MIA and OPAM

 

MIA - Missing in Action, so it would seem since the last blog post was in early June and here it is the beginning of July!  I've found myself busy on several fronts:
Firstly I'm doing some extra stuff at work - so that involved having to undertake some updated study in Melbourne over a couple of days, and also took care of a number of days prior to going down since I had to undertake a written test and also a case study of a couple thousand words.  I decided to take the train down since its a 3hr trip and sitting in the train means I can at least get some knitting done!

While in Melbourne I was able to catch up with our daughter Stacey and enjoy some Mother/Daughter time shopping in the city which was nice - and since the end of financial year sales were on, I also managed to get a couple of things I've been needing for a while (new jeans, work trousers for a quarter of the price!)


I also was able to meet with a couple of the girls from our online 50 and over 12WBT group.  They travelled into the city on the Sunday meeting me at the train station as I arrived in!  We've been part of this group

since 2013 when we first all joined.  We now have it as a private group (still with over 60 of us in there), supporting each other through the trials of trying to stay fit and healthy - which seems to be an ongoing challenge these days!

Stace n John in their knitted beanies

I think I mentioned I am currently doing the program again.  Why is it, that whenever you begin something to help yourself, that is going to need extra focus, that "something" always jumps up to try and sabotage your attempts!!   I think there have been a couple of these that have taken the wind out of my sails kinda like a "sucker punch" leaves you winded, and so the last couple of weeks have not been going so well with keeping up with the program!  Here it is now, wk 4, of the 12 weeks and I'm hoping to get back into focus this week and regroup so to speak!  At the very 
least, my weight has remained stable. 
 
Many of you have asked how my Dad is doing - well its like riding a roller coaster, while everything is great one day, you find out the next that everything is terrible!  Things he has told some he is happy with, he has told others he is less than unhappy with - its leaving my sister and I rather exhausted emotionally and mentally, and I'm spending a good deal of my time trying to "fix" things.   I'm still working 7 days/ fortnight, so days off are full before they have even begun because of all the extra running around.  I would Sooooooo like to get back to where I was about 11yrs ago when I somehow had time to tend gardens, write my letters, do the craft work, work part time ......... BUT there was nothing like the stress we now have???   I want to s l o w  down the merry go round before I fall off! So for those of you who are waiting on letters from me, all I can do is apologise and tell you they are on the list.

Pete has been busy working on getting the stump from the very large tree burnt out so we can drive in the back gates  ....... he decided since we had such a nice fire going we might as well use it to cook the roast lamb in the camp oven!  Why Not!!!

Knitting is my sanity saver at present.  I don't seem to be able to concentrate well on any sewing and I just get frustrated with it these last couple of months - sewing is now on hold, although this does often happen during the colder weather.  I'm currently working on several projects - but this is Bear River that I'm trying on for size before continuing on.  I love how its knitted in one piece!  It's a Laura Aylor pattern if you are wanting to check it out.

Speaking of crafty goodness - I need to share my OPAM - all the finishes for the month of June
Which included a beanie for one of my nephews, and a plastic bag holder sewn up for daughter when she was up a few weekends ago ( the long weekend at the start of June). Rather than bore you with photos of stuff already seen, I will show you the shawl/scarf I just completed over the weekend - its the one I was working on in the train .......

Milky Way - Laura Aylor Pattern

Nothing much at all happening in the garden except rain and cold weather and lots of weeds, although being winter we have all the kookaburras coming in for a morning and evening feed each day.......... and the burning out of stumps lol