NQR

After making a quilt for a baby shower (at the end of the kookaburra post), I thought it would be nice to make one for Liam...especially as it has different textures on it. I've been procrastinating, but not sure why. Enough I thought.
I laid out the squares and immediately felt uncomfy...I laid out all of them...perhaps I'm being silly. I asked Kris (see I was desperate..."I hate it" said he..."please don't say its for us" and "did you choose that fabric?"). That made me feel good... not. Now I would also like to point out that I do not like making things I hate, even if they are to give away :).

I've removed the offending stripy fabric...it really did not go, but something is still not right. I think I may take out the monkeys and multi-coloured circles. At the moment its lying on the spare room floor. Hopefully I will be able to salvage something out of it.

Oh well, at least i got some painting done.

Hugs to all,
Sharon

The Moment by Kris Feigl

A journey
Created
A scream
Not faked it
Drawing
Contraction
Conception
A life

Building blocks
Growing
The dream
Your showing
A glow
The radiance
A light

A future
Your making
A dream
Your shaping
Prime directive
An instinct
A drive

The fear
Of not being
Not clear
Not seeing
A future a choice
Not to make

A tomorrow
Not there at all
The questions
No answers call
That future
May see success
Or may see a fall

The tears
Screaming returns
Not faking
Contractions churn
Force out a life
Turn on a light
Forever change

Behold the moment
Behold a life
Welcome new spirit
Burning so bright
Light supernova
Overwhelms all
Blots out the day

Bonding in spirit
Bonding in soul
Sense new beginning
Responsible role
Baton change over
Life's work starts now
Where will it end

Glimpse new horizon
Behind a glow of dawn
Track leading on now
Energy gone
Unconditional love
Unforgettable journey
When will it end

For the love of a mother
The bond of the soul
Will live ever more now
In her baton change role
Future intangible
Power incredible
Force indescribable
Drive not deflectable
Course not selectable
Nature's choice
Irresistible and delectable
Sweet dreams!

I hope you like DH's poem
Hugs, Sharon

A Kookaburra, a Trampoline, a Cake and a Quilt

Its Spring :) and the honeyeaters constant squabbling in the gum tree over a particularly good nest has abated. It went on all through August LOL.










We also had a visitor to our deck yesterday afternoon. Our deck does feel a little like a tree-house and this little kookaburra certainly emphasized that. We have never had one come so close...he obviously approves of our deck. He wasn't even too concerned about popping down onto the deck to grab a bit of sausage meat :)



Even Liam was interested...unfortunately there is no photo as we stopped him as he was reaching out to touch the bird. This was the best we could do. The kookaburra remained despite Liam getting within millimetres of his breast :) Our neighbours' children were also fascinated to see him as they arrived home from school. Kris fed him some meat from a sausage roll...hope that doesn't put him off coming back LOL. I was taking photos and it almost looked like he was posing at one stage. I was quite close :). This is why we love Montrose, the trees , the birds and if you go for a walk early enough (which I have not done lately...and am consequently quite unfit), I have seen wallabies, a couple of echidnas and the odd kangaroo. The bush is just over the back road you see. Montrose is the kind of place that people stay, sometimes moving within the suburb...I

guess thats why we've been here for so long...



Liam also had a good time on the trampoline with both Mummy and Daddy...he outlasted both of us :). He just loves it especially when on of us (usually Daddy) is on too. He can coordinate his bouncing so that he goes up as Daddy comes down...he loves getting higher and higher. There are lots of smiles, good looking and squeals of delight :).



















Simon was also over last week-end for Liam's birthday ...so I'll indulge in a couple of pics of Liam's birthday again. Still not keen about the candles LOL














I have also finally finished the quilt I was making for a friend's baby shower...well I had left myself a little over a week to do it and I must say I was quite impressed with how close I got...at least Tracey was able to see it almost finished...that is with threads hanging out and most of the quilting done. The pics I've taken still have loose threads so don't look too closely...I wanted to take advantage of the sun :)
I ran out of time...the election didn't help. Who's running the country anyway?...well we still don't know LOL.

So I hope you are all having a good week.
Lots of love and hugs (of course LOL),
Sharon

Liam at 6

Today was Liam's 6th birthday and he was well :) After several years of him being ill on his birthday, thats now two in a row that he's been fine. Its so good that he's so healthy now :)

Liam 3 days old...and it was the first time I got to hold him or even see him for 2 long days, as we were in different hospitals :(



















Liam loves to go to his favourite corner when he gets to school...Mum saying goodbye

He is also very very happy.










He absolutely loves his school, loves being with Mummy and Daddy and the pool and going out and coming home. Liam lives very much in the now and now is wonderful :). No wonder he's so healthy :)


The school Liam goes to is an autism specialist school and on a child's birthday, they organise a party for them with balloons, party food, party hats and a present...we bring cake, drink and goodie bags. Its a really nice thing to do. We are also invited...yeah!
As you can see even its no mean feat. Just getting them to put on the hat, however briefly isn't easy. hence its off most of the time. The teacher encourages one child to give Liam his birthday present and then helps him to unwrap it...as you can see he was quite happy with it :)...then came the Happy Birthday song and the lighting and blowing out the candles. All the kids get a chance to do this, which is really good. Liam as you can tell isn't always so keen on this. interested Liam was...it has taken a while and a lot of hard work on the teacher's part as although Liam is pretty easy going in that he is passive-aloof photos show that Liam didn't like the birthday song ( that may exhibit a dislike of bad singing LOL). Wouldn't look at the cake being lit, though he would intensely watch his teacher :)

...its therefore hard to get his attention. He will not necessarily look at what you want him to look at. Kris calls it studious avoidance. Putting it right in his face means "don't look", but you do feel you have to try as its too easy to avoid looking from a distance. It can be quite frustrating at times.

Liam was a little uncertain what to make of the lit candles and cakes approaching him...although you could say he has finally looked at them :D

He did have a go at blowing them out though...he much preferred eating one. This chocolate cake is his absolute fave food, even better than chips :)
Afterwards it was back to the normal school routine (do a almost detect a sigh of relief that its all normal again LOL) with a song and a book. It was fascinating watching the other kids and seeing how interested Liam was...it shows the persistent hard work his teachers have put into him.

As you can see we all had a very good day. Liam was quite happy to slip into the normal school routine again and say goodbye to his parents again :). He was very tired that night though. Turning 6 can be hard work :D

Liam you are an absolute treasure and we adore you. Your cuddles and giggles and wanting dickle dickle (tickling) brighten our days more than you will ever know. Happy Birthday our precious one :)

Lots of hugs, Mum

Tuesday night

I had had to wait for the driving rain and hail to ease before going down to the car for my craft class.

Next day:
"I didn't make it to my craft class last night"
"Why not?" R asked
"Because I couldn't get down the driveway"was the mournfully embarrassed response
R Laughing "why, what was in the driveway?"
"Nothing"
I backed out, Kris parks slightly differently to me...should that make a difference. "I couldn't see" I sadly exclaimed
"What happened?" said she
"Oh I went over the sleeper and got bogged in front of the tree. Kris had to rescue the car and I was so upset , he thought I best stay at home. I was sooo upset and cross and embarrassed I couldn't ring and explain why I didn't go"
Last time Kris had driven the car down the driveway, after doing this and covering a visiting friend with mud.
" And to add insult to injury, I was also looking forward to a poo-free night"
Needless to say we both cracked up laughing
Dare I say "Shit happens" LOL

Hugs, Sharon

Bits of this and that

My fave red has transformed.......I know dyelots can vary, but its a totally different colour!!!

Santa in my red's previous incarnation

A little bit of sewing. These 3 stitcheries were also from QFD's Christmas in July and are meant to be the centrepieces of 3 gift bags. I did the first in my fave variegated red (Anchor 1206), but it has since changed :(...the bright pink and deep wine colurs are more like brown and orange :(

The last 2

are using a gorgeous threadworx variegated yarn...I just loved the way the chrissy presents worked out :)

Barb (Theodore Cleave) & Marg Lowe (designs) at the Quilt and Craft Fair, Melbourne. It was great to meet them...sorry this is the only photo I have of the day

It was lovely going to the fair with my sisters, but I missed out on a fair bit due to the size of the crowd on the first day...it just wore me down...I'll think I'll go later next time (not that I didn't get some goodies though, perhaps it was better for my wallet, especially as I had been doing a bit of online naughtiness hee hee hee

Belated showings of lovelies I won in 2 separate giveaways earlier this year.

These gorgeous variegated threads were hand dyed by Amanda Bergamin and

the ever-so cute cow is a wall hanging by Nina Lise Moen (who include some other beauties as you can see in the piccie below).

You will be relieved to hear I have thanked these ladies much earlier...they are sooo late in being posted as I've been a little out of it (not an excuse, just why).
Its also why I've been slack blogging and even reading blogs...all of which makes me feel somewhat disconnected, but I'm getting there :).... I will further add that although I have been negligent lately I have appreciated all the lovely comments that have been made.

The decking is progressing as you can see below. Liam just loves it.







He's not even fully dressed yet :)


The decking after its first coat of paint...really only the top needed to be done at this stage, but we (well Mainly Kris) couldn't waste the lovely sun after the rain and hail of previous days.















Stay well. Hugs, Sharon

August 1st

Its the first day of August and a bit dark and dreary outside. Still only one more month of winter and yesterday was surprisingly warm and sunny. Not bad hey :). Its also Liam's birthday at the end of the month :)...a lovely end to winter.

I've gone to my carer's exercise class now 3 times. The first time I was apprehensive...hey I've never been to a gym before :) I felt great after the class, though my legs waited 'til the still of the night to voice their rather loud protest at such treatment LOL. The following week, I was still uncertain and felt more tired (perhaps I tried harder...we are talking about me though :) and last week I was excited to go. Isn't that grand!

On the home front we've been having a deck built...the post holes were all dug and we were chatting to our neighbours...4 adults making sure 4 children didn't go down a hole...so of course I just had to demonstrate what not to do in the name of public safety of course LOL.

So here is well I fell...lucky really as the slope just fell away so I didn't have a sore head as I landed face done and I missed all the rocks.
I felt well.. rather silly really ;)










Kris built a rock wall...a good bit of recycling :). That area looks much much much better now...he did a really good job too...see all that time playing tetris didn't go to waste :D




The rock wall






I took photos and Liam of course discovered his father's pepsi (Ahhhh pure caffeinated sugary cola...heaven for Liam).
He can be quite demanding and doesn't take into consideration such minor difficulties as the can may be empty (well usually its not) or you may be indisposed or asleep as this photo shows. As you can see my DH can sleep through most things.

Liam after coke/pepsi (doesn't care which). Note he cannot drink it directly from the can so he thoughtfully brings a cup as well :)







Liam surveying the work in progress last Sunday


I have also been stitching, but I haven't taken photos yet...will wait until it brightens up a bit.


I'll be back another day with more Christmas in July goodness...shame its over :( Thanks Sarah, you're a star.

Lets all have a wonderful August. Hugs, Sharon