Self-isolation Day 7: Halfway; oranges following the sun

Yesterday I listened to the Gesualdo Six while stitching in my living room in the afternoon. I saw them perform at Ukaria, in the Adelaide Hills in February and bought two of their CDs which I hadn’t played. I love the music they make, both the familiar and the less so.

This morning, inspired by Phillipa Turnbull's video in her garden, I decided I would take my stitching outside. I was on a roll with the ribbon on my Muncaster Orange - the topic of Phillipa's video. I rarely sit outside on my back balcony, although I often sit just inside. It was lovely there this morning, very warm without being too hot -not that usual in Adelaide. 

I was stitching happily way when I received a text message from Woolworths, telling me I had been accepted for home delivery from online ordering! Yah! I was so relieved. This had been my major cause of concern in self-isolation. While I am OK for food, I will run out of fresh fruit and veg before the end of my isolation. I have family and friends who will shop for me, but they all have quite enough on their plates without needing to service me as well. If the home delivery works I know I can manage.

I went inside and finalised my order immediately. My first delivery is scheduled tomorrow between 2pm and 7pm. I could take a wide delivery window because I know I'll be here!  I have left instructions that it needs to be brought upstairs and left outside my door. I can't go outside my door, so need it right outside.   Here's hoping it works.

Back on the balcony, I continued stitching - and took another photo of the tree to get closer to the branch structure for a future embroidery.

While I was contemplating the tree,  my immediate neighbour rang. We had a great catch up, the birds, the bats, our concerns, our hopes.  I was pleased to get her husband's opinion that my vine from yesterday's post is indeed a passionfruit. Theo knows this stuff. I've decided the obvious future of the vine is in the garden of someone who likes passionfruit. When we are out of lockdown.

As the day progressed I moved with the sun. It was great light for stitching. I discovered gaps in the rope stitch stems that had not been obvious to me under artificial light. I filled in all the gaps and finished off the stems. By 3.30 I was stitching on the front balcony.

A helicopter seemed to take off from quite nearby in the city and gain height as it came past. Checking helipads in the city, it had to be either from the Royal Adelaide Hospital or AECOM - a private infrastructure company that apparently has a helipad in the CBD - seems a bit upmarket for Adelaide!

There is still a bloom on one of my balcony frangipanis. It isn't a really strongly scented one, but it is lovely.









In the continuous sunlight I made excellent progress on the bow. I went over several bits until I was happy. I was struggling to balance shading for distance (edges behind and in front) and shading for light. It isn't always the same thing. It took me several adjustment to be happy.

There was plenty to look at, including the exhaust trail of the Perth plane from Melbourne - a site we won't, I imagine, see in coming weeks.







I almost finished the bow as the sun went down and the birds came home to roost.

I stopped to call my brother. He's working from home. My sister-in-law is refining her technique of teaching PE to 24 junior primary student via video link in their individual home. 24 separate little screen faces need some getting used to !  There are processes and protocols for online communication that have to be identified and learned. Many people, not just teachers, are on a steep learning curve - but getting there quite quickly. SA is moving to learning from home from the end of term, preferably immediately.

In the hope that my supermarket order will indeed arrive tomorrow, I allowed myself an extra serve of salad tonight. Susan's pasties are delicious. I'm so lucky to have this generous supply!

I finished the bow off quite quickly after my meal. I'm very pleased with it. I think it will fit in nicely with the other pieces on my chair.











It's now out of the hoop. I will block it  tomorrow.

I'm wondering whether my Sydney friend, had her cataract operation or not. I will hopefully find out tomorrow- before or after my groceries arrive!


I am now half way through my self isolation, and doing well thanks to my family, friends and neighbours - not just here but in distant places.  It is heartening to be so connected. I look forward to welcoming Woolworths to my support network!