More Spring sewing

It's been such a treat to have this week off between shifts at work! I've spent most of the time during the days sewing, except for Tuesday. I have a friend, a colleague from work, who organises a lunch for three of us about once a month and we got together on Tuesday. We enjoyed a few hours together and shared some laughs. Times like that are good for the soul!

On Monday afternoon I spent some time with the ladies who run our Community Cafe in the village. They want to have some place mats for the tables in the Cafe but neither of them are very experienced sewers. I cut out the mats at home and thought we would get on with the sewing but, for the second time, the rather old sewing machine one of them had borrowed, didn't want to work. So one pinned the layers of the mats together, I sewed them together, and the other lady trimmed them and turned them the right way around. I've brought them all home and will try to fit in the rest of the sewing in between what I'm doing.

I made some more Easter Egg bags and they are now on sale at the Community Cafe.

I made another Spring Bag using fabric left over from a bag I made for my daughter-in-law. It has a matching pouch and bamboo handles. I think it looks very fresh and 'cool'.

Last year, when I was in South Africa, I bought a couple of pieces of fabric. With the start of the Tour de France due to take place in Yorkshire, I thought a Bicycle Bag would be appropriate. It has leather handles.

The World War I commemorative fabric has arrived. I have been wondering what to make with it and then thought of the song, 'Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag ...'. So I'm going to make some kit bags; not big ones, just small ones that will take some sports shoes or that kind of thing.

I think I might have done enough sewing for this week. Perhaps I should do some housework and ironing tomorrow. I like the saying, 'A clean house is the sign of a broken sewing machine.' My machines are both working perfectly!

A look back at 2013

It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the build up to Christmas! There have been many Carol Services and other church activities, let alone shopping for food and making gifts, and we seem to go from one appointment on the calendar to another. So I thought I'd spend a little time reflecting on the past year and reminding myself of the things that have happened in our lives.

January got off to a pretty cold start and winter stayed with us for several months.

I did have a break from the snow and cold when I visited Chay and Sharon, Tarryn and Angus in Bahrain in February. It was so good to see where they live and get an idea of what their lives are like there.

In May, Ian and I went to South Africa for a few weeks and had a wonderful time in the Natal Midlands, where we spent two weeks at Whispering Waters. Friends and family were able to come and visit us for a day or two and we had a great time catching up in the beautiful countryside.

We were able to see Sean and Allison's new home in Durban and catch up with many of the family members when Ian baptised our great nephew, Kaelan Faul.

In July Sharon and the children came to the UK for the summer holidays to get away from the intense heat in Bahrain and it was wonderful to have them here as they used our home as a base from which to go off and visit friends and then come back again.

A special treat was to have Chay stay with us for two weeks. No surprise as to what he and Ian did!

In October, Ian and I managed to go to the Lake District for a week. It was a much needed time of rest and relaxation! We swam every morning in the heated pool at the resort where we stayed and just soaked in the beauty and tranquillity of the scenery.

The year has not been all holidays and fun, though! I have done my share at work, doing two shifts a week plus several extra shifts as well and my nearly-67 year old body is telling me that this kind of work is very strenuous, both physically and mentally! My sewing has kept me busy and I have made many bags of all shapes and sizes as well as other items, such as metres of bunting! Sewing certainly gives me a lot of pleasure and fills many hours. Other people seem to appreciate it as well as I seem to have a reasonable flow of orders.

Ian has had a busy year in the church; there are not enough full-time clergy to take care of the parishes so he often has more than one service a Sunday as well as baptisms, weddings and funerals. Fortunately, he still manages to play golf regularly and enjoys the company of his golfing partners.

As we come to the end of 2013 and look ahead to next year, we do so in faith. Ian will be 74 in a couple of weeks and is now on a yearly contract with the Diocese, so we might have to rethink our lives in the middle of 2014. Who knows where we will be next Christmas? I will continue in my care work, which I do to support Ian in his ministry as he gets the house in return for the work he does but no stipend. I am going to South Africa at the end of January for three weeks as it is my sister's 70th birthday and I decided a long time ago that I would spend that time with her. Thank goodness for the money I have invested in South Africa as it pays for my air ticket!

I have some plans for my sewing: I have some fabric suitable for spring/summer bags as well as a piece I intend using to make a few bags to celebrate the start of the Tour de France in Yorkshire. I also have quite a lot of African-themed fabric and I intend buying some more in February so I will have a range of bags which I shall call, 'A Taste of Africa'. I am still trying to pluck up the courage to start an online shop; maybe this will happen in 2014!