Post650 A lot went wrong- and got fixed

A very pleasant, relaxing sunrise on Wednesday. 

Unfortunately the day hit a roadblock or two. After I made my breakfast coffee, the machine indicated it needed descaling. As soon as I had finished breakfast, showered and dressed, anxious to find out if the machine was really  fixed,  I got out the instruction book and assembled what I needed for descaling. To assist the dissolving of the required tablets I put on the jug. Nothing happened. I checked the plug and switch. All OK. I then checked the coffee machine. No power. At the switchboard one lever was off and would not turn back on. At this point I checked the whole apartment. Power in bedrooms and ensuite but nowhere else. 

I rang my faithful electrician. He was working at Roseworthy, about 90 minutes drive away. He offered to interrupt what he was doing to come, but we agreed it could wait until he finished the job. 

He arrived, bless his little cotton socks, just before 5pm, checked everything and determined beyond doubt that the jug was faulty and had blown the circuit. Fortunately, the stove and fridge are on their own circuits. I had managed to grind coffee in my bedroom, boil water on the stove and make drip filter coffee.  I use the jug less than once a week, since I rarely make tea. It was last used a week ago and showed no signs of trouble.

The next issue was persistent deafness in my right ear - the one I’d seen the audiologist about a couple of weeks ago. Her diagnosis of mild wax deposits which would be dissolved by spraying twice a week  was not working. so on Thursday morning, encouraged by one of the doves who stopped by to see how I was going.  I set off for the walk-in clinic, I have used before. Unfortunately this time, their walk-inservice was not available. I accepted an appointment for Friday 14 August. 

I checked Choice recommendations and, also on Thursday, bought the jug they most recommended. I could only find one retailer with stock in Adelaide and I seem to have snagged their last one. It works, and doesn't, at the moment,  blow fuses. 

When I eventually got home after Pilates and lunch at A Prayer for the Wild at Heart, I set about descaling the coffee machine, stepping through the 45 minute process with instructions in hand. At the end, the old problem re-emerged. When the process concluded, the machine still tells me it needs  descaling! I shall just use it, as I did before, and take it to be serviced in six months time.🤷🏻‍♀️

My hearing was dropping in and out all evening. It even varied with my jaw movements while eating - the wax theory strengthened. I managed to watch tv with the volume slightly up while knitting after dinner, but wondering if I should try to find another wax removal service with an earlier appointment.

When I visited the bathroom during the night (in the pitch dark) the toilet didn’t flush. It seemed everything wass going wrong! I tried it again, still no flush. I returned to bed working out how early I could call a plumber and reminding myself to use the other bathroom. When I rechecked around 7.20am in daylight, the flush was working - silently! I was deaf. 

Straight on to my iPad. By 7.35 I had an appointment  at a wax removal clinic less than 1km away. By 9.15 the wax had gone and I was hearing clearly. At home I put in my hearing aids. Left one fine, but the screeching noise is back in the right one. It's still miles better than before the wax removal. I'm guessing that my return to swimming earlier in the week did not help. I now have an appointment with my audiologist in 3 weeks time to try to solve the hearing aide problem. I can hear reasonably well without the right aid.

My Adelaide family was in Carrickalinga for the weekend, celebrating a birthday. I had been invited to go, but after checking the weather forecast and my to-do list, I declined. The drive from Adelaide has some tricky hill sections which I was, I admit, wary of navigating in wet weather and poor light. I opted to stay home and prepare a meal for their Monday return, experimenting with a new recipe for Crispy Potato and Pork Pie.

In between I read a book, knitted another tound of the shawl, and, with some trepidation, got my new ipad mini working. That was a relief, and achievement.  

For most of the weekend the rain bucketted down. 

While the four of us assembled for dinner on Monday consumed half the Crispy P&P pie, it was not a success. The collective view was it needed spicing up. My view is it also needed something to bind the meat mixture into a ragu. Hopefully the Kilkenny chickens are enjoying the other half.

I’ve spent much of the last 48 hours reorganising tomorrow’s WES Group meeting in the wake of severe illness and sudden study opportunity amongst a few key members. We are managing the Guild’s SALA exhibition during our meeting ttomorrow. Hopefully we now have it sorted.

I also followed up on whether or not the installation of Jim’s plaque in the Dunstan Playhouse was complete. The Philanthropy Executive went to check and took a photo for me today, discovering as he did so, an error in the wording (you can pick it). He has ordered a replacement!

This afternoon the sun was out and tempted me out on the balcony.  I only managed a few stitches of the shawl before the sun disappeared and I came inside. The shawl  advances.

A final piece of good news is that the fee for my upcoming tour group talk has been agreed and paid to the Guild. I can finalise my plans!  That's the job after tomorrow's SALA effort.