Monday 6 July 2020

Happy Homemaker Monday





The weather

Like Groundhog Day from last week! Cold, grey and rainy again this week. I am quite happy with this weather, although the path to the chicken pen is getting very slippery with mud!

Right now I am

Knitting and knitting! I really, really want to finish my October 1932 knit for my Adventures In Stitchcraft project. I am so close!


Thinking

What will happen in the next week? My state lifted restrictions somewhat and now we are facing the consequences of trusting that people would do the right thing. Cases have increased and some areas of Melbourne have been locked down. I think we should just reintroduce lockdown for the whole state. But it is all a waiting game.

On my reading pile

I did finish four of the books from the Hogsmeade reading challenge from last week - The Way HomeHouses of StoneThe Woman In Black and A Robot In The Garden.

I reviewed The Woman In Black in this post. I really enjoyed it.

And this is how I felt about A Robot In The Garden.


I really, really enjoyed this book and I had to give it 4.5 stars as it just made me feel happy. The robot was just delightful and there were so many funny moments as he learned to navigate the world. This book reminded me of the movie Wall-E - I loved that robot too.

This description of IKEA made me laugh so much as this seems to be the universal experience when it comes to an IKEA store.

'It possessed some sort of magic that made all but the very strongest of mind, or those with a list, buy things they didn't need or even know existed, only to get home to find they had no room for them and weren't sure what they were anyway.'

Truly a charming, heartwarming book - just the thing to make you smile!

It really will make you smile. Just the kind of happy, funny, quirky book I needed in these crazy times. 

On my TV

I have finished watching all six seasons of Glee. The earlier episodes are still my favourites; it was never quite the same after we lost Finn (Cory Monteith), although I do adore Kurt.

I watched a great Swiss movie called The Divine Order.


In 1971 in Switzerland, a referendum was held to decide if women should be given the vote. Of course, only men could vote in this decision! The movie is about Nora, who lives in a small village and decides to publicly advocate for womens' suffrage despite much opposition.
I knew there were many countries which lagged behind in giving women the vote but I would not think to include Switzerland in their number. The referendum was successful in achieving womens' right to vote, although the last Swiss canton to allow women to vote in local elections did not do so until 1991.

I am also watching episodes of Building Off The Grid, which I can watch on 9now


Always looking for ideas!!

Favourite blog post from last week

This is the beginning of a series of blog posts that I look forward to every year.

Bex at Subversive Femme has started her annual Curvy Month, vintage patterns for those with a slightly more voluptuous figure than those gorgeous women from the 40s and 50s. Definitely take a look for some wonderful vintage patterns.

Something fun to share

On the menu

I MUST GET BACK TO PROPER MEAL PLANNING!


On my to do list

I finally received some of the yarn I had on order so will be able to do some dyeing this week. My shop has been getting quite empty - which is a good thing!

In the craft basket

The three projects became four - somehow!


So I am just keeping up my knitting on each one in turn.
I definitely plan to have the pink jumper finished to share in next Sunday's Adventures In Stitchcraft post.

Looking forward to this week

It is the last week of school holidays, so looking forward to the week but not the end of it. Neither of the boys wants to return to school and are begging to start homeschool. With the lockdown, there have been a few parents who decided to homeschool and that has always been my wish for the boys. We will see! 

Looking around the house

The dining table was looking lovely, with no piles of paper. But it was too tempting to have that clear surface so it is now covered with an enormous domino tower which I must be very careful not to knock over!

From the camera


Willow may need another Milo soon! 

Inspirational quote


I know this one has been doing the rounds a lot lately, but it is just so true. 







20 comments:

  1. I love this. Little snippets to remember, all journaled for safe keeping. :)

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    1. So true. I do use my blog as a kind of journal. Sometimes I look back and have completed forgotten things that I have made or grown!

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  2. We are in the middle of opening up. Most stores are open here with restrictions on how many people can go inside. Restaurants can have inside seating with 25% capacity. So far, it is going well. But ..........some areas it is not going so well and cases of the virus are climbing quickly. I have a feeling we may go back to most things being shut down sooner or later.

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    1. It is hard to know whether the state gvernment will not want to close down again as some people would not be happy with that at all. I think we will have this around for quite a while yet.

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  3. Oh Jane, I see that the border between NSW and Victoria is being closed from tomorrow night. I do hope that the containment works swiftly. I feel for those people who live in the apartment towers and went into lockdown so quickly and unexpectedly. It is a reminder to me what could happen out of the blue. I also saw some news story about the shelves being emptied out in some shopping centres, so it might be more difficult to buy some things for a while in some areas around Melbourne.

    Our weather has been a bit windy and prevented me from getting out into the garden. The weather today though was lovely. However I had to go out grocery shopping and on the way to Woolies stopped in at one of the small business in town for an electric fry pan. Came out without the frying pan, and instead bought a three in multi-function cooking pot, and a new recliner chair. Which meant we had to come back into town after taking the groceries home to put the chair in the back of the dual cab. We also ran a couple of other errands before going home so I did not get any gardening done today after all.

    That is a beautiful photo of Willow. So cute!

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    1. We live near the Vic/SA border and my hubby manages work in both states. He had to get a work permit a while back to cross. My brother lives in Beechworth but works in Albury so he now needs a permit as well.
      I cannot imagine actually being locked in your building like that. I wonder if the same thing would have happened if it had been an expensive apartment block in the city?
      Enjoy your new recliner! Sounds very comfortable.

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  4. Things are slowly opening, but sometimes it feels like we are going backwards. Willow is so cute!!

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    1. It is definitely a waiting game to see what happens. Willow is a little sweetie!

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  5. I might have to look into 'A robot in the garden'. As I am about to start work again, that would be perfect. (I only read at work, so 4,5 months without a job is not the best for me)

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    1. I know of lots of people whose reading has decreased as they have lost their commute reading time. I hope you settle back into work well. I hope you enjoy the robot book. I did laugh out loud a few times so you might have people looking at you!

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    2. I don't mind that. I once read a sad book and was crying in the middle of an airport! To me it just says good book, not bothered by what others think.

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    3. I cry so easily! When I am reading aloud, my boys often ask me if I am crying! Like when Charlotte dies in Charlotte's Web.

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  6. We are now all open with restrictions. I loved the knitting and crocheting. I can't do either. I can sew and love to do it. I'm a huge fan of vintage fashions.

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    1. I love sewing too. I seem to go through phases of doing lots of one thing. Thanks for visting!

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  7. Wonderful quote for this week! That books sounds super interesting and what a perfect description of Ikea, haven't been there in a while and now I kind of want to go (though I need nothing from the store, LOL). Hope you have a wonderful week!

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    1. Isn't that exactly what IKEA is like?! Especially the kitchen knick-knack area - there is always some little item that I have to have!

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  8. We were open all through June but are now back to restrictions. Love your knitting projects, they are beautiful.

    Your book choices sound amazing too.

    Thank you for joining in my weekly feature, it's always great to see new faces. Have a wonderful week.

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    1. Hopefully this second round of restrictions will get it under control. Thank you for hosting such a fun linkup!

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  9. I am in awe of your knitting projects! Wow, your work is beautiful! Thanks for the book recommendation. Robot in the Garden is going on the list! Hope you're having a lovely week!

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