Wednesday 24 January 2024

Christmas 2023.....

  ......and in the blink of an eye it was January! The Santas and decorations have all been put away for another year...... including a new "vintage" Santa from a Bundanoon op shop (he stars in the foggy photo below).

Christmas day in the Southern Highlands arrived on a foggy cold morning......thankfully the day did warm up as Mum, my sisters and I enjoyed the day together......
Boxing Day arrived and we went into Mum's aged care with platters of left overs for lunch to watch the beginning of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race..... a tradition our family has followed for years! 
The weather never really got warm over the 3 weeks in Bundanoon.... lucky then that I had packed clothes for all seasons......but we did get out and about......
A number of foggy early morning walks.....
A surprising sunny day and it was a visit to a local market......
A day out at Berkelouw books for lunch and we all found books we just had to have....
Time for a movie..... something jolly and fun... off to Empire Cinema in Bowral.....
There was plenty of time to have days with Mum enjoying afternoon tea.....
and of course New Years Eve together.....
We also found time to shop - in particular one of my favourite patchwork shops - Thread Botanica in Mittagong and of course more books were acquired- most at some great op shops in the highlands! 
I packed a few craft projects to work on while away but did not even do one stitch!! Not a lot of reading was done either.... these 2 books being the only ones read since before Christmas.... "Cold Enough for Snow" was read while away and "The Bullet that Missed" has been read since been back home....both very different storylines but thoroughly enjoyed each one....
And so begins my first full year of retirement..... there are no special plans at the moment but do have a kitchen renovation starting next week and must do something about de-cluttering! Have a quilt started and numerous other projects on the go..... perhaps too many? 

That brings me up to date once again..... 
Happy Stitching, Asta




Wednesday 20 December 2023

Festive Season Approaches......

It is hard to believe that in just a few days the festive season will be here again.... that means time for my collection of  about 70+ Santas to once again make an appearance from the depths of the garage! So..... where would I put them this year?  Near the front door to greet visitors and the bookcase at the other end of the house could accommodate the remaining...

Have also been busy in the kitchen making a couple of batches of these biscuits - which I have been making each Christmas for about 25 years - even posting them to both my girls - no matter where they were living! ..... 
More reading over the last couple of weeks ....... 
And some secret sewing.... what other kind is there at this time of the year? All will be  revealed next time! For the relaxing weeks ahead with family I have more stitching and of course more books all ready to be enjoyed....even a Christmas themed jigsaw puzzle! 

So, may you have a "Merry Christmas" with a great New Year to follow....
Happy Stitching
Asta









Friday 1 December 2023

Farewell November.......

 Well, another month has slipped away ....now let's think back and post what has been happening...... At the beginning of November I headed up to the Southern Highlands again to catch up with Mum but also enjoy a lovely lunch at the Centennial Winery near Bowral with a couple of Sydney friends....

Our local library has "authors' talks" and I was thrilled to be able to hear Richard Glover... he spoke of his latest book "Best Wishes" and touched on a few of his others including "The Land before Avocado" .... it was a fabulous - and very funny - afternoon !
(Sorry photo is a bit dark...oops)
Then along came the Gerringong Quilt Exhibition which I go to with 2 very dear friends (we have known each other since starting work together in mid 70s!) ...we now live in different areas but this is an event we try to catch up at each year.......here we are standing in front of the Raffle Quilt which....would you believe.... I went on to win!! As of writing this it is in safe keeping with my friend in Nowra as it was drawn a couple of days after we had been there. 
I've still been busy getting together with my embroidery and patchwork groups once a week and that inspired me to finish a quilt I started maybe..... 20 years or more ago? Top had been put together some time ago but pleased to say it is now complete!! And is being used as you can see.....she was pretty quick in spying a new cosy spot to take an afternoon nap! 
Have also started another felted project which is slowly progressing ...... there are a few other projects on the go but no photos.....yet.
More books have been read.....thoroughly enjoyed both. 
And as they say "that's a wrap" for November. With Christmas fast approaching there will be shopping, cooking, cards and letters to get out (yes, I do still send cards) and a few Christmas events to attend but hopefully still time for some creativity and reading so will be back before the end of the year! 

Happy Stitching
Asta
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Sunday 29 October 2023

Another Month.....

 We always remember those that we love and have lost but sometimes there comes a special day ...... I was back in Bundanoon for the 14th October - it would have been Dad's 101st birthday! There were flowers for Dad while we "toasted" him with a delightful morning tea and cake....later in the day Mum enjoyed looking at one of their many photo albums - this one of Mum & Dad's trip to Hawaii - I think it was sometime in the mid 1980s? 

We have had travellers in the family again, this time it was Hayley and Megan who recently  returned from a fabulous couple of weeks in Cuba - a country they both found to be very interesting.....
With more time on my hands now that I have retired I managed to finish a quilt - only a simple one with Kantha-style quilting.....the lovely backing is an Indian cotton from a local online patchwork shop - "Tamborine to Tilba".
Am enjoying even more reading time ..... some from our local library, even though my bookshelves are "sighing" under the weight of my own books to read!!
And.... while shopping at a local charity shop with a friend, amongst other treasures, found this lovely "tray" cloth.....will look even better when it has an iron! 
That's it for now..... will be back with other projects being created and ..... anything else of interest.

Happy Stitching
Asta


Monday 9 October 2023

September Update

Before September becomes a distant memory here's a bit of an update......

Early September, while our sister was away discovering Nepal, Linda and I met up in Bundanoon where a sunny display of daffodils was on show......

We spent time with Mum, found time to stitch together and shop at this lovely shop in Mittagong - "Thread Botanica"

After Linda left to return home I managed to fit in some more retail therapy at a local 2nd hand shop where I knew, in a little corner, you could always find a stash of interesting bits and pieces for stitching..... and of course "Victoria House" in Mittagong for a new project and some threads.  The local markets also had a visit from me - but mainly for some yummy food and flowers...... loved their quaint sign!
Fathers' Day - our first without Dad  - I spent the day with Mum and as we went through a box of old photos and reminisced came across a very early photo of Dad and I and even one with my Grandfather (Mum's dad).....

And as always books were packed and read......
Then it was back to work before retiring at the end of September..... yes! after 24 years I am RETIRED!! Beautiful flowers sent from the family and a farewell dinner out with management.....
And.... before September was quite over I went to the Dalmeny Quilters Exhibition - lovely, inspiring quilts as always...... just a few of my many favourites.....
So.... here we are into October already - lets see what this first month of retirement brings!!


Happy Stitching
Asta