Post 386; A week in lockdown

My first day in lockdown was spent reading a little, working alternately on two embroidery projects and progressing my knitted shawl. A couple of friends checked in. Panayoula was supervising her grandchildren’s exercise at the local park and Jennifer was settling down to Sophie’s Universe. I also tried calling the electoral office because my package of information for the upcoming Local Council election - now by post only - did not contain a ballot paper! The office is locked down, and only taking email. The Council  office is also trying to contact them on my behalf. They called me on Thursday, but were not allowed to email me a ballot paper. There isn't time to turn the ballot around if it's mailed, so no vote for me.

Thursday dawned wet, cold and miserable, but I was inside, dry and warm. I’ve been tracking the numerous purchases I’ve made, especially the three still outstanding for my Viking Embroidery workshop next year., one from Russia, one from Poland and one from Ukraine. The last two seem to have reached the point of export, but may or may not have left the country. The following, however appeared this morning against the box of runes I ordered

21 July, 2021 06:10

Released From Russia

, Rossiya, Russian Federation

I track a lot of packages, and haven’t seen the term ‘released’ used elsewhere, as accurate as it may be. However, tracking tells me it has now reached Australia - which is an advance on the other two, which have no information outside the original country.

The Nutmeg Mill I had ordered from Peters' of Kensington arrived, along with a Spiraliser. I had researched a nutmeg mill to replace one that had broken. Ikea had very attractive wooden ones, but when I checked, nutmegs didn't fit into the storage area. They store a range of whole spices, but not nutmegs. Left is the box they arrived in,. Right is the packaging.

It drives me up the wall. These items are not that fragile!

I came across the spiraliser while searching for the nutmeg mill. Some of the recipes for sugar-free meals use vegetable spirals, so I thought I'd give it a go. At the moment, in lockdown, carrots are the only suitable vegetables I have in the fridge, but I'm looking forward to trying zucchini. There is a finer setting but I didn't manage to get it working on the carrots.

I spent much of Friday on the Moth and made good progress.  Anthony kindly dropped some bacon and broccolini into my letterbox so I can try another recipe from the Low Blood Sugar  book. 

That night  I cooked some mushrooms with French cutlets and a salad.

I also caught up with my brother and spent some time working out how to chart a couple of pieces of Vala Georgieva's Bulgarian embroidery pieces ready for next year's workshop. I haven't charted anything before so it's a challenge.

Saturday turned on rain and storms. It should have been a Certificate Workshop - Junette on Inuit embroidery. I was supposed to do the report. Of course, lockdown saw it cancelled.

Around midday, in a brief pause in the rain, I noticed an Adelaide Rosella on the bare branches outside my back balcony. He/she stayed long enough for me to grab my DSLR and take some shots. 

Most were blurry but one or two hit the mark before it flew away. A lovely moment in a cold and wet landscape. 

I tried another recipe from the 8 Day Blood Sugar Diet book for dinner, using the bacon and broccolini that Anthony delivered the day before. It was very simple and very delicious. I look forward to repeating it with the remaining broccolini and some of the bacon.

I kept working on the Madagascan Moon Moth and went to bed with the fourth wing well underway.

Jennifer has finished Sophie's Universe. Here is is spread out on a bed before it is packed and sent to her niece once we are out of lockdown. That, incidentally looks like being on Tuesday night, so I will know before the blog is posted. Another two cases were reported on Sunday, out of some 23.000 tests, both linked to existing cases and both in quarantine. Health authorities here in S.A. have done a terrific job of finding and isolating cases - and the community has been diligent and cooperative. It's hard, however, on the kids, who are at home trying to keep up with schoolwork.

I finished reading A Deed Without a Name by Dorothy Bowers, one of the Golden Age of Crime writers. She wrote five books before her death in 1948 aged 47. It has an interesting scenario, some well portrayed characters and a a police procedural plot. It is a bit convoluted and verbose, but I'll probably read more. I am now following up a  suggestion of my daughter on Goodreads and reading Alice Roberts' Ancestors: a prehistory of Britain in seven burials..

My major lockdown achievement, however, is finishing the Madagascan Moon Moth embroidery. I did enjoy it. It felt, however, like a reward to stitch the sequins to the 'eyes' with French knots - using two strands of cotton, after working the rest of it in one strand!

It is now set aside until (hopefully, if, as Hank Williams used to say, the Good Lord is willing and the creeks [= the Covid numbers] don't rise) the second, and construction, day of the course in August.

Today, Tuesday, dawned very windy, with a forecast of rain and possible storms in the afternoon. I risked hanging out the towels I had washed and they were dry in a couple of hours.

One of my dove friends turned up while I was there in the hope of seed, and, I suspect, shelter. Before long the pair were there. The wind had blown over the seed container, and some had spilled under a chair, close to the window to my sewing and office room. 

Interestingly, neither would venture under the chair, even when I had gone inside. Once I swept the spill clear of the chair, they came back, cautiously approached and ate some of the seed.

In between the Moth, I've been playing with herringbone stitch on the next bag for the Guild's Exhibition at the Hamra Gallery in September. I've had a lot of fun with it. There's a lot of variations to play with.

I’ve finished the embroidery tonight. Now all I have to do is turn it into a bag.

Our lockdown ends at midnight tonight. Masks are mandated and 4 square metre space requirements in shops, public spaces and hospitality. I haven’t been out all week, so might do a shop tomorrow and have another blood test on Thursday. I have now lost 4.1kg in 30 days.

This, I think, is the last time Feedburner will send an automatic email with these blogposts. Next week, hopefully, I will manually post to those who have subscribed.