A gift for an Aunty and Progress Report 10 on HCS

Hello all.   It has been a beautifully fine Autumn day here and my car is clean, my garden tidied up, two batches of biscuits are in the tins, the shopping is all done and I now have a few minutes to myself!!

The whitework panel in my HCS is now complete and any hankerings I had to stitch a whitework sampler (yes I have at least two charts in my stash) have been well and truly put away.   Despite conquering the horrid faggot stitch and having at least six enjoyable spider web roses in the panel I did not enjoy this particular area and am mighty glad it is finito.   Here's a snap before I cover it up with a slip of white fabric to keep it clean.   Tonight while I watch Antiques Road Show and Midsomer Murders I will happily stitch on the remaing panel for this section which has two half clad men, a couple of acorns and a tudor rose!!

Today I kitted up a small gift for my Aunty.   She and my Uncle live in Christchurch and their house was badly damaged during the September 2010 and February 2011 earthquakes.   So far the only progress towards their repairs seems to be visits from 'engineers' who all give conflicting opinions as to what should be done.   Meantime Aunty Rachel and Uncle Geoff (in their 70's) have a house that has no heating, has several gaps in the roof, is leaning askew on its foundations and is decidedly airy.   At least they can remain in their house - it is deemed liveable.  Perhaps this GOS strawberry biscornu will make Spring seem not so far away??  

I think I may have told you my forebears came from Christchurch -  indeed my Great-Great Grandfather, not only one of the founding doctors at Christchurch Hospital, was apparently an advocate for equal education opportunities for women and was prominent in the establishment of Christchurch Girls High School.   Pre-earthquake there was a Black Oak tree planted in a suitably eyecatching position to mark the esteemed Dr Silas Stedman.   Apparently the Girls High was badly damaged and there has been significant demolition - I wonder if said Oak tree is still standing?  

This wooden baptismal cover was in the Cathedral -  right beside the entrance to the Belltower staircase.   Belltower and staircase became a pile of masonary rubble during the earthquake so methinks this Stedman relic may have become shards of native Kauri timber and be consigned to the annals of history.  

On that note I will say goodbye and talk to you again soon.