A fresh start

Welcome to the New Year. It starts today as January was reserved for the summer of sport: a time where I watch quite a lot of TV, my hand/eye co-ordination improves, and I am exhausted after some matches - notably Henin, Federer and Murray. I wish my tennis shots showed more improvement but at least I find the centre of the racquet more often. Without the shot making technique this usually sends the ball over the baseline.
The summer of sport is also a time for sewing and, as well as mending clothes for various family members, I have completed the scrap bag quilt I have been working on for at least the past year.
This project was interesting as I visited my artist cousins in New Zealand early last year and that provided great stimulation. I then handed the 8 patch pinwheel units to Lee in November and she made the design which we put together at Christmas. We then decided to wad it and I hand quilted it over the past few weeks. It has been very satisfying and I have reduced the accumulation in the sewing room significantly.

We have long waited for a spent cyclone to head our way with a big rainfall event and at last we are experiencing it. The rain sounds different and falls in sensible amounts. We have 39 mm in the gauge this morning after a day or more of wind and overcast. The tanks are filling and the place will revive. I spent Saturday morning planting out trees and shrubs in anticipation.
This year I hope to complete several writing projects which have been almost finished for too long. I hope to benchmark my progress with monthly meetings of the U3A Genealogy discussion group. This used to work for me when I was in Mareeba.
It looks like the garden might look after itself for a while.
I am looking forward to returning to U3A choir and Scottish country dancing this week which is the beginning of term. Swimming/aqua has continued over summer and USQ fitball is also continuing.

Tennis and sewing

After spending a day at the Brisbane International with Lee, I have enjoyed the summer of tennis on TV. It made up for a disappointing effort by the Australians in the cricket, although I enjoyed the visiting New Zealand and South African teams who showed great spirit.
I was slow to get into sewing but I completed some mending then made a nice long-sleeved shirt from light Indian muslin.

Virtual travel

Nancy called from NZ last Saturday and I got onto my bookings for the long talked of trip to Great Barrier Island. It turned out to be a bit tricky getting flights that left late enough in the day but which arrived early enough, and on the right day to get a ferry, but not the early one, to the island. I was lucky to get a good quote from a chance enquiry online to YHA Travel and it was soon all sorted. Once locked in to Air NZ each way, I booked the hostel overnight in Auckland on 25 February, ferry next morning, and flight back to Auckland airport on 8 March.
Yesterday I made a shoulder bag with zip compartments for travel.

Some hot weather

It has been a pleasant mild summer but it is very dry yet again. It's a good thing we put in the tank as this is when we need it. The level is dropping steadily. Sunny Boy made a record the other day when there was some cloud.
Meanwhile I have been enjoying tennis from Brisbane, then Sydney, and Kooyong, as well as cricket.
We used to do a lot of sewing during the summer of sport on TV but alas, college days with boat cruises and balls are over and there is just a bit of mending to do.
Outside, there is daily harvesting of beans to be done and these are being distributed to work, Tai Chi and tennis.
It was good to be back at tennis on Friday.