Both daughters have been working in Adelaide this week, so up until Sunday I was preoccupied and not taking photos. The plumber arrived around 8.40am on Wednesday and left at 10.45am. He checked every fixture in the apartment, tightened a couple of fittings and changed the water filter. All is well. After he left I replaced everything in the under-sink cupboards, reminding myself of what is there and disposing of a few items before I went to the supermarket for a big shop for supplies for the rest of the week. One granddaughter arrived in time to welcome her aunt from the airport, another 10 minutes later, so they had about 40 minutes before having to dash to netball coaching. Half an hour later another family group assembled down the road for dinner. This choreography of assembly and dispersal continued throughout five day visit- a beautiful thing.
On Friday the bundles of sari silk remnants arrived - 32 pieces, each 1 metre square. They carried the smell of the warehouse, so I cut each one in half, ready to make 50x50cm bags, and placed the pile out on the front balcony in the fresh air for four days. So with the Japanese silk from a fortnight ago, I now have 89 bags ready to make. That's a job for a relaxing day once I've finished the current cushion.
While my daughters were working, I had quite a bit of time to finish the second beekeeper's cushion so it could be used in Sunday’s service, which we attended.
This cushion uses up most of the odd balls of blue/green 8ply I had and represents, in my mind at least, St Margaret's sea journeys, especially the one that shipwrecked her in the Firth of Forth and returned her to Scotland as a child.
I nearly stuffed up getting us to the church on Sunday morning because in all the excitement and choreography I forgot about daylight saving. While my various devices update themselves, the dominant clock by my bed does not. Fortunately I noticed the iPad clock in time to stay on track. In any case my daughter was on the right time.
We had to leave the service after the passing of the peace to get to the airport. My daughter got home safely, and my granddaughters also got safely back from Sydney later in the day.
I spent the afternoon reflecting on family and my good fortune, and trying to make up a bit of time in the RSN History of Embroidery Course that I have neglected for months. As I was going to bed I remembered that I had a medical checkup this week - and should have had a fasting blood test last week. It was now too late, so today I postponed the appointment until next week. I have been fasting since 7.30pm and will have the blood test in the morning.
I am now using up some pink, red and green 8ply on the next church beekeeper cushion. It is more consciously patterned than the others, designed around a white centre, representing St Margaret's honorific, The Pearl of Scotland. Her Bible, which she habitually carried and read, had a jewelled cover. Although we do not know what the jewels were, this cushion will represent the pearl surrounded by pink diamonds, rubies and emeralds. I have taken up my daughter's suggestion that I add some sparkly stitches. While stitching the red and green I used some Diamante thread along with the wool. The photo doesn't show the sparkle, which is subtle. Today I went to Create in Stitch and bought a range of metallic bling. It is used up quite quickly in knitting.
The Lorikeets are back, filling in the gaps in this week's photography. This one has very distinctive back markings.
It has a repeated panel of a cockerel amongst flowers on a fine cotton. I don't want to put it away for a rainy day so have been considering how I could make it into a wearable item. I now have a concept, and, although I could probably manage it myself, think it wiser to talk it over with a dressmaker and commission it.
Clearly batik has moved upmarket in terms of colour, fabric, dyes - and fashion - since I bought by supply 20-30 years ago.
Today, from Create in Stitch I went to the hairdresser, then to Dymocks for my copy of The Dying Light, and to OfficeWorks to pick up a printing order. Tomorrow the William Morris Acanthus fabric should arrive, and some more books about St Margaret of Scotland the day after. Looks as if it's almost time to head down a couple of Guild rabbit holes again - or maybe the silk bags. There is, of course, The Dying Light.
Top priority however, after the blood test, is to ring the dressmaker.
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