Post 510 Busy and Blessed

It's been a busy, lots to do, running around, kind of week - and no sign of it letting up! For the first time, I have deferred other pressing commitments to write this post! There are wind-up events, exams, visits, appointments galore - and the Adelaide 500 car race diverting traffic and blocking off city streets. 

The December WES meeting involves Margaret M and I putting together some examples and information about (mainly) Shetland knitting. It's crunch time for this, so I have been working up an example as well as working my way through my numerous books on the topic, to prepare a summary. I enjoy this, but it is time-consuming. On the weekend I finished the Shetland Wool Week hat in the Jamieson and Smith wool. To link the technique to embroidery, I am working the same chart in cross-stitch. I'm in the process of writing this up in my embroidery blog, so will make do here with a photo of the finished hat. Margaret and I get together tomorrow to organise our presentation.

The basket in the background is one I bought at Gallery M, which I managed to visit last Friday to see the Hand Spinners and Weavers exhibition of braids, Knot just Braids, which finished on Saturday. 

I am so pleased I managed to get there. It was a fabulous exhibition. Janet, a member of WES Group, had a series of Kimono cords, each attached to a spectacular kimono - a very clever idea.      The signature piece of the exhibition was a screen of cords made by individual members of the Guild.                                                                                

The work was diverse. I loved the braided pots - and the drawstring bag.

The final JEMS meeting for the year was on Saturday, with the usual shared food celebration. It's been a good year for JEMS. The group is strong, the atmosphere relaxed, the projects tailored to individual interests and needs.         

Sunday was the Guild's pre-Christmas Market Day. I managed to pick up a few more plants and one of the DMC Motifs booklets. The latter series is always useful for ideas. 

I broke up the large spider plant I bought and added the pieces to my wall garden where they will provide coverage. 

The snake plant has nicely rounded out my indoor window stands. The older one, on the right, needs repotting, as do a few of my plants. Maybe next week.

Unfortunately one small cactus left quite a few prickles in my hands as I placed it in the car. Magnifiers and tweezers seem to have finally removed them.

The 3 year-old jacarandas outside my apartment are coming along, one (right) has a very definite lean - over the road and a parking spot. While the shade is good, it might need a judicious prune before it gets much bigger.   

Speaking of parking, there were loud noises from the street on Thursday night, just after dark. It sounded like an aggressive car alarm. When I eventually went to look (at the end of Would I Lie to You) there was a tow truck trying to pick up a parked car (the leaning jacaranda is in the foreground). The process took about 40 minutes. 

The single tow-truck operator made incremental adjustments to his tray, the car and his ropes, while clearly trying to reassure the distraught car driver. It was skilled,  physical, work in a confined space -  a drama injected into my life. How many life stories did it feature in, and how very different might the perspectives might be?

I got back to swimming today. I've now managed to shift a few things to clear Tuesdays of appointments, so I can prioritise AquaFit. All clear now until well after Christmas.  It tires me out, but is really great to be back in the water. I have ordered a towelling dress to make the journey home a bit drier.  

Last night's dinner was lamb shanks, beans, broccoli and a new potato and cheese bake. This recipe layers potato slices (no mandolin in sight!) with spring onion, cheese, cream, salt and pepper, with a layer of cheese on top. I suspect roast potatoes are healthier, so I will be a bit sparing in serving this one!

Today the last of my bookmarks arrived. I'm pleased with them - especially the silhouetted birds. I might add some tassels to the jacaranda ones.

Alison is in town later this week for work - and it's her birthday week, so there is much excitement and planning for weekend celebrations. It's like a little miracle. So joyful, and grateful.

I have a couple of beanies to replace for Christmas and finally caved in to the recent offer of Cotton Crush from Bendigo Woollen Mills before it sold out. I've been trying to use up the pastels I have had since my grandchildren were babies. I'm making inroads, but have been yearning for bold colour. Now I've got it. 

A couple more books arrived. This one is for me. It is fascinating. The writer is expert in recording and researching marks carved into the walls of English churches - marks to request help or protection, indicate association, or supplication. I rang an old uni friend as soon as I read the introduction. She's ordered a copy too. 

It's been a hard week - indeed a hard year - in relation to road accidents, with some high profile examples impacting a significant portion of a local population, my own family included. Our Covid numbers are also on the rise. One of my Pilates group has been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and at least one of my neighbours is ailing. There is a lot of sadness to take on board. It is sometimes hard to work that through. 

My optometrist appointment last week resulted in a new spectacle prescription and the continuation of my low-level steroid regimen, which is keeping my eyes healthier and functional.  This blog is one way I nurture my mental health. I recognise my privilege. I  endeavour to use it well - and I count my blessings.