Trains as Promised

Here are those pics finally- from the National Rail Museum in/near Adelaide.

This gives you a view of what one of the many aisles of trains looks like within the museum.

RJ outside on one of the old small machines that were used for repairs. ( No signage or anything is available- so I am just guessing here....)

In a second building this static display is what greets the eye when you first enter.

Even a railway kitchen is bigger than mine! LOL!

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Part of the same train car as the kitchen view- the seating area was quite nice.

This is in the middle train yard area- what RJ refers to as a "Crashdown Crane" (breakdown crane) . He loves it- the perfect combination of construction site and trains.



Here is one of the large trains that I was speaking of- massive is the only word I can think of for them. Just amazingly massive.

Here is a view from the last carriage of the narrow gauge train they have called "Bub".

There were many photos to share- hope this small choice was interesting for you!

NOW! Back to our regularly scheduled blog.....

a small spinning update- NYASSA is done! : D
OH MY GOSH! Spinning lace weight on a spindle is just NOT my cup of tea although I love the resulting yarn - wow.
I will do a proper post on it shortly. ( It's been a long time in the making- a few more hours/days can't hurt! lol ) I need to get photos taken today of the end product before I post anyway. Can't say I love the colours- but I am proud of the yarn.

Will go for now. More fluff photos and yarn ones too, on their way. :)

Hope you are well.

Happy June!

Lots to write about and share- so let's go!

First off I want to say that May 25 saw us once again at the National Rail Museum for RJ's birthday...
he turned 4 and had a fun day climbing in alot of trains and going on at least 4 if not 5 rides on a narrow gauge train they call "Bub" ( who doubles as Thomas for a week in July when they have the "Thomas the Tank Engine" show there......). So many trains there- if you are a train buff - it is a great place to see so many different types ( nearly all static and in the sheds of course ). Some have wheels that are taller than I am and it is just awesome to think how these came to be here in SA. I can't figure out how the boats didn't sink with one of these babies on there! lol
I will have to reduce the pics and put them in my next post. :) Wait for them! ;)

Then remember ages ago when I said I was making/ had made an apron for RJ? Well- here it is- modelled on the "Jamie O"of the future himself!

It is made of 100% cotton yarn that I had shipped over with me about 5 years ago..... love those colours. :)
The pattern actually made it the size for a child who's more the age of 10 or so- so I just adjusted it some. The neck strap was still way too long- but I have just whip stitched it with a fold in it- so it will be able to be adjusted out as he grows! My next project for him will be a hoodie! He loves them and I want to make him something but didn't know what until this pattern came along. Now- to find the right yarn. Wool is not the right choice, I feel- not without it being superwash....and I have none of that. I am very lucky he loves colour and doesn't want the dark colours that are so often sold in the shops.
I actually have 2 crochet projects going now as it is- plus am making squares to send away for comfortghans to be made with.....plus spinning that I am constantly obsessed with doing. I have several skeins that I got done on my wheel as well as my spindle..... and one that is now waiting to be plied ( Nyassa from YONKS ago that I have photos on the blog for-but because of it being laceweight I had stopped spinning it for MONTHS... well- it is all spun and now waiting to be plied. Had hoped to do it on my wheel but I have managed to pull ligaments or muscles or something in my right foot that i can hardly get around for a few weeks now...... I * think* it is getting better- but not sure- it is odd- the pain was first in the part where your foot and the bottom of your leg meets ( is there are word for that area?? - the 'other side of your heel'? ) and it bends there.......then it sort of has stuck there- but the major pain has managed to travel over to my outside ankle bone and now is at the achilles' tendon area?? My theory is that i strained something when I was going crazy on my wheel ( spun & plied 50 g in two hours or was that 100g....shoot i forget now.......) anyway- I think I may have hurt it then as it was shortly after that when it started to hurt- and then when it was feeling a tidge better I thought I would spin some again and maybe it would 'work' it out and then it got MUCH worse...... ( smart,eh? *Don't answer that!* ) I have not heard of anyone else having this problem- but then again I haven't asked on any of my spinning groups to which I belong. Too embarrassed. :( )

Below is the purples/greens/orange yarn I mentioned I was spinning for my bedjacket type thing I am going to attempt...

Yarn being dried one fine day, in our gum tree. :)

Then on May 31st we went to ......... **drum roll please!** .... Littlehampton, SA !!!! (about an hours' drive away...maybe a bit more... seems we never go the same way twice-lol! )
This was for a sale that was put on by the local spinners and weavers guild.
We had gone before and I am telling you- the night before I got barely ANY sleep= worse than a child at Christmas!!!!!!!!
And even despite my foot- had a super day. Got lots of FLUFF from Kathy Baschiera ( and we got to chat a little bit- she is always so busy - but she is so talented and has such lovely items for sale...I can totally understand the frenzy to get her fluff! )
I got 8 batts of yellow fluff -6 with glitz, 2 plain, RJ got 4 batts this time- two burgundy-ish ones with glitz also- and two greens...
and then I got two rovings hand painted by Kathy - but believe me- I could've bought SO MANY more!
I will post pics below of what we got
and to see what hubby got ( two different rovings more and 4 batts I believe) you will have to go to his blog! ;)

This one ( above ) is called Bizarre- it's so beautiful...

Below is "opal"- I saw this one hanging behind Kathy and while we were there things were SO nuts that we just left our things and came back for them to pay when it was more calm... she is a lovely lady to let us do that ( Thanks Kathy! ).... and thankfully this roving was still hanging there when we got back. For those of you who would like to own some of Kathy's beautiful fluff- she lives in the north/northeast of Adelaide...please contact me for her email and I will help you get in touch with her. :)

We also got to meet up with a fellow spinner and knitting friend from yahoo groups- Chris W. :) What a lovely, warm, wonderful lady! We felt like we'd known her for years. Makes me long even MORE to be in the hills.... it's much more like home there. *sigh* Alas- at this point in our lives - we are not millionaires and will not likely be buying a home in that area. Property is quite high right now and I want some ROOM to move. We are not moving only to find myself stuck like I am now- surrounded by people instead of trees. I am holding out for the right place... I KNOW it will show itself soon. Sooner rather than later I mean. :)

Above are Riley's batts- green and a sparkly burgundy... good taste for a 4 yr old- eh??

Below are the yellow batts I got..... i lurve them:

This one above shows the sparkle of the glitz she carded into them- below shows the colour a bit better I feel.

And the sneak peak of hubby's newly acquired stash:


Click here to go to his blog to see....
( when he gets the chance to post it... I can't say when they will be. lol)


Hubby got a new job he starts in 2 weeks- his Bday in this Sunday- and I got more fluff in the mail today from Jane in Northwest SA! She has English Leicester sheep and other wools she gets in ......raw and washed and dyed... Really nice fleeces overall- although the EL is a stronger fleece (much less soft than merino) it is still fun to spin and her dyed fleece are just so fun to spin. You can find her on eBay.au and you can also find her fluff at her own online store Mosely Park Home.

Need to go for now- lots more to write. And show! ( Yarn magazine goodies, my EL fluff and some new spinning that I am doing or finishing up... just for starters!)

Hope you are well.

Train ahoy! ?

RJB's fascination with trains continues on- so much so that the cubby house climbing thing that he rarely ever had anything to do with- is now his favourite place to play because we improvised and made it into a 'train'. Mind you, it takes alot of imagination, and this isn't the best photo as he doesn't cotton on to having his photo taken too often. He prefers to 'mug it up' if he is going to have to have it taken,too.

Here is one that I took through the house window so he wasn't suspecting me until I went out and then if he said no to a photo- I still have one for memory's sake. ;)

Sneaky mom.

I've rigged up a bell on a pull cord and have put the bucket on a bat a ball post for the 'smokestack' part of the train... and he has an engineer's cap he wears that he got from the "Thomas" expo thing we went to earlier in the year. Have a photo of him in that:

And another one- in motion!

Typical mom- I could just fill up my blog with my child's photos. However I will refrain. For now.

No, wait- I have to add this one..

taken while wering my sunglasses while we were out looking for the "Star of Greece #1" geocache down at Port Willunga.... they have a boardwalk nearby- that leads to the ocean and also has a bench on a side shoot from the walk...we sat there for awhile and enjoyed the surf and all the sounds.
The ocean was very rough but the crashing sounds of that are far more relaxing than most sounds we have at our house outside! It is so nourishing to the soul.

He is napping now- so will take the chance to write a few emails I owe. It's about time- I know.

Hope you are well.

Lovely Day in Winter

Ahhh! This is more like it- temps in the high teens/low 20's (C)- sunny- the birds are singing LOUDLY ( we put bread out for them and the sparrows sing so loudly when we do- it is amazing!) - this is a really nice day. I even got my laundry hung outside to dry! woo hoo! Times like this I wish I had another hanging area- so I could get two loads out. Want to go outside and spin. :) Maybe I will after this post! :)
I have a good start on the Moroccan Nights I got from EGMTK! - am amazed at how slippery those fibres are compared to the previous ones- it's fun and frustrating in one- remembering to adjust your draw from one to another. Mind you- being the novice I am- I have no idea what kind of draw ( to name it, I mean ) that i am using.....so I call it 'the one that works for me at the time with that type of roving/fibre. ;)
Gosh- am drawing a blank as to what to write- can you believe that!? Me!? lol
I am wondering what is for dinner / tea tonight- am thinking of making a mexican rice casserole that we haven't had for over a year now- because when I first made it we had it ALOT and got sick of it I think! LOL We do love mexican. Well- RJB isn't as keen on it as i would like- but he is young. He will grow into I reckon. Pretty easy to make- cook rice- while that is cooking get some TVP ( about 1 c. with 7/8 c. water) in a bowl and add in some taco seasoning & fresh crushed/minced garlic if ya want. Reconstitute that with boiling water and let sit until you are ready for it. (alternatively- for you meat eaters- mince/ground cow and taco seasoning as if you were going to make tacos.... but keep it a little drier than perhaps normal.... )
Cube up some cheese. Find a small tin ( 450g/ 14 oz) of diced tomatoes. Put some frozen corn kernels in a bowl in the microwave and heat them until they are defrosted/lightly cooked.
Once rice is cooked and cooled a little so that it doesn't break up into mush- put that into a large mixing bowl- mix in the tvp, corn, drained ( or not- prefer to partially drain them) tomatoes, chopped/diced onion, the cubed cheese, 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, salt and pepper to taste- and the all too important JALAPEÑOS!( ok- so we have to add them later as they are too hot for our little man) ....plop that into a greased casserole dish and pop it into a preheated 180°C / 350°F oven and let it bake until it is warmed & all cheese is melted- I would say a good 35-40 minutes ( for a large baking dish- depending on your quantity as to how long you bake, obviously). I love to add in red sweet pepper/capsicum that has been chopped too- dont' always have it on hand- but yummy- adds in a nice flavour. Oh-some shredded cheese on top is always nice - as it stops the rice from getting too crunchy from the baking process....depending on how 'wet' your tomatoes were to begin with.
Then I serve it with tortilla chips ( like Doritos ) if we have them, salsa, and SOUR CREAM~ yum!~ on the side- as some of us (RPB) don't like it- while others of us ( RJB and me ) love it.
I am thinking of crockpot stew for tomorrow or the day after -whenever it gets cold and rainy again - as that is a warm filling lovely meal with fresh bread. Been meaning to make a Rosemary Focaccia,too.... will have to have that with some spaghetti- whichever night that turns out to be.... I am awful at planning meals. I like to- but seems the mood I am in on the day is not the same as the food I planned....anyone else like that? We just finished off a batch of Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies from a recipe book by Mr. Food that I have had for a long time and had yet to make something from them. They were quite nice. Certainly easy and quick to make.
Smelled sssssssssoooooooooooo good while baking it was torture to wait for them to cool! RJB actually wanted some mississippi mud I think- which is ( for those who may not know or may know something else by that name ) chocolate brownies with marshmallow creme and essentially soft choc. fudge for the icing on top of that. We made a batch for DH's birthday cake at the beginning of June and of course put sprinkles/ 100's & 1000's on it for decorations- and that is what RJB wants- those darn colourful hard things. Bleh! I am not keen on them- but that is what RJB kept talking about- make a cake and put "fpwinkles" on the top. Well- he got brownies- but no sprinkles........poor child. Maybe next week! :)

Sayings from our world-
Junction Jogger ( train that is in Mt. Barker and takes just a short trip- mentioned in one of the first posts I did here) - known as the "Junker Junker". ;)
More or less anything that starts with an "s" is an 'f' sound and you kind of have to wrinkle up your nose to say it right- like snip is 'fnip', snow is 'fnow', etc.
Dr Phil is "Dr. TV".
Darn- there are more- but can't think of them right now.
Time for a nap-nap anyway- so will post this and write more when I think of them. :)

Hope you are well.

Trains! (Warning - pic heavy post!)

I have way too many train pics chosen to post here- so will try to keep them small so it doesn't take too long to download the page. Descriptions for each photo is above it.

Happy RJB with a happy Thomas.

Thomas being attended to by the train folk. His real name is "Bub". He is small gauge train.
Here is the full size locomotive they had running that day - named Peronne. :) You could get really close to it.
This is inside the second class carriage that RJB & RPB rode the day they went- we rode in FIRST CLASS (woo hoo) the day the 3 of us went. ;) In first class the seats were individual-ish and facing backward and forward rather than 'in' ...and the guardsmen let us look into the back area where packages and such were kept. Was very nice of them. :)

Here's Thomas passing Peronne- or was it Peronne passing Thomas?!? A photo taken out the window, very artsy don't you think?

Here is Peronne as he is pulling away- yes- they back him out of the railyard- down about 150 yards and then back again! What do you want for $2.00 !?

This one is called "The Red Hen"- it only runs on weekends- so I missed out on riding it. But the guys got it on the first trip.

This is inside museum- they had what seemed to be hundreds of trains all parked inside buildings- many of them you could see set up as they would've been back in the day... some of the engines we could climb up into and have a look around. Having LONG legs is a real bonus for this exploration! They had some of the BIGGEST engines I have ever seen- literally giants. The wheels were probably a good 5 & half feet tall- if not more. Literally awesome. No photos could be taken where you could truly appreciate how HUGE they were. Maybe next time we go we will try though.
One of the many steam engines they had at the museum. I can't imagine a more comprehensive collection in all of Australia. So if you or someone you know is a train enthusiast- let them know about the National Rail Museum here in Port Adelaide in South Australia- they won't be disappointed any time of year! There is ALOT more in the museum, so much that I couldn't even *begin* to tell you it all. I am not the biggest enthusiast- went for Riley's sake- but memories of Dad talking about trains & all the memorabilia he had kept in the shed while he was alive, and remembering the museum my brother Randy & I discovered accidentally one weekend just riding up to the New England states for the day...... I have good feelings and happy memories linked with these iron horses.
Besides - who can not smile and wave at a passenger train full of happy people waving at you as they pass?

Thanks for looking- hope you are well!

PS) The red hat RJB is wearing- crocheted by me with commercial yarn. It is meant to be cuffed so it isn't so BIG- but well... LOL! ;) And he chose the colour. :)

Before the Blog

A little about life before I started the blog that I thought you might like to know-


Last Sunday we went on a train ride in the Adelaide Hills- it's a small diesel train called "The Junction Jogger" that runs a short track in Mount Barker, SA. It only cost $7 for each adult and Riley rode free. It normally goes to a junction of some sort- hence the name Junction Jogger- but for some reason that day we, for an extra $2 each ticket, got to go to Platform 1- a train 'museum' of sorts- that has alot of old train stuff for children to see and play on ( alot of old train lights/lanterns were on display- reminded me of Dad's that he had saved) and some farm animals to pet and feed.




Here is one of the inmates- er, I mean, animals- what a sheepy grin, eh?

This calf was friendly and enjoyed her head being scratched.

There was a miniature pig there too - that forgot to be miniature, (read: FULL sized piggy -woohoo! ) but s/he looked so unhappy to be there, so no pictures please.

There were rabbits, a chicken, a few other sheep with lambs. We normally would not patronise a place like this- but RJB didn't care about seeing them anyway- he was all about the train stuff.

Here's our little Junction Jogger- he was insistent
that he sit on the seat by himself, nevermind that he couldn't see alot of what was outside. It was just having the experience, I guess. :)


( He is not keen on having his picture taken- but was ok with this one...)



OK- well- we need to go get some groceries and get moving on this chilly Sunday morning.

Hope you are well.