A Purrfect Gift For Someone?

Lyssa blogs here , and we have followed each other's blogs for many years now. She recently asked me if I would review her latest book [acknowledging that I am not really a 'cat' person!] and I said I would. 
The title intrigued me, as there aren't any domesticated cats mentioned in the Scriptures [although there are quite a few lions and also references to leopards] The Egyptians were very fond of cats, and these felines occur in their religious ceremonies. What was this about?
The book is in fact a collection of true anecdotes about the author's three cats, Smudge, Smoke and Shadow. Their behaviour, and their fascinating homelife serve to illustrate all sorts of important principles about life, laughter, love and long-suffering.
Each chapter is headed by a Bible verse which emphasises the point being made, the lesson to be learned. as the story unfolds.
The book is an easy read - either sit down and work right through it, or pick it up and just read one tale at a time. Even as a non cat-person, I found myself entertained, amused, and sometimes challenged by the moggies' antics, and wondered how I would have responded to some of them. Owning cats is certainly a character building experience.
I have a few reservations about some Bible verses being used out of context, but this isn't meant to be heavy theology, so I won't knock off too many stars! And it is not just for people of faith.
I think it would be a sweet little gift for a cat-lover of your acquaintance, and is available from Amazon. The book is also contains fewer calories than an Easter Egg which is another point in its favour.****
Purrhaps you know someone who would like a copy...

They've Bin And Dunnit!

They've dealt with my wheelie bins, that is! When we got Cornerstones in 2009. we had two bins - regular, and recycling. The regular one was 20 years old [it said 1989 on the top] but in good working order.

The recycling was slightly newer, but had a couple of small cracks in the lid. We started paying for a garden bin. Four years ago, I stopped paying for that, as I was getting into composting properly, and felt it was £60 p.a. I didn't want to spend! I pushed that bin out of the way. Recently I realised those cracks were major splits, and my recycling bin was filling up with water in all the rainstorms. So my 'clean&dry' recycling was useless.
Last week [3rd March] I rang the helpful woman at Breckland Council. She made a note that I wanted the redundant garden bin collected, and a replacement for my damaged bin. "Don't worry if there is anything in them, they will deal with that, Should be dealt with inside 10 working days" And sure enough, early on 9th March, I got up to find the garden one gone, and a smart new recycling bin outside.

This was made in Telford [I remember Pauline telling me once that many of the UK bins are made there] and has 2026 imprinted on the lid. All I need to do now is stick my spare "4" numeral on the front, and spray-paint a recycling symbol on the lid. It can be quite confusing for visitors from other parts of the UK, when they helpfully offer to put stuff in the bin. 
One site lists "Common UK Recycling Bin Colours" thus...

blue Commonly used for "dry" mixed recycling, including paper, cardboard, and sometimes cans/plastic.
green Often used for garden waste, but in some areas, it is used for dry recyclables.
red/orange Often designated for plastic bottles, pots, and, in some cases, food waste.
brown: Typically used for garden waste or organic waste. 
But then it says "It is essential to check with your local council for the specific, definitive colour system in your area, as they can vary significantly."
Here in the Breckland region of central Norfolk, regular is green, recyclable is black, and garden is brown - totally  different from both Leicester and Dorset. I wonder what colour our food waste bins will be when they arrive?

What colour are your bins?

 

March Forward!

 This month's calendar picture

A good question for all of us I think. In these turbulent times, it helps to know what really matters to us. 

The wisest people build on rocks not sand ...

A Pause In Lent #3

 

This Is Not A Toddler Toilet Seat...

These are toddler toilet seats. What you see below  is a free motion guide grip.

Similar in shape, but actually for very different purposes. As we wandered round the show last Thursday I talked to Elisabeth about Free Motion Embroidery. When we both lived in Leicester we had a mutual friend [another Rev's wife] who was very good at it, and maintained it was easy.

I said to E that I had made a few attempts but couldn't get the hang of it. She said she went to a workshop last year and did some stuff on the day, but nothing since...She found manipulating the hoop quite difficult. At the very end of our day., almost the last stand in the far corner of the 1st floor, we met Steve from Sewing Machine World in Kings Lynn.
He was using one of these guides, and producing superb stuff. "That's what I need!" I said, and he stood up, and said "Sit down, have a go" And I sat and squiggled and spiralled and did straight lines
and tried to write my name Angel&
For the first time in my life I actually felt I had some semblance of control over the machine embroidery work. Elisabeth had a go too. I bought one of his grips on the spot [and had 1p left from my allotted budget for the day!] Then we went and had a cuppa, and E. decided she was going to buy one too. 

Saturday afternoon I sat down at the machine to practice
I began with words
Yes
Angela
hallelujah
AMEN
then I did three beach huts
under a sky with pointy clouds
and a squiggly sun
and wavy sea
with a fish.
Tuesday I tried again

A house with windows, and a smoking chimney [it may be on fire!] A king with a crown and a cheery smile. A five pointed star, and sew good
I felt very pleased with myself. I can see I have the bobbin tension wrong [too much pink thread coming through from underneath] but it is a start. 
I found it so much easier to steer the guide than grip a hoop.  This video was very helpful. 
No. I do not think I shall be doing an embroidered portrait of Bob, or even a landscape full of trees and flowers just yet. More practice needed. But I am Getting There and that's what matters.

Have you ever done free motion machine embroidery?
What are your best tips, please?
Can you recommend any good YouTube tutorials?

Jesus Says "I Will Give You Rest, Come!"

That is the theme of this year's World Day Of Prayer, planned by the women of Nigeria. WDP always happens on the first Friday in March. I checked the Find A Service Near You page, and was pleased to find there is an afternoon service just a few miles away in Dereham. I felt sad that to find that there was no service listed in Kirby Muxloe, and Ferndown was 24 miles from the nearest service. [surely somebody in one of the many Bournemouth churches is doing something?] You can find out more here

World Book Day Girls

Jessica was a ballerina from "The Story Orchestra - Swan Lake" and Rosie was Harriet the Spy. And Brooke won 1st prize for the best outfit at her school [a £10 book token] I put that down to the log pile hat which was the brilliant finishing touch made by her Mum. 

It's World Book Day!

I really thought I'd got a free pass this year. Over half term I checked with all grandchildren and their mothers, in case costumes were needed. And then Sunday night, a message from my neighbour. Could I help with her daughter's costume, please? She wanted to go as the snake from the Gruffalo
It is her last year at the special school - and she has been upset by the recent deaths of two local boys on Yr Wyddfa [Snowdon] as one has been a friend since toddler group days. 

They'd sourced a dress online, but when it arrived it was too long, and too slim. She needed it shorter, and wider, so she could wear it comfortably in her wheelchair. 
Fortunately 'buffet' dresses, with their tiered skirts have a lot of fabric in the bottom frill. I measured all round and the hem was 204cm. I cut off the frill at a point which made the dress 100cm long. 

I ended up with a piece 200 x 20 cm. which I cut into two long narrow strips.
Her Mum had suggested 

putting a panel centre front and back - but that meant remaking the back of the collar, and a complicated double breasted set of buttons and buttonholes.
Instead I cut the dress in three - vertically from the shoulder seam along two lines either side of the collar and inserted the two panels. I was a bit nervous about cutting up the dress, but it has worked perfectly. Brooke is really pleased with her costume for Thursday, and her Mum is making the snake a 'logpile house' from loo rolls and cardboard to hang on the back of the wheelchair.

Have you been involved in World Book Day?
What costumes have you made?

UPDATE _ The snake off to school. She made her mask, her mum made the log pile house hat