The Black Box

Hello there!!  Nice to see all you lovely people once again. 

I've had a lovely restful break, not quite ready to come back fully,

but perhaps once or twice a week from now on. 

I have a problem with computers,

well new age things in general really. 

I mean they are great for a whole load of reasons,

they connect us with the rest of the world and generally do make life easier.  And of course some of my sweetest friends live in that black box,

BUT...

There are some big negatives for me...

The take up too much precious time, I call them time suckers.

They destroy some of what life is meant to be about.

We don't like our girls using them because we'd rather they had fun doing things children should be doing but there are the pressures from school and friends.

They are anti-social, as far as family life is concerned.

If we could, hubby and me that is, we would be living in the sticks growing food for the family and making things we needed.  There would be no TV or computer in our house.  Our children on the other hand do not choose to live this way, so we don't.  We did actually go without watching a TV for about two years several years ago.  It was great.  We spent the evenings talking, doing our activities, playing board games and generally having fun.

As they say, everything in moderation.  But I find it difficult to keep the balance between all my bits. 

I want to spend more time doing one thing but find I don't have enough time to do all the other things. 

So at the moment I will do things in order of importance. 

And that will probably mean blogging will not be at the top of the list, all the time. 

Of course sometimes my needs will be at the top of that list and I will blog!

You lovely people and your lovely ideas keep me coming back for more. 

I've learned so much in the past year.  Gosh I can even crochet now!! 

I also want you to know that I do try and read most of the blogs on my list, but sometimes I don't have time to comment on them.  Please don't think I'm ignoring you, I'm not, I'm probably just having to dash off to do something else.

I've enjoyed spending some time with you again,

but now I must leave you once again to do a little tidying up. 

I've had three tradesmen here today so there is plenty to do.

Have a happy week!

Love Sarah

Spring Is In The Air!

Look what is out in the garden! This says to me that spring is on it's way. Yay!!! We have had our three months of winter, as it started a month earlier this year. Oh it all looks so promising.

See the leaf buds all over the flowering cherry tree? There are bulbs flowering too, except it was too windy to try and photograph them, they kept blurring. Maybe tomorrow they will let me take their pickie. I didn't notice that dark cloud while I was out there! It's been such a beautiful morning. We had two other families over for the morning and all the kids were playing out there.

Now look what arrived in the mail box for me yesterday...

a beautiful card with lots of writing in it, which is always a treat, and I'm feeling bad that I only enclosed a quick note in Floss's parcel. Sorry Floss! And look at the pretty cross stitch flower that she bought at one of her fairs she frequents. I will sew it on something soon.

Now these two cards are both really old. The Pompeta one has a calendar on the back from 1932. Imagine having something so fragile around for so many years. My birthday would have been on a Tuesday, or Mardi, as it is in French. How delightful! I wonder what sort of a party it would have been?

Oh and see all those precious buttons? Lots of mother of pearl ones that Floss knew I wanted, and some other ones she has picked up along the way. I love old buttons but hardly have any, so I am very pleased with the arrival of these.

So thank you very much for those little treasures Floss. I do love them!

And an addition to the silver ware this week too. It really is a time of presents it would seem. Gran gave me this silver chalice - I guess you might call it that? The one at the back anyway. Isn't it lovely? She and Grandad were given it for their wedding 60 something years ago.

You know I'm always drawn to the silver at op shops. I just love it and always borrow my mother's silver at Christmas to decorate the table with. I think I will start buying up a bit, as it is so cheap, at only a couple of dollars a piece. Seems wrong for it to be so cheap. I've been looking at one particular vase for ages now, but it's about $15, but I do love something about it. Maybe I should buy it.

Look at this heavenly box full of Clarinet! It just arrived this morning just as the girls were leaving for school. We just had to open it quickly and take a quick peek. There is something rather amazing about owning an instrument. They look so flash. So who is the proud owner of it you are wondering? Well me of course!!! Yes I'm quite musically minded and play several instruments.

Alright Liz, calm down I'm only joking!!! Oh I did enjoy teasing you. You seem to think I can do everything but you are soooo wrong! I am absolutely useless at music. Can't even sing.

No this clarinet belongs to Daughter No. 1. Not sure where she got the gift of music from, but she is a natural. She learnt the recorder last year at school, and she practiced all the time without being asked to, she loved it so much. Her first clarinet lesson is on Monday and she can't wait.

We will have to learn how to put it together this afternoon. Luckily the nice man put a beginners book in with it with instructions on what to do. I'm sure we will all have a bit of fun trying to make a sound later on.

Love At First Sight!

Have you ever fallen in love, at first sight? Oh yes, I have. I met my dear husband that way quite a number of years ago. Actually we met nearly 16 years ago! Gosh I must be getting old!!!

It was across a smokey, crowded bar, after working late again in the sweat shop. There he was, talking to my flatmate who I was meeting up with before going home. Oh he looked so sweet in his white cotton jumper and I knew right then that he was the man for me. I actually rang my mother the next day to tell her that I had found my future husband! Hey, she believed me. She got engaged after three weeks or something ridiculous!

Anyway what the heck am I on about? Oh yes, I'm in love with the Brother QC1000. Yeeeessss. Very nice indeed. What do you think? Pretty jolly handy piece of equipment wouldn't you say? Do I need such an extravagant machine? Oh gosh yes!!!!!! Of course, no q's asked.


Are any of you lucky enough to have one of these delightful pieces of machinery? Know of anyone with one? I'd love to know if they are as good as they look. Well I did see it in operation in the shop yesterday but I haven't used one yet. Oh it's soooo smooooth. It sews sideways too if you wish it to. Cuts the threads. It can even write the alphabet!! Clever little fellow.


Look at this optional attachment. Imagine binding in one step!




And this walking foot is just what I need right now for quilting. It comes complete with this one.



And hear this, if you get this other foot attachment, it cuts while you overcast, just like an overlocker!!! Imagine the savings when you actually get two machines for the price of one. Oh my goodness me!

Suddenly my little plain machine looks so clunky and rubbishy. Isn't that awful? Look, you've just got to help me so I can hurry up and buy it. No, I haven't looked at anything else. Of course I will, but I just know in my heart of hearts that this will be the one for me.

All my photos came from the brother website. The hearts were lovingly given to me by my dear, darling husband who is getting a tax refund soon. Yes he is a lovely man and he quite agrees with me that it is a fab little fella. He knows I've already bought it, we just haven't handed over the money... yet!