Unexpected surprises

Work on the house is progressing well with the bathroom final coat applied, and kid's room beginning.
We chose a really nice soft rich creamy latte with a wonderful thick formula.  It looks peachy here but it isn't.  The ceiling is done.  With the walls, with 2 layers and we should be good to go over a very cold, harsh shade of blue due to the paint formula.
I love blue as a colour, but not so much this blue, and not in a south west facing room- in the southern hemisphere this is the coolest and darkest orientation a room can have.
DH has been beavering away in the land of Paint whilst I've been decluttering and rearranging some stuff, and packing down into original boxes some of my sewing gear to make way for the computer to move into the 3rd bedroom.  Cleaning out stuff in general.  Its irritatingly time consuming but has to be done. Skippy is proving very helpful.

DH's employers are keen for him to start at the end of the month to early Nov so our plans have stepped up a few gears and we are looking at getting the house to presentation standards, seeing the first and maybe second open homes and then move as a family into temporary accommodation- self contained or serviced accommodation of some sort in Canberra whilst the old sells.  Arranging for the care of our furbabies in a cosy cattery whilst we are unable to have them with us.  We hope things progress promptly and that we can find something to buy or rent with a short waiting time.  DH will start his new job, the kids will start their new school -and I will write and work on some exhibition pieces, as well as sew clothes for summer I desperately need.  And explore all the fabric stores and some of the treasures that appeal less to men and kids that Canberra offers.  Weekends will be really great as we can explore the other aspects of Canberra together.

Given we will be in a place like a serviced apartment or self contained unit that others have a key and easy access to,  I am not taking a nice tempting and shiny new Bernina- just incase it should grow legs and walk.   The Nova 900 that I have had for a few years and love would have been ideal, but a few days before we found out the approximate start date for DH, I was on a decluttering frenzy, and sold it to a good friend who's need was greater than mine.  Or so I thought, lol!  She has a quilting frame but no second machine for it,  and doesn't want to take her own Bernina Virtuosa on and off the frame to do other sewing.  She'd hunted for ages to find something affordable second hand in good condition, hoping for a Bernina to turn up, in vain.   I sold it to her quite happily,  knowing I am well catered for otherwise and thinking we had much more time to arrange this move..that I could probably finish stuff before we have to leave.

I had not anticipated being uprooted quite so rapidly nor being in limbo land for potentially some time without our house contents, during which I will have work that  I need to progress with, but also clothes to sew and quite probably for DH a whole bunch of new work clothes that may need alterations- loads of trouser hemming predicted.
 The only problem with my lovely little herd of  work tools  is that they are all of significant sentimental or other real value.  Nothing I could bear the thought of losing should the worst happen...either by accident,damage or theft.   Until recently I did have, but that was the Nova.   I figured something of decent quality but inexpensive in the used category is always  a great option. In the past I have found machines at the local sm dealership or ebay.  This time I found one  on Gumtree, and it was a cracker!  ( For overseas readers in need of lingo interpretation, Gumtree is an Aussie trading/ buying/ selling online site, and a cracker means something really, really good when used as an adjective, not a biscuit you eat with cheese)
This lovely Bernina  is a 1000 +, a rotary hook mechanical workhorse.  What's better still is that it was advertised for less than I sold my Nova to my friend to (which was again less than I paid in kindness to a good friend),  I was sure it would have been snapped up when I called last night...but no..Now if you believe  in the idea that what you send out into the lives of others comes back to you, its not hard to believe this machine was waiting for me.
I went this afternoon to test it and it eagerly  jumped into my arms.  In essence,  its an upgrade on the Nova- more stitches including stretch and decorative options, along with a larger table, and an accessory box fully stocked with feet.
A machine from the 1000 series has long been on my "one day" list since my Mum sews on a 1010 and I learned to sew on it.  In most ways it feels the same, although the bobbin system  is different and it sounds a little quieter.
Its in exceptionally good condition .  No original bobbins (there is one non original plastic one I am going to replace tomorrow) but it came with extension table, original manual, extra book of machine embroidery notes the original owner had taken at the sm dealership.  It had been bought by a dressmaker who sewed quite often but passed away in middle age, and her husband then sold it to the lady I purchased it from. I'd say she only ever used the #0 and the zipper foot  as they show some signs of wear, but the others are pristine.  She used it to learn patchwork briefly before storing it after acquiring a modern machine with additional features she wanted.  The timing was perfect and it beautifully fills the gap the Nova has left in my herd.

It is sewing well after a good clean out of the fuzz monsters within, but since its last service was in 2008 I am going to get it serviced before we leave, so its well cleaned and lubricated inside.  Here is a casual stitch out with Gutermann 50 weight cotton top and bottom onto plain homespun.

So now all I need to do is set aside the work and supplies I need to complete in future weeks and know that if all else fails there are great quilting stores in Canberra, so that when the removalists come they don't get accidentally whipped up into a box.  We are planning to drive to Devonport, float our car over to Melbourne on the Spirit of Tasmania, which we have never had the pleasure of doing, and drive from Melbourne to Canberra.  Bit of an adventure, after installing sat. nav!!  The bonus is we can pack the car with essentials we will need whilst we make camp temporarily and whilst our stuff is transported and put into storage.

I have two extra sets of hands arriving tomorrow to help out prepping the house for sale, and people coming for dinner.  I expect a state of total chaos will ensue, but that could be fun as well.  We are attempting to keep calm and carry on!

Cheers,
Stephanie

Stephanie