Priorities and commitments

I have made a list. I like lists they make you think. I have been feeling a bit snowed under. So I made a list of the things I would like to do and the things I have to do.
I am a Wife, Mother and Grandmother, that is my greatest frustration and my greatest joy. I work full time and I have to do that. I am President of the Cloth Doll Club of SA and Vice-President of the SA Folk and Decorative Painters so I have to do things for them because I made the commitment that I would. I am a member of the SA Quilt Guild, the Adelaide Hills Doll Guild and the SA Embroiderers Guild.
I reminded myself while making my list that I do not have to be an office bearer. So I am making a commitment to myself today that I will not go on any committees for at least a year. As the AGM's come up I will resign and I will cut back on what I am doing now. I will do the things I like. I will have to study for work and as I still have to work for about another 20 years I need to do this. I will stop being the fix it person and if anybody doesn't like it tough. I am sorry if that sounds harsh but I feel that for my own mental health I should do this.
When I started blogging I decided that it would be a type of public diary so this is the entry for me.
You might wonder what triggered this. I spent two days making a needlelace flower and leaves with a SA teacher. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have wanted to do something like this for ages but never had the time. I had a relaxing two days and the flower is nearly done.



Update- Priorities and Commitments Part 2 is here
I need to make more time for me.

Chutney and Stuff

It has been much cooler here today it even rained this morning. I went to Mt Barker and bought the makings for tomato sauce. Tomatoes, onions, apples, vinegar and sugar. When I got home Greg helped me cut up 10 kilo's of tomatoes, 2 kilo's of onions, 1 kilo of apples. It was cooking and I decided to forget about the sauce cause I couldn't be bothered with the pulping and straining out the bits etc and made Chutney out of it all instead. I threw in some old sun dried tomatoes, a kilo of currants and topped it all off with balsamic vinegar, mustard seeds, garlic, garam masala and a two liter bottle of plum sauce I made about 4 years ago and found in the back of the hall cupboard when I was digging out jars for the chutney. The 20 liter pot was full to the brim. Greg is washing it up at the moment and thinking unkind thoughts cause I forgot to soak the pot when I emptied it. But we have 37 jars of chutney.
The hall cupboard used to be our kitchen pantry before we extended the house.
I was cooking tea while bottling the chutney.
I haven't done any dolling today. I did dig out a piece of silk to use for Phoebe's skirt and I may get to it later.

Stuff

We have dispatched the last of the goldfish to the great ocean in the sky. Aquarium fish every where are bubbling in relief. I was going to say sigh but I don't think fish sigh. We are going to turn the tank into a terrarium. We stopped at the plant nursery near us for some advice and the ditsy shop assistant knew less than us so I have researched and we are ready for a new adventure in killing plants rather than fish.
I am making some summer tops for Caitlin and Jessica and had a bit of a boo boo so I decided to leave it for a little while.
It is a beautiful day here so I did the horrible housework stuff and traipsed off to the laundromat and washed the winter bedding before it goes in the cupboard for the summer. It is all drying on the line at the moment.
We really need some rain although the weather man says this is the wettest December for years it is still brown and dead around us. We are watering the veggies and the fruit trees but everything else is on it's own.

Misty and Miss S

Here is a photo of Misty and Miss Stubborn. I really want to give her a name but she is not cooperating. I have tried several names on her and none of them seem to fit. I will get her clothes completed and then we shall see again.
The other photo is of the view from my family room. We netted the garden in last year and were shocked at how much of our mulberries and apricots the birds were getting. I don't mind sharing but those gluttons were taking 99% of the crop and the rabbits were decimating everything else. Although the weather man tells me we have had more rain than is normal the garden is not doing well. Greg is watering it but still not going great.
Just over the hill behind us well 40 kilometers is Adelaide.

A word for the year

A Yahoo group I am on has invited every one to set themselves a word for the year. I have given this a lot of thought and settled on my word for this year will be FINISH.
Last year I set myself the goal of finishing a Work in Progress before starting a new project and then finishing that project before starting another new one. So I am going to do that this year too. I have finished Misty except her shoes and I have the other doll sitting here beside me with her hair glueing on She needs a name but hasn't chosen to share it with me yet. I think I will call her Miss Stubborn. I made her a half slip last night and decided on her hair style. I am just letting the glue set a bit and then I will fiddle with that. I found my Venus Dodge Dolls Dressmaker Book in with my cook books and I am not sure how it got there but anyway. So I am decided on her clothes and hat. I have finished the smocking on her dress and have some micro ric rac to sew on and then her jacket and shoes. I am a member of the Yahoo group Vintage Cloth Dolls and one of the members has just posted a boot pattern and I might see if that will fit my young lady.
We are having dinner tonight with our son's prospective in laws. First meet for them and us. They have a lovely daughter so I am hoping it goes well. We are very different people so it shall be interesting.

Stuff on the web

Have a look at these
Susan Fosnot Dolls


Pincushions

Hair and Clothes and Banana Spring Rolls

I got sent this link through one of my groups and thought this would be useful to you.

Clothing for 18"Dolls
I have finished the smocking for my doll and tonight I am going to make her hair. Then I will get too work on finishing her clothing. She needs some hair. I had a very quiet New Years Eve. It was insanely busy at work and I had tea, read for a while thought about a New Years drink and went too bed instead and crashed.
A few months ago we went to a restaurant and one of the desserts was Banana and Macadamia Spring rolls. Absolutely delicious. I have finally perfected them.
Banana and Macadamia Spring Rolls.

Makes 3

1 large Banana – Mashed
1 tablespoon chopped toasted macadamias
¼ teaspoon mixed spice or cinnamon
3 spring roll wrappers

Combine the banana, nuts and spice. Mix well. Lay out the spring roll wrappers. Brush with water or beaten egg but water will do.
Divide the banana equally between the spring roll wrappers. Put the banana on one end. Fold the sides over the mixture. Brush again with water or egg and then roll up.
Deep fry until golden on all sides. You can sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or icing sugar while hot. Serve with ice cream and caramel sauce.