Post 604 an Auspicious Week

This week's high point was last night's family birthday dinner - on the 18th birthday of Niamh and Veronica. Because it was a schoolday, with one working after school, and the other having a dental appointment, I was privileged to provide dinner.

I made what I call Bread and What You Can Get, and the girls call a Feast.  This time there was a Pastitsio Makaronia Me Feta, known colloquially as Pasta Pie, a favourite of Veronika's which I don't make often these days because of the carbs (macaroni, eggs, butter, 3 cheeses cooked in filo pastry), a plate of mixed party pies, pasties, sausage rolls & spanakopita, 4 salads, two  kinds of bread and, a favourite of Niamh's, Beijing duck cut into pieces. I bought the last when the shop, near the Central Market, opened at 11.00am.The duck was still warm. iI had bought and planned on some salami and leg ham as well, but decided at the last minute that no one would eat it. That was the right decision. 

No one chose to drink alcohol, so the girls enjoyed their water from the cocktail glasses Katherine and Alison bought for Jim and I on a wedding anniversary. They now rarely get an outing. 

Katherine made two very chocolatey cakes, we sang Happy Birthday, ate cake then gave presents. I was too caught up to take photos. It was a grand evening.

Appropriately,  it was also the Spring Equinox. I didn't venture up to take a photo at 4.19am. My balcony flowers, however, put on a show to mark the rite of passage. I am so grateful to be alive and included.

On Saturday morning I was privileged to accompany Katherine to a talk by Julia Baird, entitled Hope, Awe and Grace, based on her latest book, published in 2023. The talk was followed by a Q&A session chaired by Bishop Sophie. Julia proved to be a skilled and inspiring speaker. I had a copy of the book, which I hadn't got around to reading.

I began rectifying that as soon as I got home. Her  explanation of Grace really resonated. It not only got the little grey cells working, but gave me a light bulb moment in relation to the Evil Eye, sending me back to my PowerPoint presentation to make changes and showing me the way to the related project for the Certificate Course next year. I'm not going to bore anyone with detail here, but if you are interested in grace, or forgiveness, read the book! 

I contacted the carpenter about my extraction fan cupboard modification, but haven't heard back yet. I also plucked up courage to visit B&O on Friday, to begin investigating  a TV replacement. The service exceeded my expectations. Richard, their tech assistant, is now visiting me on Thursday morning to assess my current TV to see if it can be tuned or adjusted to improve reception.. There is no charge for this service. After that we can discuss options for replacement. They understand I may not want to stay at this high end of the market - which will mean going elsewhere. There was no pressure. 

In my time at home, between preparing food, reading Julia's book, housekeeping and watering the garden, I have wound quite a lot of yarn. On the sixth of the seven skeins of Spritz I worked out it was far more efficient to place the swift on the table, at the same horizontal level as my hands, rather than on the floor..  

As the table was going to be in use on Monday, I made the most of the weekend, and wound several other skeins I had stashed away. I wound two more after taking the photo, then packed it away with another project that will need it. 

I have identified patterns for each wound ball and stored them with a note of the pattern and where to find it. I haven't yet wound the variegated silk, largely because I am not sure what I will do with it.

I also ordered more of the Spritz, details of my reasoning are in my embroidery blog.

Today I have hung out two loads of washing, washed up from last night, welcomed the cleaners and had my haircut. I'm a bit tired, but content, relaxed and counting my blessings as I sit inside, on the cold and grey day, gazing at the flowers I bought yesterday and preparing to watch Antiques Roadshow, with a bowl of Greek salad and a couple of party sausage rolls.

Post 603 Quite a busy week

It's warming up, shifting between 16C and 24C from day to day. There is still a lot of cloud around which sometimes makes for a decent sunset, or at least some lovely light play.

Wednesday was busy.  At WES Group the Guild Office Manager, who is not a hand embroiderer, told us about her passion, hobby and small business in cork fabric.

She  brought lots of examples, both of the fabric and of things she has made. The cork is harvested from trees, which are then left for 8 years to regrow their bark, while the harvested cork goes through a secret process to emerge as rolls of fabric which can be dyed, stamped, stitched and polished. There was a lot of interest.

I managed to grab some lunch with a friend before writing up the meeting summary and heading to Kilkenny where Fionn had cooked a magnificent pasta dish with prawns, cherry tomatoes, shllots, lemon, parsley, anchovies and white wine . A wonderful way to end a busy and happy day.

I shopped for moussaka ingredients on Friday, as time on the weekend was largely spoken for. I cooked it on Saturday while waiting for visitors who had been inspecting the apartment two floors below mine, which is on the market. Downsizing is a scary business.  There were only three of us for dinner that night and Katherine and Niamh made their fabulous pizzas.

I had a class at the Guild on Sunday - Carol Mullan's pattern darning name badge pouch. I don't need a name badge pouch, but I like the technique and the smallness of the project. It is also a chance to catch up with Guild friends I don't otherwise see.

Unfortunately, although I searched my email archive, the only instructions I had for the class mentioned a kit, so I assumed there would be one. This proved not to be the case. Somehow I had missed an updated instruction to bring linen and threads. Carol is a great teacher, phased by nothing. We sourced some linen in the trading table and a roll of perle8, in the darkest shade I could find (!). After about an hour of struggling, we worked out the linen was 30 count, not the recommended 28. Carol produced a small piece of 28 and I started again. By 2pm I'd had enough, eyes and back protesting. I had completed 30 of the 90 pattern rows. I'm thinking I might finish it in a darker shade, then fold it into a small pouch for a pair of earings, using the pale section as the closure flap. If I finish it..

On Monday morning I moved my car into the street before 7am, then moved it just before 11 for the electrician, who arrived to re-install the kitchen exhaust fan. This involved removing the unit, then stripping away a row of tiles on the wall behind and re-installing. It took 2 hours and involved a lot of adjustment along the way in order to ensureit fitted far enough back for the doors to close   

Eventually the doors went back on and closed. It still needs a panel to cover the unit inside the cupboard. That's a job for a carpenter, so I need to contact Will.

Just as well I’d prepared the moussaka. I had time to dash out for bread and milk, make a salad for the 7 of us who fronted for dinner.  Great to have so many here.

 It’s time to work on something more substantial in both embroidery and knitting so I  framed up a tapestry cushion on my Lowry. I'm partial to a bluebird. I haven't done much of it as yet. I also got out a knitting project - a cardigan in a cotton/alpaca mix - 8 skeins.

I. went looking for my swift to wind the yarn into balls. I ended up cleaning out my craft wardrobe. It wasn’t there, nor in any other possible place. I’ve no doubt left it somewhere or loaned it to someone after last using it-  a few years ago now. I don’t mind winding skeins, but with the number I have, I need something other than a chair back to hold the skein as I wind. The simple 

Amish swift was perfect. 

I tried to source another one. They are no longer available in Adelaide, and most online shops list them as either discontinued or not in stock. I found a Melbourne company with stock and ordered one, which arrived today, an hour or so before my podiatry appointment. I set it up immediately and began winding. I love the rhythm of turning. I now have 4 balls wound.  I had to interrupt my winding for a visit from Shaun the Geek - the name given to a tech assistant recommended by my electrician.  I wanted a check of my internet set up, wifi, modem and tv. Shaun was terrific. My modem is operating well. He is going to source and price a back-up system to replace the discontinued Apple Airport. He agrees it would help to update my television - something I've been putting off. Once I've done that he will update the whole system for me. He was relaxed, informative and unhurried, I'm pleased and relieved. Now to decide on a TV replacement.

When I am tired, as I was after yesterday’s effort, it is easier to knit a beanie than to work on the tapestry. I've made two more beanies for the team, and one for selling. These are in 16 ply, so knit up quickly. I've modified the pattern to fewer stitches and only two sets of scales on each. They are still roomy. The yellow is a bit of a statement.

It's been a busy, and productive week. I've felt stressed through much of it - repairs and updates to the apartment are routine and to be expected, but on my own I worry about them. I feel a lot lighter tonight.

Post602 Laden with happiness and tears

Birds are active again, making lots of noise and moving around. I captured the doves through my newly cleaned window of the spare bedroom and snapped the honey eater through the balcony door.                       

Unsurprisingly, I didn't pay them much attention on Wednesday when I was up before 7 to reserve a parking space for the electrician. He arrived at 10.30, discussed my problem, pulled out the kitchen extractor fan, and at 11.20 set off  with the old unit, to buy a replacement. It took about 2 hours to find one that fitted & with which he was happy. It took ages to install and when it was in, the unit projected 2mm over the door clearance. I suggested shaving the door. Garry wasn’t happy. At 5.15 we agreed to leave the doors off for 12 days until he can return, dismantle the unit and remove the row of tiny tiles that are causing the problem.

I so admire the problem solving process and determination to get it right. It was a long day’s work requiring diagnosis, problem solving, meticulous measurement, consultation, product sourcing, purchasing, installation, adaptation, testing. At the end of all that, seven hours later,  it works, but near enough is not good enough and it must come out again. I dips me lid.

I returned the things we removed from the side cupboards, and also found another home for my supply of toilet paper. I don’t mind looking at it for 12 days, but it would invite jokes - and my mother would have disapproved of such display.

I had my 10th COVID shot on Friday morning - and have booked the next one for March next year. Back at home for a recovery coffee, my coffee machine showed the sign for cleaning. I got out the book and a cleaning tablet, and followed the steps. Once again, it didn’t work. I rang the shop. The serviceman who had offered to pay me a visit next time it happened was not there (Friday afternoon, POETS day?) but they promised to organise for him to come after the weekend. In the meantime I can still use the machine ignoring the ‘clean me ‘ signal. I haven't heard from him yet,and have kept making coffee. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It makes up for the slightly sore arm and tiredness from the vaccination.

When I finished the felted bag last week I had most of a 200gm ball of pink 10 ply left . It occurred to me it might make beanies for the JusticeNet walk next year. While I have made, and continue to make, white beanies for the AGJusticeNet team, I’m happy to use up coloured wool for beanies the charity can sell. The pink ball yielded 3 beanies with a bit left over. I do have another pink ball but instead I used up red left over from making slippers. In the process I worked out a better design for 16ply. 

I'm planning to move on to one of the larger knitting projects I have waiting, but as a break from knitting I retrieved one of the Ink and Spindle totes I cut out months ago and worked on it for a couple of days. Details in my embroidery blog. I'm pleased with it.

Beneath these activities has run a great deal of emotion and communication because a reserved, very private, widowed uncle in Canada has terminal cancer and had moved into a palliative care unit. Finding this out has taken a lot of detective work by my intrepid  English cousins. I helped where I could. 

The time difference between here and Vancouver makes synchronous communication tricky. He can no longer use email, which is how he mostly communicated over distance. He likes snail mail, so I’m giving it a go, in hope. It  feels as if cancer is taking over. I’ve started wearing my pin again. 

Tomorrow, however, is World Embroidery Study Group - and Fionn has invited me to the dinner he's cooking. Definitely a bright side.

Post 601 Books, Bags and Bats

 

Until today it has been cold and wet.  I spent Wednesday indoors, preparing for my Book Club picks. Around 2.30 I headed to pub for calamari then settled in to knit the back of the water lilies bag.

As I headed out to Pilates on Thursday, I encountered a neighbour unpacking his storage locker in my spare carpark space. He has been away for the 10 years I’ve been here, but has returned to live and is rediscovering his stored treasures. He wanted to show me the family bibles and photos he had found. I was pleased to meet him, but also anxious to get to Pilates. 

View from my sewing machine.

To make matters worse, it was bucketing down, very bad driving weather, both front and back windscreen wipers going and lane markings very hard to see for most of the way. When I finally got there, I went around the block twice before I found parking. I was 20 minutes late. As I was put my sticky socks on, the sky cleared and sun came out. It was hard to believe it had been raining - except the studio artificial lawn remained under 2” of water. 

Back at home I attempted to reduce the pile of unread books, launching into Ovidia Yu’s The Cannonball Tree Mystery before a nice long phone catch up with a friend. After the evening news and QI I watched the Thursday Murder Club on Netflix - the day it was available. Great acting in keeping with the genre I remembered nothing of the plot from having read the books.

On Friday my GP was happy with my blood tests: my creatinine steady and normal, blood pressure good and sugars below the pre-diabetes range. As with the dentist, we are moving to six monthly checkups rather than 4.  I was home in plenty of time to meet a friend for lunch at A Prayer for the Wild at Heart. The weather remained foul. It was pleasant enough inside with good company, but even there, draughts found their way in.

Book Club went well on Sunday, and my choices for September went down well. My choice of lamb roast for Monday also worked. Today, after catching the bats returning at dawn, I spent a lot of time checking car park spaces outside, worried that Will, who was coming back at 3pm to finish installing my bathroom cupboard would not be able to park. At 1.15pm someone left a space directly opposite, so I dashed out and parked in it. Will arrived at 3.35 and managed to park in the 30 minute spot for tradespeople, so I moved the car back inside. The work took about 40 minutes, so I hope he didn't get fined. He is so diligent and meticulous. I need to repeat the process tomorrow, with the electrician coming at 10am.

Two things I've been waiting for arrived in today's mail. I think the book will be of interest to WES Group. It might end up as a topic for next year. I haven't read it yet. It's a substantial hardback. When I went downstairs to collect it I could also see a green envelope in my letterbox. That could only mean one thing - my Be Alice kit had arrived from Ireland.

Sure enough, it was the kit I tried to order at Christmas but was out of stock. It will need concentration, but fun.

I finished knitting the Water Lilies bag last night and spent a lot of time today on the felting process. The pre-felt version is left and the post-felt right. Details in my embroidery blog.

I still have a lot of wool to use, but it might be time to return to an embroidery project as the weather warms.

Post 600 - Still going 5 years later!

My annual dermatology appointment on Wednesday morning went well. No change in moles and no reason to stop washing my hair every day. I wore the shawl I had finished the night before (need easy to remove clothing for dermatologist!). Another patient, then the receptionist, admired the shawl and asked where I got it, seeming astounded I had made it.

I missed a parcel delivery. After picking it up late afternoon I visited the Hameji Gardens, where an elderly man (about my age!) also exclaimed What a lovely shawl! to which I replied Thank you! I only finished it last night! He then asked if I’d mind him telling his 3 companions. He called out to them and explained. They asked what wool, and were full of congratulations. As we parted, the man thanked me and said I’d made their day!  There was much the same reaction at Pilates the next day.  It is cosy and easy to wear and to shed. I’m quite glad I kept it!

The parcel I picked up was  new detergent, made by an Australian company. The top box is full of laundry sheets and the lower one of dishwasher tablets made in Australia and naked  i.e. not encased in plastic. I figured them worth a try. The tin is designed to keep the sheets from sticking together. I’m currently using up a tub of laundry powder. The sheets I've been using for my dishwasher do stick together if they get damp. Here’s hoping.  

Left-over lemon chicken served me on Tuesday and Wednesday last week,  so I had lunch at Queen St Cafe after Pilates on Thursday. The Crispy Salmon is still  really good, as is the lime milkshake.  I had been late again to Pilates, having run into neighbours in the lift foyer as I was leaving. They wanted to discuss the top floor balcony inspections that took place on Tuesday morning to determine the cause of water leakage. Mine was the first inspected - squeezed in before my dermatologist. I was  delighted when the tradie doing the check decided immediately there was no waterproof membrane below the tiles and replacing grout would do nothing. A fix means clearing the balconies, taking up the tiles, inserting a membrane and re-tiling. Yes, it's inconvenient, but I'm all for fixing the problem, rather than bandaid solutions. I'm not sure my neighbour agrees. As we are on the top floor, leakage is not a problem for us, but it's a major problem for apartments below. It won't happen quickly. There will be quotes, budgets, approvals.

My second medical appointment for the week was on Friday with my very thorough periodontal hygienist. We have agreed I can return to two dental checkups a year instead of my current three. On Monday I was up early for a fasting blood test, in preparation for my GP appointment this coming Friday - part of the single kidney monitoring.  I am privileged to have a routine of medical monitoring - sometimes seems like a treadmill, but it keeps me connected to knowledgeable people and aware of my health, not something that comes easy to me. I am managing to keep my weight steady, so hope readings are OK.

I skipped the Certiricate Course Workshop at the Guild on Saturday. I didn't want to find myself with another project to finish! Instead I did my supermarket shopping and worked on my next knitting project, based on Water Lilies Tote, a pattern from the most recent Piecework magazine. Using up more left-over wool, and finding the instructions a little complicated, I adapted as I went, and working it flat, so I could have the pattern on one side only. I finished this main panel today. It's approximately 42cm square, deliberately larger than the pattern. Now all I have to do is knit a back, sides and handles, then construct and felt it! It's been a nice challenge so far.

I also wrote up the Sashiko tablecloth in my embroidery blog.

I had a bit of a scare on Sunday evening as I prepared to boil rice. As I pulled open the exhaust fan over the gas cooktop, there was a popping sound and no light or exhaust. The gas flowed but would not ignite. I eventually found matches to light the gas, but there was no exhaust fan action. The electician was supposed to get back to me after his Easter holiday about replacing the fan. In the morning I worked out the fuse had blown. Flipping it back on solved the gas ignition and the exhaust fan, but not the light over the gas burners. I eventually got on to the electrician, who has apologised and organised to come in 2 weeks time, conveniently on the day my Guild Hostess duty has been cancelled because of a change in Guild office hours. Another disaster hopefully averted!   

Thanks to the readers who have stuck with this blog for 5+ years. Quite a bit has changed since I cut short my UK visit to get home before flights were cancelled due to COVID.

Post 599 Family, Friends and Textiles

Taken just before midnight, on Wednesday, through the glass of my eastern window. It seemed an appropriate finale to the day. 

Our WES Group meeting had been a stimulating and cooperative effort. Keryn prepared a well-researched presentation on the Huguenot Silk Weavers of Spitalfields, while Margaret facilitated its display on our 27” monitor and everyone pitched in to help out, discuss, contribute and ask questions. 

Keryn had made a bag, and embroidered a design from a 1712 design of James Leman, one of the leading Huguenot weavers.

I spent most of the afternoon writing up and emailing the summary of the meeting. I think, from the response, that we were all on a bit of a high.

On Thursday morning I began thinking about books for our September Book Club meeting. I’m the chooser, and need to have 2-3 titles by our August meeting. I now have one, published in April this year, ordered from Melbourne and another, from the just released Australian Crime Writers Ned Kelly Awards shortlist, borrowed from the library. I  need to read them before 30 August. I’m intending my 3rd choice to be the Richard Osman Thursday Murder Club #4 to be released on 23 September - hoping our meeting date will be after the release!

When I returned from Pilates I noticed  that some soil had been dislodged from my eastern balcony wall garden on to the newly swept tiles. There has been quite a lot of calling and cooing from the doves of late. I put words to their calls - echoing the rhythms as we were taught to do when reading Latin poetry. I’ve heard conversations like I want icecream! No icecream! Can’t do it! It drives me a bit nuts but I can't help myself.

However, on Friday I finally noticed that a pair of doves were hanging around the balcony, and only when I photographed them did it dawn on me that they were showing signs of nesting - in the same spot as last year’s blackbirds, which I thought I had filled in with extra plants!

I was out there like a shot, in my slippers. The doves flew off. 

I grabbed the hose and watered the plants (not sure if that’s a deterrent, but worth a try), placed two pot plants where the two birds sat and a flat stone over the soil in the relatively empty planter on the right hand side. You can just see the stone circled in purple in the photo.

There followed a lot of bird communication, but none ventured back to check it out. One perched on the roof above and called several times what sounded like Our spot’s gone! and maybe She’s a b——. I, however, have no regrets. I don’t want to rear any more birds on the balcony.

Two doves (not sure they were the same two) returned on Saturday and Sunday but didn’t seem to approach the nesting spot. Phew!

I shopped at Frewville on Friday because they have large free-range chicken, which I wanted for Monday dinner. While there I indulged in a startlingly marketed fresh, uncooked pizza. i don’t do pizza often because of carbs. It served me for 3 meals and tasted fresh. I’m not sold on sausage and truffle flavour, but would try another in the range one day.

I was up early on Saturday, getting organised to pick up my old Sydney Uni friend who had returned from his trip to the Flinders Ranges and had about 5 hours to kill between hotel checkout and flight. We drove to the beach, walked the jetty and had lunch before I dropped him at the airport. We had a good time, reflecting rather than reminiscing, on our time at Uni, our naivety, backgrounds, learning and subsequent directions. There are few people with whom I could have that conversation, and having it is health-giving. That we are still on much the same wavelength 60 year later is a gift and blessing.

After dropping him at the airport I had dinner with family as usual, spending some time complying with a school directive that Veronica’s winter school uniform be let down. We gained 5cm in length, hopefully enough to satisfy authorities for the remaining 27 days she has to wear it. Not a battle worth fighting, but one worth remembering. It will make a good and bonding story for decades to come.

That left Sunday to cook lemon chicken for Monday night and progress the left-over-Rowan-yarn-shawl. I started the day with 582 stitches on the needle and ended with 598, so 6 rows added. It’s a long way to the end of each row but I’m persevering to finish with a colour sequence.

The dinner went well. Somewhat to my surprise, the lemon chicken was a hit. The slightly defrosted carrot salad much less so (I really like it!).) The tablecloth was admired and discussed., fulfilling its purpose. 

Today I finally paid my second visit to the Dangerously Modern exhibition at the Art Gallery, this time focusing on the beginning pieces, notably the miniatures. It’s still fabulous, and I’ll go again if I can. 

I also had a look at the Ramsay Art Prize entries, intrigued by the People’s Choice Award I had read about, a huge wall hanging, The Pool, by Emma Buswell. It was amazing. While described as a tapestry, it  is in fact knitted! 

This is not obvious at the distance needed to see the whole composition, but very clear up close. Astounding! It would certainly have my vote.

I spent the rest of the day finishing the shawl. 

 It doesn't compare with the People's Choice example but I'm pleased with it. 30 minutes ago I finished casting off the final 615 stitches. The ends are not yet stitched in. At this stage I don't think I will block it. If I do, I will need to assemble  the hap stretcher. The table is 2.4 metres long and a metre wide.  I don't think I need it any larger!

The purpose was to use up left-over wool - and it has used a fair bit. I will write about it in my embroidery blog over the next few days. 

I may just keep this one for myself.