What's in a name?

One of my tasks for Easter was to do some scrapbooking, as I want to record the stories that go with the photos of my kids growing up. I began to think of how we came up with their names and the following was the result.

What’s in a Name?
Carmen Jessica Olver
Jess was called Carmen Jessica because Jessica Carmen didn’t sound right.

Jessie because I really liked it
and then we found that her paternal Grandmother was Kathleen Marguerite Jessie Olver (6/8/1921 – 17/12/1974) and great-grandmother was Jessie Clegg.
Also her maternal great-grandmother was Euthemia Jessica Wilson. ( 7/5/1898-30/8/1982).

I chose Carmen in memory of my friend Carmen Veldsman who died in a car accident (1981) when returning from Victoria Falls to renew my visa.

What’s in a name?

Daniel Lanyon Olver.

Andrew and I chose Daniel while working in a polling booth at the Zimbabwe elections in 1982. Andrew claimed his son had to have a strong name and we agreed on Daniel, but he could have been a Mathew or a Charles.

Dan was always going to be a “Lanyon Olver”
His dad is Andrew Lanyon Olver (7/5/1952)
His grandfather was Sydney Obed Lanyon Olver (13/04/1920-17/05/1978)
His great-grandfather was Obed Lanyon Olver
(9/5/1897-27/12/1973)
His great-great-grandfather was Henry Lanyon Olver (b.1859)
His great-great-great-grandfather was Henry Olver (b. 1829) and he married Maud Lanyon (b. 1831) in 1853.
They emigrated to South Africa from Cornwall UK, around 1868 with six children.

Easter Saturday

I hope you're all having a relaxed, safe and enjoyable Easter. So far I've managed to achieve - or at least progress most of my goals.

My bookcase arrived on Thursday, and the books are being sorted. I've had fun decorating the top, I decided that the basics would be glass, with the odd piece of crystal, and have collected from through the house. My only complaint is that it only takes "standard" small books and a lot of my books seem too tall. I'll have to mix the themes but it's lovely to have the space to sort.

I gave in this morning and decided Easter = chocolate, I only have one piece of the orange and dark choc Jess gave me for Christmas left, so I went to Kmart. Then decided I'd rather have a Madagasca palm - like a pineapple on steroids, and is supposed to grow to 3m and have long spikes of white flowers. and I did get a mars bar!

Mum's quilt is progressing, and I've cut out the first stage of Jess' Japanese quilt, This is the first bit, I was suppossed to make 49 and somehow I made 100 - duh - two fabrics = half the number of squares! I'll show each stage so it's like a mystery quilt - except for cathy, who knows what it will look like. We made this quilt in a class with Trudi way back in the early 90's

I've even done a page or two of scrapbooking from 1983 and weeded half the Canna bed that runs along the ramp to my back door. So I'm feeling productive and relaxed. I even managed to work out how to use Facebook, and got a reply from MD. I think she thought I'd fallen off the face of the earth.

Happy Easter wishes

As you can see I've finally finished Ben's quilt. the colour isn't true, the brown is coppery with gold and the Chinese dragons are a strong bright red, purple, yellow and blue. My camera is usually good with colour so it must be the photographer!

This quilt was made for Ben for Christmas so he could learn about quilts, how they hold value on so many levels and how each stitch is made with the person in mind.

I'm looking forward to a quiet and hopefully, work free, easter break of 5 days. I actually hope to be extremely reclusive and not see a soul.

I plan to fill my days with reading, sewing, favourite DVD's, hot cross buns, maybe some gardening, and filling my new bookcase, due to be delivered tomorrow.
You'd think buying a bookcase would be easy? Ah -I forgot this is the Isa. But I did locate one, out of a choice of four, over 3 locations, that will fit the bill - I hope. I think the wood is darker than my others but it's a bookvcase and the right shape and could be delivered tomorrow. I plan to sort all my work related books so I have some hope of finding that reference I'm looking for. Most of these books are currently in a small book case and piled on the dining room floor.

My co-tennant (the mouse- I'm not naming him because he already thinks he belongs here!) is not very co-operative. I got an environmentally, and mouse, friendly trap, so I could drive him out 60km and let him fend for himself, and do you think he'll go near it? Not likely!

This is me at the Cloncurry Community Day last Sunday. I've discovered temporary tattoos don't come off in a hurry! My guardian angel was working when I got distracted by another kid wanting a tattoo, just when a kid was going to put one on my face. The one on my arm has started many conversations, in shops and at work - hhhmmm maybe I've found a good way to start conversations!

catching up

Driving home on friday I noticed the clouds were low and very grey bottomed, what ever that means we didn't get rain. For a wet season it is still so very dry here. The trees are green but the spinefix and grasses are all drying. I hope we get some rain soon my lawn is looking very patchy. I bought a gardenia to put in the pot by my front door- the so called hardy plant in it died while I was away - I doubt much lasts for long with no water for weeks and 40 deg temps! I realise a gardenia is ambitious but it smelled so lovely and I have visions of toparying it - so far it's co-operative but not flowering on water once a week.

I also have a new co-tennant. A small grey mouse has moved in and made himself quite at home - he seems put out that I'm around, and doesn't seem at all intimidated when I bang things and yell shooo! Tomorrow I'll go to the hardware store and by a mouse trap - I think I'm more afraid of a dead mouse than a live one!

I think my house is in general revolt, today I heard a loud bang in my bedroom and when I went in one of the wardrobe doors was on the floor- no warning, just fell out! Two front steps have collapsed and I'm struggleing to find someone to replace them - the joys of home ownership.

I'm catching up with my quilting swaps - I've finished the Elegant Elves swap and I'm waiting for mine to come home. I completed the Row X Row doing a row of Sunbonnet Sues in 1930's fabrics - I didn't think I liked these fabrics but.... more ideas and plans for future quilts. Mine should be on the way home too.

Life can be hectic!

I can't believe it's a month since I wrote - despite my New Year Resolution to slow down it's been a hectic and tough month work wise. There's been births, my 13 yo had her baby boy, deaths, sudden and tragicly a young Dad, with all sorts of legal complications - this is an indigenous family, he had a heart attack while taking a nap after lunch. The family called me (it was Sunday) and it meant dealing with police, forensics, child safety, finding family members to support his current partner and new baby and just the shock and grief involved. I was very honoured to be asked to speak at his funeral. And court cases that keep going pear shaped, kids running, back to court, more interviews, more afadavits, back to court and on it cycles. The only ones gaining from this seem to be the lawyers who make heaps of money. For the families involved its heartache and frustration.

I've been working long hours and trying to fit in some sleep and the occassional meal. My Team leader was in town last week and came to my house for dinner, we only manage to get together about 5 times a year as she is based in Normanton, we had planned for me to drive up there last week - the rivers were up so it wasn't safe to travel, and my work load just didn't allow any space. Barb bought me a bunch of beautiful Lillies - it did make such a difference, my whole house smelled wonderful and they were so beautiful - I have a photo and will add it when i'm home again. I was tempted to bring them out with me this week, it seemed a shame to just leave them, but a day in the car, even though our temperatures have dropped to the mid 30's, wouldn't have done them any good at all.

And I'm definately having quilting withdrawal, but I'm hopeing this week will give me some space.

I have Ben's quilt (his xmas present) with me and just need to stitch down the binding. I also have the last row x row for Trish L, and I've discovered 1930's/vintage fabrics - just what I needed - more inspiration! As I left town yesterday I picked up Terri's row for the new row X row swap - this has a Christmas theme, and i know I'm going to enjoy this.

Despite sketching, and playing with techniques I didn't get to finish the Choosedaychallange this month which was Acid, - it will now be added to the ever growing pile of UFO's! today we get the new theme for the month.

Last week really was awful and though I'm hoping for just some quiet suicidal and domestic violence stuff this week - it's already spilled over! But one of my little people had made me a bright red macaronni necklace yesterday, I wore it all afternoon and it lifted my day. I also called in to see my new Mum - she's 13 yo- and she's doing so well and baby Kobi is lovely - he managed to spew all down my skirt. So I spent the day smelling of baby puke and wearing macaronni necklaces - a good day!
There was also the 8am visit to the solicitor to sign my latest afadavit, and a visit till 7pm with the family involved in the court case - but a good day.

I'm hopeing for a less hectic and more peaceful week.