Keeper Of The Memories

I do not hoard!! I accumulate stuff! OK, so sometimes I find that stuff hard to get rid of...just in case I might want to use it again/ fit back into it/ need it/re-appropriate it for some other use. But I do not hoard.

It became obvious when I got my first quote to ship my 'stuff' across the ditch to Australia that quite a bit was going to have to go. I'd already decided that the beds, my big ass lounge suite, the freezer, washing machine & one lot of bookshelves weren't going with me. Some other large items were optional &, fortunately, quite a bit of what I definitely wanted to take can be flat packed.

I was given two options for shipping; the first involves shipping the, lot minus the items I'd stated weren't going, in shared containers. It turns out that I have 39 cubic meters of 'stuff'. Yikes!!

Option 2 was to have a 20 ' container to myself. Now a 20'ft container technically  holds 32 cubic meters.... if you were to fill it with water that's how much it would hold anyway. With wrapped furniture & boxes it's realistically something like 28-29 cubic meters.

Even I know that 39 cubic meters isn't going to reduce to 29 without some really serious minimising. Looks like some of those 'optionals' will be staying in Kiwiland...& then some.

But it's the small stuff that is holding me up. There are 8 boxes full of 'small stuff'.Things I rarely look at, but are there & I know they are there. It's easy for some to carelessly say get rid of what you don't need.

That sort of blasé comment will usually come from someone that hasn't created their family memories yet...or doesn't have a family ( or any interest in art or crafts - but that's a whole different story!! lol!)

Turns out I've saved everything from small beaded felt Christmas decorations I made 33 years ago when I was a young single Mother & too darn poor to buy anything, but determined to give my toddler some 'pretty' for his second Christmas - through to the all of the kids first artworks, birth cards, albums, inscribed books, a few special baby clothes & once much loved, but now outgrown, soft toys..... & on the list grows. We haven't even got to their early school books yet.....

Then there is Dad's 'stuff' - a beautiful hand tailored sailor top purchased at Ballantynes when he was little... probably around 1932, his wonderful old tobacco jar & scree's of other bits & pieces of his that Mum gave to me.

I'd already started sorting & getting rid of the more obvious months back, thinking that I best start sorting things out earlier rather than leaving it closer to the anticipated time of departure.A lot of Dad's things I've given to my boys, really just keeping the two things I mentioned above for myself. Dad was more like a father to those two & a huge influence in their lives. I know they'll look after those bits & pieces.

As to the rest it's really a matter of trust. I thought about giving the kids their stuff, but the time just isn't right.Things that were theirs when they were younger wont have so much meaning until they have children of their own. This I know from experience as I well recall regretting, much later, giving away all the things I deemed babyish or such as a teenager or even later as an adult.

I also recall the feigned disgust & the inner warm fuzzies whenever Mum would whip out one of my early notebooks filled with a 7 year olds first attempts at writing poems or fantastical stories, to show one of my kids.

It's those things that the kids have done that I'm finding hardest to even go through - let alone think of parting with, or entrusting to their creators. Not only do I smile at some of the things that were written, or marvel at the vivid imaginations of the very young,  I'm also transported back in time & memories are evoked of things that I had forgotten. I know when I show a special letter or card written by a 5 year old to their Mum to them as teens & adults that they have forgotten too.

No, I don't hoard stuff - 

I am keeper of the memories.

Resuscitating Old Skills

You know what this means don't you? It means I am going to do some sewing. This is kind of scary in it's own way as I haven't made a garment in years. Oh I've done repairs & a little patchwork & appliqué work but as far as constructing a complete garment goes - I think the last dress pattern I bought was probably about a size 4 year old.....for Gabriela, who is now 13.

What it also means is that somewhere along the way I have become blissfully unaware of the price of dress patterns, so much so in fact that when Gabriela was trying on prospective dresses to wear to her brothers wedding & suggested that she really would like me to make something for her I blithely said 'yes'. Admittedly the dress she liked didn't have a lot to it & we could both see area's where we would improve on both the style & design, but I may not have been so amenable if I'd known a pattern to get the basic shape was going to cost me $20.00!

Then there was the fabric, & the fact that I couldn't find where my tape measures were & needed new machine needles. Yep, it would have been half the price to actually buy the dress we saw. But then again she wouldn't have a unique dress, tailored completely to her tastes & made especially for her by her Mum. And that last part was the key point, she wanted me to make something for her in an age where kids are increasingly all about labels & what stores their peers shop at this little sweety wanted me to make her a dress.

I'm flattered & honoured. Lets hope that I live up to expectations!!

IN...& Loving it

I've been remiss! We moved in & so much has happened since that it would be impossible to even try & catch up here.

Life can sure get eventful, especially when you have things you need to get done it seems. How about I catch up in pictures....

Everyone is happier!

Happy kids, who it seems can never be too old for a cardboard carton & a small slope....

The Loner cat

The Stoner cat...

Girly Giggles

For some time now - we have been unable to have the kids friends to play, or stay overnight. Quite simply I wont risk subjecting them to the behaviour of a rather disturbing neighbour.
But things have settled somewhat, not perfect - but a whole heap better.

This weekend Miss Gabriela had a friend from her old school to stay. Not only is it fabulous that these girls keep in touch - but as the mailleman said, upon hearing the giggles of two girls making pancakes for breakfast, "Isn't that a wonderful sound to hear again?". It was!



Even the entertainment was cheap. They decided to do some Maori style weaving. With no flax leaves to use they improvised with some montbretia leave out of the garden.
I knew there just had to be a purpose for that weed's existence!!

Teenage Angst

Ahh the 1st of December & down here in the southern hemisphere we head full on into Summer...... & the silly season.
Today was officially the first day of Summer - so why am I wearing jeans, a t shirt & a jersey? Grey, cloudy, overcast & a smattering of rain later in the day - it kind of suited my mood & the child I have been trying to deal with.

Fourteen is a tough age & often it is difficult to get through to fourteen year olds "don't sweat the small stuff", but to watch as ones child becomes progressively less enthusiastic about everything they have previously enjoyed can leave a parent with a feeling of utter helplessness. It's often difficult to say the right thing - because you can almost guarantee it is going to be the wrong thing as far as they are concerned.

I've watched helplessly as my teenager has turned from a relatively stubborn & independent child into a tearful mess. However I have also discovered things about her - when she is not busy being stubborn, she is far more open to suggestion.

I have a plan, the plan is distraction. I suggested to her that finding a new interest might be a good idea to take her mind off of things & learning a new skill always makes one feel good about themselves. Jokingly I offered to teach her to knit! After I'd received the "You must be kidding" look, that only a 14 year old can give with such utter shock at one even having suggested such a 'Nana' thing, I offered her some time at the torch & may have even implied that she could pretend the glass was those that had hurt her, as she introduced it to the flame.

Miss 14 wasn't fussed on that idea either, but a visit to her Nana's house & receiving the same plan of learning something new resulted in her pointing at a framed needlework hanging there & saying "I've always wanted to learn that".

Well, knock me over with a feather!!!! In my past life every spare moment I had was spent stitching - both my boys & the girls have grown up watching me stitch daily....& never once had she shown any interest in what I was doing - let alone inclination to try.

Buy hey - it was an easy solution, I have a stash of patterns, fabrics, floss & kits that should be deemed illegal! So we sorted out a chart that she'd like to attempt & she happily agreed that I would show her how it was done on one of my existing stashed away WIP's. Today I shall pull the fabric & the floss for her, tomorrow we will hopefully start.

The Chosen Project

Of course I am left sitting here wishing that I had actually purchased a certain chart that I was about to buy - right as I downed needlework tools in favour of a torch & glass.

From the day I first saw Martina Weber's "The Egypt Garden" in her Mandala series, published originally as one of her mystery projects, over 4 years ago I have wanted to do it.

The Egypt Garden

Of course I'd happily settle for Water Garden, Knot Garden, Persian Iris garden, Alhambra Garden, Oriental Harem Garden, Pompeji Garden or the new Hawaiian Mandala - but the Egypt Garden was my first love. I know a friend did get this chart a couple of years back after hearing me rave about it & showing it to her (probably more than once - lol!), so maybe I'll go for another choice if I decide that I really want to complete one of these before they become a 'no-go' for my eye's.

And then there was chocolate

or rather more chocolate in the form of Miss Gabriela's (or "Gabby", as she is known to her friends) Birthday Cake.

Can I quietly tell all of you who are Mothers out there exactly how thrilled I am that, after 30 years of making Birthday cakes for one child or another, I now have permission to go all out & BUY them. No more up until 4.00am trying to decorate the cake of their dreams in secret.

Just as well we have an awesome bakery called "Divine Desserts" specialising in cakes & deserts using only fresh ingredients to call on these days. Although my first choice would have been the Tiramisu Cheesecake - I did bow to slightly less refined tastes & went for the Chocolate Mud Cake for this occasion.
Anyhooo - I managed to quickly capture the cake before it was devoured feverishly.... never to be seen again ;o)
As if they needed more chocolate....