Where is my proof reader?

Oh deary, deary, me. I've at last finished the Woodworker's Newsletter for the month of January. As I'm only moderately computer savvy, this usually takes my about a week of pushing text around, altering it to fit, resizing photos etc. I'm sure there are easier ways of doing these things but I haven't learned them. Never mind, I don't mind puddling around until I get it done. Then comes the proof reading and no matter how many times I check it (I don't know how Santa gets away with only checking twice) I always miss something. This time it was a couple of glaring mistakes - well, actually words left out and one miss-spell that could have hilarious implications. And I didn't find them until the newsletter was all printed up and sent out.
One thing I can be sure of, I won't be knocked down in the rush by those who want to take my place to do a better job, so I'll just enjoy a giggle at the thought of a rocking horse barbeque (that was one of the mistakes) and see what kind of howlers I will produce next month.
Lovely rain and cooler weather. Hope your day is a good one. Bye for now until next time.

Quiet days.

The workshop at the Woodworkers has been quiet over the holiday break which has given me the opportunity to play with some of the scraps of wood from the waste bin and to spend some time with my favourite machine, the bandsaw. I've been cutting out these little dolls house chairs and tables. They're not so difficult to cut out, what takes the time is the sanding and painting. There seems to be a surface I've missed every time I look at them. I enjoy using up scraps that would otherwise be chucked out but I've got to be very firm with myself as I tend to develop a stash that is far more than I can use. There does come a time when a scrap of wood really is only a bit of firewood no matter how many times I look at it.
Duty calls and the Woodworkers Newsletter is waiting for my attention so I must be off. If I haven't said it before, I wish everyone out there in blogland a happy and healthy 2010.
Bye for now until next time.

Hands up all those who wear a pinny - an apron - you know, those things that your Grandma wears. Aprons play a big part in my life. If there's anything messy being done it's as sure as can be that I will come off second best. I'm lost without my pinny. I wear a white one when knitting to keep my work clean. (I've read that Sasha Kagan insists that her knitters wear a white apron.) I have a waterproof one to protect my clothes when spinning (some fleeces can be pretty grotty) and potting plants. My woodworking pinny is dark green and liberally stained with sawdust and glue and I use a clean pinny when I'm cooking to protect the food from my clothes. I know that sounds daft but when I was fourteen I worked in a bakery and that's what my pinny was for - and I absolutely had to remove it before I went to the toilet. I think that was something to do with health regulations.
Mum used to put a pinny on me for school when I was little because I usually managed to come home covered in red chalk and as all the washing was done by hand (can you imagine that) my dress had to last more than one wear.
Anyway, before Christmas I made a pinny for a special friend and now that she has her pressie and it's no longer a secret, I can show it to you. I don't usually embroidered my pinnies and it's years since I did any embroidery but my friend is a dog lover and so I thought I'd put a doggie on it for her.
Am I turning into my Nana who used to sit for hours with her embroidery? Next to table-cloths, pinnies were her specialty and much fancier than this one. I don't think I have the patience but thanks Nana for the memory.
Gotta go now, it's well after lunchtime and I'm hungry. Bye for now until next time.

Our son has been busy with his air-brush again. No need to tell you what this one is. I'm told that it measures over two metres. The pic came to me via a mobile phone. I haven't seen it yet. Needless to say we're pretty proud of our boy and look at each other trying to decide whose genes supplied that talent. I've gotta confess that we have absolutely no idea.

The man of the house has just come in from the garden with a couple of lovely ripe figs. How did the corellas miss them? Lucky me. They polished off the plums that the man of the house had his eye on. Gotta be quick when the corellas are in town. I don't use nets as they are such a hazard to the wild birds. The plums aren't so important that we are prepared to endanger the little people that give us so much pleasure.

Bet you think I've forgotten how to knit. Not so, I'm working on a project that's not quite finished. More in a couple of days.

Cuppa tea time I think. Bye for now until next time.

They're ba-ack.

Corellas, the little ones or the long billed variety, I'm not sure which. They're a little smaller than the sulphur-crested cockatoo and, thankfully, not nearly as destructive. Every year at about this time they descend on the parks and gardens around this area. Scattered across lawns and in the trees like an explosion in a tissue factory, they feed, I suppose, on the seeding grass. I think they like the seeds in the cypress tree pine cones as well though I'm surprised if they find any as the yellow tailed black cockatoos were through here a few weeks ago for their feast.
Funny little blokes, they sound like a mothers meeting on a busy day - everyone talking at once, very sociable and very noisy. Chattering among themselves....... "Oh yes, I know. Just like my little Albert, doing very well at school he is. Try some of this rye-grass, it's delicious. No thanks I won't have another cup of tea. I'll just pop over there to see how Mrs. Pinkfeather is getting on."
This is what they look like when they settle in our yard. And how they look when I try to get close enough for a photograph. Pepper is beside himself trying to decide which one to chase first.
Entertainment all round.
Bye for now, until next time.

Mishkah's knitting yarn.

Some time back I started to spin some yarn for my sister. It is actually the combings from her little pomeranian dog, Mishkah. Well, at last it's finished. Yes I know I'm slow, but I have so many things on the go at the one time that some things take longer to finish than others. Lack of discipline, that's what that is. Anyway, here it is. I'm quite pleased with it and I think my sister will be too. Little Mishkah is such a tiny little thing that it's going to take a lot more combing before there is enough to make anything larger than a hat or scarf. As it is I suspect there is a little of my neice's dog Hershe (chocolate coloured of course) in there too. I think a vest would be nice. It has come out at about the equivalent of about 8 ply but should be knitted on larger size than usual needles as the yarn is quite fluffy, though not as fluffy as the samoyed.
Looking forward to seeing what is made from the yarn.
The man of the house has just made a cuppa tea - that happens a lot at our house - so I'm off to enjoy it. Hope you're all having a great Christmas or whatever belief you follow at this time of year. Bye for now until next time. :)

Christmas Eve in Aus.

Guess who's birthday it is today. Last year was one of the big ones and I decided to stop counting but they keep coming and here it is again. This morning the man of the house woke me with a pressie - a lovely glossy knitting magazine that I was too mean to buy for myself. Well I could feed a family of four for what those glossies cost. But aren't they lovely? So I've had a fun time browsing through it. Then there was a phone call from Toronto from our daughter & the gang (they're visiting family) and flowers from them into the bargain. A phone call from the Queensland daughter and one from our son and his partner - so I'm feeling thoroughly spoiled. Sigh - aren't I a lucky Mum?
Last year among my presents was this one from our son. Knowing how much I love elephants he painted this for me. Airbrush painting is a talent that he didn't discover he had until he was about 30 and he just keeps getting better and better. It's about 90cms square and has pride of place on our living room wall.
Must go now, cup of tea and some cake waiting - if I'm quick. Bye for now until next time.