I can remember watching Di and Charles wedding on tv and then Sarah and Andrew's. My son John was about three and a half when the latter were married, and this is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to Keryn at the time.

"Did you watch the Royal Wedding? Or as John puts it, the "Oil Wetting."

I let him stay up to watch it, and he was fascinated. He loved the horses and carriages and the church and all the people, but I had a hard time explaining what it was all about. I pointed out Sarah in her carriage and said "That lady's going to be a princess!" He stared and asked "How are they going to make her a princess?"
"Well" I explained "She's going to marry a Prince."
"No she's not!" said John firmly.
When Andrew and Edward came on I said "That's the prince she's going to marry, and the other man is a prince too."
"No, they're not Princes!" protested John. "Where are their swords?"
I pointed out that they did have swords on their belts, but he still wasn't satisfied. "Where's their hats?" he asked.
"Do you mean crowns?" I said.
"Yes, those hat-things they wear on their heads!"
I couldn't anwer that so I just said that they left them at home sometimes. He watched very intently for a while then asked "What are majesties?"
"They're Kings and Queens, you have to call them Your Majesty....."I said, hoping the questions wouldn't get any more complicated.
"Where are THEIR crowns?" John asked, obviously quite sceptical until he saw at least one crown amongst all the fashionable hats.

Eventually Sarah got there and started to walk down the aisle. "What's that thing behind her, that bit of dress?" he asked. Inwardly I groaned and said "It's called a train." John fell about laughing, then said "That's not a train, what's it called ?" It was a while before he'd accept that it was indeed called a train, but I could see him thinking all this was getting weirder and weirder. "Where's HER crown?" he asked, looking critically at the wreath in her hair. I ignored that and said wasn't she pretty etc etc.

During the service they showed the man conducting the choir, making trembling passionate gestures and frowning at the singers. I turned to look at John, and there he was, throwing his arms around, glaring at the telly and generally being a temperamental Artiste. When he saw I was watching him he was quite embaressed and explained "I'm conducting, but you really need a stick!"

After Sarah had signed the register and came out I quickly spied the tiara and said to John "Look, Look! She's got a crown now!" He stared at her open mouthed, then turned to me with huge round eyes and breathed "She IS a Princess!" After that it was sealed. Sarah was a princess, Andrew a prince, her train a train, it was all true because Sarah had a crown."

Ah me, that was a long time ago. I think I'll go and make a pot of tea and wonder where all those years went...

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I spent four days in Newcastle, catching up with Rob and Elisa and little Logan. He's five and a half months old now and terribly cute; I had the best time getting to know him. I took quite a few movies of him so that I can watch them at home and remember all his little winning ways. I'll just have to make more frequent trips to see him, he's changing so quickly now.

Although I took some hand sewing to do I really preferred to spend as much time as I could gooing over him. He's such a good happy baby and very much like his Dad, except Robert had pale blue eyes and Logan's are dark. He's certainly got a big voice like his father and plenty to say about lots of things, but as it's all good natured chat it's just funny to listen to.He likes books at bedtime too, just like his Nanna.What a little dear.

Rob took me to a local market and as we were walking round he said "The fat quarters are over here Mum," and showed me a little patchwork stall. I've trained him well!

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When I made this Irish Chain top years ago, I spent quite a while working on a checkerboard border to go around it.But when I laid it out the top absolutely rejected it, too heavy, too overpowering, wasn't having That, thankyou very much! I packed the bits away in a drawer and every now and then I'd try them against some other top, but they were just too ....red.
Then I decided to mix them with other four patches of all different colours, and that toned it down somewhat. It's still horribly bright compared to my usual tastes, but at least all my work hasn't been wasted. This will be a donation quilt too.
That blue is so intense it throbs!

Once that was off the design wall I got out my Scrappy Trips blocks and sewed them together- another bright and cheerful top. These colours are so not me, but I've enjoyed working with them, and it's nice to move them out of my stash. I'm not quite sure how I ended up with so much fabric that isn't my style, but I won't be replacing it, that's for sure.
I've still got some bright blue, perhaps this will get the border treatment too...

I can't believe how big Pippi is getting, she's as tall as Dolly, but not as muscled. She'll fill out like a good staffie should, but that adorable puppy shape has gone forever.
I love her personality and she's such good company, I can't imagine life without her now.

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The rail fence top is in one piece, I rather like the basket weave effect in this one. So easy to do and it gobbled up quite a few strips in the process.The strips that were too small for the rail fence were made into these four-patch puss in the corner blocks, which have been set together into another top. I'm going to put borders on this when I get the chance, hopefully this weekend. And there are still 2" strips left over; I think this is the fourth or fifth top I've made from this container. It doesn't do to think of how many actual quilts are lurking in the stash, does it? I might get a bit overwhelmed.

And one of the good things about finishing tops is now I get to choose the backings, which will use another pile of fabric from the shelves. Oh, and bindings...!
Every evening Keryn and I take the dogs to the golf course, which is mercifully free of golfers at the moment. We keep threatening to take a thermos of coffee and just let the dogs exercise themselves by chasing mice and rabbits while we lean against a tree and relax after some very full work weeks.That would make a nice end to the day, and if I rigged up a doggie backpack we could even get out of carrying the thermos.
When we are walking the streets to get to this lovely spot we see many dogs who never get out of their yards, ever, and I wonder if our dogs realise how lucky they are? It doesn't take much effort to make these two really happy, and sometimes it's only half an hour there and back, but it makes their day.

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