Frog it!

 Grrrrr, watching the tennis the other day and crocheting.

I am making a chevron blanket which is done in three strips and then put together. As C2C starts in one corner and increases out any colours are also diagonal. To get the chevron looks, the middle strip needs to be added in the wrong way, so right, wrong right.

I like the pattern and do strips means it's not so heavy when working on it.

The back of the couch is a handy spot to put finished strips as I can then measure the current one and don't need to count.

So C2C is done by increasing at either end, this makes a complete square, however it's possible to makes a rectangle shape by only increasing on one side.

I forgot and went merrily along watching tennis and came to measure. Buggar, a whole day of crocheting had to be frogged. Why frogged because frogs go rip it rip it and that's what it's like when undoing. Frogging is a term well done in the crocheting community.

I didn't roll it just frogged it and left it on the floor to be recrocheted. It is all finished now just have to stitch the three sides together. Not quite as I hoped so may do a white thenblueborder around.

Frog it, if you say it in the right way gives a great feeling of emotion release without actually swearing.

Drivers licence renewal

 The worst place in the world is to go to Main Road department for any reason. It is always so busy.

I knew my renewal was coming up and I received a notice earlier in the week. Decided to go today because it's the last day of the week and also after a public holiday. No, no different.

I arrived at 8.35, five minutes after opening, no parking so I had to park in the streets and walked back. At least the waiting area was covered. So, five minutes after opening, I joined the queue of 22 people outside. Security guard at the door. When finally in the door, I was given a number and shown to the inside waiting area. I think there were about 40 people waiting inside on soft benches with no backs.

Ten counters were operating and working hard. My details were no different but had to have a photo taken. Should have new licence in seven weeks. Two hours gone out of my life, hopefully I won't need to go there again for another five years. I had put my phone away when she mentioned the cost, ekkk $191 for five years.

Local Japanese restaurant

 We thought we would try our local and arrived ready for a sit down meal with table service. Wrong!

It was more like a hole in the wall eating place, large door opening with two tables and plastic chairs, we changed our minds and decided to get just a take away.

As we were the only customers, we asked the server what she would suggest as many of the choices had spicy in the name. She assured us that there was plenty of choices that weren't spicy although she really only told us two both chicken, we went with that. Ten minutes wait so we went outside, seemed we had only just sat down and our order number was called.

Looked good but it was three quarters full of rice and chicken was only on top, the greenery that canbe seen is the only piece. Very similar taste and there was enough for lunch the next day.

It wasn't awful but we won't be going back anytime soon.

Aussie 52 projects in one year

 This is a Facebook group that I joined to motivate me to do more sewing. I have the fabric and space plus time but need some get up and go.

I must admit that it's not quite I imagined as instead of just doing one thing a week, they actually give out topics each week. They are pretty broad though.

First week was to clean/clear sewing space ready to settle down and create.

Well, my sewing room was messy so that was a no brainer to start and the space looked good for awhile until I started sewing.

Anyway, the second week was Sun, people put up photos on the site of what they have done to meet the criteria. Many did sunhats and I thought I could do that even though I have never made one before. 

It's amazing how many free patterns are available online so I printed one off and using fabric that I had, made one. First one was too big and the fabric was too light. Made a second and I will also make some changes such as a smaller brim at the back and more stiffer in it but to keep the sun off, it works.

This is the inside

Outside, although I think I prefer the pink.

Postie time.

 A parcel.     For me.  How exciting!

I try not to do too much on line shopping but when I saw these shoes, it was a no brainer even better if I ordered two, the second was half price. 

You bet ya, I ordered two pairs.

934 KMs I recorded walking last year and I did throw out/wore out at least three pairs of shoes in that time. To be fair, they were not new so had had a fair amount of wear already.

I think I have justified my buying by now.

Very soft uppers with quite rugged soles, they came in the shoe bags too. The second pair which I was already wearing when I took the photo are similar but grey in place of black and a solid toe. The above have a peep toe.

Just after they arrived, Lucy was badgering me for her afternoon walk which seemed to have a fixture. I set off with Lucy for a 2k walk, forgetting that I was wearing new shoes. Not a problem at all, no rubbing or sore spots. Def a winner.

Bribie Island

 We went over for a walk and early lunch. We also did an adventure lab along the foreshore. Gee, I think everyone and their dog was there. We had trouble getting a carpark and resorted to parking in the streets behind the Esplanade.

Nice shady walk of about 2ks and then fish and chips, I took the batter/crumb off the fish, Lucy had some and birds the rest. Lots of bin chickens and crows but surprisingly no seagulls.

Some quick pics I took while there.

Local movie theatre

 About this time last year I heard that our cinema in the shopping centre was closing down. Before covid we had probably been going four or five times a year. As we were members it was a cheap outing at $8 for a couple of hours entertainment.

Closure happened in April. In September they were advertising reopening soon. The cinema was at the end of the eatery so not an area that I go to very often.

Big fanfare and they reopened just before Christmas, not only had it been revamped it is a different chain called Limelight with another one west of Brisbane and a third in a suburb that we used to live in Canberra.

We went to see A man called Otto today starring Tom Hanks as well as his son, who played the younger Otto. Good movie, bit of a feel good one in the end.

Seats are comfortable and lot of leg room, Tuesday is the cheaper day to go and it was $19.

Sighting

 Leaving parkrun the other day, this is what I spied sitting on the bridge. I was able to get reasonably close and take a couple of photos before he decided to take flight.

United Cup Tennis

 No Brisbane International tennis this year instead it is the new United Cup. Six country teams are playing in Brisbane, another six in Sydney, our Australian team is there and a further six teams in Perth.

Seven days of tennis and then two days of finals in Sydney, very unlikely that Australia will qualify for the finals. Our two top ranked player had to pull out due to injury a couple of days before it started.

Warren volunteered again this year but changed for evenings to days. Getting home on the trains was an issue in previous years and even more so this year with some lines cancelled during the holidays to connect with the new tunnel.

As a volunteer, Warren could have twenty tickets and chose from what was available, before vollies were given two lots of two tickets up in the nosebleed seats.

I went to the games two days and had good seats, about in the middle with minimal stairs, the rest Warren gave away to friends.