Friday Fragments & Link-fest No. 16

Hosted by Mrs4444.

A few fragmented bits of the week just gone, go visit Mrs4444 for more!

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It got cold enough during the week for Jack to want cuddles, but none of this sitting on laps business for him! Just under the chin is his preferred perch. In between me and my laptop.

Being sat on and purred at has a somewhat soporific effect. It also tests one's touch typing skills.

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We went to Lithgow Ironfest on the weekend

We set up our tent, complete with authentic Viking dog, Tom and I did some weaving, the kids all did some wood carving (and all cut themselves), we watched the equestrian skill at arms and jousting displays, we talked to people and pretended we were relaxing in the sun as the wind encouraged out tent to become airborne. Then, just as the day was finishing up and we were getting ready to break camp and head for home, huge black clouds rolled in and dumped wet stuff all over us. So we packed up a wet tent, in the rain, and off home we went.

Ironfest is lots of fun, especially if you're one of the people doing Napoleonic reenactment, they get to play with things that go BOOM! Fortunately it turns out Clara isn't bothered by either gun or cannon fire.

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I managed to remember how to do Viking wire weaving and was going to take a photo of the piece I'm currently working on, only I've somehow misplaced it between putting it on the coffee table next to my laptop at the start of the evening and reaching for it to photograph about 2 hours later. Either my brain has fallen out or one of the kids has hidden my Viking necklace in the making. Anyway, here's a photo of the first bit of wire weaving I did back when I learned 6 months ago.

ETA: Aha! Found the missing wire weaving - it was down the side of the lounge cushion that I didn't lift and check under three times. You know, as opposed to all the cushions I did do that with.

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And now, links to lure you off into the labyrinth that is the internet. Be sure to tie your piece of thread securely to the entrance and don't forget to be back in time for dinner!

• Richard Tulloch enthuses about the Dutch Book Week Boekenweekgeschenk (Book week present) books as train tickets scheme.



• Tor.com have been hosting Moominweek in celebration of the fabulous children's books by Tove Janssen, check out the index post for links to all things Moomin.



• I'm not much into perfumes, but this site made me wish smells were downloadable because I really want to know what "Bonfire" smells like

Wordless Wednesday

What?! I'm not chewing it, I've just got it here for safe-keeping!

For more Wordless Wednesdays click here.

ETA: While I was writing this post she got off the lounge, stretched, walked around the room and then climbed back on the lounge, curled up and went to sleep.

New loom

Adam made me a new loom for my tablet weaving from plans I drew up. It's not an unqualified success, the design needs tweaking and the execution is a little...unrefined, shall we say, but it's a step up from a plank of wood with two bits of dowel stuck in that keep falling out!

The tensioning isn't quite right and every time someone speaks to me I lose my place in the turning sequence, but nevertheless, slowly but surely, I'm managing to produce a Birka strapwork pattern. Emphasis on slowly.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned plank and dowel combo has a Greek key patterned piece on the go for when my brain goes on strike and I can't count any more. I'm using my beautiful new timber tablets which I got in exchange for a couple of lengths of weaving when we were at Armidale over Easter. They're very nice to use, must get some more of them - I only have 12.

Good things

Today both Caitlin and Tom had major roles to play in the school's ANZAC assembly (and I had a little role of my own too*).

Tom's class was running the assembly, there was a short video about World War 1 and the ANZACs and then some of the kids gave a presentation. Tom got to dress up as a soldier and tell part of the story of the Gallipoli landing and the meaning of ANZAC day. He did really well, speaking clearly and confidently with lots of expression. Proud mum was proud.

They then sang "One Day" for which, because when rehearsals were under way it was apparently decided that the verses were a little too difficult for the kids to sing, the teachers invited Caitlin to sing the verses solo with the rest of the kids joining in for the choruses. So she did. Proud mum was proud again.

The video of Tom talking was not a great success but the one of Caitlin singing is ok, the camera ran out of memory just before the end and the quality isn't great as Adam was sitting way up the back of the hall but here it is anyway.



Click here if you can't see the embedded video.

Tom was wearing Adam's old slouch hat (he used to be in the Army Reserve) because when I arrived he had on a way too small slouch hat which made him look utterly ludicrous. Unfortunately Adam's lacked a chin strap and kept slipping back when Tom was signing the words of the song.

This photo doesn't quite do justice, the too small hat was perched on the very top of his head.

I took one look at him and grabbed my phone to ring home "Do you know where your slouch hat is? Yes? Good, grab it and come NOW!"

Turned out to be a bit of a family affair all round in the end.

* I was the parent representative placing a poppy on the wreath.

Bracelets and earrings are up too now

Bracelets can be found here






And the earrings are here

Friday Fragments

Hosted by Mrs4444.

Time for a Friday Fragments brain dump. Lots of little bits of dubious value thrown together to masquerade as a post. When you've read mine you might like to head on over to Half-Past Kissin' Time and see what other all the other fabulous Friday Fragmenters have on offer.

The kids have been on holidays this week so I've been sleeping in and spending way too much time lazing around at home pretending I'm on holidays too. Despite that there are a few things I have achieved this week:

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I cooked a birthday dinner for my now 13 year old. Tacos and chicken fajitas, it was good. But I didn't cook the cake.

Happy birthday David!

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I watched lots of Buffy with Caitlin, we've finished season 6 now. What? That's an achievement isn't it?

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I finished another length of tablet weaving, it was by far the slowest to weave of all the ones I've done up till now.

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I finally got around to putting my tablet weaving, necklaces, earrings and bracelets up for sale on-line - right here on my blog. I have intentions of working out how to add paypal purchasing buttons for each item, but that may take some time.

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I threw caution to the wind and added grated carrot and zucchini to my bolognese sauce. No one noticed and it was eaten quite happily. But I didn't like it. However, I strongly suspect I'd not have noticed either had I not known I put the veggies in there.

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I watched the first two episodes of the new season of Dr Who. And it was good. And I don't hate the new Doctor at all. Looking forward to more!

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Ummmm. Yep, that's about it!

Necklaces added to my shop

I've added bunch of necklaces to my shop, click through to see details and pricing.

Wordless Wednesday

Sometimes they stop fighting for a while...

Taken by my Mum when were at Cruickshanks Cottage for a farmstay holiday last week.

For more Wordless Wednesdays click here.

Sundays in My City

Hosted by Unknown Mami

Last Sunday I wasn't in a city, instead we had traveled back 1000 years and were in a pine forest near Armidale camping out for 4 nights with over 400 other people. I keep promising myself and others that I'll produce the definitive post-holiday post but I still haven't recovered enough for my brain to be up to the task, so you're getting a pictorial teaser instead.

Tom cooking quail



Our tent, complete with replica viking queen-sized bed



Battle lines



Markets



Bonfire on feast night

The past is an awesome place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there all the time, as David noted, when we arrived at Cruickshanks Cottage for 4 days of farmstay bed and breakfast indulgence after the camp, that shower felt damn good.