A Day at the Races

Yesterday, for something completely different, we played 'dress up' and went to the races!  To Royal Randwick for the Emirates Doncaster Day, no less.

And not just as some of the crowd, either.  My son's girlfriend works for another airline and was able to secure four tickets and took her mum, my daughter and myself as guests in the Emirates Marquee, where we rubbed shoulders with celebrities from the world of sport and entertainment.  We got to drink a seemingly endless supply of Moet champagne and nibbled canapes and such whilst trying hard not to stare open-mouthed at the parade of fashionistas around us.

The two girls almost instantly turned into fiendish celebrity stalkers and proceeded to have their photos taken with everyone they thought was half famous!

There were Rugby League teams,

and famous ex-cricketers,

and gorgeous heptathletes,

and ex-netballers and current newsreaders,

and 'Packed to the Rafters' stars,

and 'Ready, Steady, Cook'-ers!

What horse won the big race?  Who knows!!  All we know is that after it was all over, we climbed back on the bus and made our way home again to our much less glamourous existence, where we wear clothes, not fashion, and where our faces are used to smile out of, not make us our daily bread.

That said, the champagne was lovely!

Monday again! Again!

We have house guests.  An old friend of Mike has recently sold his business in Queensland and he and his wife packed up their stuff, hitched the caravan to the car and set off on a grey nomad trip.  Not that they are particularly grey.

They arrived here on Friday and have now travelled up to Little Hartley in the Blue Mountains to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary.  And left their 2 little dogs here for a couple of days.  Welcome to Kurrajong Doggie Day Care!

This is Chloe, a sweet, quiet, TINY girl, 7 years old, cross Papillon/mini Fox Terrier.

I think she is missing her human mummy quite a lot.

This is Buddy.

He is a 3 year old Jack Russell/mini Fox Terrier cross.  He has total ADHD.  He is a tightly wound spring on 4 legs.

How come I'm outside?!

This morning, I took all my doggie companions down to the olive trees and picked the olives from one of the trees.  Well, some of the olives from one of the trees.  I left the ones up high and the ones that didn't look real choice.  Even so, I got a jug full -

which are now packed in sea salt, according to the recipe of the Italian mother of a neighbour of ours.

They have to stay in the salt for about a week, then you soak them in water for about a week, presumably to get the salt out!  I can't wait to try them.

In the meantime, the other 3 olive trees still have their olives on them.  They must be a different variety, because their olives are all still green.  I could be picking olives for some time yet!

Bye quilts

Today, I took to the post office two quilts, neatly folded, which were stuffed into a postage bag and posted to a far away destination.  They are gone!

I wish I could say I am happy with how they turned out.  I am however very happy that they are finished.

We bought this dining table on eBay.  It is made from recycled floor boards.  How convenient that there is a large hole in the timber where I was sitting, stitching the binding.  I always knew where my scissors were!

This is my Auntie.  She is the last surviving sibling of my dear old dad.  She still lives in the house she moved into on the occasion of her marriage to my uncle.

My auntie is now approaching 98.  She has been married over 70 years.  She broke her shoulder late last year, falling off a ladder while sweeping down cobwebs!  I do so hope that the quilts keep their feet warm through the upcoming winter.  They may not have been made with great accuracy, but they were made with love.

No news is no news

And on and on I stitch.  I have finished the quilting on the second quilt and am now hand sewing the binding around the edge.  It's like never-ending!  My fingers are like minced meat due to my being completely disabled when it comes to sewing with a thimble on.  It never seems to be on the right finger at the right time.

I have taken time to plant some bulbs I received in the mail from Vogelvry Bulbs in Tasmania.  Near the front steps, I've planted a little patch of Galanthus elwesii, the original Snowdrop as distinct from the Snowflake which I also love.  I admit to confusing the two names often.

I also planted a patch of daffodil Avalon.  Love daffodils!

Otherwise, I have no news!