Hello from Sunny Mildura!

I am sitting in an internet cafe in sunny but freezing Mildura. I think we are all slowly winding down into holiday mode and worrying less and less about the minor details. That being said, Amelia came down with a mild case of croup on Saturday so we spent 2 hours in the emergency waiting room that night just as we had settled down and ordered a pizza. I have been sharing her room so that I can comfort her when she wakes herself with that awful, sore sounding barking cough every half hour or so (plus the room is the only bedroom with a heater!) but she is now on the up and up and besides being miserable and grizzly all seems ok.

We got up yesterday morning and I looked out the window and caught sight of a group of balloons hanging over the gum tree out the back so we all leapt into the car and headed out to have a look. I was not prepared for the spectacular site of over 100 balloons hanging in the perfectly still air. It was totally breath taking. The wind has picked up and it’s not looking good for the next couple of days but I hope we can witness at least one amazing mass take off from the launch field.

I haven’t really had a chance to do any knitting but after we have finished up here we are going to find Mildura’s knitting shop so I can have a little look (not buy). I started a kittyville hat before we left home and it’s way too small for my head but might look cute on Amelia. My little nephew James is sporting his Lil’Devil hat and it’s fantastic. I can’t believe how difficult the double pointed needles are — who knew? Mum seems so comfortable with them as she knits all the socks she knits. I guess it will get easier.

Dates

I’m sad to be missing out on the Melbourne Scarf Festival this weekend. It sounds amazing and will have to make sure I am in town for next year’s.

Never mind, I have some exciting weekends coming up. Firstly, of course, there is the World Hot Air Ballooning Championships 26 June – 3 July, then there is the Victorian Association of Miniature Enthusiasts Miniatures Show July 10-11 (for people who like very little things) and finally the Australian Sheep and Wool Show July 16-18. Also in there is a first birthday party, a third birthday party, a 32nd (right?) birthday party dinner thing and a car service!

Holiday project line up

After taking Amelia for a haircut and then rushing to the library to borrow a new stack of exciting picture books, I went in to school to enroll for second semester. There were ridiculous queues – I can’t believe in this day and age we still have to queue up to enroll for (in my case) one class! I did a lot of grumbling but it was also a good excuse to catch up with some of my part-time compatriots for some friendly, work-free chat. Now I am officially on holidays for three weeks. Of course, this seems a little silly to even consider a bonus when it’s a holiday from a one afternoon a week class but it seems to have made some kind of difference to my mood. Holidays! Woohoot! So what am I going to do with all this extra free time? Big plans are afoot.

Firstly there is a week long trip to Mildura to attend the World Hot Air Ballooning Championships. We are going along as spectators and groupies but mainly for a bit of a holiday. My family has been into ballooning for a long time. Many of my childhood weekends were spent standing in freezing cold paddocks at the break of dawn waiting for the wind to drop so we could put up the balloon, watch people clamber into the basket, take off and then chase them around the countryside sitting in the back of someone’s huge balloon retrieve vehicle. I would read books or draw while my brother would stare out of the window and dream about flying balloons. Now, many years later, my dad and brother own a balloon and are rather passionate about the sport. I am not so passionate about it (it involves getting up really early) but will happily toddle along to watch and marvel. Amelia will have a blast.

Other plans: the Kittyville hat knitted in many shades and forms. I have started one using a big ball of Bendigo rustic that I bought a while back. I have never used circular needles before and I can’t quite get a comfortable grip on them. Here’s a work-in-progress shot:

This is a kind of first run, but then I want to do one or two more using some weird and wonderful yarn from Marta’s to get some interesting textures and colours. I may do something other than ears but I really like the basic hat shape. By the way, here’s the stuff I bought on sale at Marta’s on Tuesday:

Delicious. Then there is also the Bag of Wonder with my drop dead gorgeous Rowan Polar to get my teeth into, a certain baby present now long overdue (present not baby), many other overdue presents, some more dolls, some bags to sell… But in truth, I will get one or two of these things started, but it’s nice to have big plans.

Hatty

In the last week or so Amelia has taken a shine to hats. I like to think it was inspired by the pink beanie I knitted her but, regardless, it’s quite a passion and she has been pulling all sorts of odd hats of Mum and Dad’s out of the cupboard and parading around in them. She has also found a strange collection of her old baby hats which are now just a little bit too small for her 97th percentile head but she loves them all anyway. Over at Kylie’s knitting site, there is a photo I took of Amelia in her high-chair the other day wearing a small red beanie that Kylie gave her as a wee babe in 2002. It’s quite a historic piece as it’s one of Kylie’s first projects and I am pleased that Amelia is sporting it again so proudly.

In which I talk about whiskey and yarn

I went into Brunswick and handed in my folio this morning, came home and did some dishes, then Special-K came over for lunch and brought along an enormous chocolate cake, and then Suze and the kids came over for a play in the park. “Busy Day!!” Amelia said (as usual) as I tucked her into bed tonight, which today I had to agree with.

Tomorrow is the final class for the term of Amelia’s Mini Maestros music class. She usually goes along every Tuesday with my mum but as it’s a break up class, I am going too and Amelia has a special new dancing skirt adorned with ribbons and flowers to wear for the occasion. She’s been wearing it all weekend and dances around in it with a huge amount of enthusiasm but not much grace.

After the class we are going to visit Marta’s Yarns for a little stash enhancement. This afternoon Suzette showed me some of her lovely purchases from there and now I am really inspired. I have all these small projects on the boil and not enough appropriate yarn. I am really very inspired by Georgia’s sweet interpretation of the kittyville hat over at On My Mind and think that Marta’s might have something that will work well.

A few nights ago my parents had a friend over for dinner and opened a very expensive bottle of single malt whiskey which they delicately poured into glasses with equal parts water and sipped with great excitement. The discussion that ensued was intense. Comparisons were made, lips were smacked, tongues were rolled and more thoughts were offered on the flavours and subtleties. Eventually, not being a keen whiskey sipper, I excused myself and retired to the couch and the knitting project of the moment. It occurred to me that sitting there listening to this conversation must be very much what it would be like to attend a stitch ‘n bitch meeting with no interest in knitting. Special-K was exposed to a little of this this afternoon as I oohed and ahhed over the stuff from Marta’s — I hope she didn’t mind too much. She probably would have preferred some of that single malt whiskey.