Post 630 Feels like an Auspicous number!

Although this was largely written before today, and I rarely provide much information about my family -or indeed any other people - for privacy reasons, today's announcement by the Minister for the Arts and then by the National Library, is too public, important, and indeed personal, to me not to put up front. It pushes everything else into the background. Here's today's announcement. The four of our family who met for dinner last night raised a glass in anticipation.  I'm so grateful to have lived to see this day. It feels so right - and such an achievement. 

Back in the world of last  Wednesday morning, I found my way to St Andrew’s Church at Walkerville, about 10km away, to hear Susan Kay-Williams talk about Igniting the Rainbow: The Dramatic Developments in Colour in Textiles in the 19th Century for Arts National. I hadn’t been to either the church, or an Arts National event before. Parking was a bit tricky and there was a fair bit of confusion checking in. There was an issue about the cost of guest entry, helpers insisting it was $15 more than the price listed on their website. I paid up, but expressed concern that Guild members I’d invited might not accept this. It was also difficult to avoid buying 2 raffle tickets, so I complied. The lecture was excellent- grounded in research and well presented. 

At the end, the raffle was drawn - and I won!  The prize turned out to be a copy of the new edition of The Secret Lives of Colour, which covers a lot of the ground of the lecture. Morning tea followed. I caught up with the 3 other  Guild members who attended (who, I think were only charged the advertised entry!). 

Several people came to examine the book I won. One photographed it and one told me she really wanted it! When I  said I would offer it to the Guild library, she said she’d join and be the first to borrow it! It retails in Australia at $67.50 (cheaper than Guild membership!). It’s arguable that it cost me $20 ( the cost of raffle tickets and the $15 overcharge). After winning the raffle, I could hardly query the overcharge! The book is a bargain if the Guild accepts it. A most interesting morning.

I had worn the Nancy Bird dress I bought last Christmas. It has tiny buttons all down the front which pop open annoyingly. It is also a bit low in the front. It does, however, look good and, apart from the buttons, is very comfortable. A number of people asked me about it. As soon as I got home I threaded the sewing machine with black thread and stitched the front closed, Very easy, stitching in the ditch of the facing. It slips on easily without undoing the buttons, so it's much better. I also found a Robyn Gordon brooch which covers the cleavage.Much more wearable!

In between Pilates, and shopping, on Thursday and Friday I mainly stitched my small Easter gifts. They are coming along very well. I’ve been improvising a bit. With Easter on my mind, I had on my list the ingredients for the chocolate crackle nests I always make for Easter, in honour of my mother. When I took the Rice Bubble packet off the supermarket shelf, it boldly declared itself to be gluten free (new marketing? haven't they always been glutin-free?). When I checked the chocolate crackle recipe on the back, it was new! Melt sugar-free chocolate, add rice bubbles, spoon into patty pans, refrigerate! No copha, no icing sugar. I had some 95% cocoa chocolate languishing in the fridge, so I crossed copha off the list. Worth a try.

Saturday was election day. I’d already voted, and I had the ingredients for Monday’s dinner, so I stitched for a while, read a bit more about the British Army in Salonica in WWI (my grandfather was there) and then made the chocolate crackles, adjusting the recipe to fit the quantity of chocolate I had. It was certainly quick. A decent consistency. The taste was awful: unremittingly bitter.  I almost never throw food away, but these went in the bin (saved the eggs!).

Late in the afternoon I drove to Haigh’s chocolates, discussed it with an assistant, and bought some of their couverture to give it another try. On the way I went past my local polling booth to see how things were going. There were still a few helpers, loads of posters and the queue was out the door, but not down the street. I think the barbecue might have packed up.

Anthony's barbecue, however, was in full swing that evening, as Fionn and a busload of his friends returned from a winery tour and consumed piles of salad and Anthony's version of democracy sausages in the backyard. The elders (including Brigid) retired to the lounge to watch the election count on TV. It progressed more slowly than usual, presumably due to either a shortage of Electoral Commission supervising staff, or computer connections working too slowly. Although the trend was clear from the start, it was only around 9.30 when around 35% of votes were being reported as counted, that I called it a night and went home.  

On Sunday I cooked the lemon chicken, a slightly messy process which I enjoyed immensely. While it was simmering I made another batch of chocolate crackle nests using the Haigh’s couverture and adding a little coconut, again a half batch. With the chicken cooling and the nests in the fridge, I ventured out to the Ukrainian Easter Festival, advertised through the Guild..

I hadn’t been there before and had a little trouble finding it. It turns out that, like the Guild, the Museum is in a house, and the event was in the very ordinary size backyard, which was set up with tressles absolutely packed with people, eating and listening to live music. I reckon between 100 and 150 people. There was one market stall to which I quickly headed.  I snaffled  some lovely jewellery as gifts, and some Ukrainian Easter eggs.

There was nothing more for me to do, so I came home, admired my purchases, and, with trepidation, tried the now set nests mark2. Success! They taste great! It was all I could do to stop myself from having a second. But stop I did! I can now confidently make a full batch. With ingredients in hand, this is best done  nearer the Easter weekend. 

I have finished my Easter felts,  all but one stowed away.  One is winging it's way to Canberra. 

I had a fasting blood test at 8.15 on Monday morning, ready for my annual renal specialist appointment on Thursday. No queue. 

Today I missed swimming because when the cleaners left I packed a quite complicated parcel to send to Canberra and the swimming window disappeared. I  hope the parcel arrives safely tomorrow. 

By mutual agreement, the lunch  in the Adelaide Hills I had pencilled in for tomorrow has been cancelled due to concerns about the diesel fuel my friend needs to get there. We are not panicking, but our meeting, while desirable, is not necessary to our wellbeing. So I will go swimming tomorrow.

Despite that cancellation, it's been an astonishingly good week.