Tequila Sunrise

This rose is called Tequila Sunrise. It is very beautiful, & to me, could well represent my Beloved departed Aunt. She had a heart of gold to me, & was never less than loving & caring. I hope, if there is an afterlife, she is resting in peace & love.



My sad journey to farewell her, began at 3am. I caught a train down to the Airport at 4am, & it was quite eerie travelling along in the dark outside, in the lit carriages, with snoring passengers who were obviously workers commuting on a trip they were used to. I watched as they woke to some mysterious clock of their own, to proceed to their job destinations.

I had quite a lot of time to fill in at the Airport, & was quite happy to sit & watch the passing parade. I must have looked friendly, as several people struck up conversations. It is always interesting to talk to diverse peoples.

At last I was above the clouds. Luxury of a window seat, alone. Three seats, all to myself. I love flying, & love flying alone, for some reason. Above the clouds the cares are just as present, though. No cessation of grief or worry.



The Waikato area of New Zealand's North Island, has suffered a severe drought this year. It is normally green & lush. They have had a little rain, which has superficially greened the rolling paddocks. I liked the image of this rainbow over the Waikato farmland. Those glowering skies did bring rain.

I was thrilled to hear & see, this tui singing his heart out, in my Aunt's Kowhai tree. This Aunt was unwell, & unable to attend the funeral, so we called to see her. It is sad to think I may not see her again, as she is 80, & has failing health.

The Tui is very indistinct, but I could not get a clearer photo, & the Kowhai is the biggest one I have ever seen, I think.

These are the Pine Forests of Tokoroa, which is in the region where my Aunt lived. The pollen lies thick upon the road, & all the surrounding areas. I cannot believe people don't suffer massive sinus problems, living amongst it all. As you can see, we had a good clear road, with no traffic to contend with. Pity we took a wrong turn! haha.

This is a new feature in the little town where I was born. My brother is on the left enquiring as to the whereabouts of toilets, which I was in dire need of! I stopped to take this pic, was very impressed with the carving, & would have liked the chance to ask questions about it all, but time was pressing- along with my bladder!

Here is my little Great Nephew, the first night I arrived in Auckland. He was so bright & at almost 6 weeks was on the verge of smiling at us.

Here he is asleep in my arms, the morning before we left for the funeral. He is just gorgeous. He is the apple of his Grandmother's eye- well both Grandmothers. As he should be. His lovely mother K brought him up for me to cuddle the morning we left to travel.

And here he is, a week later, after our return. He was smiling & so alert & happy. He is just beautiful of course, & is progressing really well, & sleeping almost through the night. It felt so lovely to cuddle his little vital body, & watch his smiles.

My return flight was crowded, so no luxury of the window seat. I was scrunched up in between 2 other women. My flights were with Emirates Ailines, & they certianly provide nice food, & also have inflight movies, with individual screens & headphones. I could not be bothered watching a movie, but gave my headphones to the girl on my right, & let the girl on my left watch her Hindi movie on my screen, as hers didn't work. The flight was just over 3 hours, so not long really.

I struggled with baggage at the train, on the return. I got lost & couldnt remember where to get my train home. After struggling with my heavy case, I must have been looking very stressed, as a kind gentleman offered to help me out. The train was very crowded, & I struggled to find a seat, under the baleful glare of a nasty fat man, who spread himself defensively over 2 seats, & tried to guard the other 3 seats facing him. I threw my case onto the seat in the corner, & glared right back. I felt very tempted to thank him loudly & sarcastically for his lack of manners or help, but really didn't have the strength or the breath left. What a time to get an asthma attack!

I noted he was wearing a shirt with a Westpac logo. His son joined him shortly after I had arrived, & I could see it must be their nightly ritual to meet in those seats. I was doubly disgusted when they left the train at a suburban station, so really, they could have caught any other train home, & left the Countrylink train for genuine Countrylink travellers.

As I alighted at my home station, I was huffing & puffing, waiting for the very crowded lift to the platform, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. There stood Gom! Imagine my surprise. It turned out he had caught the train to the Airport to meet me. He had not told me he was intending to do that. We missed each other, of course, & then he was panicking, as he knew I had no house key, & thought I may have got home ahead of him. We were both glad to see each other, even though I could have used his help earlier.

Next morning we had visitors arrive to stay, & they have just travelled on, yesterday. I still feel I need a day of sleep to catch up. I have still not had my cry. My brother & I tore about the countryside visiting rellies, & catching up with aging family members. I am still feeling all the swirling emotions from so many events.

My beloved Granddaughter had her 19th birthday on Monday, & we all went out for a slap-up Yum Cha lunch. I am still kicking myself for not taking photos!!! I hope my brain catches me up soon!

The beloved Cousin, who has just stayed with us, has her Birthday tomorrow. My 90 year old Uncle will turn 91 on 14th. My eldest son has a Birthday on 25th. This is a busy month for birthdays in our family.

Amerca, These Brown Eyes.

Fraught.

Hi Everyone.
Thankyou so much for the kind thoughts & wishes from all of you.
As funerals go, my beloved Aunt's was one of the 'best'. My brother read the Eulogy, & did a damn fine job of it.
His voice is made for public speaking, we are thinking of renting him out for such occasions.

It was bittersweet, as such occasions always are, & quite harrowing in a lot of respects. My Beloved Brother travelled with me to visit elderly rellies, & the awful thought was present that I may never get that chance again.

It was lovely to catch up with new little members of the family & have hugs & cuddles, kisses.

And a very special visit & magic day spent with my Best Friend J, & her beautiful granddaughters. I swear, kids these days are so gorgeous they make your heart bleed.

Another magic day spent with a special niece, & her beautiful daughters, & a great Nephew.

I have a house of guests, so I won't be posting in depth for a while, but I am safely back in Gom's care. There is a tale to tell about that too, but it will have to wait. I will blog about it at some stage.

Honey & Leo gave the type of greeting one dreams of, too, so all is ok in this corner of the world.

Again, Thankyou for all your kindness, & thoughts.

I will post once the dust of "hectic" all settles.

I feel I need a good racking railing gnashing slobbering cry- the dam has not burst yet, but I am sure it will.

John Denver, Country Roads.

Leaving On a Jet Plane

I will be absent from this blog for approximately 12 days. I am flying to New Zealand at dawn tomorrow, to be with Family & friends to attend the funeral of my Beloved Aunt.

After the death of my Mother 11 years ago, my Aunt stepped into the gaping hole in my life, in as much as anyone can, when your mother dies. My Aunt has always been in my life, & she has truly been a Gift to my life. I will miss her sorely.

This is a photo of her garden, which I took in December 2006, when I went to stay with her. At 84, she still took great pride in her garden, & cared for it by herself. It is only recently that she has been unable to keep it tidy by herself. It upset her not to be able to do that.



This is a pic of Little Pipi, who was 'born' in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty. She is named after the Pipis that live at Papamoa Beach. If she is lucky, she might get to return to her 'home beach', - just for a little visit!

I do look forward to meeting my new great Nephew. That is the way with families. One member leaves, & another is born. The natural ebb & flow of life.

I do thank you all for your kind thoughts & wishes at this sad time. Grief is a selfish emotion. I am glad for my Aunt's life. I am grateful for the gift of her being in my life. I am glad that she is at rest, & peace.

Enya, No Holly For Miss Quinn.

Marbles.

Update.
My Aunt died this afternoon.
I could not wish her back.
But she will leave an unfillable void.
Love into the chasm, that is left with your passing.
17. 04. 2008


No, not another post about old age. This time it is about marbles as toys. We had SG again today, & I decided a visit to a local Op Shop was a good idea. So off we went, SG & I, to explore the wonders of the newly relocated Op Shop. Gom opted to remain in the car. SG & I leapt through the hidden puddles hiding in the grass, & the dancing drops of rain, & into a wonderland.

The new location is more spacious. There is a book room, with a whole section of books for children. Being school holidays it was well attended! A whole room for clothes. Another for Bric a Brac, another huge room, for assorted goodies with tables of toys, kitchenware, furniture, electricals, computers begging for new homes.

We wandered about inspecting all sorts of things. Knitting needles, yarn, pattern books. A Fat 1/4 pattern book was tempting, until I saw it required templates. I am a fast roller cutter girl now! Too old to fuss about with hand drawn templates! Too short of time- while the marbles are still present?

There was a fascinating 'washing centre' which intrigued SG no end. It had a washing machine, with agitator! A dryer! Both of these had wonderful timers! An ironing board- with iron tucked away in the dryer. and a coat hanger. Very tempting, as it was heavily reduced. I could see Gom's frowning face. I could see his mother's sighs at another bulky toy to house. So we let it be.

SG's father is very good at laundry, & very good at ironing. I encourage SG's interests in that direction! As I encourage his cooking interests. His father is also a very good cook now, after our daughter's tutelage. I taught our son to be a good cook, & see no reason why a male should not be as accomplished & capable as a female. Especially in this day & age.

Gom grew up seeing his father often cook the family meal at night. His mother worked full time, & his father usually prepared the vegetables for the evening meal. Gom, for all his faults, is not helpless in the kitchen, & made a very good fast food cook in our Hotel Restaurants. He can turn out a very nice meal, & if I get ill, I will not starve in his care.

Yesterday, Gom & Darcy made a chocolate cake together. They carefully measured, & mixed, & beat, & ladelled. A beautiful cake was the result. The icing was duly made, but it was a little too sloppy for SG to take some home. So it waited until today, when it was cut & celebrated! Very nice, after our return from the Op Shop expedition.

Which is where the marbles come into play. In the Bric-a-brac room, we found a bag of marbles, priced at $1. I was fascinated with marbles, & their pretty patterns when I was a child. I still find them attractive. So SG was delighted when I suggested he could have them if he liked. We went to pay, & found they were reduced to 20c!!

Home we came, & SG chose fabric to make a bag for his marbles. What fun, as he stood next to the machine as Nanna sewed.
"Is it a bag yet Nanna?"
"Not yet, D"
"I am so excited, Nanna, is it ready yet?"
Mummy arrived, breathless, running a little late. She had been going to take SG away for an hour or so, to give us a break. We told her things were going well, to go off & have a little break. She had an afternoon meeting to attend, so off she went. Nanna completed the marble bag.

What fun SG had with his bag of marbles. He tipped them all onto a tray we keep for his use. It has legs, & a melamine base with wooden sides. He swished them from side to side, he found out they sound like the sea, rushing onto the sand. He tried paper on the tray, he tried all the different sounds they made, as they landed on different surfaces. He tried dropping them onto the marble bag.... "Super Quiet!" he declared.

I am kicking myself I didn't get photos. He spent a long time with the marbles, discovering all sorts of ideas & playing possibilities. A friend called. SG played at making a Marble Bridge. He is quite inventive with his ideas. His mother & sister arrived, so we had further demonstrations. He took his bag of marbles home, for further wonderful playing possibilities. We are having him tomorrow. I wonder if he will remember to bring his marbles.

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And here, just for fun, are pictures of the wounded Plumbago. Click to enlarge, to see the total lack of order to the trimming.

Before the Gom attacked it, it had quite a compact shape, & quite a few flowers. It fills an awkward spot, & provides a bit of greenery on a bald wall.

This is a wider view, which probably gives a clearer idea about my wonderment at the haphazard nature of the wounding.

This is the unruly & ugly, scraggly Budliea. It definitely needs a damn good tidy up. It has grown very ugly, & far too large. Perhaps the fact that Gom bought it, & planted it, is why it remains a ghastly feature in the front garden.

I am constantly surprised, however, at how unsentimental he is about plants he has planted. He is just as likely to rush in & hack them to death as any other plant. The only things he consistently destroys though, are my herbs. He has left the gifted herbs in the pots alone, so that is something to be grateful for.

So the days go. It has rained off & on, all night & day. Our gardens cannot complain. I have been so glad I have a clothes dryer. Even just for airing, after snarky showers have caught us out!

Though my Beloved Aunt is not travelling well, my life is still filled with 'Free Treats"!

Enya, How Can I Keep From Singing.

( this may seem inappropriate in light of my Aunt. She would not see it so.)

Autumn Grumps

I have a touch of the Grouches. It is raining again, & in this country, it is never good to complain about rain, since we never quite know when we might get our next lot.

It is grey & gloomy, with low glowering black clouds in the skies. Autumn is usually the most beautiful of seasons here in Australia. This year we have had the 'Summer that wasn't' & now we seem to be having the 'Autumn that isn't'.


I took myself off out into the garden, amidst the spits of rain to take some photos of the Camellias. Obviously this one is very happy with it's share of rain drops.



The white one has been flowering steadily, & though the flowers don't last very long, they are quite pretty while they last. The ants adore them.

It is now the School Holidays, here in New South Wales. Our Daughter J said on Saturday, Small Grandson was marching about the house declaring he was "So bored I can't stand it!"

He began pulling at his hands, saying "I will have to rip my hands off & kill myself!" "I am can't stand having no school to go to!"

His mother pointed out to him, it was only the weekend, after all, & he always has that off, & it wasn't even the proper holidays yet!

Goodness knows where he gets his sense of drama from, & we have no idea where he got the rip his hands off, & kill himself part! As my Beloved Brother pointed out, if he had ripped off his hands, it would be impossible to do much else.

I do believe we are to have SG for the day tomorrow, & also part of Thursday, so I hope we can find entertainment for him. His mother has prepared a 'craft box' for him, & he can often spend quite a lot of time with crayons & paper, so we have those all ready. I have gathered a few items for him to play about with also, so he should be happy.

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My beloved Aunt is still with us, but very ill, & still in hospital. She had her 86th Birthday yesterday. She had told me she didn't think she would see it, but she has. Her children have been told they can probably only expect to have her for months at the most, but the outcome is not looking as promising as that, at present.

My brother went to see her, on Sunday, with our cousin, her son. I had phoned the hospital, but she was too weak to speak to me. My brother said she roused herself a little, & sharply told them to "Get out! You are sucking all the energy from the room!" They laughed, as it was definitely a spark of her humour!

I can imagine what she is thinking. She has confided in me often over these last months as she has battled her mystery illness. I suspect she feels her life has run it's course. She has lost all her siblings, but one. I think she feels ready to go.

Next, it will be our generation's turn to start popping off. I think a lot of us feel the same. Somehow we are surprised we have lived so long anyway! When we were young, & the Beatles brought out the song 'When I'm 64', it seemed an impossible age, & we used to laugh about it. When we reached it, my Best Friend J, & I we could scarcely believe it!

Yet in my heart of hearts, I still don't feel 'old'. Of course some days I feel older than dirt! Some days when the itch is peaking, I feel I wish I wasn't here to be old! I wonder why I am still here.

lllllllllllllllll

Went grocery shopping with Hitler this morning. Few necessities, few luxuries. Looking ahead to guests coming to stay. Thinking about meals to come, ideas for easy meals. Now that the weather is looking grim, it is tempting to cook casserole type things. Gom still likes his salad, so we have them quite often. It is not really cold, but I have made two huge pots of thick vegetable soup already, & it is nice to sit with fresh bread rolls & the comfort of hot soup. Besides it is a good way of getting a huge variety of vegetables into Gom, without his knowledge. Although, I think after all these years he does know, but prefers to pretend he doesn't. I usually use split peas, & often barley too, so he doesn't notice the other vegetables, by the time it has all cooked down.

For some reason the Cockatoos are screeching & they keep flying about the pine trees in great flocks. We haven't had any more on the balcony railing, but occasionally a huge Magpie comes to sit, on the balcony floor, & peer through the glass at us. I can never catch it with the camera though

More happy Camellia pics to finish this scrappy, cr*ppy post.

I had asked Gom to cut back the Budliea in the front garden. He went off for hours, & I stayed well away. I didn't really notice, until this morning when we went out, that the Budliea looked untouched.

When we came home I mentioned that I had thought he was going to cut the Budliea back. He told me he had.

It turns out he has utterly munted the Plumbago! The poor thing looks like some marrauding beast has chewed & stampeded through the centre of it! There are branches sticking out at odd angles & I nearly choked when I saw it! It had been flowering too. I could have cried, but now I am laughing at the pitiful ruin of it!

All my little parsely seedlings, which I pointed out to him, & begged him to leave....you guessed it. They have been rooted out. One of these days....

As I said to one of my friends, there are days when I hate every fibre of the being of the "TPIM". For those who really want to know, TPIM stands for That Pr!ck I Married. Sorry to those among you who dislike such language.

The thing is, he has let me down emotionally over my Aunt, so I am feeling bitter & hurt. And that is TMI.


Enya, Marble Halls

More about Age- or Bore about Age!

I read quite a lot of blogs whose authors are young, quite a few with children. I can feel sympathy & empathy with a lot of what they write, as I have 'been there & done that'. My daughter is in fact 'being there & doing that', also, so it is never irrelevant.

I also read a lot of blogs of, shall we say, more mature authors. Closer to my age, but not all of them of course. I like male & female bloggers points of view. I like deep, frivolous, funny, artful, talented... you name it! I follow other bloggers links, & have found myself incredibly moved at the writing & thoughts of other bloggers.

There is also the fun, the laughter, the hysterical coffee-spitting hilarity...& often pain, peeping out between the lines of seeming laughter.


There are many down sides to the body getting older. The aches & the pains & some of the parts letting us down from time to time.
There are many up sides too though. We are not always expected to leap up to do the dishes at family gatherings. We are not expected to run about the lawn playing vigorous games with the grandchildren.

We can feel perfectly happy, sitting for a couple of hours, with a sleeping baby nestled in our arms. We don't feel we need to be up & doing something. We have time for the baby, & it is soothing to just 'let it be'.

I used to worry about how I appeared when I was young. Was my hair neat, were my clothes the right type for the right occasion. Trivial things like that. Now I don't care if my hair is crappy that is a blatant lie. When I go to get a haircut & come out scalped, I want to run home & hide for a month! I confess, I do care if I feel it is too crappy.

I can honestly say, I no longer care if my clothes are, or are not, fashionable. I might make someone else feel awfully superior when they look at my tired old garden variety clothing, so really I am doing them a favour! We don't live the social life we once did, so I don't feel the need for 'fancy' dress. Comfort is first consideration, & the fact that I don't care what others think, is a plus.

Reading one blog today, the writer, who is young & pretty, says she hates dropper inners. I used to hate them too. I remember the wife of our local GP saying she hated nosey neighbours, dropper inners, & other people's kids who wanted to stay. I felt a bit sorry for her kids & I thought about my friendly neighbours, whose kids spent more time at our place than theirs.

I liked my kids having friends over to stay. I had not been able to have friends to stay, when I was a teenager, & I enjoyed having a houseful of happy teenagers. At least I knew where they were, & what they were doing!

When I was younger, I would feel a bit nervous with drop-in visitors. I would hope the kids had not filled the toilet with shoes or toys. Or done other, unmentionable things.

Now I welcome drop in visitors. It could be the last chance I get to see them. I love people to feel welcome. I don't care if the house is in disarray, or the dogs have tramped grass & leaves inside. Or if our grandson has his toys out all over the floor. It just means we are living, & enjoying it. At times I have fabric all over the dining room table, which is where I cut fabric for my quilting. It might stay there all week. I don't care. We don't use the dining table anyway. If friends come over we can sit out on the patio & use that table.

I have very few housekeeping rules. I hate housework. I just like the beds to be made, the toilet, & bathroom to be clean, the kitchen to be tidy, if we are not using it, & the rest can be a bomb site. Gom likes a little more tidy than I do. He rearranges the pantry. It used to drive me crazy. Now, I try to ignore it. He has changed the order of things about, & I have come to the conclusion it is because he is right handed & I am lefthanded. Maybe?

I wish he had a hobby, but I can't force him to have one. He does read a lot, which is good. I hope we both keep our marbles. His memory is better for such things as movie stars names, mathematical matters, mine is better for other things.

*******************
I have a dearly loved Aunt, who is in hospital. I am distracted with worry about her. I know she is thinking she would rather be gone, for all sorts of reasons.
She has told me she can see her eyes have the far-away look that her husband & sister's eyes got before they died. It scares me to think about my life without her being here. There is a part of me that also feels if she needs to be gone, well, I would never wish her back.
I don't feel now is her time to go.
I wish I could be there to visit her, & help care for her.

******************

Gracious Jackie, TMOTL has given me an award.

Thank you Jackie.


This Award originated here, do go & read her post about it, here. Very interesting!

Now, I do believe I am supposed to hand this along to others. There has been quite a bit of resistance to Awards among bloggers recently. I usually take the coward's way out, & dont nominate particular blogs. I like them all, or I wouldn't have them listed, or visit & read them. So if you are reading this, take a bow, take the Award, & thank you for entertaining me.

Dire Straights, Brothers in Arms.

The Spoilers.

These pics are the interior of the bush shelter, where I collect Small Grandson from his bus, when he comes home from school.
I have long admired the painting of the interior walls. Obviously, someone or several someones, have put in a lot of time & effort to paint this. It is Aboriginal in style, & has been carefully painted.

This is the side facing the oncoming bus. Just a hole, for watching to see if the bus is coming.

This side view is the other side, so no hole in the wall is necessary.

These are 2 kangaroos, & the most recent additions to these has been graffiti. It seems a shame to see it defaced in such a mindless ugly way.

This panel has a large blue turtle which has also been defaced, in an even uglier fashion.

I have tried to find out who did the painting, but so far, have not found any answers. There is another shelter decorated in bright floral abstract shapes, so perhaps there is a group who try to encourage these paintings to try to stop the ugly graffiti.

What ever happened to the wit of old, when hilarious or clever things would be seen written modestly on walls in public places, or public toilets- or even semi private toilets?

We used to find graffiti on our toilet doors or walls in the Hotel, from time to time. Not always of the "For a good time, phone Bella on *******"

Or "Lydia is a slut." To which some wit had added, "Is that the Lydia Teapot?"

One thoughtful soul had scratched " Beware the Limbo Dancers" on the door, which was about a foot clear of the floor.

Another had scratched right at the bottom of the door, "You are now sitting at a 45 degree angle".

Once on a trip to Sydney on holiday, we read, in huge letters, "The female orgasm is a Phallusy" . Which had a certain cleverness, & would indicate the writer had some brain.

Another, on a train, "Circumcision is no skin off my nose" caused muffled laughter as people spied it.

But the current scrawl of mindless 'foul' language & unreadable garbage does beg the question, have the perpetrators got any brain cells left alive? What possible pleasure could they derive from such mindless rot?

************

I have tried the Pinetarsol, & unfortunately, I have to report no decrease in the itch. If anything it almost seems worse, though I am sure that is not the fault of the Pinetarsol, but due to some other mysterious cycle my body is going through.

*************

My Sister In Law, not the estranged crazy one has been asked to go to China, to spend a month! What an incredible opportunity for her. She has Chinese ancestors, though she cannot speak a word of any Chinese language. Her Chinese father was born in Samoa, , as she was, so she can speak Samoan fluently, but I doubt there would be call for that in China.

She has very green thumbs, & has worked with growing for export, plants , specifically flowers, & in particular Roses. A consignment of rose plants were sent to China, by the company my SIL works for. It seems the roses all died through lack of knowledge on how to handle them. So now, her boss wants to take her to China to train the Chinese how to grow the roses.

My Beloved Brother is very excited for her, & has told her to go for it. I am not sure what she will decide. Having a new little grandson to love & cuddle is a bit of a deterrant.

Leaving aside the politics of China, I think it would be a very interesting place to visit.

Joyce certainly enjoyed her stay in China.

Jean Michel Jarre, Orient Express.

The Aging Question

No matter how young we feel, or really are, chronologically, we come to the point where we begin to think about our age, & how we will age, should we live for a 'long time'.

My Daughter J, works in the field of Aged Care. She loves her work, & has a real empathy for elderly people, who all seem to love her. She has the gift of relating to them all, even the ones who are suffering from dementia or Alzhiemers seem to respond to her cheerful disposition. She has a favourite who is 99 years old.

That age seems somehow incomprehensible to me. The dear old woman is full of memories, & has her mind intact. Her body seems to be letting her down, a little more each day. My daughter has been told to prepare herself for her passing. Her Doctor has advised, her going will be rather swift, once it begins. My daughter, consequently, treasures ever day she can attend this lovely lady. She is slowing markedly, day by day.

Her daughter, who is not young herself, lives with her mother, & is there for company, night & day. My daughter is so fond of the daughter also, it is mutual, & often, when she is there for a respite visit, she stays to spend the time with my daughter. I wonder how they both will cope with the dear old soul's passing.

The daughter has no daughters of her own. She is so fond of my daughter, I know she will be doubly bereft, when her mother finally goes. It is not encouraged for the carers to continue friendships, with family, once the patient has passed away.It seems so cruel.

It is strange to think about how wonderful friendships can be formed with 'strangers'.

Or, how 'enemies' can be formed without our knowledge. I am always surprised to learn I am severely disliked by someone, who I previously had thought to be a 'friend', or at least, perhaps a 'neutral'.

The old adage about being able to choose your friends, but not your family is true, it would seem. I was shocked when I learned that my sister-in-law disliked me to an extent & depth, of which I had no conception! I had never been close to her, but had felt we got along ok. I have never quarelled with her, nor had 'words'. Not my style.

I know she has a very jealous disposition, & she has had a hard & bitter life. I genuinely never knew the extent of her hatred, & when I learnt of it, I was taken aback. Her own son was shocked. I was gratified to learn he was genuinely fond of me, & had 'defended' me, to his bitter mother.

My Gom is estranged from his sister now. They don't comminicate. I gather she was so nasty about me, my husband was shocked to his core. And, totally puzzled as to why. Thankfully, he has never told me the details. It is not our way, to dwell on such things.

I find I cannot sit in judgement on his sister. I have not walked in her shoes. She has a now-adult, elderly, daughter who is disabled. Our daughter could walk. Our daughter has lived a 'normal life'. Hers could not. I might be bitter & green, should I have walked her path.

Occasionally, I will visit a blog, & comment, to a wall it would seem. I recieve no feedback, or answering comments, & sometimes, read disparaging comments, which seem aimed directly at something I might have blogged about. I let it pass, telling myself it is imagined. But it seems to continue. Eventually, I decide that the person has an acitive dislike of me, for whatever reason, & I quietly stop commenting or visiting.

Such is life I guess. Not everyone is going to like you. Nor will you like everyone, either!

There are so many rich & wonderful bloggers out there, why bother with the ones we find 'don't fit'.



Look at this wonderful planter, my lovely Mrs Nice Neighbour made for her sister.

It is a bird planter, & is quite delightful!
With this wretched carpet, I wish we had the same customs as the lovely Japanese have in their houses, as blogged about by the lovely Tanya.
The slipper idea is what we need to keep our carpet clean!!

I do thank you all for the suggestions re my itching problem. I have not tried Pinetarsol but purchased some today. I consulted with my GP today, about another matter, & we touched on the itch. I have now got an appt with the Professor of Dermatology/Skin or whatever, & it is for 1st July. GP agrees, that is my last hope for an answer.

Oscar Lopez, Thinking Of You.

Loss

Loss

As she felt the pains,
And knew, this one, too, is gone.
It is leaving me,
Leaving my body.
In painful agony.

Why do these children,
I long for, so deeply,
Not want to stay within my body?

To stay, to become a part
Of our family...
Will my circle of love
not be sufficient,
to entice this one,
this child,
to stay,
to become part of our lives?

The basic longing for this,
Or any child,
Is so raw,
so primitive,
Denial seems so cruel.

Each miscarriage is a slap.
A comment on fitness,
To be a parent.

The nurses sneer,
"You don't really want this child"
"What have you done?"
Vituperative venom!
Such Bitches!
Such monumental
Lack of compassion!

These bereft wives
Of the Prisoners Of War.

After the War,
When they lost those precious,
Longed-for children, unformed.

They shoulder, & wear,
the accusations, the blame.
For the lost babies.
That don't 'stay',
That miscarry.

Because, they are imperfect,
They are the product of the Prisons,
Where their father's were held,
Prisoners of a War.
In malnutrition,
In deprivation.

The ones that finally 'take',
The precious children,
That are born,
whole, perfect,
Miracles,
Every one of them.

Children of a hideous War.
Children, that are the hope for
Our future.
For Man's future.

Who will sing the song
Of mourning,
For those mothers,
Who endured those pains
To bring those children
Into this world,
For their turn at this life?

Janis Ian, This Must Be Wrong.

Who to believe??

The Autumn weather seems to have made me lazy & sleepy! I have been sleeping in later than usual, & have been very reluctant to get out of bed.

Temperamental dogs have not helped, as they seem to have been on a midnight run call every night, & in the end I have taken Honey back to our bed, & leave Leo on his own. Against all the best advice, but I just need to get some sleep. Leo seems to be better, & I think it has been Honey creating all the noise to get out.

The gift quilt has been given. I took this photo of it out on the clothesline in the sun. I called it 'Gratitudes', as it is by way of a small Thankyou for great friendship & many computer favours, as well as other favours such as music & movies. To say nothing of the laughs, by the bucketful!

We have been having lovely Autumn days with the cool nights. Last night we came off Daylight Saving time, here in New South Wales. I think my body clock has been ready for this for a few weeks, since I have been sleeping later & later.


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This is the Question in the Title.

"A little girl asked her mother, 'How did the human race appear?'

The mother answered, 'God made Adam and Eve and they had childrenand so all mankind was made.'

Two days later the girl asked her father the same question.

The father answered, 'Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved.'

The confused girl returned to her mother and said, 'Mom, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?'

The mother answered, 'Well, dear, it is very simple. I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his."

Someone sent me this joke in an email. I have seen it before.

To me, the question is quite real though. I don't believe either answer. I just find them both somehow impossible to believe.

I like to watch documentary programmes when I get a chance, & recently saw one about living matter, & the evolution of the earth. It made more sense than anything I have seen previously. Perhaps I have read the wrong books, or listened to the wrong information before.

My son finds it hard to believe I can not believe in either current theory. He is all for Evolution, & can quote far more about the subject than I can.

However, I do believe that all living creatures care about their offspring. The period of caring might me much shorter than a human span, but I dont doubt there is love & care, or surely, most species would have died out long ago.

*******************

Now that the colder evenings are here, I need to find some project I can work on while watching the idiot box, or movies. I found a host of great craft magazines at 5 for a $1 & so have plenty of ideas! I still have my granddaughter's quilt to complete too. I have some ideas for a wall hanging too, which are percolating around my head.

We haven't seen much of Small Grandson lately, except for 20 minutes last Thursday. He is still keen on his school learning so that is good. We collected him from his bus, & took him home, & he went to straight to his room to get changed!! What a good boy he is. We will be having him for a time this Wednesday, after school, so that will be nice.

His mother is almost recovered from her insect/spider bite. She recovered very well once the antibiotics kicked in, but she has been left with a very red lump on her jawline, which she says is itchy. She has no idea when or where she could have got that bite, but it was rather scary.

All I need now is a miracle cure for the itch!! I know most of you will be bored witless at the saga of this. I have a letter for the Specialist, which I have failed to act upon, recently, to try to get an appointment. Ever since I was told to try in another month, for the mere chance of an appt 3 months hence, I have scowled every time I think of it. I have this inbuilt fear/certainty that he will offer no answer or cure, & I will just be left with horrendous heamorrhagic holes in the bank account, & nothing else!

It is a curse, as, apart from the constant irritation, I wonder if I am scratching in monkeylike fashion out in public! I have to try to constantly remember it is not a good look, & hope I am not absently clawing at some inappropriate area! It might convince people we are definitely descended from monkeys!! Every bit of my skin itches, & at times I twitch with terrible itching I just can't deal to. Even my ears itch!

Scott Joplin, The Entertainer.

In search of the mystical...

Whilst jogging - metaphorically speaking- around the blogging community, I read the lovely Kitty's account of close encounters with "The Scary Lady".

Having consulted more than one 'scary lady' over the years, in search of the Unkown, or perhaps the Unknowable, & let us recognise, this may be for the good of all concerned I felt a recognition in the search. It is human nature to seek out the 'secrets'. Or the 'Answers'- which could be so much hog-wash.

I admit, I have had some eerily realistic insights. Once Gom & I went to consult a self titled "White Witch". She was insistant that we were not married to each other. Nothing we said could convince her that we were. I was somewhat indignant. However, leaving that aside, she stunned Gom by making some very astute remarks & very accurate statements. Gom had been sceptical, so he gave nothing away.

She made me shiver with statements of such accuracy, which she could have had no knowledge of, realistically, I left feeling my privacy had been invaded. I would say, in retrospect, it was of no use or value whatsoever, in my life, or Gom's. I was staggered that she could 'divine' that knowledge, but it was of no benefit, other than to prove she could 'see'.

Other consultations involved Tarot cards. One large woman, overflowing her chair, such was her bodily mass, did not come to the door, but had an automatic door, which she seemed to control, once she had established my identity. As the door opened, I almost retched at the strong stench of dog pee. Several small indeterminate breeds of dog rushed to greet me, sniffing & whimpering. Some wet themselves in excitement, adding to the already unpleasant redolence of the atmosphere.

Stifling the urgent wish to flee, I entered the 'inner sanctum'. Curtains, loud music- 'the neighbours are taping me, they try to "report" me' ???

Out came the cards. Plain playing cards. What, no Tarot? No I use these. Okaaay.

One hour later I reel out, reeking, in all likelihood, from dog pee, & hair, & loud earsplitting music. She did tell me I needed surgery- true, as it happened. She did tell me some career news which turned out to be accurate, & something which I had no idea would, or could, be true.

I have attended hypnotherapy, for Past Lives. Very interesting experience. Very moving, very real feelings, & very real emotions.

A feeling I had been deemed a witch in a previous life.

Who knows.

I have always had a fascination with wolves. Reading Bruce's blog, where he did a test to find out his Native American Horoscope sign, I found I was also a Wolf.

I recently read Nicholas Evans' The Loop. I cried at the fate of the wolves. Such beautiful wild creatures don't deserve to be slaughtered so mindlessly.

It is sad to think they have been brought back from the brink of extinction, only to be once more declared 'open season' for hunters.

Another fascination has been Owls, of all sorts. I have a collection which is mainly the gifts of family. I know they are birds of predation, but I find them so beautiful.

They are so perfect in their form, I just cannot dislike them.

As a child I would listen to the cry of the New Zealand Native owl, the Morepork. I would lie awake & picture the bird, out hunting for it's young.
I have never got tired of the image of the Owls.

I have more tales of consulting the 'Seers'. Hysterical tales, where the patent fishing has been embarrassing, so a stringing along has been the only course of action. Determined to be entertained! Revelling in the ludicrous suggestions you have planted.

I don't know that I discount all of them. I have had some very good Astrological readings done. I have probably more 'faith' in Astrology, having learnt to do charts myself, for family & friends.

I found I could read palms. I would have some startling insights to people. I gave it up, because I was learning things about people I would rather not know. I once warned about a young man's propensity for dishonesty. I was ignored, & he absconded with the funds of the Social Club!

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Other news is, the gift quilt for my Great Nephew has arrived safely.

Here is the Proud Grandfather, my Beloved Brother, with his first precious Grandson. I love this photo.

This is the quilt I made for his Grandson, & I hope it will be used in good health & happiness.

Every child needs a Rocking Horse! Yes?




Crowded House, Something So Strong

Siezed by the mojo!

This is the medium pink Camellia. It is beautiful. I wont move the photo down to the others, as it wont enlarge if I do. I am so happy to see these blooms, what with my severly brown thumb!! I bought them, & planted them, & they are rewarding me!!

We are having almost perfect Autumn weather. It is cold at night, so we can cover up, & snuggle down. The days are just fabulously warm, & clear, with little or no humidity. This is perfect weather for most humans, in our neck of the woods, & for most animals it would seem!

As we sat outdoors, enjoying the company of friends, I saw a silver grey rat I shudder to think where it may eventually end up! running up into our fern tree, thence up to the roof. Horrors! So we must set new baits, & hope it goes off to die outside, & nowhere near any Weetbix boxes!!

I am happy to say, the sewing Mojo has siezed me by the neck, so to speak, & I have now got a very sore pair of shoulders, neck, wrists, & lower back. I have spent all day yesterday, & most of today, slaving over a cool sewing machine!!

The top flew together. I managed to get the back & batting layered on, & tacked, last thing yesterday. Today has been spent hunched at the machine quilting! I need to win Lotto, so that I can afford to have these flimsies sent off to be quilted. I am suffering & tend to get grumpy, & bloody irritable, & savage tongued snippy, when I am in severe pain.

Part of the suggested thoughts about my skin complaint involve not taking my usual pain reliever. It is supposedly bad for anyone. But hell! If it shortens my life, I don't care!! It is a trade-off. If I can live pain free, I will trade some time. Who wants to live as a fecking vicious savage grouchy old tart, when, with pain relief, I can just be a slightly, shortish-snappy-occasionally, old tart!

Anyway, here is the last leg of production. All those happy 9 patches are now a happy quilt! Just the binding to finish. I am so proud of my new technique with binding too, & I actually rather enjoy attaching the binding.

We had to take SG to the bus this morning, for his parents, who were both off to work early. He seems to have some anxiety about his teacher, which seems a pity, as he is so eager to learn. I would suggest a change of class might be a good plan. He has told him mother his teacher "Goes mad at me". That seems wrong to me, for a Kindergarten class. A very young, inexperienced, new teacher. Learning should be about fun! Surely??

When I came home, I nipped out to the garden, to enjoy the Camellias.

This is my darker pink Camellia. I love it's colour, but this is a little blurred. I did take this pic this evening.

This is the one I took this morning of the same flower, with the sun shining onto the petals.

This one is a delicate pale pink, & I do love it's simple single beauty.

This is another bloom on the white Camellia. It is very pretty, I feel. It does tend to shed it's blooms rather quickly, but it does last longer than the 1 day Fifi says her lasts. Perhaps I should swap my header- this one has no ants on it's pristine beauty.

Off to sew the binding on the quilt. It is to be a gift of appreciation. I hope it will be liked, used, & enjoyed.



Jean Michel Jarre, Equinoxe Part V

Plans

It really doesn't pay to make plans. Often they are thwarted. At least at our age & stage of life, it doesn't matter if we have to change our plans.

My current quilt plans came to a halt. In spite of a stash to sink a small ship, I couldn't find what I wanted to fit my plan, so off to Spotlight for a hunt for 'just the right fabric'. Of course it was not there, but I did find a suitable substitute, so Thursday saw me laundering & ironing the fabric.

Had a call from our daughter to say she was not feeling well, had some sore on her face, which would not stop weeping. Friday morning she rang to say she had gone to the Doctor she will not go unless she is dying or worse so I knew she was bad. Her whole neck & face, were swollen, & the huge 'sore' had grown in size & was weeping even worse. Doctor thinks she has been bitten by a some insect, or spider, & has her on antibiotics, & antiseptic cream for the site of the bite. I went to see her yesterday, & she looks terrible, said her tongue is so swollen it interferes with her breathing & sleeping, so it is a worry. SIL told me she looked 100% better yesterday to what she had been!

Thank goodness she did go to a Dr. Small Grandson was very good, & quietly played. SIL is off for the weekend, so he can minister to Daughter.


Our Son B, who lives down in the city, wanted a washing machine, & one of the large stores had a good special on, so off he went to purchase one, only to be told they were out of stock. He was livid, as he regards a lot of those 'specials' as fake come-ons to get you into the shop. I told him our local branches seemed to be good about stock, so we found out they had stock in store, so off Gom & I went to get one of the machines.

Round we drive to the loading dock to collect it. Supercilious storeman delcares it will not fit into our car boot. Will not set foot on the ground & sneers at us laughingly, telling Gom, "You are on your own Mate! Good luck. Don't like your chances at all. I can't touch it, can't be liable!"

Storeman appeared to have been bashed up the side of his head, had a black eye, & bruises, & a sticking plaster over a wound. I briefly wondered if his wife had socked him about, or if an irate customer had taken a swing out of frustration at his smarmy attitude. As he closed the shutter, I got out of the car, to look at the situation.

Sized up the carton, looked at the back seat, & decided it would fit into the car. Gom had his doubts, but agreed to try. It fit in with a little judicious manoevering, & off we zoomed. I guarantee the fatuous little twat storeman was watching us secretly, & I bet he felt cheesed off!

As we swished homeward, I would have liked to stop for photo opportunities but Gom is a man with a mission, & interruptions don't come into the plan.

Saturday, we decided to deliver the machine down to our Son, so off we set. Gom has admitted he doesn't enjoy driving much these days, & the trip down to the city is fast & furious, what with the Freeway, & huge Semis thundering along. Roadworks were to slow us down a little, though many cars ignored the slower speed limits, & continued to thunder along at breakneck speed.

The stop start pace of the inner suburbs is nerve wracking, & there are plenty of cowboys who seem to feel driving like a race car contestant is ideal, ducking & diving in & out of slowmoving patches. It was not a bad trip though, & I was not scared witless once- for a change.

Our son met me going up the stairs to his flat, & we duly installed the machine & then took a stroll down the streets. I love visiting the area he lives in, it has a lovely feel, & Saturday is a day when lots of folk are out & about.

Son bought us lunch, & took us to a park where we sat in the shade & ate our lunch, & chatted & watched the passing parade. I would like to spend a weekend down there, just exploring all the little shops, & parks. It is an old suburb, was once working class, & now, because of it's proximity to the water, & the city, it is very expensive, & very fashionable. Our son has lived there for 14 years, & really feels he belongs.


Following are some of the glorious flowers for sale at one of the shops. I have posted photos of this shop before, & never tire of looking at the glorious show of flowers. These colours are beautiful, & restful to me.
The tulips are lovely & bright.

Lillies & Chrysanthamums, plus quite a few Dahlias, & rose buds.

Lots of buds, to bloom later as the days pass.

The hot, fierce colours of the Gerberas are lovely.

I love the fact that this suburb welcomes dogs. Shop keepers set out dishes of water for all the dogs that come out to visit with their owners. There are quite a few resident dogs who accompany their shopkeeper owners all day. They come out to inspect the passing throng now & then.

This lovely Border Collie doesn't have a lead, she just waits patiently for her owners, & watches their every move, following them when ever they move on.

Safe trip home, & a flurry of phone calls. No time to sew.

Off to visit our Daughter, to see how she was feeling.

Gold is where you find it! This, last evening's lovely display. It will do me, for gold!

We are having lovely crisp Autumn mornings, & evenings. Sleeping under covers for the first time for months. Bliss.

Joan Baez, Farewell Angelina

I have been...

I have been the child of a fierce, independent woman, who raised me on her own, with help from her mother. I have been loved by my mother, in distant & sad ways, with little physical affection, in my early years.

I have watched as she poured all the love in hugs & kisses on my children, & her other grandchildren. It seemed to me, as a child, she gave my brother that same physical affection.

I have, as a consequence perhaps, smothered my own children with too many hugs, too many kisses. Though, they tell me not, they are used to my 'smother' love.

I have hurt for my mother, when I learnt things about her, that were never known when I was young. I have hurt for her wounded pride, her soft & gentle nature, she tried so hard to hide. Her shyness, & sensitivity. I have wondered how she had the strength to carry on with her life.

I have been bitterly ashamed on remembering what a problem child I was as a teenager. Ashamed of hurtful words, flung in spite, in the manner of teenage girls, who feel wounded & aggrieved. In self centred ways. Not always unfounded, but then, they have yet to learn that they are not the only ones who hurt.

I have been loved by my mother, through thick & thin, though it wasn't always evident to me. I am sure there were times when she must have disliked me intensely, with good reason.

I have been modestly successful academically at school. My mother was so proud of that fact, since she had not had the chance of an education I had. I wasted the gifts, in a way. I gave up the career I had planned. I became a traveller, I tested & tried life in many different places & styles.

I have been proud to be able to 'become' my mother's mother, at the end of her life. I have been so happy to have the chance to make her final time a little easier. I have been in awe at her wealth of knowledge, her wisdom, her huge interest in the world around us.

I married a man who was deemed HUH 'Highly Unsuitable Husband'. Divorced when I met him, a man from a very different background to mine. A man who had a child from his first marriage. A man who teased me. A man completely the opposite, almost.

A man whose grammar was not quite perfect. A sin! Whose parents had 'bad grammar'. A MIL who was said to be the 'Salt of the Earth'. That salt rankled & stung sharply in the wounds she dealt me, over the years.

I have been loved by that man, for 44 years. We have weathered our storms, shared our lives, & much of our careers. We have shared moments of great abiding joy. We have shared moments of loss & sadness so deep, we clung together to keep afloat. I don't always understand him, & he doesn't always understand me. We really are chalk & cheese. We quite often dislike the same things- a plus.

My mother grew to be fond of HUH. She respected his integrity. He greatly respected her level approach to life, her respect, & integrity also.

I have had children, who have been my pride & joy. I have been blessed with 2 Grandchildren. Also pride & joy.

I have had wonderful friends. Friends that mean more than mere words can express.

I have been heartbroken, felt pain unimaginable. I once saw an interview with Sir Bob Geldof,yes, I know that is not his correct title, but everyone knows him by that name speaking about the pain he felt when Paula Yates left him. He said he could feel his heart physically breaking. I have felt that pain. I know exactly how he felt.

I have been loved in ways I could never have imagined. I have loved people deeply, who were destined not to be part of my life for very long. I have had friends die, leaving unbearable holes in my heart, & my life.

I have been bereft when my parents died. My father, largely unknown. That terrible knowledge I could never get to know him, when he was gone. My mother, clung valiantly on to life at the end, dying surrounded by all who loved her. I was so priveledged to be there.

I have been fortunate to have friends who have lasted a very long time, & they are still my friends.

I have been on high mountains of joy, bliss, & happiness.
I have been in deep chasms, with no light, so black was the despair.

When people say, "If it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger." I dispute that. It is a lie. It will leave you with scars. Some of them heal over strongly. Some never heal, & quietly bleed forever. That is my experience.


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I have finished the label for the gift quilt. It has flannelette backing, for cuddle. I used a printed label, as I am sure there will be many washes ahead.

Off to the post today!


Cat Stevens, On The Road To Find Out.

Scraps

I feel 'Retired' is a stupid word. My belief is, you are not 'retired' until you are dead & gone.

However, for want of a better word, we are now 'retired' from everyday working life out in the Commercial world. We can please ourselves how we spend our time, & our meagre funds. If we want to read, or snooze in the midday hours, we can.

Although, in Gom's case, he is more likely to be found screaming around behind the mower, or the Whipper Snipper like some lunatic, in the burning of the midday sun. Hell bent on either killing himself, or driving the remaining stubs of grass into the dirt, never to dare grow again. Of course the Dandelions laugh at him, & poke their heads up defiantly, & wave & nod as he glares at them.

I find in spite of not having to worry about working life, I still really enjoy the vibe of a long weekend. I love the calm, & the lack of noise about. Though we don't seem to hear the noise of the traffic thundering along the Pacific Highway, we must hear it, on some deep level, because on the weekends, the 'noise' is distinctly different. A nice sense of peace lowers, & I feel relaxed. The occasional hoon might be tempted to rev his motorbike, or 'gun' his car engine, but on the whole, ours is a quiet neighbourhood.

After my post about noise, I kept remembering the W. B. Yeats poem, 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree'. One we learnt at school, & I have never forgotten. I know that craving for peace & the quiet. Now I am sure the English police are out there. I confess I can never remember how to use my quotation marks. Do I use the double ones for titles or is that only for speech? I am open to reprimand here!

I have been enjoying this long Easter weekend. We have had friends to visit, & spend some time laughing & talking. Family meal out at a nice Pub, with excellent food & reasonable prices. SIL was raised Catholic, & will not eat meat on Good Friday, for 'his mother's sake'. Daughter is inclined to scoff, but I admire his respect for his mother. Our outing was on Saturday, so SIL could indulge his craving for meat. We all really enjoyed our meals.

It poured with rain on Friday & Saturday. It was cool, & lovely. Yesterday & today have been fine, but still reasonably cool. I have been enjoying the peace & quiet & indulged in some of Molly's therapeutic pursuits. I have been playing about with scraps with no particular plan. I know it will evolve, I will just play about, making more scrappy nine patches.

My other project is to be posted off on Tuesday. This is just another small peek at a little eye.


Below are the results of the scrap tomfoolery. Refugee squares from other projects, for a very scrappy happy quilt to give to someone. My daughter & I tend to really love scrap quilts, & we love that quilts can contain so many memories of other quilts, as we make them.

I have been enjoying doing these, & have not been stressing about colour placement. It is falling where it may, & seems to look perfectly happy about it. I will probably make another batch today, but will need to cut more patches. My back is not happy to be cutting, or sewing at present. I will need to resort to some of the heavy artillery painkillers I think. Mentally, it is wonderful to feel I can sit in comfort, climatically speaking, to sew.

I was surprised to learn that this year Small Grandson's school was having an Easter Hat Parade. I thought all the schools had stopped any Easter activities for fear of offending the other religions, but reason must have prevailed, somewhere, & so an Easter Hat was ordered from the Mums, with only a day's notice! Bit poor on the part of the school?

Daughter & Granddaughter went off in search of a suitable set of Rabbit ears. "No NO" said SG, "Those are all pink & purple, those are GIRLS ears! I can't wear those!"

O K Plan B. Find something else

They found a black plastic hat. Perfect fit. Green tinsel- bit doubtful about that... oh well, we could rip that off.

Then they found some plain white plastic 'eggs'.

Hmmn, we could paint those.. glue them on, get some of these fuzzy little chickens...

So, the Easter hat was born! They painted & decorated the eggs. They decided the green tinsel looked like grass. They glued all the eggs & the chickens around the hat, & lo!

How cool is that! SG was so proud of his Easter Hat, for the Parade. No one else had one like his. He brought it up to show me on Friday.

Being Nanna, I had to get a photo.

Which really doesn't do it justice!

I have always been a Nanna who doesn't think too much chocolate is good for children. Never mind that SIL is a chocoholic. He is not my son, & I don't feel responsible.

I have made it a habit over the years of giving the Grandchildren other things. Usually PJs for Granddaughter. This year I got her some very timely ones, she told me. All of her old ones are on their last legs- literally. She uses the pants for lounge-around-home use. It seems to be a very popular modern habit. And why not, indeed. If comfort is the thing, what better than Jamy pants!

I hope everyone has had a an Easter weekend filled with whatever makes them happy.

Dire Straights, Love Over Gold.