It's November already, only a few weeks left in the year, so I'd better start blogging regularly from now on.  It's coming up to the busiest time of year for the postie work, lots of parcels to deliver and endless catalogues.  The quiet time in the new year is the only thing that makes this job bearable, there is an avalanche of parcels due to Ebay and online shopping and we put in many extra hours in the run-up to Christmas.  We desrve to have it easy later on.

 The hot weather is coming, but that's OK, because then I will have to stay inside and sew, it will be too hot to be outside.  There are many things I hate about summer, but I'm choosing not to think about them just yet. 

I think I can start clearing my sewing room today, it's like a jumble sale in there now, with every homeless object from the last 6 weeks just dumped on the tables. People helped clean up after every meal, and if they didn't know where something lived, it just went into the sewing room.  It was such a shock to have 7 people around for three days, after my solitary existence, but we all enjoyed ourselves.  I discovered that I only have 7chairs, which was awkward when the numbers swelled to 9, but we made do.  It's all about the company, after all, not whether it's worthy of Home Beautiful.

 So, where was I?

 I was working on these grey blocks;I had made a decision about the sashing,

and I'd started putting the rows together.  But even before all the madness started, I was reluctant to sew more blocks into rows.  You would think after all this time I could recognise the signs, but it was only after I purchased a Metropolitan Fair layer cake (lovely reds and greens!)

that the truth became clear.  I didn't like the sashing material I'd chosen, and I realised that when I saw this grey foulard print.  

It was perfect, exactly what I had in mind and couldn't find before.  So all the blocks were packed away yet again, while I waited patiently for the yardage to become available.  This morning I ordered it, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's here soon, and I can get this project finished.  

When will I learn to listen to the little voices that say 'That's not the right material, don't use it, there's something Perfect out there....'

Cleaning up will take up most of the day, but hopefully there will be some sewing this evening.

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I could not begin to describe the last 6 weeks, it's been a whirlwind of activity, just one thing after another.  My mantra has been "I can do this...", and seeing it's all over now with no disasters, I guess I did do it.  Now it's time to pick up the pieces, and do the laundry.

There was the booth at the Austalian Machine Quilting Festival.

 There was a trip to Adelaide to pick up my DS, who stayed with me for two weeks;

Dolly adored him, she will be very sad now that he's gone back to Queensland.

There were birthday festivities for our 54th birthdays (must update profile) It was so great to have most of the family together in one spot.

There was a trip to Port Broughton with all the family and the dogs

None of us could keep up with the almost-2-year-old, only the dogs could match him for energy.

There were pre-wedding preparations, and alterations to bridesmaid dresses

There was a weekend of festivities;

 a wedding for John and Liz, with Shonny as one of the bridesmaids,

 family get-togethers and shopping and driving and lots of coffee

There was a 2 year old's birthday party (photobombing is still popular)
Tearful farewells at the airport (no photos)
A long trip back home.
A walk through the garden.

 Now I have to put my house back into some semblance of order, get all my work stuff sorted, and then try and remember what the heck I was trying to achieve in the sewing room.  I think I might actually stitch something in the next day or two; it will be wonderful to have time to sit and sew again.

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