A winner and a catchup, again......................

 I see that it is 10 days since my last post, and it has been one of those 'gunna do' jobs on the list all this week, but the days just went by. So here we are and it's Sunday evening, so perhaps I'll update the newsfromjude, just in case you had missed me.

A WINNER

Perhaps I better start with the announcing the winner of the competition for the best estimate of the number of stitches per square inch in that quilt. My apologies for not announcing this earlier this week.

There was a wide range of entries, that varied from not many, to squillions! It was interesting to hear how some of you worked it out. Thankyou for all those who entered, but the closest was from Chookyblue, who estimated 55 and the answer was 54!! I have spoken to Chooky and she will pick some fabric from my "collection" as her prize. 

IN THE GARDEN

I have continued my clearing in the garden, and had 7 heaps of rubbish ready to be collected last week. When the days are cooler I am busy out there, but when the weather heats up as it looks to do next weekend, it is time to stay indoors, unless I do the early morning shift outside.

When I get some more progress I will post before and after photos, so stay tuned.

CLEARING THE DECKS

At the start of a new year it is a good time to go through paper work and put things away that seem to accumulate in busy times. The cutting table had a LOT of "stuff" and some of it are things I use on Max that I need close at hand. So off to the shop I went to buy a set of drawers.......

..............and now all that stuff is stored out of sight, but still close to where I need it. Wonder how long it might stay tidy like that?? There are even some empty drawers!

And of course the desk space needed a sort out too, and I usually take down photos at the end of the year and add them as the year unfolds.

It did look like this when I had finished and I know it won't stay like that when I have projects on the go, but at least it makes me feel better to know that I have cleared the decks, at least for awhile.

SOME ALLOVERS AND CUSTOMS AHEAD

I started work again this week after Max had his holiday, and here are the 4 allover quilts that I had ready to do.

Here are the next 3 customs all pinned up behind Max ready to "talk" to me about what they need. As of tonight, the one in the middle has been loaded ready for some action this week.

A PROCEDURE

On Friday morning I went to the doctor for what I thought would be a biopsy on a lump on my chest and before I knew it, she decided that to avoid having to cut twice, it may as well come right out there and then. 7 stitches later I walked out the door!!

A VISITOR

Looking out the window this week I noticed this fella (or is it a she?) heading for the front entrance. I think perhaps I might have removed a lot of it's original home by removing a lot of garden growth?

COMPILING A HISTORY

Our local patchwork group is to celebrate their 25th year in a few months, and as Publicity person I am compiling a history of our group into a book. That previously cleared desk has now been put to use with all these photo albums and minutes books while I do this.

TRIP TO KEITH

My car was due for a service and this meant a drive up to Keith, which is about half and hour away. They loan me a car while they do the job. Val came with me and we browsed the shops and I might have left some funds in some of them. We finished up the morning with a coffee until the car was finished. 

I did get told that my car needed some new tyres, so I drove back to Bordertown and booked the car in for that job on Friday morning, so that is another couple of jobs ticked off the list. I have to confess that I am not a bit mechanically inclined and rely on the service guys to tell me when those things need doing. 

BACK THROUGH THE YEARS

And this what it looks like on my kitchen table at the moment as I have spent the weekend going through the albums looking for photos. 

I  received the news this week that my mother in law (photo below) passed away, one month short of her 95th birthday. She has done an amazing job to stay living in her own home until the end. The funeral is tomorrow and I have been back through the years in the process of writing a tribute to her on behalf of my husband, (her second son) and our family.

I think that might be enough of newsfromjude for now and hopefully I will be back sooner next time.One day I might even have some more sewing news from me?  Hopefully I will have a couple of visitors for next weekend as we head into celebrations for Australia Day, although not in the same way as other years at Number Eight.

Blessings, From Jude