Gardening

So my housemate Random loves to have a veggie garden.  Winter is loosening it's cruel grip here in Melbourne so it's time to start planting the Spring garden.

I love some fresh veggies myself so I'm joining in.  I'm leaving all the cerebral "what to plant where" decisions to him and I'm just joining the fun stuff like choosing which veggies to plant, preparing the beds, and watering the plants.  And of course sharing in the eating of anything we successfully produce.

So last Saturday we spent a few hours discussing and paring down the list of items to plant to something manageable for both the size of our garden (8 metres of berry canes was sadly not considered workable this year) and our attention spans (2 years to grow asparagus might be a tad too ambitious for us amateurs).

Then we went outside, and started to clean up the beds from last season. No-one had touched the garden over winter so there was a bit of work to do.  While discussing "full sun requirements" and I was feeling oh so proud of myself for using technical terms :) we figured out the compost heap should really be moved. It's currently in prime planting position.

So we set up a new compost heap up the back.  Here is the photographic proof.

This was the site we selected. It's up the back corner away from everywhere else and tucked away at an odd angle because of the fencing. As you can see overgrown.  Random said he tried to dig and plant in it last year, but the soil is pure clay.

Having cleaned out all of the rubbish plants, I turned the soil over with a pitchfork. I can guarantee it is a heavy thick clay. Not a soil.  Oh it was a yuck that clung to the bottom of my shoes in a two-inch layer that had to be scraped off. However the good news is that we found some worms on the clay, so this could become good soil.

Next was picking out all of the non-organic matter. As this is up the back corner, we think previous people may have used it as a rubbish pile - awesome!  And then Random put on a layer of newspapers.  As we are a household full of techno-literates, this layer is mostly composed of junk mail so thank you Good Guys and Bunnings :)

Finally we wet down the layer of newspaper and threw all of the rubbish plants back on top to start the new compost area. Ta Da!

Flush with our success, we though we'd just start one of the side beds and just pull a plant or two, just to make a start for a couple of minutes before calling it a day ...

Yeah. We did a liiiiitle more than just a couple of minutes.

Finally while I was raking some leaves and cutting suckers from that tree in the background of that picture, Random dug over most of the earth in the foreground and planted some peas.

It was a dry day, with the sun out, but the sun had little warmth in it. We work consistently, but we didn't push ourselves.  The digging up of the ground under the compost heap was the hardest work I did and it barely raised a sweat.  I did exhaust myself but I felt good for spending the day outdoors.

The peas have been rained on or I've watered them every second day. So we will see what the next part of the garden project will be.

Some Multiply Tools now emerging?

There are reports coming through that Multiply has started providing some official export tools with:

* Download Media
* Export to Blogger
* Export to Tumblr

appearing on the side rail of groups.

Stay tuned for further news ......

Or let me know if you see these turn up on your pages !!!

Gothtigger Test Site

I've created this blogger blog to test some of the issues and workarounds being discussed for exporting our data from the about to be closed down Multiply.com site.

I'll be testing a couple of different workarounds just as soon as the backup process finishes.  I ran the backup when most of my data was mostly private and it took 20 minutes and about 100Mb.

Now that I have made all of my multiply site public so I can access all of my data, the backup is currently 1.48Gb and still rising.  Those hi-res photos we kept uploading :)

Also one of housemates has been using a fair bit of bandwidth at the same time, so my speed is quite throttled, so we are unfortunately at 20 hours now and still waiting ...

The blog post will be made available once the backup is complete and I know it's worked OK and hasn't gotten itself into some kinda loop or done something else freaky.

Mel.

Part 3 – Getting your data in order

Multiply Part 3 – Getting your data in order

Whether you are still using your Multiply account weekly or whether it has been garnering dust for a few years, chances are, there is stuff on there that you don’t want to lose.

Here is where we start to get to get technical, as here is where Multiply has NOT provided tools for us. Over the next few articles I’ll list out some of the processes that are being discussed in the various forums that I have tried and found to work.

If you know of others and have found them to work – please let me know or write an article about it yourself and I will link to it!

Private vs Public

First off, everything I have been playing with, will ONLY copy data from public blog posts and photo folders.  So if you are like me and have been writing blog posts for Contacts or Friends of Friends for years, then we have a small problem.

There is a work around. You can change your records from private to public, make your backup or copy your files, and then set them to private again. If you have a stalker or are currently involved in a project that you don’t want made public (secretly stitching a present for a friend for example) then I’m afraid I can’t help you.  I don not know of anything that copies private files.  All I can suggest is make public as much as you are willing to for a brief time or “pick your moment”. If someone else has a better idea, please let me know.

To change records in bulk from private to private, go to your media locker,

 

Select “All Posts” on the left hand side,

This should bring up a list of all of the blog posts you ever wrote in Multiply.  I wrote a few over the years it seems.

As can be seen there are a variety of different levels of private access in Multiply.  Some of the other blogging platforms don’t have that many levels of sharing.

If you want to revert your posts to private settings when you have finished backing up or moving your blog, and you have a variety of settings like I do here, you will want to copy or print out this page.  If you have a snipping tool or simply “Print Screen” on your machine, that will work.

To make all of your posts public, place a tick in every box that does not say everyone, and then click the Access Lock button at the top of the screen.

I’ve made this picture a bit longer so you can see WIP – Draco the Protector near the bottom of the list, that is a photo album.  So this process covers Blog posts and Photo Albums.  Also you can see that I didn’t bother with a post called New Blog that I made available for me only.  That was a practice post I was playing with a while ago so it is just gibberish.  I deliberately don’t want to carry that one over to the new blog.  so we do that all down the page, then click the Access button (top left of the picture).

 This pop-up box is given the name of the first blog post or photo album in the list that we ticked. in my case it was a blog post called Medical Update.

Now click the down arrow next to the Access title and change it to Everyone and put a tick in the box that says Apply to ALL items:

When you Save and Continue it should bring you back to your main page and all of your items are now open to Everyone.

If you are like me and have a lot of blog posts and photo albums, then you will have more than page of these to do.

So just keep going until all of your posts are public.

If, when you are finished the backup and blog move you decide you want to make these posts private again, it is the same process to reverse the situation.  Highlight all of the posts that you want to set to the same level of sharing.  Where above we change the Access level to EVERYONE, you change it to contacts or friends of friends.  Then select the next group of posts and click on that level of access.

The other alternative, is to make these public, back them up or move them and then delete these as they are disappearing shortly anyway.

Next, Part 4 – OK my stuff is public, now what do I do with it?

Part 0 – Preface

Who am I and why am I writing this series of articles?

In a former life I used to be a trainer. I would write these types of documents for a living.  Of course I took a lot longer and studied each option in-depth personally then. For example, I would have set up a blog with all of the services mentioned in Part 2 and written long articles discussing how each individual one compares with Multiply, but that was then and this is now. And now I’m out of practice and this information seems urgent.

I am not an expert

I am no expert at anything except at possibly gathering data and presenting it. So I’m doing what I’m do best and gathering a lot of information I’m seeing being flung around and presenting it here in a hopefully nice readable format for my friends to read and use.

I know some of you reading this are using different services than the one listed.  I know some of you are have used Blogger, Blogster  and even WordPress far more than I have.  Please add into the comments any info you think needs to be added into any section.  Any information that is helpful. Anything that is useful and please point out where my information is incorrect or obsolete!

Add your information in the comments or email me, and I will add your information (with proper credit) to the article.  Helping my friends is more important than my ego.

Any other information?

If I skim over a bit or miss something out that you want added in, please tell me. I’m a bit rusty at this whole thing after being away for a few years …

Part 2 – What do I do Now? Chosing a new home

So now that Multiply is closing, and we have content on there that we are interested in keeping, we have two things need to do.  Rescue our material. Find a new home to blog/share photos/chat with our friends.

1. Choose a new home.

Most of my friends who have already left, have gone to the largest two blog hosting sites currently on the Web. Blogger and WordPress.  Some of the Multiply-refugee groups have also had good things to say about Blogster.

Each blog site has its own unique style and none of them mimic multiply. They each require getting used to a new system of administration tools, upload tools and theme change tools. But they are not difficult once you get used to them, just different.

Blogger

Blogger is similar to Multiply in that it is very easy to set up and a lot of the technical stuff is done for you.  I highly recommend Blogger for first time bloggers and if you just want to get your stuff up there and get on with your life.

Blogger does not allow the formation of photo galleries.  Most of the people who use this site, use separate pages as galleries, or host their photos on a separate site such as Flickr or Picasa and import them in.

Here’s a video on how to set up a blogger account and get moving:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOhW1mXM1yQ&feature=player_embedded

WordPress

There are two types of WordPress. WordPress.com is the Blogger equivalent. WordPress.org are the tools that your download to your site and use to run your own blog.  I started with the first at meltigger.wordpress and then moved to the second form at this place blog.gothtigger.

That’s a big step so at this juncture I’ll talk about the first, easiest version, WordPress.com.  It takes a little longer to set up than Blogger because it asks more questions.  The flip side is that allows you to make more changes to the look and feel of your site, so if you are one to fiddle, I would recommend this over Blogger.

Although there is greater bandwidth for photos at WordPress, it is not as good for photo albums as Multiply was.  I use separate pages as galleries and then use the photos in those galleries in blog posts etc. It saves having to upload the same picture multiple times. See this page or any of my blog pages as examples.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw5InzTqzBU&feature=player_embedded

Blogster

I haven’t tried Blogster but it has received enthusiastic support and recommendation by others.  It even has a Multiply-Refugees group set up.  One of the largest selling points at the moment is the immense levels of helpfulness the Blogster support staff are giving Multiply Users and new users to their service. It appears to also be fabulous for hosting photos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MstdMen3Eh8&feature=player_embedded

The only downsides with Blogster is that your friends may not be on there – hey you can be a leader instead of a follower!  Also as they are careful to keep out a lot of spam, the site reportedly does not work well with Internet Explorer, preferring you to use Firefox or Chrome.  Also they have banned Hotmail email accounts.

These changes are well and good for home accounts, (I avoid IE) however many friends do access their blogs and read mine during their lunch breaks at work and many workplaces are firmly wedded to Internet Explorer.  I would be loathe to delve deeper into a site that does not work on Explorer unless you know your friends are not stuck using it!

Another Blogspot

Again I haven’t tried it, but this new site is garnering quite a following. Part of the appeal is its complete newness to the blogosphere as the developers are very interactive with the bloggers, listening, conversing, helping and making changes. Bloggers and designers working together to hopefully create something amazing.  Again there appears to be a lot of assistance towards Multiply users migrating to this site.

Of course, it goes down for a major maintenance time (upgrading servers to cope to the extra volume) while I am writing this, so not enough links available.  I’ll flesh out this section more later.

 

So how do *I* choose?

The answer is going to be different for everyone.  There is not one Multiply replacement service which I can recommend for all.  This is sad as we are all scattering, but with the use of RSS feeds we can still follow, subscribe and comment on each others blogs no matter where they are.

If anyone wants a blog post on setting up an RSS reader, let me know.

My recommendation is to have a look through this list, and think for yourself:

• How much time do I want to spend playing with this?
• Do I regularly change my theme or I pick one and stick with it?
• Have I always itched to move things around on my page or am I happy the way they are?
• How important is it *to me* that I’m on the same service as my friends?

There’s no “right” or “wrong” answers for any of the above. There’s only what is right or wrong for you. We each have our own comfort zones and our own priorities for how we want to spend our time each day or weekend.

Finally after thinking it through, I would suggest setting up a blog or two and seeing how each service “feels” to you.  Usually you will find one that feels a little easier or a little more intuitive to the way your mind works.  THAT will be the blog service you like, that will be the one you will WANT to use, so use it!

In the end, you are the person who will use it, so pick the one you find the easiest for you to use.  Write a few blog posts.

In Part 3 I’ll talk about Backing up your Multiply data. But that will be tomorrow. I think my brain has had enough for today.

Part 1 – Multiply is Closing Down

Posted on 18 August 2012 by Mel

For those of you with an old or existing Multiply account, these are going to be shut down and removed soon.  Nominally on the 1 December but in all likelihood way before then.

Multiply’s niche in the blogosphere way back when it started was its integrated use of blog and photo albums and ease of choosing levels of access to each blog post or album, everyone, friends of friends, friends, contacts or even specifying individual people.  At the time there was nothing else that was so user-friendly.  Any person who could use a mouse could use Multiply.  Indeed now, many of the long-term multiply users are finding the instructions to learn Blogger or WordPress difficult because Multiply took care of so much for them.

Unfortunately as time marched on, Multiply’s interface grew buggy and many of us did abandon ship only to realise that we could not easily take our content with us. Oh if you were running two blogs at the same time, Multiply would copy your post to the other blog at the time you wrote it, but it if you didn’t have the forethought to do that, tough luck.

In 2009, Multiply head office noticed a large spike in usage in The Philippines and Indonesia. Closer examination led to the discovery of members using Multiply to trade within local communities. This was completely against Multiply terms and conditions.  Multiply management discussed the situation and instead of shutting them down, they created the “Marketplace” segment of Multiply so these sellers could operate legitimately within the Multiply framework.

If anyone feels like it is after the introduction of Marketplace that the social media interface started to get a little buggy and the support started to be less than the sterling efforts we were used to, well it appears this was when the decision was made to shut down the Social Media side – two years ago.

Fast forward two years, Multiply is sold to Naspers. In May 2012, Naspers CEO Stefan Magdalinski moves to Indonesia and with him the head office of Multiply.com, to focus on the “Marketplace” side of Multiply but still tells the bloggers that “sellers and bloggers can coexist“.  Three months later, 7 August 2012 we are informed that the social side of the site will be closed down on 1 December, and all that will remain is Marketplace.

They planned two years ago, lied to everyone until 7 August and then informed all users without providing ANY export tools or in fact ANYTHING other than an eviction notice in place. This does not leave me any confidence that any tools are forthcoming.

They also misunderstood why these sellers were using Marketplace as opposed to more common forms of online selling. These sellers were mostly selling locally within their community. So they were using the social aspects of Multiply, the blog and photo albums to  remain a part of their community. It is a completely different ideology than the Western ideas of “customers” or “marks”.  By forcing them to cut off that segment and to be a “western-style” business, Naspers is destroying the exact part that made them so desirable as an online selling platform.

Also, coinciding with the publicity surrounding the Multiply.com headquarters relocating to Indonesia, the Philippines government has levied a new range of taxes and registration requirements for these types of sellers.  It may be coincidental, but a proportion are quite angry with Multiply.com and leaving the service in droves.

To summarise, Multiply.com was humming along as an alternative blogging/photo hosting site when it noticed online selling.  Plans were laid to monetise or capitalise on this online selling.  These plans have backfired massively.

From here things could go a couple of ways, and it all depends on Naspers and the online sellers.  For us social users, the prognosis doesn’t look good and I’m doubtful that any of the promised export tools will ever become available or that our content will stay up until 1 December 2012.

So onto Part 2 – what do I do with my stuff?

The Meaning of Friendship

Although I had stopped using the Multiply blog, I thought it fitting to copy this post here as all of these friends were on Multiply at the time that I think this was all arranged ....

Closeup of Stitching

Thank you to:

Tina Starke
Lyne Blodgett
Paula Hubert
Cynthia Ward
Karen Rife
Sisu Lull
Michelle Anderson
Tracy Horner
Trish Froggatt
Rosanne Derrett
Claire Jaffe
Kay Jones
Mariann Mader
Debbie Lord

These 14 friends got together some ago, instigated by Tina, plotted and planned, and then all stitched upon this gift for me.  All of their needles have been though this fabric.  All of their hands have touched it. If the frogs have visited then all of their voices would have cursed over it

The last name on the list Debbie, lives in Australia, and she had the piece framed and sent to me.  She was originally going to visit and deliver in person, but my migraines precluded that

Framed Piece

I was originally going to put here a humorous anecdote about Debbie being mysterious about a parcel she was sending and the postal worker warning me the monitor box was too light and I should open it in the post office instead of taking it home in case parts are missing, but instead I will just copy a portion of the email I send to the above friends earlier this morning:

I really can’t believe all that time effort that you guys put into this for me.  It’s beautiful and I love it. From the fabric and floss choices which appear to be Silkweavers Wandering Ivy (a favourite) and Vikki Clayton’s Dragon Hoard (did Karen pick that out?) the colours are so vibrant and so gorgeous!

It makes me smile every time I see it.  I know I have lost touch with some of you and I would like to rectify that and for those I still keep in regular contact with – thank you from the bottom of my heart! Thank you especially to Tina who I believe is the instigator of this caper?  You minx you! And all of you for holding out on me – not one word out-of-place from anyone!  I didn’t have a single inkling ….

We have hung it pride of place in the lounge room in line of sight from my usual spot so I can see it whatever I am doing. Thank you, you have brought portable sunshine into my home

Again I say thank you. I keep typing words down but they cannot express the “oh wow” I feel every time I see it or the warmth I feel for every one of you wonderful women.  You have placed a permanent part of yourselves in my home and in my heart.

THANK YOU!

RIP Hemingway

Hemingway goes in and out of the house as it suits her. Mostly she spends her nights outside, and even in winter, prefers to go outside to do her business and perimeter checks. She's an outdoor cat.

This morning Hemingway wasn't at the backdoor when we let Abby out at breakfast.  In fact I hadn't seen her all morning and was starting to get uneasy when I received THAT phone call around 11am:

Hi is this Melissa Hicks? We tracked you down via the microchip on a little black cat called Hemingway; she'd been hit by a car early this morning. We found her on the the road and took her to our vets. Mary managed to re-start her heart but the damage was too great and she died, I'm sorry.

Why?
Why didn't we see her?
Why did we let her out?
Why her? She's not the sick one! She's not the one we're mentally preparing to lose!
It's not right! It's not fair!

I want a do over button damn it - just to last night.  Just to make sure she would be locked in all night.

She's lived here and spent the nights outside for most of a decade. Why now? Why today? Why ever?

I didn't get a chance to take photos of Hemmy in her older years. Or photos of all three cats together. And now I never will.

Poor mum - just as me and my two invade, she loses her only remaining companion. First Josie (her chihuahua) a couple of years back and now Hemms.

Things Mel Discovered This Week

Things Mel discovered this week:

Sitting down
   (I'm so dizzy, my head is spinning)
Closing my eyes while sitting down
   (like a whirlpool, it never ends)*
Opening my eyes while sitting down
   (Wham - migraine)
Standing up
   (Vertigo is not just the name of a Hitchcock movie)
Bending over
   (how to pass out without alcohol)

Sleeping
   (the knock-me-out drugs are out of my system)
Sleeping in a single bed
   (I forgot how many bits of me could hurt at once)
Sleeping in a single bed with my ample body
   (there is very little room)
Sleeping in a single bed bed with my ample body and a determined geriatric cat
   (did I mention the lack of room - or is this related to the sore body parts)
Sleeping in a single bed with my ample body and a determined geriatric cat and a determined elderly cat discussing dominance issues
   (perhaps sleeping is the wrong word)
Sleeping in a single bed with my ample body and a determined geriatric cat and a determined elderly cat discussing dominance issues on my body
   (oh fer crying out loud!) **

Are there too many ads on daytime TV?
   (don't bother answering that)
Are there too many insurance ads on daytime TV?
   (and why are the same ones played incessantly at strange times of the day)
Are there too many types of insurance ads on day time TV?
   (and do they all need to use scare tactics to sell their product)
Is it healthy for me as an ill person, temporarily home bound, to see an ad for funeral plans every five minutes?
   (my DVD collection arrives in 4 days!!!!)***

All however is not lost. I only spent one day reduced to relying on daytime-TV for pain/disorientation distraction. Yesterday mum and I went for a walk and bought some plants for the garden. I was quite worn out by the trip, but it was an improvement.  I was even gracious enough to encourage mum to buy the marigolds she was favouring instead of the carnivorous plants I was lusting after.

For an hour today I could not only follow a conversation, I could add meaningful suggestions and help make plans before the fog of pain and disorientation descended.

Its going to be a long journey, but it seems that we're heading in the right direction and that the encouraging bit.



*apologies to Vic Reeves
**  at this point I should mention that Abby, being the sensible young cat she is, avoids all of this, by sleeping on mum's Queen-sized (heated) water-bed each night, stretched out in luxury!
*** for those who comment about why I have the TV on in the first place, for the above mentioned vertigo/dizziness I cannot read for long periods of time and for noise-related issues I cannot listen to audio books or music - hopefully all of this will soon change

Medical Update

Hi all,

Just a short note.  I saw the consultant neurologist today. Based on the information he already had he decided that my previous diagnosis had been correct, and I am suffering from Primary Daily Chronic Headaches.

He has however, completely changed the drug regime I am on.  That starts tonight so we play the "what side effects does Mel get on these drugs" game tomorrow :)

He wants to see me in a month's time to see if these drugs are working and already has the next thing ready to go if these don't work.

He will also re-run my MRIs etc for the growth on the pituitary gland in a couple of months time.  He said that I've been through enough tests right now - so we will concentrate on reducing/removing the migraine pain and then we will look at other issues.

I liked Dr Andrews as he explained things in a completely different manner to the Perth guys.  To be honest, both mum and I received the impression that the Perth specialists arrived at the right verdict for the wrong reasons and really should have understood what they were diagnosing more ...

An Inkcircles Day

I had an Inkcircles day today :)

While wearing the hand knitted socks that Tracy sent me a while ago, I was stitching Inkcircles Masquerade when the postie knocked on the door.

He brought me a parcel from Chele that was the Inkcircles Fireweed kit! Thank you sooo much Chele!

He also brought me a parcel from Tracy herself.  It included some beautiful earrings and note cards I bought from the Inkcircles etsy shop.  The earrings are sooo cute and adorable - they are my new favourite earrings that I will wear everywhere!  The note cards are digitally coloured pictures of Tracy's own stitching - very bold and colourful and perfect to send to stitchers ...

Included in this parcel were also some Inkcircles bookmarks that Tracy mentioned on Twitter a while ago, and ....

and ....

and ....

I have a sneak preview of a new Inkcircles chart being released sometime soon ...  Mum and I are doing floss tosses tonight for an alternate colourway .... so ....

Neener neener neener - I know something you don't know :D

What? I'm supposed to act like a grown-up?  Since when???

We're heeeeere!

Well the last week has been a blur, but we are all here, back in NSW and settled in.

The garage sale went OK. I was very disappointed in the book side of the sale, but a friend bought the best pieces of my fabric stash so her payment will help with the medical bills (when the money comes in).

We ended up bringing more boxes of stuff over than expected, we had a packer who's girlfriend had dumped him the night before and two movers who had to come down from the nearby  RAAF base - so there were a few complications, and extra costs .. but we are here now.

The cats survived the trip quite well and are settling in fine.  We lost Abby for quite a few hours yesterday.  It was a cold, wet, drizzly, dreary day yesterday. We opened the back door a little in the morning and she vanished.  We didn't even see her go out.  Every time we were outside, we called and called. We thought we heard her a few times, but we couldn't see her.  Eventually we crawled under the house, and up the manhole into the ceiling (two of her favourite haunts). Finally around dusk I saw her come out from a niche under mum's bed.  Mum has a water bed so Abby had curled up in the warmest part of the house.

Trubs is doing OK - a bit stiff but again is just curling up on mum's bed to sleep, or under the heater in the lounge room.

There have been a couple of territory issues with Hemingway, but Hems is such a laid back cat that there's no cat fights, and barely any hissing.

We have the first specialist appointment next Tuesday. So just a relaxing weekend planned until then ....

So what else is happening in the world?  What did I miss?

Big News

For those that don't already know ...

I'm leaving WA and moving home (NSW) in the next couple of weeks.  I've handed in my resignation at work and advised my Real Estate Property manager and am in the process of feebly de-cluttering before mum arrives to help me pack.

The migraines have gotten worse again this year and I just cannot get any medical help from WA specialists. THe endocrinologist says I need to speak to the neurologist.  The neurologist says "I diagnosed you last year, if you're not getting better, then you're not taking the pills I prescribed".  The neurosurgeon will see me in June after my scheduled MRI scan and no we can't bring that forward.

Also no other neuro specialist in Perth will see me, because I am listed as a patient of the above three.  Apparently second opinions are an anathema to specialists in Perth. The low point came when I found out I didn't even have a GP as she had moved on from the clinic and no-one would tell me where she went.

Weeks later and many fights later, I have a new GP and written referrals to specialists in Sydney and Canberra.  Both sets of specialists have asked for more information and copies of my scans.  The Canberra neurologist has booked me in for an appointment on 29 March.

The Sydney suite of specialists have my history, reports and scans and will let me know when they've reviewed my case.

So, packing and moving.  I wont have a job, and frankly I don't have the health to apply for a job anymore, so I'm moving in with mum and living off her for a few months until we get this medical stuff with my head sorted out. 

Not the most triumphal return from the wilds of WA, but unfortunately a necessary move.

All Stitchers Lounge

Afternoon all,

Many stitchers are now on social media sites and chat via Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, blogs (so many different types of blogs) and it's so unfortunate that we don't have a single port of call like the knitters Ravelry.

While trying to find or create a one-stop place for all our stitching adventures, we discovered so many of our brethren can or do only access via basic web usage or email.  After much deliberation, Mariann, Tina, Kay and I have set up a new Yahoogroup email list called All Stitchers Lounge and is now open for you to join.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/allstitcherslounge/

With this new group, we have attempted to keep the best parts of previous groups as well
as trying some all new features. We believe All Stitcher's Lounge to be a place
where you can hangout, relax, kick back and chat about your stitching projects,
share latest stitching gossip, list new finds, or discuss old favourites :-)

We really aim for this to be a one-stop place where you can share your blog insights, new designers you have found, your thoughts on recent releases and old favourites that have been in your stash for years.

As moderators, we are actually very excited with the opportunities a new group
can afford us, and we are playing with the new Beta Applications area of Yahoo
Groups. If this sounds promising to you, please feel free spread the message and join in :)

We've been working on this group for the past few weeks, so please drop in, look around, make yourself comfortable and let us know if there’s anything we’ve forgotten to do to get it all ready for you :)

Feel free to contact Mariann, Tina, Kay or myself if you have any questions :)


EDITED TO ADD: In a blatant act of promotion, I am running two draws of free goodies open to those who spread the message about a new group.

Anyone who writes a blog post regarding the new group or mentions a link on their blog back here goes into a draw for a chance to win a section of threads and fabric (around $50 US). Please add your blog name and post in the comments here to be in the draw.

Any stitcher on twitter who retweets my message linking to this blog post will go into a draw for a chance to win a smaller selection of threads and fabric (around $20 US).

Both draws will close 11pm Australian Western Time on Saturday  5 March 2011. Winner will be notified after breakfast on Sunday :)

Mel's Sunday Update Now I've found my Camera

Yes OK so it's Tuesday - how was I to know I hid the camera on myself by actually putting it away where it belongs.  I never put it there :)

And that is fairly indicative of my health issues this past fortnight; I haven't been at work due to migraine pain and changes in migraine medication.  In between the usual drudgery of housework and fighting with medical receptionists I did manage some stitching.

Draco the Protector is finished.  He took me 10 days from start to finish - I think that's my fastest stitch that wasn't needed for a deadline! Pictures are here and here.

Also I did Part 3 of the Stitch Specialist's Tree of Stitches.  Part 3 is French Knots.  This part only served to turn my distrust of French Knots into outright hatred and loathing.  I will continue to replace any and all French Knots in any design with pretty beads. Now and forever Amen.

Mariann's Round Robin has turned up and I will start that on the weekend - I still have the migraine pain, but I'm back at work tomorrow so I doubt there will be much stitching this week.


Just to cheer everyone up (especially me) Stephen and I went into Perth this week and bought me the Giant Microbes Christmas Set and I also bought a sperm cell.  Doesn't he look cute?

Weird dream

Had the strangest dream this morning.  If I could have remembered it , it would have made a great novel or series of short stories (If I had the writing skills not to make it too derivative)

I was working in a small hand-made chocolate factory. I was the HR person, I was involved with hiring and firing, employee motivation etc etc.

The company made small individual hand-made chocolates - like you see at high-end chocolatiers. No blocks or bars, just dainty little well petit-fours in chocolate.  I did have to let go three staff during my time there.  One worked contract and felt that as long as he turned up he didn't need to do any actual work, so I didn't renew his contract when it ended.  Another was so odious that he could not work with anyone else.  Hated the job and everyone there, so I helped him apply for jobs in other areas of the company that he felt he would be happier in.  I can't remember why the third one was laid off. Inappropriate sexual advances I think.

Of the people who I worked closely with, there was the manager, lovely fabulous person and manager but the only definite thing I can remember is she felt a failure because she was managed projects instead of having children - and this turns her into a cliche. Wish I remembered more than just feelings.  THere was an old guy in his 90s who should have been retired years ago, but he had a nose that couldn't be beaten, and was still our chief tester for new products.  His grandson was one of our newest chocolatiers and there was a whole raft of others that I can't remember now.

Head office (which was probably some big multinational) decided we weren't profitable and shut us down.  The newest member, the grandson suggested we change our format, and produce ice cream in the taste of our chocolates.  Not big tub of litres of one flavour, but finger length creations.  One of our best sellers was a cherry and chocolate (kinda like a cherry ripe but in individual form - not bar form).  When we turned this into ice-cream we put three small scoops about the size of ferrero rochers, into a a little tray made of the same ice cream. It ended up being a finger length long and maybe 1.5 finger widths wide and was eaten in two bites.  We planned on selling our ice creams like trays of chocolates, each was just a taste, a morsel of decadence at the end of meal.  Very quality over quantity.  THe manager scouted a new location. An island with an abandoned factory - we cleared out the inside but left the crumbling exterior to hide our activities.  The manager also got us all excited about this new idea and way of working.

We worked long weeks discussing and shaping various delicacies that were reminiscent of the chocolates we used to make. I remember at one point she praised the grandson for his innovative way of putting two different flavours together - flavours she wouldn't have dreamt were compatible.  THe old grandfather gets a new lease on life, absolutely captivated by the new line of products and eagerly looking forward to coming to work again.  Its not just an excuse to be out of the house anymore!

Then,a few weeks before we were ready to unveil our new company to the world, the odious guy I helped get a job in another area, started following us and discovered what we were doing.  He reported us to head office who thundered down that we had no right to go off on our own initiative. SHe set up a new arm of the company run by these three people I had laid off (ie those who had an axe to grind) to investigate selling innovative new forms of beer!  Using the full backing of the parent company they were to crush us.

Now I get a bit hazy here, whether the company laid us off and we formed our own company, this there would be a charge of intellectual theft seeing as our previous chocolate creations would be the intellectual property of the company and we many not have had a legal right to use the same flavour recipes for our ice creams. Or it could just be that dreams are weird.  I mean how can they destroy ice-cream makers by setting up a beer company?  Surely the two were aimed at different sectors of the market and could co-exist and even cross-fertilise ideas quite comfortably.

Anyway, my colleagues are getting increasingly nervous so I talk with each of them about their fears (as HR person I seem to do a lot of emotional hand-holding as well as process documentation) and then the big day arrives.

We unveil our company, it is a huge success. We obtain huge orders and adulation on our opening day. Everyone is ecstatic, even the manager who was rather keen to point out that the birth of a new company is longer and just as stressful as having a real baby.

I think about my future and the future of the company and decide that I'm not needed anymore. They are a cohesive working family, there are no disruptive elements, there are no external pressures pulling them apart. They re working as a family of friends.

I write them a letter stating my reasons for leaving (far more eloquently than I am doing here) and I mention each one of them by name and thank them for a service or kindness they had done over and above to get the new company off the ground.

It galls me now that I can't remember that letter, because inside it contains all the hooks I need to remember all the other parts of the story.  All the bits I've forgotten. Why did the guys I lay off hate us so much, why was the parent company still employing them (or reemploying them). Who were the rest of the staff, my dream dealt with each person as an individual, fleshing out their hopes, dreams, desires and back story and I can't remember any of it.

Oh well. That's what a sleep-in will do to you :)

Mel's Sunday Update on Monday

I have an excuse this week - I was evacuated from a bushfire zone yesterday!  It's OK for us, the fire moved off in a different direction .... phew!

Anyway this fortnight I really struggled with my stitching.  Going back to work and all the stress involved there-in; increase in migraine pain, wages negotiations, lack of time etc etc, my stitching slowed to a crawl.

I did however do a respectable amount on Rosanne's Big Blue Beast.  Due to migraines I had so many problems with placing the motifs - some nights I just can't count to three .... but it is done and off in the mail tomorrow to Sisu.  It is a gorgeous design, and I love floss colours Rosanne chose - in another head space I would have loved working on this design.

In and around the Round Robin, I also completed the second part on the Stitch Specialist's Tree of Stitches. Part 2 was smyrna stitch :)  One of my favourite stitches :)

Also in the past fortnight Mystery 3 was correctly guessed as Draco the Protector by Enchanting Lair. Once he was guessed he screamed loudly, so Draco has also been started now.

So for the next fortnight?  Maybe more on Draco, maybe more on Mystery 2. Either way I will start the next Round Robin as soon as I receive it from Julie, I don't want to get behind again :)

Adventures

SUMMARY: WE ARE SAFE AND BACK HOME.

FESA alerts for this fire.

Yesterday afternoon I was watching cricket, stitching on Rosanne's Round Robin piece* and keeping an eye on the bushfire to the North. Every now and then I caught a whiff of smoke but only rarely.  Then came the knock on the door.

The fire was still out of control and becoming very erratic. Anyone who's visited me knows we get gale force winds regularly. And these were whipping around in such different directions that the course of the fire was unpredictable. So anyone within 1km of its location was asked to fight or flight**  Within 10 minutes the roads were full of horse floats as all the neighbours evacuated livestock.

I decided to be sensible about my fire-fighting abilities; I grabbed the cats, their food and bowls, a change of clothes for me, my laptop and skedaddled.***  There was a Police car at the end of my road, letting people out, but no-one was allowed in.

I drove past the larger more threatening fire at Roleystone on the way to Armadale, and spent the evening with Janine, her husband and their cats. Janine looked after us very well and I thank her so much for opening up her home at such short notice.   I also thank her very much for a lovely dinner and a dessert that my diet will be rebuking me for for a while :)

Janine has five cats so we had fun after dinner watching Abby meet the new cats and the her cats meet someone new.  It was fascinating watching Abby explore the house nervously, then find her comfort zone (my lap) and begin to actively defend her turf with hissing and growling.  Abby is not the alpha cat at home; she is the submissive. And she never sits on my lap.  But as the above photo shows, the rules change when you are in a new situation.

Trubs spent the evening in the bedroom we were given quite happy that all the other cats were locked out of her area :)

This morning I got an all clear to return home.  During the night the fire had moved in a westerly, north westerly direction (I'm at the southern end of the affected area). So we are now home.  It looks like all the neighbours and their pets are home, but all the livestock are still away.  I presume they will return when the fire has been completely extinguished.  The fire is still raging out of control, with over 1170 hectares (2900 acres been burnt out). Its just raging off in a different direction :)

Everything is fine at home, not even any spot fires, but we lost the contents of the fridge and freezer due to the loss of electricity and the extreme temperatures due to the proximity of the fire.  So it was bacon for brunch and some thawed out but still cold steak for dinner tonight.

The experience was a wake up call not to be blase about fires and to prepare an emergency kit.  In hindsight there were things I left behind that I should have taken, such as identity documents, phone charger etc.

As I live rurally, we haven't lost any homes to this fire, mostly outbuildings, sheds etc.  The other major fire, down at Roleystone/Kelmscott has destroyed over 40 homes.  So far no loss of human life.




* I now know why she called it the Big Blue beast, it's because I swore a blue streak trying to make the last motif fit in with those that had already been stitched!

** OK so I think the actual words were "be prepared to leave or actively defend your home".

*** Well I got parked in by a couple of horse floats so I went back into the house for toiletries, my roll of finished stitched pieces and a couple of works in progress. I also grabbed everything that I had borrowed from the library. No I don't know why either.

WIP - Draco the Protector

Draco the Protector by Enchanting Lair Designs.

I first saw this chart at the Online Needlework Fair in Octboer 2010.

This was originally presented as a Mystery Start - Kay guessed correctly that it is Draco the Protector from enchanting Lair.

Now that I have a few stitches into him, he is simmering down