September Ramblings and a Real Blast from the Past

 I currently have a small project on the go. My family have decided to have a family reunion. Not just my immediate family who are a bit spread out across Qld but the entire family of descendants of my 4 grandparents. I have started converting some old Kodak slides to digital with the aid of a nifty little gadget. I found this one of my sister at 2 weeks of age, she was not a very big baby as you can see by the size of my dad's hands. One of her kids has already commented that she has hardly ever seen any baby photos of her mother. Glad I have had the ability to change that for her.

 We shared the same 4 grandparents with one set of our cousins in that Mum's brother married Dad's sister so we did share quite a close bond with these 4 guys. Amazing that all 4 of them still live in the same town as their father. I am the shorter girl with you guessed it the pig tails. My brother is the smallest one in this photo. Yes, black sausage dogs were in the family then. Danielle now has one called Ebony.

 In August, I won 2 prizes with this quilt at the Bundaberg Competitive Quilt Show. I was quite excited to win the best domestic machine quilting prize. Not sure if my longarming will ever be that good. At this stage I am still too busy trying to get the house in order. I did also get a third place for my Japanese kaleidoscope quilt.

I spent the night during the show on guard duty with Patty. I'm sure we will volunteer to do it again next time.

 Back to the Ivanhoe house. We now have some screen doors, louvres , front gates and I have progressed some more on the sanding. But come to a bit of a halt but started working again on the next set of doors to screen.

 Love this view of the old house.

 Here is the next baby quilt in progress. I have now stitched it together, and pinned the next border on. Baby is due in January, so not much rush yet.

Had our big  Wagner mediation. Needless to say the Wagner family members involved have not endeared themselves to us and I doubt very much if they ever will. I am also certain the mediator probably didn't really like their attitude either. Some people just never learn that bullying will not make people care for them. I bought an orange bouganvillia bush to plant at our front gate. It is our liberation tree. On my drives to work I  drive past a few in old homestead paddocks and they are left after the houses have fallen down. I want it to be the legacy for Ivanhoe now that we are the custodians of this place for a short while. Back to work tomorrow night. Those 4 weeks roll around fast.

July Update One

 I know it is slow progress, been a bit cold to be out working on the veranda but a few mild winter days happened  and I have finished painting the bottom front windows after re puttying the panes 2 weeks ago. The panel under the window is a test area of wall colour.

 I have painted 6 boards on the right hand side. I have finished the top of the stairs area, waiting now for the windows to arrive in 4 days time.

 This is the side door from the veranda and will have a screen door as well. So I decided in my spare time to finish the paint removal before they arrive to install the screens.

 Not sure what colour will be used here.

I found this photo taken of the accident scene in Rocky where Bindy was the treating officer. Three people were involved and thank goodness no one was seriously hurt.

Some progress has been made on my latest quilt. Nearly finished and I am pleased to say I will meet the deadline. Seems like I need more deadlines to crop up. One did the other day and I am pleased to say I have ordered more fabric for another baby quilt. Life is certainly getting exciting.

May/June Update

I have ordered windows and screens to add to the house. The guy who came to measure kindly suggested it would be good if the painting was finished around the frames. So out has come the sander and paint brushes from storage. I removed the broken glass window that rattled in the wind from here, at the top of the back stairs. After 4 pots of sample colours, we have decided on a colour that we both like. This shows the previous colour and my undercoating in progress.

The boards at the top of the back stairs. The middle 6 boards were replaced some time ago, we have learnt that there was a small window that opened there. It was used as the money paying window when Ivanhoe was used as a Dance Hall for the people from Ivanhoe, Boondoooma and Old Proston Stations many years ago. If we look closely at the floorboards we can see, many dimples from high heel shoes.

 As well as replacing the window at the stairs, I have decided to replace these old double hung windows with modern louvres. So I have started removing the existing paint ( or what is left of it)

 There are 3 sets of windows to be replaced.

 At the top of the stairs, under the wall and window wall currently are some kind of lino tiles. I went browsing in a flooring shop last week and this is what I discovered. Tiles that look like timber. I have selected the colour of the middle tile with the non slip features of the 2 right hand side tiles. These are 935mm long by 235 mm wide so I need 6 tiles to cover the area. The colour in the tile looks just like red soil scuff marks. I am sure the dog's footprints will blend in well.

 The other big news of the week, the grandbaby arrived , a  not so small boy. Here is a bit blurry photo of grandpa and grandson.

This is Dad and baby not more than 2 hours old. All are doing very well.

 The other news of the week. Aunty Bindy came for a visit and we ended up taking a car for a test drive, and wow she moves fast when she wants to. Bought it and drove back home 2 days later in it. A Ford Kuga Trend 1.6 L turbo petrol for the technocrats.

It was a bit sad to say goodbye to the Xtrail, parked unlovingly in the centre of the street. It's been part of the family for 12 years so I suppose it had to go before it cost us too much more. So been a bit busy this last few weeks, but guess what, I have still managed to do a bit of sewing, but a long way to go on the 2 current projects before they are finished.

April / May Happenings

 

 Back in October 2012, we learned we were going to be grandparents for the first time. A photo was happily taken of the pre baby tummies comparing the two. Move onto April and the baby Shower was held at Monto. These girls certainly know how to entertain.

 Here is Lucy, the amazing flood survivor, it certainly was wonderful just to give her a huge hug, and two new brides who we celebrated with at their weddings at the end of last year. Who knows, we may have lots more baby showers to attend soon.

 An amazing arrangement of food for everybody. The plastic tablecloth would be stunning as a modern quilt.  Speaking of quilts, I have finished my Grandbaby floor quilt in time for the due date.

Unfortuantely not all my girls could be together at the Baby Shower as this new graduate had to work. She is enjoying her new career as a Graduate paramedic at Rockhampton. Sadly she has already been verbally abused by some of her intoxicated patients, but she took it in her stride. It is certainly a sad reflection of today's society that there is a group of people who think they can verbally and physically abuse our emergency workers.

 I managed to attend the Childers Show and Tell day in April. This is the pile of quilts that were brought along and shown for the day.

 We have also had good news on the property front, receiving a grant to repair our flood damage.

 I also went along to the Mundubbera Lemon Jo's retreat dinner, co-ordinated by my sister. Unfortunately one of their member's husband's hand required surgery that evening so my sister had to provide all of the entertainment on  her own. I won one of the Quilters Bingo games, amazing as I never seem to win a thing.

Will keep you informed, 2 weeks to go to the baby's due date. Got to do 2 night shifts, finish the weaning, take someone in for a spot of knee surgery, work on a quilt for the Bundaberg Quilt Show in August, and continue the house renovations all before a baby.Danielle do you think you can stay pregnant a bit longer? Waiting on a quote for some new windows, screens and door screens and that means I have to paint the frames etc. The winter winds have arrived sending me into a SAD state. I seem to notice the winds here more in this draughty old house. Thank goodness I am married to a woodchopper. I did suggest we needed a third woodheater but I did not receive a reasonable response. Roll on spring is all I can say. Catch you next time.

Progress

 Due to flood damage on my usual route to work, I have been taking the shortest detour around  Barambah Creek at Marshlands, using the Webbers Bridge via Wooroonden. This adds about 6 kms to my trip. A low level wooden bridge which goes under by a huge amount in flood times. If you have driven over the Barambah Ck near Gayndah in flood times, one can imagine how high the water is here.     

In this photo you can see the height of the debris in the tree.

I can happily report that the flood damage on the other road has been repaired and I will only need to use this road if the same event happens again.

Progress on another aspect, the kitten has grown into a dog cat, she plays with the dogs to the extent we believe she thinks she is a dog. The plants are starting to grow into a reasonable hedge. I would like them to become a dust collector from the driveway but I think I'd need a few more rows of them.
The baby quilt is nearing completion, but will have to wait as it is Graduation Day at Sunshine Coast University and we have to attend to watch Belinda graduate. Amazing to think that she was told in year 9 that she would never achieve an OP let alone a University Education and here she is now in the QAS as a graduate advanced care paramedic. Her  dream is to visit Gin Gin High School wearing her uniform and showing the teacher concerned, just what she has achieved in life. All she needed was people to believe in her as well as her belief in herself. Well done, Belinda.

End of March Already!

The year is certainly zooming by with lots happening as usual. The weather certainly took a turn for the worse going from drought to floods,in a few days over the Australia day long weekend in January 2013. This is a photo of our friend's driveway at Boolboonda after 32 inches of rain.

 

 The deluge continued south after drenching areas to the north of us. We were on our way to spend the weekend at Monto to watch Danielle receive The Young Citizen of the Year Award for  Monto at the Australia Day Awards there, but she advised us to turn around and head for home. Just as well, we did as we were cut off for 5 days at home. We were not too badly affected at Ivanhoe with damage like this in places. Mundubbera had severe flooding which impacted greatly on my sister and brother in law. Citrus trees washed away, my brother in law spent hours rescuing the neighbours washed away pigs that managed to survive along with dairy cows from upstream.

 The Stuart River and Boyne Rivers cut our access on The Proston Boondooma Road. Here is a photo of the Stuart River not quite at its peak of over 12 metres high. In 2011, it reached about 8m. All of this water flows into the Burnett, so no wonder all of the places along the Burnett had massive flooding. Danielle's friend, Lucy spent hours clinging to a paulownia tree before being rescued by her neighbour.  The remaining half of the umbrella tree in our yard, just could not take the moisture any further and toppled over with Craig cutting the last bit down. I have planted a Chinese Elm tree in its place. Hopefully it manages to grow.

 

I was trapped in Bundaberg when another deluge came through a few weeks later. Aunty Margaret Wagner passed away after a short illness and we dodged floodwaters to get to her funeral service.

 

I finally managed to get my blog printed into a book. Handed it to Mum and Dad to read as they do not read it here. Dad has requested that I mention where my quilting frame came from. He engineered it and had it constructed by a boat builder in Maryborough.

My sister does not read my blog either but liberally took it along to her patchwork day in Mundubbera as some of them were mentioned in it.They liked looking at the quilts, not the house renovations.

Speaking of quilts, my constant companion when I am overnighting in Bundaberg has finally got the applique finished. Just some thread tidying up to do. I was that impatient to see how much colour would come out of the applique onto the white background, I washed it in the washing machine for the 15 min cycle. None ran, so now I must tidy up the remaining threads, now in a huge mess cause I washed it. I was really that IMPATIENT.

 

The big news for us this year is the arrival of the first grandchild. I had the privilege of attending an ultrasound scan at 29 weeks with Danielle and was amazed at it swallowing and practising breathing happening while we watched. Dont know why Danielle was suggesting I not wear my glasses so I could not work out whether it is a boy or a girl as I could only recognise ribs and spine.

 I have been working on my baby quilt. Belinda thinks it is not "Beatrix Potter" enough but this is designed to be a floor rug quilt. Today I managed to get it basted as I think my domestic quilting is better than my long arming at this stage.

 

 

Am off to work for 2 nights later today, is Good Friday so I hope the roads are safe.

Bryan has had some success at the Sydney Easter Show in coming second in the Treefelling Championship. Craig won a handicap event last week so he is happy also. A real family affair down there this year with Amanda horseriding as well. Next week we are off to Sunshine Coast University to watch  Belinda graduate as an Advance Care Paramedic, she is enjoying her new career at Rockhampton, but I think she wishes she was a bit closer to here at times. Looks like we'll be busy for a lot longer.

 

Renewing my aquaintance with Blogger

I am still working on my paint stripping and sanding, here are my 2 workhorses at present. The paint has all been removed and now the sanding needs to be finshed. There is  not much quilting happening either. I have nearly finished the borders on my large quilt from the previous post.
This is mainly a post to reacquaint myself with the blogger platform.
Big year happening again for us, with the first grandchild on the way, so blogging might again take a back seat or maybe it will push me back to it. Time will tell as usual.