Yet again, my sewing space is in shambles.  I was totally distracted from my projects by the need to sew something for the shop, and a commission quilt. Of course I didn't clean up first, so now there is an extra layer of fabric and scraps and project parts on top of all the other stuff.  And I will get in and clean it up today, but very carefully, because there is a spider on the loose in there somewhere , and I am the world's biggest coward when it comes to spiders.  If I see the horrible thing again I'll be out of the room in seconds.

Last weekend we went down to Adelaide again, this time for the 21st birthday of our youngest niece.  Anna.

 She's grown into an amazing person, studying to be a ranger in National Parks.  She has an internship this summer, near Roxby Downs in The north of our state, where she'll be trapping native animals and recording numbers.  It's lovely to see her following her passions.

Whenever I see my brother Greg I remember 1977, when he had a motorbike accident on a  remote property and nearly died from a punctured lung.  He was in a coma on life support for 6 weeks, with doctors continually telling us that he wouldn't pull through.  But he did, and 20 years to the day after that accident, Anna was born. It could all have been so different, and instead we have Susie and the girls added to our family. I thank God every time we see them.

Isla was the life of the party yet again, chatting to everyone and eating whatever party food she could filch off the table.  At one point I caught her drinking a glass of Pepsi, which she's definitely not allowed to touch.  I don't want to see Isla on caffeine. She had a big conversation with Anna's Italian grandmother, Nonna.  Nonna's English is not good, and Isla was so excited she was babbling and we couldn't understand her either.  Nonna watched Isla tell a particularly intense story, with lots of hand waving for emphasis, and then said carefully 'You speaking Italian, and I speaking English!' They were so cute together.

It was also cute to see two 19 year old guys with Thomas, one holding him carefully, and the other armed with a paper napkin, dabbing off the drool with surgical precision.  Thomas was laughing and drooling in equal proportions, but the boys weren't fazed.  I just love watching all the layers and generations of family, enjoying each other and building up memories.

It was just a quick trip, we were back the next day, and now I have to tackle that sewing room. 

There are quilt finishes about to happen, if I can just get to the ironing board and the sewing machine.