Post 582: Quite a week

I had tickets for an ASO concert at 11.30am on Wednesday, at Elder Hall, which is part of Adelaide University, on North Terrace next to the Art Gallery.

I caught the City loop bus, giving myself plenty of time.  It was still warm - 34C.  

I had chosen the concert mainly for the Vaughn Williams, but really enjoyed the whole program, which was recorded for ABC radio.  

It will be broadcast on ABC Classic FM 25 April at 12.30pm.

It was only an hour long, and I planned to have lunch at the Art Gallery, but unsurprisingly, the cafe was full, so I went next door to the State Library Cafe where I managed to find a seat, a very decent mushroom quiche and a milkshake. I was home and knitting again by 2.30pm. Beanie No.11 was finished before I went to bed.

Thursday was a few degrees cooler, so I took my knitting to the back balcony to get No12. started,  I came inside when I finished the band. I hadn't quite finished the pattern section when I had to go to the dentist, after which I treated myself to a visit to Frewville to stock up on soup ingredients and some chuck steak to try out a new recipe. Rain was forecast from Saturday through to Monday and there was a slight drop in temperature on Thursday. Not yet soup weather, but I thought it would serve well while I’m on a knitting mission.

Friday, therefore, was activity day. I washed sheets, since no rain was forecast. While they were in the machine I cooked the chuck steak with onion, capsicum, stock and herbs, as well as preparing stock for the soup from beef bones (I rarely use beef for soup, but no pork bones or hock available), chopped vegetables and soaked pulses. Once this was all done I made the chocolate crackle nests.

Before I left for Katherine’s at 2 for her delectable team-assisted hot cross buns, the soup stock had cooled sufficiently to refrigerate so I could skim the fat on my return, and add the vegetables. The dishwasher was also doing its job fuelled by the solar panels. Regretfully, I forgot to photograph the dozens of hot cross buns cooling at Katherine's, some of which found their way to those on duty at the St Clair Recreation Centre and to an Aged Care facility. 

Back at home I finished the goulash off in the oven, following the recipe. It looked great, the potato and flavour good, but the meat was tough. I discarded the remainder. I might try again with different meat. The soup, on the other hand, is excellent.

The promised rain was slow in coming, and, as is often the case in Adelaide, barely noticeable. I delivered chocolate nests to Sam, my supermarket hero, on Saturday. He seemed pleased and ate one immediately. 

Sunday lunch was at Katherine and Anthony’s - eight of us for relaxed conversation and a feast of roast lamb, pork, pumpkin, beetroot, potatoes, carrots and broccolini followed by an excellent pav. 

The temperature had dropped, and the rain eventually came.

By the time I got home at 4 pm. It had set in. I dug out my warmest slippers from the back of the wardrobe and knitted another beanie,  the 15th, enough for all who have currently registered for the team. The last two are cotton, in case there are wool allergies. 

It seems we had 6ml of rain on Sunday, a veritable deluge for Adelaide.

Monday dawned cloudy but dry. The plants on the eastern balcony were still wet, but the Almandas needed topping up. They have suffered through the hot weather but persistent soaking has paid off.  One that had died around the edges, emerged strong underneath. 

There are even signs of life from one I thought totally lost (left). I’m hopeful they will now recover.

Yesterday I gave my left thumb joint a bit of a change. Instead of another beanie, I made 15 pom-poms, mostly using the Bucilla Doodle Loom, after stubbornly trying variously sized slithers of stiff cardboard. While not resting my hand, this varied the movement a bit so less of a strain. I’m now knitting a few more beanies.

Today was busy. I put the washing on before the cleaners arrived, and forgot to hang it out. I rang  a radiology clinic to arrange an overdue bone density scan and ended up accepting a 4pm slot this afternoon, the result of a cancellation. I fitted it in after my 1.30 audiology appointment, a trip to Norwood to pick up the Violet Cooper vase I bought from their now-closed exhibition, and picking up a parcel from the Post Office.

My hearing hasn’t changed in a year, and my serviced 10 year-old hearing aids are functioning well. My audiologist is retiring in two months, so I’ve made an appointment with another for next February. The bone-density results will be with my GP tomorrow. I see him in two weeks’ time. The radiologist was friendly and efficient - and she liked my new perfume.

I bought some daisies for the vase. They look so good I think I’ll have to keep buying them!

 

The parcel at the P.O. was the two vintage Molas I bought from Spain. They are lovely, and brilliantly stitched. I have ideas, but need to consult about what to do with them. 

In the meantime, I've had soup for dinner and am now well into finishing Beanie No.16.

So much for which to be thankful!