Ruby!

Ruby is 87.
Stop that!
I know you're picturing a doddery old lady; grey hair (well, yes she does have grey hair), slightly hunched, looks down as she walks, partly because she needs to look where she is going but mostly because she is ignored anyway, so why look up at the rest of the world?
It's possible that I am describing an old lady you know, perhaps several.
But not Ruby.

Ruby has fantastic posture; she would put many technology addicted youths to shame (if she was about putting youths to shame, not really her thing though).  Pilates has helped, but not quite as much as her confidence and deliberate choice to only acknowledge the nice things people have to say to her (whether spoken or inferred with a look).  Speaking of technology, Ruby taught herself how to use computers; email and internet banking are particularly useful.  She tried FaceBook but decided she didn't want to read a whole lot of stuff about nothing.  If she wants to find out something, there is always google or a trip to the library, or a conversation with someone who knows something (anything really) about something that she wants to know something about.

As well as pilates, Ruby enjoys a bit of martial arts and self defense.  She started karate almost 20 years ago after being mugged by some drug-riddled young woman.  Ruby wasn't hurt, but she really liked that hand-bag, and hasn't seen one like it since.  Two karate classes in and Ruby was hooked, so she has trained ever since.  She encouraged her grand-children to try it; one still trains, the other lasted three weeks.  She loves them both.

Ruby sees her family regularly. She can walk to her daughters and vice versa.  She walks for at least an hour a day regardless of where she is going, so half an hour each-way to her daughters works well.  Her daughter appreciates the visits from her mother, mostly because Ruby is fun and interesting to talk to, but she also makes a phenomenal cappuccino; the froth is always spot on.  Ruby is well loved and respected by all her family (and many strangers), but then she offers the same to everyone else so why wouldn't she get some in return.

Ruby has a boyfriend.  He is a bit younger, 79.  They have sex maybe twice a month, give or take.  He's not really her boyfriend, but her neighbour likes to call him that; he's more of a booty call really.  Mrs Phelps at #9 (the neighbour) is still married to Mr Phelps, but he is in a nursing home and can't really use his hips, even if they could get some privacy.  Mrs Phelps has grey hair, is slightly hunched, looks down as she walks, partly because she needs to look where she is going but mostly because she is ignored anyway, so why look up at the rest of the world?

Ruby and Mrs Phelps have a cuppa together every second day or so.  Mrs Phelps doesn't know how Ruby does it.  Ruby doesn't know why Mrs Phelps just doesn't do it.  But neither of them say anything, because no-one wants to ruin a perfectly good cup of tea.

Xmas presents - mine! mine! All mine!

I have made some recent acquisitions - which I like to think of as Xmas presents to myself. Ok the major one is technically not all mine, but I am currently enjoying it more than Nic. I think he has been in the new car twice since we got it just over a week ago. It's a lovely 2000 Nissan Pulsar - she goes good!





What's this!? More presents for me.
This is something I've had my eye on since going to the Bendigo Wool Show back in July (or was it June). I am yet to give them a burl (or should I say purl), but I can't wait. And they're pretty. And this one is definitely all mine.



I'm not completely selfish and have been buying presents for other people. Although the lovely cross-stitch I have purchased for my new god-son is for me too - because I get to complete it for little Joshua so Emily can put it up in his room. The character is from British picture books called Humphrey's Corner. Very cute.

Sew what!!

A few weeks ago, a new Lincraft opened nearby, so they were having a rather large opening sale. How could I not take them up on their offer of getting my very own (and first ever) sewing machine for more than half price.


I'm very happy with it - as beginner sewer, I don't require anything too fancy - yet!

It did take me a while to actually use it though. I was bit scared, because I'd always done my sewing on mum's faithful Janome and with her at yelling distance. I don't know why I bothered being intimidated - it's very easy and enjoyable to sew with.

My first project was for mum. She is doing the Great Victorian Bike Ride later this year, and wanted a draw-string tote to keep her plastic crockery and cutlery in (they'll be camping, you see). I decided to use bits and pieces to make the bag, and subsequently had to piece them together. Nic helped with the design, and we came up with this:


Other than the bargain, I also wanted my own sewing machine because I plan on attempting some patchwork quilting. I am going to make a quilt this year (or at least start one). In order to practice the various skills required, I will make some patchwork bags and the like.

However, I decided to try a cushion first. Now, quilting snobs would be disappointed to know that I went off to Spotlight to purchase my fabrics and materials for the pillow. I figured their lack of range compared to specialist quilt shops would work in my favour and make choosing the colours a lot easier. (I'm new to this, remember). I had a pattern for a rail fence patchwork cushion, so required 3 shades of one colour and 3 shades of another. Anyway, why don't I just show you:


It matches our predominantly blue lounge room, and well, I'm just so gosh-darn proud of myself - that I think I'm ready to start looking into the serious stuff. I don't actually have any quilts, I think I might just make my own.

What will be tomorrow's ouchie??

Yesterday - walking on treadmill, foot starts to hurt on the inner part of my achilles. Didn't do anything to it - just starting hurting. Finding it hard to walk.

Today - whacked my elbow right in between the boney bits on a door-knob. Whacked it so hard I thought I broke the door and found myself having a bit of a teary. No bruise yet.

I wonder what's in store for me tomorrow.
I hope that it's not too painful, but leaves me with something to show for it. Like a black-eye. The one time I had one of those, I don't recall it hurting all that much. At least people can see that you've done something. Limping around, "What happened to you?" "Oh, it just started hurting." Pathetic.

Is someone out to get me??? Nah

Stuff happens. And sometimes that stuff makes you think irrational things about the universe. The stuff that happened to me this morning is definitely quite trivial and certainly not enough to get me down - just enough to annoy me at the time.

I went to the gym, all geared up to jump on the treadmill. Well not 'jump', because that's not how you use it - although I would love to see someone try. Anyway...they are all occupied. How rude!!! That has never happened to me before in the history of attending the gym. I deliberately go during off-peak times for this very reason. I was forced to change my routine and use the cross-trainer first. Hymph!!!

I get the cardio out of the way and head downstairs to do the abs on the leg raise thingy (cos that's what you do). Some other...patron....is using the leg raise thingy (I don't know what it's bloody called). So I have to mull around doing something else that isn't in my routine for today while she finishes. Hymph!!!

I get my turn on the leg-raise thingy and then get to do my stretches without any hassles. But then, on the walk home, these ridiculous people can't navigate themselves in and out of a carpark at the top of a one-way street/alleyway that I would like to walk down. So I have to stand there and wait because I didn't fancy getting car-butted by bad drivers who would probably feel a bump if they did hit me and then say "Gee, what was that? I should drive home and check my car". I think I was standing there tapping my foot and everything.

And as I walked down the alley, I thought that if I wasn't a rational and intelligent person, I could possibly think that there was someone out there in the universe trying to get me. Instead I thought, "Stuff happens".

And then I thought - "I'm gonna put that in me blog." So I did.

I just finished knitting a jacket

I've recently been looking for something to do with some 12ply wool I had salvaged from the very first jacket/jumper I've ever knitted (it was not really wearable, way too big and stuff like that).

Well I found something and this very evening finished knitting a new jacket.



Much betterer!!!!
(Told ya I speak Stralian)

My eyes aren't actually blue

First blog ever - ever.
I don't mean in history, obviously. Just for me.
I would love to know what the first blog ever actually was though.
Anyway, I'm just as self-indulgent as the next person, so why shouldn't I have a blog.

I thought this blogging thing might actually help me generate material for my stand-up comedy act. I have an act. It changes a lot. At the moment I don't perform it terribly much. I think I'll work on that too.

Anyway, my blog is called Eyes of Blue because I'm short. Let's just say, I'm not quite 5'3". You can figure out the rest. I realise that it would probably be more appropriate if I did have blue eyes, but we will all just have to settle for the fact that on some days, they are blue. So there!

While writing this post, I'm told that realise is spelled with a z. I don't think so. There will be no American spelling here - only Stralian.

Don't expect big things from this - and then one day, I'll surprise you.