Annual pilgrimage

Have just returned from what seems to be becoming an annual pilgrimage to the bogan V8 races in Bathurst followed by a few days on Sydney's Northern Beaches catching up with friends and family. J and I were both volunteer flag marshalls at the race, which involved 4 days of signing on at 6am (or 5am on the 4th day), heading out to a designated flag point around the track with a small team and waving all the flags and safety directions to the race cars, checking the track is free from hazards and helping out if there is a crash or some other incident. They were very long days, standing for about 12 hours each day in very rainy and foggy weather, but it was also interesting and fun, seeing a different side of motor racing and being a part of a volunteer team. The beanie I knitted recently came in very handy as it was freezing in the evenings.

In Sydney we spent most of the time catching up with as many friends and family as possible to see in a few short days, plus enjoyed some nice walks along Palm Beach, up the Smuggler's track to Barrenjoey headland, and also visited Bangelly head where we caught a glimpse of some whales and a big school of fish from the cliffs at the top.

On the craft front, not a lot to report. Managed to complete another 3 crochet granny squares in the car on the drive over to NSW from Adelaide, and that's about it. On returning home, all my veggies and herbs are growing well, and the sweet peas climbing up the trellis in the back yard are in full bloom and look lovely. I planted a whole lot of more seeds and seedlings this week too - chives, coriander, cherry tomatoes, strawberries...

Today I also made a wheat bag. I just got some wheat from the local pet shop, and quickly sewed up a little rectangle of fabric into a pillow shape, filled it with the wheat, stitched up the little opening, swept up all the extra wheat I managed to spill all over the floor, and voila - a cute and handy wheat bag to heat up next time it's cold or I have a sore back! :-) I had wanted to make one for a while and when I was in Sydney I saw some that a friend had made to sell in her Chiro practice and it inspired me to actually make one myself (thanks Georgie!).