Enough!

I never thought I would say something like that but right now I'm fed up with snow.

Five months of snow is enough!

I want warm weather, I want to see the Sun, I want to wear short sleeves without getting a cold the next day and I want my kids - and me - finally to be healthy.

In the last two weeks, we've been to doctors twelve (12!) times. And we had to cancel another appointment for being ill :-/

And since being ill at home with two ill kids isn't very productive, I don't have much to write about.

I'll just post a picture of Banksia to make us all happy.

Angry Birds gym bag

Mini Mojcek Nr.1 has been practicing Judo since September and all this time he was carrying his kimono in an old plastic bag. It has now fallen apart and it was time to make him a new one.

I used the off-white canvas that was left over from the Luke Skywalker costume. First I wanted to make a plain simple bag but it was just so ... plain. I decided to liven it up a bit. Luckily I had all the necessary paints at home...

to paint an Angry bird!

I just needed to buy some rope ...

And voila!

What a difference ...

...  three years make!

Three years ago I was leaving my footprints in the deserts of Jordan, now I'm leaving my footprints in my hometown.

So different and yet so similar.

A parrrrot!

MiniMojcek Nr.2 was very clear when I asked him about his wishes for this year's costume: he wanted to be a parrot.

And a parrot he was.

I bought fleece in red, blue, green, and yellow to make the wings. I cut four semicircles and left some additional fabric at the top (red) layer had  to make sleeves.

The semicircles were cut to make them look like feathers.

A lot of cutting was done...

I bought some Indian headdress, plucked the feathers and sewed them on the wings.

Instead of sewing the whole costume, I bought a red onesie and leggings.

Unfortuntely, before I was able to make a hat with the beak, MiniMojcek Nr.2 fell ill (chicken pox) and he had to stay at home for two weeks. So I didn't even bother making the hat as he was already very very happy with the wings.

So was I.

Luke Skywalker costume

This time of year again when all the mothers in this part of the world go mad sewing and preparing all sorts of costumes. MiniMojcek Nr. 1 was very brief: he wanted to be Luke Skywalker. OK.

First I made off-white cotton canvas trousers. Two pieces sewn together with elastic in the waist:

The top was based on his Judo kimono. I never ever realised that kimono sleeves are drafted in one with the bodice! So, so easy to make.

Brown fleece was used to make the belt and the bag. It is perfectly clear to me that the original belt looks quite different and that the belt buckle is totally wrong, but that was one I had at home. Oh, well. I also made two tapes of a slightly different fabric that I wrapped around his legs.

And of course he needed a light sabre. I found this one in a shop.

Once MiniMojcek Nr.1 had one, MiniMojcek Nr.2 also wanted one - although his costume was something completely different. So I made one: a torch light, a green plastic rod and a bit of insulating tape. Done.

So now I have Luke Skywalker and a parrot fighting on my bed. Oh, well.

Delicious!

This weekend was very busy for us. On Saturday Mr Mojcek arrived home after being away for almost a month and on Sunday I was celebrating my ahem-th birthday.

As a welcome present/surprise, we made MrMojcek some locally very famous cream cakes:

They were delicious!

And on Sunday instead of making a cake, I made raspberry muffins.

More Agatha Christie

72. MURDER IS EASY
An elderly lady gets killed on her way to Scotland Yard where she wanted to report just too many accidental deaths in her village. Luckily she tells Luke about it and he starts investigating the 'accidents'. Turns out that murdering is easy - as long as no one suspects you! Plenty of accidents, plenty of digging up the past and two broken engagements.

Memorable quotes:
-"But lawyers never go to law, do they? They know better."
-"Men have courage - one knows that ... but they are more easily deceived than women."
-"I don't think a museum should deal solely with the past, do you?"

Favourite Guest Character: Luke Fitzwilliam
Mystery: ***
Final Solution: ****
Entertainment: **
9/15


71. ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE
Although insisting on his innocence, Jack is convicted of killing his mother as the key witness never comes forward. Jack dies in prison and surprise, surprise, two years later the key witness appears when he returns from Antarctica! The case is reopened and if Jack is innocent - it only means that someone else must have done it. Everyone in the family suspects everyone else, so  there's a lot of digging up the past, a lot of suspicion, a lot of family issues, mother-child relations and a lot of thinking. And not much else. Guessed the killer way too early to find the book interesting.

Memorable quotes:
-"One must take responsibility for one's actions and not only one's actions but for the result of one's actions."
-"The answers never are what you think they will be."
-"It must be pretty fair hell to be born a woman and to be born plain and unattractive, especially if that isn't compensated for by having any special talent or brain."
-"There is usually something in one's own children, some kink of temperament, some way of feeling that you recognise and can understand without having to put into words."
-"The truth often does sound unconvincing."

Favourite Guest Character: Phillip Durrant.
Mystery: ***
Final Solution: **
Entertainment: **
7/15


70. THE PALE HORSE
Witches and witchcraft! Black magic seems to be behind several persons dying of unrelated diseases, and yet Mark and Ginger cannot quite believe it. The trail leads them to a local pub, The Pale horse, and further to a professional that helps... people die naturally. A somewhat strange novel with an ingenious solution! According to Wikipedia, this book saved several (real) lives!

Memorable quotes:
-"Retire whilst you can still enjoy life."
-"You don't need to kill your victim. All you need do is - tell him to die."
-"But the science of tomorrow is the supernatural of today."
-"I knew what I wanted. Infinite leisure in which to contemplate the beautiful things of this world, natural and artificial."

Favourite Guest Characters: Ginger. And oddly, Mr. Bradley.
Mystery: **
Final Solution: *****
Entertainment: ***
10/15