This grandmothering business is a fine thing

The rain fell all day and the longer it poured and the louder the thunder sounded, the safer and cosier I felt.  I was doing grandma things - I was sewing for the babies.  A lot of people have emailed worried about Hanno and I.  We are safe and sound, thank you.  We aren't where the main floods are but we've had two days now of torrential rain, on top of the almost continuos rain since Christmas - the ground is sodden, and the rain continues.  In December we had 700 mm|28 inches of rain, since new year another 200mm|8 inches and probably another few inches overnight.  When I walked out to check the creek late yesterday afternoon, I was in ankle deep water in the back yard.  The creek had reached our steps yesterday morning and it rose further during the day.  We're pretty sure it won't flood, even though it's  four times wider than it usually is and the water is rushing along it.  We're currently in the middle of a super cell that started about 3pm yesterday, so the rain is heavier than normal, but still, we're okay. 

Inside everything was dry and cosy and I started working on being a grandma.  I got out the small amount of fabric I have for the babies and started looking for patterns.  During the afternoon, I made a light receiving blanket, a fleece blanket, some wipe cloths, a pair of pyjamas pants - mainly to test out the pattern, and I finished a bamboo and cotton hat.  It will be just the thing for Kerry and Sunny's baby boy, due late March, at the end of summer.  I'm now knitting another bamboo hat that is about half way there.

It's a long time ago now but the photo below is of Kerry and Shane when they were about 4 and 5 years old, they're now 29 and 30 and getting ready to have their own babies.  They were born in July, just one year apart, and now their own babies will be born close as well.  It's heartwarming work to be making little bits and pieces for them and as I work away in my little room here, I'm thankful they have wonderful wives who will make the best mothers.

I haven't had any luck with my call to barter nappies|diapers for a year's free advertising on the blog so I'm going to concentrate on making prefolds with bamboo and cotton or hemp and cotton fabric.  If you're a young mum and have already gone along this route, can you share your information with me.  I'd like to build up a resource here for new babies so whatever you can give me, and whatever links you can share, will be appreciated. I'm interested in sewing and knitting tutorials as well as how to care for the nappies|diapers.  I'm thinking that prefolds would be excellent for everyday wear with a few fitted nappies|diapers to have on hand when going out.  Does that sound sensible?  When my sons were babies, I used terry squares and plastic pants, so I'm familiar with the concept of cloth nappies but need to sharpen up my skills so I do it well.

This grandmothering business is a fine thing, even the anticipation of it is sublime.  I think I'm going to like it a lot.

And finally, on the weekend there was an excellent post over at my other blog - the Simple Green Frugal Co-op.  One hundred ways to save money in 2011 was written by Notes from the Frugal Trenches; it is the second part of a two part post.  Anyone who is saving, or trying to save, should take the time to read both posts.

PS: I had a few requests for a Down to Earth button that some readers wanted for their own blogs.  I've finally made one and it's one the left column.  Please feel free to use it if you wish.