Post 480 Birthdays, bats, bees and baby cardigan.

Last Wednesday was the first 2023 meeting of WES Group - really engaging talk by Raelene on her visit to the 2016 European Patchwork Festival in Alsace. We had a big turnout of 16, very engaged with the presentation. We are also getting organised for the Guild Exhibition next month. Unfortunately, I was so busy coordinating I forgot to take photos.  That evening the bats were about. The evening star was also visible. It doesn't show up well in photographs but I have inserted a faint arrow pointing to it in the centre right.

Thursday was morning coffee with Panayoula before Pilates. 

Friday brought Lorraine's 90th birthday lunch time celebration at Lenzerheide. There were 13 of us enjoying high tea. One was unfortunately on a delayed flight from Brisbane and another ill in Melbourne. Lorraine was looking relaxed and elegant. I grabbed a quick photo of part of the table.

I took the opportunity to wear the coat dress and the earrings given to me for my birthday by my daughters. Swish. I even bought some foundation makeup - haven't used it for over a decade. I forgot I would need makeup remover - so spent an inordinate time scrubbing my face before bed! 

Sunday was spent cooking for a birthday dinner on Monday. I had considered roast pork but that was to be the family's Sunday dinner, so I settled for Moussaka - more preparation but a smoother run on the day. I'm trying to stitch something for each birthday, and February is a birthday month so I've been busy.  This is from the bee scarf for yesterday's celebration.

I also finished the second baby's cardigan. This one really is for a baby, not a toddler.  Hope it's what is needed. 

Today I visited my podiatrist, whose parents are renting a house in the Barossa Valley, while waiting for the water to go down in their home on the Murray River. Flood waters reached the top of the kitchen benches in their first (not ground!) floor kitchen. From there I visited Bunnings to buy a few replacement plants before joining Tuesday stitchers at the Guild. I'm working on another birthday gift! 

Back at home I have found homes for the plants I bought. I still have a couple of empty pots, so there's room for more. The bad news was a traffic fine in my letterbox- a claim I disobeyed a red arrow, which has caught me by surprise. I have been quite careful - especially at the intersection in question. It's worse if it happened and I don't remember. I don't, however, think I will argue. I was at the intersection around the nominated time.  A bit depressing - but at the moment I am philosophical, confident and resilient. 

After several days of pleasantly cooler weather, the temperature is rising again. From 29C today, we go to 35C tomorrow and 38C on Thursday. After a couple of high 20s over the weekend, the forecast is for 30+again next week. I'd rather it were cooler, but it is fairly usual for February, and could be worse. I need to keep the water up to those plants.