Thank you to all the lovely ladies who left such terrific comments on menopause. I appreciate all your advice and I do feel much better about the pending changes, however ageing they are!
So what’s on?
On my craft table there are more beautiful butterflies. The amazingly talented Joy, over at Jam Jar invited me to do a swap, how nice is that! I was so chuffed when I read her email, I have admired all of her artwork from the day I first read her blog and then saw her Flickr photos. I have also been making lots of birthday presents that have all been well received and I even had a commission from a friend. So my $24 investment in the huge butterfly punch has certainly paid off.
On the menu for this weeks Food Safari is Yum Cha. A traditional Chinese style of eating usually enjoyed around Sunday brunch time. The waiters have trolleys filled high with cane steamer baskets and they walk around the restaurant offering each table a selection of dishes. When you see something you like you take a basket and it’s added to your bill/tally. You can eat as much or as little as you like. So this Sunday we are heading off nice and early to Melbourne’s China Town to partake of this very traditional Asia delight.
On my VCR is the Australian TV drama Underbelly. The show is very much a Soprano’s style drama, telling the story of the gangland wars that have taken place here in my home city of Melbourne. We have been watching this intriguing story of drugs, murder and double crossing unfold live on the 6 o’clock news for the past ten years and now that most of the main characters are either dead, in jail or on the run overseas it’s been made into a multi part TV drama. Unfortunately for Melbourne viewers the courts have ruled that we can’t watch this TV series as some of the people featured are still waiting for their day in court, and so it was banned. The ironic thing is that anyone who lives in Melbourne already knows the story and it’s characters as we have seen it all unfold live, the rest of the country probably find it as interesting as any other policy drama. In a hilarious twist most of Melbourne are watching the series of their DVD players curtesy of illegal copies of the series that have now made their way into just about every home in Melbourne, including ours!
On my crochet hook is row 105! Yes I’m over the 100-row hump and it’s all going swimmingly. I just can’t believe how lovely my own crochet looks, I was pretty doubtful of my skills following my rather ugly granny square efforts. I have even considered making yet another ripple project when I am finished with this one. I have seen these lovely crocheted cushions, they look really funky and I think they would look gorgeous on the new couch we got a few weeks ago. I’m going to follow Ann’s lead and browse the net for my wool; I think I’ll get a far better range to choose from.
On the genealogy front I have had a really exciting week following an email from Mags and Ken, note the way I have referred to them by their first names as if I have known them forever! They are new cousins that I have been able to find in the UK, well actually they found me, but still it’s all very exciting. Mags and Ken have been able to show us photos of my Mum’s Grandma, which brought her to tears and an Aunty as well. It’s been so wonderful to find yet another link to my family history. They still live in Canterbury, which is just a beautiful city, at the centre of which is this magnificent cathedral. Hi Mags and Ken (insert big hug here).
And that’s it for me. I hope everyone enjoys a wonderful relaxed weekend.
TTFN
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April 19th, 2008 - 6:39 pm
Ohh, You have reminded me that I need to buy myself a large butterfly punch!!! I always loved going for Dim Sum (which is what it was called in Canada). We would go to a restaurant in Toronto called the Pink Pearl and it was lovely. All those lovely little dishes being rolled around on trolly’s. Just wonderful! I loved the steamed dumplings most of all. Your crochet work is certainly coming along by leaps and bounds!!
April 20th, 2008 - 10:53 am
My, my, Maddy. You have been busy. Your afghan is looking wonderful. Didn’t I tell you someone would ask you to make one for them???
It’s such fun to meet relatives. I have some cousins in England and Scotland that I’ve visited twice now. They are all so dear, and we have such a good time when we get together. But each new one I find is another treasure. I was actually able to give a photo to one of my great grandmothers nieces, Margaret. It was a photo of her mother (who had died when Margaret was very young). It was the first time she had ever seen a photo of her mother. That one gave me goosebumps. I didn’t know she hadn’t any memory of what her mother had looked like.
April 20th, 2008 - 2:00 pm
Hello Maddy. I have just surfed in. I travel from knitting blog to knitting blog most evenings. And by accident sometimes I end up crossing over onto the “one stick” (crocheting) side of things.
Just wanted to ask you about where you got your large butterfly punch - that is, what kind of store was it? Although I would certainly love to come to Melbourne to buy one, that is not to be I’m afraid. I’m from Nova Scotia, Canada - well to the east of Pam, a previous commenter, from Toronto.
I was at the Jam Jar blog earlier this week - and/or another place with a butterfly “pictures”, constructed from quilt magazine pictures I believe.
Many thanks for your answer,
Janey
April 20th, 2008 - 2:34 pm
Maddy:
I’ve just read Bailey’s story. I know next to nothing about autism, but on the other hand …
Him being lactose intolerant must be very hard to take when it’s summer time and an ice cream would be soooo wonderful! I suffer myself - although not as much as in my early years of being lactose intolerant. Since I’ve gotten a bit better at reading food labels. (My intolerance suddenly developed in 1995, when I was in my 30’s.)
I don’t know his level of intolerance, but there is no (or nearly no) lactose in yoghurt. And frozen yoghurt is a wonderful alternative to ice cream! Or, I can take lactose tablets - but for those who are more intolerant than I am, the pills might not be possible. (In that too many pills would need to be taken.)
You no doubt already know that the older a cheese is, the less lactose it has in it.
But did you also know that buttermilk has no lactose? It is possible to make bread and cookies with buttermilk rather than milk.
I was overjoyed to find out about these things. And I hope I have helped you and Bailey in turn.
Take care,
Janey
April 22nd, 2008 - 1:09 am
The butterfly picture looks nice and your crochet look stunning.
Glad you are finding more family through your trees searches.
April 22nd, 2008 - 5:12 am
Love, love the butterfly picture it’s gorgeous.
April 23rd, 2008 - 5:09 am
I do love that afghan. Very pretty.
April 23rd, 2008 - 11:55 pm
Maddy you must STOP crocheting soo fast, you are putting me to shame! Your ripple is looking fabulous mind you, great work.
I love love love your butterfly pictures, I would love to do something similar…but have searched the net for similar to buy in the uk but have not managed to find one. Will keep looking, the pictures are stunning (nad I looked at Two Lime Leaves’ version too, very nice blog that one)
xx