76

Happy Birthday Dad. You would've been 76 today - over 3/4 of a century! No doubt your day would've gone something like this....to church with Mum, home via a newsagency to collect the newspaper, cup of coffee with Mum at home, perhaps a lie down followed by the arrival of loads of visitors (your 10 children, their partners and your 27 grandchildren! - probably minus the few that live in Melbourne) - yes, I am one of 10 kids and yes, Dad would've been worn out by the end of the day! He might have gone to tinker in "the shed" for a break but he wouldn't have been alone for long. There would no doubt have been some directing of children/grandchildren to carry out jobs for him around the house and yard/paddocks and some bellowing at grandchildren or children to drive slower down the drive or "help your mother" with lunch...unfortunately, none of it will happen this year. It's been 15 months since Dad died so this is our second birthday without him. Last year Mum held a bonfire in the front paddock to celebrate the 75th that almost was but would never be and this year, I'm not sure what she's doing. I'll call her but not until I pull myself together!

BABY OUT

After Elsa had considered my ballooning belly for some time at breakfast this morning, the following conversation ensued.

Elsa: (without taking her eyes off my belly): "okay, baby out now".

(It was although she was saying "okay, enough's enough, I've been patient and all but this is getting ridiculous).

Mama: "It will be a long time before the baby is ready to be born".

Elsa: "yeah, not today, TOMORROW!".

At two, 'Tomorrow' is a long time away for Elsa! Three or so months is sure to feel like an eternity!

GLOVES FOR OUR GUY

I made these fingerless gloves from Last Minute Knitted Gifts for Dino for his birthday (at the end of May) but had some final stitching to do before I could truly call them 'complete'. I couldn't bring myself to make them matching but close enough. I used a combination of Jo Sharp 8 ply (the red) and some yarn that a friend brought back for me from Argentina. Now they're ready to keep his hands warm on the train platform in the morning (on the days he doesn't ride to work) while still allowing him finger movement to dig into his pockets for change for a morning coffee or flick the pages of his book.

OLIVES, HOT CHOCOLATE & ANTIQUE PRINTS

We've been planning a shopping trip to the Mediterranean Wholesalers for weeks now and finally got there today. It's something we do every 4 or so months to replenish our stock of all things Mediterranean, especially cheeses, cans of tomatoes, olives, legumes and pasta. And we always try to combine the visit with a catch-up with friends in the cafe within the store, where hot chocolate is still $1.50 and the array of fresh-baked cakes ad biscuits makes choosing a treat oh so tough...easily fixed by ordering a wide selection to share with friends! We all enjoyed today's selection made by Dino.

After coffee/hot chocolate and baked treats, I left Dino and Elsa to do the shopping (she loves chatting about the wide variety of pasta as we make our way down the aisles) while I popped across to the Spotlight across the road, where I picked out some fabric (thanks to Mum for the birthday voucher!).

The fabrics are all from a range called 'Antique Treasures' (in the quilting section). I already had some of the range at home but all the prints I grabbed today are new to the stash. I'm planning on making some maternity tops for myself, summer skirts for Elsa and a few kid's library bags for upcoming birthdays.

Off to enjoy the paella Dino cooked for dinner; ah, the benefits of a trip to the Medditeranean Wholesalers are never-ending!

GOLDEN CLASSICS

A birthday gift arrives from Elsa's Nana in Sydney - a set of classic Golden Books. Gosh, we lived on these as kids! So far, Elsa likes 'I can fly' the best.

NOT JUST FOR ENGINEERS

Everyone needs a pair of brown cords at some stage in their lives. Don't they? At uni. all the engineering students seemed to own at least a few pair and we (the oh so classy town planning students - uh-hum..) teased them no end because of it. So, what so ever possessed me to make Elsa a pair today?! Guess I think she can carry them off; amazing what a trim of Japanese mushroom print (Spotlight) can do! And they should fit her for a few winters. I've used this Simplicity Sewing Pattern for Dummies around 6 times now for kids from ages 1 to 10 and am always happy with the outcome; add a bit of trim here and there, change the pocket a bit and they look and feel different every time.

THE SECOND CROWNING

It was Elsa's birthday last Friday and we can't believe she's two! It's a cliche I know but I'm going to say it anyway, where has the time gone?!?

Her actual birth-day was relatively calm, except for the early morning gift opening session in our bed when gave her a (toy) guitar and she played it and sung at the top of her voice! Noisy and lovely all at once. We spent the early the morning hanging out with Dada at home while he tried to balance meeting a work-related deadline and sharing the birthday-related activities such as sharing her birth story (in a way she could comprehend!) and gift opening.

I was so happy with her response to the gifts I made her...she cuddled the cat, had it chase the mouse and rocked the baby all while wearing her new hat. The birthday crown taken from Soulemama was also much enjoyed. I used hand-dyed felt from Winterwood and lined it with the same. The beads are from a stash I've had forever. I'm always amazed by how much she seems to appreciate the hand-made. I guess they mostly do but still, the difference astounds me (and was very satisfying after all those late nights knitting and sewing away!).

Birthday 'stash'; gifts made by Mama, carrot slices made by her cousin and a wooden cow (Winterwood) and beaver (for a touch of Canadian)

By mid-morning we were at the "big park" with Gnocchi (the dog) in-toe enjoying the last of Autumn, in the village chosing lollies for the birthday cake and racing around trying to find the nicest Lamingtons on offer. Elsa chose a train cake and this was the result....so quick and easy, which was important at the end of a busy birthday month! I will have to make her a cake for play group on Thursday, which made me feel better about buying the Lamingtons for this one! (slacker!).

She was sooo very tired from the morning activities that her day time 'nap' extended to 4pm (!) and missed a call from her Yiayia who is travelling in Greece (from Canada where she lives). But her late sleep did allow us to venture out for fish and chips for her birthday dinner and come home for cake afterwards. She was so patient to wait all day for some cake; we did have to succumb to some lollie eating to get us there but hey, that's what birthdays are for!

Yesterday we went to Healesville Sanctuary with two of her cousins and they all seemed to have a fantastic day. The animals were truely 'performing' for us; at least it felt that way. One Koala was actually runnning around on the ground, jumping between branches and even wee-ed on the ground in front of us (have you ever seen a Koala awake let alone moving? let alone weeing!), a kangaroo came right up to the kids and the platypus swam up to us repeatedly (never had much luck seeing one before!). We felt very privelaged.

the weeing koala! Poor koala, nothing's sacred

Checking out the kangaroo wearing another birthday gift made by Mama

(there are other ways to use Opal sock wool than for socks!)

It was back to her cousins where she got to blow out her candles again and we ate the remainder of the train cake. And she received such amazing gifts from her aunt, uncle and cousins. The Corolle doll was a particular hit. I used to go into West of the Moon when we lived on Salt Spring Island, Canada long before Elsa was with us and hope that one day I'd get a chance to buy one of these dolls for a child of mine; I didn't have to, her aunt took care of that! While she is loving the doll, who she's named 'Maxie', she enjoyed every little bit of the gift and is sure to for some time to come. Check out the wonderful pram that 'Maxie' came in.

She sung "happy birthday dear Elfa" all the way home...and that was at 9pm so she was still very tired today! Ahhh birthdays.

I shouldn't forget the fun paper-mache aminals that her Dada brought home from Burma for her last time round and stored away for her birthday...nice to have a Dada who plans ahead! Or the books we've collected for her throughout the year to give to her on her birthday by the likes of Pat Hutchins, Shirley Hughes, Gerda Muller and Loek Kloomps

And then there were the stickers and dress that arrived from yiayia and her aunt, uncle and cousins in Toronto! And there's still more to come from Nana in Sydney!!! Lucky, lucky Elsa!