For Mum, from D & M

Mary Kathleen Webster was born  September 2 1938 in Rochester, Victoria. The  only girl and forth of 6 children. Mum went to school in Rochester, and also in Maryborough when the family moved there in 1950. The family moved to Nanella in 1953, then to Bendigo after that.
Mum was working  at a jewellers in Bendigo when she met Dad. They married in 1966. I was born a year later, & my  sister Meredith 3 years later.

Mum told M just last week that she lived a very happy life together with Dad, he was a good husband and they enjoyed lots of holidays, with friends and our family. Family holidays were particularly special to her.
In 1978 we had our first big family trip and drove to Queensland to visit our aunt, uncle & cousins in Brisbane. September became the time for our annual driving holiday, which meant we were often away for Mum's birthday, but she never complained.
There were several trips to various parts of Australia including Tassie, back to Qld, SA and the NSW coast. In 1985 we  made our longest trip, driving to Alice Springs & Ayers Rock, accompanied by Mr & Mrs B.

As kids, most weekend were spent "throwing a rod in" (fishing), exploring the bush, sitting at the gun club, or at "The Shack" (family holiday shack) in Barmah. Barmah weekends usually meant fishing in the  boat on the Murray, and Meredith would delight in having a turn at steering the boat - right under the overhanging willow branches, which would of course brush over Mum & make her jump, every time.

Every Easter since we were little, we went to Torquay. Mum usually gave up eating icecream for lent, so Easter sunday always involved chuch followed by a trip to one of the Torquay icecream shops!  The Easter holiday became even more special once the grandkids arrived!

Growing up, mum enjoyed the annual circus that came to town, and as kids she ensured we had similar opportunities. We enjoyed trips  special trips to Melbourne for shows like "The Moscow circus on Ice"; "Disney on Ice"; Pompei; and Dinosuars from China.

Mum was always supportive of us, and encouraged us to do well at school & to go to university; saying we could do anything we wanted to "if you put your mind to it".

Mum showed us the importance of being involved in the community and was herself actively involved at our primary school, Flora Hill. We remember her going to the "Mother's club" meetings, working in the canteen, helping with reading groups, photography, baking for the fete and helping run cake stalls held at the local Woollies. Mum was also a very passionate Sunday School teacher, and would often involve us in making her lesson materials.

No surprise then that Meredith is P&F president at her kid's school, and I am on the PFA & school council at mine. The sense of "giving back", being part of the community, came from Mum & Dad.

Once we were both at school, Mum enrolled in a sewing course at the Bendigo TAFE. Dad had bought her a singer sewing machine with money from fox skins!  Mum made lots of dressed, skirts, pinafores and a much loved corduroy jacket for each of us. Of course everything was made in 2's - same pattern, same or sometimes different colours, 1 for each of us, it had to be fair!

The Women's Weekly magazine was always a great source of inspiration, we were always amazed that we could show mum a pattern for something in the magazine or a craft book, and she could make it for us. Cakes & recipes too - I remember a cake made to look like a record (ABBA of course!) Mum copied from the WW for my 10th birthday.

As we grew up, Mum continued sewing, making some beautiful dresses for us, including bridesmaid's dresses for M's wedding, and even occasionally something for herself.
One Saturday evening, Mum was frantically trying to get a dress finished for M to wear to her college graduation ball. Her friends arrived to pick her up, but the dress wasn't quite finished & mum was still sewing. Our new dog Mich was still a puppy, and he heard the visitors arrive and was barking outside, so Mum said to let him into the back room to stop him barking. Within minutes we heard crashing & banging, because the pup, determined not to be ignored, had destroyed all the newly watered pot plants in the room, spreading dirt & muddy paw prints over everything!  Somehow mum kept her calm & kept on sewing, got the dress finished, M dressed & out the door, and the came to survey the damage!

When I said I didn't want a traditional wedding dress, Mum searched through all the pattern books, and even travelled to Melbourne to drag me around Lincraft; tried & tested patterns; and made my beautiful medieval skirt, blouse & vest.

Knitting however, wasn't her cup of tea. Meredith recently found an unfinished jumper mum started knitting her when she was in primary school.

Mum didn't actively teach us how to sew or cook. But we think being around her cooking, baking & sewing definitely rubbed off on us, because both of us enjoy sewing & making things, and cooking & baking.

Family was central to Mum, and celebrations were certainly done in style, although she never made a fuss. Many events in our lives were celebrated at home, with mum doing all the catering and organizing; such as our 21st birthdays, Dad's 60th, Webster family reunion, a gathering of Dad's duck opening group, M&B's engagement party, and most Christmases.

Family was even more special to mum once she had grandchildren.
Although Dad was regularly away on weekend fishing trips, we had never known mum to go away & leave dad at home - until her first grandchild was born. When I cam home from hospital with J, Dad & mum drove to Melbourne, and then mum stayed for a week to help out with the new baby.

Mum has four grandchildren, JH
 J, MC & H all of whom adored her.

For the last 5 years, Mama 7 Papa have collected J & H from school or kinder once or twice a week. Suddenly the variety of food in their pantry increased, "boat" sandwiches were made when ever H requested, ballet was practiced in the lounge room, and many a detailed chat about their day was shared between Mama and J.

JH & M shared their lives through trips between Bendigo & Melbourne, phone calls and photos. Granma was always excited to hear MC's latest piano recital, to follow JH's adventures at cubs and scouts, and to hear the latest antics of the chooks!

Since Mum's diagnosis in May 2 years ag, she showed true strength and courage. Never did she say "why me" or feel sorry for herself. Instead she tackled it face on, and turned what was to be six months into two years. Her strength and stubborness was no more evident than when in hospital before Christmas last year, when she told Meredith that she wouldn't make Christmas. Together they made a deal to have one more Christmas, and through her determination we enjoyed Easter as a family too.

We know mum genuinely appreciated all the support she was given during her illness, including from the St John of God oncology nurses, whom she called her angels.
Mum it has been an honour to have been able to call you mum.
Your strength is our inspiration. Your love our rock. We will always miss you and love you Mum. And we will keep the promise to look after Papa and Max.


(Max- the dog)
From the eulogy, co-written with my wonderful  sister Meredith, 17 May 2012.

NEXT MONDAY...

...we will be at the PO at 7:30 to do some craft (maybe), have a glass of wine (for those who are inclined) and have a good old chat!  The H & I snuck down to the PO last Thursday night, when we realised that with the youngest at cubs, and his big brother at school camp, we actually had 1 1/2 hrs child free time! So we shared the quince crumble (yum!), and the girl behind the bar said hi and asked when we would be back for craft group because she hadn't seen us for a while! So... see you there next Monday !  (30/4)

PS we will actually be talking about  what we will make for the school craft stall and possibly even making something. Plus we will try & work out a date to meet on a Saturday arvo at school for a big sewing session ie. involving sewing machines 'n' all!!!

Back to school...

2 weeks of school holidays, and what do I have to show for it? One kids apron, promised weeks ago ( possibly months actually), and sewn up Saturday night (hey, the footy was on, what else was there to do?). New resolution - get some sewing done now that the footy will take over the telly most Friday & Saturday nights.

I did make MILES of bias binding to use for the neck strap & ties. I can use it for skirts & stuff, I figured I had a metre of navy gingham, so might as well slice up the lot. But so much for those plans of new skirts, and trying out some tunic tops...

Autumn days...

Loving this Autumn weather! I have been trying to ride my bike into the shops at least once a week. The Jedikid has a new grown-up sized mountain bike - with gears! ( And of course Tigerboy is a bit jealous and wants a bike with gears too now!). Found the bike on gumtree, and also recommend bikexchange to find a good second hand bike. The boys are out in the backyard now washing Tigerboy's old bike he grew out of last year, so we can take a photo & put it up for sale.

Planning on doing some skirt sewing in the hols, andtrying out some new recipes, but lots of cleaning up to do first! We have been inspired by watching River Cottage (6pm Thurs, ABC) and have dug out the bread machine. Weekend before last we made and ate 3 (small) loaves of bread in 2 days! Even bought some chia seeds and made our own chia bread, but I don't think we will be putting Bakers' delight out of business anytime soon!

2 great up coming markets to go to - Brunswick Town Hall on April 14 for the Sisters market; and the wonderful finders keepers market is in the Royal Exhibition centre on April 20/21.

Craft group next MONDAY

All being well we will be at the PO again 7:30 next Monday.

I have my year 10 school reunion in Bendigo this Saturday ( high schools in Bendigo are year 7-10, 'cos there is an amazing senior high school there, it was one of the first in Australia. The failed experiment of the Coburg Senior High could learn a lot from Bendigo Snr High!!!)

The reunion is supposed to be "dress up - 80's theme" (yeah, I'm gettin' old!) but it is one thing to dress up in full on 80's gear for a friend's 40th with your mates, and quite another to turn up in costume with a bunch of people you haven't seen for 10/20/30 years! So I will err on the side of caution and not go too over the top! Had a flick through my collection of old "Dolly" magazines still in my wardrobe at my parent's house for some dress-up inspiration.

PS. Nicole Kidman had seriously curly hair when she was a "Dolly" model in the 80's!!!

Felt & button necklace

I made this a while ago for a friend, along with one in red/black/grey for me. But the 1st was only made of crochet cotton & felt, and although I loved the look of it, it was too light and blew around in a breeze! So the 2nd one (above) was put on the back burner while I figured how to modify it too add a bit of weight. Finally, I decided to sew some buttons on the flower shapes (pairs of buttons, from & back) and it seems to work! Plus it adds to the look.

But I can't decide which is the quicker way to do it - sew the buttons on 1st (one at a time) before glueing the shapes together, or put the necklace together & sew the buttons in pairs, with the slight complication of sewing through the dried glue and coping with the occassional tangle. Hmm, have to try both methods & compare. Planning on making some for the school fete anyway - once I have the felt shapes cut, I can put it all on the good old "stable table" on my lap & make them up while watching the telly.

The last race

I just watched "the last race" on the ABC, about organ donation. Beautiful, moving - I was crying through most of the show. One of my Dad's best mates (all-round great bloke, and an honorary uncle and to my sister and I when we were growing up) died waiting for a heart transplant. A school friend had a kidney transplant several years ago and which has turned her life around. My husband's phD supervisor and mentor also needed a kidney transplant but didn't make it.

Go over to Curly Pop's blog and have a read too.

Then talk to your family and sign up.