REPAIRING LEATHER HANDLES
When we moved everything to have the interior of the house painted I found things needing upkeep and repair. I’ve mended a mirror frame, fixed a shutter, repaired a wooden chess set rack, re-attached the hessian on a Persian carpet to rehang it and now I have renovated this shopping basket.
This is my favourite shopping basket. It has a flat oval base which balances it securely at the checkout. Fabric bags flop and are difficult to pack but this bag sits firmly as we fill it. I can stuff some fabric bags in it to carry them to the shops. It is also a good size for me to carry as I can’t overload it.
Over time and with constant use the leather handles had become worn and were cracking. I needed to repair them before they tore completely.
This is a mans’ leather belt. You could re-use one from an op shop/charity shop but I was given this one and it looked unused.
Firstly, I used a craft knife to cut off the buckle. I measured the width of the existing handles and then used a Sharpie to rule a line long ways on the belt to make it the same width as the handles. Then I cut carefully along this marked line.
I measured and cut the strip into two pieces the length of the handles. Before I glued these strips to the existing handles I cut into the leather to create a slightly thinner piece at each end so I could slide this under the piece attaching the handles to the body of the bag.
To cut the piece out I ran the craft knife across the leather, scoring just in from the end and making sure I didn’t cut right through. Then holding the leather on edge, I cut out the black layer of leather.
Working on one handle at a time, I glued and pegged the new lining to the existing handle working on about 15 cm at a time. When all the leather was glued together I left it to dry thoroughly before doing the second one. ( I find laundry pegs so useful for small repairs)
I didn’t use a special leather glue for this repair as I didn’t have any and the all purpose glue I had said on the label that it was suitable for leather. It has glued the two pieces together smoothly and strongly.
The mended handles look a bit wonky because I’ve just unpegged them but a few hours hanging on the back of the chair and they were perfect again. The handles feel good and will last a long time.
BULK COOKING
My mother broke her wrist and will be in a splint for six weeks and then at least another six weeks to recover full use of her arm. She is in her late eighties and we are all relieved she didn’t break a hip or leg. Having a broken wrist is difficult enough for her to manage.
Cooking is very difficult as she can’t apply any pressure to her wrist to cut anything. We went and spent the day sweeping in the garden, dead heading roses, changing and washing bed linen, some cleaning, shopping but mostly, I cooked. All jobs she does all the time but can’t for now. She has soups, corned beef, chicken, cut up vegetables and three jars of her special muesli. We bought frozen vegetables so she can add those to her meals, she has yoghurt and sliced fruit loaf. She is also surrounded wonderful family and friends who will help, too, but for a very independent person this is a big change.
By the end of the first week the downside of this plan became evident: it becomes boring to eat much the same thing day in and day out. Luckily, other options have presented themselves and also she has became more adept at doing everyday things with her left hand.
She is right handed and this is the wrist she broke, so she’s trying to do crosswords with her left hand. She can’t drive, either, but I think the biggest challenge will be looking after her hair. It is very long (she can sit on it) and she plaits it every morning and wraps the plait around her head and secures it with pins. Very difficult with one hand!
COOKING FOR AFTERNOON TEA
Do you have a few “go to” recipes you make when visitors are coming but you don’t have time to shop? I have my regulars, including curried egg sandwiches, pinwheels, shortbread and a cake. I always have lemons, limes, oranges or even passion fruit on hand to make a cake. I add a bowl of crystallized ginger and maybe some cashews so people can pick at something small and easy, especially if we’re not at the table. Sometimes I serve casual afternoon teas on the coffee table.
ARMISTICE DAY 11th November
Armistice Day, known as Remembrance Day in the UK and Veterans Day in the US, commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice at 11am on the 11/11/1918, ending World War 1. After more than four years of fighting, the defeated Germans called for the Armistice, the suspension of fighting, to secure a peaceful settlement.
Many people wear a red poppy on this day each year and stand at 11am for a minutes silence to remember those who dies or suffered for their country in all wars and armed conflicts.