Life has been busy for the past couple of weeks – which is a good thing!  The weather has warmed up, and my body seems to be cooperating with me for the time being.

A few weeks ago I delved into my sewing cupboard and pulled out the fabrics that I wanted to use in a couple of projects.  First off I made a bag using this tutorial from Ric Rac.  Part of my problem with sewing is that I can’t make a committment to fabrics.  This time I just used what I had, and did it anyway!  Having said that, I might need to change the lining fabric at some point in the future.  My strap turned out too wide for me as well, so I will have to remake that.  Now if you are thinking that I am unhappy with the bag, let me tell you that I use it, and I am not ashamed to be seen with it – it would just be awesome, rather than just OK, if I fixed those things. LOL.  So no photo of the bag just now.

While I had all my sewing things out I took the opportunity to make some patterns from existing clothes using a roll of light interfacing that I have for that purpose.  This went well, and now I just need to cut out the fabric.  I also made interfacing copies of some paper pattern pieces.  I have a skirt pattern that I will be making for my sister, and I will be making a toile first to ensure a good fit.  I have a heap of fabric to choose from, and I have some ideas to alter the pattern to suit her needs better.  So, eventually, there will be some sewing photos to come.

On September 2 I went by bus to Blueberries.  This quilting shop was having a Spring Fair over a couple of days and it was necessary for me to go on the Friday since I was going to a birthday party on the Saturday (dang, choices!  Bag sewing class…or family birthday party??  sigh)  Busways is an odd company.  They had a strange reason for not letting me buy a transfer ticket, which is cheaper, so the return journey ended up costing me $15.20!  Luckily I didn’t actually buy anything at the shop…although I have plans to go back.  My main pleasure in my day out was that I was able to go on the bus, and make changes, and didn’t have to take my walking stick.  I couldn’t walk very well for a few days afterward, which was mainly due to standing around waiting at bus stops, but it was very encouraging at how well the day went.  I never know when my Achilles is going to let me down, and I can’t hang on in moving buses because of my shoulder and hand.

As I said, I went to a birthday party the next day.  It was at Belmont, and I had heard that there was a great fabric shop tucked away in a side street there – Block and Roll.  Sis and I found it, and had a great time there.  We plan to go back!  Sis bought some lovely Indian cotton in sage green stripes, and also some brown Vera Bradley flowered fabric that is enough to make a shopping bag.

My computer has been having some woes in the past month.  My old monitor died and I had to go and get a new one.  Then Microsoft had some massive updates available – I’m only on dial-up so that took a couple of days, especially with all the restarts.  Now I have a massive anti-virus update sitting there, and I’ve tried to get it downloaded but it’s bigger than the 85MB I can do in a day.  I think I’m going to have to get a dongle to deal with this problem.

While I have been sitting around waiting for my computer I have had some knitting that I cast on a year ago sitting nearby.  In a couple of days I finished two charity hats.  This caused me to delve into the massive vacuum bags of wool that I had stored away, and pull out a heap of thick wool that I really can’t use for hats.  I am knitting these up into blanket squares for charity.  It’s thicker than Wrap With Love ask for, but phooey, I’ll just give them the finished blanket anyway!  Last night on Facebook I also heard about a charity project in New Zealand who are asking for squares.  They intend to cover some shipping containers in Sumner that are being used to stop rock falls from causing further damage.  Sumner had a lot of damage in the earthquakes, and the ongoing aftershocks continue to cause rock falls and further weakening of the cliff faces.  Meanwhile the pretty town is full of rusty shipping containers….so a boost to spirits by “yarn-bombing” them.  This type of community project is one I can get behind.

For a number of months now I have been exploring FODMAPS.  This is a relatively new area of research into food intolerance - in this case short-chain carbohydrates and their effect on the large intestine if they are malabsorbed in the small intestine.  One of the things that I have reduced in my diet is wheat.  Wheat is in a whole lot of things, but it’s not supposed to matter when it is a small amount like when it is a thickener in a sauce.  I haven’t been eating bread for a while, but sometimes you just would like the convenience of a sandwich!  I have been overjoyed to find this recipe on the Healthy Living How To blog.  I was sceptical before I made my first one, but now I am sold.  I made my first one using LSA as I have mentioned in the comments on that blog, but I used a one cup ramekin.  This left me with a high round “bread roll”.  I did make a sandwich out of it, and it was scrumptious.  However I can never leave anything alone!  The next batch I made I used the recipe as written (having ground up my almonds) but I used a round dish that measures 5″ across.  I just cooked it a little longer.  I was then able to slice my “bun” into two slices and I had  a great sandwich.  I have since toasted some, but I like it untoasted.  I’m only having one or two sandwiches a week, but it has made it easier if I need to go out somewhere and want to take my food with me.  Almost like I’m normal or something….

Perhaps you’d like to hear about the lasagna I made using Vietnamese spring roll wrappers?? LOL

My yard has been suffering from neglect for a couple of years now, and it looks it.  With the warmer weather, and some free time for Sis, we’ve started to tackle it bit by bit.  My old vege patch, which is now totally shaded, is weeded and covered in newspapers and sugar cane mulch.  We’ve found this to be a good way of suppressing weeds.  At the front of the bed I have a heap of Italian parsley which had self seeded in amongst the weeds.  I also cut down the bay tree with my hand saw….  I’ve planted in some pots two tomato plants – one red, one yellow along with some different basils, and some pansies for Sis.  I am hoping to get some more herbs, and I am going to plant some nasturtium seeds -  I love nasturtiums in salads.  Shortly we are going to have to get the tree guys out to give us a quote and some advice.  As well as being over-shadowed in the back yard we are having trouble with tree roots and suckers.  It’s bad enough that we are going to have to pull down our back deck and pergola, which is buckled on one corner.  We just don’t know what we will be able to put back there.

The paving has been partly weeded.  We can’t spray weedkiller because we have lizards, skinks and gheckos running everywhere.  It’s the season for lurve out there, and they are being pretty rambunctious and territorial.  Here’s a pic of my blue-tongue lizard.  He has lived in the wall of my house for a number of years now.  The noise of him scrabbling in his nest on the top of my lounge room windows is a bit annoying, but I really don’t mind.  He spends his afternoons in this sunny spot, unless I annoy him by walking around out there.