Fruit & Veg

Love this quilt by my St Ives Quilters friend Ann Marvell. Have spent some time this weekend adding the two borders and cutting binding for it.

Here's one of the blocks.

Doesn't it make you want to eat your fruit and vegies?!

Building a Home

Have just finished reading this book, Sandstone by Stephen Lacey, about the life of a troubled NSW family during the 1940s and 50s. Their dream is to build a new home to make things better. The latter part of the story revolves around the father, Jack, building the house (called "Sandstone") with the help of his sons and stepsons, and finishes with the arrival of the mother, Ruth's new furniture and appliances - all the latest mod-cons available to a 50s housewife in Australia.

It got me thinking about my Aunt Nancy and Uncle George, who were married in the 40s and built their own home at 149 Kissing Point Road in Turramurra. George was an architect who designed the home himself. Nancy was a stay-at-home mum who raised four boys and a girl in their single-storey three-bedroom home, yet still managed to find time to play tennis and golf, be active in school and church, and lead a busy social life.

When I first arrived back in Australia in June of 1985, full of dreams to get a job in television news here, they took me in for a little while, before I then moved a few doors down Kissing Point Road to the home of Aunty Joyce.

Here I am celebrating my 25th birthday at George and Nancy's. Sadly, George died a while back but Nancy is still going strong in her 80s. The family home was sold a few years ago but Nancy remains active, so much so that she's rarely home. She's one amazing aunt!

First step to becoming a rock star? Dye hair red and get a wild haircut.