Families…who’d have ‘em!

My cousin has just become a Gt Granny and with a christening coming up soon is relaying all the ‘family gossip’ she’s gleaning from standing on the sidelines watching and listening to the preparation details.
Even though she’s not involved she’s getting a bit stressed with what she’s hearing so to put a smile back on her face – and reassure her all will go well with their do – I sent her this.
(Something I wrote elsewhere a few years ago about a family celebration )
******

Family Baptism Day

All Mary could think of as she cleaned the kitchen was how upset Aunty Josie had been at the church after the baptism of her youngest daughter’s first child.

By all accounts her cousin had arrived at the airport (no overnight ferry for her) beaming with the babe in her arms but no man there to stand at the font alongside her and the baby.  From what she gathered it seems a short explanation was given and there were smiles all round.

They’d all come back to her place for the afternoon tea she’d prepared early that morning.

There’d been so many invited that when her aunt was pointedly heard wondering where was everyone going to sit, and didn’t Mary have such a lovely big house, she hadn’t the heart to say no and had offered her home in lieu of everyone going back to her aunt’s  – which of course meant the rooms were now filled with aunties and uncles and cousins galore along with their tribes of little horrors who thankfully stayed outside in the back yard.

Mary wasn’t shy in voicing her feelings to her extended family so she’d told them (the wee ones that was) in no uncertain manner that – to use one of her father’s choice expressions – she’d have their ‘guts for garters’ if she saw them near the chicken run or  exploring the vegetable garden

Standing there by the sink, she noticed a silver coin on the bench.  One of the family would have put it into the baby’s hand and in the confusion of gathering up all the bits and pieces it been left behind.  I’ll take it round to Aunty Josie’s later she thought, as she put it into the pocket of the pinafore that covered her best frock.

Sipping on another mug of tea (no sugar, it’s fattening, she heard her late mother say) and as if to annoy her, Mary added a spoonful before mentally comparing herself to her cousin, the new mother.

Noticeably her hair hung long and loose, there was no fancy beehive hairdo for her – the only beehives in her life were the ones she’d tended all those years ago with Jimmy.  Thanks to her mother’s meddling Jimmy was long gone and no one had ever appeared to take his place.

These days, after she’d seen all the little ones on their way and closed the school for the day, her primary aim in life was to be content and at peace with herself.  Jimmy always said she needed to be close to nature – not have to deal with the dregs of society like he did.

All evening her mind kept replaying the scene at the church.
She knew in her heart the words she’d heard coming from her aunt’s mouth weren’t really the truth.

But even so….was Uncle Billy really ‘a silly old eejit who after a few drinks wouldn’t think twice about telling the world the real reason why the child’s father wasn’t there that afternoon’?

*******

Monday Musings – a time to think and ponder

Hopefully this doesn’t sound familiar to anyone

(To comment please click on post title and scroll down)

Just one look

Over the past couple of days the whole world has been looking at the sky

Fantastic photos have been appearing of Northern and Southern lights

As I live in a built up area my chances of seeing this phenomenon are small

BUT

From my front door tonight my phone picked up a sort of light purple hue.
which changed slightly as the evening went by
Plus – if you look carefully
a whole multitude of stars and planets

Looking SW – 7.45pm Saturday May 11th
Shaky hand 🙁

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-11/auroras-seen-worldwide-as-geomagnetic-storm-hits-earth/103834604

Click/ tap or finger slide to enlarge

Nostalgia or just Memories…

Nostalgia:~ pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again source

an affectionate feeling you have for the past, especially for a particularly happy time.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/nostalgia

A while ago Caroline made mention of the G&Ts that she loves which reminded me of a drink I haven’t had in a long while.

We have the ‘Ginger’ — just need to pop down to Dan’s…..

….wonder if they’ve got some warm sunshine to go with it

Two ingredient cocktails – – https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/food-and-drink/article/seven-seriously-easy-two-ingredient-cocktails

Maybe it’s just me…..

It only seems like a short time (certainly not the actual 3 months) since the clubs and groups I’m associated with returned and regrouped after the long summer break

Weeks have moved past quite quickly this year – early on, illness and ‘other’ meant some classes/gatherings didn’t happen but when I looked at the calendar the other day (3 weeks into the 2nd term) I groaned – where did all my free time go?

I’m starting to get fed up with trying to find a day ‘to do things’.

For quite a few years after I finished working (as in paid employment) I was involved with a large charity giving them 2 regular days a week of my time.  It was almost like being ‘at work’ again, being acknowledged for who I was, seeing/working alongside the same people each time, I agreed with the aims and objectives of the charity and certainly enjoyed the tasks I was responsible for.  Then, like a lot of things in life, things changed, paid staff moved on, office routines changed, attitudes toward the volunteers changed and I grew tired of ‘office politics’.
It was so much like being back at work again that I decided I didn’t need all that stuff in my life and resigned.  Oh but we ‘love’ what you’re doing, you’ve been doing it for about 10 years now why are you giving it away.

Because I need some ‘me time’ I told them and began to live a very quiet ‘me time’ life.  Doing what I wanted when I wanted with no commitments to anyone or anything else – apart from The Golfer.  I was content with my Crafting Reading Gardening Knitting Family History researching Travelling etc etc the same as many other retirees were.

Then the community attitude to older life expectations seemed to swing away from living a quiet sedentary life and became ‘Keep busy, keep your brain active, meeting greeting getting involved, play a larger role in society or you will grow stale in retirement.

I’m not usually swayed by those sorts of ‘messages’ but did begin to wonder if – no matter how much I was enjoying my quiet retiring lifestyle – I was becoming too much of a recluse, perhaps I did need to move back into community life and take more interest in what was going on around me, so slowly and gingerly (because sometimes you don’t quite know what you’re letting yourself in for) I joined clubs and groups that were recommended by friends and the pace of my days changed again.

This year is nearly half way over and as I mentioned above it’s now got to the stage where the boxes on my calendar have so many ‘regular’ outings pencilled in…..some weekly, some fortnightly, others monthly…….that something has got to go because I’m finding it hard to find a day to do things – like housework or washing or ironing – well that might be stretching it a bit but with an overly full lifestyle making medical appointments as well as finding days to catch up with friends it is becoming very much like telephone yo-yo*

*Years ago there was a little game played in business circles called Telephone YoYo.  I’d call another practice and ask to speak to someone- not available ‘I’ll ask them to call you’ – they’d call back – ‘sorry Cathy’s not available to take your call.  And so it would go.  The yoyo string would roll up to them and down to me …..backwards and forwards and so on 🙂

* These days it’s – sorry I’m not free that day, let’s try for another one.
* Or – Oh you’re not free that day – how about this one

Maybe it is just me that enjoys being involved yet thinks/knows that no matter what age one is, there are times when constant busy times can be too much of a good thing.

(That sentence seems to be as clear as mud)

Does anyone else feel the same way?.
******

Monday Musings – a time to think and ponder

What are you thinking about this Monday morning?

Look between…

‘T and U’…..

Because……

THE…..

ME 💕.
*****

******

💕💕💕💕💕

Just a bit of Fun on a Friday 😊

Well, hello there…

Looks like May has arrived- she’s eager isn’t she😊

April has only just left and here is May creeping in the front door.
I wonder what she has in store for us this year?
******

Yesterday morning (last day of April) – felt a bit chilly coming back from the pool. Not really ‘cold’ but very cloudy and autumnal looking

9am April 30

The little tree I pass has dropped most of its leaves – it seems to be well ahead of others down the road. Of course the big gums in the background will stay green giving a sort of half & half look to the street in the middle of winter when all the deciduous trees are completely bare.

April 30
April 15

And with a nod to my Anglo Irish heritage where a big topic of conversation would be — what else but The Weather.
Here’s a look at what I can expect for the next few days
Cool/cold nights and pleasant days
which is good because I’ll be out and about – some busy days coming up
(oh and tomorrow is today😊)

Late Autumn or Early Winter?

Fluffy sheets on the bed – slippers by the fire – old fashioned ways to keep The Golfer happy….and not complaining about his cold feet 😊

Slowly does it….

Yes, there are times when ‘slowly does’ it is the right way
It’ll get done in it’s own time

A few years ago a craft book called Slow Knitting was published – from all accounts it was fairly well received but as I’ve never actually seen it I can’t say much about it. Being a bit on the pricey side I waited for my library to obtain a copy – which unfortunately never happened. At the time council was tightening its belt and I was told the funds were not available for craft books! They’ve changed their attitude since but unfortunately this one never made the cut
Anyway seemingly amongst other things it talked about slowing down and taking time to savour your craft – To think about and enjoy all aspects of your craft.

“Like the “slow food” movement, Slow Knitting encourages knitters to step back, pare down, and celebrate the craftsmanship of their work. In five chapters centered around the tenets of slow knit­ting—sourcing carefully, making thoughtfully, thinking environmentally, experimenting fearlessly, and exploring openly—Hannah Thiessen challenges knitters of all skill levels to view their practice in a new way. Each chapter contains explorations of fiber types; profiles of well-known yarn types, makers, and yarn suppliers; and garment patterns inspired by the featured fibers. With contributions from knitting superstars Norah Gaughan, Bristol Ivy, and many others, Slow Knitting proposes an approach to knitting that is both minimalist and all-encompassing, and emphasizes what makes knitting a meditation, a passion, and a unique necessity.” source

I’ve been told it also suggested to not stop knitting gifts but not to put yourself under stress by having so many to finish by a certain time.  Now that’s something I learned the hard way a long time ago so if I do knit as a gift I give it when I feel the time is right not because it’s Christmas/Birthday time and that’s when gifts are given.

As always there’s been some knitting going on in my house……really slow knitting this time ……..some that has taken a fair while to finish.  Talk about slowly does it – with my interests lying in other directions recently this little cardigan finally got done all in it’s own time.

Selecting the yarn from my boxes I fingered it, squashing it in my hand, wondering what it could be used best for – a bit dark for a tiny baby so was it to be a toddler size cardigan or jumper/sweater?  Boy or girl style? We still tend to think of boys in blue but girls wear blue as well don’t they?

It’s not quite as dark as it looks but needed something to make it stand out – to be more than just a child’s cardigan – a decorative stitch that did just that.  Sort of like a mock cable – and what about pockets?  Little ones love pockets don’t they!

Simpler than it looks the ‘cable stitch’ is worked over 4 rows – Knit one row, purl one row, decrease with a s1k2pso (slip one, knit 2, pass stitch over)  in the middle of the set stitches on the next one, yarn over in that spot to make up the stitches on the next row.  The grey/blue buttons were all I had (with our winter trip coming up need to save my pennies here and there) but when it was all put together I didn’t think it looked too bad.


Do you remember the Slow TV phenomenon that came to us all those years ago…….well even though today is not Friday – which is the day we try to have Fun…..it turns out that today’s the day we’re going to have some fun in the form of fibre

And in keeping with ‘slowly does it’ – just enjoy some of this peaceful restful video of a group of knitters with their crocheting friends having some fibre fun – in real time – real slow time!!

Monday Musings – a time to think and ponder

What are you thinking about this Monday morning?

Anzac Day 2024….

(Do try to watch both of these clips)

Australia will be there….

Before….


“ …….Of all the patriotic songs of WW1, Australia Will Be There is probably the one best known to Australians. It became the marching song of the Australian Expeditionary Forces and was used to rally the troops as they marched away from home. Australia Will Be There was written in 1915 by Walter Skipper Francis. The song quotes from Auld Lang Syne in its chorus and is often given its longer title, For Auld Land Syne – Australia Will Be There.

Australia Will Be There was immensely popular. The song celebrates the nation’s freedom and declares Australia’s commitment to fight. It references the defeat of the German light cruiser SMS Emden by HMAS Sydney on 9 November 1914…….”
source

*******

And after….


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_the_Band_Played_Waltzing_Matilda

… Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack
And I lived the free life of the rover
From the Murray’s green basin to the dusty outback
Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over
Then in 1915, my country said “son
It’s time you stopped rambling, there’s work to be done”
So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun
And they marched me away to the war

… And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As the ship pulled away from the quay
And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears
We sailed off for Gallipoli

… And how well I remember that terrible day
How our blood stained the sand and the water
And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter
Johnny Turk, he was waiting, he’d primed himself well
He showered us with bullets and he rained us with shell
And in five minutes flat, he’d blown us all to hell
Nearly blew us right back to Australia

… But the band played Waltzing Matilda
When we stopped to bury our slain
We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs
Then we started all over again

… And those that were left, well we tried to survive
In that mad world of blood, death and fire
And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive
Though around me the corpses piled higher
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head
And when I woke up in me hospital bed
And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead
Never knew there was worse things than dyin’

… For I’ll go no more waltzing Matilda
All around the green bush far and free
To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs
No more waltzing Matilda for me

… So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed
And they shipped us back home to Australia
The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay
I looked at the place where me legs used to be
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me
To grieve, to mourn, and to pity

… But the band played Waltzing Matilda
As they carried us down the gangway
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared
Then they turned all their faces away

… And so now every April, I sit on me porch
And I watch the parades pass before me
And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march
Reviving old dreams of past glories
And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore
They’re tired old heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask, “what are they marching for?”
And I ask myself the same question

… But the band plays Waltzing Matilda
And the old men still answer the call
But as year follows year, more old men disappear
Someday no one will march there at all

… Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts may be heard
As they march by that billabong
Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Eric Bogle

The Band Played Waltzing Matilda lyrics © Music Sales Corporation, O/B/O DistroKid

Pussy cat Pussy cat…..

Where’ve you been?

Well, when I first arrived in 1978…..
which was the year the person they call ‘our big girl’ had an elective called woodworking
(that was the year the boys had to take home economics and sewing an apron was their task – did not go down well with them I can tell you)
I sat on a little table beside her bed

Then when she moved out I went with her
All was well until she went overseas – I was returned with a ‘please look after’ note. Still not sure the back of a wardrobe fit that description.

The household here moved interstate for a few years – which I spent in a box along with other bits of ‘our big girl’s’ life. We’d been taken along because she told her Mum she might want us when she returned.

Household returned to Melbourne with me still tucked up in the box.
Many years later she came back, sorted her bits out – gave it all away, put me back in a box and asked if I could stay here until she was settled

How many years does it take to get settled I ask you??

So what am I doing sitting on the table in the sunshine?
Well, I’m enjoying the fresh air for a start. I’ve been stuck in that box in the garage for I don’t know how many years…..

Actually I’m going to have a bit of a wash and brush up, then have a little polish applied to make me look good
And then I’m going on a journey- across to Western Australia
(which is where our big girl lives)

And do you know – the funny thing is – something’s going happen
something I’m not really bothered about….
I have to be put in a box to be able to get there 🤣

Everything old is new again…..

Pip Lincoln ( meet me at mike’s) is back in Melbourne……well she has been for a while now…….and has also returned to writing her blog on a more regular basis.

Lovely long chatty day to day thoughts and reflections – lots of ‘yummy’ photos- and loads of interesting/fun ‘good stuff’ links in her blog posts

Try this one from a couple of weeks ago .

shirt sandwich seems like a cute thing to do’.

Sounds intriguing doesn’t it, so I had a little look, and if you have a quick look, I think a few of you will agree a Shirt Sandwich isn’t quite as new an idea as fashionistas are having people believe.
I’m sure I’ve seen that way of dressing before.

Just layering under a different name!
Dressed up to look very posh and trendy!

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/style/shirt-sandwich-chic-cosy-style/

********

Traipsing around the WWW I came across another fad doing the rounds – among young ones – Sandwich Dressing

Sandwich method of putting outfits together

The art of Sandwich Dressing

The ‘Sandwich Rule’ for styling outfits

Outfit Sandwiching – mastering capsule wardrobes

The term is certainly not new….

This slightly more up-market version one was published more than 10 years ago! .
Fashion sandwich trick

But then the whole ‘idea’ isn’t new because it’s the way most of us have been dressing. Matching this with that to come up with ‘outfits’

Monday Musings – a time to think and ponder

What are you thinking about this Monday morning?

📘A is for….April

So this time last month I was about to begin my ‘Letters and Places challenge. The library came good and these all turned up at the same time – but then I became sidetracked by other interesting titles and was hard pushed to get through them in the allocated borrowing time.

There was no extension allowed on Amsterdam or Eden so I’m back on the waiting list – unless somewhere else beginning with A & E turns up.
But look, there’s no hurry. I’ll just bide my time – reading something else 😊

These I did manage to read

The Brisbane Line – J.P.Powell 2020.

As WWII ravages the world and the Japanese Empire has set its sights on Australia, the Americans have come to save us. But not all soldiers are heroes and not all heroes are soldiers.

Brisbane Qld 1943 – war in the Pacific is on the go. The town is full of servicemen, many of them American. Local’s have mixed feelings about them being there. There are good ones and bad ones – on both sides. crimes committed by American troops are dealt with/investigated by US Military Police much to the annoyance of Australian. Real life ‘people’ are mixed into the storyline with fictional characters but not being a ‘local’ I didn’t realise until ‘looking things up’ later.

Historical references, murder, black marketeering, prostitution, police corruption, cover ups, minor collaboration (local/US military), treatment of coloured servicemen as well as local aborigines, venereal diseases, entertainment (dance halls/jazz), romance and even the affects of local tropical climate – a very mixed bag of topics are all found in this very readable crime novel by a new to me (female) Australian author J. P. Powell
Loved it!

The 12.30 from Croydon – Freeman Wills Crofts 1934 (republished 2016).
Also found as free download HERE at fadedpage.com

We begin with a body. Andrew Crowther, a wealthy retired manufacturer, is found dead in his seat on the 12.30 flight from Croydon to Paris.
Rather less orthodox is the ensuing flashback in which we live with the killer at every stage, from the first thoughts of murder to the strains and stresses of living with its execution

Set in 1930s Depression time. Business’ all round finding it hard – many going under.  After a beginning showcasing the ins and outs of air travel, the scene changes, the storyline becomes one where you follow the murderer plotting and scheming to get his reward.

I found it a bit long winded, it went on and on in great detail at times, so was slightly fed up disinterested by the time it took another turn and the police became involved.
In the end he did get his reward – just rewards.
Arrested, tried, found guilty, hung!

******
I’m finding these days when I can’t ‘get into’ a book I often close and return it, which is what happened with the D for Darwin book I’d ordered.
This is what I read instead

Dead in Dublin – Catie Murphy 2019

I have to say the only reason I picked this off the library shelf was because of the letter D place name Dublin.
It was a bit Ho Hum – definitely not riveting reading.

You’ll have to click on the title to find the description – I’m sorry but there were too many words, too many unrelated characters, even though set in Dublin there seemed to be a forced Irish feeling to it – good descriptions of Dublin and environs though.
Promoted as a book 1 of a new Cozy Mystery series…..others may enjoy them, sadly I didn’t.

❗️Off topic – March was Reading Ireland month🍀 This👆(read at the end of the month) plus Small things Like This (read at the beginning ) were my contributions).
*****

Proving I’m happy in my second childhood a couple of lovely books from the children’s section at the library came home with me

I had thought some place names would be hard to find but Z for Zanzibar was just sitting there waiting for me to come along. .
( I cheated a little and allowed Zanzibar to be a ‘person’ and not a place )

Zanzibar – Catharina Valckx 2019.

* Inside this smooth glossy bright yellow coat is a little child size chapter book with a story about Zanzibar the omelette making crow who took up a newspaper reporter’s challenge to do something remarkable – choosing to ‘lift a camel with one wing’.
 Realising he has to find a dromedary (which only has one hump so will be lighter) he’s then helped along the way by various friends (new as well as old) plus a small skinny sock wearing dromedary so is able to perform this feat (and get his picture taken at the same time).  

Back home, disappointed the reporter doesn’t believe him his cooking suffers, his friends try to reassure him he was already special to them, the photo appears and he becomes a celebrity.  But in the end he decides the simple, good omelette making life and friendship are what really matters.

Illustrations by author


Using easy understandable language – with clear illustrations that describe the story and emotional content – I’m sure this is a well read story, both by adults to children and children themselves


Crows in Zanzibar

***

And next to it on the table was this one – M for (where else but) Melbourne

Santa is coming to Melbourne – Emma Nash 2017.

* A picture book with story about young children, the lead up to Christmas Eve and how they hope Santa will visit their house. Many suburbs are mentioned where little ones are watching and waiting, not wanting to close their eyes in case they miss Santa. There’s the worry of not leaving a snack out but all ends well with an unseen Santa flying away with a cheery Ho Ho Ho

Illustrated by Lee Krutop

Designed to be read to young ones, maybe 4/5/6yrs who know where they live, are familiar with Melbourne and are still caught up with ‘the magic of Christmas’. Lots of colourful pages with large illustrations some of Melbourne landmarks as well as Australian native birds and animals.

***

AND – guess what – looking for places beginning with the awkward letters I came across this ebook in the library catalogue. Also found it on Project Gutenberg – HERE

A Little Girl in Old Quebec- Amanda M Douglas 1906 (Duke Classics 2015)

An interesting little story written early 1900s about an orphan girl Rose growing up in the early settlement days of French Canada (Old Quebec district of Quebec City 1600s).
Interesting because of all the historical references to names  and descriptions of early settlers, place names, ways of life (fur trapping, fishing), strange weather (freezing snowbound winters), dealings with native population, wanting the new life but hankering after the old – reminding me of literature written about early settlers in the original colony in Australia.
Well maybe not the snow – here it was the ‘terrible heat’.

I think the target reader might have been ‘teen’ but it was lively enough to keep me reading and wondering what she would get up to next- as well as intrigued enough to do a bit of ‘looking up’ (the historical information). The author must have researched well to produce a short novel about life in times 300yrs previous.
Oh and I learnt a new word, a new one to me anyway
Dicker/ing – bargain, barter.
Collins gives British as well as American definitions. HERE

*****
Now here’s a little something to think about and smile.
(Nothing to think about really- reading wins every time 😊)

Sharing with What’s on your Book Shelf Challenge

You’ll find other participants HERE

🧶The last of…..

Unless anything springs up and surprises me these will be the last flowers on the table for a little while. I can’t see any more ‘heads’ on the Dietes and most of pink Oleander bushes are starting to look scruffy with loads of dead flowers and the small flowering hardy Fuchsia (David?) which has been growing outside for about 30yrs now did not enjoy that recent dry spell. I see some cutting back happening in the next wee while.

And it’ll be a while before our favourite ‘this time of the year’ snack appears again – no not Easter eggs…..hot cross buns
These were the last two left in the freezer.
Cut and lightly toasted. The Golfer likes jam on his, me I’m partial to butter. Just right with coffee outside on a cloudy (not chilly) morning last week

Nothing like the coffee break on the bright sunny day earlier that same week but look you have to sit out there and enjoy the fresh air while you can, there’ll be time enough for indoors as the season continues to change each week.

Still on my ‘use it up’ quest I thought I’d used the last of the fawn leftovers but it seems I missed a few half balls and as that is definitely the last of the cream I can see a couple more patterned beanies coming up to finish it.

We stayed there long enough for me to cast on, work a few rows of rib and then for someone to say he was hungry – sausage rolls from that shop he likes to frequent are his go to.
Not fantastic- passable – edible.

The book on the table is this month’s book club read. 

Less – Andrew Sean Greer (2017)’
Receiving an invitation to his ex-boyfriend’s wedding, Arthur, a failed novelist on the eve of his fiftieth birthday, embarks on an international journey that finds him falling in love, risking his life, reinventing himself, and making connections with the past. 

Let’s just say it’s weird different!. 
I’ve another 2 weeks to read it in – It may get finished It may not.
********

If the truth be told I was feeling a bit low that morning
The week before I’d sorted through some boxes deciding to move on some ‘pastimes’ from years ago
Kiera’s grooming paraphernalia turned up….remember Kiera, my little brown shadow?
She was the last of a very long list of all sorts of cats we had – or should I say shared the house with us over many many years
Seeing the brushes and grooming mitt on the table had me looking to my left half expecting her to be there on the wooden bench –
sadly no, we said goodbye to her back in April 2018.

Gosh, I miss having to ‘fight for a spot’ on the table

*******

Kat hosts  Unraveled Wednesday . which features Reading Crafting Chatting – you’ll find it all there – pop over, see what’s going on – maybe stay and say hello.

What’ll it be….

April in Melbourne is what I call I call a half and half month.

While March often still has lingering warm sunny days and May usually heralds early winter with cool rainy days – the thought for April (the middle month of Autumn) is ‘will it bring sunshine or will it bring rain’?.

Thinking about all those little changes that seem to happen at this time of the year we’re halfway through the month and what has happened?
The clocks changed – it’s become cooler – we’ve had some much needed rain – daylight is just under 50/50 (11hrs) but it’s dark now at 6pm so I want my dinner earlier.

Lots of words there to think about

Focusing on health (healthy body – healthy (happy) mind as I ‘told myself’ at the beginning of the year) has continued although Easter and the school holidays cut into the end/beginning of last and this month meaning I avoided the pool but that just meant our bundle of resistance bands here at home were used more regularly than had been happening.

The ‘happy mind’ was evident when Christmas present time turned up again. Tickets to Riverdance from our girls – don’t you love people who received the memo about giving experiences rather than gifts. And managed to get matinee seats so us oldies didn’t have to be out and about after dark😊.
As is normal these days no photography allowed during performances- the screens of anyone trying would have very obvious in the darkened Margaret Court Arena so this was just to show the girls the view we had. Three rows back, raised up from floor level – no worries of anyone’s big head spoiling the view. I did take a couple of the arena as it filled but won’t publish (faces looking my way)

7 April 2024

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverdance

Oh and don’t you love it when Melbourne transport whisks all those ‘happy’ theatre goers into town by train and then down to the tennis centre (Melbourne Park) by tram. No hassles at all – smiling faces all round

No choir during school holidays but my happy mind will be raring to go on Wednesday. We’ll be gearing up for concerts at aged care homes……age requirements mean residents must be over 65…..which is certainly not ‘old’ – in fact it be any one of us in the choir……so the ‘music/songs’ performed is slowly changing.
And even though (latest figures I found say that) ‘58% of people living in permanent residential aged care were aged over 85’ we think they would appreciate modern standards – musicals – even Elvis and The Beatles.

I’ve been told these two are on the running sheet for the first rehearsal:-

Dream a Little Dream of Me – 1931.
(Mamas and Papas 1968)


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_a_Little_Dream_of_Me.
********

Blue Skies – 1926.
(Frank Sinatra 1946)


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Skies_(Irving_Berlin_song)

******

So far so good
Temperature tonight 8c/45f so the warm and cosy sheets will go on soon
I know it will get dark earlier and light later
let’s just hope it doesn’t get too cold and too wet
To accept this seasonal change I need be able to enjoy the falling leaves

Monday Musings – a time to think and ponder

What are you thinking about this Monday morning?

They’re at it again….

Or maybe.
I should be so lucky….

$$$$$$$

My name is Mrs. Edythe Broad, the wife of Late Eli Broad. My Husband is an American businessman,  and a philanthropist (The Eli & Edythe Broad Foundation). He Died on April 30, 2021 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States.

I am presently sick and Hospitalized with endometrial Cancer and I am having some Funds deposited in a Bank after I sold all my inherited Estate estimated at $3,500,000.00. Please, I want you to help me to use at least %60 of the funds for less fortunate people in your region, then the rest %40 will go to you for helping me accomplish my dream before it will be too late for me . If you can, Get back to me for more information.  

 I await your positive response before we proceed.

Yours.
Mrs. Edythe Broad

*****

My name is Carlos Slim Helu, A philanthropist, the CEO and Chairman of the Carlos Slim Helu Charitable Foundation,i have decided to secretly give {$2,500,000.00} Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United Dollars, to randomly selected individuals worldwide. On receipt of this email, you should count yourself as the lucky individual. Your email address was chosen online while searching at random. Kindly get back to me with your full address at your earliest convenience, so I know your email address is valid.

Regards,

Carlos Slim Helu

$$$$$$

Isn’t it strange the way people are willing to give you all that money
And isn’t it sad the way people are still falling for these scams and losing so much of their own

(Sadly Carlos Slim Helu and Edythe Broad are real live persons)

Scam 1Scam 2

A couple of rare locals…

A Leadbeater’s Possum and Powerful Owl – Mooroolbark library

Painted at the end of 2023 by Jimmy Dvate but last week was the first time I actually saw and photographed them.
Because of the disruptive road works in Montrose between now and ‘early 2025’ (replacing the beautiful roundabout with traffic lights….least said about that the better!) I’m now using Mooroolbark as my ‘local’ .
Other walls were painted at the same time – hopefully I’ll get to them soon.

They really do look better when enlarged – so much more detail is visible
Click/ tap or finger slide to enbiggen

Sami hosts Monday Murals and if you would like to see more – follow this link.

Stumbleapon

The rain that we hadn’t seen for many weeks came visiting in bucketloads on Easter Monday – (in big big big bucketloads that caused oodles of problems) so all thoughts of outdoor work went on hold.


No worries , that delightful rabbit hole aka YouTube offered up some
‘very different ’ viewing options.

Looking for something else this is what I stumbled upon.
Possibly an acquired taste but you can’t help but watch/listen to them

Enjoy 🧶🧶🧶

https://m.youtube.com/@StephenWest

One expression I’d never heard before…

I’ve mentioned before my little habit of scribbling down bits and pieces from books I’ve been reading (words/phrases/place names) intending to look further and then not being able to remember where they came from.

I’ve just begun reading Starting over – Marcia Willett (1997) a very gentle book about beginnings/endings in the lives of some English people connected to each other and this (👇in bold ) turned up.

…..Robert was determined that Pippa’s inadequacies should not queer his pitch….

No idea what it meant but I had a vague recollection I had heard/read it before.
But where??
Luck was with me this time😊 – looking for something else the answer turned up – part of a sentence- not on a scrap of paper but in ‘notes’ ….

….Because her arithmetic, which was abysmal always queered her pitch

and I’d even noted where I found it.
Tea is so intoxicating- Mary Essex (1950)

Another very English book I read last November!

Obviously that’s as far as I’d gone or I’d have remembered that it meant ‘spoil someone’s chances’ or something similar.

How well known is it – are any of you familiar with it – use it even?

******

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/queer-someones-pitch

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa-que1.html

https://www.theidioms.com/queer-pitch