My Wonderful Neighbour Kathy

I have a wonderful neighbour Kathy, she is 88 and I will never forget the day we moved in 8 years ago, she came over with a batch of warm freshly baked scones with jam & cream to introduce herself and welcome us to the neighbourhood, she has lived in her house for over forty years.
Earlier in the week I was over with my little boy Sam (2) for morning tea, real tea leaves in a teapot and beautiful cups and saucers, homemade cakes and biscuits, my little one also sits up at the table drinking his milk from his beautiful cup as we natter away about all sorts of things.

Anyway … I mentioned that my mum was trying to teach me to crochet, but the pattern we had for a flower was a bit complicated for a first lesson. Kathy moved a pile of hand made cushions from the top of what I would call a “treasure chest”, I had'nt even noticed it before, thought it was just a seat. Well out came piles and piles of books, patterns and magazines from the 60’s and 70’s of every hand made craft you could imagine. There were buttons, beads, cottons and hand drawn pictures and handmade things she has made over the years. “I really need to just throw it all away, I don’t know why I am keeping it” she said, which made me quite sad that she would think no one would appreciate it. I convinced here never to throw it away

I went home with my hands full of borrowed books, patterns and collections of her own folders of crafty stuff “HEAVEN”. I had the best time going through it all, took some photocopies of things I may use and probably may not, cuttings from 1960’s womens weeklys, the history and bits and pieces and notes she had made was amazing.

It was most likely a “you had to be their moment”, I tried to explain to her that there is a hand made generation coming back where we want to learn and keep alive all the things they used to make, so you must never throw any of it away Kathy!