(Scout knows the words ‘walk’, ‘ball’ and ‘beach.’ When they’re combined in a sentence, it’s her FAVOURITE THING.)

What’s top of my mind: QUILTING.

Yes, I’ve fallen down the quilting rabbit hole again. I knew it would happen sometime. A year ago Georgia29 put a lot of work into putting together shelves and other storage for my sewing room. It’s one of the bedrooms that, as soon as it was empty, I cleverly installed a HUGE heavy table that pretty much can’t be moved, so that I’d finally have my own space. Since then, I’ve barely set foot in it.

I started a quilt for my friend Scott last year, but I really wasn’t in the Zone, so it’s been put away to be revisited at another time. Lots of crafty people have what they call ‘WIPs’, which is an acronym for ‘Works in Progress.’ I have some too, but I’m a FINISHER. They all eventually get done.

I’m currently working on a scrap quilt for a friend’s daughter. I started on Friday afternoon and every afternoon since then has been full on at it. Today, I’m determined to finish the top, which in quilting circles is called a ‘flimsy.’ I like that name.

Usually I’d immediately start to sandwich it together with the batting and the backing, but my dearest friend from high school needs a quilt. Her sister is in the last stages of cancer and my friend needs a quilt for comfort.

Fortunate Frogdancer already has the main stage of the flimsy constructed. Years ago, Evan27 chose the fabrics for a yellow and grey quilt and I enthusiastically sewed around double the amount of blocks that I actually needed. I didn’t feel like Fortunate Frogdancer at the time – more like Foolish Frogdancer or Mathermatically-Challenged Frogdancer.

But now I can get going with that one.

I only have 4 weeks until I leave for my Ghan trip. I still have the garden to look after. Argh!

So I took the little woofs for a walk on the beach on this beautiful winter’s day. The rest of the photos will be from here.

Where I’m going: To my sewing room.

I’m a woman on a mission.

Where I’ve been: to the beach.

Obviously.

What I’m reading: Naked City by John Silvester.

Silvester has been a crime journalist for decades, and this book is a collection of his columns talking about criminals, judges, police etc.

It turns out I’m not a fan of his style of writing, but he references crimes that I remember from when I was growing up, so this aspect of the book is interesting. I’m nearly halfway through, so I’ll plough through until the end.

What I’m watching: The Olympics.

Like everyone else in the world, I guess.

What I’m listening to: Jeff panting.

Jeff is Poppy’s litter brother and he’s now 11 years old. He’s been on heart medication for a year or two, but he’s panting an awful lot during the day. We’ve been back from the beach for a good 45 minutes and he’s still panting as if he’s run a race. All he did was walk beside me the whole time. It was Scout who was racing around chasing the ball.

This is a worry. We don’t want to lose him so soon after Poppy. He’s as dumb as a box of bricks but he’s a bundle of love and devotion. And he’s My Boy.

What I’m eating: something from the crockpot.

I’m proud of myself this morning. I know that come dinnertime, I’ll still be wanting to sew. This morning, I threw some things in the crockpot and dinner will be ready when we are. All I have to do is cook some rice in the thermomix.

I also like that so many ingredients are from the garden. Garlic, chilli, pumpkin, spinach, basil, celery… if I butchered my own chooks and grew onions, I’d have the full package!

What I’m planning: how to fit in all the quilting.

I might have to get up earlier in the mornings. Not sure if I’m ready to take so drastic a step.

Who deserves a thumbs-up: Sophie.

Sophie is Tom32’s girlfriend. She’s lovely. They recently moved in together and last weekend she took him skiing. Apparently, it was all going well until Tom32 fell and dislocated his shoulder. This has turned him off the sport slightly.

Sophie has been looking after him beautifully, listening to him whinge and complain and she’s still with him. What a trouper!

What has made me smile: a dinner invitation.

That trip to Antarctica certainly changed lives! Remember Morgan, one of the two French guys? He was the tour leader and he and Baptiste looked after me when I would have been rattling around Ushuaia all on my own.

He’s since become an official tour leader with Young Pioneers and is currently running a tour in the South Pacific. (Hmmm… I’ve never been there and it’s so close to home…) He’ll be in Melbourne next week on his way home and he suggested we catch up.

It made my day.

Dad joke of the day: