Saturday 7 January 2017

FNwF and Friday Frolics....

My first Friday Night with Friends and Friday Frolics ... was a bit like Schrodinger's Cat - neither successful nor unsuccessful!  For those of you who are wondering who Schrodinger and his cat were and why I am referencing them - Sheldon from The Big Bang explains it best (or click on the link above).



(TraderVic and I are huge fans of The Big Bang Theory and are quite addicted to the show - it is on repeats here in Oz every night, so we are able to feed our addiction regularly - lol!)

Anyway, I digress - onto the stitching.....

Now, the successful part was me completing a FFO from last year - Wee Santa 2016....


Design: Wee Santa 2016
Fabric: 28 ct Mocha linen
Floss: My own choice of specialty threads
Framing: By me in a Mill Hill frame

My dear friend, Wendy, from my LNS, taught me a neat trick for getting the design to sit nicely when you sew it over the cardboard - you have two lengths of thread and weave them like shoelaces.  It worked like a dream, the stitching is sitting really flat and looks perfect - thank you so much, Wendy. xxxx

Now for the unsuccessful part... in true Friday Frolicking fashion, I chose a WIP at random from my ever growing pile of WIPs, UFOs and BAPs ....

Morning Song by Just Nan, I last posted about it on this post.

So, here is where I was up to before yesterday....


... and after, looking rather more crumpled and not much progress at all!


Design:Morning Song
Fabric: 28 ct Cream or Antique White linen
Floss: Suggested DMC threads

Okay, do you want to hear my excuses?

1. Plait stitch is really tricky to do, especially in a light green - I found it really hard to get a rhythm - there was a lot of frogging happening.

2. It was really, really hot yesterday, so the house was shut up tight with the air conditioner on, the outdoor sun blinds down and the plantation shutters shut - so the lighting was poorer than usual which affected 1. above.

3. Frantic morning video chats with DS2 in Sydney. DS2 video chats me on my mobile:  

DS2: Dad, where's Dad? I need Dad!  (Note: no greeting)
Me:  Why do you need Dad, is everything all right?
DS2: No, our ceiling has fallen down and I don't know what to do! (Note: DS2 is 24 and lives in a sharehouse in Sydney and there were terrible storms in Sydney overnight)






Me (and TraderVic):  Oh, my goodness, was anyone hurt? - Ring the SES (State Emergency Service) and ring the agent.
DS2: No, no one was hurt, we were all in bed (it was 9am), I tried the agent, the office is still shut for the Christmas/New Year break. What is the number for the SES?
Me: Does the agent have a head office or a mobile number?
DS2: No.
Me: (On the computer in Melbourne, remember DS2 lives in Sydney) The SES number is xxxx and the real estate agent's mobile number is xxxx. Ring both of them now. You may be told by the SES that you can't stay.
DS2: We have a back up plan if we have to move out, I'll ring the SES now but I can't bother the agent on his mobile.
Me: Yes, you can, he needs to know, so he can let the landlord know!!!!!
DS2: Okay. Talk again soon.
Me: (later that morning). How is it going?
DS2: Ses came
And said it will be fine
So land lord is getting people to come fix it
Me:You got onto the agent, then? Do you have to move out?
No we can stay
Yep glen is sorting it out
Me: Great, aren't you glad that I found his mobile number for you - just saying! lol! 

DS2: Thx mummy (Remember he has just turned 24!)

(Later that morning I get another call)
DS2: it is still raining and now the living room is flooding.
Me: Have you shifted the furniture? (couch, dining table and chairs, TV, etc.)
DS2:Nah! It is only a millimetre or two.
Me: What if it keeps raining and you don't have contents insurance?
DS2: Nah, she'll be right (very typical Aussie attitude), it's only a little bit of water and rain.
Me: I give up!

I am not sure what else has happened as DS2's mobile phone has now broken down - so I have to Message him via his best friend's phone who is staying with him for a few days before heading back to Melbourne and DS2 starts a new job on Monday. It never ends with your children, does it? lol!


4. Daytime naps needed to be had due to 2. and 3. above and the fact that it has been really hot overnight so little sleep has been had.


5. TraderVic, DS1 and DDIL and I all played a lively game of Monopoly_Melbourne Edition in the evening, which severely cut into my stitching time.

So, there you go, all sound like reasonable excuses to me! lol!

Just to finish off, the cats are feeling the effects of the hot weather, too. Milo and Nobu are engaged in a Mexican Standoff ....


... and Furio has just given up!


Poor furbabies, mind you, they could sleep in the cool, air conditioned rooms but no!

So, that was my first Friday Frolic for the year. Rather an eventful one, now that I think about it!

If you want to see what everyone else got up to for these Stitching events, click on either or both of the links below:



hugs, 


P.S. Please don't forget to check out my first little giveaway for 2017.

24 comments:

creations.1 said...

WOW!! And you still managed to get some sewing done - beautiful work too! Heat - aargh - last night was warm here but not too hot - the next few days are 38 and 39 - not looking forward to that - cats do tend to sleep in the warmest places where as our dog stretches out right under the aircon vents!! Have a lovely weekend!

Linda said...

The Big Bang Theory is my all time favorite show. Glad to hear that your son got things worked out.

Linda

deb said...

Yikes - even with all that you still got some stitching done! Hope it stops raining and DS2 and housemates get everything sorted soon.

Heather said...

Wow that's a lot to happen! Good luck to DS2!

Barb said...

Wow! the unusual stitches alone would have been enough. I hope your son is doing better. You are so right, my kids are in their 40's and they still blow me away at times!! Good luck to all of you!

Karen's Korner said...

Every little stitch helps. Mums are so clever at being able to manage all sorts of emergencies especially big kid ones.

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

I like The Big Bang Theory too:) just watched your clip:):)
DS2. has certainly had a lively start to his new year! Hope all goes well with his new job and the ceiling repairs.
Morning Song is gorgeous!I do hope you make progress when the weather is cooler.The kitties must dislike the heat with all their fur..I'd be taking advantage of the air con.for certain.

Margaret said...

Been catching up here. Love all your stitching! But OMG with DS2!!! Whoa! It really is never ending. You think that you've finished with the worrying and the helping and the nagging, but I think it's worse now they are grown! The worrying especially! Hope all is well with DS2.

Daniela Bencúrová said...

Networking is beautiful!
I am sorry that you have a problem with the house :-(
Now you will have the best cats :-)

Julie said...

What a day for you, hope today was a more peaceful one.

Michelle Ridgway said...

Some achievement getting anything stitched...wow! Glad no one was injured. Thank goodness for Mum xx

Michell said...

Lovely stitching and an eventful day

Bea said...

What you did get done looks good and no wonder you couldn't concentrate after that conversation with DS2. I hope everything is sorted out now. Cats are usually heat seekers, but that sounds a bit too much.

Cheryll said...

I'm impressed... all that happened and you still got a few stitches in...WOW
Thanks for joining in...xox

Justine said...

Oh dear - hope your son is OK! Boys eh? I LOVE The Big Bang Theory, thanks for the clip. Beautiful stitching.

jocondine said...

Lovely stitching. Hope DS2 is now under a safe roof. xxx

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Please stop telling us how hot it is. You will get no sympathy from me.
The ceiling looks dramatic, my cousin's bathroom flooded two days before Christmas and did a similar thing to her kitchen ceiling. It will take weeks to dry out because it's NOT HOT HERE.
Hope your son's house gets sorted rather sooner.
The Just Nan piece is lovely, hope you manage to make a little bit more progress on that now all the drama is finished!

Astrids dragon said...

Oops, I put my 2 cents in a little late, but glad you went with #1, it looks great!
I'd say they are all valid excuses, and the ceiling sure is a hot mess!

Linda in Calif. said...

Wow! That was something! Very good excuses. I may have to borrow them sometime. hehehe I really enjoyed reading your post today.

Quiltingchemist said...

Cute Santa and your other stitchery is coming along beautifully.

Von said...

Eventful indeed! No wonder the plait stitch gave you problems with the mess that your son's apartment is in right now! Hope it all gets fixed quickly without damage to the contents.
Hope things cool down for you and some of that warmth is heading our way! :D

Sheryl said...

Pretty stitching Kaye, love the Morning Song piece.

Brigitte said...

There's definitely a lot going on at your place. And also at your son's place, lol. I hope everything is sorted out by now.
I can't stitch either when it's very hot in the summer - and we don't have A/C in the house. But that's not necessary as long heat waves with temperatures that you have are still unusual over here. Maybe with the climate change that will change as well.

Sarah in Stitches said...

Whoa, that was quite eventful! I hope your son's ceiling was fixed and everything's okay now. I hear you about the heat - I hate it. We usually have the AC turned all the way up in summer, and I hibernate at home as much as possible. Hope you get cool soon! :D

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