This and That

Friends are such a great inspiration - here is 96 x 2.5" strips ~ 20" long to make a scrappy bargello. See Bonnie Hunter's blog here. I have cut 2 sets and Blogless Kathy has cut another 2 sets of 96 and we will swap. Kathy is such a bright young thing and it reflects in her choice of fabric - I just hope that mine are bright enough. There are some favourites there for you Kathy - you can probably see some if you look hard. ;-)))))Bonnie has such a fantastic blog and webpage - many of her patterns are focused on using up not only your stash, but all those scraps. There is no excuse to throw them away now - Bonnie has a way of using up everything.




We have been camping and fishing and swimming. A new law was created. It is called the Hoon Vacuum Law. Always when we go camping there will be a hoon element present - they are everywhere and more than likely are some mothers' sons. Although don't quote me on that. Well someone has to give birth to them. So the first night we were sitting around after eating, we had just come back from a 4km swim and were tired, and the younger Sweeties reckoned that the hoons were up to something as they kept on seeing flashes coming from the Hoon Camp, I suggested that it was the flash off a mobile 'phone. No, the Sweeties were adamant that there was something going on. Anyway we all went to bed, as per usual I fell asleep before the boys and they were awake for some time. In the morning they told me that the hoons had been lighting the squirtings out of an aerosol can and that the hoons were leaving that morning. I said I was sorry that they had to see the antics that had occurred and also did they know about the Hoon Vacuum Law. They said that they had no idea what I was taking about. I explained the law as such that when one group of Hoons left an area, a vacuum would be created and that another group would come and take their place. They treated my ground breaking statement with derision and thought that I was really taking the mickey out of them. However when another group of Hoons arrived and camped in EXACTLY the same spot as the first group, their eyes were round with wonder when they turned to me and asked how did I know. Hmm.

Over the Australia Day weekend we were very lucky to go and stay with Blogless Kathy. Her family go to the Sky Show in Perth to see the fireworks and so we went too. This helicopter is one of those ones that they use to pick up water and dump it on fires.











So here we are at home with the 27 frogs, 50 gazillion tadpoles (the frogs have been busy AGAIN) and the two goannas that have taken up residence in the backyard to eat the frogs. Its a goanna eat frog world out there.

Bathroom Saga

It is with great delight that I finished the bathroom yesterday afternoon. This is the wee beastie that helped me do it. I was lent a tile cutter (known as #$%^&) and there was no way that it would cut/snap them properly so this is what I hired and there was no angst. So much so - I want one - I think that it is just the accessory a girl needs.

Ta dah!

Blogger is a bugger today. Oh well, at least you get the pictures.

The Tap

I was out in one of the paddocks watering some trees - trying to get them through the heat and when I went back the tap wouldn't turn off. Bugger was the first thing that came to mind. The next thing was that if the flow wasn't too much I could just move it around from tree to tree. Not to be, too much water. So I went and turned the water off, always a good idea, and went a found my favourite adjustable wrench. One size fits all. Oh and my hat and sunglasses as I really was fuming by then and so hot. Got the tap off and peered inside and I could see a bit of black plastic, see washer on the right off the picture. Took the tap to the shed and put said tap in vice and applied favourite wrench to said tap. You beauty, it came apart. I had a scrounge around in the plumbing box - what a mess - and could only find arthritic washers. Great for mothers with sore hands and small children in the first ten to fifteen years of turning off taps. So I put it on, had a battle with the plumbers' tape, swore more, screwed the tap back on and went and turned the water on. Fantastic. Saved some money too.

Hoon Laws

Are there hoon laws for painting yet? Well in our house there should be. I LOVE painting and yes I was able to do some painting and turn the shower from this ........(see left)

into looking like this.

Bliss and I managed to paint myself and other surfaces that didn't need it. So I achieved my goal. Fortunately I have a history of great painting enthusiasm that isn't combined with any degree of control or technique.

It's just sooo much fun. So I'm in the middle of tiling the shower recess. I tiled the basin bench a couple of weeks ago (see below) and enjoyed myself tremendously. I just did the bench as the hairiest Sweetie tiled the splashback awhile ago.

The tiling is taking much longer than God took to create heaven and hell. Part of it is due to the fact that the tiles are on point. As you are all quilters reading this, you know what I mean when I say that. With them being on point there is much cutting and wastage, however the effect is great and exactly what I wanted. So I am waiting, waiting for a tile saw (to be made) to come in from another branch of the hire place that I am trying very hard to hire the wretched thing from. Two days ago they said that it would be here yesterday and when I arrived yesterday they said today. $%^&*(. Lots of cerebral swearing, you get the picture.

The youngest sweeties and I combined our efforts to create the mosiacy tiles and they break up the starkness of the white really well. All in all, besides REALLY hanging out to have a shower, and that goes for the prepubescent sweeties as well, we are really delighted how things are progressing.

Oh my word - the tile cutter is here and I'm off for some as much fun as one could have standing up.

Elderflower Champagne Recipe

This champagne is a delightfully refreshing drink for those hot days or on special occasions. It is alcoholic so don't drink and drive.

Elderflower Champagne

3.5 cups elderflowers (packed firmly)

1 lemon sliced

3.5 cups sugar

150ml vinegar

5l water

Mix altogether in a clean bucket, cover tightly with a clean cloth and stand for four days. Bottle in plastic cool drink bottles and allow to sit for a week to 10 days and drink before six weeks. Again this drink may be quite gassy, so chill before opening and either open it over the sink or outside.

Happy New Year

Just to wish you all a Safe and Happy New Year, I'll share my easy to make Rhubarb Champagne recipe with you. This recipe is so easy to make you'll all probably think that it can't be so, yet it tastes delicious and is just the thing for the end of a hot day. It is alcoholic, so do the right thing and don't drink and drive, although I have seen it as declared a refreshing drink for children. Hmmm, probably refreshing for the children's parents as the children lie around asleep. We are extremely pleased as we grew this rhubarb in our hydroponic system.

Rhubarb Champagne

3.5 cups (1kg) chopped rhubarb

1 lemon, sliced

3.5 cups sugar

150ml vinegar

5l water

Mix in a bucket, cover with a cloth to keep the ferment flies and dust out, and stand for 48 hours. Strain and bottle in sterilised cool drink bottles. It makes about 5l. A note about the bottles, they will expand greatly. Do not keep for too long as it gets very gassy. Start drinking it after about a week and before about 6 weeks. It does get bitter after a length of time. It is a short lived, easily to consume drink. Chill well before opening and either open outside or over the sink just in case it spurts.

I used to make this is glass bottles and it was too dangerous with them exploding at the drop of a leaf.

Tomorrow I have to find my Elderflower Champagne recipe so I'll share that one with you as well. That is what we had at our wedding for our drink, very nice and refreshing too.