I love spring and the flowers it brings

Spring has to be my favourite time of the year. The weather is warm but not too hot and everything is still green before the summer comes and dries the grass again.

I love being out in my garden. It's only small but I find pottering around and pulling out weeds really relaxing.

Yesterday I potted up some vegetables for summer. I planted a pot of mixed lettuces, cucumber, pumpkin, beetroot, rolly polly carrots and a couple of tomato plants. Last year it was nice to be able to go out side and pick fresh lettuce so hopefully this year the plants will grow well and I'll have a lots of vegetables to pick from.

My little potted veggie patch

Some of my favourite flowers in my garden.

Current projects on the go and another one waiting in the wings

Sitting down tonight I was thinking what I would do. I have so many craft projects on the go at the moment that is hard to know which one to work on.

At the moment I'm working on Jake, Hannah and Sarah's quilts, 'pirate' curtains for Jake, a knitted vest for Lachlan, doggy sun hats to sell and a stitchery for a friend . This list is not including all the other 'unfinished projects' sitting in baskets waiting to be finished some time.

I am quilting circles on Jake's quilt. It takes me most of one evening to quilt just one circle so I think it's going to take me a while to do the whole quilt.

Jake's quilt

The top of Hannah's quilt is nearly finished. I just have the final binding to sew on and then I can do the batting and backing so that it's ready to quilt.

Hannah's quilt

I've been sewing the blocks for Sarah's quilt and have finished about half of them.

Sarah's quilt

The back of Lachlan's vest is finished and I've knitted the band and a bit of the front.

Lachlan's vest

I've been working on a stitchery for a friend as a thank you present for her. I am hoping to have it finished by next Sunday so that I can give it to her then.

a stitchery for Nance

Tonight I finished curtains for Jake's bedroom. I'm pleased with how they turned out and hope that they are the right length for the window.

Jake's 'pirate' curtains

I've also been asked to sew as many doggy sun hats for the lady who cuts Charlie's hair. I get $10 per hat so am planning to put the money towards a quilt that I would like to make sometime for myself.

Charlie trying on a pink hat

Last week I went with Melanie to Gail B's patchwork shop and saw a quilt that I really loved. I decided that I would make this quilt for Olivia.



With all these projects on the go I certainly don't have time to get bored.

An update on my eyes

Last week I saw the eye specialists again. The field tests showed that I have lost more peripheral vision in both eyes however the results may have been compromised because the technician kept adjusting the machine during the tests.

I also had another electrical test to check the optic nerve which again showed that the optic nerve is not damaged.

I've been told by the specialist that it is unlikely that I will ever know what is causing my peripheral vision loss and that whatever it is there is no cure or treatment and I wont get the sight that I have already lost back. The doctor has also said that it is unlikely that I will loose all my sight but just how much I will loose is unknown.

Having regular tests, waiting months for appointments and still not having a definite diagnosis has been pretty stressful. After speaking to the specialist we have decided not to do any more tests for now. I will have the field tests repeated in six months time and if there is a further loss of peripheral vision then further tests will be conducted.

For now I am relieved and pleased to have a break from tests on my eyes for the time being. It is hard not knowing what the future holds with regard to my sight and it would be good to have a diagnosis and prognosis but for now it will be nice not to have to be thinking about what the next lot of field tests will show.

A vest for Lachlan

About 27 years ago I knitted a Fair Isle vest for my nephew Jonathon. The pattern was in a book called 'The Australian Wool corporation Traditional Knitting with Wool'.

A few months ago I found the book in my pile of knitting patterns so decided that it would be nice to knit the same vest for Lachlan, Jonathon's son.


It's been fun knitting the vest especially knowing that I knitted this same pattern 27 years ago.

I'm knitting a size 4 so the vest is a bit big for Lachlan now so hopefully he'll get some ear out of it next winter.

Last week Jonathon, Melanie and Lachlan were in Melbourne for a visit. It was lovely spending some time with them on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. I can't believe how much Lachlan has grown and how talkative he is.

My 30 year High School Reunion

East Doncaster High School 30 year Reunion

Form 1B 1974

On the 10th October I attended my first ever school reunion - East Doncaster High School 30 year school reunion. It was great to meet up with people I went to school with and to see my best friend, Sally from high school again after 33 years.

I went to three high schools with East Doncaster High School (EDHS) being the first one in 1974.
In 1976 my family moved to Costerfield when I was in Form 3 and I went to Flora Hill High school in Bendigo and then in 1978, form 5 I moved to Koonung High School when my parents separated. Instead of completing for 6 I did TOP (Tertiary Orientation Program) which was an equivalent qualification at the time at Swinburne TAFE. I still have my name registered on the 'Friends Reunited' website so it will be interesting to see if these schools hold a reunion at some stage in the future. Even though I attended 3 different high schools most of my memories from my high school years are ones I have from EDHS.

Over the years I have often thought about Sally. I hadn't had any contact with her since I left EDHS in 1976 and had no way of contacting her. A few years ago I registered my name and details of a website called 'Friends Reunited' in the hope that one day I may be able to contact her again. I was surprised and excited in June to receive an email asking if I would be interested in attending a school reunion in October.

I really enjoyed the reunion and catching up with different people. I was a bit nervous beforehand wondering if everyone was going to get drunk and wondering if I would know anyone and if anyone would remember me however everyone was really friendly and no one drank too much.

One of the things that really stood out to me was how people seemed to be genuinely interested and cared about each other. I wonder if this comes partly from being the first students to start classes at the school, giving us a special bond of being the first students to attend the school. Also, with most of the students having gone to East Doncaster primary school everyone already knew a lot of the other students.

Whatever the reason I really enjoyed the night catching up with people that I hadn't seen for over 30 years.

This is me in form 1.....

and me now....



Form 1 art and craft projects




There is nothing like a reunion to make you think about your life, where you lived at the time, what life was like, who your friends were, what you were like at school and what others thought about you. It also made me think how little we really knew about each other and what our lives were like away from school.

With these thoughts prior to the reunion I wondered if many people would remember me and if they did what their memories would be. I was always very quite at school, one of the 'daggy kids' so I was really surprised at how many people did remember me and that I was remembered as being a nice girl who was always happy to help.

Prior to the night of the reunion I was able to 'met' a few people on Facebook and am now enjoying the continued on-line contact with different people. I am also looking forward to more regular contact with my school friends

I CAN DRIVE AGAIN!!!

Yesterday I had a phone call with some good news. I have been given the all clear to drive again.

I haven't driven since the begging of May as there was doubt about whether I had the required amount of peripheral vision. Special field vision tests for driving came back as 'borderline' so the decision about driving again was up to the Vic Roads Medical Review Board. I will have to have another review in 12 months but for now I am legally allowed to drive.

I was at work when I received the phone call so I had to wait until I got home to go for my first drive. As soon as I got home I got into the car and went for a drive around the streets and then to the supermarket. I still have the CAM boot on my right foot so I just take it off when I drive. It's a bit of a fiddle but a fiddle that I am happy to put up with.

Just knowing that I can drive again is fantastic. I don't know what the future holds with my eyes and if I will always be allowed to drive but for now I can and it's fantastic to have the freedom that being able to get in the car and drive somewhere gives you back.

Spring is here

I can't believe how fast this year has gone. Just in time to welcome in Spring my Weeping Peach and Weeping Cherry trees came out in bloom on the 1st September.

I've had the last four days at home sick with a sinus infection. With all the time at home I've been doing a lot of sewing. I've cut the template for quilting circles on Jake's quilt and started stitching around the first circle. I have finished all the blocks on Hannah's quilt but had to order a bit more material for the boarder and binding. Hopefully that will arrive this week and I will be able to finish the top ready to quilt.

As the tops of the quilts are finished I have now started working on Sarah's. I like to have a quilt that I can take with me when I go out to appointments or to Brink, my craft group. I've cut all the cardboard templates and material so am ready to tack the material onto the templates. I haven't worked with chenille before so am finding little bits of fluff all over me and the couch!

How long is 6 weeks?

I can't believe that it is six weeks ago that I was told that I would have to wait to see the Neuro-Opthomology Clinic at the Eye and Ear Hospital. Back then I was told by a doctor that 'all treatable diseases have been ruled out, that I had a degenerative eye disease and would go blind and that it didn't matter if I had to wait six weeks or six months nothing could be done to help me'

Back then and hearing this news and then having to wait six weeks to for an appointment it seemed like an eternity.

In the last six weeks I've seen the specialist privately and had some tests. Today I got some results and after seeing the doctors I still don't have a diagnosis or a decision about driving however the doctors are now sure that I have some kind of rare disease of my retina. Apparently these diseases are not treatable however they are 'self limiting'. This means that it is unlikely that the degeneration of my sight will continue.

The tests results to determine if I can drive were 'borderline'. I now have to wait for the Road Traffic Authority Medical Review Board to review the results and make a decision.

The doctor told me today that I will need to be patient as getting a diagnosis may take months and there are many more tests that I need to have.

My next appointment and tests will be in about six weeks however six weeks now doesn't seem that long away.

Praying for results today

I can't believe how long it has taken to get a diagnosis. It's been a long and bumpy ride with my emotions going up and down like a roller coaster. I see the doctors again this afternoon and am hoping and praying that today I will finally have a diagnosis and answers to my questions.

I don't think I would have got through the past few months if I didn't have my quilts to help take my mind off the uncertainty of not knowing if I will drive again or if I will eventually loose my sight. Some days I have sewn so much I've made my hands hurt!

Jacob's quilt is looking great. The backing is on and I've been cutting out a template for the quilting. I've decided to hand quilt circles in every block similar to the original pattern. I've never quilted circles so I am looking forward to the challenge.

The other weekend I had my family over for dinner. I showed Jacob his quilt and was delighted to hear him tell his gran nan afterwards that he 'loves his quilt'.

It made me think again and ask myself 'why I am making these quilts?' I am making them for my family so that when I am not here they will have something to remember me by but most importantly I am making them because it is something that I really want to do.

I find a pattern that I want to make and then think of who I'd like to make the quilt for. Making a quilt for a particular person makes it more personal and I find myself thinking about the person so much while I'm sewing the quilt.

Well, I have my sewing bag packed with Hannah's quilt to sew ready for the train trip into town and the long wait at the hospital.

I've been praying for good results but after the months of waiting today I'm praying that I will have a diagnosis regardless of the results.

Jacob's quilt is taking shape

Even though I have so many unanswered questions regarding my health and especially my eye sight, one thing that doesn't change is my quilt making project.

I am so pleased to have finished sewing all the blocks for Jacob's quilt and last night finished sewing the top together. This is probably one of the hardest patterns I have had made so far. Each block has the central octagon which is then surrounded by 20 wedges. Each piece had to fit exactly into place otherwise the wedges would not fit together.

Laying the blocks out before stitching them in place was a challenge. I have used different fabrics for each octagon however the wedges have been made from cream and floral fabrics which have been used in different combinations in the blocks. When I was laying out the blocks I had to keep making sure that the cream and flora/patterned fabrics were not placed next to each other. After nearly an hour of moving blocks around I think I've managed not to place blocks with the same fabrics next to each other.

I've sewn all the blocks together and removed the cardboard templates. At the moment the quilt is laid out on the kitchen table ready for me to baste the batting and backing in place.


The quilt pattern in the book has circles 1 inch apart radiating from the centre of each block. I am not sure if I will be able to hand quilt as many circles as detailed in the pattern but I will give it a try.

I am really pleased with the way the top looks and can't wait until tomorrow afternoon to finish the basting and start quilting.