Thursday 8 January 2009

suburban afternoon


This afternoon, while I was sitting at my sewing table. In the quiet of a kid-free house. Sewing some little pencil cases for some long overdue parcels that needed to be posted off.
Listening to the sounds of the street around me. The soft dull murmur of a city street, a suburban city street.
Our next door neighbours' visitor. A regular visitor who has the most everyday stories, told at loudest volume, with emphatic punchlines. Stories I think I should tape, so that if I ever wrote one of those everyday life novels, I would have some 'real life' fodder. After he leaves, the next door house is quiet. It seems still, as if our neighbours have to regain their energy from such an over-the-top exuberant guest.
At building site down the street, I hear a man call out "want to bring another wheel barrow". Such a mundane aspect of the work they are doing near the train tracks.
Only a moment after that a mother "right now", in the total irritated tone of talking to a disobedient child, yet in the hushed tones of being out in the street. And having the feeling that everyone is watching you reprimand your child. (Come on, you all know that feeling!).
I continue on, unpicking and then resewing. Changing thread colour, and zipper foot back to regular machine foot. Purse after purse after purse. With the still silence - a dull hum of distant traffic and life - of the street and the city.
And then everyone home again, and the noise back in my house. Shattering through the thickness of the silence I've been settled into. Back to regular life.

Plus more images of my inspiration board above my sewing table. This desk is in the front (entrance) room of our house, and I'm really enjoying having these snippets for myself, yet still having to be conscience that it's what people see when they walk in (hmmm... possibly a bit nicer than the regular mess we have from front to back of the whole house!).

3 comments:

  1. What a simple, beautiful snapshot of a day.

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  2. i enjoyed reading that. i could feel summertime shining through. quite a bit different than here, where you would hear a snowblower, the crunch of the mailady's boots on the snow, a mom calling, "hurry up! it's cod out here!" that sort of thing. :) i like your writing. and your little pouches. and your board. :)

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  3. Hi Ellie !
    Sorry I didn't visit earlier ... like I said at your Flickr, I so do love peeking at your inspiration board & your creative space, I must be of a curious nature I suppose ... but I did enjoy, so thanks so much for sharing these lovely pics !
    I love when people (like you, or like me) do get all the very details of everyday life. Noises, after a long time, seem like wallpapers on the walls, most people don't even notice them anymore. Thanks for sharing details of a day in your life, where you're living. Thanks indeed.
    Have an awesome weekend ahead, Ellie. And thank you oh so very much for all your stops & comments at my blog. Each of them has been SO much appreciated. xoxo

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Thank you for your words and thoughts. I do so appreciate each and every visitor to my blog. While I try hard to reply to your comment, it often doesn't quite happen..... know that I'm sending you a thoughtful thanks xxx

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