Happy feelings with a bit of Bordeaux

Thanks for your positive comments about my decision to go to Perth for the CA Wells class.  The way I thought about it this morning was that there could be two types of regret … the first is that if I went I may regret it financially until I manage to rebuild my finances again, which might take a couple of months … the second is that if I didn’t go, I may regret it for the rest of my stitching life … when I looked at it that way it was an easy decision to make.  The short-term regret may start next week when I get my car bill … but that’s days away yet, and I’m going to enjoy this time away and not think about it too much – after all, as some of you have put it quite accurately, this could in fact be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity 🙂

I have to admit that once I’d made my decision I really enjoyed the day today – I feel as though a small weight has been lifted off my shoulders … and I’ve even enjoyed the wonderful public transport system that Melbourne has to offer.  It’s only when I have to use it more often that I remember just how wonderful it really is – and it’s lovely being able to sit back and relax, not have to think about where I’m driving, and enjoy a good book while being ‘chauffeured’ about Melbourne without a care in the world.  Today I took a train to Richmond, then changed trains and hopped on another one out to Surrey Hills where I spent the quickest time ever in Bustle & Bows … it definitely was a personal record!  I didn’t want to spend any money on things I didn’t need immediately so didn’t look around at all, and I was amazed that I managed to buy everything I needed in one spot within a 5 minute period – thanks to the owner showing me where everything was that I asked for! 

The main thing I needed (and which I was actually stressing about ever so slightly) was 4mm silk ribbon for the finishing of my Pyramid Etui this weekend – as luck had it, there was no 4mm silk ribbon that matched the colours I’d chosen, we ended up going for a ‘mock silk’ ribbon which matches beautifully, and the owner thought it would be more serviceable in what it was being used for anyway … put it this way, if it doesn’t work (as it’s marginally stiffer than the silk), I’ll just unpick it later and re-do with something else once I have my car back and can go shopping more far and wide (ie to Ringwood).  I was also surprised to see sewing machine thread in there too, so I picked up a cream thread ready to finish my cream button bag, plus a couple of other items in dire need of finishing (Just Nan’s And Many More needlecase being just one …).  I also picked up some red glass-headed pins, but on reflection I decided they were going to be too small and would be lost on a pinkeep, so they’ll now go into my sewing basket as they’ll be perfect for pinning things together.

On the way home I had to pass where I work, so I hopped off the train and made a slight detour – I had to pay for my PO Box renewal (of course I hadn’t been able to get to them during business hours recently because of my shifts/no transport, so it was now overdue), so I got that out of the way (another $110 hmmm), then cleared out the contents of my mailbox … lo and behold there was some squishy mail sitting in there from Carol – it’s true that gifts seem to appear in my mailbox when I really need them … I knew Carol was sending me another skein of my favourite DMC Variations thread, but I was very surprised to also find a wee Easter duck hiding in there too – isn’t he cute sitting in his little flowerpot? Hehe, I think he’s just gorgeous – I’m such a kid where ducks are concerned!  I love him, my friend, and he really put a smile on my face for the rest of the day 😀

 It was then back onto the trains again, where I made a snap decision while changing trains at Richmond station … I decided to jump on the Frankston train line and take the train to Malvern, to the Spotlight store there.  Unfortunately that particular store is the bane of all Spotlight stores (Mum and I hate going there on the whole ‘cos their staff know next to nothing, and everything is always a jumbled mess, plus you have to queue for 1/2 an hour for anything) – anyway, the other Spotlight store on the train lines was further away in Box Hill in zone 2 of the transport map, and I only had a zone 1 ticket, so Malvern it was …  I was actually surprised that they had what I needed, being some more berry pins, so that I can finally finish Tessa’s pinkeep for her and get it in the mail – yippee! Now all I need to do is stitch something that will warrant using the yellow, green and orange pins 😉

I’m booked in for an airport shuttle bus in the wee small hours of the morning tomorrow (before daylight), so I decided to hop on a tram into St Kilda so I could work out where the pick-up hotel was located.  I was originally going to just walk down to it, but seeing as it will still be dark, I think I’ll organise a taxi instead to the pick-up point.  I can’t believe the bus is only $30 return, whereas when I took my car to the airport for my Sydney trip it cost me $45 in car park fees (long-term parking), plus the e-tag toll cost for the freeway, plus petrol … I wish I’d known about this eastern suburbs shuttle bus sooner, it’s wonderful (it originates in Frankston and comes through the eastern suburbs before heading out to the airport – awesome!).

Anyway, all-in-all it was a wonderful day today.  Now all I have to do is get my stitching etc packed ready for the morning.  I’m going to have about a 5-6 hour wait at the airport on Sunday night after the class, so I need to pack something I can sit and stitch there over and above the CA Wells projects.  Because I’m travelling on a standby ticket, I’m not flying out until 11.35pm, and get home at 5.15am yikes.

Now, before I run away and start doing that, I thought I’d show my pitiful progress on Bordeaux this week … hmmm, hardly worth showing, really – I only just remembered it was SAL night at 11.30pm last night, and only managed about 1 1/2 hours before my eyes were almost closed.  I just got a bit more of the side border stitched, and started the golden blackwork – at least this band is a lot more fun that those pesky over-one grapes on the previous band (and yes, for those of you who are very observant, they’re still not done haha – I couldn’t fact them last night).  Hopefully from next week I can get back to my normal routine again with my stitching and my SAL’s … I wonder how my SAL partner Carina has been doing with the Macaw in my absence?

Anyway, thanks again for your lovely comments, emails and support – as always it’s really appreciated {{hugs}}.