Abbreviations

ab·bre·vi·a·tion

1. The act or product of shortening.

This according to the freedictionary online....

Knitting can seem tricky....all those abbreviations...

k=knit

p=purl

psso=pass slipped st over

I invented a new non-standard abbreviation yesterday while doing a particularly tricky bit of knitting...in fact I can testify that I had an abbreviated arm in a manner of speaking

Henceforth feel free to use the following abbreviation at will...

 hcuawk

or

Hold Cat Underarm While Knitting

It's tricky but it can be done....

Yes, I know I should do a You Tube video but you will just have to be content with a still image

Grand Purl Baa and I had lots of fun celebrating her birthday yesterday (her birthday is actually today)...Amongst others things, we inspected a Boys Town home and shoe shops, we sampled fish and chips....we knitted squares for a baby blanket ....birthdays...birthdays...birthdays....what fun!

I am using Mini Mochi for the squares....isn't it divine?  It's machine washable....80% merino - spun in Taiwan for Crystal Palace in California....and yes, as they say, it is as soft as a kitten...but not as soft as Wes!! I love Crystal Palace's motto or whatever you call it - Straw into Gold....I was only saying to Robbie the other day as we were cleaning out the guinea pig cages..."All this straw... where is the gold?"  I bought Mini Mochi at the wonderful Yarn Over (previously American Yarns).

Grand Purl Baa is using Schoppel Wolle's Zauberball which I really love and was hoping to use for this blanket.I think Yarn Over will be getting some soon too.  The colourway is called Tropical Fish.  The pattern we are following is available for free on Ravelry.  It is called Squares on the Roll by Frankie Brown - but if you love the pattern please consider making a donation to the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation

Cats, Fish, Wool ... Heaven.....Happy Birthday Loani!!!

Cuthbert

See that patch of green grass to the left of the big gum tree on the right?  Well ...yesterday was another successful day digging into the Daw family history.  Accompanied by Miss Pat aka SIL (sister-in-law), we climbed all over Balmoral Cemetery looking for Cuthbert John Daw's grave.  And we found it in that patch of green grass!

Grave hunting is never easy.  We had done our research.  We knew it was in Section 4 Grave No. 215 but we suspected there would be no headstone and we were right.  But we found it with the very patient aid of the lovely sexton at Hemmant Cemetery over the phone and here's a BIG TIP - always charge your mobile phone when you go grave hunting - so you can call the sexton when you give up and so they can call you back!!

Brisbane City Council has a fantastic searchable database for graves here.

Here's Miss Pat pointing it out for you.....

Here's another view.  

Isn't Cuthbert a lovely name?  It's old English and is actually two words - cuth and beorht meaning famous and bright (according to the Collins Gem First Names book what Jackie McKimmie gave me 500 years ago before Bel was born).  Apparently it fell out of use as a name just after the Reformation until the 19th century when it was brought back into use by the Oxford Movement.  What is the Oxford Movement you ask?  So did I ...go and find out for yourself or we'll get distracted from Cuthbert.  

We don't know if this particular Cuthbert was bright and he certainly wasn't famous.  Cuthbert was Miss Pat's great-uncle.  He was the older brother of her grandfather, Robert William.  He was born 10 June 1896 at Bulimba.  Cuthbert was most likely named in remembrance of his grandmother on his maternal side - Ellen Cuthbert.  

Cuthbert and Robert had an older brother Thomas George.  Unfortunately when the three boys were quite little (Cuthbert was 4) their mother Jane (nee Silcok) died of pulmonary phthisis in 1901 and they were placed into care.  They lived with several families - their aunt for a while, and then a Mrs Morrison of Paddington.  

Eventually (we're not sure when exactly), Cuthbert and Robert (he was known then as William but later became known as Bob) went to live with the Rex family of Bulimba.  

Cuthbert died 22 January 1905 after suffering from pulmonary phthisis (aka consumption or TB) for a considerable time (according to a letter from the Department of Family Services sent to me in 1989). Four years later, at the age of ten,  Robert was fostered to Mrs Sutherland of Coopers Plains.

There's a lot more research to do in this area.  I have been able to dig up a little bit about the Rex family.  In the 1903 electoral roll there are three Rexs living in Bulimba.  Margaretta Rex in Riding Road and Eleanor and Ernest Samuel Francis Rex living in Parry Street.  I suspect the boys were placed with Ernest and Eleanor.  In 1908 there are four Rexs living in Bulimba - Ernest and Eleanor and Margaretta has been joined by Florence Annie. Having said that, Ernest and Eleanor are also listed in the electoral rolls as living in Lower Bowen Terrace Merthyr so I think they moved there during that time. 

I found a birth for Ernest Samuel F Rex in Truro Cornwall in 1881.  I found another birth for Forence Annie Rex in Truro in 1883.  So I deduce that they are brother and sister and emigrated here.  I found an Ernest Rex aged 5 emigrating to Brisbane from Cornwall on the Roma in 1887.  

Ernest and Eleanor married 26 February 1902.  So they were just a young couple (in their early 20s) when they took the boys in.  Did they know them I wonder?  Ernest Rex was a leadburner.  I don't know much about leadburning, do you?

Test Pattern

Remember Test Pattern on the tele?

Well this is a Test square for a baby's blanket...

What do you reckon?

Is it too trippy?

I love the texture of it and it is lovely and soft and I reckon will be as warm as toast....

It will be fun to toast this particular baby's head....

Wouldn't it be nice to propose a toast with these glasses from Etsy?

If you are a follower and comment on this blog you too could go in the draw for a $50 voucher in honour of my fiftieth year.....but I have to get to 50 followers first....

Go on...

Heaven

My idea of heaven is a leisurely lunch with a very good friend on a Friday!

Just check out this platter.....

We had the best table in the lovely sun (it's been a bit brisk in BrisVegas of late)....

I think many people have vamoosed for the Queen's Birthday long weekend, so the restaurant was the quietest I had ever seen it and we were spoiled for service.

Which restaurant?  Ouzeri in West End.

The last time I was there was after a book launch for Anthony Lawrence at Avid Reader.  Was that really nine years ago??????

Time flies when you're having fun.  Thanks for a wonderful lunch Maria!!!

Got any friends who want a gift voucher for Etsy?  I'm still trying to get to 50 followers on my blog.  Get them to follow me and they can go in a draw for a $50 voucher at Etsy.  

If they were looking for inspiration to write poetry they couldn't go past these Greek Muses drink charms could they?

Remember - follow me and comment on my blog to go in the draw.