I just have to show you this…..

…..it’s my Valentines Day present from Ashley.  It finally arrived nearly a month late cause as usual the suppliers list it in their catalogues but don’t have enough in stock.  For months when ever I had to work with Ashley I would need to borrow his tools and there is nothing harder than getting a man (particularly an electrician) to part with his precious pliers or screw driver!  So at last he listened to me and bought me this tool set.  It is designed for women - but the tools in it are good ones.  There’s even gloves, scissors, pruners and a hammer!!!  Yipee and best of all they are purple - yes that lovely soft purple you see in the photo - so hopefully when I have to work with a bunch of plumbers, builders and one electrician - they won’t pinch my tools.  I have added a shady hat and some sun screen and now I feel fully equipped to deal with most emergencies….roflmol….well at least the kind that involve me hunting for a hammer to hang a picture hook for my latest photo or quilt….wicked grin.

February’s Baltimore Block is finished from Fat Cat Patterns.  I had to machine applique this one with satin stitch as I can no longer hand sew them.  I’m still deciding if I want to pull out the button hole stitch I did on January’s block or leave it and use it as a focal point in the centre of the quilt.  March’s block is there and I have printed it out - but not tackled it yet.  Ohh and check out the cute owl pattern that has just been posted there it’s called Hooty Toots.

I have also finished the mystery quilt from the Stitch and Frame Shop.  I like the pattern (Jewel Box they called it) and it looks better in the photo than real life - but I wish I had chosen different colours.  Personally I think this quilt needs lots of contrast.  I could see it with black or navy blue background  fabric and lots of jewel toned hand dyed fabric for the pattern. It still needs borders - although that won’t be for a while until I decide what I want to do with it.  I’m also trying to convince Nicola that she could easily make this quilt - in fact I think it would be a good exercise  for her but time will tell if that happens.

Right off to do some more sewing.  Nicola, James and I spent part of the morning cleaning up the disaster that James calls his bedroom.  You can now actually walk in the door to his room without falling over anything.  I have done four loads of washing - which are nearly dry as soon as they hit the line it’s so hot and I have just heard from Ashley and Elise who drove to Melbourne today to pick up a new car that we bought.  It’s a Suzuki (which James loves cause he wants a Suzuki - goodness knows why) which will be small enough to tow behind the bus, economical around town and is manual for Elise to learn to drive in - she is able to get her learners permit next year and there isn’t a snowflakes chance in hell she will be driving the Range Rover.  The weary travellers will be home tonight about 6 pm after a very long hot day.

I hope your day is a good one.

More photos have been loaded to my Block a Day photo set on Flickr.

So far I’m keeping up with them all although it does help that I spend an hour or so cutting out quite a few days blocks so at least if I’m busy I know it won’t take long to whip up each block. It seems strange but I have made 63 blocks already. Enough for a couple of quilt….vbg….but I’m not going down that road until I have them all done. Ahhhhh there’s nothing like a challange. As always pop over to my flickr site to check them out if you’re interested. Hopefully I now have them organised so that the

Ok so I had to just see what my fairy name would be. Lots of people seem to be checking this out -so I had to too….vbg.

I am……wait for it……

Your fairy is called

Thorn Goblinwand

She is a bringer of riches and wealth.
She lives in brambles and blackberry bushes.
She is only seen when the seer holds a four-leafed clover.
She wears purple and green like berries and leaves. She has gentle green wings like a butterfly.

Trust me to be a Thorn in someones side…vbg. You can find the site here to check out your Fairy Name.

Ohh and the funny thing is I love purple and green so isn’t it handy as a fairy I get to wear those colours….lol.

There has been lots of work done on the bus you just can’t see it mores the pity. Ashley finished welding up all the boxes and bits and peices he needed to last night so at last we can get the sides put on the bus. Ashley’s mate is coming on Saturday to measure it up and will order the panels Monday.

They should be here Tuesday and the bus should be not so naked looking by the end of the week - all going well. Naturally we are both crossing fingers and toes and anything and everything else that it all goes smoothly.

I cleaned the inside thoroughly on Monday. There was so much dust and dirt and wood shavings that I emptied the vacumm cleaner twice before I had it all. Ashley has put the seats back in the front…..

…carpeted the front section, moved the hand brake (it was one of the items defected in the first road worthy- apparently it was too close to the drivers seat) and in general had a tidy up.

There is still carpet to go on the roof but that’s been ordered and Mum and I have that job of installing it. Painting still needs to be done and the gas bottles (the bus runs on gas) have to be checked by a qualified person and plated. That bit was organised and lunch time and P. will pop round as soon as he has time and do that bit.

For those who have seen the news about the truck that crashed into a passenger train in the North West of the State and wondering if that is near me , it is.  The accident happened about half an hour from Swan Hill where the railway line crosses the highway.  You can read some details here.

 There is much speculation around town as to who was on the train and who has been injured, or worse still, lost their life, but until families and the authorities are ready to announce details - that is all it will remain.  From what has been said a great many people on the train were from Swan Hill as this is it’s departure point for Melbourne.

 Can I just say though - like so many other drivers I have driven across that railway crossing - which is marked with lights, but no boom gates - so many times I couldn’t count them.  The train track crosses the highway there at an odd angle - which can be quite deceptive at times as to how fast the train is travelling and a great many decide to ignore the lights and drive though working on the theory that they can beat the train, and in a lot of instances they do. 

I don’t know how or why the accident happened - it is something that the authorities mustwork out with their experts.  I do know that the truck driver and his family are in my prayers , as are the friends and family of the dead and injured and the living, as they will have a long and difficult road ahead in dealing with the whole situation. I must admit though - from now I on will be slowing to a crawl before I cross that particular peice of track and looking twice and even three times before venturing across it.

None of my family or friends were involved in the accident but I would ask that you keep the families of those involved, those who came to the aid of the injured, the police, fire and ambulance officers, doctors and nurses in your prayers.  There are several dead, a lot with serious injuries and many who will retain mental scars for quite some years to come.

 It’s unfortuante that incidents like this suddenly make us realise just how fragile and precious human life is.

Thank you.