Rain + Thongs= Bruised ... DIGNITY!!

Hmmm ... from that title, can you guess that there has been a little mishap here at the Meares' Madhouse?? Nothing drastic, before you start to worry ... just enough to leave me with a bruised ... well ... DIGNITY! :0) It all came about because we've been having some overcast, dreary, drizzly weather here on top of our 'hill', so not only is the garden overgrown, everything is DAMP ... not wet, just not quite dry. Now I keep a pair of thongs near the front door to put on when I go out to collect the mail ...

See? They even have some bling to jazz them up. OH!! Just realised that some non-Aussies may have been picturing something QUITE different when I said I have "thongs" near the front door ... and you're probably wondering why I needed special ones to go collect the mail! Tee! Hee! Hee! Hmmm ... let's call them 'flip-flops' to avoid further disturbing mental images! :0) So ... I put on my 'flip-flops' and proceeded down the front stairs, fighting my way through the Geisha Girl jungle brought on by the aforementioned wet weather (Geisha Girls are a type of plant, not pretty Japanese ladies ... oh this IS getting complicated!! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

The problem came when I stepped off the last step onto the damp concrete. I was so busy fighting my way through the rain-induced garden growth that I failed to take note that the concrete was damp and covered in damp SLIPPERY leaves. If you picture an elephant in a skirt, slipping on a banana peel with the same resulting KER-THUMP!!, you have a fairly accurate image of what I looked like! It was NOT pretty!!!! For some time, it all hurt just a bit too much to even swear ... that's how you KNOW it hurts! :0) But since there was no helpful Lassie dog on hand to send for help (our Collie of the Border variety was snoozing under the house and completely oblivious to my dilemma!) I eventually hauled myself up ... collected the mail as that had been the start of all the trouble ... and hobbled back up the stairs trailing dead leaves, flowers and muddy water drips. SIGH!

Once the dead leaves and flowers were scraped off, the mud washed off and the soggy skirt changed for something dry, I took stock of the injuries incurred. One slightly twisted ankle, one scraped big toe, one slightly wrenched knee and one bruised ... DIGNITY!!!!!!!! :0) All in all, I got off rather lightly, but am feeling just battered enough that I have plonked myself on the sofa with some frozen peas on my wrenched knee (does anyone EAT frozen peas, or are they just like me and seem to keep them in the freezer only to act as a cold pack in case of injury?!?!) and a little something to keep me company ...

My e-version of "Homespun", a cup of rose and French vanilla tea ... oh ... and a couple of yummy caramel Columbines ... I'm not much of a chocolate eater, remember! :0) Yes ... like my fave craft mag, I've gone electronic. When my Beloved Geek Boy bought me my iPad for Christmas, part of his rationale was that if I started to buy my craft magazines and novels in electronic form, we would eventually save money, not only cos the e-version of everything seems a little cheaper due to no printing costs, but we shouldn't have to buy any more bookcases to store said magazines and novels. I wasn't immediately convinced. Would it be the same, drooling over electronic photos rather than poring over actual paper pages? Would there be the same thrill and excitement as when I tear off the plastic wrap to open my new magazine, if all I have to do is click an icon? Would it be as soothing to slide my finger across the screen to turn a page as is has been to gently grasp the corner of paper pages to turn over to see the next gorgeous project or spectacularly decorated home? I have to say that I'm becoming a convert. :0) The iPad takes up much less space in a bag when I travel than the several magazines and half a dozen novels that I always seem to pack when we go on holidays, it's still small and light enough to crawl into bed with to read, you don't need an outside light source so can read it in the car at night ... and it DID give me an excuse to make myself a cute pouch to keep it safe! :0) I'm also finding it's a bit quicker to find articles/photos etc to show friends what I've been looking at ... for example ...

I've been able to show everyone that my lovely friend Marion has a write-up in the January issue, following up on the Flood Quilt Drive she co-ordinated last year and highlighting the lovely award she received in recognition of her community spirit and hard work. Congratulations Marion! You deserve this and so much more! :0) Oh ... and if you look VERY closely in the right hand corner of the bottom right photo, you'll see a certain SOMEONE having a cup of tea while all around her are madly sewing during one of our Quilting Angels working bee mornings! Tee! Hee! Hee!  A big THANK YOU, too, to the gorgeous Catherine and her team at "Homespun" for the wonderful support they've given to the Quilting Angels!!

If you'd like to look into an e-subscription of "Homespun" pop over HERE and check it out. Best of all ... no postage costs, so overseas blogging buddies can now treat themselves to Australia's best craft mag without breaking the play money budget!! All the more play money to spend on FABRIC!! :0)

So ... after my misadventures, I'm staying quietly on the couch with my iPad ... I may even rouse myself to do some stitching, maybe I'll add another finish to my OPAM list for January ... but I'll probably just stick with "Homespun"! Tee! Hee! Hee!

But ... speaking of OPAM ... just one more day to go until sign up is CLOSED, gals!! If you haven't signed up yet, or you know a friend who talked about signing up but hasn't, you'd better get hopping and send Sweet Peg or me an email. We've got around 150 ladies signed up now! WOW! Just think of all those wonderful projects that will be finished this year ... stitching, sewing, quilting, crochet, knitting, cross-stitch, long-stitch, felting ... oh the list is endless!! If it's a soft craft that's been on your "To Do" list for a while, why not join the OPAM fun and FINISH it, with the added bonus of an international cheer squad encouraging you along the way!! :0) It's been lovely to have lots of "Repeat Offenders" join Sweet Peg and I again, as well as fun to welcome some "Newbies" to our low-stress motivational challenge. It's going to be a good year, I just know it ... as long as I steer clear of wet concrete whilst collecting mail and wearing flip-flops! Tee! Hee! Hee!Hope your week is off to a brilliant start!! Til next time ...

BRUISED BEAR HUGS!!!

CHEERS!
KRIS