Post 577 Keyfobs, crumhorns and elves

I didn’t go outside last Wednesday, bunkered down reading, stitching the fifth evil eye mandala and keeping the water up to my plants. 

I was, however, up early on Thursday, showered, dressed and out for a quick walk before handing over my carpark entry fobs at 8am so they could be reprogrammed in the light of recent theft. The last of mine arrived from family as I was handing them over. I stayed inside stitching until the fobs were scheduled for pick-up. 

There was no one in the foyer for the agreed 1pm handover. Turned out our Strata President (an ex-postman) had delivered them to our doors. I hadn’t seen the small, dark package to the side of my door. The sensor light doesn’t come on until I am facing the lift door, by which time the package was behind me. Eventually sorted.

With carpark entry and exit now restored, I took myself off to Adairs for a cushion to finish the Nordic Square project. Details in my embroidery blog.

While out I bought half a dozen prawns so I could have them with salad for a late lunch/early dinner. Worked a treat.

I also spent some time perusing this book which arrived from Alison Cole who advertised having a few spare copies. It’s fabulous. It presents 154 beautifully clear original designs for embroidery, or other crafts, but more importantly, explains the design process in each of its 6 organising categories,  Elizabethan Flowers; Jacobean Jungles; Birds, Beasts and Bugs; Beakers, Borders and Finery; Ancient Vestments; and Letters and Numbers, all with a New Zealand twist. I’m hanging on to this one!  It appears to be a very limited printing, probably only available directly from the author. I have now ordered a copy for the Guild library.

It was great to wake up on Sunday to a cool change and to breakfast with a breeze flowing through the apartment. I only intended to water my pots but found myself repotting one and then emptying half a dozen dead plants into a recycling bag, trimming off dead leaves and carting it all down to the green bin. I had thought to wait a bit longer to do this since the forecast rises back to 30/1C by midweek, but I was energised by the breeze. I won’t, however, attempt to replace the plants, nor fertilise the rest, for a few weeks yet.

I finished in plenty of time to grab a drink and scone before heading off to a Fringe concert at a church about 15 minutes drive away. It was a very entertaining hour.  

I hadn't been there before. The original church is being used as a hall, with a very spacious, modern church in use for worship. It has a large sculpted copper mural running around two walls, illustrating Bible verses.

I was interested to see a large number of tapestry kneelers (used now, I'm pretty sure, as cushions). I liked the cockatoos, but sat on the donkey for convenience.

9 core members of the group, all in costume, introduced their instruments and played 11 pieces as a story, narrated by a tenth member. They were joined by another singer and several more string players for the last pieces.

 One player also juggled. It was a slightly anomylous that the players wear spectacles and use modern music stands or electronics.

As the concert concluded the light blessed the players and transformed what had appeared to be plain wood in the cross to a textured pattern. Magic. I’m glad I made the effort to go.

I had been right in my faith in the Bureau of Meteorology forecast on Monday. It was only 27C. The  four hours of oven time required to roast the 4.3kg shoulder roast did, however,  heat up the room. so I needed the balcony doors open. I went out late morning to get bread and call at the Guild to talk to the Library Team, but by 2pm the apartment was ready for visitors, meat and potatoes were in the oven and I could finish constructing the last of the Evil Eye Mandalas. 

That completes the set of five I bought online I assumed when I bought them, that the designer was located in the UK because I found them on the UK Etsy site. An obvious mistake. They were delivered via a warehouse in Botany. Wherever they originated, they were a pleasure to stitch.

Today I picked up my exhibition entries from the Guild, intending to see if I could hang the five pieces. I have spent the afternoon unsuccessfully searching for the fourth one, which I completed in late February! I thought I had put it with my books and notes for the talk, but it is not there, nor in any other place I have thought of, including my car. I'm telling myself the elves  may have needed it ...

I'm hoping they return it before the meeting, otherwise I will have to make do with a photo. I'm not ordering another one!