Shopping and a Casino

On Friday afternoon we travelled into Dallas to visit the Fry's Store; it sells electronic stuff and I could have spent a fortune if I had one!!!Just loved the longhorns that adorned the building inside and out!







Saturday we went interstate, Tom drove to Oklahoma over the Red River to the Casino which is built on Indian land and enjoys tax free status;the outside of the building has borrowed architecture form all points of the globe in the pictures below you will see Venice,Rome,China and Verona (Italy) amonst others.

















These next two pictures are the only reference I could find to the people of the Chickasaw Nation on whose land this Casino was built

The Big Trip

We have worked out the itinerary for our holiday beginning on Friday 27th August when Tom picks up the Hire Car and off we go on our adventure.

Friday 27th Rockwall / Little Rock (Arkansas)
Sat28th Little Rock/Memphis (Tennessee)
Sunday 29th Memphis / Paducah ( Kentucky)
Monday 30th Paducah / Nashville (Tennessee) 3 nights
Thursday 2nd Sept. Nashville /Winston Salem
Friday 3 rd Sept, Winston Salem /Norfolk (Virginia)
Saturday 4th Sept. Norfolk / Lancaster County (Pennsylvania) 3 nights
Tuesday 7th Sept. Lancaster / Niagara Falls( Canada)2 nights
Thursday 9th Sept. Niagara Falls/ Cleveland (Ohio)
Friday 10th Sept. Cleveland/ Chicago (Illinois) 3 nights
Monday 13th Sept. Chicago/St Louis ( Missouri) 2 nights
Wednesday 15th Sept. St Louis/Oklahoma City (Oklahoma) 2 nights
Friday 17th Seept. Oklahoma City / Dallas
Monday 20th Sept. Dallas/ Los Angeles/Syndey/Bathurst

That has made me tired just typing it but I am so looking forward to it,Hancocks here I come and The Quilt Museum in Paducah and Lancaster County.Tom has booked a room with the Falls view in Niagara Falls so we can experience the Falls 24/7.

Out and about in Dallas

On Saturday we went visiting to a friend of Tom and Jayne's the photo on the left shows Shadow and Lucy is on the right, a big bigger than my two dogs but just as friendly and loving.I just love the way Lucy is sitting she backs herself up to a chair and sits like that to watch the TV until a dog appears on TV and she goes up for a closer look.





On Sunday we went out to lunch with other friends to Smith's BBQ which specialise in BBQ beef ribs, a very American dish served with fried onion rings and salads.





On the way home Tom stopped so I could take these 2 photos of the Audie Murphy memorial.

Assorted photos

These photos are mainly from San Antonio, the tiles and carpet ones from the hotel and the mosaics from the River Walk

This free picture slideshow customized with Smilebox

Sunday Drive

Today we went on another road trip after breakfast at IHOP (International House of Pancakes) which is just down the road from here, we then set out for Greenville an old Texas town near where Tom is currently working. Not far out of town at Royse City I took these photos of a lovely Church , would have liked to go inside to see the stained glass windows but there were lots of people at church(lots of cars anyway!)



In Greenville Tom drove to show us the statue of Greenville's most famous son Audie Murphy then we drove on to Paris.
Paris Texas that is and there was even an Eiffel Tower complete with a ten gallon hat, only in Texas!

The next town we visited was Sulphar Springs, Tom was dropping in a bottle of Sable(Australian Chocolate Port only available at the winery in S.A.)to a friend who lives there and I took these photos of this civic building which reminded me of an elaborate cake in brick colour!!

Colleyville

Today we went to Colleyville which is way over the other side of Dallas, we stopped for breakfast not far from where we are living then set forth on our trip.
We found Colleyville and then Colleyville Boulevard and then a Quilt Shop called Quilters Heaven.
I think that a quilt shop in Colleyville needed to be patronised by this Colley!

Jayne waited in the car after receiving instructions from Trish on how to deal with Patchwork Shops but Tom came in with me and discovered tables with cookies and candy on to munch whilst he helped me peruse the merchandise.
After Colleyville Tom drove to Fort Worth but when we got there it was very crowded so he decided we would go back another day.

The First week

Slideshow design created with Smilebox

The Alamo

This weekend we travelled to San Antonio, we left Dallas at 6am on Saturday morning and stopped at Carl's Crossing for Gas about 50 miles down the track.








Next stop was at Waco where I had the difficult decision from a multitude of choices for breakfast but I settled for Eggs Benedict which was beautiful,we kept going towards San Antonio because we stopped at Waco on Sunday which will be tomorrows installment.







We arrived at San Antonio and Tom and I went to explore The River Walk which was outside our hotel's back door, it's a little like Darling Harbour in that it has lots of bars and eateries and there were hundreds of people enjoying the area.




This is the Park Police and like all other law enforcers in this country they are armed.

I've arrived

After leaving Bathurst on Sunday morning Trish dropped me to the Airport on Monday morning on her way to work.The long flight was OK although I was surrounded by children and the obligitory young Aussie drunk.I arrived at Dallas Airport about 5PM Dallas time and we went to dinner at Fridays.
Today I feel very rested and caught up on sleep and talking so we might do something today like washing or playing cards.
I am not sure how to upload the pictures on Tom's computer so when he gets home from work I'll get some instructions.I hope everyone is well.

Ready to go

Well tonight is my last night in Bathurst for 10 weeks I am hoping it will be a nice warm spring and although I will have missed all the daffodils etc I won't be sorry to have missed the worst of winter.
Trish has gone out tonight to help one of her Bathurst friends celebrate her birthday and then in the morning we'll be off to Sydney.
Everything is packed and ready but the dogs aren't talking to me, ever since the suitcases appeared they have been tichy!! hopefully they will get over it soon.
My friend Judy and her husband Gerry are coming here for a holiday to house/dog sit and the only thing I am worried about is the safety of my stash.I have asked Gerry to supervise her near all fabric and also some of my threads!!!!
I wouldn't mind if she would finish some of my UFO's I am basically a topper and I think at last count there are 15 quilts of various sizes requiring quilting.
I do have a Handi Quilter but my back is not up to that so I'm better off quilting with my Bernina 440QE (which by the way is having a service at Bernina Chatswood whilst Mummy is OS.
May you all stay safe and hopefully I will update this blog from Dallas on Tuesday to let you know I am safe and warm.

Smilebox

I have been playing with Smilebox again and here is a slideshow of some quilts I have made.Only a few days to go now I am packed and ready.

Digital slideshow generated with Smilebox

Wedding quilt

This is the quilt I made for my son and daughter in law Tim and Tamara when they were married on the 22nd Noveember 2008

The following quilts I have made for various people, the memory quilt for Helena,her family gave me the photos without her knowledge so I could print them off.There is a very pink quilt for a little girl who loved pink and the cot quilts made for grandchildren of friends.

More quilts

I made this quilt for Jayne from blocks that Anjii Solomon had sent me when she was my angel back in 2001 and she was working on her book Anjii's Angles.

http://www.anjiisolomon.com/book_orders.htm

Quilts I have made part1.

I have been trying to think when I made some of these quilts but because I have been quilting since the early seventies I can't remember exactly (read I can't remember when I made them!)


My Aunty Kath absolutely loves mauve and purple and I made this sampler quilt for her many years ago.




I made this quilt in the first mystery quilt challenge with Scquilters, Uncle Ernie loved this quilt and guarded it from the staff at his Nursing Home;rest in peace Boy.
And if anyone wonders why I called him Boy I have since I was about 2 years old (so I am told) which is when I first wrapped that man around my little finger!

Countdown begins

This time next week I shall be in Sydney at Trish's place ready to leave Australia for USA Monday.To celebrate my countdown (and because I'm ready and waiting) I am going to post some photos of quilts I have made every day this week.But first back in January Di and I travelled out to Joy's house to do some serious sewing,Di was putting the borders on her mother's quilt which is now at the Long Arm quilters in Cowra


This is Di measuring and double checking and then Joy had to inspect at one stage!

Life Update

Well things have changed around here lately, since the Bathurst SCQ retreat my computer died totally and I had changed ISP's so I now have a new home phone number and a new email address;I think in a way it's a good thing I am moving onwards and upwards with my life.
in about 3 weeks I am going to the USA to stay with my cousin and her husband so I will miss all the rest (and the worst)of Bathurst's winter!!
Tomorrow my daughter Trish is ## years old it only seems like yesterday she was a bouncing and very healthy baby,as always I wish her health,wealth and happiness for the rest of her life.

An article about my childhood area

I spent the first 2 years of my life at Chinaman's Beach then we moved to Kurraba Road Neutral Bay until my parents went their separate ways in January 1963.Louise,Andrew (RIP) and all out friends regarded Kurraba Point as our neighbourhood and many a special time was had there.
So that is 13 happy years living in what is now a new suburb!


http://mosman-daily.whereilive.com.au:80/news/story/kurraba-point-declared-new-suburb/

Promises, promises part 2

The best laid plans of mice and men!!!
My PC has gone to God so I am managing with my old laptop as best as I can.The new computer should arrive next week,thanks to the Tim Tams who paid for it for my birthday and Mother's Day.
Jayne and Tom want me to go over to Dallas ealier than the (booked)11th August date so we are just waiting for Flight Centre in Gawler to ring back with the price difference(been waiting 24 hours now).
It's turning cold today so running away from winter a bit sooner will not worry me at all.

Promises,promises

I have decided today I am going to use this blog more frequently, now that the SCQuilters retreat is over and I have more time on my hands there is no excuse.
I have spent most of today organising photos for the retreat blog ,please go and have a look at some of the photos and see what fun we had in Bathurst in early May
http://2010retreat.blogspot.com/

Tomorrow I will organise some photos for this blog and then I will update regularly so that when I go to the USA in August I can keep everyone up to date with my travels with Tom and Jayne.

Anzac Day 2010

Anzac Day was always special in my life, as a young child we always attended all the services in Sydney and watched the March without realising the significance of ANZAC!
My maternal Grandfather fought on the Western Front and as a result of a GSW (gun shot wound) to the (L) shoulder was a TPI.



This is a photo of a very young James Oswald Doyle in uniform





Here is a photo of the Leeton boys in Cootamundra Military Camp before they left for the Fighting in Europe
My Grandfather James Oswald Doyle is on the right side standing.

Both my parents served in the Australian Army, my father was wounded in Tobruk within 12 months of landing and was a a TPI.Mum was in the army for 3 years from 30/031943 until 4/04/1946 just 4 weeks before their wedding.





My mother
Sheila Maura Doyle 22/04/1923 - 16/03/2001

Life Update

I really can't believe so much has happened since my last posting almost 23 months ago; first my beloved Uncle Ernie died in November 2009 and I had a very sad trip over to Wagga Wagga for his funeral.Aunty Kath is managing very well without him and I am very proud of her.

Tomorrow is my 62nd birthday and I have Aunty Kath and Uncle George (both my Mother's siblings) still going strong to support me in life.How lucky is that!!Aunty Kath is my mother's younger sister and Uncle George is the oldest and most beloved sibling of the family.I still remember singing Georgey Porgy pudding and pie and then running for my life (which I could do in those days )years back in the mid 50's I suppose.

I am on the committee for the Scquilters retreat for 2010 which is being held in Bathurst on May 7,8,9th 2010 at the Goldfields Function Centre.
I have many reservations about many things but I am biting my tongue quite severely today.

I am very proud to belong to Scquilters and I must tell you that the friendships I have made in this online/but in person group have made so much difference to my life,some people I have met and some I haven't but they are my family believe you me.

Wedded Bliss

Next Thursday my Aunt and Uncle in Wagga Wagga celebrate 60 years of marriage,now is that an achievement or what? They were married on June 4th 1949 at St Joseph's Church Yenda New South Wales and have lived in Wagga Wagga since then most of those years at Macleay Street opposite the Botanical Gardens.When Uncle Ernie built the house it was almost out of town but now it's almost the centre of Wagga.

Memories

Today I had a big trip down memory lane or perhaps a wake up to reality I was reading the SMH and in Domain was a house for sale.Now just because it was listed at 6 million shouldn't have given me palpitations but it did for many,many reasons.I loved this house as a child for many reasons and today it bought it all home to me,not all the reasons were good but many were so I am going to share these with my friends.


I have a very deep and long love affair with Frangipani's and their fragrance and this is one memory this house can claim, in my childhood years (the 1950's) this tree was outside the kitchen window as I stood on a stool helping Auntie Dolly and Auntie Jess wash their dinner service.With hindsight and knowledge I shudder at this memory because it was a Clarice Cliff dinner service they were allowing a 4/5 year old wash up in a Belfast sink(deep and porcelain).


The very large bathroom almost to the left of the front door off the large hallway and both had black and white tiles ( I think marble) and was perfect for practicing my ballet on,the bedroom I used to sleep in was next door to that.


I know they were the safest and friendliest people in my life and no one on earth knows how often I escaped there away from from my parents disintegrating marriage and their frequent abuse(physical and verbal)of me, thank God they spared my younger sister and brother a fair bit probably because of their age.



Out the back of the house they had a huge bed of nastursiums where now the terrace stands but the view was the same and I have many happy memories of that.I was allowed as a big girl (probably only 6/7/8 years old) to ring and ask could I stay the night and then I would be allowed to walk to their house,not that far from our home.Oh boy I am drowning in memories tonight and the scary thing is those 2 women had more influence over my life than either of my parents. The last time I stayed there was in 1965 just before one of them died and I have racking my brain trying to remmber more about them.


Many nights in my dreams I go back to my happy days at this house and when I spotted it in the Domain today it has rekindled so many emotions I am almost swimming in them.
I hope this will get you the link to the house please look at all the details bu the front of the house has remained the same and that is all but memories are memories and you can't take that away from me just like I can't afford to buy this house or even dream about buying it.


http://www.domain.com.au/Public/PropertyDetails.aspx?adid=2007632129