Yesterday we went on an outing with our patchwork friends, to celebrate the 60th birthday of one of our members. We went to the patchwork shop at Jamestown first, and found a few things that had to come home with us. I was very good, and only bought 2m of fabric and some needles. I even wrote the purchases into my spreadsheet when I got home, so I'm actually keeping records.

Afterwards we went to lunch in a new little cafe, and there was much laughter and talking and a lot of blueberry tart to be eaten. It looked wonderful, but Mereth and I had raspberry cheesecake instead. It was a very decadent meal in the middle of the day, and most enjoyable.

This is what Liz gave her husband for Christmas;I think it's a wonderful idea and my kids should have had one each when they were growing up!

I'm busy sewing on a new project, photos tomorrow when the light is better. I'm pleased to say that I am actually using my Judie Rothermels, and the blocks are looking fabulosa!

Today we had to vote in our local election; luckily the polling place was in the next building up from me, so I didn't have far to go. That's the nice thing about living in the main street.

I gardened today, and spent a lot of time fertilising and watering and making everything comfortable. Matt took away a bag of tomatoes to dry in his dehydrator, which he got for Christmas. He's made some wonderful beef jerky, much nicer and cheaper than the bought stuff.

We are having a lovely summer, cool in the mornings and at night, and just a nice sort of hot in the day time. I hope I haven't jinxed it by mentioning how nice it is.

Mind you, we had a blistery scorcher of a day last week, which was just awful! For some reason, we thought it would be a good day to go to the next town and do a bit of shopping; air-conditioned car, air-conditioned shops, who cares if it's hot. When we hopped into the car I noticed that the windscreen was dusty so I thought I should spritz it with the wipers. No water came out of the nozzles, but the wipers were dragging across the dry surface. Horrors! In trying to get them to stop I somehow managed to turn on the back wiper,which I didn't know I had, and now there were two lots screeching across the windows.

I raced into my laundry, grabbed a bucket of water and ran out to throw it over the windscreen. It must have been soapy water, because when it dried, almost instantly, the whole windscreen went white. AAGGHH! Back I ran for another bucket of clean water, while Mereth was stuck in the hot car busily reading the manual and trying to work out how to turn off that blessed back wiper. It took another two buckets of water before all the windows were clean and the wipers silenced.

It was funny afterwards, but we nearly melted into a puddle! I must start putting my poor car into the garage, instead of leaving him to fry in the sun.

The last photo is a beautiful red rose from a bush that Mereth gave me last year. It's fragrance is gorgeous, and it perfumes the whole kitchen. It's hard to decide on a favourite flower, but i think roses are mine.