Family Day...quilt...South Africa

A very white frost this morning and now beautiful blue skies with a brilliant sun shining and the temperature is working its way to 0*C, with a high of plus 2*C.  A perfect day for those taking advantage of the holiday today--Family Day.  It is not a holiday for everyone so not sure what is open or closed.  There was no newspaper delivery but I did get mail..

Earlier this a.m. I looked out my patio door and my neighbour lady was outside doing her yoga stretching,  she was bundled up with a warm track suit and and gloves, so it was still be a bit chilly.  She is a very committed to her yoga,  and has said that it gets her moving so she can take on the chores for the rest of the day.

Visited my Mum yesterday, she is doing so well for her age, we have to be so thankful that she is so healthy, but we always know that it can change within a blink of an eye.  She is going to be 95 years old in August and wants to see Alaska!!!  So my sister, brother in law, Mum and myself are going on an Alaskan cruise later this year.  Will have to start eating wieners and beans and Kraft dinner, to stay focussed with my savings for my trips this year. (not really, just kidding)
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No sewing done during the past couple of days, however, I did sandwich the scrap quilt top, batting and backing together so now it is ready for quilting.  The only way I can get this task done is to tape the backing onto the hardwood floor of my living room  to keep it taunt and then add the other layers and pin.  Works very well actually but crawling around on the floor makes a few muscles shout a bit.  This quilt will be donated to the nursing home where my second daughter works.  They are having a bazaar in May, so hopefully this will raise some $'s for their recreational department.

For my readers that are interested in my South Africa trip, some of you are most likely asking the question, why South Africa?.  I have always been interested in seeing people, architecture, scenery, animals etc. of other countries, not just sitting on a beach and drinking rum punches.  But, the questions still remains, why S. Africa?  As my profile states I was born in England, my Father was a dairy farmer renting a council farm with little or no advancement during the time after WW 11.  He wanted something better for himself and his family of my Mum, sister and myself.  So the discussion of moving to another country arose and Kenya, Africa was the number one choice, and he started some preliminary paperwork. He would purchase a farm and grow a flower called pyrethrum.  The petals from this flower contained a substance used in pesticides.  However, at the time of this decision, in the early 50"s,  the Mau Mau terrorists were recruiting members who were required to take an oath to drive the white man from Kenya.  It became a bitter battle with white men, women and children being killed in the process.  Not wanting to become a satistic in this conflict,  we remained in England until Canada was decided to be the place where we would move to. So why do I want to go to S. Africa, I have always wanted to see what might have been, and of course the people, places and animals of Africa.

Patricia