Busy week

I havent realized how the time has flown and its already the tenth of this month. I have also started reading once again without concentrating only on my sewing. I finished Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh and such a fascinating read that you have to find the time to read it soon. Its not a book that you can read, put down and take up again later! Books like quilting supplies is another expensive hobby in Sri Lanka but I think that when something is not freely available, people get creative and somehow find the ways and means to get what they want. I think quilting also started like that with people using whatever scraps of fabric they had to turn out the most exquisite quilts. In the case of books I have looked around and found a few sources of second hand books not unreasonably priced, also discovered a library run by an association of British expat ladies in Sri Lanka. They very often have the almost latest of whatever is "happening" in the book world and this has been a source of books for me. Another source which I know will be very strange particularly for Sri Lankans is that books are reasonably priced in India but getting them here is the problem. So if there are book lovers out there amongst any Sri Lankan readers of my blog, please remember that Chennai and Bangalore are both havens for book lovers. Just send me an email and I will give you details of how and where you can get the best bargains in the very latest best sellers from both these cities.

The children's home with which I am associated with is hoping to start another home in the area of Mannar but this time a children's home for disabled children. This is a huge undertaking and we are hoping to start very small because this involves much more work than a normal children's home. Facilities for the disabled are very limited in this country and there is a move by a group of dedicated people to make it compulsory for at least government departments to be handicap friendly by way of ramps etc which would help the disabled. The progress is extremely slow as this is a subject that has not got the attention it needs upto now. Hopefully with time things will improve. Will keep you all updated on the progress of this home in Mannar. It involves a lot of paperwork as this was part of the area which was in the conflict zone so clearances at every level has to be obtained before work can start.

The good news is that my first log cabin quilt is coming on nicely. Have done 41 blocks (how that odd figure came about heaven knows) only another seven to do and most probably this weekend I will start the sashing and putting it together. This is another Christmas present! My children want to know what they are getting so although photos will be up, no one knows who is getting what!

Cheers for now!