F ............ is for Fabric

...for the sixth week of the Alphaponty alphabet challenge.

A sharp frost last night was the penance for a gorgeous Sunday. However, the day dawned bright with clear skies again and the frost was soon shrugged off.

This morning a number of our quilting class gathered for what has become an annual outing to a local town where there is an excellent fabric shop and a deli/cafe which serves tasty lunches. We were all in great spirits, anticipating the day ahead, until we reached the car park when we hit a spot of bother. The oil light had come on in one of the cars, a VW Golf, and we all gathered round to "help" while the driver, most impressively, found an oil container in her boot and proceeded to find the right hole in which to pour it. So far so good. The container emptied and the bonnet was pulled down to complete the task - but the bonnet was not going to let us away with that, it simply refused to close. After much umming and aahing from the gathered ladies, one of whom had found the manual and was reading that the bonnet should not be pushed down, merely allowed to drift down to rest in some catches! we decided unanimously that a man was required. Three men later and we were still no further on, so the majority left the driver with a couple of useful phone numbers while they adjourned for coffee and then on to the beckoning fabric shop. I returned after coffee to see if there had been any developments, to find one more man just arriving on the scene confident that he could help. In fact he was much more useful than the previous ones had been as he at least identified the problem as a broken bonnet catch! He directed the driver to a nearby garage and off she went, very carefully, and finally caught up with the rest of us about two hours later with the catch having been temporarily fixed by two more men. That means it had taken six men and several ladies to close the bonnet of a Golf! Crazily I had my camera in my pocket all this while and should definitely have blipped the huddle of ladies around the bonnet of the car looking a wee bit helpless! Maybe it is as well I didn't, as we ladies do have our pride, but suffice to say that we have all now vowed to test our own car bonnets and keep an oil container in the boot.

The rest of the day continued happily with much fabric being bought and a number of new projects taking shape in our minds to justify our purchases. The sun continued to shine and we all managed to return home safely. My two dogs were thrilled to see me, although a kind neighbour had let them out at lunch time, and we dashed off for a really enjoyable walk to savour the last sunlit hour of the day.

Thank you so much again for your comments, stars and hearts for the honey bee yesterday - it too reached the Spotlight and I am thrilled to bits to be there twice in a row. I'm still not totally sure how it works but it feels good!