Car sick

At lunch time yesterday the electronic fob for the car would not open it. I walked home to see Hannah, who was ill and off school, picked up the spare key grabbed something to eat and taxied back to town. At the end of the day the spare key would not open the car either. I called our service company to be told the policy had lapsed! So I walked home again. Sore feet but good for my diet.
Last night the girls had their 'launch party' for the Alice in Wonderland performance they are both appearing in in the new year, so we went there by taxi, and I came home, then went out again at 9:30 in another cab to get them. We are a one car family for a reason, we don't need two cars, but boy do I miss our one car when it is not well.
This morning I schlepped into town again and the service engineer charged up the battery for me, I put petrol in it and went home to let the engine run in our driveway while I sewed a bit more of the quilt. 30 minutes late for work, but with luck the car is going to be fine at lunch time.

Crochet

I would love to make this blanket. http://www.interweavestore.com/Crochet/Patterns/Babette-Blanket.html
The only hitch is that I can't actually read a crochet pattern! Undeterred, I sat in front of the computer last night with my ball of wool from the charity shop and my spiffing new crochet hook and did my best to follow an online video tutorial. I tried three tutorials and it was beginning to make sense...only all three tutors had vastly different styles and terminology. The results weren't great, but it is definately worth perservering with.
On a more positive note, I managed to get all the ironing done and out of the way on Sunday morning and then just took the time to continue piecing together the hexagon quilt. Can't wait to get it together so that I have something to hand quilt!

Clash

I must be a very lucky step-mother. My step son is intelligent, kind and easy going and never have I felt the least hostility or resentment from him. He lost his mother only two and a half years ago and whatever he went through, he did not act out on it. I find it hard to tell him off though! But I am getting better at asking him to give me a hand and to do his chores.
John on the other hand has more of a challenge. The girls push harder and test his patience a lot more. They are reluctant to respond, to help, to participate and to share and even more reluctant (one of them at least) to enquire of others how they are, feel, etc. Their world is quite narrow, at least to us looking in. One is almost tempted to label it shallow. But....part of me thinks that this is them going through that part of their lives and all that counts is 'mates' and having a good time and the rest of us are a bunch of nagging dullards.
Hope so. Hate it when those I love are not talking to each other.

Other people's Blogs

From time to time I search Google images for pictures of quilts. I like bright strong colours and love the fabric of Kaffe Fassett, although my own work is far more subdued. I also greatly admire women (they are usually women) who have a natural skill for putting together quilts on a machine, who cut well and who experiment with hues. One blog I found lately really appeals and it gets me into the mood to SEW. http://dragonfliesandchickens.blogspot.com/
I am not sure of the protocol of adding this to my own, but if you are at all into fabric, this is a nice one.

Sewing bee

We had our first sewing bee last night. Celia arrived with lots of samples and an old copy of an older book showing how to do them all! Hannah did not warm to the notion, but Em plodded on and did some running stitch and then a French Seam! (See above)

Hannah was then fired into planning a quilt with the names of all her friends stitched on to it...and by the end of the session she was happily sewing.

I was reluctantly sewing the hexagon quilt as I am keen to move on....yet another unfinished project looms. BUT once started it was very satisfying.

Next week we meet again and let's see how we get on then!

Autumn

It was great having my parents to stay and horrible saying good-bye. Australia is a long way away.

The last week they were here I was on holiday. We enjoyed mild and mostly sunny weather for the week and did a lot. ( Here they are at East Court, situated on the Meridian Line which runs through the town)

We went to Forest Green in Surrey to a lovely pub called the Parrott Inn. There we met up with Mum's eldest sister and her husband. When I was a small child and was in boarding school in Belfast, they took care of me at the weekends as my parents were in Nigeria.

We visited Tunbridge Wells again, and Tesco's in Three Bridges...On Wednesday John and I took a day out for a date and went to London and the girls had a day with Grandma and Pappy.

Thursday was a day at home, tidying and cleaning mostly, - my parents rarely rest and are brilliant at keeping the house clean and tidy....and on Friday, at 3pm we got married!

We celebrated at home afterwards with champagne and then played on the Wii!
Dinner for 12 at the local Thai restaurant finished off the day.

On Saturday, Mum and I went with my friend Celia to a craft show, but ended up finding only show dogs at the venue. Nice, but not the same....We went to Wakehurst Place (National Trust) instead and browsed in the mist, the shop and had the obligatory coffee break.

On Sunday, my parents took us out for lunch at Dunnings Mill Inn, another good food venue in town. Home for tea, a short walk and then their taxi was here at 6pm.

Green Tomato Chutney

What do you do when there are not enough green tomatoes to make a green tomato chutney? Add red ones!

Most of these were from the vines...the photos have been on the camera for ages. Love the colours and the smell was superb!
These photos have not appeared in the order that they were uploaded, but the gist is clear...Still one jar of chutney left.