Christmas Day 2009

Another Christmas day over. A quiet one, spent with family.
Somehow it never seems quite complete when one of them is not here. Kieran, aka Baby Boy, is on deployment in Timor Leste. It was somewhat quieter without him.....

Being a good Mummy I took photo's of what I knew he'd miss the most...& it wasn't the gifts!!

Mandarin Mousse - a la Nana

Fresh fruit Salad - a la Mummy

Christmas Eve 2009

Gifts all purchased - check
Food Ready - check
Wine Purchased - check

I'd like to say that I was well prepared. The reality is that until earlier today I had done nothing - as in not. a. single. thing. purchased or organized. The only thing I knew was what I was getting Miss Gabriela & what food I needed to get for the day.
Strangely enough I wasn't in the least stressed or panicked about this, & didn't leave the house to start getting it all done until 2.00pm.
I figured that if it didn't come together, Christmas would come regardless.

After all of the decidedly naff Christmas carols being played in the malls, it was time to focus on some real Christmas music when I got home. I have always had "Do You Hear What I Hear" on my list of Christmas favourites, & was recently introduced to Third Day's version of it. This has to be my all time favourite version, & not just at Christmas.

Enjoy!

Always on my mind at this time of year

Good Memories of a Great Dad

My Darling Dad would have been 81 years old today. It's kind of hard to imagine, as just under three years ago when he died he didn't look or act like someone with only a year to go before turning 80.
I still miss him dreadfully, but every now & then something happens to remind me that there is a reason for all of this. We grow, although we don't see it as such at the time, & we become stronger people.
I have always missed the sound of Dad's voice, quiet, calm & practical in times of upheaval & stress, but the rest of the time there was always a laugh not far from the surface.

He adored all of his grandchildren, big & small, & I have great memories of how those same children loved their 'Papa' beyond measure. A couple of months ago it was fabulous to discover that Mum had a couple of short videos of Dad with the two youngest grandchildren, Milla & Zoe. I can't begin to describe how good it was to hear his voice again.

Gaffer's Chalcedony Glasses

I'm grateful. I find it impossible not to get colour from Chalcedony & I know that I am fortunate in that. It doesn't matter whether I use a high oxy flame, neutral flame or a reduction flame, the colour just seems to want to come.

When I compare these to my early results, which I might add I was pretty darned pleased with at the time, I can see that perseverance has paid off. I guess that it takes a glass like this to encourage one to really learn their torch & the way different glasses behave in different flame atmospheres.

A twistie bead made in G-1095 Blue Chalcedony

G-109 Chalcedony - Beautiful Autumn Colours.

The G-1095 Blue Chalcedony etched.

Chalcedony Rod

Isn't this scrumptious? To me these look like core samples of agate that have been polished - they are so beautiful!
I don't think that I am going to able to bring myself to break them up. What are they - two beautiful rods of G109 - Chalcedony. These are what they *gasp* smash up into frit, or pull smaller canes for decoration down from.
No way I can bring myself to smash these babies.

G-109 Chalcedony

Comparisons II

It's always interesting to see how a new glass stacks up against its peers.
Having noticed a lot of similarities in results & the way I achieved them when working Gaffers G-1095 I thought it would be interesting to see how they looked alongside each other.

On the left G-109 Chalcedony & on the right G-1095 Blue Chalcedony.