Thursday, 4 September 2025

All packed up

 


Isn't this gorgeous?  I spent a while this morning looking at a You Tube film from Quilt Canada 2025.  Oh goodness, some truly AMAZING quilts on display.  Here is a traditional one, which my sort of thing.  The modern style designs don't cut the mustard for me.

Then this amazing fox.  I was trying to work out how it was done - I think it was raw-edged fabric piecing, probably fused on . . . (Just zoomed back on the computer to check).  Incredible detail. It won an award of Excellence.

Those are the only two photos I took as I was entertaining Rosie at the same time and couldn't get to the screen to take any.  May add some more later.

Anyway, Tam and Rosie are on their way home now, and will be back to help at the weekend, as I am doing the Fair.  Now I am feeling better, I daren't NOT do it as it costs a big chunk to do and it would help to get a bit of spending money for NZ.  I will take things very easy - Tam did all the hauling and lifting today.  I gesticulated!  I can rest tomorrow morning and go down after lunch and set up.  They have porters there to help you unpack and I have a very good neighbour next to me at the Fair, who will also carry anything heavy for me. 

I have a tasty chicken mince, mushroom and tomato bolognese for tea tonight (from the clever guts cookbook) and have tried to free up some room in the freezer for blackberries, by getting out a mince/rice dish for weekend eating.

My new printer is working again (Canons will NOT accept the close copy ink, it has to be Canon ink - won't buy one of those again.)  Tam has booked all my accommodation for my middle week in NZ, staying around the Queenstown area.  Pretty expensive, but it's just the once.  She's booked my seat on the Trans-Alpine train back to Christchurch too, and persuaded me I should fork out for a meal whilst I'm on it (me being careful with the pennies was going to buy sarnies!)  So, just the bus links and we will fork out for a Flexi-link card so I have more freedom.  

Tam has been jotting down Rosie's vocabulary, and including short sentences, it runs to 88 words!  A few words are said once and forgotten, but most learned completely.  She also says "eyes" to Tam in the morning, meaning she wants the curtains pulled so she can see.  To have made that connection so young is pretty Amazing.  She also sings now too and remembers tunes and is pretty spot on with the pitch.  I think she may well have the musical gene in the family.  She is now insisting on walking downstairs with her hand against the wall, and not being held by us.  She is also trying to jump off the ground :)  

Well, this won't do.  A quick meal and then some rest time with the tv.  I have been enjoying old Fake or Fortune programmes, not all I saw first time round.  You learn so much about paintings through this programme.



16 comments:

  1. HP does the same thing with their printers. They won't work if a non-HP ink is used.

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    1. Grrr. It's nearly cheaper to buy a new printer each time just to get fresh cartridges, which is blardy ridiculous!

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  2. Lucky enough to spend three weeks in NZ twenty years ago - we hired a car.
    Queenstown, are you up for a bungee jump?! x

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    1. No way Jose!! I think that is where Danny did HIS bungy jump when he was out in NZ (worked there for a year, after a year in Oz).

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  3. I certainly think you should splurge on your NZ trip. Have lots of flat whites. Trans-Alpine train sounds wonderful, if you're on the South Island maybe you'll se some Lord of the Rings film locations.

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    1. I know Keith would say go for it Jen. Everytime I think of it, my eyes well up as things like this don't happen to me! Yet Petra did . . .

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  4. Love the first quilt! 3hrs 20min flight from Christchurch to Melbourne, a bit longer on a ferry or train and I will make you the flat white coffee, free accommodation and show you around Victoria. As they say ‘kettles always on here’. JennyP

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    1. Oh Jenny, that is so kind of you and I wish I could take up your offer but flights etc all booked. This blog has bought me so many kind friends.

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  5. The printer issue: I use generic cartridges in my HP, used to do same w a Canon I had. You have to be patient and reinsert as many as three or more times[wipe the nozzle holes too w a wet wipe?], but they finally work. Worth the savings for me.

    Rosie is so smart and seems like such a sweet child. Imagine being able to carry a tune at her age. I love Tam's idea of noting down the words, what great memories. I only remember my son's first word, the name of his fave stuffed toy. At about 14 months? 16 months. Then he talked well and I was busy, wish I d made note. Daughter I rem nothing at all, but talked and read early in a general sense.

    next she'll want an iPhone and an iPad!

    The Fair will be wonderful. I hope you sell lots so you have plenty of cash for NZ.

    Keep us posted.

    love

    lizzy

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    1. Tam was precocious with words - said mum and dad by 6 mths, then began "collecting" words at 7 mths, starting with pretty . . . She was slow to walk though. Rosie already wants to play on my laptop and throw the cushions on the floor so she can climb up on my chair - then moves mouse around and moves the scroller! Same with my phone, and she managed to change the design on my watch recently - darned if I know hot to change it back!

      Hoping that the Fair goes well.

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  6. I could perfectly envision the 'jump'. My granddaughter had quite the windup but never quite managed lift off!

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  7. She'll soon be there. She can run too, little horror.

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  8. two of our grandchildren were born in Queenstown when our daughter and her husband lived there they are closer to home now thank goodness but we visited them several times and managed to see quite a bit of the south island while there, it's just beautiful and the scenery around Queenstown is just wonderful all mountains and lakes you'll have a terrific time I'm sure. Quite exciting just thinking about it isn't it. From Shirley In OZ

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  9. How lovely. I can't even begin to contemplate it - my eyes fill with tears every time I look at the scenery and thinking I will be there soon. As I've said, things like this don't happen to me . . .

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