Penniedarling

Weather wise we heard of seriously damaging bush fires, storms then flooding around Australia, then on the happy side we were lucky to be able to enjoy three weeks with Briony, Kate and James who escaped the serious smoke haze in Canberra to join us here, no damage to their home just far too much dirty smelly smoke.

James and his young cousin Elodie really enjoyed some fun times together, taking a selfie was one. 

Before Briony and Kate headed back to Canberra, Bri very kindly 'Marie Kondo'ed' our Christmas Decorations.

🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄

News about the Virus spreading around the World became more and more of a worry, then in early February Abi, Tilly and George flew in from Macao for a five week stay.  Tomos followed a day later, unfortunately we didn't see Emma this year she was working in Europe and they had to shut down before her Show was put on.

The 'They've Arrived' selfie  taken at the airport and immediately sent to Tomos and Emma.

Bedtime all in one room but they did head off to their own bedrooms after enjoying long long catch up chats.

Tom arrived the next day and surprised us all, the Venetian had closed down so Tom took the opportunity to not only see his Aussie family but to catch up with lots of friends and see some Australia  that he hadn't seen before.

Abi, Tilly and George spent several hours each weekday online with their School Teachers which was a bit tricky as the three hour time difference meant they started School at Noon Sydney Time and finished about 6pm.  

Then more storms hit us cutting off our electricity for several days, thankfully Tomos managed to borrow a generator from his friend Sheldon, thanks Sheldon :-)

Tim cooked us a superb Paella during our blackout and we got to meet Jackson's girlfriend Jess, on far right.  One of the traditions our family loves, when welcoming a new friend to our home, is 'Twenty Questions' (at first our new guest is a tad daunted by our tradition but once they find that the questions are simple such as 'What is your favourite food?' 'What was the name of your first teddy?' they really enjoy it all and look forward to the next question... )  Jess received our 'Twenty Questions' twice because not all the family were here for the first session, she did enjoyed both!

 We did fit in a lot while A, T & G were with us, they asked me to show them how to cook some of their favourites such as my Cheese and Vegemite Crisps and Great Aunt Carol's Fudge, Abi wanted to learn to knit she also did some embroidery as well.  Tilly was lucky to spend a weekend with a school friend she'd met a couple of years ago in Macao and had returned to Australia.  George played Cricket a couple of times for the under 10's Hornsby Team, we enjoyed lunch on Rodd Point and a wander around the park to check out our Rodd Family Crypt, we didn't get to the Island this year though.

TEAM-G all back home together.

Tomos has left the Venetian, he's joined Emma with her 'Glee Club' where she teaches dancing and he teaches singing and acting, he's loving it, especially teaching acting.   Abi, Tilly and George have been enjoying school and being able to play with their friends who won't be leaving Macao over  the Christmas school holidays, Macao closed it's borders very early for  residents with residency permits only.  George has really enjoyed learning to Sail and won a trophy!

🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄

Nerys has enjoyed a spectacular year, she started a part time job with Hornsby Community College and she has been promoted and promoted and is now on full time!  Tim has been busy with his job and being very involved with their local Football and Cricket teams and loving it.   

🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄

What's Penniedarling been up to in 2020!  

I have finished several WIP's (Works in Progress) in my sewing room, finished a set of place mats and a couple of quilts and now I've started a new rather large BKH Mystery Quilt that I will probably turn into a couple of smaller Quilts and donate to the Smith Family, they won't be finished until 2021 though.  Knitting has been keeping me busy at night while watching a couple of hours of telly, I've almost finished the fifth jumper for this year!   

We are looking forward to seeing lots of cousins and family at our Rello Bash after Christmas and would you believe four dogs will be joining us as well, this is a first for us that's for sure! 

This had to be cancelled but we will try again as soon as we can.

Then early next year I've been asked to help with a reunion planned for ex-students and ex-parents of our local Primary School, I love these sorts of things.

... and I've almost finished knitting this Aran Jumper for Gwilym.  It's the 7th time I've knitted this pattern since the first one I knitted David back in 1967, the pattern is falling to bits but I have carefully scanned and printed it out.

I've also enjoyed putting together a couple of books for family and friends, plus lots of Blogging and when I realized it was the 20th Anniversary of the Sydney Olympic games I  decided to write a book about my wonderful 6 or 8 weeks being stationed in the Olympic Village and driving the Icelandic Team all around Sydney, Wollongong and Penrith etc... but when I dug out all the many many bits and pieces plus the many many instructions and information I'd been given I was just too daunted, maybe I'll think about doing it in a quiet time next year.

I have missed my Pub Quilting days with my online Southern Cross Quilter friends who usually meet every couple of weeks, we did manage to enjoy our January Gatherings but I had to cancel after January so... that's 11 months!   😏 I hope we can get  back to it next year when it's good and safe.

🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄

What's David been up in 2020?

 Work at Sydney Heritage Fleet Workshops in Rozelle Bay came to a sudden and complete halt in March as COVID hit home, with no volunteers allowed on site.  Beckoning to me in the garage was Gwilym’s 1965 Ford Falcon, on which a bit of work had been done to restore the window winders to working order, tuning up the engine and repairing a minor rust hole in the boot floor.

I absolutely adored my time with the Grandchildren staying over, they are a bright bunch and I was pleased to act as Catering Officer.
 

With time on one’s hands for an unknown it seems quite reasonable to go further down the track of preparing the Falcon for repainting. The phrase “a doors off, engine out paint job” gained currency, so the doors came off, the engine came out, seats out, flooring out, down to a shell.

Lots of sanding, filling of minor dents, stripping or sanding of paint and the shell is ready for a full-on respray. New oil seals for the engine crankshaft to correct messy leaks around the sump, made easy by finding an engine stand on Gumtree for $40. Blessings. Now to find a spray painter.

 
With almost perfect timing volunteers were returning to The Fleet on an invitation-only basis in September so the Falcon still sits, awaiting a painter.

But not long after putting in a couple of weeks, evidence emerged of blood from a bad place so off to the GP then the gastro man who ordered a colonoscopy leading to surgery on Nov. 27, to be followed next week by chemotherapy. Fabulous treatment from all medicos and the SAN Hospital Wahroonga so as I said to Nerys the other day it hardly seemed worse than having a flat tyre. It’s now surprising to find the appointment with gastro man was as far back as 7 October.
A lot of Crosswords have been completed and enough News read to put one off it for life. Read some good books too.

(David had Keyhole Robotic Surgery, just amazing it was and now almost a month later he's back to his normal self with very little to show for what he went through. He is still raving about how wonderful all the Dr's, Nurses and staff were.  One day he spoke Russian with a Russian Nurse who was attending him, he is still learning Russian so he was happy that he found he could understand and enjoy.)

 🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄

We all hope you have an enjoyable Christmas wherever you are and lets hope our '2021' Year is a very Happy one.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄