Suzi, that's very interesting about the rice flour.  A former co-worker of mine would use rice flour, but she also had to combine it with other types of flour in order to get the right approximation to regular wheat flour when she baked things.  I have to say, whatever she did, she did it well, because her baking was fantastic.  She even sells some of it now to a couple of local stores.

Jan, I told you Ry seemed like a lady.  So far Mitchell hasn't found much that was yucky.  He'd probably eat a worm if he thought it looked good.  He eats everything else. 

I have a story...I think I mentioned long ago that DH could have been the original Tim the Tool Man.  His fixes don't always 'take'  I might also have mentioned how he miscalculated a while back and hit the front steps with his plow and messed them up.  He said he fixed them, but he didn't.  They went through a second winter and they didn't fare well.  He nailed things back into place, but they still just don't seem right and I prefer using the back door because there are no steps and we don't allow our parents to use the front steps any longer.

This morning, DH had the nerve to tell me that MY dog broke the front steps!  He said she ripped up a step and now I had to go fix them.  Really?  I asked why I had to fix something that was already broken.  He was having a hard time keeping a straight face, but managed to say that again, it was my dog that obviously broke them and I should come see what she did.  Honest!  I gave him a really good dirty look, but he just slipped out of the room quickly.

When I went out to feed the dogs, Annie just whined from the porch, not thinking she could get off the porch.  Now, it's been raining days, the dogs have been up and down on the steps and they were slick and muddy.  How fun when I'm dressed for work.  I found the broken step...it's not just the step, it's actually part of the stringers as well!....so I made Annie back up and I put it back in place so she could come down.  When she did, I realized the idiot hadn't gone up the steps like a normal dog.  No, she had to go up  between the posts!      Back up she went, back through the side of the steps and she raced to her food...only to be caught up short.     She managed to wrap the cable around herself and her leg.  She looked at me with this pitiful look, so I, of course, called her an idiot and unwrapped her.  She dived into her food and luckily, only my hands were completely muddy.

I did tell DH that I thought it might be a good idea to put up a sign that the steps were unsafe.  He asked why. 

Good Topic Thread


IMO age  is not usually a factor......   My DW & DD drive like hell   younger kids  text & the like...
In my town we have had several people drive into businesses. Dunkin donuts,  a cvs, etc...
one the girl (24) drove completely through a restaurant at 3am  and landed in a swamp,
police estimate 100+mph   

a few years ago I was in Florida traveling from Orlando to Sarasota, I was doing 70mph in the left lane, and a car full of old folks past me like I was standing still.. Driving in the grass strip in the middle of the hiway.. the car was bouncing like crazy.. I find it hard to belive that nobody noticed

Here in CT  I think that it is manditory for retesting at age 70.....

Six years ago  just before he passed,   My Father ( who was legally blind ) had me take him to the DMV..  I walked him in with his blind cane, he sat down, BS'ed to the counter girls, had his picture taken and had his license renewed  "I just about filled my shorts" 
He bragged about it to all the old timers   

So an outing report from a week ago.

  I caught a train to Central so I could start at the Surrey Hills End.  My plan was to start at the Surrey Hills end and work my way to the Rocks end.  I walked most of it bar catching a train from Central to Wynyard!

The Fabric Store (21 Cooper St Surrey Hills) - first stop and probably the most accessible to a greater range of sewers.  It's a lovely large store, and the sales girls were super friendly and lovely as they chatted to each other.  There are good quality remnants and of course silks, wools, leathers, etc.  Lots of things appropriate for evening ware.  Lots of wool - I bought some 100% merino knit that feels AMAZING ($38/m...worth the price IMO but does shrink a lot) which I plan on making a T-shirt (is that a wise idea?  Sewaholic Renfrew) or cardi from (was thinking a recent Burda pattern).  I also bought some cotton knit tubing that was $4m.  A great colour range.  If the wool shirt works out well (and I normally would never buy/wear wool!) I'll definitely be keeping this place on the go-to and investing in some other colours.  (They do phone orders and have a website).

  I then walked to Fabric Muse (102 Cleveland St Chippendale - a mile away from GF!).  A small shop, with a little dog (!?!?) and mid-end fabric.  Nothing of spectacular interest, but some bridal stuff.  I found an interesting bold red rose-embossed remnant, which I thought I might make a skirt of, until I lost the bag in Sydney somewhere.  Oh well!

  Could not be bothered to walk back to Warehouse Fabrics (30-36 Ann St Surry Hills) so I skipped that.

  Rocks end...
Studio Fabrics (12 O'Connell St Sydney)- wowzer.  The premier high-end fabric store of Sydney.  Lots of 2nd cast Chanel fabrics - AMAZING boucles; I only wish I had the money and skill to manipulate them.  I still covet a purpley-blue (navy based blues are out of fashion, according to Europe) Chanel boucle.  Julie Bishop MP buys fabric here for her outfits.  I was talking to the sales lady about winter coats, and I described the fabric I was envisaging..."let me show you this.  Cream wool/cashmere, isn't it beautiful?  It's your first time making a coat - oh it can't be that hard (!?!?).  And you can just dye it (!!!!!), or take it to the professionals, who'll dye it any colour you want.  It's a remnant, there's 3.2m, so I can take the price under $100 for you."

  !!!!

  As much as I can't justify that, I now regret not buying some and keeping it for when I've got the skills to sew an amazing coat.  I've been stalking the internet for beautiful wool/cashmere without much luck.

  And finally, Saigon Fabrics (78 Erskine St) - very bridal orientated, lots of beading, embroidery and lace.  A beautiful building an excellent use of a typical 3 story tiny Sydney apartment, so well worth the visit for that alone!

Saigon Fabrics (78 Erskine St) and Studio Fabrics (12 O'Connell St).

Annika, beautiful dress! That pattern just went on my to-buy list thanks to you.

thank you all for your assistance

in fact i almost was going to buy it and ship it from USA for a perfect price (650$ machine+650$ shipping) but at the last second i had the idea about calling and asking some questions when the person who was helping me mentioned the 110v. and 220v. problem and said that if i use a converter it will not be good for the board at all.
after that i searched almost every place and contacted many people and sites but nothing worked

at last i found a friend who can buy it in Germany and ship it for me. of course the price is much much higher in Europe (1300 euros + shipping that i don't know how much is that). but im worried about maintenance and after sale problems.

i need this machine not for sewing, but only for the embroidery, cause i have a small business where i need to write on towels a few words for baptism and other occasions.

In Lebanon, prices start for at least 5000$ for a semi-industrial machine that i don't need and i can't find till know a less expensive one.
 all the brands that have small machine in Lebanon have a small hoops about 4x4" but the one i need is at least 6x10" and the only machine i found was the futura xl 550.

and the singer dealer in Lebanon don't have it and don't recommend it cause he don't know how to repair it, as he said.