Sunday 26 October 2008

Why I haven't been blogging

Apologies for those of you who have clicked in and not found anything new.
I had a flu jab just after we got home and it knocked me out somewhat. I've also become a de cluttering diva. I'm on a roll. I've realised just how much 'stuff' interferes with your life and your creativity. The real extent of the problem showed it's ugly head when I emptied one of the bathroom cupboards and found several years supply of shampoo and conditioner. I have two large carrier bags full to give away and another very large bag which I shall use up before I buy any more (if ever). (Our bathroom cupboards are kitchen sized units).
Although I've cleared my desk totally I cannot find the adapter for the micro SD card from my phone, so I am unable to load any of the photos of the Sinai. I am drowning under 'stuff'. It's not as bad as one of those poor souls you see on TV but it is far more than is healthy.
So if I disappear for a while you know I am getting rid of all the extraneous things which are in the way of my life functioning properly.
THE TIME HAS COME FOR ME TO TAKE CONTROL!!

Wednesday 22 October 2008

just a quick note

to say we're home safe and sound. I'll hopefully blog later.

Tuesday 21 October 2008

A funny thing happened on the way to England

Taba airport is small, very small. One building in the middle of the dessert with nothing but a runway for miles and miles around. It can handle one plane at a time has there isn't room for more people.
We had a long check in time and the flight was late leaving has there is a party of disabled diving travelers and it takes quite a while to get these passengers settled. But we left an hour late, the plane taxied to the runway, then accelerated for take off. Then it stopped. Some time later the pilot informed us that as he started the take off a warning light came on and he was talking to the airline as to what would happen next.
Eventually the pilot told us we would be going nowhere last night. He was negotiating with the immigration to let us back into Egypt (when you are on the plane or even just airside you are in no man's land). And there would be buses waiting to take us back to Taba Heights. We had to get our passports re-stamped whilst on the plane and eventually we got back to the terminal. Then there was another wait. Luckily our travel company (Longwood)had secured buses (not so for the customers of other companies). I think this was no mean feat at this time of night and was very impressed. We have also been told there was a 757 engineer a 3 hour taxi ride down the coast and he has been working on the plane over night.
Gatwick arrivals is showing our flight arriving at 3.35pm but if that were the case we would be at the airport already. Instead we are at the Intercontinental again with a beachside room overlooking Aqaba......
We might be home tonight...........

Sunday 19 October 2008

I'm always losing things

but this is silly.
I've lost a day. I just found out it's Sunday and we're flying home tomorrow. I would have sworn it was Saturday today. I've lost days before, but a day of my holiday? Now that's just very sad.

Thursday 16 October 2008

It's a hard life but someone has to do it......

I wish I could write something interesting for quilters (NO I don't (grin)) but there is nothing at all quilty here. Though I have seen a wonderful Egyptian rug in a tree of life design (think palampore).
We've just sat at the beach bar as the sun went down behind us and it turned the mountains over the sea of Aquba red. How strange to watch the sun hitting Israel, Jordan and Saudi all at the same time. Up the coast a little way, still in Egypt, we can see the Hilton which was bombed only a few years ago.
This tiny little bit of heaven seems so far away from worldly troubles. The Egyptian staff are the nicest of any hotel staff anywhere.

Wednesday 15 October 2008

On vacation in the Sinai

Against all our green credentials we're in the sun. Flying over the Sinai was the most incredible sight. Totally barren and mountainous, all the topography in clear view. There were tops of mountains which looked very much like ancient barrows we find in England sculpted by man. How one would ever find these places whilst not in the air, I wouldn't think possible.
I tried to blog yesterday but all the logins were in Arabic and my typing went from right to left. Very confusing.
Whilst we are on the edge of the dessert, the hotel has beautiful gardens. In fact the whole 40+ acres could have been made by Disney. Our view has a small area of garden just in front of the sea and over the sea (Acuba) we can see Jordan and it's mountains. At night Jordan is lit up like fairy land.
Off to breakfast and then onto the beach. It's a hard life but someone has to do it......... We plan to snorkel over the nature reserve. Apparently it's wonderful and we should see turtles amongst the coral.
I have bought paper and pencils to do some design work but somehow I don't think it's going to happen.
I'll post photos when I return.

Thursday 9 October 2008

Peace, quilts and inspiration

"I have been astonished that men could die martyrs for religion - I have shuddered at it. I shudder no more - I could be martyred for my religion - Love is my religion - I could die for that. "
Keats

I see a shadow of an idea, it will be a quilt based on this quotation. How long it will take to form into a tangible idea, who knows but I shall keep a sketch book nearby.....

Wednesday 8 October 2008

I haven't dropped off the edge of the world.

But I haven't done anything qulty since my last post.
The nearest thing to anything quilt related was my award arrived yesterday. The quilt came back from Scotland last week with the wholecloth ribbon and the coaster (is that what it is? It's a little bigger than a wine bottle coaster) arrived yesterday.
Some time has been spent arranging the sitting room to accommodate the new TV monster. I am the woman who refused to have anything larger than a 28", lost the battle and we had a 32" last time. This time I was up for a large one, our sitting room is large and our eyes are not getting any better. What was I thinking? This big black 'thing' dominates the room.
However I am pleased with it's stand. Another of my TK Max finds. Slightly damaged so we got a further 50% which is cool as you can't see the damage .

My insomnia last night coincided with the battle of the two US candidates. I started listening at the point when they were 'debating' (and I use the word debating cautiously) US foreign policy. It seems each in their own way is threatening more global conflict. History has shown that after huge economic problems at home, major world wars are more likely. One only has to look at the the dreadful state of the German economy which allowed Hitler to rise prior to the last world war. Xenophobia seems the name of the game now as well.

As for the economy, in the South of England reports are saying it hasn't hit us too hard as yet. But I see office blocks unlet and houses unsold. The car parks in the cheaper supermarkets are full to overflowing and in the more expensive ones, the aisles are traffic free.
As for us, the TV and the holiday will be the last big purchases for some time. And we have our fingers crossed.........

Saturday 4 October 2008

It's cold

it's official . I know this because we've lit our first fire of the winter.We're nice and warm now.

Thursday 2 October 2008

Blondes have more fun

My hair needed colouring when we had the disaster with the cottage last autumn and I just didn't find the time. Then there was the mad dash to get quilts made and I started to feel embarrassed about going. And I kept putting it off and off and off. This was getting silly. I always wear my hair up so it wasn't as though the lack of a cut was showing, just the colour. Today I bit the bullet and had a full head of three different colours with blonde the most prominent. I feel so very much happier. (and so silly for not going sooner.....)

I have been doing a little of the appliqué preparations. And just now pinned this first side.
I was prepared that the other corner might need the reverse colour way, but it never occurred to me, the shapes would need to be mirror imaged. Duh! I am pleased however with the little seam in the striped fabric on the corner.

And a little correction for that method of cutting the appliqué shapes by free motioning them. I think I said it was six layers thick. It was four. I now know 4 is a good number. The ones on the right have been done with five and even with using a huge needle the result wasn't nearly as good. I don't know why, that's just how it is.

Another thing I found is it's not a good idea to have the pieces of freezer paper as large as I did on the right hand set. It's thick paper and it doesn't fold as easily under the harp of the machine as fabric (of course, but why didn't I consider this before I did the one on the right).