’ll sew up some skirt patterns… in the meantime, it’s just easier to wear loose dresses and tshirts with jeans.
Quilting: After quite a long hiatus I actually feel inclined towards making some fibre/quilt art. I’ve been so out of that loop that I haven’t even read the last few issues of Quilting Arts… horror! And I’ve let my subscriptions to most of the other magazines lapse. In their most recent email, though, there were some books coming out this year that looked worthwhile…including this one by Melanie Testa:
Doesn’t that look inspiring?
And now I really need to go and get settled for sleep. I’m trying a new gym class in the morning and I’m feeling very nervous…
… but for now, I’m still so thrilled with myself every time I get there!
I’m especially loving this Oxigeno class thing – did it Monday morning and I can still feel muscles waking up from their 20 year long sleep. “Hey! WHAT?! You want us to do WHAT?!?”
Not painful sore, just – yeah, I worked out, ooooch.
Skipped yesterday because I was SUPPOSED to have a full schedule of appointments. Now, I HAD been syncing my phone with my computer before I switched to a Linux box (which I love)…but when I got back from my holiday something weird had happened to all my appointments in my phone. OH NOES!
I got to my first appointment for the day ok (the gynaecologist, see him again in three months if this new medication works) because that was written on the calendar in the kitchen. But – embarrassingly – missed the next two, which I thought were an HOUR LATER than the booked time… oh dear. I blame the auto time updater on my phone.
So – I have gone back to good ol’ low-tech writing stuff in a diary, dammit! I bought one that is a very pretty blue -called “aqua” by the manufacturer, but in reality darn close to Tiffany blue (a girl can dream eh?)
Low tech, but it works!
So – re-booked appointment with the waxer (have I mentioned recently my struggles with chin hair? If not, remind me later, I’m sure you’ll all be RIVETED…) and the hairdresser. The lovely pink of a few weeks ago has faded to a dull – hmmm, brownish pinkish? on top, and a purpley-pink for the rest.
I may yet shave it all off and start over – or get white blonde highlights – or go black and red… it’s only hair, after all!
Gym today again – I can’t believe how rotten I feel before I go (”mumble grumble, bed, tea, mumble OH NO MR BELOVED, NOT THE FROZEN SPINACH I’M GETTING UP, REALLY!!!”) and how good I feel afterwards.
But now – I must go clean off the table to trace out a pattern.
Jalie Lounge Pants Pattern
The annoying thing is that – even with the weight loss I’ve already achieved – the only workout clothes around seem to be for TEENY WEENY (already fit? Grrummph) people. It’s not like I even want anything fancy – and I *know* I can sew it – but it’s finding the right sort of fabrics in retail amounts that’s difficult. And I’m not even talking technical/performance fabrics that do fancy things like wicking, oh no – just plain decent quality knits with a bit of body, that’s all I’m after. Oh, and in just about any other colour than “grey marle”- was whoever invented THAT having a bad day or what? Is there any (non)colour more depressing?
Must get on with the day….
First day doing gym by myself. I asked the trainer yesterday about the quietest times, and she was spot on – no waiting for machines (I only know how to use two!) and no gawkers.
I think I’m getting the hang of the treadmill it sound totally woossy to admit it, but DANG that thing scared me yetsterday! I was white-knuckled at 2.2kms per hour. Which is S—L—-O—–W! Today I was more confident, even played about with the incline settings, and got comfortable walking at 5kms per hour. Still much slower than I walk outside, but a big leap in confidence.
So – I did an hour of weights/stretches/pilates/treadmill. All at a very low level, but…I’ll get there.
The gym equipment looks quite a roomful of angular monsters with bright orange mouthparts! *chomp chomp chomp* I think it would all look much more civilised as a steampunk gym… all brass dials and gleaming ebony – don’t you?
I have a question though: my iriver MP3 player is NOT a fancy beastie. Basic black with white ear thingies (Dontcha love it when I talk all TECHNICAL!)
And so there are no super duper fancy schmancie armbandy thingummies to buy to fit it – and even if they were, I seriously doubt they’d fit around my arm.
- So – does anyone else have suggestions for how to make something to hold the thing? The gym music is okay but there are times when I don’t want to listen to “doontz doontz doontz doontz”…. (as I write this I’m listening to Mercy by Duffy – awesome – and appropriate for gym perhaps!)
So I’m thinking a cuff/sleeve MP3 holder, with velcro maybe? Hmmm.
Duffy - AWESOME voice!
And I’m back to my food diary. Tedious, but necessary.
Poor Connie J. Woodle was so excited that I was wearing shorts/t/walking sneakers… and then CRUSHED when I told her I was going to gym not to take her for a walk! I’ll take her later to make up for it – but geesh, that disappointed puppy face – I felt like the world’s cruellest Mum!
Right. Off to hang the washing and think about tackling …. THE SEWING ROOM ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT…
Now, as I may have previously mentioned, I am in the process of trying lose weight and get healthy.
BUT for some time now I’ve been stuck. On a plateau. Frustrated.
And we all know why, don’t we, boys and girls?
Yep – simple equation that even your math challenged blogonaut here can figure out:
To lose weight: Energy OUT must be greater than Energy IN.
And even on as low as 1200-1400 calories a day – allegedly below the amount needed to fuel my resting metabolic rate – the weight isn’t shifting. Plus I HATE how I look. Really hate the extra padding. And the painful joints and all the other miseries of being so overweight. (Yes, I’ll probably still have joint pain, that’s the nature of arthritic diseases, but putting less load on the bendy bits will help.)
And I know I don’t have to look like I do. I know I can be healthy at a much smaller size – ideally, about 40-45 kilograms less than what I currently weigh. (That’s 88-99 lbs less than now.) When I was younger I looked like this:
Caity in 1968
AHEM! Let’s be a leeeeeeeeeeeeeeetle more realistic now…
Caity in 1991
This was in 1991. Which means I was 23. Now, while I don’t NECESSARILY want to be as thin as this, (and it is, after all, *mumblety* years later) I reckon I can go a lot closer to looking like THAT than I am now.
So today I FINALLY JOINED THE GYM!
My dear friend Sue has been encouraging me to join the gym for some time now. She’s worked hard to get trim and toned – and she looks great. So – I have my fitness assessment TOMORROW! I’m so excited!
No big lock-in contracts, no poseurs – just a nice clean friendly gym. Run by nice people. And a lovely personal trainer I will work with once a fortnight. And a goal for the year: 20 kgs less than I am now, with much improved fitness and sleekness! I think that’s reasonable and achievable.
All the specialist doctors I see have been encouraging me to go for it – Mr Beloved is STRONGLY supportive – and my Mum and Sister-In-Law have weight loss goals for this year, too.
I know there will be days when I try to pike out – but I’m DETERMINED TO DO THIS.
(Just – if I do slack off – give me a gentle kick and tell me to get back in there, ok!)
So: tomorrow is full of good stuff. Psychologist appointment, then the gym ,then I pick up my new spectacles and prescription sunglasses. Oh, and I get to order the silk/rayon velvet I need for my S-I-L’s bolero – good on Gardam’s, they’ve come through for me yet again!
So! Here I am home again. I am still In Trouble with Her Poodleness for going away – she is quite determinedly “Daddy’s Dog” at the moment. Flight was ok (and greatly enhanced by my earlier reading of The Cloudspotters Guide) and the trip home from Brisbane Airport to Toowoomba was better than usual (owing mostly to Mr Beloved’s familiarity with the back streets of Brisbane that kept us well away from the Milton Road traffic).
On to the Things I Now Know:
I need a MINIMUM of 12 hours sleep. Any less than that and I am running a sleep deficit which eventually leads to my falling into bed and losing a day.
Despite all good intentions, I didn’t sew. After Mum carted her machines all the way to Adelaide! But I did get Ju’s measurements, did the alteration, and Mum started the dress. I slept a LOT while Mum sewed!
Bantam Langshans don’t go cluck cluck, they almost purr. Bantam Australorps are also very pretty.
top: Berys; middle: Mrs Bantam-Langshan; bottom: Mrs Bantam-Australorp
White Leghorns and Isabrowns act just like cliquey teenage girls. They like to do everything the “in” crowd is doing, but they are terrible gossips, and can spend hours chatting.
Mrs Isabrown: A good layer but a terrible gossip
For some reason (possibly based in his troubled childhood ducklinghood), Adam (seen here sporting his trademark D.A.coiffure) Does Not Like the dominant white chook, Mrs Leghorn. Who is now called Berys – for reasons which may be obvious in the photo of the three girls – if you thought “something’s not quite right with the bare bum of that white chook” you’d be right. Adam “Drake” Khaki-Campbell was held in Duck Gaol for assault, and is currently on parole with a good behaviour bond.
Adam and Eve Khaki-Campbell
(and watching Chook TV is a very pleasant way to spend time.)
I have also found The Hen of My Dreams: well, not found her yet, but I know what she is:
Silver Laced Wyandotte Bantam Hen
pretty, yes? Wyandottes are a very hen-shaped hen, I reckon. And If I’m going to enjoy them, I want them to be really pretty! They’re not brilliant layers, but we don’t eat heaps of eggs anyway – we mainly want them for their help in the garden and our watching pleasure.
After watching the chooks at my brother and sister-in-law’s place, I’m somewhat in awe of the digging capability of the bigger chooks, and like the amenability of the bantams.
Gordon: Not a Morning Person either
My brother, Gordon, works as a fruiterer. And has to start Very Early a lot. Despite the fact that Not Being A Morning Person seems to run in the family…
(I didn’t get a single photo of Dad! Arrgh! Or one of Mum and Dad together!)
We didn’t see much of my nephew, Hunneal, either. He was either at work (extra shifts to earn money since this will be his final year at school, and he’s studying hard for the big UMAT exams in July) or like this:
My Nephew, Hunneal - too tired to move!
3 pairs of shoes ( 1 flats, 1 heels, 1 walking sneakers) was just right. Yay! Also – my white walking sneakers are Not Suitable for jogging. I need more bounce than they provide. Hmmm.
It is impossible to tire out a Border Collie, no matter how long the walk or how many sticks you throw in the river.
Bidgee The Indefatigable
Some people DON’T EVEN OWN IRONING BOARDS, let alone good irons, and a sewist should take this into account! Packing one simple dress that needs ironing is not too bad. Packing a dress that needs complicated ironing – not so good. Lesson: Never assume your obsessions will be the same as your host’s!
IKEA =totally amazing. For just about EVERYTHING.
Shellfish and my tummy DO NOT GET ALONG. Ahem. Ooops.
My great-great-great ( is that enough greats?) Grandfather built a heap of buildings in Glenelg. I have stood at what was Miller’s corner, where his timberyard business once stood. I have seen the grand building in the middle of Adelaide where he had his office. Gordon reckons that makes us practically locals!
Bay Discovery Centre at Glenelg - built by David Miller
If the suitcase is full on the way TO the holiday, it’s going to be touch and go whether it bursts a zip on the way home… Thankfully it didn’t.
I miss Mr Beloved a LOT when I am away! Our phone bills will be huge, but it was worth it. We had to talk to each other a couple of times a day, and 20 days was really stretching the limit of time away from each other. I’m very glad I went, and I loved spending time with my family, but gee it’s good to be home!
So here we are, almost at 2009. Wheeeee.
Goals etc: lose another 20 kg. Exercise everyday. Join (and USE !) the gym.
A bit down today, for no discernible reason – except that Mr Beloved is a long way away and I miss him, a LOT.
Happy New Year, all!
Eunju and Mum outside Glynburn Fabrics, Firle, Adelaide
Had a lovely time this morning playing in the local fabric heaven – Glynburn Fabrics. Their store is just a TREASURE cave! We found fabric to make Eunju her “Audrey” dress (she loves Audrey Hepburn’s style, and this dress pattern will look gorgeous on her)
New Look 6723
as worn by the Divine Audrey in “Sabrina”
And because I couldn’t resist: this wonderful heavy cotton in cream, red, orange and brown (I KNOW, not supposed to be my colours, but it’s just so FUN!)
Very Caity Fabric!
Also shown = some cream pre-made satin bias binding, because that makes the neckline and armhole finishing so quick…
So – just an final check of the tissue fit for Ju’s pattern (we did the FBA last night, and shortened the waist length) and a quick iron and we’re off!
it was MAD in Adelaide city today – duh, first day of post-Christmas sales will do that! I was very restrained (not least because virtually the only sizes left on the sales racks were 8s – even at my THINNEST, under 60kg, I need a 12!)
However, I did treat myself to a new book from my absolute favourite author/illustrator: Shaun Tan.
Shaun Tan is a genius....
Also grabbed a book for Mr Beloved (which I will also enjoy)
Not quite as nerdy as trainspotters....
And Ju tried on some lovely dresses and a gorgeous french lace silver sequinned bolero (but we can MAKE that , and it won’t be $799!! sorry, George Gross!)
And now we’re home again, eating the most GINORMOUS mangoes you’ve ever seen:
HYYYYUUUUUUGGE mangoes!
Right – nearly time for dog stick river. Tomorrow: markets and perhaps some dressmaking.
… so back at my house, we have only acquired full length mirrors quite recently. And I generally manage to avoid them by keeping them strategically filthy, so I can’t REALLY see myself in them, just a quick passing glance.
But here in my brother and sister-in-law’s house, the room I am staying in has MIRRORS.
The ubiquitous "shot in the mirror" picture
BIG mirrors. The kind you CANNOT AVOID.
Uggggh.
Naked Caity is NOT something even *I* want to witness first thing in the morning, let me tell you!
And I just got out the scales. NOT GOOD. *sigh* I didn’t think I had been over-eating, but obviously I was wrong. Thing is, I FEEL better. I can walk more – in fact, as soon as it’s a little bit cooler, Bidgee is taking me for a rousing game of Stick in River. I’m still tired all the time, but feeling a little bit stronger, y’know?
But the weight loss stuff needs to get back on track. SERIOUSLY. (Not that I’m going to be all prissy tomorrow – you should SEE the feast my lovely sister-in-law and Mum have been working on!)
My lovely sister-in-law, Eunju, peeling prawns for the feast
*sigh*
Well, time to stop moaning about it and go out and do some interval training with the dog. (In my interpretation, we walk for a bit, then run for a bit, then both stop and pant for a bit, then run for a bit….)
Later,
Caity the waddler
No pics yet – I keep forgetting to take my camera! So far a lovely time with family, it’s embarrassing how much sleep I need
Went to Ikea today – oh, I LOVE Ikea!! Saw a bed that would be perfect – but mostly I’m in deep desperate LOVE with a their clever storage solutions. And this table and chairs set: Oh, to not have to eat dinner on my lap – really, that’s not too much to want from civilisation, is it?
Haven’t found the good fabric shops yet… but I did buy some cheap 100% cotton at Ikea for another version of the trapeze dress – $3.99 metre!
My brother and his family live in the inner east of Adelaide, which is very beautiful. lots of old stone houses, leafy trees, and the river just a short walk away. Bidgee the Border Collie takes me for a walk every day to play “Stick in river” – not a complex game, here are the rules:
Tell dog to find a stick! FIND A STICK!
Throw stick in river.
Dog dives fearlessly into river, retrieves, and races past you with the stick, dropping it anywhere from 20 to 50 metres away (this is the human exercising feature of the game)
Repeat until either a) too dark to see river, dog, or stick or
b) your arm falls off.
I miss Mr Beloved A LOT, and have to speak on the phone to Constance J. Woodle each day, but I’m having a lovely time.
Here at Chez Beloved, we’re fighting a (losing) battle against these rotten little buggers:
!)@*(#&@*& PANTRY MOTH!!
They are EVERYWHERE. And it’s going to be very expensive to get rid of them – not because it’s an expensive process per se – just some pheromone based traps from the supermarket, and a good wipe down of everything – but because you have to THROW OUT EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT BE INFESTED.
Oh sure, some of the food can be frozen, that kills the blighters. Unfortunately, even though we have an insanely large fridge/freezer, there is NO space in the freezer section at all.
So MOST things - like flour, spices, rice, pasta, etc etc etc – basically anything not in a TIN (although I believe the moths are secretly breeding a mutant SUPERMOTH to even get around that difficulty) have to be tossed. *fume*
MOTHRA!
And the moths are, of course, in my sewing room as well. Which is why my grabbing the lidless can of this
Spray Starch
and attempting to spray it around the room -INSTEAD OF THIS
FLY SPRAY
was inevitable.
However, those moths have the CRISPEST, MOST CREASE FREE WINGS you ever saw…..
*headdesk*!!
Ok, just so we’re clear, I don’t mean THIS Pink -(tho I LOVE her!)
I mean THIS PINK!
Yep, I was bored at the hairdressers today – bored with being grey. So – if I’m going to colour my hair, I thought, why not COLOUR it?!
Pink! I like PINK!
And although the weight loss is still slowed waaaaaaaaay down, I’m feeling better about it and back to counting calories. I thought you needed to see me posing in front of our suburb’s emblem: the abandoned car surrounded by unmown lawn. CLASSIC!
AND – I had the NICEST thing happen to me today! You know I just ADORE our local fabric heaven, Gardam’s, right? Well, I went in to pick up a layby (pics to follow soon, I promise) only to have the lovely manager hand me an envelope and explain that it was a gift certificate from Mr and Mrs Gardam! YOU COULD HAVE KNOCKED ME OVER WITH A FEATHER!
Of course I spent it immediately on more yummy fabric, LOL! Seriously, their store has the best service and fabric – there were some young things in there today making choices for bridesmaid dresses and I promise you, these would NOT be “Bridesmaid Dresses” – you know, the ones that are so unspeakably awful that you look at the photos and cringe – no, these girls were playing with gorgeous silk chiffons over some luxe duchess satins – soooo pretty!
And now I must go and retrieve my new fabric from the washing machine – by the time Miss Constance and I get back from our walk, it will be ready to iron, cut out and sew – wheeeeeeeeeeee!! Another iteration of the fabulous trapeze dress from McCall’s 5583, this time in a rayon/poly/nylon blend that has an interesting (almost looks like velvet but it’s not) texture in black – prefect in case I get to go out some evening on holidays. And now I know that dress doesn’t need a zip, it’s even quicker to make.
… and yes, it was awful. Not because the psychiatrist was awful – she was actually helpful, and pleasant, and worth going on with in the new year - but because I have immense difficulty trying to dig through my memory about previous treatments etc. (Keep a record, you say? IF I COULD DO THAT SORT OF STUFF, I WOULDN’T NEED THE PSYCHIATRIST!!)
Then I ate according to my emotions and not my Eating Plan.
AGAIN.
Boysenberry Cream Cheese muffin.
Great choice, Caity: FIVE HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT CALORIES. TWENTY TWO POINT EIGHT GRAMS OF FAT.
In an Eating Plan that’s supposed to be 1100 calories and about 30grams of fat FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. Oh, well done, that girl.
There were plenty of other choices. I even had a gluten free muesli bar in my handbag.
*HEADDESK*
*HEADDESK*
*HEADDESK*
I can’t even talk about the rest of everything right now. I’m going to go lie in the (hot!) bedroom with my (stifling!) CPAP mask on and agonise about THE ENTIRE WORLD’S PROBLEMS for a few hours now.
Meh.
Maybe I have rose-coloured memories of the original movie, but as I recall, it SPARKLED. Ok, the central character was a bit of a wuss, but still – it dripped FABULOUSNESS.
The new version? Hmmm. Occasional glints… but no dazzle.
That said, I did enjoy it. There were some great performances (Annette Bening! WHERE has she been for so long, hmmm?) And I loved recognizing lines and scenes (the child actress vs “Aunty Crystal” in the bath was almost (from my memory, anyway) identical to the Joan Crawford version) while laughing at some more modern takes (especially in the birthing room).
The cameos? OMG, THAT was Carrie Fisher? Eeek! And as usual, Joanna Gleason did NOT get anywhere near the screen time/lines that she deserved (Did you SEE her in The West Wing? And how about her utterly knockout performance in Sondheim’s Into the Woods waaaaaaaaay back in 1991? She was been underrated for so damn long!) Bette of course pretty much played Bette… Candice Bergen played… Candice Bergen; and Debra Messing played her entire supporting actress role as … well, Debra Messing.
The fashion? Well…after the opening montage of stylishly clad feet striding along 5th avenue, I kept hoping for more. Don’t even TALK to me about alleged fashion designer Mary Haines in those GHASTLY flat shoes (pre-transformation) – it was all I could do not to scream “Oh, honey, NO!” at the screen.
But her coat in the making up scene with Sylvia? UTTERLY FABULOUS! (of course, I can’t find a #$()@*_( picture..) Mary Haine’s designs? (by John Dunn) Ho hum.
Look, I didn’t expect the movie to time-travel. The original was of its time, and so is this movie. I love that this movie had great roles for some *ahem* “women of a certain age” (and – WHY don’t we see MORE of some of these people, huh, Hollywood? WHY? ) and I hope the run of “chick flicks for the menopausal” (plese, someone tell me there’s a catchier way to say that!) continues.
Gowns by Adrian...
As soon as I can get my hands on the original, though, I’m grabbing my BFF and maybe a coupla other friends, breaking out the air popped popcorn and bubbly, and enjoying it thoroughly.
Well, after yesterday’s debacle (of which more in a moment a post later) I feel the need for some girly mindlessness. So I’m off to see The Women with my BFF.
The ORIGINAL movie The Women (which, alas, I can’t find on DVD) is one of my all time favourite flicks. Joan Crawford as SuperBitch. Rosalind Russell being Rosalind Russell – that is, smart, sassy, and gorgeous. Gowns by Adrian. (swoooooooooon!)
Can the new one possibly stack up? We shall see…
I’m sooooooooo tired! I slept all day yesterday. And I mean ALL DAY – I woke up at 4 pm, still feeling tired. Today – made it up a WHOLE HALF HOUR EARLIER. Arrgh!
And I’m still tired. I’m getting to bed early (straight after The Bill last night, and probably even earlier tonight) – just … well, pain makes me tired. A lot.
So even though there are patterns cut and waiting, fabric washed and ready, and I’ve even unearthed the pressing ham… I’ve done NO SEWING.
Which means I still have NOTHING TO WEAR! Which wouldn’t be a problem if all I was planning on doing was staying home and sleeping but I am going ON HOLIDAYS in two weeks!
Ugh.
And I didn’t get to meet up with the lovely Brenda, who was in town for a family do. I also didn’t get to go out to the movies to see Australia, or to an afternoon tea with friends… bugger bugger bugger bugger!
Dentist tomorrow, the routine 6 monthly torture session – I’d much rather that than wait and discover horrible damage, but still – it’s … unpleasant.
Not much room for interesting blogging when all I do is SLEEP, dagnabbit!
… starting with a new therapist. I had my first appointment today.
Now just a firm twist to the RIGHT and....
I’ve seen a LOT of different doctors about my messy brain. I’m even seeing yet ANOTHER new one (psychiatrist – today’s was a psychologist) next week.
I am, however, hopeful. Not least because this new bloke makes sense. Which is not a given, in the head shrinking field. We shall see. Maybe I’m at a point now where I can actually address the issues.
Scary.
Here’s a novel concept (and pretty much the focus of this therapy): Anxiety is not inherently a Bad Thing.
I remain sceptical. But I can’t go on doing what I’m doing because IT’S NOT WORKING. So we shall see.
In other news: I’m off to tissue fit and try to make this:
McCalls 5664
The reviews have been mixed over on Pattern Review – I’m not sure how the engineering works, but it seems that if a garment wraps from the front to the back, then the front rides up. I have fabric for two versions: white with a red and white sash, and blue with a black sash.
And if I’m going to get it cut out tonight, I need to stop faffing about online and go do it!
Well, so much for His Lord High bloody Gastroenterologist saying I don’t have coeliac – three slices of sultana bread yesterday and I am bloated and miserable!
ARRRRRRRRGH!!!
Too sick to do much.
Talk to you all later.
3 new pairs!
Reddish/burgundy leather round toe slingbacks: $230 $40
Red patent leather, wood stacked heel, basket weave at toes: $239 $40
(One can never have too many red shoes!)
Black kid pointy toe quilted flats: $299 $40 (my concession to having to occasionally revert to flats. At least these are kind glam, with their nod to Chanel’s delish quilted flats…)
SCORE!! Should I go back tomorrow and get the pink sandals? Hmmmmm….
All from Arabella Shoe Boutique’s back room sale. Normally all I do at Arabella’s is leave nose prints on their windows… cos I can’t afford even to walk in the door!
Sue got the most fabbo pointy toe burgundy pumps for $20 – I mean, how could you POSSIBLY not get them at that price?
In other news… I now am the proud owner of a copy (in almost my size – will have to enlarge the waist, grrr) of this beauty:
Simplicity 4260; ©1953; Misses’ and Women’s One-Piece Dress: “Simple to Make” dress has short kimono sleeves and bodice underarm section for freedom of action. Concealed pockets in flared skirt are optional. View 1 buttons down entire front. Collar and cuffs are contrasting. View 2 has wide shaped neckline. sleeves open at outer edge. Buttons close dress to hipline with a pleat below closing. Saddle stitching trims the dress.
Simplicity 4260
The envelope for mine is really tattered, but the instructions are there and the pattern has been neatly cut. Which to do first – the super cute crisp white collar and cuffs (perhaps in a white pique if I can find some?) or the lovely shaped neckline with the shorter sleeves with slit? Oh decisions, decisions….
And in health news: the swelly belly isn’t going down. In fact, it’s getting worse. *sigh* Ultrasound of my liver tomorrow morning (cue Monty Python’s Meaning of Life Liver Donor Sketch running in my head…) and reverting to gluten free diet (even though the gastroenterologist swears up and down that I don’t have coeliac. Grrrr.)
And my fabulous primary health care doctor has made arrangements for me to see a psych about my OCD issues. Woot. I’m – thrilled? No really – it will be good to get some help. It’s just that – well, if it’s not one thing, it’s another – when will I be FIXED?! (can’t get the parts, you know, out of warranty…)
*sigh*
Oh – and thanks for those who were worried, but Toowoomba didn’t get the big storms that really hit Brisbane – as usual, the storm went around the hill. We only got some heavy rain for about 10 minutes and drizzle since then. Some suburbs in Brisbane were severely damaged. Our roof leaks in one or two small, manageable spots, but apart from that we’re fine.
Hoping to do some sewing tomorrow…
(Okay, I admit, I’m TRYING to let it go, but it still smarts!)
Had a lovely thing happen today as the TeaBot5000 and I were coming out of the town library. A lovely woman came up to me and said “Excuse me, are you Caityquilter?”
YES!!! We’ve been reading each other’s blogs for a while, and have quite congruent interests (quilting, reading, poodles, technology) and had yet to meet up – so she said “When I saw you standing there I thought that HAD to be you!”
We had a brief chat about the frustrations of dealing with technophobes, and the joy of meeting up (virtually and in person) with bloggist kindred spirits.
We’re going to meet up for a lunch soon.
Lunch, dahhhhlings!
*post abandoned as neighbout’s screaming child is getting TOO MUCH!! More later when my head has stopped exploding… Jebus may love the little children BUT I DON’T! Actually, it’s the parents I blame…*
Hmmmph!
Yep, again with the disgusting gross embarrassing oral thrush.
ARRRRRRRGH!!
Fortunately I recognised the symptoms and had a repeat of the prescription from last time. Still don’t know if the lozenges are supposed to be orange or lemon flavoured – they’re just yuk! I’ll have to try and get in to the doctors this week *sigh*
So anyway – I’m sewing. Or at least getting ready to cut out this:
Simplicity 3921 – I’m making view A, a simple little bolero top.
One side will be plain black cotton, the other black with little white dots – that way it will be reversible and coordinate with the next few things I’m making – and that’s the whole point of the Endless Combinations Contest over on Pattern Review.
The dress I wore for the cup lunch was piece 1 – so piece 2 has to go with that; then the next thing has to combine with either piece 1 or 2; then piece 3 has to combine with any of the previous ones… it’s a great way to make sure I’m not sewing “orphans”.
(And speaking of the cup outfit, I was thrilled to bits that two other blogs featured my hat – the original inspiration, “Outsapop Trashion“, and also “The Lazy Milliner“- wooooohoooooo! THAT’S what blogging’s all about, making connections!! The hat itself went un-noticed at the lunch, except by those on the same table. Next I’m going BIG or not going at all!)
I also cleared my fabric stash of a few pieces of fabric that were so very very autumn I couldn’t even use them as bottoms pieces or linings – fortunately they went to a good Autumn home!
Ow. My mouth and throat are really sore. Obviously I’m working at just the threshold between well and sick – the least bit of stress and overtiredness and BAM! Down I go.
Off to cut fabric now. Talk amongst yourselves.
Certain people at a group I won’t name but will no longer be associated with in any way need to read this:
Maybe this is even too advanced for them....
and stay the heck out of things they know nothing about.
ANGRY!!!!!
Simplicity 2981 again!
Proper post to follow – but I thought I’d show you The Dress – sewn yesterday!
Not bad, hey? The cotton was jsut a DREAM to work with – I will finish the Dress from Polyester Hell, but not just yet.
Do you like my hat?
I love hats!
My hat - made last night!
I was inspired to try the zipper roses by Outsapop Trashion – a Finnish girl who makes gorgeous stuff from zippers. I bought the shell (?base? the sinamay straw shape thingummy) at Spotlight; covered it with a double layer of black silk organza, and then used separating jacket zippers to make the roses. A few ribbon leaves and fripperies, some black veiling – ta da!!
Karen, Caity, and Sue at the lunch
And now I think I’ll just go have a little nap – the wine was lovely but now I’m REALLY TIRED!
Simplicity 2981 again
I am three-quarters of the way through the next version of The Dress. This time in black polyester fabric I bought for $5 a metre.
Now, sewing buddies – SPOT THE PROBLEM IN THAT SENTENCE.
Woven polyester fabric. Very PRETTY woven polyester fabric, black with little white spots. At a price I couldn’t resist.
Now, what are the three words we need to remember about polyester fabric, if I should EVER EVER EVER attempt to make anything else from this hellish material?
POLYESTER DOESN’T EASE.
(Also, it frays if you so much as look at it wrong. Into teeny weeny very pretty thread snarls that look just like guinea feathers, except are nowhere near as useful.)
(OMG! Just found a shop I could spend most of a lotto win at – Millinery Suppliers! WOOOOOOT! *wanders off singing “heaven… I’m in heaven…*)
AHEM! Back to the business at hand: I bought the fabric from HELL. Straight from Stan’s loom , I tell ya!
Which is why, at 7 pm on Sunday night, I’m just starting to cut out version THREE, in cotton (oh cotton, how I love you!). Remember I want to wear this on TUESDAY. And I have a hat to trim , too. Last time it took about 2 hours to cut (but that was horrible slippery fabric – oh yeah, I forgot to mention – polyester’s SLIPPERY! and I had to mark every piece carefully with right and wrong side, because there was a subtle but noticeable difference…)
Right. Back to it! Just promise me, dear readers, PROMISE ME, that if I so much as LOOK at el cheapo polyester woven fabric again, you will take me by the hand and repeat those three words: Polyester. Doesn’t. EASE!!
My Bestest Sewing Buddy, Sue, is having a giveaway on her blog- this fabbo issue of Burda World of Fashion Magazine!
Burda July 2008
Get over there before November 5 and answer her question, ok!
When sorting through a box of fabric flower making stuff* I got from Nana, I found this treasure: it’s sterling silver with diamantes. I’m not sure where it came from – stuff has ended up all over the place during various moves, so it might not have been Nana Miller’s at all.
Lily of the Valley brooch
Isn’t it pretty? It needs a good clean, though – one of the stems is wobbly, and the silver is very tarnished. I’m off to get a quote from a local jeweller to see what can be done.
Can’t you just see this pinned to a plain (vintage!) dress or (vintage, to die for!) hat?
Anyway, that’s a job for tomorrow. We used up too much bandwidth this month and so our internet is cut back to dial up speed ’til the new month. PAINFUL!!
So tomorrow I’ll try and mostly sew, I think. Hmmm.
I went to Quilters today – first time in ages, since I was so sick before the surgery that I wasn’t going much of anywhere – and THEY DIDN’T RECOGNISE ME!! It was hilarious watching people whisper “Who’s that?” to each other.
Last time they saw me I:
- looked really ILL
- had long hair
- had different glasses
- wore no makeup
- only dressed in jeans and t-shirts!
And today I went in the new frock with cute shoes, a little bit of face on, and my short short haircut – and, if I do say so myself, looking better than I’ve done in YEARS.
Quite the difference.
And now it’s past my bedtime again – catchya tomorrow!
*yeah, more on that later – I need to figure out how to get a spirit lamp (?) that burns without making soot, I think?
So I’ve been struggling with this dress… but I think it’s worth it! Mr Beloved thinks it’s “classy” and my bestest sewing buddy deemed it flattering and pretty… it certainly wasn’t a quick project.
- Simplicity 2981
- Simplicity 2981
I sewed from Simplicity 2981, which was released some time ago as a Khaliah Ali Plus size pattern (18W to 24W, and 26W to 32W). I noticed that a smaller version (6-14 and 14-22) of the exact same dress was put out under the Threads Magazine Collection label as Simplicity 3877 a while back.
I made the shorter length with collar and short sleeves (view B or view D, depending on the pattern you’re using.) The instructions do warn that you must decide on your finished length before you cut the fabric -I shortened the skirt length by 2″. There is no provision for above waist adjustment on the pattern (but that shouldn’t deter you – get a copy of Fit For Real People and go for it!) I’m long waisted so I lengthened the top by 1″ – in retrospect, I could have even gone 2″. (This might sound odd – why did I shorten AND lengthen? Well, because I needed a flattering skirt length and for the waist to actually reach my waist!)
Can I just say that the pattern instructions SUCK? I mean, really suck. They were confusing and the illustrations made things even more muddled. Even though I’d read through the pattern, it took me a while to work out when to attach the second tie of the sash. The jumping backwards and forward in the instructions really threw me, too.
The zipper goes in almost LAST, which is not at all helpful – it makes getting a nice finish even more difficult. I was also undecided up to the last moment about whether to use an ordinary zipper, hand picked (not machine sewn) or an invisible zipper. I knew an ordinary machine applied zipper was not what I wanted, even though it’s in a side seam and unlikely to be visible when the dress is worn. After reading Summerset’s blog on her latest dress, I went with hand picked – it’s amazingly quick and strong. (Mine is NOT as nice as hers – she’s one of my sewing heroes, I aspire to her skills!)
I think the collar is ok – the spread works on this style of dress. It’s applied directly, no collar stand – which makes it easier to sew, but not as crisp, in my opinion.
I’m very, very proud of myself about the skirt – 4 front pieces, 4 back pieces, and 8 godets – all of which went together smoothly first time with no ripping and restitching thanks to the godet instructions in Sandra Betzina’s “Power Sewing.” Yay for skill building successes!
I let the dress hang for DAYS to let the bias drop (and ok, because I was procrastinating!) and when Sue helped me pin the hem, we were surprised by how much some sections dropped – and how little others did. Fortunately I knew I was using more of the same fabric made into bias binding for a bound hem – so I could get away with having a few sections that were quite a lot shorter. And with 160″ or so to sew around the hem, I had to accept that some compromises were necessary if I wanted to wear it THIS YEAR!
In this hem detail photo you can also see just how cute the all-over print of sewing things is!
- The hem, bound with bias binding
The neckline was rather *ahem* LOWER than I had anticipated – perhaps next time I need to stay the neckline? (I don’t think this was caused by my lengthening the bodice – it looks low on the pattern cover, too.) But the crossover point got a wee press-stud inside, so I won’t flash bra at anyone.
HOWEVER – I will probably make this dress again – cos it’s TWIRLY!
- This dress makes me happy!
And I grabbed some $5 per metre/115cm wide all polyester (not too bad to the hand, though, and totally non-crushable) in black with white dots when Sue, Vicki and I stopped at Fabric Barn on our way home from Brisbane the other day. I’m glad I did the first one in cotton though – I know some of the traps to watch out for in the second iteration.
Not least of which is MARK EVERYTHING. A LOT! The chalk I used seemed to disappear just when I needed it most – it’s back to good old-fashioned tailors tacks for me. I have shamelessly snagged this illustration from Vintage Sewing Info, who very kindly provide their info under Creative Commons:
Mark perforations with tailor’s tacks.
The very best way to mark perforations is by using tailor’s tacks since you can then mark them through two pieces of material at once. A very good plan is to mark all small perforations with one color thread and all large perforations with another color.
Tailor’s tacks are thread marks placed in the material, made through the perforations in the tissue paper pattern.
This is the way to make tailor’s tacks.
Use a double thread preferably without a knot. Take a stitch or two stitches one over the other through each perforation and down through both pieces of material if the material is double. Where there is a row of perforations close together like those at the shoulder seam or the underarm seam, take a row of stitches through each perforation and leave a loop between each perforation. (Ill. 25.) Cut the thread half way between the perforations and take the pattern off.
Now, to separate the two pieces of material, pull them slightly apart and snip through each tailor’s tack between the two pieces of material. A little whisker of basting thread will be left in each piece indicating where each perforation comes in the pattern.”
There, wasn’t that useful?!
I’m off for a little bite of dinner, and then to work on the petticoat…
So I’ve been a busy little bee, sewing. I’m striving towards better “build quality” with each thing I sew… but…..
You know how there is a series of books called “The Missing Manual: The Book That Should Have Been In The Box”? (Pogue Press O’Reilly are awesome technical publishers, BTW. If you’re stuck on something techie, they are THE go- to books, IMHO.) Well, what I need is a “Missing Manual” for the Big 4 pattern companies! It would include things like:
- cut the interfacing to the SEAM lines (not outside cutting lines) of pieces you need to interface, it reduces bulk and makes things turn in so much more nicely
- when to put in a grosgrain waist stay
- WHEN to finish which edges in construction – the stupid patterns assume you know this, except when they suddenly remember to say things like “Finish long facing edge…” – NOT HELPFUL, arrgh!
- reminders along the way to hand baste to check fit
- ideas about alternative ways to finish seams
40 is the new...
Yes, I have at various times read most of these things in my treasured collection of Threads magazines; but with my menopausal memory (like a steel… sieve! Yep, that’s it, memory like a steel sieve, me!) I can’t keep so much in my head. Most of my functioning brain space these days is taken up with thoughts such as “HOT! Why is it so HOT In here?” and “What was I doing… why am I in this room?” and “Did I just eat that gingernut… or if not, where have I put it?”
Last night I spent HOURS – literally hours – trying to work out how to pin something together that should have been simple. I know, I shouldn’t attempt to sew when I’m tired; but I reckon losing those brain cells to another general anaesthetic combined with the lack of hormones has made me even sillier than before!
Paris Frocks At Home
Actually, the more I look at this book at Vintage Pattern Info, the more I see where my Missing Manual went – this is all the sort of stuff I was talking about! ARGGGGH!
Could it be that I’m not only menopausal, but need to TIME TRAVEL for sewing lessons as well?
(ooooh, imagine being able to grab that yummy David Tennant as Dr Who and travelling to various couturier’s workshops – who would you pick first? I think I’d have to at least go to Charles Frederick Worth and see how HIS seamstresses managed those princess lines he allegedly invented!)
Right, I’m off to iron a frock – I’m going to a TUPPERWARE PARTY this arvo – LOL! (It’s an excuse to eat yummy things and drink champagne and be giggly with the girls – gotta love that!)
Like this sweet young thing, I’m busy sewing. Results soon!
Sewing, sewing, sewing....
The One Hundred by Nina Garcia
And I got a new book! (Thank you Mr Beloved, *Mwah Mwah*!) BUT I have to swear off magazines. No buying at the newsagents/shops except for Australian Stitches Magazine and Burda World of Fashion. Even some of the ones I have subscriptions for won’t be renewed. (Quilters Newsletter, Cloth Paper Scissors, and maybe even Quilting Arts – I’m talking ’bout YOU!)
Magazines are to budgets what biscuits are to diets – they kinda creep back in, and all of a sudden they’re making you fat. Yep, magazines make my house look FAT, I hate seeing clutter everywhere! (And after seeing the dietician this morning and not losing anything AGAIN this week, the gingernuts done with, too.)
The illustrations are just superb – Ruben Toledo is a genius! Have a look inside the book here. (I’d scan in more images that I’d like to comment on, but I am SOOOOO clumsy with the new image editing software that’s it’s unbearable. Grumble grumble.)
Ruben Toledo Illustration
Also bought some “suck your tummy in” pants at Big W. (Or for those of us who remember the old ads- “I can’t believe it’s not a GIRDLE!” – well that’s because it bloody well IS!!) Also a couple of HOT PINK T-shirts because they were 2 for $16 – I can’t make them for that. Some poor worker at the #74 Hot-Pink-T-Shirt-Factory-and-Political-Prison-Somewhere-in-China sewed them. Which I feel slightly guilty about, but it’s HARD to be politically correct when you’re a pov! And I’ve only just learned that after years of wanting to wear HOT PINK, it’s actually a good colour on me – wooo hooo!
(and yes, HOT PINK does need all caps – how else do I convey that the colour is not some prissy little baby pink, hmmm?)
And now I really should stop faffing about on the ‘puter and go sew this #*&)@$) zipper that I’ve been procrastinating about for days – once that’s done I can go ask my sewing buddy Sue to help me with the hem!
New ‘puter. Hooray for Linux Mint! FAST!! and STABLE!! two things my poor old Windows laptop was not. And HOORAY for wider bigger screen! Boooo, however, to ASUS for having their download site not working. (And boo for not providing Linux drivers straight off – yep, I’m a convert!)
Booo for having to remember a gazillion different log-ins and passwords though – maaaaaaaan I have NO idea what some of them were!
Also – BOOO for pattern instructions that leave me scratching my head. I’m still hoping to get the dress done to wear Wednesday morning, but there’s more to still be done than I was hoping…
Go forth! SEW!!
Now I just have to get it and the petticoat done by 5 am Wednesday morning… please note my very expensive and exclusive pattern weights – otherwise known as tins of tuna!
Getting ready to cut 4 metres of fabric
Think I overdid things in the last few days. Hiding in bed today feelng particularly blah. I want to be sewing, but I’m too achey.
*sigh* just pretend this is me having fun, ok? I’ll be over here in the corner chewing painkillers and whimpering…
New Look 3735: Short sleeved T Shirt
Please excuse the awful photo – Mr Beloved is having a nana nap after getting quite stressed out by noise. This was done with the camera self timer!
Pattern Description: Lovely wearable collection for knit fabrics – a 3/4 sleeve top, and cap sleeved top, cardigan with belt, skirt, and pants.
New Look 6735
Pattern Sizing: 10-22 in the one envelope. I made a straight 22 with no alterations at all – not even my usual D/DD Full Bust Alterations!
New Look 6735
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
YES! Other reviewers have liked the fit and those curves in the illustration on the envelope are really there – WOOHOOO!! (I’ve been caught before by over-optimistic illustrators, so I was pleasantly surprised that the promised shaping was delivered.) And I bought this pattern for $5 when it was on sale, so I reckon I’ve already got my moneys worth our of this one!
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, but… for my first run through I followed them exactly – and I sure won’t next time. I do not understand why pattern companies insist on inserting only-very-slightly-eased sleeves in the round, when sewing them in flat is so much easier.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Quick, fits me straight out of the envelope! The scoop neckline shaping is super flattering, the sleeves look like they’ll be too short but they really work, and the centre back seam really improves the fit. Best of all is the gentle gathering of the front sides at the bustline – not enough to look like gathers, just enough to make a beautiful fit.
Fabric Used:
ARRGGGH! The cheapest, awfullest knit you ever did see – only $1 per metre at a Spodshite clearance and now I know why! It stretched out of shape and didn’t bounce back; it was super-soft and so was tricky to sew, and I don’t expect it to last more than two washes! This was only a wearable(?) muslin though, so I’m not worried.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
None this time BUT: next time I will:
- stabilise the neckline before binding it
- stabilise the hem and sleeve hems with fusible tape before I hem them
- use the overlocker (serger) for most of the construction
- shape the bottom seam into a gentle curve at front and back, so I can wear the shirt out over my waistband.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I’ve got fabric in the washing machine right now to sew into two more tonight… I LOVE this top! I’d certainly recommend it to others, especially beginners or those (like me!) lacking confidence in sewing
knits. Just remember to put the sleeves in flat (before you sew the side seams) and I reckon you can make this in no time.
Conclusion:
A beautifully fitted quick and easy t-shirt that will become a TNT (Tried and True) pattern for me.
*************************
And in other news today: went back to the gastroenterologist - keep taking the drugs for reflux, lose more weight, yada yada.
Next in the sewing pile – a pirate shirt for the TeaBot 5000™. Years and years ago – maybe SEVENTEEN years ago, in fact ! – he asked me to make him a shirt. Better late than never – the fabric is almost dry on the washing line: black with a print of grey pirate skull and crossbones (sideways in this image):
Complete with late afternoon silhouette
About to become this shirt (Butterick 4486)
Ahoy there mateys, it's a PIRATE SHIRT!
unless, of course, I decide to cut out those other two new t-shirts first….
Today and tomorrow are two of the HIGHEST of High Holy Days Of Obligation in our household – the Bathurst 1000! GO LOWNDESY!!
But this year instead of pigging out on chips and dips, I’ve been cutting out pattern tissue instead. Sometimes I’m just so virtuous…!
But we are having a small crisis: the vegemite is lost!
Now, if you’re not a fan of the black goo, you’ll be saying “So what?”
But in this house, it’s serious stuff. When you want toast and vegemite, ONLY vegemite will do. And somehow, our jar has vanished. I’m currently under suspicion, because I’m the one who keeps moving it off our very limited counter space and back into the pantry – but it’s not there. Not on the counter. Not rolled under the table. NOWHERE!!
It’s a mystery…
And now of course, I’m craving it too….
Sue and I had the BEST girly day out today! We were originally booked in with a make-up artist who was coming up from BrisVegas – for whatever reason, that didn’t happen. But we kept the booking with the cosmetics counter and ended up getting much better value for money!
First thing: I’m not a warm undertone at all – I’m COOL? (Yeah, you always knew I was cool, eh?!) In fact, I’m not an Autumn at all – I’m a WINTER!! Look, here I am in pretty pinks – looking HEALTHY!
Pink lips, pink blush, turquoise(!) eyeliner
And look how far I’ve come: this photo was one I posted in May this year: (Admittedly, a less flattering shot, with too much flash, but still…)
May 2, 2008
I’m bloody AMAZED! So you’ll be seeing me in more of these colours:
Winter colours
(Someone who happens to be one of my very dearest friends and who IS an Autumn is going to get some fabric, LOL! but not that Japanese piece, I’m planning on cutting into that TONIGHT!)
Sue and I both DESPERATELY want to go see Kerryn and get our colours and image style done - I think that it would best the absolute BEST treat once I reach my goal weight, don’t you?
After the whole skincare and makeup stuff was finished, we went for a coffee and then a little shopping – until all of a sudden we realised it was quarter to FIVE! (our appointment was for 12:30!) We both tried on a new perfume (which I am totally in love with, the mandarin and pepper notes are just gorgeous) and went to the discount cosmetics shop for quick drying nail polish (bare toes, need polish!).
And we did a lot of sneak shopping – I wish I’d though to whip out my camera phone for some details: tops with masses of pintucks; a shirt with a lovely wide collar shaped by an inverted pleat; covered buttons and beads embellishing another pricey jacket; colour combinations to reproduce. All things that we could add to our sewing…
I had the nicest day! And now I’m feeling much more confident about going for new colours – I just want to get sewing! And now I know what colour make-up to buy,I’m saving up and veeeeerrrry gradually getting myself new things. WOOOOOOOO! Look out world, Caity is BACK!
Next up: New Look 6735
The t-shirt in this has good reviews over on Pattern Review – but I SUCK at knits! Wish me luck…
So, I just made View A of this skirt, with the lovely cascade formed by a couple of pleats and the shaped hem.
McCalls 5430
Pattern Description: Skirts A, B, C have waistband with self-ties and inside buttonholes; skirt A has front pleats creating a cascade; skirt B has optional trim; skirt C has self-faced pockets; length is 2″ below mid-knee.
Pattern Sizing: 6-20. I made a size 20.
I tissue fitted the pattern and thought I would have enough overlap to allow for my swelly belly – NOPE!! Close, but I don’t know if I can wear it in public. (I think I might have forgotten to pleat out the pleats. Truly, I am such a NONG sometimes!)
Wrap skirt
What do you think – can I go out in this or should I leave it in the wardrobe until my belly goes down?
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes! Of course, the pattern illustration girl is unrealistically tall and thin, IMHO….
Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes. The only tricky bit is the waistband and attached ties – but just read the instructions through carefully and you won’t have any problems.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Like: It was quite simple to construct.
Dislike: Unless it’s an hour on some planet with a MUCH longer day than Earth’s, there is NO WAY this is a one hour project! I’m sure I spent at least that long just pressing during construction.
I am, however, now QUITE motivated to learn how to use a narrow hemmer foot properly – because doing the whole “ease stitch, press up, then pin and stitch” on that much hemline, as per the instructions, is just silly. Next time I might just use the serger for a rolled hem -there’s a LOT of hem!
Fabric Used: Quilting cotton from my stash. (Robert Kaufman Fusion Roses in red from Hancock’s of Paducah.) I probably should have thought more about the wrong side of the fabric showing in the cascade – but I can live with it.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: None! This is straight out of the envelope. I *should* have altered it to accommodate my larger than normal belly, but I didn’t.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Already got the next one cut out – this time view C with pockets and top-stitching.
Conclusion: Don’t go into this expecting to make a skirt in 1 hour – there’s just NO WAY! But it is a simple and wearable skirt that will be fabulous for summer.
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BTW – my hair is even shorter now! Mr Beloved thinks it’s a little too severe this short. I kinda like it. And did you see how Constance posed just like in my avatar?!
Oh, and I got my new glasses today – they fit better than the old ones, and are slightly stronger. Purple frames again! Also, the lenses aren’t scratched – amazing what a difference that makes. I try to be careful with them but ya gotta LIVE, eh?
Had the most gorgeous afternoon today – it was the long anticipated FROCK UP High Tea to celebrate darling Chriss’s birthday. She claims it was her 50th – but truly, that can’t be right! No way this sweetie looks fifty, don’t you agree?
Happy Birthday, Chriss!!
We were treated to a scrumptious high tea. Chriss assures us that any food consumed at a birthday party contains ZERO calories, so we all enjoyed ourselves.
High Tea - Calorie Free!
Here we are saying “KIWI!!” in honour of Chriss’s home country, Noo Zillund.
The party was at Platform Nine – which is the Toowoomba Railway Station’s dining room! They had display cabinets of artefacts from when we had a true passenger service to Toowoomba…(mutter mutter grumble, that’s a post for another time…)
It was the best birthday party ever – and the sweetest pressie from Chriss’s Darling DH. (altogether now – awwwwwwww!!) She’s also getting A SEWING ROOM!!
Rock on in your 50s, sweetie – the best is yet to come!
Note – this is almost the same as my review over on Pattern Review, but with a few more details and lots of extra pics.
Pattern Description: MISSES’/MISS PETITE DRESSES AND SLIP: Loose fitting, slightly flared dress, above mid-knee has back zipper closure; dress A is sleeveless; dress B has long sleeves with wrist casings; dress C has three-quarter length sleeves; pullover, above mid-knee, A-line slip D (fitted through the bust) has shoulder straps and stitched hem.
McCalls 8853
I made dress A, the sleeveless view.
Pattern Sizing:4-12 and 14-20. All have alternative pattern pieces for A/B cup, C cup, and D Cup. I made a size 20 with C cup (yay, I’m not a D cup in these patterns any more!)
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? YES!! Except I think mine is even cuter. I would have loved to get hold of the exact same fabric as the pattern picture – looks a bit Marimekko, doesn’t it?
Were the instructions easy to follow? Very easy – but I cannot work out for the life of me why pattern companies insist on putting zippers in things you can pull over your head! I did use an invisible zip this time, but won’t in the next iteration.
And without the zip, there’s no reason to have that centre back seam – so I’ll cut the back as well as the front on the fold next time. That will also avoid the awkward “oh, I should have pattern matched the back” problem on this fabric. (and I wasn’t entirely happy with the way I did the zip – never mind, I’m not re-doing it now!)
Next time, no back seam!
I used French seams on the shoulders and sides – the pattern called for “double stitched seams” so why not?! The neck and armholes are bound – I think next time I’ll stitch the binding so it finishes on the outside instead, as a design feature in contrasting fabric. With no seam in the whole dress could be made with no exposed seams – which means the stitching will probably outlast the fabric.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Likes: It’s fun, flirty, twirly- and quick! I needed an outfit for a “Frock Up” event for a friend’s birthday party, but at only 7 weeks post major abdominal surgery, I can’t wear anything with a waist – because right now, I don’t have one.
Twirly dress!
Dislikes: This is a trapeze style dress (super cute!), and so has a LOT of hem. I hand stitched it this time – all 200cm/78″ – the next version will definitely have a machine stitched hem. Hand hemming took me almost as long as making the dress!
Fabric Used: 150 cm wide Cotton with 3% lycra, bought from local fabric heaven, Gardam’s.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
As shown on the pattern envelope – this is SHORT!! For a size 20 the finished pattern measurements from back of neck to hem are 92cm/36″. I initially lengthened the pattern at the hem by 11cm; once I’d hemmed it to my satisfaction the finished length was 98 cm, which falls just mid knee for me (168 cm/5′6″), so I cut about 4 cms off that 11 cm.
I also used saddle/triple stitching with embroidery thread to finish the neck and arm bindings – not something most people will notice but it made me happy.
As already mentioned, I used an invisible zipper – in low stress seams such as this I think they look better than the “traditional” lapped zipper. You really don’t need a zipper at all.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I’m already planning the next version in a sheer chiffon with a jap silk slip.
Conclusion:
I adore this dress! Can’t wait to make it again, it’s so quick and easy to wear. I can see me wearing these a
lot over our hot summer here in Queensland. And in a less dressy fabric these will be perfect for popping over togs on the way to and from the pool
Next up: Simplicity 2981: in this fantastic cotton poplin sewing themed fabric! (The scissors are about half an inch long, to give you an idea of the scale)
Simplicity 2981, View B
Divine!
Vogue 1078: *sigh* unutterably gorgeous. Masses of almost Fortuny -like pleating and presented in a flattering colour – If I was a size 16 I would sooooooo find an occasion to make this dress. (A bit much for popping down to the shops, yes?)
It burns! IT BURNS!!
Vogue 1079 – oh my eyes! They BURN!! Too much lamé is – well – TOO MUCH! I can see this dress working beautifully in silk charmeuse, but as it is ? The horror, the horror! (and yes, her bum DOES look big in that!)
Vogue 1082 - a new skirt from Sandra Betzina. I’ve seen similar skirts (Butterick4859, Burda 7995 ) but I know that Sandra’s patterns fit me and her instructions are generally much better than the average. One I’ll definitely be buying.
Genius or madness?
Vogue 1073 – another challenge from Chado Ralph Rucci – I can’t decided if this is genius or madness! All those teeny shaped pintucks – almost looks like you’ve gone a coupla rounds with Edward Scissorhands – but it could look awesome.
But my two THREE “I could really use that patttern” picks: a new basic tshirt with lovely shaping and variations, Vogue 8536
Super cute ts
and the dress that seems to be the bloggists pick so far – Vogue 8532 - which, as Erica pointed out went from “yeah maybe” to “MUST HAVE” as soon as I saw it on a real person (well, a model!) Love the sleeves, love the bodice, love the fit – it’s just gorgeous!
Lovelovelove this dress!
And now that the correct line drawing is up – this, oh, this!! Sue, we’re going to find a hat to go with this a do the races! I can see this in an embroidered silk, understated and elegant.
Sophisticated Summer Suit
So – what are YOUR Picks and Pans? What do you think of my choices?
MUCH excitement here at Chez TeaBot – I’ve just booked flights to go to Adelaide at Christmas to be with my family!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!
But the Beloved TeaBot5000™ isn’t coming He’s staying to look after the wee beasties and other things here. I will be away for EIGHTEEN sleeps – I don’t think we’ve EVER been apart for that long! Oh NOES!
Dad, as always, told me not to stint – “Pay extra and get a seat on the INSIDE of the plane, dear!” – yup.
The new baggage rules are sucky though – you have to pay for baggage on the cheap tickets (yep, $8 extra per flight) and have only a checked allowance of 23 kilos. Plus a carry on of 7 kilos, with very restricted dimensions, plus a handbag or laptop. So by the time I take my CPAP machine in its bag, that’s it – no other carry on gear! SHOOT! So much for taking my featherweight and doing some sewing…
- Such style!
Back to bed for me now. I was doing really well with recovering until the dog accidentally landed right in the middle of my tummy this afternoon. (She was chasing a ball. Tends to get a bit oblivious to anything but BALL!) Nice cuppa tea and a good lie down, that’s the ticket.
That’s me, trying to get ANYTHING done right now! I feel quite sluggish and plodding. Today was the warmest day so far (31 C, according to the TV weather) and I felt like I was melting! Oh dear. Bring on November 11 and those oestrogen pills, eh? Hot flush plus actual warm weather is going to be .. interesting.
But in GREAT medical news – my blood pressure has fallen some more, and I am now switching to the lowest possible dose of the pills – yay! A few more kilos (and even less pain, I hope?) and maybe I will be able to get rid of one medication once and for all.
I am cutting out fabric (Shock! Horror!) in preparation for sewing the skirt and the dress. Meantime, I have lost my Magic Book – the one where I have very carefully stuck down pattern pictures and written the fabric amounts – I’ve spent HOURS on it and I can’t find it! I’m hoping that by posting about it, somehow magically it will turn up, thereby making me look like a twit.
Pics to follow when there’s something worth photographing…
(Well, my 6 week (only 5, but who’s counting!) check-up with the doctor was GREAT! He’s very pleased with my progress; when I said how much better I was feeling, he said “I’m not surprised – I’ve been inside your pelvis and it was a MESS!”
I mentioned that my belly was still very sore. He said “well, we did have you open right up to HERE” [pointing to the bottom of my sternum]. OW!
So I’m cleared for swimming, sex (yay!) driving, housework, gym – just so long as I take it gradually. He’s given me a script for oestrogen, which I can start on November 11 (12 weeks post surgery) and then I see him two months after that to see if it’s working ok for me.
Apparently the oestrogen will help with the excess hair (mops up the free testosterone) as well as the bladder owies – who knew that your bladder was so affected by oestrogen? And will also help with my skin. Yay!! Not to mention the hot flushes, irrational crying, and insomnia…
Here’s the fabric for the trapeze dress – artfully (!) draped over the ironing board. It’s freezing cold here tonight and I’m a leeeeeeeeeetle concerned that I have chosen a high summer sort of dress for the Frock Up… time to think of a Plan B! (TeaBot5000™ just read this over my shoulder and commented “Well, just have a hot flush, you’ll be right!” *sigh* sad but true!)
Told you it was LOUD!
Sue and I just had a lovely day of girly shopping – looking at makeup, dresses, tops, and shoes. Of course we ended up at Gardams, where I bought a dress pattern for the Frock Up. Just got home and read reviews that said it was ridiculously large around the hem… almost 2 metres! (78inches). Well, we shall see. At least no one will see my swelly belly in this one! (I will be making it a couple of inches longer than its shown here. Sleeveless.)
- McCalls 5583
And the fabric I bought is LOUD – pink and orange and brown and green and – well, I’ll show you as soon as it’s out of the washer!
This pattern included a slip which was perfect for the dress Sue’s making – so we borrowed scissors and cut the slip pieces from the tissue pattern before we left the store, LOL! (Wait til you see her fabric – swooooon!)
Off to cut the tissue and iron it…
… in months! Today I slept until after lunchtime (such a relief after weeks of only 4 hours per night, usually between about 5 and 9 am) and then sorted through clothes. Four green garbage bags full ready at the door to head to the charity/recycling shop!
(I did have to let TeaBot5000™ rescue a few old cotton t-shirts for use as cleaning rags. But they better not come back in the house, grrrr!)
We had a lovely storm this evening – fortunately AFTER the season finale cliff hanger of Dr Who… I know David Tennant (swoon!) was having time off from the series to go and be Hamlet for the RSC, but – will he be back? (apart from the Christmas Special, I mean.)
Got the tissue cut out for this skirt:
chosen because a wrap seems like a good option for my bulging tummy. Think I might have to alter it a little to be big enough at the waist even so. *sigh* Now I just have to dig out some fabric and get access to my sewing room – it has been FORBIDDEN up til now so I didn’t hurt myself moving and lifting things I shouldn’t!
Today’s wardrobe clean out showed up some serious gaps – I need skirts, and tops. I have 5 pairs of jeans I can now fit into (back to (almost!) the size I was when I first moved to Toowoomba, yay!) and two pairs in the “Another few kilos yet” pile.
And of course I HAVE to make that dress for the frock up event – now just 2 weeks away!
Right. Off to suck another &#$@*()&$ lozenge (Naiiad, they *could* be orange flavoured – it’s just a nasty artificial citrus taste, so could be lemon or orange or even lime, for that matter!)
Or actually, if you could hear me, that would be more like “jutht thayin OW OW OW!”
Mouth ulcers? Weren’t.
Nope, another fabulous side effect of recovery from surgery/wonky hormones: Oral Thrush. (Trust me, do NOT look that up under “images” on google. Nuh uh.)
It’s treated by letting prescripti0n* fungicidal lozenges “dissolve slowly in the mouth.” Ever had zinc lozenges? Well, imagine those except grainier and flavoured with artificial lemon. ICK!
Better than a mouth and throat too sore to swallow…
(yes, I’m eating yoghurt, lots of yoghurt, plain low fat greek yoghurt. The coolness is helping more than the “probiotics”, I think.)
I’ll be the one here in the corner, whimpering…
* ‘o’ replaced with ‘zero’ in an attempt to stop spam bots… who particularly enjoy that word.
… was HOT! Today was the warmest day we’ve had this Spring – misty this morning, burnt off to a sunny blue sky, and is now darkening into this:
Stop just sitting there and RAIN!
so far for all the darkening clouds, we’ve had about six drops of rain.
The Stitcher’s Dream Day Out was held (as usual) under (in?) a marquee on the lawns outside The Quilters Angel. There were about 140 women in the tent – and not a whisper of a breeze. Mostly that was ok – just with my wonky thermostat, I had to lie down on the cool grass a few times.
The projects were gorgeous – remembering that I am NOT a “girly-girl”, and pink really isn’t usually my thing! Everyone gets a kit with the materials to make one of the projects, and all the patterns so you can make the rest later if you want to. The theme was “Vintage”.
Samples plus more by designers
I was quite happy with the my kit: the design was shown mounted as a wall hanging, but I think it will probably be a cushion: (please note – my photo is wonky, the actually piece does have even borders!) This is “Butterfly Dreams” by Leanne May of Candlelight Creations.
So far, this is where I’m up to:
Um yeah, Chriss and I may have spent more time chatting with each other and the other ladies on our table than actually stitching!
Today I also got to meet up with someone I’ve known online for AAAAAGES but never met face to face before – Carmel! When she’s had a chance to get home and on her computer, there will be photos.
I’m off for my “nana nap” – you know, the little lie down you have to have after going out? (or just because it’s the afternoon…)
First off: Happy INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY, everybody!
Arrgh – my #&)@(*$&#@(&* mobile phone has died! It started a week ago when it wouldn’t charge from the powerpoint – and now it won’t charge through USB, either. Grrr. Only got it ..hmmm…. January? NOT HAPPY! I think we have an el-cheapo emergency phone but it’s not my pretty purple one that I KNOW, and the keys are teeny weeny and I have fat fingers. arrgh!
On the other hand – popped into town today and had lunch with Sue. We were walking towards the fabric shop when I saw CUTE SHOES… that weren’t expensive!
Aren't they ADORABLE?!
Which, Cinderella-like, happened to fit…. I love the 40’s styling of this shoe, can’t wait to get into sewing some appropriately glam clothes. This makes *gasp* TWO pairs of shoes this year – Imelda I am not! I never find shoes I like, so to land this pair was MAGICAL!
Like DebR, I reckon you just can’t beat a good red shoe. (Although maybe this bloke really shoulda…)
Red Shoes for ALL!
In other news: Went to the dietician today – I now weigh 102.7 kg! YAY!! Was 106 when I went into hospital… not sure how much of the loss is down to removing all the bad bits, and how much is due to having my chocolate addiction disappear! Teabot5000™ really should get all the credit – he has tirelessly cooked and made sure I eat my vegetables every single day.
And now I’m off to watch TV and probably fall asleep. Too much excitement in one day for this girl. Especially when Constance got home with her super-short haircut:
Who's got a pink tummy then?Who's got a PINK TUMMY?!
I’m not sure if people go back and read my comments on your comments – so THANK YOU ALL for saying lovely things! (Although, Kirsty? No thanks on the more abdominal surgery for better skin, LOL! And Karen – me? *flutters eyelids demurely* tufts of colour? Surely not!!)
Hiding nuts in those cheeks?!
Tired out today – apart from the eyebrow waxing appointment, I felt brave enough to actually go around the supermarket with Mr Beloved. (One of the regular checkout chicks said “I was wondering if he’d traded you in!”)
(oh, I also had those #@(_$*_@#$* super stiff and DARK chin and necks hairs waxed off today. Maaaaaaaan I hope that eventual HRT will settle those suckers down, cos they make me feel HIDEOUS. Ick ick ick ick ICK!)
The last day or two have been the first that I have been able to skip some of the pain meds – which I’m sure will be a great relief for my poor abused liver and bowel. Now if I can just get rid of the horrible ulcers in my mouth…
Not a lot else happening – I’m really looking forward to going to the Stitcher’s Dream Day Out that Marion from The Patchwork Angel is running this weekend – I’m going Saturday. I’m a leeeeeeeetle bit worried that it will be too much at once for me… but I booked LAST YEAR, so I’m GOING!
Cute, and flattering - yes?
I’m hoping perhaps to get to Gardam’s tomorrow to buy fabric to run up a quick little blouse to wear (assuming we’ll have nice weather this weekend) – I think the no-pattern peasant blouse from Threads #120 could be just the thing. (And no, I don’t think I have ANY suitable fabric in my stash, cos I don’t normally go for “filmy delicate” things. (Just sayin’, O Teabot5000™ and anyone else who has seen my stash, LOL!)
I keep feeling better every day… and I’m REALLY looking forward to getting cleared to exercise by the doc. I didn’t realise how very sick I was before the op – seriously, the last two or three months before surgery were some of the worst I’ve ever been. Talking to the doc a week after surgery when he explained just how badly gummed up everything was has only just started to sink in – I was probably weeks away from having to have EMERGENCY surgery. Scary.
Weirdest post-surgery phenom so far? I suspect my chocolate cravings were located in my ovaries, cos since they’ve been gone I haven’t wanted chocolate at all. (Even when I was still in hospital and begged the Teabot5000™ to bring me an icecream, he ended up eating most of the chocolate shell!) Apparently too much oestrogen can cause “cravings for sweets” along with a whole heap of other delightful symptoms (most of which I was having – yuk!) Now my ovaries are gone, I’m suffering just bout all the symptoms listed for LOW oestrogen – talk about your swings and roundabouts!
That’s about all – except – OMG, the final of US So You Think You Can Dance was on tonight and it was AWESOME!! (sorry, K, I didn’t tape it – our video has died. Waah!) I’d already spoilered myself with the winner, but that didn’t matter – the dancers were AMAZING. Now I’m eagerly awaiting the next season of the Australian verson, which will probably screen early next year, since the auditions start at the end of this month. (Ok, I admit it, I am a dance tragic, and was super excited when Adam said he was part of Step Up 3 *in 3D!*)
And now I’m off to lie in bed, read, and have 8 or 9 hot flashes and night long insomnia. Swings and roundabouts …
First expedition out today – managed the library and NEW HAIR!
SHORT hair!
Tomorrow, the eyebrows get tamed….
(OMG – I look EXACTLY like my Mum!!! Hi Mum!)
PS: Now I need a colour too – hmmm, it’s so short I can change colours a lot! Wheeeeeee!!
Transmission begins
TeaBot 5000™ was built before those silly pollution laws, but even this unit must admit that the subject of Going “POOT!” has been constantly on-topic of late at Chateau Haphazard.
The nasty adhesion thingies were definitely having a profound effect on the efficiency of Caity’s tucker processing system, and the ozone layer was the worse for it.
TeaBot 5000™ is excused from putting broccoli in the bubble-and-squeak as part of the Kyoto Protocol.
Immediately after the operation, when Interchangeable Nurse Unit Number (Whatever) annotated the bed-end chart “Patient is passing wind freely“, and Herself snorted, “Free? For a show like this, I should bloody well charge admission!”, the subject of finding a cartoon by Patrick Cook was raised.
At the time, TeaBot 5000™ was unable to comply. A TeaBot unit has one of the best memory arrays available, however… While doing some houseworky things quietly, in order to let Herself sleep (bad night again!), this unit was uncluttering a bookshelf, and turned up an old book of Mr Cook’s cartoons.
No flatulent koalas (for that was the initial request), but here are a few Cook koalas. Caity does not know these are being posted: I hope she likes them too.
End Of Transmission
… here we are, day 26 after the operation. I’m still super tired, and needing painkillers every 4 hours… unless I sleep though, which is nice, I guess. My tummy is GINORMOUS – seriously, from standing up I can’t see my feet. And sore - yikes, is my belly sore!
I’m also worried about being careful and not lifting stuff, or overdoing things – not easy, when just doing the dishes (Poor Teabot5000™ was exhausted, and it was something small I could do…) wears me out. The big fear is developing more adhesions – I do not want to EVER have to have abdominal surgery again, since I now know what a low pain threshold I have! (Hardly surprising, given I’ve been in chronic pain since 1992 – yep, 16 years will really burn that message into your neural pathways, huh.)
Also – I can’t have hormone replacement therapy for at least another 2 months – arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!! Anything that acts like estrogen (ie, anything that works to stop the symptoms!) could trigger any remaining little bits of endometriosis – and then we’d have to do this all again. No thanks!
The hot flushes are much worse at night (why?!) When I can sleep during the day I might only have one or two, but at night they’re ALL THE TIME – just far enough apart for me to hope that I might actually get some sleep and then the next wave hits.
(I’ve put the picture for this post and more sewing stuff below the cut, as it’s got nudity. (Not mine!)
And I feel like my belly will never un-swell!
Still quite crook. And tired. (insomnia + the newly installed HotFlash© technology + irrational crying which I KNOW is irrational = BLAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
Look for a further update from the Teabot5000™ soonish.
First time I’ve felt able to post, and it will be a short one! Thanks so much for all your good wishes – it’s going to be a while yet before Bouncy Caity™ is back, but I’m making progress.
I have to hold on tightly to my tummy when I walk or it feels WEIRD – like it’s going to wobble right off! And “gas pains” – yeah, let me tell you about “gas pains”. That’s my second favourite piece of nurse-speak in this whole thing.
Cos when they tell you “You’ll experience some gas pain for a while” what they MEAN is: “A sharpened cast glass tornado will rip your insides out from your bum to your breastbone. Then if you’re VERY lucky you’ll make a teeny weeny fart. Repeat.”
Ouch.
My favourite piece of nurse-speak was written on my chart (yes I read it, wouldn’t you?!) and was an observation written by staff in the recovery unit before I was moved to the ward: “Patient no longer screaming quite as much.”
Lovely bit of understatement there, eh?
Everything is EXHAUSTING, just taking a shower puts me back in bed for the rest of the day! Short visits might be nice soon though.
And thank you notes are going out in the mail asap – really, this whole process would have been MUCH worse without your love and support! Of course, thanks most of all to the Teabot5000™, who I’m sure will keep you all updated. Mit pretty pictures, even!
Best way to get in touch is on my mobile – SMS is good. If you need my number, send an email.
I’m off to take the next round of painkillers (YES – GIVE ME PAINKILLERS!!) and collapse again for a while.
Transmission begins
TeaBot 5000™ is here again, for Caity’s little friends and playmates, with another update.
The outer bits of The Incision are looking pretty good. There is less angry red among the stubble. Both this unit and Caity wish they knew of a solvent that is capable of shifting whatever diabolical gorilla-snot adhesive was used in the dressings.
Even the old faithful orange-oil based cleaner didn’t quite remove the sticky stuff, which has now gone dark grey with accrued fluff.
Inside, there are ominous thumps, grindings, and the occasional shower of sparks, as the amended version of the Works settles into its new configuration.
The thermostat of the Caity is also suspect, and it may become necessary to remove this component and soak it in white wine vinegar for a couple of weeks to remove scale and accumulated tea deposits.
At least she’s reading again…
this unit will need to make a library raid very soon. The sheer volume of books building up round the bed has caused this unit to wonder if there is not some ulterior motive…
The challenge of providing interesting food which doesn’t breach “diet kosher” is a constant one. Teabot 5000™ did some peculiar things with a lemon, some chicken breasts, and various herbs, which was voted Pretty Good. Tonight may default to Soup, as the Teabot battery pack is a tad faded.
End Of Transmission
Transmission begins
TeaBot 5000™ and Caity are both in need of a recharge!
Flatter than these!
Yesterday was Caity’s visit to Dr Girlybits, where Staples Were Removed…
[CaityQuote] “Gee, staples in my middle: this is the only time I’ll get to feel like a centrefold!”
How The Staples Got There
And things were done to make the poor lass feel a bit better…
[TeaBot 5000™ transcript] No, darling, you’re not really falling apart. It’s a nice, neat, clean piece of work. You should get the fellow quilting…
No, I’ve always looked this pale. I am NOT looking like I’ve seen a ghost.
Caity is still in deep recovery mode, as can be seen from the fact SHE IS NOT READING. [Now you are looking a tad pale, Gentle Reader.]
She’s asked me to thank the people who sent the flowers and reading matter (with especial gratitude for the potato thingy).
TeaBot 5000™ will now close down temporarily. Can you say “Nanna Nap”, little friends and playmates?
Yes, content has gone downhill in Caity’s absence…
End Of Transmission
Transmission begins
TeaBot 5000™ informs Caity’s little friends and playmates that Caity is resting, and is in reasonable shape.
Although still a few energy units shy of the limit at which visitors and so forth are possible, she is recharging well.
There may be a surprise post later, but to say more would ruin the surprise….
(There is no truth to the rumour that TeaBot 5000™ was built from leftover Enigma Machine parts.)
End Of Transmission
Everybody is remarking how great Caity’s skin looks now!
LATE BREAKING NEWS AT END.
Transmission begins
TeaBot 5000™ didn’t watch the qualifying for the Barcelona F1 race, opting instead to crash (in a dignified crumple) on the bed. Massa on pole – HRUMPH! – wouldn’t have waited up ’til 2am for that anyway.
DISCLAIMER: TeaBot 5000™, Caity and all the critters are unabashed Lewis Hamilton admirers. GO LEWIS!
Dust in the TeaBot’s air intake filters led to an interesting night, and some maintenance must have been done, as the throatpipe was thoroughly rough-sanded this morning.
The sound of the Mobile Moan roused TeaBot 5000™ from a deep screensaver… Caity may even escape today!
Ironically, timing depends (not an intentional pun on invalids’ undergarments, this unit reassures Caity’s readers) on how many babies decide to go through the whole routine from SQUEEZE to SQUAWK today.
Doctor Girlybits1 deals with births too, and the number of births will determine when he gets to see Caity.
1 It is an old TeaBot Series™ tradition that doctors are named for their function. Doctor Lung, Doctor Hurt, and so on. An earlier model unit, the 4500, referred to the dermatologist as Doctor For Skin. The Pun Feature was installed in even the Prototype TeaBot…
Things will probably go a bit turbo from here on: short sharp posts as news comes in, and eventually the controls will be handed back to Caity.
End Of Transmission
LATE UPDATE:
She’s out!
Please, no calls or callers for a few days: Girl and TeaBot both slightly worn out.
Transmission begins
Today’s TeaBot 5000™ begins with the news that Caity’s drain was removed today.
The British West Hartlepool Crochet And Earthmoving Society (Junior Branch) were kind enough to pose for the re-enactment photo.
We have always been at war with West Lounge Room
Nature abhors a vacuum. TeaBot 5000™ sides with Nature on this one.
Still. taking one’s operating system into one’s own shiny metal manipulators, this unit began, continued, and eventually finished. It was…
…an excuse for a bad pun!
At this rate, Caity’s unwellness (and the 5000™’s own inability to sense the slow buildup of grot) might be made up for, in time for the girl’s release from hospital.
TeaBot 5000™ doesn’t know when, yet.
Will post here soon as info is available
The shocking news is that, with the advent of new HotFlash© technology, Caity currently doesn’t LIKE TEA!!
This unit will require reprogramming before Thermal Overload (see below)
sets in…
Cordially yours,
TeaBot 5000™
End Of Transmission
Transmission begins
Today’s TeaBot 5000™ update sings “hey nonny no, the wind and the pain.”
It’s not so much Caity’s blurtage that’s a worry, but the stubbornness of a huge nether gust that just hangs round and contributes to painful inflation without any measurable outcome.
—- participation space —
That should certainly remind our keener students of politics and the economy of something they’d like to share with the rest of us..
TeaBot 5000™ Digression
OVER-RIDDEN. Resume now —
Caity thanks the little friends and playmates who have called and sent lovely things.
Once certain learned persons at the hospital have finally given their approval, Caity will be allowed to use some of her usual prescribed pain medication, rather than having it withheld and being told she has been temporarily prescribed some stuff she is specifically unable to take. (If TeaBot 5000™ models were programmed with a reasonable joke chip, there would be a fairly good joke about hierarchies and communication here: as it stands, Caity’s readers will have to be content with a cynical remark about more levels meaning more opprtunities to go wrong.)
It is sufficient to say there was no sleepytime for Caity last night.
Her drain thingy was also causing intense discomfort. This may possibly have some bearing on the request for huge undies.
—-and now, a sponsor’s message —
This staged re-enactment of Caity’s Tube Of Agony is brought to you by Sapporo Lunchtime Grand Guignol Theatre Company.
—-now, back to our blog post —
This unit will try a quick nap before afternoon visiting. Overnight recharges don’t work as well without the reassuring cold feet in the back.
Those wishing to visit, please remember to call the hospital:
before setting out, just in case she’s finally been sleep-enabled.
End Of Transmission
Transmission begins
Caity was brighter today, and managed a few staggers, plus a personal triumph (first widdle since the catheter came out, and her relief was obvious).
Teabot 5000™ was requested to please tell Caity’s little friends and playmates that she’s a trifle weak (although she be let loose after the weak-end) and it’s better to phone the hospital.
(this number can be removed later)
and talk to her briefly, to see if she’s up to visitors.
Many thanks to all those who’ve commented so far.
—-and now, a sponsor’s message —
Brought to you by McGillicuddy’s Awesomely Strong Linen Thread (also suppliers of Ginormous Sail Needles to the surgical trade).
(Picture nicked from the very amusing Dan Piraro.)
—-now, back to our blog post —
This unit must now engage housework mode.
End Of Transmission
Transmission begins
[Short, sharp mode engaged]
Caity still recovering.
Sorry fewer updates than expected, but Teabot 5000™ has been stress-testing the track to the hospital by multiple use.
Today this unit must buzz all over town like a blue-@rsed flybot, because Caity’s CPAP machine did not start up when transplanted to hospital.
Teabot 5000™ will arrange repair and a loaner machine today.
If more time was available for hospital staff to actually observe patients (this would happen in a hypothetical perfect world, which Does Not Compute), somebody might have seen that Caity was not getting a lot of joy out of the Up-Your-Nose O2 delivery thingy, owing to the fact she was beathing via her mouth a lot.
A masky thing on the face has improved matters a little: a proper CPAP will be better.
—-and now, a sponsor’s message —
Rushed off your feet? Try LOTS OF COFFEE!
—-now, back to our blog post —
Further CaityStatus reports after next.
End Of Transmission
—- Late Update 1123 HRS —
CPAP machine appears to be motor-damaged. “Did you transport this machine with water in the humidifier?”
Well, duh, no. Caity is very protective of The Lung That Walks By Night. I personally field-stripped, washed, dried and reassembled that humidifier before moving it.
People handling the machine since? I couldn’t possibly comment.
And it’s out of warranty. The moaning of one’s inner Scotsman can be heard.
Transmission begins
Hardcopies of your good wishes were delivered to a slow, woozy, and uncharacteristically non-talkative Caity.
While seeing such a droopy girl, attached to (TeaBot5000™’s distant cousin), The Machine That Goes PING Very Occasionally…
“Caity getting enough Dizzy-Drops, then?”
… and dressed in a fetching beige/mushy-peas-green/white ensemble (probably so the occasional bout of BLECH doesn’t show), would be a Bad Thing, the good news is still there.
- Firstly, NO CANCER was obvious.
- See, she WAS sick! (TeaBot 5000™ memo to self: find and crush certain Unkind Persons who suggested her ailments were fictional. But this unit digresses…)
- Things should get a lot better, because the reason for The Crookness is now apparent…
—-and now, a sponsor’s message —
—-now, back to our blog post —
(Caity said the reason should be revealed.)
If this unit’s unclear recollection of a dizzy Caity’s retelling of what she remembers from what the surgeon said, there were attachments interfering with the digestive and urinary systems, as well as giving her lots of Grief In The Girly Works. (This unit believes that is the medical term, anyway: your terminology may vary.)
She’s a trifle too wobbly and tired for visitors just now.
Further CaityStatus reports after this evening’s visit.
End Of Transmission
Transmission begins
NurseBot (whose unit number is unknown, as all NurseBots at Caity’s hospital seems to have the same telephone voice) informs this unit that CaityStatus is
“Pretty good, but she will be very sleepy this morning.”
(picture from James Worthington’s travelblog)
As soon as Poodle Wrangler Corporation have arrived to —
—-BZZZT! —
[a small break in transmission took place, as the Poodle Unit sighted Poodle Wrangler Vehicle. A small-but-vigorous game of Catch The Puppy began in earnest. Analysis shows signs of what may be separation anxiety in the canine unit: its behaviour has been suboptimal since Caity was "taken to the vet".
Canine unit despises vet visits. QED]
—-BZZZT! —
Poodle task interrupt handled. Now for some housework, done in that special TeaBot 5000™ way that slightly improves things but makes it patently obvious the whole house is missing Caity, and then to Visiting Time.
Comment posters are hereby notified under Clause XXXVIII of their User Agreements that all encouraging comments have been printed, and the hardcopy will be presented to Caity for assimilation.
End Of Transmission
Begin Transmission
This unit is the TeaBot 5000™, Caity’s personal teamaker and backup blogposter.
(picture nicked from http://www.robotofdoom.com)
Herself made it thru the operating theatre (in which she played a starring role), and although there was some pain afterwards, NurseBot said (via phone) that Caity was sleeping peacefully.
Computing the chances of Caity getting some rest as “next-to-astronomical”, this unit made an executive decision to leave a message, let her sleep, and get an update in the morning.
Bedlam Viewing Sessions umm… Visiting hours start at eleven. This TeaBot will convey any messages found in the comment queue.
End Of Transmission
… I am probably gently snoring at the cute anaesthetist. And the doctors scalpel has probably already revealed just how thick the fat layer is on my belly…and the various nurses etc will have handed him retractors to get my muscles out of the way. Within 2 hours or so all the girly reproductive gear will be GONE GONE GONE and off in the pathology lab to be examined.
YAY!!
Mr Beloved will be posting updates as soon as he can. But be assured, I will be back home and blogging for myself REALLY REALLY SOON!
Love yers all,
Caity
So it’s The Day Before Surgery, and I can no longer put off the dread moment: Clearing the undergrowth. Defoliation. Stripping the Willow. Baring Betty. Unmasking Possible. (Possible? Yep, a friend’s mother said: you wash up as high as possible, then down as far as possible – and then you wash possible. )
It’s time for The Shave.
Now, I’m proud of my thatch. Grown women have pubic hair, ok? None of this little girl p0rn0graphic bareness, oh no – mine is a lush, sproingy and multicoloured forest. (Although I will confess to feeling very ooooold the first time I found an albino kangaroo in the lower forty. Grey? You’ve got to be kidding me! GREY?!? I have GREY pubes?! You get GREY pubes? Oh maaaaaaaaan, yet another Thing Nobody Told Me About Ageing™!
I got over it. Apparently, some women don’t – I recently read a review of Betty Beauty “Color for Down There”. Now, I can see wanting to have a bit of fun, and perhaps having Hot Pink Pubes would be a giggle – but I’m just not that worried about whether the collar and cufffs match, you know? I mean, exactly HOW MANY people do you expect to show that the drapes don’t match the carpet?
ANYWAY: given the luxuriant nature of the growth, we started off by finding and charging the electric clippers. But the buzzing blades made me tense, and bending gave Mr Beloved a backache.
“This isn’t doing anything, the hair’s too fine.” He says. (I confess to be being momentarily thrilled that my thatch is delicate – because plainly, the rest of me is NOT. I am now and forever will be a Sturdy Girl, no matter how much weight I lose. So hey, I’ll take my victories where I can get ‘em.)
Hmmm.
I was planning on waxing – but that was before I realised the logistics of having to hold belly out of the way with one hand (gently, cos it freakin’ HURTS, duh, that’s why I’m having surgery in the first place) and smoothing the wax strip “In the direction of hair growth”. I don’t know about you, but my bush doesn’t grow in nice straight lines – there IS no direction of hair growth. And anyway I couldn’t see if there was, since we’re working blind here. I haven’t been able to see my TOES for some months, let alone anything else south of my belly-button.
And waxing HURTS. A lot.
So I resorted to shaving. Which keeps the Olympic level contortionist act, but adds a further degree of difficulty by adding running water and shaving foam.
Twenty minutes later, two fresh razor cartridges, innumerable squirts of shaving foam later… I’ve shaved up, down, around, sidewards, frontwards, backwards, and I can still feel stubble. Back again with another new razor blade, one last sweep…
The water heater has run out of hot water, I’m declaring the job DONE. If it’s not good enough it’s just not. And in any case, I strongly suspect that whatever I did wouldn’t be good enough and some over-zealous nurse will want to shave poor possible AGAIN before surgery.
And it’s itching ALREADY.
( Mr Beloved did offer to print up a flash card that reads “Why, Yes, I DO have crabs” to excuse the scratching.
I declined.)
EDITED TO ADD: OMG, this is just sick. Link from Skepchick to a New York Post story on Moms taking their little girls to be waxed – when they don’t even have anything to WAX?! Ye gods and little fishes, where will it end??
Yep, still here. Still in pain. Which, as I have said before, is better than the alternative. But still – *sigh*. Because I’m tired. Tired because my iron levels are probably through the floor again (despite my taking HORSE PILLS – ugh! of iron daily) and tired because I’m not sleeping well because of the pain.
Bring on Tuesday.
And while I’m talking about “the alternative” – ie, DYING – just want to let my feelings be known here. I have completed an Advance Health Directive, even had my doctor look over it and sign the appropriate parts (just got to get a JP/ Commissioner for Declarations to witness it now.) That’s a looooong form with lots of tick boxes that say things like “In the event of last stage terminal illness, I do/do not want the following things to happen; and then there are tick boxes for things like “assisted ventilation” and “Antibiotics” and such.
(Seriously, if you’ve never thought about this, go check it out and let your loved ones know, ok? Cos do YOU want to have to make the decision about whether or not to put your sweetie on a ventilator? Isn’t it better to KNOW what they would want?)
Basically: if I’m not coming back (in a persistant vegetative state, or extended coma) then keep as many parts that are salvageable in as usable condition as possible, in order to donate EVERYTHING possible to those who need the organs/tissues.
And for afterwards: Do NOT have a church service. Do NOT bury me (unless you can find an eco-bury type arrangement where my body gets composted or planted under a tree or something… but I have yet to find out the legalities around that) so please just cremate me and do what you want with the ashes. I can’t stand cemetaries and I think the little remembrance plaques are even worse. So just – DON’T. Ok?
Everything I own goes to Mr Beloved. (Almost as simple as the possibly apocryphal Will of three words: “All to Wife.” )
Seems weird to me that some people don’t ever think about this sort of thing. (is it just because I have lived with depression for so long that I have thought about this a lot?) Also strikes me as odd that I have a house and sheds FULL OF STUFF that I’m not all that attached to, in the end – I mean, yes, I’d miss stuff if it all went tomorrow, but really? It just isn’t that important.
Think I’ll be doing a big de-clutter as soon after surgery as I’m cleared to be lifting stuff, huh?
*sigh*
Off to make dinner now. Not hungry but have to eat, blah blah blah.
So, tomorrow I’m off to Breast Screen Queensland for a mammogram. Yet another stop on the Super-Fun-Tilt-Your-World ride that is the process of getting OLDER.
(Yes, thanks, I know NOT getting older would be worse. But this is MY blog – go whinge on your own!)
Anyway, the Big Boob Squish™ is happening not because of any particular worries – but because I’m probably having an oestrogen implant when I have the surgery, it’s a good idea to have a baseline mammogram.
Just In Case.
Also on the Just In Case To-Do list this week: getting an Enduring Power of Attorney, a Legal Will, and an Advanced Health Directive organised.
(Sue, if I die, you can have my fabric stash. Not sure if that’s a blessing or a curse!!)
Oh, and the pre-admission check-list phone call from the hospital today raised another FUN!! task to-do: “With your legs together, shave, wax, or you can be shaved here at the hospital.” Um yeah, thanks. “Would you like a catheter?” was another question that didn’t require a whole lotta thought – are you kidding? Wet myself trying to use a pan or have a nice clean tube, what do YOU think!
Yep, welcome to Caityworld, Where Too Much Information Is Barely Enough!™
And in that spirit: This week I will CELEBRATE my LAST PERIOD EVER.
Not normally a cause for celebration – ever since I first got my period I have had a miserable time with it – pain, swelling, bloating, acne, migraines, persistent anaemia, constipation, mood swings, and medicinal consumption of vast quantities of chocolate. I’ve tried every over-the counter “period pain” pill there is; tried altering my diet (but seriously – caffeine deprived Caity is NOT a Happy Fun Sparkly Caity!), exercising to ameliorate the pain, and being on various versions of The Pill.
I have spent waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much money on various products to catch “the flow” (although the best value ones by far are The Keeper or The Diva Cup – highly recommended if you’re comfortable with your body, squicky if you’re not). I have spent hours soaking blood-stained knickers, jeans, skirts and pyjamas in napisan when the various tampons, pads etc failed.
I have not owned white undies in many many years.
When I had only just started getting The Monthly Monster, one month I ended up in hospital with suspected appendicitis. I was in dreadful pain, but then the blood arrived – and all of a sudden I was shoved out of the hospital bed, told to get dressed, and sent home with some incredibly wimpy headache tablets.
WAIT A SECOND!! A moment ago I was being taken seriously about how much pain I was in, but now you reckon I’m fine? THE PAIN HASN’T CHANGED!!! WHAT THE FUCK?!
I remember my Mum being rather excited and thrilled when I got my first ever period. I was embarrassed. She was emotional over her first daughter reaching such a momentous change: I was pissed off by the MESS and the inconvenience.
So after 28+ years of dealing with all this: Yeah, I’m celebrating its loss!! There will be bubbly; there may even be cake. I’m thinking possibly Friday or Saturday lunch or arvo tea, if you’re among my TWB circle and free around then….
In the meantime, just THROW IN THE CHOCOLATE AND NOBODY WILL GET HURT, OKAY?!?!?
… unless you’re opening champagne (or fizzy domestic equivalent) – in which case, I’M YA GIRL!! The Olympics Opening ceremony? Not so much.
We went back to the doctors again today. Actually back to TWO different surgeries – the old one where half the practice USED to be, and which had a working machine that was needed to do the lung function test; then an hour and a half later at the NEW surgery where my Doc now works (but where the necessary machine died yesterday arvo) for her to read the results.
Turns out that even though I have better than predicted (for my age and weight) lung function (YAY for all those years of busking with the flute in Wagga’s freezing cold winters, eh?!) I do also have asthma. Bugger. At least it’s just cold/exercise/allergy triggered, and I can manage it with Ventolin (and the handy dandy spacer – I have never had much success with just the puffer on its own, I always ended up with medicine on my tongue. Ick phtttht.)
After the doctors and dietician (it’s really hard to lose weight when you can’t get out of bed much!) I did manage to get to one of the Local Quiltshops today (for the first time since about APRIL) and pick up some more needles and a metre (ok, four 25 cm pieces) of different greens to add to the Tuesdays and Triangles quilt.
Sorry no other news… still mostly in bed, moaning. Poor Teabot5000 (aka Mr Beloved) has been very kind, but I am counting the days hours til surgery.
HOWEVER if, like me, you are of a skeptical bent, and need a great laugh, do please go check out my two new favourite podcasts:
The Skeptics Guide to the Universe (Annie, I LOVE these guys!! Thank you so much for the recommendation) – get 5 science literate, no bullshit commentators and let ‘em rip – great stuff.
And through the SGU, I found out about George Hrab’s Geologic Podcast – he’s crazy but soooo cool! I mean, THIS is his day job - vibraphones! Man, you’re just not allowed to even go NEAR vibes without a sufficiently high cool factor, you know?
He does funny sketches, talks about life as a working muso, and debunks more crap. Don’t miss his Religious Moron of the Week section – HILARIOUS!! (Just don’t start with Geologic# 76, it is NOT AT ALL indicative of what he’s about. Really.)
EDITED TO ADD: The lovely Ms. Information from Geologic commented:
“Since the Geologic Podcast is so varied, maybe the best place to put
the needle down for the first time is a show from February, a Best Of
compilation of sketches, Episode 52.1.
Thanks for giving the Maestro a shout out. We’re sending you heaps of virtual sugar from Geologic HQ.”
How frickin’ awesome is that?!?
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I’m out. Thanks for watching, folks!
I am happy because… TONIGHT I GET TO WATCH TWO HOURS OF (U.S.) SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE!! (don’t look at that link unless you are happy to be spoilerised, since here in Aus we haven’t made it though all the audtion shows yet, ok?)
I KNOW I can’t dance. in fact, I suck so baaaaaaaaad at dance that I even have trouble with the moves on my “Dance Workout for Dummies” Fitness DVD – in the slowed down TUTORIAL section! However, I adore watching dance, and have huge admiration for dancers’ discipline and hard work.
*sigh* apart from that, I’ve dived right into the deep end of the Pity Pool, and am currently lazily floating.
It does my heart (and mind) a lot of good when my very sweet readers (you know who you are, kisses to you, MWAH! MWAH!) share their hysterectomy stories and/or send good wishes. I’m hoping the post-operative pain will be far less than what I’m going through right now (and for many of you, that seems to have been the case.)
That’s about all my sitting up time for today… I may even have to invoke the “too sick to move” rule and *gasp* watch tv from BED tonight!! I’m missing out on most of your blogs, but hope to catch up once the lovely Mr Beloved has brought Teh Interwebs to my bedside.
Major overhaul of immigration policy
Josephine Tovey
July 29, 2008 – 12:03PM
July 29, 2008 – 12:03PM
The Minister for Immigration, Senator Christopher Evans, has heralded a new era in Australian immigration law in a speech in Canberra this morning, bringing to an end the previous government’s practice of indefinite mandatory detention, which he slammed as “dehumanising” and detrimental to Australia’s international reputation.
Caity sez: Hear Hear!
The senator told an audience at the Australian National University the Rudd Government would “fundamentally overturn” the previous government’s immigration policy, and implement a risk-based policy of detention.
“Under Labor’s reforms, persons will be detained only if the need is established. (emphasis added by Caity because she is thrilled and relieved that this will be the new policy.) If a person is complying with immigration processes and is not a risk to the community then detention in a detention centre cannot be justified,” he said in the speech, titled “New Directions in Detention – Restoring Integrity to Australia’s Immigration System”.
The senator said all those now held in detention centres who met health and security requirements would eventually be released into the community, but could not say when that would occur. We must hold the government to this – DETENTION OF ALL CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE !! sez Caity.
Those arriving by boat on Australian shores will still be detained to undergo mandatory health, identity and security checks, but would be released into the community once they had been cleared. Ok, but how about a timeline, then? Say, “within 4 weeks”? I don’t think that’s unreasonable, do you?
“The set of values adopted are designed to drive the development of a very different detention model.
“The values commit us to detention as a last resort; to detention for the shortest practicable period; to the rejection of indefinite or otherwise arbitrary detention,” Senator Evans said.
Children will also no longer be detained in Australian detention centres. Our household cried with JOY when we read this.
Unauthorised boat arrivals made up only a small fraction of Australia’s detention centre population, comprising six out of 357 people now detained in facilities throughout Australia, he said.
Most people detained under the current policy were those who had overstayed their visa.
Senator Evans strongly criticised both the morality and the effectiveness of the former government’s approach.
“Desperate people are not deterred by the threat of harsh detention; they are often fleeing much worse circumstances. The Howard government’s punitive policies did much damage to those individuals detained and brought great shame on Australia,” he said. (Caity’s added emphasis again there, because Yes, they did. )
The senator began his speech with an anecdote about eight Burmese people who had been left languishing on Nauru, despite being recognised as refugees.
“When I asked why the eight Burmese had not been settled in Australia in accordance with international law there was an embarrassed silence.
“Eventually the answer emerged. The Howard government had ordered they stay put. They had been left rotting on Nauru because the Howard government wanted to maintain the myth that third-country settlement was possible,” he said.
This new story has cheered me up immensely. Here’s to HOPE!
edited to add: Of course the Oppostition has IMMEDIATELY jumped and rather than thinking through policy alternatives, or the good of the country, has just said (in effect): “SHAN’T, So There!!”
Grrrrr.
So here I am after yet another day spent mainly in bed… I did get out to the doctors but could hardly walk, so we didn’t do the lung function stuff today after all. We’ve re-scheduled- she thought it might be a good idea to do it before the anaesthesia. (ya think?!)
Doc prescribed Brufen for the pain and swelly belly – she was very sympathetic but limited in what she could offer, with the TAHBSO now just 4 weeks away.
Mr Beloved went out to (local department store) Bailey’s closing down sale and bought me two nighties for the hospital trip – in the worst weather I’ve seen since moving to Toowoomba – the news tonight confirmed that with the wind chill, our 4 degrees outside temp actually felt more like minus four.
Still quite apprehensive about the op – not so much the operation itself, but the aftermath: recovery from the wounds, healing time, and of course the fear of what the pathology might turn up. I find it hard to believe that these symptoms are benign; the sheer swelling and pain are making me so miserable and nervous…this can’t POSSIBLY be normal. And you know those ads on the tv lately about ovarian cancer? *shudder* At least soon we will KNOW, there’s comfort in that. But I’m still a bit ok a LOT freaked out.
(That’s my eye there – one of them, anyway – being FREAKED OUT. Note my “aztec sun” eye pattern which is apparently typical for “Autumn” colouring. There ya go!)
Poor little Constance has been doing her Faithful Guard Dog Schtick™ non-stop: she has to be convinced to eat when she’s on duty, and will only leave her post to go to the loo when I do, or when she becomes utterly desperate. The least sign that I might be getting out of bed brings her to full alert – even tuning over to get a better position around the hot water bottle or stretching my toes has to be treated as moving to Defcon 1. (And if I swing my legs over the side and slide my feet into my slippers – the Twirly Whirly Poodle HaPpY dAnCe of JOY™ must be performed. With vigor.)
Poor old cat cat was brought up from the shed after quite disconsolately sitting in front of the unplugged heaters, and looking at Mr Beloved as if to say “These ones don’t work. MAKE THEM WORK, Daddy!”
Time to download my podcasts (including this new one from Wendy Harmer and Angela Catterns – yaya!) and head back up to bed. The podcasts are such sanity savers – when I’m feeling slightly less blah I work on the Tuesdays and TV quilt and listen, but mostly I just turn off all the lights, huddle around the hot water bottle, and enjoy the audio without distraction.
Hoping to get to Toowoomba Quilters tomorrow if I’m not too sore and miserable… although it’s a bloody cold room… hmmmm. Maybe not.
Yep, I’m still here. Except most of the time “here” involves curling up around a hot water bottle and moaning. Not conducive to actually sitting in front of the computer.
I did manage to get to Toowoomba Quilters this week – our raffle quilt is finished (and I know at least one person currently in Finland who will have been cheering to hear that!) and the show is ever so close – not sure if I will have anything hanging other than my Dancing Beijing challenge quiltlet.
So – no sewing, no weight loss, nothing exciting happening here – I’m not even reading very much, because I find it easier to sleep than deal with the pain. VERY BORING. Mr Beloved is doing pretty much all the “keeping the house running” stuff. He is wonderful.
He’s also well along the path to bringing teh interwebs right to my bedside for After The Op. No small task, and involves a HUMUNGOUS reel of some mysterious wire called Cat 5 and much climbing ladders followed by crawling about under the house.
Normally we Do Not Allow either TV or computers in the bedroom but I think this is a fair enough exception.
I’ve just about run out of sitting up for now. Hope to catch up on reading blogs and email later….
Although at least now I have my voice back…
Been getting quotes from the various parties involved for my surgery – so far it’s about $1000 out of pocket expenses; that doesn’t include pathology (obviously they can’t give a quote before they know what’s getting sent to them – hmmm.)
I’m just so bloody tired of this! It’s really frustrating.
*sigh*
Anyway, onwards and downwards, eh? I’ve managed to walk some this week; the dog is much happier for it and I’m enjoying it – even on a day like today when the temperature was only 12 and the wind was QUITE brisk! Big parka and the mp3 player and we still had a good forty minutes.
I’d put on some weight last week (not much, but it’s the first time it’s gone UP – disheartening, really) so tomorrow the dietician will do another impedance measurement to work out what % is fat and what is muscle.
And now – I think I’ll go get a nice hot cuppa tea – brrrrrrrrr!
Saw the ob/gyn today (nice man) and he agreed that the quality of life issues were major and that we should get the surgery done sooner rather than later. After discussing options (attempting to get pregnant? Um, NOPE!!) and alternatives, I’ll be having the full on abdominal surgery on August 19.
Also had a great session with the dietician, lots of new ideas on how to make breakfast better, and keep me feeling full longer – I’ve been going over my calorie allowance a little in the last week (although I have managed 3 walks – woot!)
And the new Burda mag (May) arrived today. (Sue, I grabbed yours while I was there.) I’m looking at it with fresh eyes – it will still be a while before I fit into their regular (not plus) sizes, but it’s getting closer!
Also bought this mag – Sue had given me some earlier issues, and I find it really inspiring and challenging.
It was wet and miserable here today so I didn’t get a walk never mind, tomorrow I’ll make a big effort to get some exercise in – I’m starting to *gasp* miss it if I don’t do it!
And now I’m off to bed again. Still getting over this cough/cold thing – arrgh!
So, we went to the doctor today. And more exciting news – I NO LONGER HAVE TO USE THE “OBESE” CUFF on the sphygmomanometer!
For the last few years my upper arm has been too large to use the ordinary size cuff. Today it not only fit without popping, it gave an accurate reading (I know this because it’s been the same reading on three different uits now.)
And that BP reading is such that I can HALVE my blood pressure medication! My goal is, of course, to not need the medication at all, but going from 16mg to 8mg is so THRILLING!
AND – just to top off my excitement – today, for the first time in *mumblety* years, I bought a standard size bra. 18DD still isn’t exactly teeny, I grant you -but have you got ANY idea how much choice dropping to that size now gives me? I could buy all sorts of PRETTY bras with knickers to match and that ARE NOT ONLY AVAILABLE IN PROSTHETIC PINKY-BEIGE! And Tshirt bras! And push up bras!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!
Ahem.
And that’s all the news from Lake NoLongerQuiteSoFat.
Sewing to follow SOON.
STILL getting over this cold and cough! ARRRGH!
However, today as I was stretching after my walk I discovered that I have made REAL PROGRESS since my first visit to the pain management specialist last year:
I CAN STAND ON TIPTOES!!
Big deal, you say?
Well, it IS! When I first saw the pain doc, I couldn’t stand on tip toes at all. Not enough strength and too much pain. Today I managed for a count of twenty, with no wobbling! I’m thrilled.
And that’s all the news that’s fit to print from here. No sewing, no interesting stuff – but – DID I TELL YOU I CAN STAND ON TIPTOES?!!
Ok, well not HERE… but they’re online. (They won’t be in Australia for about 3 months – see why I buy online?) Now, which do I want the very next time they go on sale? Hmmmmm…. Here’s my faves from my first glance – doubtless more to follow!
Vogue 1057 : Donna Karan Dress and jacket. LOVE the look of this dress, like wearing a top and skirt but without the hassle… and the length of this jacket is just right. The bodice is knit, so I’m not sure why you’d need the “invisible zipper closure” – hmmm. (And is it just me or is the model cross-eyed??)
Best of all – goes up to a 22! Not that *ahem* I plan on being that size, after all, I’m aiming at 70 kg (which is about a 14…)
I even like the jacket collar – I’m not a fan of fussy princess collars, but this one looks just pointy and spread enough.
Vogue 1056: Tom and Linda Platt knit dress. Loving the twist at the neckline- HATING the granny sleeves! I didn’t show a photo of my version of Simplicity 3678 that had these sleeves – because it was so awful it would have frightened the horses.
And small children.
And anyone with taste.
It was STUMPIFYING! *shudder* Moving on.
Vogue 1064. What a PERFECT little jacket! Lovelovelove the shaping. Princess seams AND multiple darts: even with weight loss still “in progress”, this is going to be a breeze to FIT!
The pants are good too, contoured waistband and otherwise very unfussy. I don’t do fussy, especially not around the waist. These pants have just the one little fob pocket – aaaaaah, lovely!
Although now I go back, these trousers by alice + olivia look very wearable too…
One I’m less sure of: Vogue 8515
In Theory, asymmetrical clothes are interesting and flattering. In Real Life, I always worry that it looks like I don’t know how to dress myself properly.
Also, the sleeves seem awful wide at the cuff… (easily remedied, but… hmmm.) Maybe as a pattern to make up the “Buy x number get y free”, but otherwise? Probably not.
A swing… and a miss? I can’t quite decide yet about this new Sandra Betzina design, Vogue 1061. The pants are slim and look quite versatile… the top appears to have ruched sleeves similar to the Christine Johnson pattern I just received. (Although CJ’s is a gathered overlay rather than SB’s “elasticised gathers”… and CJ’s pattern is AWESOME for the amount of extra info you get. More on that in another post.)
But that back detailing, and the optional hood – do I love it?
It’s growing on me by the second. I could actually see this as a fabulous jacket sort of top to throw on after the gym…
… Because YES, Gentle Reader, today I actually phoned up and organised a trial pass at the local girly gym. I think I’m ready – my weight loss has slowed, so I need to kick it up a notch; and my back and knee pain have been stable for a while (touch wood!). I just need to negotiate how to fund it (eek!) and get over this cough a bit more.
Had all good plans of walking today – but woke up to a temperature of 2 degrees (Which with wind-chill was MINUS TWO, arrgh!) and a 10 minute long coughing spasm that eventually calmed after a large dose of The Nasty Medicine™. My lungs have been a bit squeezed all day, even after two puffs of ventolin – that next doctors appointment can’t come soon enough.
So – that’s it from the cold cold keyboard of Caity. Have you got faves in the new Vogue patterns?
I have plans to get out to either Spodshite™ or Lincrap ™ tomorrow to take advantage of their pattern sales – there’s one skirt pattern I have my eye on (Butterick 4859 – reviewed in the latest Threads but sadly with no photo of a finished garment) and for just one pattern, it’s not worth paying the postage to order from overseas.
Brr! I’m headed back to hunch over the heater.
ARRRRRRRRRRGH!
Still sick. Been in bed most of the week. BORED!! So I must be getting better – although my cough is still quite scary and the aches are undiminished *sigh*
Also, it’s very very hard to lose weight when all you do is sleep and eat. Funny that.
Today was, however, a Good Mail Day: The latest Quilts Japan; the new Threads, the latest Cloth Paper Scissors - and two patterns from Christine Johnson (the wrap dress, and the princess top/shirred top pattern).
Read two Charles Stross novels yesterday (Glasshouse and Halting State). Brilliant sci fi writing – Glass House references one of my faves (The Forever War by Joe Haldeman) as well as a lot of other sci fi; but don’t even ATTEMPT Halting State unless you’re at least marginally familiar with computer science/A D&D/sysadmin work. If you have a working knowledge of those, then you’ll love it.
Also in recent reading: three of the Sir Baldwin de Furneshill series by Michael Jecks – 14th Century murder mysteries; another couple of Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s Count Saint Germain series (which is far more an excuse to write about interesting historical periods than blood & gore vampire stuff.)
No new sex-and- shopping finds – although I am waiting on several on the reserves list at the local library.
All of which is merely a lead in to showing you this (very rough, he didn’t want me to post it!) cartoon by Mr Beloved about my reading habits:
Click for bigger; the caption reads:
Chocolate-eating Vampire Quilters in Manolos Go Shopping For Love.
Yep, I’d read that – would’t you?!
Cos right now, I feel like a steamroller has run over me. The Cold from Hell (now with added asthma!) is still dominating my life. Ick.
Look for me as soon as I can remember how to breathe and think simultaneously,
C
MAKE ME SICK!
I am down with The Dreaded Lurgey. Mr Beloved even had to go to the LIBRARY For me today – so you know I’m really crook!
Arrrgh. Bed, again. Still. Grrr.
Sorry for the not posting thing – I am spending more time horizontal (and wrapped around a hot water bottle) than vertical at present.
The good news is that I have an appointment with the specialist on the 15th July – and fingers crossed will be able to schedule surgery (TAHBSO – yep, the works) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Yep, then I have to deal with menopause all of a sudden – but at least the ovulation and period pain WILL BE GONE FOREVER, muaaa haaa haaa!
My GP is wonderful and agrees that after an (unsuccessful – it made things WORSE) trial of The Pill this is the next course of action – having a specialist “look at things more closely.”
“They can look at them all they like ONCE THEY’RE IN A JAR”, I said.
Back to bed.
This from McCalls Patterns:
At first I thought it was just the turquoise blue hosiery I hated. But no, I realised when I saw the line drawing:
wide lapels (ugh!) pocket flaps on the widest part of the hip (double ugh!) and a RUFFLE on the bottom of the whole shebang? (BUCKET!!!)
I realise that although this has just been released, SOMEONE NEEDS TO RECAPTURE IT AND NEUTER THE HORRID THING BEFORE IT BREEDS!!!!!!
I can get with the ruffle at the bottom of sleeves things – really I can. On a bell sleeve, it CAN be super cute. I am waiting with bated breath for the May Burda World of Fashion magazine to come (in about 4 weeks time) because I think this jacket is adorable.
See? But that McCall’s pattern is the mutant offspring of a princess line coat and a provincial production of “My Fair Lady”. And even though I would quite like a pair of turquoise leather gloves (well, maybe – although a classic plum or scarlet would be better) NOT EVEN THEY can excuse the hideousness of that coat.
There is no possible universe in which this outfit could look good. If you happen to see anything like this In Real Life, I suggest you back away quietly – don’t run, you don’t want to attract its attention. *shudder*
I am cold. Toowoomba has been freezing cold and windy all day – which is part of the reason I stayed in bed for most of the day. I’m only up now because even though Mr Beloved has just read the starting grid for tomorrow night’s Formula 1 grand prix, I want to watch the qualifying.
But I have a completely irrational desire to make THIS:
Vogue 8421. I want the version on the right, with the impossibly huge sleeves. Do I own this pattern? No. Do I have fabric to make up into this pattern already in my stash? NO. I am crazy in love with it anyway?
YES!!
*sigh*
It’s Susannah’s fault – she’s wearing something like this in one pic in the new book, and I am smitten. Also with the vest thingummy she’s wearing over it -I could ROCK that whole look. Especially now I’ve worked out what shape I am (Vase. Yep, vase. Huh! Now if I could just work out what bloody COLOURS to wear, I’d be set!)
The fact that the blouse takes 3.6 metres (of 115cm wide) fabric and most of that is in the sleeves WILL NOT STOP ME.
Being too bloody cold to do anything but dream about it might!
Sorry, all – I am truly miserable and while I lovelovelove getting your comments, I am just not up to replying. Arrgh! Thanks you so much for them, they DO help – but I think something is really WRONG. I’m just so tired and feel so HEAVY all the time.
Mr Beloved thought I was up reading too late- nope, even putting the book down and turning of the light and putting on my CPAP mask at a reasonable time, (ie, before himself even breaks away from his computer!) and sleeping right through until about 5-6 am when the dog says she has to go OUT, I’m STILL EXHAUSTED. So much so that I crashed out from around 2pm til 7 this evening. THIS IS NOT RIGHT!!
Did a few minor errands today – needed more pattern tracing paper so I can trace off a Jalie pattern – possibly this one – to make up in the $2 metre knit I scored at Spodshite yesterday.
Also got to the library – my turn with the Trinny and Susannah Body Shape Bible finally came up (there were a dozen reserves ahead of me) – but after a quick look through I’m more confused than ever about my shape.
Haven’t lost any centimetres off my waist or hips in the last 4 weeks – but my weight is now down to 107.9 – that’s lighter than when I left Canberra, at the end of 2003. Yay!
It probably would have been a little bit more if I had said no to dinner with the girls before we went out on Saturday night – but hey, ya gotta live, right?
And now – I’m back to bed. For those of you lucky enough to be able to work, I’m sure that sounds like BLISS – it’s not when it’s your whole LIFE!!
Whine whine whine.
Had a lovely night out with the girls on Saturday night – dinner at a Thai place (Thanks, Sue, for bringing wine – yum!) and then off we went with several THOUSAND other women and a few intrepid blokes to see Menopause the Musical. Fun, but LOUD!
I have spent the last two days entirely in bed – Mr Beloved wakes me up and makes me eat stuff, and feeds me cups of tea, but that’s all the energy I’ve had. Pathetic.
Tried to sew a dress to wear for the big night out and it was even more DISASTROUS than the last attempt!! At least now I know that long full sleeves with elastic at the bottom make me look older than my grandmother…. and that the weight of knit fabrics makes a HUGE difference to the alterations I need to do- which I spent AGES on – and which were then TOO BLOODY BIG.
BTW: I HATE THE F****KING CONTRACEPTIVE PILL. It was supposed to suppress ovulation and therefore the pain – NOPE. after some research, did you know that every kilogram heavier you are than 70kg makes the pill less effective? Great. I’ve had 4 migraines and feel like I’ve had PMT all month and THEN been run over by a garbage truck. And the diet? That’s just a loss right now – I think if I even walk PAST food I’m putting on weight, I don’t even have to eat it. I am NOT looking forward to seeing the dietician tomorrow.
Right, that’s about enough whinging from me – I’m off to make a last cuppa tea for the evening and watch CSI:NY.
The old – straggly, unflattering, frizzly, with dye growing out.
The NEW – sleek (and even I can manage to straighten it now there’s SO MUCH LESS HAIR!) and definitely more age appropriate. Hair colour completely natural (I’m growing into my silver hair…)
Whaddaya think?
It’s sort of a modified bob – longer at the front, not severe shaping at the back but enough to keep it sharp. And I feel so much LIGHTER without all that hair – wow – must take that into account at next weigh-in, LOL!!
I love it so much. I am now officially at home here – I have good girlfriends, and a good doctor, dentist, and hairdresser – I’m NOT (touch wood) MOVING!!
Yes, we went and saw Sex and the City: The Movie. Yes, the dresses were fabboo – and yes, we cried – even the one of us who claims to be QUITE hardhearted shed a tear, didn’t she, Chriss??
Best dress? Ooooh, such a choice! The rose dress. DEFINITELY the rose dress! Not the shape so much (cos bubble dresses on bigger bodies= CIRCUS TENT!) but the print – I am sw0ooooooooning for the print!
Also? Tomorrow, I’m getting my hair cut. OFF.
Yep, you heard me – OFF!!
See, there’s this dyed LINE in my hair (from when I gave up getting it dyed) that looks totally BOGANish, and since I refuse to start smoking Winnie blues and wearing flannie shirts, the only other option is to REMOVE IT. WITH SCISSORS.
My hairdresser doesn’t know yet – except that I changed my appointment from “Trim” to “Style Cut”….
In other news – tonight I decide whether to attempt to pull apart the Domino fabric dress and re-sew it smaller. Cos – this “sack of unsmiling potatoes” look? BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!
I can’t believe I just blogged that picture. Have I NO SHAME at all?
Well, since I have…. should I attempt to unpick it? Or just give up??
Remember how I’ve been in HEAPS of pain because of my hips? Uh huh.
So what did I do on Tuesday night?
Well, because I AM A TOTAL NONG, I put the big cutting mat on the lounge room floor and cut out a dress.
AND…?
Um, you know the feeling of trying to move a rusted piece of metal?
Yep. My hips. AAAARRRRGH!
Today has been about three things: Ibuprofen + heat + extra codeine….
Thanks all for your good wishes – the pain is almost back under control – HATE getting a bad flare-up like that!
So Saturday – was FANTABULOUS! Sue, Chriss, and I went to Brisbane and had a lovely time. Sckafs fabrics was amazing – a real Aladdin’s cave of fabrics, trims, hats, and fascinators – swooon!
Here’s what I got: (obligatory fabric haul on bed shot, for the PR girls!)
From Fabric Barn in Sumner Park: beautiful polyester jersey, cream/grey/black dots – 2.1 metres.
From Sckafs in Indooroopilly Shopping Town: the yummalicious polyester jersey in cream/chocolate different scale dots – reminds me of dominoes a bit! Also 2.1 metres – I was being optimistic about the size I was going to cut out, I think. Might have to be some creative piecing now to get this to work!
And the black with red squiggles fabric – from Sckafs bargain bin, $5 per metre: it’s only 1 metre wide, and I got just over 2.5 metres. It’s permanently pleated, (so behaves almost like a knit – lots of stretch), dries in a nano-second, and would be perfect for a reversible top of some sort: I can’t decide if I like the black or the cream with black side better. In any case, the mark which we were hoping would wash out didn’t – so I’m going to have to plan and cut this one carefully. ( I did get a further discount – only paid for 2 metres, and that was the end of the roll, or I would have bought more!)
Also – a couple of pieces of tailors chalk (chipped due to my carelessness, bugger!) to replace the pieces Constance J. Woodle ate (ewww!) and some new pins – nothing worse than trying to sew knits with big old blunt pins.
And today in the mail: Jalie patterns! I’ve been reading everyone’s reviews of them for ages and not been brave enough to order, but Sue and I took the plunge. First up – the twin set, I think. The pattern paper is HUUUUGE, since there are 27 sizes printed on the one sheet, but once I trace off the right size I think it will almost take longer to cut than to sew! I also got Pattern #2804, the Empire Crossover Top; Pattern 2215 (which I ordered for the little skirt with the attached undies, but now I really like the pants and shirt as well), and Pattern #2682, the V neck top.
There’s nothing on TV tonight after Time Team, so if my back holds out I might actually get something made.
Also in the mail today – something I won off ebay. Which I probably didn’t NEED but I really really WANTED – since I have such fond memories of looking at Mum’s copy all those years ago:
I know, I know – totally frivolous! I don’t have kids, I barely even KNOW anyone with little kids – but – *sigh* I am going to daydream about these patterns! Mum was incredibly creative and took the bloomers from one design, the bolero top from another, and the little hat from a third to design my fondly remembered bee costume (hey Mum, any photos?!?) All the patterns were given as diagrams – it was up to the dressmaker to draft out the patterns in the correct size.
Right, now we’ve had dinner I can go try and clear enough floor space to actually CUT something out!
Haven’t done a meme in AAAAAAGGGES and since Gwen tagged me – here we go!
1) What was I doing 10 years ago:
Heck, most days I can’t remember what I was doing 10 minutes ago! Fibro fog and pain have sapped so much of my memory… or as Mr Beloved often says to me after I’ve asked the same question for the third time in half an hour – “Oh look, a castle!” There are GOLDFISH out there with better memories.
That said – 1998, hmm. Well, I was living with my second husband (except we hadn’t actually got around to marrying yet, although by then we’d been living together 5 years.) I was into quilting; a member of Canberra Quilters, and probably FREEZING MY BUTT OFF in the snowy Canberra winter! My mental health is certainly better now; although my physical health is probably much the same.
2.) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):
1. More sleep?
2. Pick up and sort all the &$#$&@)& magazines on the lounge-room floor so I can
3. Vacuum and dust the lounge room so I can
4. get the jersey fabric I bought yesterday spread out to dry so I can
5. Lay out and cut the Butterick 5001 dress (possibly using a slight amount of creative piecing, since I bought the fabric for one size smaller than I ended up cutting the tissue for…)
On the other hand, I might just go back to bed and re-read back issues of Threads, because it’s a wet drizzly day here!
3) Snacks I enjoy:
Cheese! Although I had my first piece of cheese in NINE WEEKS the other night – really really enjoyed that 35 grams of cheese! (When I left home, the fridge at Mum and Dad’s filled up with cheese because I wasn’t there eating a kilo+ per week!)
Almonds. Or pecans. Love nuts – very high in fat, but apparently they’re the GOOD fats, so the dietician tells me.
Apples. But they have to be crisp – can’t stand a floury apple, acck phhhtht!
I can stay away from chocolate 3 and a half weeks out of every four. but that last half week JUST THROW IN THE LINDT 70% and NOBODY WILL GET HURT!
4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Buy up all the house blocks around us, remove the houses and fences, and build hire an architect and a project manager to build a really well insulated house on passive solar principles with an independent water supply and sewerage system, with a sound proofed studio/techgeek room for Mr Beloved, and a big light filled sewing room with enough cupboards to put things away and room to WALK around proper height cutting tables…. sigh!
Travel a little bit – just a couple of quilt/musuem/faberic shopping trips would do. Maybe one month a year. And definitely see more of Mum and Dad, and my brother and his family, and my Canberra friends.
Buy a house or three for friends who could really use the financial break (and somehow persuade them to accept the gift as what is is!)
Don’t think I’d do much else different – oh yeah, except I’d hire a CLEANING LADY! (or cleaning bloke) to come in twice a week and dust/vacuum/do the bathrooms. Happy with my car that we got in August, so that wouldn’t be an issue. Mostly just live a quiet life, but have enough money to give to things that were worthwhile (funding some scholarships for textile artists who otherwise wouldn’t have access to materials/ study opportunities, perhaps.)
Oh, and I’d definitely get a little sister for Constance, from the same breeder, because she is a joy and a delight and the company would be good for her.
5) Places I have lived:
Toowoomba, Queensland.
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
Albury, border of Victoria and New South Wales
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Dubbo, News South Wales
Griffith, New South Wales.
6.) Jobs I have had:
Arrgh! Lots of different things – mostly I have lost jobs because of depression/mental illness, now I look back at them. Yuck, confronting!
Fruit and vegetable seller (several times), Executive Assistant (glorified Secretary!)/ Receptionist (also several times); retail sales (electrical, fine china, books – I can’t deal with the people contact these days.)
7.) 6 peeps I wanna know more about (in no particular order):
Anyone reading this – Tag, you’re it!
Off to Brisvegas with the girls – fabric shops! WHEEEE!
Talk to you when we get back….
because I HURT, dammit!
Calling the pain management doc first thing tomorrow and BEGGING him to inject my right hip with whatever it damn well takes to make it STOP HURTING! It could be napalm for all I care, just MAKE IT STOP!
Bed now.
I missed ANOTHER quilters day. Grrr! I am SO SICK OF THIS PAIN!
Went to the gastroenterologist yesterday – he was much nicer than he seemed last year – thank goodness! Agreed that my issues are NOT his department, and also agreed with the course of action that my GP had already planned. Good to know, but not particularly helpful on the day.
Also – he acknowledged that while I don’t have diagnosable coeliac disease, I do have a wheat intolerance. YAY! Why yay? Well, now I feel justified in avoiding gluten most of the time, but can allow myself the occasional piece of toast if I really feel like it.
No sewing happening either – tried a sleeve from the Rio jacket in muslin and Mr Beloved reckoned it looked like something Frankenstein’s monster would have sewn! Also, the whole tricky seam is on the back of the sleeve, where it can’t even be seen – so why bother?? I still like the look and drape of the vest so I might have a go at that. I might even just put a plain sleeve in and make the jacket…
Sorry no posts with pretty pics – all I want to do right now is hunch over a hot water bottle and moan. I realise that isn’t helpful, but you try exercising when your lower abdomen feels like it has a bread knife cutting into it!!
GRRRRRRRRR!
We are total Eurovision tragics in this house. Every year we invent drinking games (Which we don’t actually drink to, it’s symbolic, fewer calories that way!) try to predict The Dress Trend (so far: backup singers in WHITE. Boring!) and get wildly enthused for some obscure country (AZERBAIJAN! You ROCK!!! Devils! Angel boys with an almost castrati soprano voice! Devils transforming into Angels! OMG!!!)
We got to watch the first semi-final tonight (we have been on a Eurovision news BLACKOUT since the actual event on Tuesday) and I must say -I never knew Poland produced so many plastics. I don’t believe there is a single natural element left in their contestant:
(Trust me, those teeth were SCARY when she sang…)
Greece sent their usual Britney-esque bubbly performer (Britney before the drugs and shaved head, obviously); Belgium YET AGAIN sent a group wth an entirely made up language; political voting was in evidence even at this early stage (was there anyone who doubted Boznia Herzogovina would get in ?) and Ireland and Estonia sent joke acts.
Thrillingly – Finland are in the finals again with another hard rock act (minus Lordi’s rubber prosthetics this year) – pure 1980s long-haired bare-chested pleather-panted ROCK GODS!!
Bring on Semi Final TWO!!!
Just watched Trinny and Susannah do their body shape show. I’m more confused than ever – what shape am I??
That’s my silhouette, traced from a photo of me in me undies. (no WAY would I post that!!) You might need to click to see it bigger. The line across my boobs is because that’s the widest part.
I’m on the list to get their book from the library but that’s months away yet – and I’m not buying another book where I’ll only use half a dozen pages! Maybe I’m this shape?? OR maybe this one (if I had more of a waist)
Opinions? What shape are YOU?
*sigh*
My knees are buggered after my very short session working with only SIX different exercises int eh gym. How pathetic! However, I have allowed to three entire squares of Lindt 80% chocolate in my calorie count today, and that has lifted my mood considerably.
And so to bed.
Interesting idea, but would it work on a curvy women – especially in a plus size? Course I wouldn’t pay 298 POUNDS for something that’s going to be knocked off in every high street shop anyway. (Unless perhaps it was silk jersey,in aubergine. Then I tend to lose any sense of reason.)
[Found on The Thoughtful Dresser, which is a very cool blog.]
(Mr Beloved does not like having his picture taken!)
The tears were worth it – this turned out to be an almost wearable prototype! (I’ve said he’s allowed to wear it at home only, he can wear the next ones in public, LOL!) You can see my review on Pattern Review here.
After a good nights sleep:
Mr Beloved explained why the screw for the overlocker needle wouldn’t go back in: As ex IT support sysadmin, he insists that there is a “Frustration Field” 
generated around equipment that has somehow misbehaved or otherwise not met the expectations of the user.
The fields are quite powerful, and have a half life of anywhere up to 12 hours. Any attempt to rectify the fault before then will be nullified by the force of the Frustration Field .
Thanks for your help, though, I am greatly appreciative that there is someone more experienced with this beastie that is so generous!
That’s why I could NOT get the darn thing back in last night – but this morning when the FF had dissipated, it took Mr Beloved under a minute.
Same thing happened with converting the machine to coverstitch and back – although I did also take the precaution of giving it new needles.
(They took FOUR SHOPS to find – arrggggh! I must find a source to order them online.)
Now I’m off to watch “grumpy doctor” (House. Even when he’s being a total jerk, Hugh Laurie is still gorgeous!) More later.
WAAAAAH! Just when I thought my overlocker and I were going to be friends:
Lat night I got the coverstitch set up and stitching beautifully. Tonight? ARRRRRRRRRRGH!!!! NOTHING would work! Needles coming unthreaded, tensions that would not reset – I unthreaded and rethreaded the whole shebang. Read through all the instructions ticking them off as I went. Adjusted each tension a lot of times. Tried the ultimate computer nerd trick: “Have you tried turning it off and turning it on again?” all the way down to the power point.
THEN – one of the little grub screws that holds the needles in place CAME ALL THE WAY OUT and I can’t get in back in again and I’m terrified I might have stripped the start of the thread in the hole it goes into. At least I have the teeny weeny thang, but – ARRGGGH!
Poor Mr Beloved has just spent the past half hour rubbing my back as I sobbed, full on SOBBED – with only being able to *sob* get*sob* a *sob* single *sob* word*sob* out* sob*each*sob* breath *sob*!!
I’ve packed the machine up ready to see if Dale the (wonderful) Sewing Machine man can see me as an EMERGENCY tomorrow…. meantime, I think I’d better go to bed, don’t you?
OMG, I did it! I worked out how to make the overlocker do a really nice coverstitch! WOOOOOT!
Right now am sooo tired – and have lost a VITAL piece of paper for a job I needed to do…ummmm… yesterday-ish?
Meantime, STOP! DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL!! EXCITING *yawn* PICTURES OF A COVERSTITCHED HEM WILL BE POSTED TOMORROW!!!
(Well, I was excited!)
After what feels like aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages of reading other peoples reviews on PatternReview.com, at long last the NEW BURDAS ARE HERE!!!
Even better – THE BURDA PLUS IS HERE!!
[Mum, I'll be popping yours in the post tomorrow. Along with the January one which I really really liked a lot of things from.]
Some months I want to make EVERYTHING in the Burda magazine – some months – meh, not so much. I love every pattern except one in the Burda Plus – so that’s 29 out of the thirty illustrated. Not bad for $20, eh?!
The March issue of Burda WOF – well, not so impressed with the plus size selections, but there are some very pretty patterns in the regular sizes. For now I have enough alterations to make on a plus size, there’s nothing that would realllly tempt me to grade up a smaller pattern.
Now if you’ll excuse me, that lining fabric has just finished going through the washer; it’s still so windy here (but not as cold, thank goodness!) that by the time I make a cuppa tea the lining will be dry and ready to cut out.
Off to SEW!!
With the windchill this morning, that’s what the weatherman told us it was. MINUS BLOODY FOUR!!! I coulda stayed in Canberra for weather like that!
No cutting out fabric tonight, I am too cold. Our house was not built for such temperatures – I’m off to hide under the blankets!
Well, Sue is was being very good today and sewing up a skirt. She had to stop to go get lining, so we popped over to Lincraft – only to find them shut. BUGGER!! One of the few stores in Toowoomba actually open on a Sunday , but we missed it! Never mind, we went and had a coffee, then I loaded her up with even MORE books and magazines once we got back to my place. (Yes, Canberra folks, Caity’s Library is still going strong!)
I have been looking through the stash, finding a lot of bigger dressmaking pieces of fabric from way back when there was a big fabric shop in Canberra down around where the Casino is now – the name has gone from my head. (”Fabric something-or-other” – anyone remember?) ETA: Annie reminded me: Home Yardage! Thanks, Annie!
Discovered I have SCARLET wool/poly crepe – 8 yards of 60″ – perfect for one day making this suit. Not now while I’m still shrinking, though. Damn – just realised I have this pattern in sizes 18-20-22 – now I’ll have to go looking for it in the smaller range… arrgh! Of course it’s OOP…(Out Of Print)
Isn’t it DIVINE? Of course, I need the mink wrap too, dontcher know – and the hat, and gloves, of course. Just the thing for popping up to Woollies for the bread, yes?
(I know one thing about glove making – the fourchette is a BUGGER! “What’s a fourchette, Caity?” A fourchette is the gusset in between the fingers. Not found on el cheapo gloves. And I am NOT talking about the female genital piercing of the same name, owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Although I bet that makes your eyes water, too.)
Do I even remotely DRESS like this? No. But I’d like to. And pattern buying is nothing if not aspirational! I mean, I can’t be the only one who lies in bed and reads pattern instructions, can I? (Ok, I also read dictionaries, I may be just weird.)
Also excavated enough fabric to really have a good fang at some shirts for me AND for Mr Beloved: two shades of blue tshirt material, one of bottle green (it looks browner in the pic) – and quite a lot of a scarlet stretch velvety thing (think I’ll keep that one for mine, not sure it’s Mr B’s colour!)
Now that my overlocker (serger) and I have declared a truce (and may even become friends) I can consider sewing this sort of thing.
Don’t worry, the sewing obsession will lessen and I WILL get back to quilting eventually. The prospect of actually fitting (with alterations) into even the largest size of patterns is just so thrilling!
And as the lovely Rooruu commented on my coat patterns post:
I notice, however, that many of them are what you could call afashional, not specific to a year or season, based on interesting shapes, so they don’t date.
Yep, that’s me – although I adore reading the fashmags, (”Aby-bloody-synnian Vogue!” chimes in Mr Beloved, channelling the AbFab fashmagslags themselves) drooling over the impossibly expensive designer gear at Net-A-Porter, and checking into Style.com every day, I’m not a slave to fashion. For one thing, I’m not rich. (ha! We actually live so far below the poverty line that we ASPIRE to being poor!) For another, I am not 6ft 2 tall and I weigh a LOT more than 40 kgs.
But I know what I like, even if I don’t wear it a lot of the time.
I have no memory of buying this either, but isn’t it yummy?
Inspired by Marji of Fiber Arts Afloat I have been starting to go through my pattern stash, to see what I have in the way of warm outer layers that might be worth sewing up (hopefully without a gazillion tricky alterations). And I discovered that I really like to buy coat and jacket patterns (I haven’t even looked at ones that come as part of suits here…).
In reality I have actually made and worn exactly ONE of these patterns.
ONE!!
Most of these have only ever been out of the pattern envelope for a read, not even had the tissue unfolded, let alone cut:
Now, even bearing in mind that this represents *mumblety* years of pattern acquisition, that’s a lot of coats and jackets. Obviously I feel I NEED something warm, but just haven’t got around to MAKING it yet! Some of them I wonder WHAT I was thinking. Me, in a classic Chanel style? Ummmmm……
The one that I’ve made and worn so often that the hem and cuffs have abraded and the lining is about to disintegrate is the Burda 4385 here, in the longer style. Not in white, obviously – I don’t really do white, not even for shirts, let alone COATS! Mine was a red loose woven wool thing. I don’t think I even have it any more.
The one I’d most like to try next is the V8399 Marcy Tilton jacket – but the only review on PR says there are dreadful problems with the draft and the instructions – I find this odd, because normally Marcy’s patterns are really good. But as it “broadens shoulders” and I’m pretty sure my shoulders are somewhat broad anyway, it might not be a wise choice. (even if that WOULD make my waist look smaller…)
Anyone have a favourite out of those posted here? Anything you think look especially “Caity-esque”? I’d love some input!
I’m off to get Mr Beloved to help with the next step: Retrieving fabric tubs from the back of the shed so I can see if there’s a fabric I love that I can use for whichever pattern.
*Swwooooooooons and has to go lie down with a nice cuppa tea.*
I have ONE piece of Marimekko in my stash, that I got as a trade many years ago. It’s lime green with orange flowers and I love it too much to cut it up!
In other news: Today I bought a new book. Which is very helpful, so I’m off to read some more. I have got a photo to trace off to see my body silhouette (so very confronting!) like these women did.
The author, Annabelle van Tongeren, is an Aussie who has dressed a lot of our celebrities, 
and the book is beautiful. (And looking at her gallery, I remember seeing one of her gorgeous dresses ages ago in Australian Stitches magazine – but that’s not one I keep, so I can’t tell you which issue.)
You know, when I finally get down to my goal weight, I’m going to find a way to have one of those makeovers. In the meantime, I’m going to try and learn and sew as much as I can to keep me motivated. Only another 47 kilos to go!
Not much happening here. Went to the GP today, to discuss ultrasound results and further treatment. Still trying to track down why my Ferritin (stored iron) levels are continuing to fall – ulcer, girly problems, bowel, WHERE?!?! Did solve one issue and will hopefully be having surgery later in the year/early next year (need to lose some more weight first, mainly.)
Boring, huh?
Honestly, between that and a couple of other little tasks, the day just disappeared. Unless you want to hear about the ongoing grossness that is Mis KitTerns abcesses?
No, didn’t think so.
… indeed, FIGHTING! the urge to go out. *sigh* I cannot justify taking the car out just on a whim, especially when we HAVE to go out tomorrow for medical appointments.
I need (? Hmm, not sure what Maslow would say about that!) to replace the Butterick 5001 pattern I was working on yesterday with a bigger size while they’re still at half price. I really really want to check the mailbox to see if Ottobre is here yet.. and check the one newsagents in town to see if the new Burda has come! ARRRRRRRRRRGH!
The Butterick pattern: so far I have added 2 inches (TWO INCHES! ) across the back; I know I need to add nearly as much in the arms; the length will need to be adjusted, the waist too – and I need to work out how to do a Full Bust Adjustment on the wrap over bodice.
See why I was thinking going up a pattern size or two might be easier? I’ll still have to do a FBA but the rest of the pattern shouldn’t require as many alterations. I’m tempted to just wait until I’m fitting better into the smaller size but I am so sick of having nothing nice to wear.
Thing is, once I DO get all the alterations done? This could end up being a TNT (Tried and True) pattern for me. IF I EVER GET THE !@#&!@(*& ALTERATIONS all done!
Mr Beloved has never helped tissue fit a pattern before, but is doing a fabulous job.
Meantime, How delicious is this outfit?
It’s from Burda – Spring/Summer, 1966. “An asymmetrically buttoned dress for afternoon or evening, with a spiralling decorative seam. Angled buttonholes mirror the line of the decorative seam.”
There are another 30 pictures of the same season’s lines on the Burda site right now.
And 24 images from Autumn 56/Winter 57… droooool! Although this dress owes rather more to curtains in the living room than I’d like. Eeeeeee!
And except for the fact that a) even with “shapewear” my waist could never be that small and b) it just doesn’t get cold enough in Toowoomba for such an extravagant coat, I’d make this. And I’d need the hat and gloves, of course. Can’t you see this in a stunning periwinkle blue wool? Or perhaps this rich purple… or since this is pure flight-of-fancy shopping, unrestricted by such mundane things as price and fabric weight – how about THIS?! *swooooons*
I have to go have a wee lie down now….
And a very happy mothers day to everyone!
Most especially to my Mum, who let me sew on her brand new Elna SU sewing machine when I was only young (Under 10 – what trust!). And who made the BEST clothes for me (she reckons I was not grateful at the time… Looking back, they were really AWESOME clothes, Thanks, Mum!)
Here’s the only recent photo I have of Mum – Chips (the retrofitted Scottish fold cat – it’s a long story) is assessing Mum’s work on the cushion she made – “it looked so fast and easy until I counted the pattern pieces for the applique!”
…and not getting terribly much done. I’ve been mostly in bed since Wednesday – arrrgh! Twenty minutes of a fairly fast walk without any preparation, followed up by a fast-ish 10 minute walk down town on Thursday and I am BUGGERED! Hate hate hate hate that. It’s not just the hip and knee pain and muscle tiredness, its the overwhelming fatigue that gets me.
We did have time to pop into the Salvos thrift store on Friday on the way to the greengrocers, where I scored about a metre of green knit fabric – which solves the “What do I use for a muslin?” issue for at least B5001. It won’t have quite the same properties as the nice jersey I’m planning on using, but it was $1 – and that’s the right price!
Probably only just enough to check the bodice, but that’s the main worry – that, and the arms, which I have to make sure are large enough – nothing worse than heavy arms looking like sausages bursting out of their casings, yuk.
I’d love to make it in this jersey from Kerryn’s Fabric World – exactly the colours I keep coming back to this winter, browns, caffe latte, teal, and blue. Yum.
Instead the first iteration of this dress will be in a black jersey overprinted with a beige and coffee swirly, as modelled here by the faithful Dolly Bustenschneider. (That ‘u’ should have an umlaut, never mind.) The main shot was taken with flash, the detail shot without flash. I don’t know which is the more accurate. In some lights the beige print almost looks gold.
This fabric (like most others in my stash ) has “gunna be” a whole heap of different patterns – I originally bought it for the Wong-Singh-Jones Kimono Wrap Dress from Hot Patterns, but that will have to wait for another time.
I have recently decided that black is NOT a colour I should wear, since it makes every zit, wrinkle, and dark circle look a hundred times worse than any other colour. I’m hoping that this will ‘read” ok with all the beige, but even if it doesn’t – hey, I’m sewing it up anyway!
I need to take a leaf from Sue’s book and just get in and SEW THE BLOODY THING! I have so many books, back issues of Threads, and other advice running through my head that I’m almost afraid to cut ing out, cos I know I’ll do something wrong. *sigh* My recovery from being a rigid perfectionist goes better some days than others…
In any case, not much will happen in sewing today – first we get to watch the Red Bull Air Race (vrooooooooooooom!) then the V8 Supercars at Barbagello (Vrooom! Vrooooom!) and then tonight the F1 from Turkey (Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeroooooooooooom!) Not often we get a decent run of motorsport like that!
At least I’ll get the paper pattern cut out, that’s a start.
[Later Edited To Add: I did get the pattern cut out. But once I started tissue fitting and reading the finished garment measurements printed on the tissue pieces, I decided that I needed to go buy the bigger pattern size after all – BUGGER! Back to the drawing board, eh?)
Vogue 2017, copyright date 1997.
“Fitted, interfaced, lined, above hip jacket has raised neckline, shoulder pads, side panels, no side seams and long, two-piece sleeves with button vent. Semi-fitted, interfaced, line, straight skirt above mid-knee or above ankle, has waistband, side front seams, no side seams and side front button closing.”
I could happily and make and wear this RIGHT NOW – except that I couldn’t be bothered altering that pattern UP so many sizes. When I have lost more weight, though, look out!
I was feeling guilty about my pattern stash – so many patterns that are still in factory folds – but now I look on them as inspiration. As in – I want to wear that!
Just watched Trinny and Susannah’s show where they fit 1000 women in the right size bra. I cried. Seeing someone transformed by something so simple as actually being fitted properly – wow.
This ties in with my new sig line over on PatternReview.com (and something I have expressed previously on this blog) NO MORE FRUMPY CLOTHES! I’m getting closer to feeling able to try some new things for example – I really really REALLY want to make this dress.
The new things are: I haven’t made anything in knits for a really long time; and – I haven’t ever made anything that looks quite this glamorous. But I’m so sick of frumping around in baggy mens size t-shirts and jeans… I bought a size 24, even though my current measurements are closer to the 26 – but that’s where the pattern range split, and I can see myself using the smaller sizes soooooon.
(Ummmm – at the moment ANYTHING that’s not superfrump = glamorous. I’ll work up to actual evening gowns if I ever have a life that needs them, yes?!)
My excuses for not starting this dress right away, even though I have some lovely stretch fabric that I could use:
- I’m waiting on some thread for my overlocker (woolly polyester) although I could just use the plain thread that I already have, it just would make a slightly less nice seam finish…
- I should buy something cheaper to make up as a muslin first (cheaper than $20 per metre for knit that drapes the same way? Dream on!)
- I don’t have room to cut the dress out (unless I actually – *gasp* made the effort to shift the lounge room furniture and vacuum the floor)
- I can’t sew when I’m tired (well, in that case maybe I should just lie down in bed and never get up again, eh? LIVE WITH IT!)
Hmm. I may have just run out of excuses.
* Must be read in ABFab Eddy voice, dahhhling!
Well, I TOTALLY score at the town library today – one of the books I have been COVETING but had no $$ to buy (since I spent up big on patterns and had to renew my domain hosting – life’s tough, innit?)
Christian Lacroix On Fashion (ISBN-13: 978-0500513910) is a book to LUST after if you have even the tiniest interest in fashion and the history of dress. After several introductory essays, we get down to the business at hand, as described by CL himself:
“This is not a retrospective, but my own look at the costume collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, from which I chose pieces from all eras, some never before exhibited. I chose those that were most inspiring, those that best told the story of fashion that I would have wanted to tell if I were the museum curator that I intended to be when I was a student.”
And of course being a Thames and Hudson book, everything about it is superb. (long time readers of my blog have probably already picked up on my obsession with books that are well constructed and well designed. I find it really difficult to read badly designed and poorly made books, ugh.)
The photography is brilliant, with the garmetns showcased amongst ( what I assume must be) the warehouse of the museum. Of course, I would have loved more detail shots, but we can’t have everything (and there is always the wonderful Fashion In Detail series – I only own the 17th and 18th Century one, but I would love to own the 19th C, Around the World, and Modern Fashion all from the V & A Museum ).
I know that this is a book I will want to go back to over and over again- every page is inspiring – the details, the colours, the cut! And the photos are arranged in sensible categories such as “”Flowers”, “Back to Front” and “Cobwebs”. Part of the joy of this book is looking at a double spread of clothes then flicking to the catalogue details, only to find that an outfit that looked like one era is in fact from another period entirely. The first photos in any category showcase some of Lacroix’s (how does one add the possessive there? that doesn’t look quite right) own designs – which emphasizes his mastery of historical material and genius for re-invention.
The last section of the book features computer generated sketches (apparently now his favourite way of working) for both his history of fashion and the Fall-Winter 2007-8 haute couture collection. I had never seen these drawings before – and yet they are in the loose flowing “ink and colour” style of several of my favourite illustrators (Ralph Steadman, Ronald Searle, Gerald Scarfe immediately come to mind)
I’m off to watch Grand Designs (it was a beautifully transformed church in Ireland – sigh!); then I think my notebooks and I will be spending a few happy hours with this book.
I’ve been looking at this “Gypsy Gripper” tool and saw on live at the Stitches and Craft show last week. It’ s the same tool that glass repair people use to lift panes of glass – a really good lock on suction handle. Someone had the wonderful idea of using them to hold your big (and little!) patchwork rulers steady while you use a rotary cutter.
So – did I pay approx $36 for the “official” patchwork version? NOPE!
I went to Aldi who had them on special this week 
for $10.
And it works BRILLIANTLY!!
If you’re only using a small ruler, you just flip one of the little levers down to hold onto that.
So – locals – they were at the Clifford Garden store, right down the back.
I bought an overlocker (serger for those Norte Americanos who might be reading!) in (mumble mumble does a quick count back on fingers) 2004. And have hardly used it all. Not least because I kept meaning to go in for classes, and then the dealer closed…
Then the other week we happened on this book for ONE DOLLAR. I can’t pass up just about ANY book for that price (it’s a sickness, and it’s hereditary – I come from a long line of bibliophiles) and this one – well, I think I might have even paid *gasp* full retail price for! (ooh, grammar. Never mind…)
Okay, it’s from 1992; but the basic info is all good, even if the illustrations look terribly dated now (Aww. come on – you KNOW we all wanted to look so glamorous with those big bows on our butts! I can remember coveting exactly that dress on my best friend’s sister…)
Anyway, with the help of the clear and well labelled diagrams, today I managed to:
- Clean and oil the beastie (hmm the only one of my machines not to have a name, I think, which tells you how very slight our relationship has been ’til now)
- Work out the hieroglyphics on the program card: squiggle glob glob 1/1 triangle triangle square actually means: rolled-hem-stitch-width-adjuster-thingummy DOWN! Ahhh!!!
- Re-learned how to change threads without having the re-thread the beastie (cool!)
- Have a go at actually doing a rolled hem (with view to using it on the skirt that I posted as “almost finished” this week – just need the hem, and a hook and eye at the waist- arrrgh!) AND refined it to get a better look AND now I know which thread to change so I get the right colour on top.
- Have dug out the extra feet that were a bonus with the machine and actually worked out what they are – next step, using them!
Mr Beloved reminds me that we went to a Stitches and Craft show in 2005 where the rather enthusiastic speaker was extolling the virutes of the serger – and made an unfortunate series of hand gestures which triggered this cartoon:
So now I know – it has a name – Die (Der? Das? Just what gender IS a serger, anyway?) Uberlocker.
I’m off to play with some more samples.
Yep, that’s right: ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN POINT FOUR kilograms is what I just weighed in at! (that’s 245.6 lbs.) I am seriously HAPPY about that! My heaviest was 125 kg, last year.
No other news – just had to share the excitement!
NOT!!!!
As Sue mentioned, there was SUCH A DEAL on Simplicity patterns over at Pattern Review (25% off!, May 5 to May 12)
So I finally after drooling over this design for EVAH (well, not really , just since it was released on the Simplicity site) ordered 2981. No reviews yet on Pattern Review, though, so I’ll be flying solo! I was still hesitant about it since the long sleeved version needs – wait for it – 7 and a half yards of 45″ wide or 5 and three quarter yards of 60″ wide!
But then Sue said “Buy something cheap and we’ll stamp it!” DUH! Of course! That’s brilliant! I mean, what’s the point of having those dyes and fabric paints if I can’t use them to dress up some plain fabric, right?! Clever Sue.
And then, cos I was REALLY ANNOYED when I went into *chain sewing store* that the patterns I wanted were $Au 25 EACH, I ordered Vogue 8120 which looked utterly FABULOUS made up when we saw it recently at the Stitches and Craft Show but is just – blah! – in the illustration:
This doesn’t show you the way the funnel neck hides the fat pad at the base of the neck (yeah, you know what I mean, anyone over about a size – hmmm – 14?)
I may have ordered another one. Or two. Perhaps.
And now I am anxiously eagerly awaiting the arrival of the March Burda World Of Fashion magazine, and Burda Plus (surely THIS must be the month it gets here?) and the latest Ottobre woman mag – and then I will be on a “NO MORE PATTERNS til I have sewn up this lot” regime! (Well, except for the monthly Burda WOF, but I do send most of those on to Mum -right, Mum?!)
And now – to bed. I have an appointment with the exercise physiologist at 9 am for a “Heart Rate Monitored Walk” complete with multiple blood tests for lactic acid production. After which I am meant to know exactly what heart rate I need to walk at to burn fat best. Wish me luck!
ARRRRRRRGH!!
I though I’d make a simple little skirt, nothing flash. I chose this pattern:
Dead simple, innit?
Bought cheap fabric which I thought would do for a knock-around sort of skirt.
BUT – first I cut it out in the wrong size. And blithely sewed it up without fitting cos well – I’m ALWAYS the biggest size, aren’t I.
Except I completely failed to take into account the recent weight loss. La la la, try it on to see hem length – and watch it fall straight to my ankles, since the waist is the only fitted place on the skirt. Oops.
Unpick the whole thing and start again. (And leave it for a few more days.)
Re-cut, sewed next size down. (Leave it for another few days.)
Decided to use invisible zip.
Put it in back to front.
Unpick.
Try another method of inserting invisible zip – hmm, right way this time, but not really invisible!
Mr Beloved (quite rightly) insists I have a cuppa tea.
Get out The Book (so glad I found it – safely filed under my sewing machine. D’OH!). When Ms Betzina says “Idiot Proof invisible zipper” – she means it’s even CAITY proof! (Although for a moment due to my complete directional dyslexia I thought I’d sewn it back to front again – but then I zipped it up. Ahem.)
But then – the waistband treatment on the pattern was STUPID. Using narrow (half inch wide) twill tape to finish the waistband as though you were using petersham? DOESN’T WORK. It just doesn’t. There isn’t enough width to turn the top of the waistband down.
No worries, I’ll buy petersham (it’s a ribbon, with unlocked edges so you can make it curve – see here for an illustration.) Eventually found some at Lincr*p today – in only one size, one colour, and well hidden away from any other ribbon. (Yeah, that makes sense… NOT!) And at $4.99 per metre!! When I know (thanks to the girls on Pattern Review) That I can buy the same width from the USA in a gazillion different colours , for $US 2.89 per yard… and the postage isn’t much.
But – I wanted to wear the skirt tomorrow, perhaps. So I lashed out ($2.99!) on a packet of pre-made bias binding. All was going FINE With that until… I notice I had sewn the invisible zipper in about a quarter of an inch HIGHER on one side than the other.
FLIPPIN’ HECK! I can’t believe all the hassles that have come up with one little skirt!! All stupid little mistakes that I shouldn’t be making – although, it HAS been a while since I’ve sewn clothes. Mostly because at my current size and shape it’s pretty much like sewing circus tents.
No progress photos – they’d mostly be of me TEARING MY HAIR OUT. But here’s a photo of the almost finished skirt:
Which is now TOO BIG again!
I don’t care. I’m going to hem the damn thing and take it in at the waist with a safety pin on each side for a couple of weeks.
(Actually, I might make it again next week- with the petersham waist band – and another size smaller.)
Well we did go down the hill to the Stitches and Craft Show, and I must say Sue and I were both quite restrained in our spending! It was wonderful to go with another sewing type, really changed the focus. We watched most of the fashion parades and found them really worthwhile – proving again that the illustrations on some patterns do NOT do them justice.
For example this jacket – a bit *meh* on the pattern, but STUNNING made up – a really versatile little jacket. Stephanie (Perpetual Patterns & Can Do Books) had sold out at the show, so I might have to mail order it.
There was one model in the show that was a size 14, D cup – and admittedly she was nearly 6 foot tall, but she was NOT a lightweight skinny minny – so wonderful to see a REAL size model looking great in the clothes on parade.
There were no photos allowed in the show (pity, since some of the clothes made up from commercial patterns really were scrummy) and the art garments by Ruth Osborne, Kirry Toose and Trudy Billingsley were full of interesting ideas for lesser mortals to borrow. Sue Neall (of Stitches, the Australian Sewing Guild and now Sew Inspirational) did a great job hosting and explaining the parades, and also managed a quick change for each parade – the woman never stops!
Another pattern that was definitely a “flick past” in the pattern book but absolutely stunning made up – this little crossover top , Vogue 8120. We saw this made up in knits and in several colours – it looked smashing.
As did the tunic and flat front (but elastic waisted – very nice, not your granny’s elastic waist!)pants in Vogue 8335. Again – not a stunning illustration, but wow, terrific sewn up.
I mentioned that I was reading Pattern Review before heading down – I only ended up buying one pattern – the Sewing Workshop Mimosa Top and Pant
.
(I know, a bit summery – but I’m planning on wearing long sleeves under it. And the pant looks very flattering.)
Kerryn (of the astonishing makeovers in Stitches magazine) was at the Australian Sewing Guild stand at the show, and I showed her the pattern for the top – she suggested that on my figure, extending the bottom edge to a diagonal would be more flattering that having a strong horizontal line just above my hips. I’m definitely making a muslin first one this one.
And this is the fabric I bought (from here – they don’t have fabrics on their website, but will very soon) to make the top. Now that I look at it draped on me I’m wondering if the print is a bit blocky… what do you think? It’s more rust/brown/tan than the orange-y flash photo shows, really – but I think it’s ok with my colouring?
Wait ’til you see the fabulously wearable fabric Sue bought – oh my, just swoooony!
I would have loved to go to some of the workshops that the Australian Sewing Guild was running – but there just wasn’t time. Maybe next year…
A sad day – John Cargher has gone. I loved listening to Singers of Reknown – and he recorded his last program (after 42 years!) only last week.
He was so generous with his knowledge, the program was a joy to listen to, and opened my ears and mind to a lot of music I otherwise wouldn’t have known about.
(If you’ve never heard his voice, do pop over to the site and download a program – it’s lovely.)
Thanks to everyone who cheered me on in my weight loss. IT REALLY HELPS! And we are soooo enjoying life without the neighbour Weasel. Oooh, he was a horrid little man. We have 10 neighbours (we own a long narrow block that runs along a lot of backyards) and only ever have real problems with 2 of the houses. Here’s hoping the next lot of renters are quiet people.
Ever been in the situation where you KNOW you’ve got a book, but just can’t find it? I’m not even sure if I’ve seen it since the move to Toowoomba, but I’m sure I wouldn’t have (deliberately!) got rid of it – arrgggh! I’ve been looking for this book for DAYS now. I don’t think I’ve lent it to anyone… if I did, please let me know, eh? It’s one of those really handy reference books, and I’m missing it!
I’m definitely headed down the hill tomorrow for the Stitches and Craft Show. I’m really looking forward to going with Sue – at last, another sewing chick! Tonight I’m digging through patterns and reading reviews (PatternReview.com – awesome value!) to see what I should spend my limited $$ on.
In all the digging around, I did re-find (is that even a word? UNEARTHED, perhaps – I swear, the Time Team would have their work cut out for them amongst all my stuff!)
[click to see bigger images]
This is Vogue 1407, and has someones name and 4/4/66 written on the front. New in Factory Folds! Of course, nowhere near my size – but it’s very close to the size I will be at my goal weight, I hope. “Narrow, sleeveless dress with a two-piece look at front has a deep V Surplice neckline. Wrapped coat swings wide, three quarter length set in sleeves.” It’s so NOW I’m almost tempted to grade it up and make it… almost! The front wrap over is actually an overlay on an otherwise plain sheath dress, but doesn’t it look good? (and why are the instructions on a 1966 pattern SO MUCH BETTER than instructions on current patterns, hmm?) Although this is one of those vintage patterns where the only markings you get are perforated dots. And this is the little blurb about the designer:”JO MATTLI (Mattly) – Swiss charm and Parisian taste combine in the designs of this member of London’s couture group. Mr Mattli has designed the clothes for many English films.”
I think I paid 20cents for this pattern at an op shop. Whereas tomorrow I’ll probably be paying $30 for this pattern – if I can get it! Or this one….or maybe this one?
And now I’d better go turn up the hem on my other pair of jeans – don’t think it would be cool to wander around a Stitches and Craft Show and watch the fashion parades with my jeans rolled – ugh!
[later ETA: But first, I have to go sort through all the art materials that were previously stashed under the kitchen table, as Mr Beloved just had to pull them all out to retrieve a mrrrrrrrooooooouuuuuuusssse! that Miss Kitty Bing brought in as part of her "catch and release" program - she's still looking for it, but it's dead and gone into the bin - ewwwwwwwww!]
It suddenly got cold! Brrr! And here am I still looking at things I was “gunnasew” for Summer…
Not much happening here – trying to work out if I can re-schedule a medical scan so I can go to the Stitches and Craft Show in Brisbane instead (scan not urgent, so no panic there. Just trying to sort out the PCOS stuff *sigh* I’ve had the pain for months now, another week won’t make any difference!).
And I’d really like to go to the fashion parades at the show – especially with the independent pattern companies, their illustrations don’t really tell you how the garment will look made up. (Mind you, neither do the big 4 – how many times have I seen a terrific garment sewn up, and been amazed that the drawing was so blah?)
Today’s post brought the Patchwork Quilt Tsushin and Quilt Japan magazines I ordered from New Zealand Quilter. Lovelovelove those mags! (Wish I remembered more of my Japanese studies, and that I hadn’t lost all my textbooks to one of the exes or moves, but never mind.)
Look at this beautiful shrug! I reckon with some trial and error with the diagram I can make something similar. Hmmmm!
Ok, I’m too bloody cold to stay here and type – I’m off to bed with a hot water bottle, my new magazines, and a notebook…
All those shakes and bars and calorie counting? IS WORKING!! My blood pressure is dropping, and more importantly than just the kilograms lost – my shape is changing!!
When I started on March 26, the body composition measurements (electrical impedance thingummy machine) showed that my Fat Free Mass (that’s all the organs and muscles etc) was 52.9 kg: today, April 29th: 54.9 kg. I’ve put on muscle!! YAY!!!!
On March 26, the Fat Mass measurement was 64.9kg. Today: 57.7! so I’ve lost 7.2 kg of JUST FAT. That’s 15.8 lbs.
My waist measurement has dropped by 3cm, and my hip measurement has dropped by 5cm. (Nearly 2 inches!)
My dietician is thrilled – and so am I. Mr Beloved is also losing weight, because he’s the main cook – and with weighing out my veges and protein, and not having The Phantom Baker* spring puddings and cakes etc on him, he’s already shrunk out of some jeans that I never got around to hemming up (bonus! I hate hemming jeans!)
*The Phantom Baker is a tricky beastie who used to pop up far more often than was good for ANYBODY, and make cakes and brownies and puddings and bikkies and…. we haven’t seen her since March 26, and we are hoping she remains MIA for quite some time yet.
Next week is my heart-rate measured walk with the exercise physiologist. I’m hoping to be a lot more motivated to walk daily after that.
The annoying Weasel neighbour (it’s a long story) is MOVING OUT – and when he yelled out “Faaaaaaaat girl” today, apart from ignoring him (which burns his butt – you should see him desperately trying to attract our attention, LOL!) I REALLY wanted to yell back “But I’m losing weight – and you’re not getting any smarter!”, a la Winston Churchill’s famous remark (”Sir, you’re drunk!” “And Madam, you’re ugly – but in the morning, I shall be sober.” Possibly apocryphal, but a good story nonetheless.)
And in other news, I wore my t-shirt inside out all day. Nobody noticed. Until Mr Beloved did at the dietician’s office. Admittedly, I wore a jumper (sweater) most of the day, but there were HOURS at quilters when my inside out t-shirt was on display – and nobody noticed. Geeze guys, ya coulda SAID something?! See, that’s what all this “deconstructed” Fashion (read: SLOPPY UNFINISHED RUBBISH!) has lead to. *sigh*
I’m all for desconstructed (as is the author of that blog in the link) where that means: thoughtful rethinking of old paradigms, playing with shapes, opening the way to new techniques. But just ripping holes in a t-shirt and sewing the seams inside out? IS.NOT. DECONSTRUCTION.
Why, when I was young…..
Editors note: At this point, Ms O’Connor was gently led away, as it was time for her stewed prunes and a nap.
Well, now that my host server has decided to WORK again (grrrr!) I can post!
I’ve been crook, obviously. Booked in for another scan next week, and seeing my helpful GP again soon. Got to get this sorted out, arrggggh!
HOWEVER, on Saturday I had the BEST day – went to Brissy with Sue. GIRLY SHOPPING!! Oh man, I’d forgotten how much fun it is to just wander around the shops. I didn’t try on any clothes (there were no fat chick shops) but Sue did, and managed to score some good buys. I had fun just seeing what was “in” in ready-to-wear, and we both grabbed piles of ideas for our sewing – especially from the David Lawrence outlet store – over-runs, samples, and seconds, but still worth checking out.
For example – knit dresses with double faced satin ribbon on the inside of cascading edges and hems – not only helps stabilise the edge, but also means the dress looks really finished inside and out.
There were some really - interesting! samples at the Cue store – things that I’m glad someone said “Ummm, NOT for production!” – and that was also the only store with no mirrors in the dressing rooms, just one big one on the back wall of the store – which I agree with Sue was icky – you kinda wanna know if something looks REALLY dreadful before you have to come out into the glare of the whole store, you know?
We looked at shoes, yum – agreed that the slightly furry leopard print shoes would either
a) have to be petted all. the. time. or
b) be guarded carefully from our dogs….
The find of the day, however, and one we both REALLY regretted not buying (we didn’t even check the price!) was this handbag. Forgive the bad pics – I took them with my phone and I was so busy laughing that the phone shook! Is this not the absolute muppet-est handbag you’ve ever seen?
Sue and I looked at this and immediately thought of the Yip Yip aliens meeting the telephone on Sesame Street….
Isn’t it FABULOUS!! I would be unable to use it, it would become a puppet that I would have to keep playing with. But I am seriously considering driving back down to Jindalee just to get it…
I tried on lots of hats (Have I mentioned I LOVE hats?) which reinforced my determination to get sewing on some – hats hats hats!
Eventually we were shopped out and headed over to the 2QAQ meeting. LOTS of inspiration from the Reddy Art Quilters, who had brought along their journal quilts and Artist Trading Cards (ATCs); and an ATC swap which got out of hand (some people are GRABBY!) and ended up being inequitable. Grrrrr. Simple rules, you get ONE BACK for each one you put in - Linda should N OT have ended up short!
Thankfully, the wonderful organisers of 2QAQ have said the swap will NOT be a free-for-all next time, to prevent that happening again.
I was really thrilled that Sue’s ATCs were all snatched up, too. Next month I’ll have some done… my small contribution to the economy of Jindalee DFO was to buy two small rubber stamps from Smiggle – an elephant, and a skull and crossbones for Mr Beloved. So my ATCs will certainly feature those!
But right now, I’m off to watch the F1 grand prix. If the weather is warmish this week we’re planning some fabric dyeing; and on Tuesday I’m hoping to be well enough to get to quilters and am taking my Shiva sticks and supplies so we can have a bit of a play.
Well, that may have been the longest blogging break I’ve had in the last few years! I’m still feeling crook – but I’m looking forward to getting out of the house (and out of town) tomorrow for some (window) shopping and the 2QAQ meeting down in Brisbane with Sue.
Still have pain – still incredibly fatigued – but I’m getting cabin fever now. Still got more tests and scans and specialist appointments scheduled.
*sigh*
I’m SO SICK OF BEING SICK!
I’ve been too tired to even read much, let alone sew. It’s frustrating. I haven’t been looking at blogs much because EVERYBODY is doing such awesome work and – well, I’m not!
All terribly boring to read about, sorry.
In other news: Mr Beloved was able to cut into the ceiling of the lounge room this week (There was no manhole!) to check out the termite damage:
I’m very pleased to report that although the plywood ceiling itself has been eaten through, only a couple of the big bits of timber that hold the ceiling up will need to be replaced. And the cavity wasn’t anyway near as dirty as we thought it could be. SUCH A RELIEF!!
We’ve priced the replacement materials but are still getting figures together on insulation, possibly skylight tubes, and whirly bird venting. Stay tuned…
And now I’m taking more painkillers and going back to bed.
I’m too sick to deal with this.
See you all in a few days when I’m back from the doctors and the latest round of pathology reports.
(I just spent over an HOUR writing this the first time only to have it not save when it said it did – dontcha HATE THAT??!!)
Vogue Sewing: If I could only have ONE sewing book in my library, this would be it. Sue brought it to Quilters the other day, and I managed to borrow it from the town library today. Clear illustrated instructions on all those tricky bits you forget between times. Love it!
Saturday Night Hat I love hats. But I have a large head. (Settle down there in back…) I need to make hats!
Plants and Their Application to Ornament: A 19th Century Design Primer Saw this on Serena Fenton’s wonderful Layers of Meaning blog. The plant is illustrated on one plate, and facing is the same plant interpreted in design. Gorgeous!
Create Your Own Hand Printed Cloth: Stamp, Screen and Stencil with Everyday Objects. I’ve been following Raynas blog for a couple of years now. I’d love to take a class with her one day – in the meantime, can’t wait to get this book!
Last, but not least: The Toothpick: Technology and Culture. I adore Henry Petroski’s engineering/social history books, If anyone can make pages on the toothpick entertaining and informative, Henry can!
So there you go – now show me five from you wishlist, please! TAG!!
Friend M called and said “Get down to Mac Campbells – they’re moving and there’s heaps of books for ONE DOLLAR!” – shortly after Mr Beloved and I had discussed whether we would avoid going in to town today or not.
So we went.
Cos you know if there’s one thing we just don’t have enough of in our house, it would be books, right?
Muuuaaa haaa haaa! Some may end up going in to the next charity book fair – but some have useful, inspiring, relevant stuff. A dollar each! Gotta love that.
Off to read now.
My very dear friend in Canberra, Mr. R, recently went to Japan for the sakura (cherry blossoms). I had asked him to keep an eye out for Patchwork Quilts Tsushin or Quilts Japan – but he said when he got to the newsagents it was just about impossible to tell at a quick glance what the magazines on sale were about (”Coulda been patchwork, coulda been p0rn – who knows?”)
I’ve just ordered an issue of Patchwork Quilt Tsushin for myself. $32, from New Zealand, which worked out the cheapest way to do it. “Couldn’t charge your mates to look, couldja?” says the (comedic Scotch) voice from the corner. “It worked when I was young!”
ANYWAY, Mr R. found these treasures for me “In a tiny little arcade full of shrines” . He said they worked out to about $12 Australian each (!!) and they are AWESOME! (oops, two are upside down here. Never mind!)
They are full of line drawings of traditional Japanese designs. Like this:
Combine that with Laura Wasilowki’s reminder of how easy it is to carve your own stamps for printing onto fabric in this months Quilting Arts Magazine? I could be kept out of mischief for a very long time.
*sigh* back to these Minutes…. committees, arrrgggggh!
I was laughing myself silly the other day when Terry mentioned her excitement when she finally got her hands on the latest issue of Quilting Arts magazine – (”The new phone books are here! The new phone books are here!”) and I have to agree – this must be the best issue yet! (Terry’s article on finishing small quilts will be put to use TONIGHT – how good is that!)
Also laughing because one of the ladies at Quilters today said “Where are all these fabulous new garments, Caity? I think you’re making them in fantasy land!” (I dreamed I was….)
Well – yeah, and no – I’ve been asleep most of the last week. Not very productive! But after one of those horrible sleepless nights last night (and a good sleep in this morning, making me late for Quilters) I think I’m just about back to the right cycle. Maybe I’ll get more stuff done this week.
(and BTW – WHY can’t I buy bras like this with good “forward projection”, huh huh huh? It’s EXACTLY what I want. Hrrrmph. Bring back Maidenform’s stitched cups, say I!)
Talked with the dietician today about goal setting. One of my big problems has been that I get overwhelmed by the big end goal – I need to break it up into manageable DOABLE chunks of specific tasks.
I have too many ideas floating about, I need to pin them to the pages of my journal. For example: the new Ricky Tims Rhapsody Quilts book arrived yesterday, along with a book I’ve looked at for ages (thanks to recommendations from Jane Dunnewold, Sarah Ann, and Brenda) – it was cheap on Amazon, so I grabbed it:Notan: the Dark-Light Principle of Design. So I’m doodling ideas, already starting to design the applique for a Rhapsody style quilt – based on our cockatiels. (it makes sense in MY head, trust me!)
And there are so many other things I need/want to do:
- Finish typing the minutes from the Exhibition Committee meeting on the 5th (time flies!) [ETA: DONE, bloody DONE DONE DONE!!}
- Find a copyright free image of Toowoomba Violets as background for a flyer (might have to go find some to photograph!)
- Go to Officeworks to buy printer cartridges to print flyers
- Actually finish fitting at least one of the sewing projects in muslin so I can cut it out in the real fabric
- Finish the brown skirt (Just a couple of buttonholes, buttons, facings and hems to go)
- Find brown shoes to wear with new skirt!
- Return library books
- Finish Mum’s quilt for Mother’s Day (I hope!)
- Work on Dad’s quilt (for Christmas 2007 – oops!)
- start walking again for 5 minutes per day initially, building up to 40 minutes
- Clean the house before the dust buffaloes develop sentience and stage a coup
- think about the quilt I want to enter in the 2QAQ juried show
- Think about which quilts to enter in the Toowoomba Quilters show
- Think about quilt to enter into Queensland Quilters Show (uh – maybe not this year…)
- Read the latest Quilting Arts, Threads, etc
- Chase up where the Studios magazine has got to – I’m sure I pre-ordered it – hmmmm
- organise (slightly late!) birthday card for friend J (we’ve been friends 36 years!)
- yada yada yada a gazillion other things!
But right now I’m off to watch Time Team.
(Which reminds me of another thing that makes me laugh – pay tv. Who has TIME?! I barely get a chance to watch the free-to-air!)
I’m about to start week 3 of this diet from hell medically managed weight loss program. I’m doing ok – shakes, bars, real meal; shakes, shakes, shakes, bars, real meal; shakes shakes bars sakes OH MY GOD YES A REAL MEAL….
I’m having a hard time with “craft” blogs that mention food EVERY OTHER POST. Is it wrong to want to murder whoever first thought “Hey, I know! FAKE cupcakes! All the torture, none of the reward!” (Yeah, I kinda thought it might be. But still…)
And my usual reading matter is letting me down, too. Ever notice how many damn FOOD scenes there are in cosy mysteries? Or in “chick lit”? Or romances? Even the steamy ones mange to include FOOD.
And I admit that this may not have been the ideal time to borrow the anthology “Many Bloody Returns: Tales of Birthdays With Bite” but my name finally came up on the reserved list at the library. (New Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, and Kim Harrison stories? I had to read those.)
Every TV commercial shows the over-abundance of calories available. Encourages the viewer to eat snacks, to “tame the hunger”. To consume more calories in one burger than I get to eat ALL DAY. (I could get very boring with calories and how much fat is in stuff, but I’m trying not to. Trying HARD.)
I sit and people watch at the shopping centres and you know what? There are LOTS of people much fatter than I am.
And also worse-dressed: I have NEVER inflicted low-cut jeans and the inevitable muffin top they create on an unsuspecting world. In my great mercy. Sadly, many residents of the Darling Downs are not so kind.
Pass the mind bleach.
I’m sticking to my 1150 calories a day. It’s too expensive not to. But I’m getting really shitty with the world for parading excess food in front of me, dammit.
Yep. The completely narcissistic phase of the diet has hit – let’s hope it passes quickly.
I know, BORING, second verse, same as the first… but I REALLY get frustrated by people who criticise internet and tech stuff without even bothering to find out what they’re talking about. *sigh*
Not a lot else happening here, I’m afraid. Still haven’t watched the Kemshall’s new DVD; still haven’t finished the brown skirt.
I did, however, buy new slippers today – lashed out and bought the real Grosby ones and not the chain store’s cheap knockoff – so they should last all winter. Yep, elegant whether at home or on the town, that’s your bloggist. Didn’t you NEED to know that? Uh huh.
Mr Beloved went on a hunt and destroy mission for the dust buffalo herd under the bed… only one more corner of the room to go, and I’ll tackle that one tomorrow, perhaps.
Move along, nothing to see here….
If you wanna see some REALLY stylish dresses? GO here. Swoooony blog from the Met Museum, all about frocks.
Bloody exhausted. Didn’t manage to get out of bed all day. Poor Mr Beloved kept coming in saying “Don’t I need to feed you again?” I couldn’t manage to have the last Optifast shake until 10pm, I felt too full from dinner.
And now I’m going back to bed, having achieved abso-bloody-lutely nothing all day. Again. It was a public holiday here today so I didn’t miss much, anyway.
It’s not “the cover of the Rollin’ Stone”, but hey – I’ll take what I can get! Here’s me looking FAT in the local paper last Saturday.
Yep, I’m the ginormous one in the blue tent t-shirt. *sigh* click to enlarge image and see me in my hugeness.
Nice bit of publicity for the club, though! That’s Di in the yellow. Chris and Linda don’t have blogs (I suspect they have busy lives instead!)
Went to the Gardam’s do tonight – it was PACKED! But wonderful. They had 20-50% off everything in the shop. I saw some of the other Toowoomba Quilters there, too.
I was very restrained – I had orders from a couple of girls (Hi Chriss! Hi Vicki! got your fabric, sweeties!) who couldn’t make it this evening, and I bought two lots of 2.4 metres (enough for tops, I hope) of these luscious silk/rayon blends – reduced to $19.95 per metre – well, I HAD to have some at that price!
(Sorry for the flash flare – I’ll take better pics tomorrow in daylight.) Both fabrics are devore, (that should have one of those French accents, but you know what I mean, yes – “burn out” fabric?) – so they’re sheer but still covering. Flattering for those wobbly upper arms, dontcha know, while still being a bit sexy.
The brown and blue fabric will be the little jacket for this pattern, over a plain brown jersey dress; and I think the wonderful milk-coffee/brown/teal/grey/burgundy print will become this rather nice tunic top. (I hope I’ve bought enough – oh well, will have to work with what I’ve got!)
(I WILL make a muslin first. I was an IDIOT for not making one for the brown wool skirt – oh well.)
Before and after going to Gardam’s, I went to Swish with the girls – Sue, Jan, Maria, and Jenny from Melbourne. Didn’t do my diet (ahem! “Medically supervised weight loss program”) too much damage, but did enjoy myself. I hadn’t been there before – it was quite pleasant (although the music was a little loud for my ears – yet another sign I’m getting OLD?!)
So – tomorrow is Toowoomba Show Day, a public holiday. I plan to sleep in, then finish my brown skirt; perhaps watch the new DVD that arrived today – “Explore the Painted Quilt” by Linda and Laura Kemshall. I reckon the book is one of the best textile related buys I’ve made in the last few years – lots of info and inspiration – so I’m expecting the DVD will be great! It comes with a CD of patterns and worksheets – good value. Will write a proper review soonish.
Gawd, look at the time – I’m off to BED!
1. Why are cheap bracelets/bangles (And even more expensive kits to make same at the bead shops) sized for teeeeeeeeny wrists? My wrist is 7 inches around. No matter what I weigh. My wrists have been this size since I was 12 years old. And not a single !@*&#)(@*! bangle will go around it. (Let’s just ignore for the moment that the vast majority of bangles also won’t go over my hand to get to my wrist).
And for those who say “Well, buy elastic ones” (TACKY!) “or opening ones” – we run straight back into the 7 inches problem. To those fashmagslags who say bangles and baubles are so very IN for winter? :-ppppppppp raspberries…
(I have never had an opportunity to test this – but I bet Cartier and Tiffany make their bangles BIGGER, dammit!)
2. Why does hair go wiry when it turns grey? Isn’t GREY Punishment enough? Must it stick out from my head like alien antennae too?
3. And why couldn’t it be my CHIN HAIRS that are white/grey, huh? How come the chin hairs have full, rich, hair-colorant-commercial-strength colour from root to tip?
4. You really do become invisible to shop assistants after a certain age. I have reached that age.
A note to staff: You are there to serve ME, the customer. Not gossip about “So and so’s boyfriend” or “So and so in accounts”. ME. I pay your wages, dammit!
Or NOT, if I choose to walk out instead of waiting for you to notice me standing with my wallet open waving CASH at you. (Now I know why older women tend to mutter darkly to themselves in shop doorways…)
5. I have now also reached the age when all the police constables look like they’re far too young to be out by themselves after dark.
Please, whatever Deity is listening – as I age, could I please look like this
rather than this?
Alert the media – we actually WENT OUT! TOGETHER! TO A LIVE GIG!!
And I’m so glad we did – in spite of a stage side light glaring at us (we’ll know to sit on the opposite side of the hall next time) and my incipient migraine (I was the chick wearing dark glasses throughout the afternoon), we had a fabulous time listening to Paris Dreaming.
Mr Beloved has been on a bit of a Django kick lately, and we both love gypsy swing (or “jazz manouche”) and it was worth going out among the Hu-Mans to hear it.
I must say though that the smell of oil-fried snacky goodies wafting into the theatre was a bit much… I had to come home and eat what is euphemistically sold as a “Honey Nut Oat bar” of 170 calories (5 fat grams)- I’m not sure if it was Mr Beloved or my Dad who called it “sawdust and tape worm eggs”, but that’s a more accurate description.
I’m off for a lie down before the prancing.
Well, I’m totally peopled out and exhausted – had to crash in bed as soon as I got home this arvo. WHY do I talk myself into these situations?
Answer: because I don’t believe you get to whinge about something unless you’re prepared to get in and have a go & make a difference. I suppose I could stop wanting to make things better/different? But indifference does NOT appeal.
I just need better strategies for dealing with people – especially BULLIES. I don’t know what to do with bullies. If I back down I feel – well, bullied – and if I attempt to stand up to them I think I come across as being – ummmm – rude?
I also find it really difficult when other people don’t stay focused and on task – which makes me seem like I’m being pushy. If I’m in a meeting, I want to get the things done that need to be done, get tasks assigned, and get it sorted.
Other people want to share every little experience from years ago that may have related in some minor and peripheral way to the discussion at hand. Or tell me how “We tried it that way once (and therefore we are never going to revisit the issue regardless of what may have changed.”)
My new mantra for such meetings will be “That’s very nice, but how is it relevant?”
Or I could just not go, not be involved, and go back to having no social interaction except online, hmmm?
Hi, I’m Caity, and I’m an ASPIE….
I wish I’d know that years ago – it would have saved me from a lot of “life lessons” … I’m going to go curl up in bed and whimper now.
Viv Stanshall from the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah band said it best:
My pink half of the drainpipe
Separates me from the incredibly fascinating story of your life and every day to day event in all its minute and tedious attention to detail… And was it a Thursday or a Wednesday? Or, oh, no, it wasn’t though. Oh,who cares anyway because I do not so Norman, if you’re normal, I intend to be a freak for the rest of my life, and I shall baffle you with cabbages and rhinoceroses in the kitchen and incessant quotations from “Now We Are Six” through the mouthpiece of Lord Snooty’s giant poisoned electric head.
So
theeeeeere………
I had LUVVERLY birfday, thank you all!
Isn’t that just the sweetest! Sue is such a sweetie!
I should explain that I am on a TOTAL paisley kick right now – if it’s GREEEEEEEEEN paisley, so much the better! And I pointed out lots of ‘em to the girls when we were at the Auchenflower shop last weekend. 
More pics soon
… the answer is MORE POWER! heh heh heh…
Yep, I now have a new iron. TWENTYFOURHUNDRED WATTS, baby! *makes appropriate Tim the Toolman grunting noises*
Only problem is – without water in it, it’s wayyyyyy lighter than I’m used to. I will adapt. Toowoomba water is so hard that irons just get scaled up and spit rusty spots (and I’ve tried to remember to use distilled water but – sheesh! I’m just not that dedicated.) Hopefully by keeping this one as a dry iron it will at least last its warranty period…
(For those wondering how you iron without water in the iron: spray bottle set to mist, and pressing cloths. For my birthday I lashed out on a whole metre of silk organza – half of which will now be a pressing cloth.)
No one had an iron without steam holes. NO ONE!! But at least I was able to buy one without the annoying auto shut off beep beep beep beep ARRRGHGHHH!
And – something I’ve been wanting for ages also: a 
hair iron! A wet-to-dry hair straightener – because sometimes I HATE my wavy hair. Straight hair always looks glossier and more elegant.
And – I went to Gardams. Hanging on the line right now I have some brown batiste (for lining a top) and some absolutely un-crushable brown jersey (for this dress.) Oh, and a metre and a half of the brown wool stuff for the bias skirt – I didn’t buy enough, and today I got the very last of the bolt – phew!
I can’t find brown shoes anywhere, though – dammit! Guess I’ll just have to wear black and try not to be self conscious about it.
AND I went to the physio – I’m doing really well with fixing the urinary incontinence thang. You remember all those times your mother told you to “Stand up straight and hold your tummy in!” (well, mine did, anyway) – turns out she was so, so right. You now have permission to poke me with a sharp stick if you see me slouching. But my muscles are learning what they’re meant to do, so yay me! I have new exercises to do to help strengthen my back muscles, which should also help with the hip/back pain.
Nearly time for Grand Designs: more later.
I’m 40 today.
Mum and Dad sent me a lovely home made card (with a cheque that is going straight to buying fabric at Gardams!) and my friend Di from quilting gave me some beautiful green and pink fabrics for the Tuesday monster quilt.
I am so grateful for my friends and family; for the help I’m getting to improve my health; for my little dog, cat, and birds, and most of all for Mr Beloved. (Whose birthday is tomorrow but shhh – he doesn’t do birthdays.)
PLEASE let me know if you’re waiting on an email or response to a comment – I’m soooo tired on this reduced caloric intake and getting up earlier thang…
Too tired to even drink my cuppa!
G’night!