APRIL

The AQC (Australian Quilt Convention) is on at the Beautiful Royal Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne

And Once again I am on deck for White Glove/Quilt Angel Duty.  This Year we had Quilts designed by the Incredible Kate Ceberano.  

- And on the Home Front ...

Spike has a Heart Murmur.  

Whereas he is not phased by it, the Vet said his NT-Pro-BNP levels were Way too high and required an ECG. 

(He wasn't quite so relaxed when he realised that meant GOING to to the Vet!)

AND - We went Up The Wall with Tiling Our Bathroom.

Finally placing the last tile on April 24. 

Easter 2024

Seven Years Ago we were in Austria and we Climbed a Mountain.

There were many others on the Path that day.  It was not an easy climb and sometimes the path was not obvious. Once I was called back by another traveller as I had strayed onto an unsafe route.  

There were places to Rest or to go off to see other things, each one distracting us from our goal of reaching The Cross on the Summit.

I wondered how many of those travellers knew the Story of Pilgrims Progress.

The Spiritual Significance of Placing our Backpacks (Burdens) at the Foot of the Cross and Resting there was not lost on us that day.

Neither was the fact that the Journey Home was going to be easy.  (We did see someone slip and fall on the way back).

But IF we place our Hand into the Hand of God

It will be Better than a Light and Safer than a Known Way.

So as we Celebrate a Time with Chocolate and Hot Cross Buns, 

Let us not loose Sight of that "Old Rugged Cross"

Leonardo da Vinci - 500 years of Genius

The Leonardo Da Vinci Machines: 

an Exhibition of Genius began in 2006* as a small exhibit of 64 models in the Spiegeltent at Docklands Melbourne.

AND We were there!

Since then it has expanded, touring the world.  

Returning to Melbourne to the purpose built 3,000m² multi-sensory gallery  THE LUME 

(The worlds largest digital Art and Cultural Venue).

From the Display of full scale Flying Machines in the Foyer

(Hangliding anyone?)

Past Facsimiles of Note books with such precise documentation of every idea.

Including comments like:

"..and if the above effect is not obtained, 

waste no more time on it."

Once inside the Exhibition space we headed to The Caffè Medici where we dined on tastes of Florence, Milan & Venice.

As we sat we watched the Artwork come alive while listening to the Music of Puccini, Verdi, Vivaldi .....

We were in awe of the extent of the exhibits which included Four Original Pages from the Codex Atlanticus, of which no pages have been seen before in Australia.

This section had extra security but Photography was allowed as long as there were No Flash used.

Upstairs, as well as full scale Models of da Vinci's War Machines, 

were the working - fully playable models because the prime reason for this exhibit is to engage the Children, bringing Art and History out of the Museums into Their World.

There was so much more to see that I won't include - 

Have to leave you something to discover - IF and when the exhibit returns 

- Go, It is an amazing experience.

* * * 

*The Journey began in 2006, when I introduced an exhibition of Leonardo's machine Inventions into Australia for the first time, displayed within a temporary pavilion at Waterfront City (Docklands). 

The success and overwhelming public reception of this exhibition ignited a personal desire to create a more comprehensive experience....

Bruce Peterson 

Founder & Chairman

Happy Leap Day

 

Stowaway Frog would like to wish Everyone 

a Very Happy LEAP DAY

(and let you know that he is too little for his own Blog but you can follow his adventures on Instagram )

Tiles - Finally

If I can offer any advise to anyone who is thinking about doing a Bathroom Reno/Rebuild it would be ... DON'T choose your tiles until you are ready to put them down!

Our Floor tiles were the wrong colour and the Wall tiles 'just didn't jell" so we had to start the lengthy process of finding new tiles again.

A week to get the Floor tiles in and down.

DH happily volunteered  to smash the tile spacers and levelling wedges out for me.

Before we make another (costly) mistake, Time to get the Graph paper out.

Working around a window or niche, it is necessary to make sure the tiles flow through and not leave you cutting a 1" tile strip.

We can now order our chosen tile in a size that is going to work.

Lending a Hand

The Project ahead was overwhelming for One Person to do alone.  And we can't sit back and watch someone struggle.

So we sat her Down, put the kettle on and Wrote a LIST! 

(I am VERY good at Lists!)

It really is the best place to start.

The work involved treatment of the Concrete Slab, repairing and replacing plaster, Skirting boards, and of course re-painting

Carpets were to be replaced by Floating Timber Floorboards

And 3 Rooms needed to be painted.

Progress was slow as work could really only be done after Work or on the Weekends

But little by little things were being crossed off that List and the rooms were now ready for the Flooring contractor.

It has taken 3 months, many cups of tea, Homework and Hard Yakka. 

But now there is finally a space that our Friend can truly be proud of and never again will be hosting House Guests or their Cats!

Now the Fun starts...  Looking forward to seeing these newly reclaimed rooms Furnished.

* * * 

Family

A time for family to get together

Sunday:  Together with Our DDIL's Parents, 

We had the joy of participating in the Dedication Service of 2 of our Grand daughters.  

(Our promise to "Bring up a Child in the Way they should go" Proverbs 22:6 )

... and on the other end of Life's Journey

Monday:  We said Goodbye to DH's Brother-in Law.  It was a lovely service - planned years ago.  

And a time to catch up with Family from all over that we don't normally get to see at Christmas.

Lance would have been thrilled at the turn out - he loved a Get together!