I promised to post a couple more quilt pictures of the sewing show so I will. A bit of news re the Janome 7700. Tom sent out an ad this morning and it said he was selling the Janome 7700 for $2395. Apparently a very good price, and close to the American price.
Short blog since I did a longer one about Mansfield Park and have nothing else to say Believe It Or Not LOL.
Have a good one!!
a favourite shade of blue
Monday, April 19, 2010
Book Review Mansfield Park
By Jane Austen. Even by the end of the book when I was actually seeing the page and what it was saying I still had difficulties with some of the speeches. Many converstaions sounded a lot like morality lectures to me.It certainly does give a picture of what polite Society was expected to be like. The basic story is love unrequited on all sides. Fanny loves Edmund who loves Mary who loves herself, Mr. Crawford ( Henry) loves Fanny who obviously does not even like him but is expected to get over her dislike and distrust by her domineering uncle as the pleading lover has a good income and Fanny would be set for life in comfort and the benefits of society if she married Henry . All comes to naught when Mr. Crawford runs away with Edmund's married sister bringing disgrace on all the family and the younger sister elopes with her lover. In between the stories of love and pain are the secondary characters, the nasty aunt, well nasty to Fanny and overly fond of Maria the runaway wife. , the good aunt who loves Fanny because Fanny does everything for her, and Fanny's beloved brother William. Other incipient characters populate the story of course and pad the novel's plot or confuses it. Then there is Fanny's original family from whom she was rescued by her uncle Sir Thomasas the lord of Mansfield Park as an act of Charity and to whom she was sent packing after refusing Mr Crawford's proposal, There she finds another young sister of like mind and who yearns to be educated and to leave her dreadful family circunstances. Of course the ending is pretty predictable and I am sure I do not have to tell you what that is. All is well and everyone lived happily ever after. Make of it what you will :>)
As you can see there is enough angst for all.
It appears to me that Jane Austen has created the template for all the romantic stories to come. We still find the same plot outline in today's romantic novels.
Since I prefer biographies and murder mysteries over romances I may not read any more Jane Austen. I do like the movies though as costume dramas appeal to me. Odd isn't it how the mind works. However the use of language and vocabulary are very erudite.
These are my thoughts on Mansfield Park, lovers of Jane Austen will be quite unhappy with this review I imagine.
As you can see there is enough angst for all.
It appears to me that Jane Austen has created the template for all the romantic stories to come. We still find the same plot outline in today's romantic novels.
Since I prefer biographies and murder mysteries over romances I may not read any more Jane Austen. I do like the movies though as costume dramas appeal to me. Odd isn't it how the mind works. However the use of language and vocabulary are very erudite.
These are my thoughts on Mansfield Park, lovers of Jane Austen will be quite unhappy with this review I imagine.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
sew day Sunday
I sewed just a bit but my back was very sore so I had to stop sewing, take a pill and then had to lie down for a bit. BUT I did finish quilting my community quilt and think I'll add the binding tonight. Since I am having a lot of trouble getting things done I have to do them a bit at a time. Too bad :<( I would love to be able to spend greater lengths of time but am grateful that I can still do things that make me happy.
Talking about happy I love to read as regular readers will know and am close to the end of Mansfield Park, I'll do a complete review when I am done which should be tonight.
I have a friend in MN who is watching hockey and her SIL told her "You hate the Canucks" I had to laugh, we are the Canucks are my team. They lost last night so the series is tied 2 2. We have been getting too many penalties and the LA Kings are scoring every tme we are a man short. Bad news!! We need to pick up the game a bit.
I promised to show a couple of quilts that were at the show yesterday, I didn't take many but will add a couple of them to this blog. One is a fabulous Hawaiian applique piece. It caught my eye right away as it as at the entrance LOL where it was intended to catch the eye. The sunflower quilt is a small one but so reminiscent of the real Kansas with a tiny farmhouse in the distance and the big sky in the background. I loved them both.
Paquie the elephant in the Oregon Zoo is 48 today. He was the first elephant born in captivity. Hello! if it is good enought for the evening news it's good enough for On that note I will call it an evening :>)
Take care!
Take care!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
sewing and quilt show
Good show today , up real early for me so that I could get to Marilyn's by 7:45.
I made it, traffic was light and I hit all the green lights. Great start :>)
We were early getting to Abbotsford even though it was an hour drive and we had to stand in line for 20 minutes. But there was a feeling of excitement among the crowd who were looking forward to seeing everything in the Tradex centre.
First stop of course was the loo, LOL. Then I hit Tom's, looking for the new machine, the Janome 7700 . Wrong end of the room, it was the store shop with sewing, fabrics and such but not machines. No matter I enjoyed the shop, bought a really cute kit for a smaller type bag that I hope I can make soon.
Then I made my way to the other end where the Janome machines were situated. I love to look at amchines so it was heaven to be there where all the manufacturers of sewing machines were showing off their wares.
The 7700 is a huge machine and I thought it looked like the dashboard of a brand new car all shiny red paint and chrome :>). It had a very large harp and in that area it was much higher than any machine I had ever seen which makes it exceptionably suitable for moving quilts through , lots of new stitches too from what I could tell. I didnt get a chance to try it out but Tom will let me do that the next time Kathy and I go for a class. There were other machines at the booth but all eyes were on the new member of the family.
I did check out the other machine booths , many had their fabulous embroidery machines doing the stitchouts all by them selves. A man walked by and pointed to the empty chair in front of the machine and said Invisible Woman ,LOL.
There were so many beautiful fabrics at the show but all I bought were 2 charm packs. I wanted more but felt that I had so many I already had not used so sew away Nan for the whole year and maybe next time I can buy, buy, buy.
Linda McPhee gave a fashion show of her designs, some were lovely but others weren't, that seems normal to me :>)
It was a good day but a tiring one as I walked the length of the show several times.
Have a good night! I know I will!
Tomorrow I will show some of the quilts I photographed.
I made it, traffic was light and I hit all the green lights. Great start :>)
We were early getting to Abbotsford even though it was an hour drive and we had to stand in line for 20 minutes. But there was a feeling of excitement among the crowd who were looking forward to seeing everything in the Tradex centre.
First stop of course was the loo, LOL. Then I hit Tom's, looking for the new machine, the Janome 7700 . Wrong end of the room, it was the store shop with sewing, fabrics and such but not machines. No matter I enjoyed the shop, bought a really cute kit for a smaller type bag that I hope I can make soon.
Then I made my way to the other end where the Janome machines were situated. I love to look at amchines so it was heaven to be there where all the manufacturers of sewing machines were showing off their wares.
The 7700 is a huge machine and I thought it looked like the dashboard of a brand new car all shiny red paint and chrome :>). It had a very large harp and in that area it was much higher than any machine I had ever seen which makes it exceptionably suitable for moving quilts through , lots of new stitches too from what I could tell. I didnt get a chance to try it out but Tom will let me do that the next time Kathy and I go for a class. There were other machines at the booth but all eyes were on the new member of the family.
I did check out the other machine booths , many had their fabulous embroidery machines doing the stitchouts all by them selves. A man walked by and pointed to the empty chair in front of the machine and said Invisible Woman ,LOL.
There were so many beautiful fabrics at the show but all I bought were 2 charm packs. I wanted more but felt that I had so many I already had not used so sew away Nan for the whole year and maybe next time I can buy, buy, buy.
Linda McPhee gave a fashion show of her designs, some were lovely but others weren't, that seems normal to me :>)
It was a good day but a tiring one as I walked the length of the show several times.
Have a good night! I know I will!
Tomorrow I will show some of the quilts I photographed.
Friday, April 16, 2010
replies to comments
I have been meaning to write this for a while. When I receive a comment on my blog, I don't know how to make a reply so I add another comment to my blog in response. If you have written a comment you will note that another comment comes below yours. That's me!! :>))
If anyone knows how to make a reply in any other way let me know.
Thanks :>))
If anyone knows how to make a reply in any other way let me know.
Thanks :>))
miscellany & mac and cheese
Ramblings I should say, nothing special about today except I made macaroni and cheese from scratch. It is my family's and my favourite so asIi was in a more energetic frame of mind and had some energy it was the time to do it. It is really easy just cook the macaroni as you would usually do , al dente, since it will go into the oven, then make a cheese sauce using butter, flour, 2% milk and old /aged cheddar cheese,Canadian if you can find it. Make a reux with the butter and flour, add the grated cheese stirring constantly. Drain the macaroni well, add the sauce all together in a pan that goes into the oven, cover with grated cheese and pat with butter. Heat oven to 375' and cook the mac and cheese for 3/4 of an hour or an hour until the grated cheese is a bit browned. Delicious.
I did not sew yet today and it is already 4:00 but there were other things I did do. One was to take the scratchy labels off Ray's 4 new shirts, those things are absolutely harsh, they actually dug into my finger as I was removing them. No wonder Ray is anxious to get them off, who could wear those shirts otherwise.
I just use the stitch remover to get the stitches loose and then rip a bit.
We did go to the mall as I wanted another shirt like the three I have, one is pink and it is Paris, the second is blue and it is San Francisco, the following is beige and it is Venice. The last of the series is a green one and I can't recall what city it is. I know where one is but it is a smaller size. I might go and try it on anyway.
Tomorrow I am going to a Sewing Show in Abbotsford with two friends. I'll take photos of anything interesting so come back tomorrow for the latest news in sewing.
Take care!!
I did not sew yet today and it is already 4:00 but there were other things I did do. One was to take the scratchy labels off Ray's 4 new shirts, those things are absolutely harsh, they actually dug into my finger as I was removing them. No wonder Ray is anxious to get them off, who could wear those shirts otherwise.
I just use the stitch remover to get the stitches loose and then rip a bit.
We did go to the mall as I wanted another shirt like the three I have, one is pink and it is Paris, the second is blue and it is San Francisco, the following is beige and it is Venice. The last of the series is a green one and I can't recall what city it is. I know where one is but it is a smaller size. I might go and try it on anyway.
Tomorrow I am going to a Sewing Show in Abbotsford with two friends. I'll take photos of anything interesting so come back tomorrow for the latest news in sewing.
Take care!!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Book reviews
I got my laptop this morning and had a bit of trouble getting things going called Ben and he told me what to do. I am so happy, it is a brand new one .
However I had quite a few things to do and nearly forgot to write this blog, can you imagine:>))
We are watching the first game of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Vancouver Canucks against Los Angeles. The score is tied at the end of the second period.
I wanted to finish the first sock for Ione and for sure it will get done tonight.
We took a bag full of books to the library today, Louis XIV and his secret wife went back to where they came from. It wasn't a bad book but long and as you know history writers ,not history novelists, tend not to want to leave anything out, not a single thing. However it was an good story for anyone who likes the story of Royals. I do....
I am finding that Jane Austen's Mansfield Park is a bit of hard going. First the language is somewhat archaic, not what I am used to so it takes some conditioning to adapt to it, then the mores and customs of the Victorian age are very different from our way of life. Father really did know best in that age. He ruled the household often with an iron fist and all were subject to his will.
The eldest daughter had to marry first before any subsequent sisters could take on a husband, then the eldest son was called Mr. Bertram, the eldest daughter was called Miss Bertram , both last names.
Others were called Miss Julie etc, you get the picture.
For the first 200 pages it appeared to me that the writing was blurred, it was a very strange thing, and then magically it all cleared up and I could see it all clearly. That is half way through the book though so I did a good job of sticking with it and am beginning to understand the style of writing now and the stroy is becoming clearer.
I love to read and have done so every day of my life, some books just easy reads , popular novels and murder mysteries, sometimes something a bit more challenging but always in English. LOL
Now back to the sock. Tomorrow I try out my new table.
Have a good evening.
However I had quite a few things to do and nearly forgot to write this blog, can you imagine:>))
We are watching the first game of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Vancouver Canucks against Los Angeles. The score is tied at the end of the second period.
I wanted to finish the first sock for Ione and for sure it will get done tonight.
We took a bag full of books to the library today, Louis XIV and his secret wife went back to where they came from. It wasn't a bad book but long and as you know history writers ,not history novelists, tend not to want to leave anything out, not a single thing. However it was an good story for anyone who likes the story of Royals. I do....
I am finding that Jane Austen's Mansfield Park is a bit of hard going. First the language is somewhat archaic, not what I am used to so it takes some conditioning to adapt to it, then the mores and customs of the Victorian age are very different from our way of life. Father really did know best in that age. He ruled the household often with an iron fist and all were subject to his will.
The eldest daughter had to marry first before any subsequent sisters could take on a husband, then the eldest son was called Mr. Bertram, the eldest daughter was called Miss Bertram , both last names.
Others were called Miss Julie etc, you get the picture.
For the first 200 pages it appeared to me that the writing was blurred, it was a very strange thing, and then magically it all cleared up and I could see it all clearly. That is half way through the book though so I did a good job of sticking with it and am beginning to understand the style of writing now and the stroy is becoming clearer.
I love to read and have done so every day of my life, some books just easy reads , popular novels and murder mysteries, sometimes something a bit more challenging but always in English. LOL
Now back to the sock. Tomorrow I try out my new table.
Have a good evening.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
strawberries and whipped cream
That's what I bought at Safeway today along with Angel Food cake. Yes I did have one cake filled with berries and WC and yes it was fabulous!! Naughty but nice. A lady at the check out counter gave me permission LOL.
Are you up for the laptop saga? It did not come in again we are now into the 4th week. Ray told the tech it would be faster if he(Ray) flew to Winnipeg himself to pick it up . He is not happy , I have to get him to keep a lid on it. The latest offer is they will give me another one, it has a bigger hard drive and costs more but they will not take any more money. Now I hope that the one coming from Winnipeg does not arrive this week LOL.
Ray set up my new table and moved the old desk, he requested that I clean up some sewing item that were not in use and throw out some boxes. The boxes stayed but I filled a bag with things I had not looked at for a long time and had lost interest in. Even so it was hard. I threw out a bag of yarn ends, you know the ones you say you'll use in something you might knit. That was not too hard as I like buying yarn :>)) Lots left from when my friend Donna in Washington state gave me bags of it for making washcloths.
Good news, well maybe, Ben just called and my laptop has arrived from Winnipeg and Ben has put the hard drive in and all is working well. Drat I don't get the red one :>( But I will have my dear laptop back .
Guild night tonight and dinner with the ladies before the meeting. I will work in the library and take my two library books back that are overdue because I missed the last meeting. It should be a fun night.
You all have a fun night too.
G'day!
Are you up for the laptop saga? It did not come in again we are now into the 4th week. Ray told the tech it would be faster if he(Ray) flew to Winnipeg himself to pick it up . He is not happy , I have to get him to keep a lid on it. The latest offer is they will give me another one, it has a bigger hard drive and costs more but they will not take any more money. Now I hope that the one coming from Winnipeg does not arrive this week LOL.
Ray set up my new table and moved the old desk, he requested that I clean up some sewing item that were not in use and throw out some boxes. The boxes stayed but I filled a bag with things I had not looked at for a long time and had lost interest in. Even so it was hard. I threw out a bag of yarn ends, you know the ones you say you'll use in something you might knit. That was not too hard as I like buying yarn :>)) Lots left from when my friend Donna in Washington state gave me bags of it for making washcloths.
Good news, well maybe, Ben just called and my laptop has arrived from Winnipeg and Ben has put the hard drive in and all is working well. Drat I don't get the red one :>( But I will have my dear laptop back .
Guild night tonight and dinner with the ladies before the meeting. I will work in the library and take my two library books back that are overdue because I missed the last meeting. It should be a fun night.
You all have a fun night too.
G'day!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Waiting for my laptop
Once again the shop failed me, tomorrow we go and raise the dust a bit. See what happens!!
I had a lovely day today at my quilt groups. Worked on the final butterfly, not really final but the last one I have prepared. I need to get some more ready to applique for next week. Still thinking if what colours to do them since there is blue,yellow,pink,mauve and green. What do you think of some sort of beiges? I need to go through the stash as I want them all to be fairly light in colour, no blacks :>).
Apparently Paulina's feet are talking to her now that they are warm and they are calling me Auntie Nan, that's what my niece calls me LOL. I did some binding at Community Quilts while I was there which is where Paulina's feet were talking to me. I measured Ione's socks for length and need to do another 3/4 inch before taking it down for the toe.
The traffic going along 49th Ave this morning was very slow , no accidents but just slow. It was good that I got up early and left early which compensated for the slow take off. Pat and I got there at the same time for our regular Starbucks and talk.
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen, both Pat and I are reading this book, no consultation on the choice so it is just a coincidence. We decided to talk about it every Tuesday . I have a bit if an issue with the old fashioned language and the rules of society during that time in history. It will be fun to exchange thoughts and ideas and will also keep me focused.
Good night !! Take care.
I had a lovely day today at my quilt groups. Worked on the final butterfly, not really final but the last one I have prepared. I need to get some more ready to applique for next week. Still thinking if what colours to do them since there is blue,yellow,pink,mauve and green. What do you think of some sort of beiges? I need to go through the stash as I want them all to be fairly light in colour, no blacks :>).
Apparently Paulina's feet are talking to her now that they are warm and they are calling me Auntie Nan, that's what my niece calls me LOL. I did some binding at Community Quilts while I was there which is where Paulina's feet were talking to me. I measured Ione's socks for length and need to do another 3/4 inch before taking it down for the toe.
The traffic going along 49th Ave this morning was very slow , no accidents but just slow. It was good that I got up early and left early which compensated for the slow take off. Pat and I got there at the same time for our regular Starbucks and talk.
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen, both Pat and I are reading this book, no consultation on the choice so it is just a coincidence. We decided to talk about it every Tuesday . I have a bit if an issue with the old fashioned language and the rules of society during that time in history. It will be fun to exchange thoughts and ideas and will also keep me focused.
Good night !! Take care.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Was I right?
YES!! No laptop, do I get to sell you a bridge LOL>
Tomorrow he says. Well tomorrow I am off to my ladies quilting groups. Sounds like a title for a novel. I'll think about that one :>)
Today though I bought the table that fits my Janome 6600 sewing machine. I am so happy because I have looked at it longingly for some time. What is so good about this table is that it holds the machine level to the table, I think it will be easier on my back when I am quilting as well as making it easier to quilt.
At the moment we are trying to rearrange things so everything will fit together. We live in an apartment so it takes a bit of juggling and a bit of cleaning things out but that's a good thing.
Soon we are off to another birthday dinner with Sam our grandson. I am looking forward to seeing him,we love him so and he is so good to us. It has been a good day!
We had a wonderful time last night at Matthew and Caroline's. And our grandchildren Ryan and Chelsea were a delight to talk to.
Grandchildren are God's way of paying you back for raising your own children, which was a pleasure most of the time :>).
My friend Paulina who loves her new socks said she actually slept better because her feet were warm . Nice eh! I'll take Ione's tomorrow to fit them, never knew you had to fit socks did you? Well the length is the deal. She has fairly long feet so I will need a measure. I know she will love the way these socks striped out. They are great.
Y'all have a good one now.
Tomorrow he says. Well tomorrow I am off to my ladies quilting groups. Sounds like a title for a novel. I'll think about that one :>)
Today though I bought the table that fits my Janome 6600 sewing machine. I am so happy because I have looked at it longingly for some time. What is so good about this table is that it holds the machine level to the table, I think it will be easier on my back when I am quilting as well as making it easier to quilt.
At the moment we are trying to rearrange things so everything will fit together. We live in an apartment so it takes a bit of juggling and a bit of cleaning things out but that's a good thing.
Soon we are off to another birthday dinner with Sam our grandson. I am looking forward to seeing him,we love him so and he is so good to us. It has been a good day!
We had a wonderful time last night at Matthew and Caroline's. And our grandchildren Ryan and Chelsea were a delight to talk to.
Grandchildren are God's way of paying you back for raising your own children, which was a pleasure most of the time :>).
My friend Paulina who loves her new socks said she actually slept better because her feet were warm . Nice eh! I'll take Ione's tomorrow to fit them, never knew you had to fit socks did you? Well the length is the deal. She has fairly long feet so I will need a measure. I know she will love the way these socks striped out. They are great.
Y'all have a good one now.
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