The Purpose of Stash

We're hopefully zooming down to Kent on Sunday to ditch the kids at Nanny's for a week, as long as Ingrid the Volvo is amenable. Other than enjoyment for the kids, there is an actual purpose behind arranging time out of the maternal slammer on licence, but more of that in another post at a later date.

It so happens that Sunday is also the birthday of one of my SILs, and she is having a celebration. We can't simply do a drive-by jettisoning of the kids; well, we could, but it seems a tad impolite seeing as how we don't get down there often.

So began the quest for a suitable gift. DH suggested that since we seemed to have so many knitted scarves lying around, why not give her one of those ? knowing that one of them has indeed been knitted for her, since he'd selected the yarn.

I don't think that men truly understand the concept of having a stash. That scarf is part of the Xmas stash and is intended to be her Xmas gift. If we use it for a birthday gift, then it's no longer part of the Xmas stash, and what will we give her at that time ? Let alone that it's actually quite a warm August and woolly scarves are for winter.

Fortunately, stash comes in handy in times of gift crises like this. I headed up to my wicker chests full of fabric acquired randomly with no project or purpose in mind. This is what I selected from the jumble:



I unearthed the sewing machine, and then had a cup of tea - balm for any troubled soul - to engender the correct mindset:

• I will be patient

• I will take my time

• I will do it properly.
  

I almost added 'I will not curse like a sailor' to the list, but a reality check got the better of pious aspirations. One must ensure one's goals are achieveable. Repeating this mantra, I set to work. By the end of last evening, I had produced this:



It is the front of a cushion cover in a traditional patchwork design called the Frienship Ring, Aster, or Dresden Plate.

Inside it, along with the cushion pad, will go a mix of herbs to aid sleep: lavender, hops, camomile, jasmine, lemon verbena, rose petals, rosemary, cloves and cinnamon sprinkled with a few drops of essential oils: camomile, lavender, benzoin, sandalwood and the tiniest smidge of May Chang just to 'lift' it. These are marinating with orris root as we speak.




Today's task is to complete the cushion: affix a back and seam it all together. Sew the herbs into a muslin pouch and insert. Sounds simple, doesn't it ?

First, I shall go perform the ritual to re-affirm the mantra: the kettle's on.

Surviving the Holidays

Old Year's Night didn't go quite as planned; it started well enough - kids showered and in bed at a decent time, DH and I on the sofa with bubbly, nibbles and some trash TV. I called my father just after midnight, managed to make myself understood enough to leave a message, and then got hold of him anyway to wish him a Happy New Year. Sounds lovely and peaceful, if a little boring and middle-aged, no ?

But no sooner had we switched from watching the London celebrations on BBC1, than DD appeared, on the run to the bathroom. She almost made it, doing her impression of the girl from 'The Exorcist' all over the bathroom floor. Cue the winter stomach bug hitting the family - DD took 3 or so days to get back to sort of normal, DS was over it in 24 hours, and DH came down with it last night, just before he headed out back to work, poor old love. So far, I am unafflicted. DD seems OK now, but I will wait and see til tomorrow, maybe run her to the doctor for a quick checkup. Everything in the house that stayed still has been hoovered and/or bleached - lucky that the kids and kitties are pretty fast-moving when they see the ominous portents of Mum on a mission .....

So, the house now having been de-cluttered over the last few days, and really thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, frees me up to get on with the patchwork cot quilt for my SIL's bump, due in February. I started last night - got the sewing machine out (unused since making DD's nativity play costume last year) and have so far completed two strips of blocks, which gives me a really good idea of how it will look in the end.

Jewel the rescue cat no longer dashes instantly out of a room if someone enters, rather she now slinks away round the edges; sometimes she is even brave enough to stay where she is, as long as no-one comes too close. Inky just creates mayhem in his wake - it's been a long time since we had the nocturnal delights of a scat cat half hour round the foot of the bed, up the walls, down the corridor, down the stairs, round the living room and back up again. No pics of either of them yet, as my camera needs new batteries, which I can't afford.

It was -5C (23F for you furriners out there) last night, and likely to be worse tonight; my mop, stored outside, was frozen this morning; there was ice inside the car at 4 a.m. this morning when DH left. The forecast says heavy snow for us at the end of the week. I refuse to worry about the energy bill - it'll be what it'll be. I run the thermostat for the central heating at 18C (64F) during the day, down to 15C (59F) at night, so I'm hardly being excessive; and although I am totally and completely miserable in the cold, and will complain to anyone at all who will listen, I have found some positive things about winter this year. I don't wish to give too many details, as it's way too much information; suffice it to say, the benefits are to do with becoming a personal slob ....