Langos

My son made langos last night.  It's a fried bread from Hungary.  To spell it properly you need to put an acute sign over the "a" but I don't know how to do that...  It's pronounced something like "larn-gorsh" . Straight out of the oil you top it with garlic, sour cream and grated cheese.  We all ate way too much it is so yummy!

Love

Sometimes you read something that is so beautiful it has to be shared. 

To Arline Feynman, October 17, 1946

D'Arline,

I adore you, sweetheart ... It is such a terribly long time since I last wrote to you — almost two years but I know you'll excuse me because you understand how I am, stubborn and realistic; and I thought there was no sense to writing. But now I know my darling wife that it is right to do what I have delayed in doing, and what I have done so much in the past. I want to tell you I love you.

I find it hard to understand in my mind what it means to love you after you are dead — but I still want to comfort and take care of you — and I want you to love me and care for me. I want to have problems to discuss with you — I want to do little projects with you. I never thought until just now that we can do that. What should we do. We started to learn to make clothes together — or learn Chinese — or getting a movie projector.

Can't I do something now? No. I am alone without you and you were the "idea-woman" and general instigator of all our wild adventures. When you were sick you worried because you could not give me something that you wanted to and thought I needed. You needn't have worried.

Just as I told you then there was no real need because I loved you in so many ways so much. And now it is clearly even more true — you can give me nothing now yet I love you so that you stand in my way of loving anyone else — but I want to stand there.

I'll bet that you are surprised that I don't even have a girlfriend after two years. But you can't help it, darling, nor can I — I don't understand it, for I have met many girls ... and I don't want to remain alone — but in two or three meetings they all seem ashes. You only are left to me. You are real.

My darling wife, I do adore you. I love my wife. My wife is dead,

Rich.

PS Please excuse my not mailing this — but I don't know your new address.

Drum Roll, Please...

And the winner of the Giveaway is....
is...
is...
wait for it...

Bec Clarke!!!

woohoo!!

Congrats Bec.

Please get in touch and we'll work out the logistics etc..

Thank you everyone for visiting, for reading and commenting.
I've "met" some new people and that alone has been great.

[BTW - I was ably assisted in the draw by the delightful Holly, girlfriend of my son...it is her lovely hand that scrunched all the names and which you see in the photo above, drawing out the winner.  Thanks Holly.]

April 26 - Hug an Australian Day

Yep - someone has designated today Hug an Australian Day.

Thomas and Ruth Roy of Wellcat Holidays have come up with a whole bunch of zany holidays to make you smile.  Check out their site.  Here are some fun ones - Feb 11 "Satisfied Staying Single Day" - handily just before Valentine's Day; May 8 "No Socks Day"; July 13 "Gruntled Workers' Day"; Nov 3 "Cliche Day'.

Details of today's holiday are here.

New Book Review

The Black Russian by Lenny Bartulin.

Cha Cha Char

Had dinner at Cha Cha Char last Thursday - orzo pasta with NT crocodile, mudcrab, scallop and wagyu beef cheek stack and abalone sauce.  I ate it super slowly to savour every speck - mmmm.  Tried black sambucca for the first time - a gorgeous deep blue - you can tell I didn't really enjoy it!

The place was great - full of noise and energy - and fun artwork

Famous?

This guy was busking outside Borders the other day - he was good!  But he must have been very good,  because later in the day he was being interviewed...and everyone seemed to know who he was...everyone except me, that is...

Upholstery Inspiration

The Things You See When Stopped at a Traffic Light...

GTG Saturday

Last Saturday a group of us "Broads" met near the GOMA.

The cafe had interesting tabletops

Show and tell - Kathryn designed a sample portfolio that inspired us all

She also had a Toran to show

Mel put together a collage of her New York photos printed on fabric -

check out the fabulous Roy Lichtenstein-inspired border fabric she bought on her US trip

She also completed a lovely piece that she started in a workshop

Time to head to the gallery.
Inside I found my FAVOURITE shapes

The Hat exhibition is just FABULOUS darlings!!  You MUST GO!!
Here's a little taste-ette

 Ooops - have to stop now - the nice lady in the uniform just told me that photos aren't allowed...so you see, you MUST go and see for yourselves...!!

Never Give In

I've always wanted to know EXACTLY what Churchill said about never giving in (or up) - there are so many quotes and misquotes out there.  Here is part of that famous speech given at his old school, Harrow on 29 October, 1941. 

“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

Giveaway Reminder

Don't forget everyone - my giveaway finishes tomorrow evening, Brisbane time.
One lucky person will win all the goodies!
Kate

A Package

I bought something from etsy the other day and it arrived today.

A gorgeous little thank you card

was on top of this beautifully wrapped box

and inside...
were these lovely earrings -

I will be wearing them out tonight.
Thank you  Mi Bazaar Latino!

I'm One!! and a Giveaway

I started this blog a year ago on my birthday and so I am one year old in blog years!!

I have never had a giveaway before, so it's definitely time to celebrate and have one NOW!!

Please leave a comment to be in the running.  You have until 5pm (Brisbane time) on Monday April 26 to leave your comment.

Soooo - what is the giveaway exactly???

A handmade (by  me) coaster - about 4" square

A sewing pouch that folds up into the size of a pocket - smallish but very cute - also made by me

 A Peter Rabbit alphabet frieze - about 6" high

A cross stitch pattern

A pincushion pattern - AND the finished pincushion (so you can say you made it yourself :-) )

A small picture frame - about 2" X 4"

A whole pile of authentic vintage squares - most sewn together into twos - each CUT square is 1 3/4" - so when sewn each square will finish to 1 1/4" - there are quite a few!  Over 200 of the pairs, plus about 9 4 patches.  Some are plain fabrics, and some have been pieced (thrift squares).  A while ago I bought some vintage blocks, washed them, unpicked them, ironed and recut them and then sewed them into pairs thinking I would DO SOMETHING one day - well that never happened...The light squares aren't vintage - just the fun prints...

A bright, vinyl covered fabric tote

Phew!!  I think that's it for now!

The Axis of Awesome Are AWESOME

Four chords - the same four chords that is - are all it takes to make a hit song.  And you WILL BELIEVE after you watch!

Craft project

I recovered my mouse pad the other day - it was a grungy red.  Now it's not!

It goes with my mouse

and with my calculator!

Yesterday

If you were confused about the clip in yesterday's post - it's from a Hungarian singing group (a la Wiggles I guess) and is called "Today's My Birthday" - it's so fun and boppy!

I found these at my door yesterday

Purple, white, green colour scheme - my favourite; irises - love them; the carnations had a scent - beautiful.  I got cards and lots of messages via email which was really nice.  Blew out all the candles in one go - of course there aren't anywhere near the right number...

 Talked to lots of people and had a really nice day.  Thanks everyone.

April 20 - Szulinapom! - 52 years on the planet :-)

Help

This

is both work and recreation for me.  On Saturday I clicked on something I shouldn't have and got a virus.  Many phone calls later I found someone to clean it up for me.  He found spyware as well as trojans and viruses.  My baby is nice and clean now and runs faster too!  Eset Smart Security is now  loaded to fight those nasties!

Bubbles

I had lunch out the other day together with a glass of bubbly.  The bubbles sped their way to the top in a perfectly straight line - lovely to watch!

What I Did Today

Today was a fun play day with Carmel...
I put down some interfacing - glue side up.  I snipped bits of fabric and arranged them in a pleasing way.  I then ironed the pieces down.

I then pinned washaway over the top

and stitched the pieces down

had some issues with tension but got there in the end..
I rinsed the washaway away and - Ta Daa!!! - new fabric!

ABS

Today's computers are a far cry from the "computers" of the past.  The Australian Bureau Of Statistics has a display cabinet full of old technology - some of you may remember punch cards....

Here is how I like to get going in the morning...

Brisbane 15 April

I had lunch in Brisbane today and, as usual, I had my eyes open to things of interest.I'm always drawn to Borders and as you enter there is art work at your feet

and overhead

Bark on trees always has wonderful patterns and colours

Some facades of old buildings

Check out the detail

A crowd was gathered around this artist.