It was The Sweetheart's Dad's 88th birthday.
He went in to Happy Paddocks Nursing Home* a few months ago after a fall and 6 weeks in the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He is a good old bloke - trotted off to hippydom in his 50s, grew his hair, got into Substances (*possibly*) and became a potter. A wonderful potter.
On a scale of kerosene to ten, Happy Paddocks rates about 12. It is terribly elegant, lovely antique furniture, classy prints, huge arrangements of silk flowers (that from a distance look real, are dusted frequently, and swapped around so the residents believe they have fresh flowers every week...), water features and marble at the entrance, even a concierge.
And terribly expensive.
Dad was a Rat of Tobruk and then fought in New Guinea and consequently has a Veteran's Affairs Gold Card which makes it possibly for him to be in this place.
I made a quilt for him when he moved into Happy Paddocks.
His partner Barbara is a beautiful, elegant woman. She used to be a stewardess in the 60s with Lufthansa, and has a bucketload of German effiency and style. She goes to visit him almost every day (train, two trams and some walking), and on Sunday organised a fabulous afternoon tea (would we have expected anything less????). Her own baked cheesecake, chocolate mud cake, fruit cake (that was all fruit), nibblies, as well as champagne, real coffee, tea. And organised a private room for the event.
I made a quilt for Barbara. It was going to be a Christmas present but with everything else I just didn't get it finished even though I started it in November. Far more sewing than I expected actually, even though it was quilt As You Go. Those 1" strips... And I also hand stitched all the strips on the back over the raw edges. (Excuses, excuses...).
Here is the quilt:
And here is Barbara after she finished being overwhelmed (she teared up!). That is Dad in the foreground with one of my handsome step-boys:
And she HUGGED me! Isn't she gorgeous? She was born in 1932, I hope I look as beautiful when I am heading towards 80. Tho I know enough about genetics to realise that there isn't much chance of having any of the genes of a step-mother. And a double de facto one at that...
* Not it's real name...
1 comment:
Absolutely LOVE the quilt - and isn't Barbara stunning - I'd give a lot to look as good as she does NOW - let alone at 80!!
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