A very Happy Christmas to you!I pray that you will be very conscious of God's deep and unconditional love for you as you hear again the wondrous story of His coming to dwell with us.
~ Have a wonderful day of celebration tomorrow ~
Monday, December 24, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Scatterday S - Week 18
This week's offering comes with sincere salutations of the season to all my savvy Scatterdaisies - and is brought to you by the letter S.
Medical
Firstly I have a patient's-eye view of a saline drip, taken one-handed with my little digital camera as I lay in the intensive care ward of a private hospital in Cairo in September 2005, suffering from severe dysentery. Obviously the treatment (and the home-made fruit jellies Jenny Bowker brought me) was beginning to work!
In addition - if you can cope - here is a photo of the scar on my wrist, a legacy from an accident when I put my arm through a plate glass door at the age of 4
Beverage
My favourite soft drink - Coke Zero.
Christmas
Some sparkling starry sequins.
Our own little Christmas 'star', Alexanne, hanging on the Christmas tree.
A shepherd and his sheep from my Fisher Price nativity set.
And the stable (or shed) with the rest of the nativity figures.
Have a wonderful Christmas - but keep those 'digis' at the ready!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
The Night Before Christmas - for Quilters
Here is a little poem, composed by that most prolific of scribblers - "Anonymous".
Does the predicament sound familiar??
T'was the night before Christmas, and the quilts were not made.
The threads were all tangled, the cookies delayed.
The stockings weren't hung, the pantry was bare,
the poor weary quilter was tearing her hair.
Stacks of fat quarters tipped over in streams.
Visions of Log Cabins had turned into dreams.
With what to her wondering eyes should appear
than a bus full of quilters with all of their gear.
They went straight to work with just a few mutters,
sorting and stitching and brandishing cutters.
The patterns emerged from all of the clutter
like magic the fabrics arranged in a flutter.
Log Cabins, Lone Stars, Flying Geese and Bear Tracks,
each quilt was a beauty--even the backs.
Her house how it twinkled, her quilts how they glowed.
The cookies were baking, the stockings were sewed.
Their work was all done, so they folded their frames
they packed up their needles, without giving their names.
They boarded the bus and checked the next address,
more quilts to be made, another quilter in crisis.
She heard one voice echo as they drove out of sight,
Happy Quilting to all, and to all a good night.
Does the predicament sound familiar??
T'was the night before Christmas, and the quilts were not made.The threads were all tangled, the cookies delayed.
The stockings weren't hung, the pantry was bare,
the poor weary quilter was tearing her hair.
Stacks of fat quarters tipped over in streams.
Visions of Log Cabins had turned into dreams.
With what to her wondering eyes should appear
than a bus full of quilters with all of their gear.
They went straight to work with just a few mutters,
sorting and stitching and brandishing cutters.
The patterns emerged from all of the clutter
like magic the fabrics arranged in a flutter.
Log Cabins, Lone Stars, Flying Geese and Bear Tracks,
each quilt was a beauty--even the backs.
Her house how it twinkled, her quilts how they glowed.
The cookies were baking, the stockings were sewed.
Their work was all done, so they folded their frames
they packed up their needles, without giving their names.
They boarded the bus and checked the next address,
more quilts to be made, another quilter in crisis.
She heard one voice echo as they drove out of sight,
Happy Quilting to all, and to all a good night.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Would you like to leave a gift under my tree?
It was fun while it lasted, but now it's time for me to pack it up and place my Christmas Tree widget ever-so-gently but firmly in the wheelie-bin.
Thank you to the 17 lovely (genuine) readers who took the time to send me Christmas greetings and to choose such thoughtful gifts (and choose their wrapping paper and ribbon!) and place them under my tree. I do appreciate your kindness.
However.....I must also thank the 12,000 or so others who suddenly, over the course of the last couple of days, deluged me with unusual gifts and sleazy, illiterate messages - managing to completely by-pass my visitor counter by devious means known only to those bent on mischief. (For all the skullduggery you wrought, you might at least have had the generosity to have registered an extra 12,000 visits on my counter!)
While your many declarations of love and offers to marry me or amuse me in ways I would remember forever amused me, I'm afraid I must disappoint you all by declining to take them up.
I realise this is not at all in the spirit of Christmas - but then neither were your "gifts".
Thank you to the 17 lovely (genuine) readers who took the time to send me Christmas greetings and to choose such thoughtful gifts (and choose their wrapping paper and ribbon!) and place them under my tree. I do appreciate your kindness.
However.....I must also thank the 12,000 or so others who suddenly, over the course of the last couple of days, deluged me with unusual gifts and sleazy, illiterate messages - managing to completely by-pass my visitor counter by devious means known only to those bent on mischief. (For all the skullduggery you wrought, you might at least have had the generosity to have registered an extra 12,000 visits on my counter!)
While your many declarations of love and offers to marry me or amuse me in ways I would remember forever amused me, I'm afraid I must disappoint you all by declining to take them up.
I realise this is not at all in the spirit of Christmas - but then neither were your "gifts".
Friday, December 14, 2007
Scatterday D - Week 17
This week's Scatterday is brought to you in haste by the letter D and the extremely disorganised and distracted Di.
My computer is about to be hurled against the wall unless it gets its act together and starts to think faster - it's slowed to a crawl and I don't have enough hours in my life that I am prepared to waste while I wait for it to create a mosaic for me.
So, I'm afraid it's a No Frills / No Mosaic Scatterday this week.
The categories are:
Sewing - Here we have DMC embroidery cottons.
Vehicle - and here is a Delivery Van that was obligingly parked across the road this afternoon (a bit of a pattern emerging here - see last week's Kombi Van)
My computer is about to be hurled against the wall unless it gets its act together and starts to think faster - it's slowed to a crawl and I don't have enough hours in my life that I am prepared to waste while I wait for it to create a mosaic for me.
So, I'm afraid it's a No Frills / No Mosaic Scatterday this week.
The categories are:
Sewing - Here we have DMC embroidery cottons.
Vehicle - and here is a Delivery Van that was obligingly parked across the road this afternoon (a bit of a pattern emerging here - see last week's Kombi Van)
Touchy, Feely - and who better than my elderly, but very cuddly, huggable and gorgeous Dog, Chloe. Golden retrievers are such affectionate and gentle dogs!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
A Christmas Tree kind of day
Our real Christmas tree arrived bright and early this morning from Sydney Christmas Trees carried in by two strong lads who cheerfully set it up in its base and left us to give it a drink - or two.
It's a beauty - 7 feet tall and perfectly shaped, with lots of dense foliage and branches - and the house smells so Christmassy!
Tonight we will decorate it with as much bling, lights, and tinsel as its branches will hold. As usual, my mother has bought a new ornament for each member of our family, with a very special one from Harrods for Alexanne's first Christmas. Over the years we've built up quite a collection, and the children, grown-up though they are, always delight in once again seeing "old friends" from Christmases past.
This afternoon was spent with three generous friends packing sequins, beads, needles, threads and felt Christmas tree shapes into kits to give out at our church's Women's Christmas Craft Morning Tea this Saturday. After a short talk by Michelle Underwood we'll all turn our hands to creating a sparkling Christmas brooch to take home, in one of 3 patterns.
Not something you'd wear every day, but hey, at Christmas I don't think there's such a thing as too much bling, do you?
And Christmas came early for me when Lindi told me I had won (drumroll here) a fat quarter from her stash! Have a look at her pretty, festive blog - it'll get you in the Christmas mood!
It's a beauty - 7 feet tall and perfectly shaped, with lots of dense foliage and branches - and the house smells so Christmassy!
Tonight we will decorate it with as much bling, lights, and tinsel as its branches will hold. As usual, my mother has bought a new ornament for each member of our family, with a very special one from Harrods for Alexanne's first Christmas. Over the years we've built up quite a collection, and the children, grown-up though they are, always delight in once again seeing "old friends" from Christmases past.
This afternoon was spent with three generous friends packing sequins, beads, needles, threads and felt Christmas tree shapes into kits to give out at our church's Women's Christmas Craft Morning Tea this Saturday. After a short talk by Michelle Underwood we'll all turn our hands to creating a sparkling Christmas brooch to take home, in one of 3 patterns.
Not something you'd wear every day, but hey, at Christmas I don't think there's such a thing as too much bling, do you?
And Christmas came early for me when Lindi told me I had won (drumroll here) a fat quarter from her stash! Have a look at her pretty, festive blog - it'll get you in the Christmas mood!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Boo Hoo.....
Where have all my presents gone? I had 10 lovely, thoughtful gifts under my Christmas tree (see my previous post) this morning. And now they've gone! Who took them? Was it the Grinch Who Stole Christmas? Anyone out there with ideas?
Maybe they only have a shelf-life of a week....
Never trust a Widget!
POSTSCRIPT: It seems the Elves are playing tricks! Now you see them - now you don't! Go figure....
Anyway, I am going to change the dates for this post and the Christmas Tree so they remain near the top of the opening page.
Maybe they only have a shelf-life of a week....
Never trust a Widget!
POSTSCRIPT: It seems the Elves are playing tricks! Now you see them - now you don't! Go figure....
Anyway, I am going to change the dates for this post and the Christmas Tree so they remain near the top of the opening page.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Scatterday K - Week 16
It was the best of weeks, it was the worst of weeks.
Upon receiving this week's assignment I sank into a mire of despair. I had an extraordinarily demanding week ahead of me, culminating in hosting a 60th birthday party on Friday evening, and babysitting 8 months old Alexanne on Saturday while having the carpets shampooed at home, and taking her to a wedding and reception.
I'll be lucky to even think straight, I thought, let alone sparkle with original ideas and brilliant examples of lateral thinking like Rooruu and Nola. And the letter K ? - well, I ask you!!!
However, as I plodded through the daily tasks I began to see more and more K items! My spirits rose considerably! By the end of the week I had a veritable gallery of photos to present to you, dear reader, and I was feeling mighty chuffed, I can tell you.
Well, 3 hours spent trying to upload my snapshots to Flickr tonight has taken the wind out of my sails, and at 1.20am I just want to go to bed...
So, with a quiet smile and much relief I hand in my homework for this week.
The first category is Blue Things -
Here I give you a blue Kombi Van, which has obligingly been parked in the street outside my home since Wednesday, a ball of blue Knitting yarn, and a row of blue and white houses which are Keepsakes which the airline KLM used to give to passengers about 40 years ago, filled with gin. Cute!
The next was Dangerous Things -
Everyone knows that a little Knowledge is a dangerous thing, and so I have 2 very aged books, a legacy from my grandmother - "Consult Me" and "Enquire Within Upon Everything". If you were to believe the claims within, with these 2 volumes in hand you could cure most ailments and remove every stain known to man, and much more.
Finally, In Your Neighbourhood -
The park down the hill has a Kiosk, not shown at its best in this rather distant shot, and in the bay beside the park are many, many yachts moored in the marina outside the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. I don't know what to look for but I'm sure at least one must be a Ketch. While I was capturing these shots I also noticed a "K" carved on a tree in the park. There are two Kindergartens in my street, one right next door and one run out of our church hall where I also have my Sunday morning creche. Of course the church - Kirk - is here too, and only a stone's throw from the genteel suburb of Darling Point is the lively King's Cross.
I add the usual disclaimer that I have steadfastly resisted the temptation to look at any of my fellow Scatterdaisies' blogs yet, lest I'm influenced by their choices, and so I might just take a quick peek before I don the PJs and drag myself off to bed. It's been a big day....
Upon receiving this week's assignment I sank into a mire of despair. I had an extraordinarily demanding week ahead of me, culminating in hosting a 60th birthday party on Friday evening, and babysitting 8 months old Alexanne on Saturday while having the carpets shampooed at home, and taking her to a wedding and reception.
I'll be lucky to even think straight, I thought, let alone sparkle with original ideas and brilliant examples of lateral thinking like Rooruu and Nola. And the letter K ? - well, I ask you!!!
However, as I plodded through the daily tasks I began to see more and more K items! My spirits rose considerably! By the end of the week I had a veritable gallery of photos to present to you, dear reader, and I was feeling mighty chuffed, I can tell you.
Well, 3 hours spent trying to upload my snapshots to Flickr tonight has taken the wind out of my sails, and at 1.20am I just want to go to bed...
So, with a quiet smile and much relief I hand in my homework for this week.
The first category is Blue Things -
Here I give you a blue Kombi Van, which has obligingly been parked in the street outside my home since Wednesday, a ball of blue Knitting yarn, and a row of blue and white houses which are Keepsakes which the airline KLM used to give to passengers about 40 years ago, filled with gin. Cute!
The next was Dangerous Things -
Everyone knows that a little Knowledge is a dangerous thing, and so I have 2 very aged books, a legacy from my grandmother - "Consult Me" and "Enquire Within Upon Everything". If you were to believe the claims within, with these 2 volumes in hand you could cure most ailments and remove every stain known to man, and much more.
Finally, In Your Neighbourhood -
The park down the hill has a Kiosk, not shown at its best in this rather distant shot, and in the bay beside the park are many, many yachts moored in the marina outside the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. I don't know what to look for but I'm sure at least one must be a Ketch. While I was capturing these shots I also noticed a "K" carved on a tree in the park. There are two Kindergartens in my street, one right next door and one run out of our church hall where I also have my Sunday morning creche. Of course the church - Kirk - is here too, and only a stone's throw from the genteel suburb of Darling Point is the lively King's Cross.
I add the usual disclaimer that I have steadfastly resisted the temptation to look at any of my fellow Scatterdaisies' blogs yet, lest I'm influenced by their choices, and so I might just take a quick peek before I don the PJs and drag myself off to bed. It's been a big day....
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Scatterday M - Week 15
Hmmm, this week's challenge was a little more thought-provoking than usual, and had me on the prowl for items with which I could do some serious harm.....
TEXTURE - Here we have a jar of Alexanne's favourite baby food, and its texture, appropriately enough for a little tot, is MUSHY!!
WEAPON - Being by nature a peace-loving soul, this one had me stumped for most of the week. In vain I wandered the house looking for a MACHETE, a MALLET, a MONKEY WRENCH, or even some MACE. Then, with the arrival of the first "blowy" of summer, I had it - a rolled up MAGAZINE! You might not think this much of a weapon, but if you were a blowfly I think you'd be seriously impressed by it!
HOBBY - MAKING QUILTS, of course!
TEXTURE - Here we have a jar of Alexanne's favourite baby food, and its texture, appropriately enough for a little tot, is MUSHY!!
WEAPON - Being by nature a peace-loving soul, this one had me stumped for most of the week. In vain I wandered the house looking for a MACHETE, a MALLET, a MONKEY WRENCH, or even some MACE. Then, with the arrival of the first "blowy" of summer, I had it - a rolled up MAGAZINE! You might not think this much of a weapon, but if you were a blowfly I think you'd be seriously impressed by it!
HOBBY - MAKING QUILTS, of course!
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