On Wednesday I had a very pleasant lunch at the Grange Hotel with the husband of a sick friend. He needed to get out of the house, but doesn’t drive, and she needed rest in the middle of the day. It worked out well. It was very windy at Grange but we were inside with a lovely view and decent food. Relaxing for all three of us. When I got home, my lobby as one again in pitch darkness, so out came my phone torch and then the lamps! I could hear what I thought might be the electricians somewhere in the stairwell. I was right. An hour later the lobby light AND the exit sign were working.
The lamps are back in my apartment. I used the battery operated one as my candle on Thursday, our National Day of Mourning for the victims of the Bondi attack. I won’t leave a candle alight in the apartment for more than a few minutes, so this, while not as aesthetically pleasing, cast a steady light in the darkness.
On Friday morning Brigid and I had an appointment with the dressmaker to discuss the first garment from my Eastern Silk sale indulgence. The visit left me hopeful. Connie is away next week, but there should be a toile for us to try in a fortnight. Back at home I went over my preparation for my Saturday workshop before I finishing the Marta bag. Details of that in my embroidery blog.
Saturday, as predicted, dawned hot. I set off with my very heavy bag of teaching aids at 8.40am, adding the string of embroidered protective eyes from outside my door at the last minute to minimise their absence, and taking my breakfast coffee with me. As I expected, there was a good turnout - the first workshop of the year in the air conditioned Guild Gallery on a 45C day was going to be tempting, regardless of the topic.
The workshop was a success. I had created a task to design and embroidery a protection against the Evil Eye, and prepared numerous circle and oval templates from milk carton plastic and paper to assist. I also had a few small opercula. What I hadn’t anticipated was the enthusiasm for the task. Participants expressed appreciation for a conceptual task - taking an idea and using it to create. That’s valuable information. Given no participant came without a goodly supply of bling - sequins, beads, metallics- I suspect that added to the enthusiasm.
All four grandchildren are now successfully enrolled in their uni courses, with workable timetables. This has been a bit of a trial for the three girls, now all enrolled at Adelaide Uni, newly merged with Uni SA. The processes for enrolling, and requirements for specific merged courses have not always been clear or understood. There were bound to be glitches for the first cohort - and there were. For now, however, all three have subjects they are happy with and their programs for the year. On Friday, the younger two passed their driving tests and only need to complete another 20 hours of supervised driving to get their licences. Very much a new phase of their lives.
On Sunday a birthday lunch I had expected to attend was postponed because of the forecast 37C heat, less than the days either side, but still hot. As Monday was a public holiday for Australia Day, and SA trading regulations meant most food supply shops outside the CBD would be closed, I used the unexpected Sunday free time, to stock up on ice blocks, reduced sugar ice cream, milk and prawns to get me through the next bout of hot days. I’m going through a lot of low sugar ice blocks!
I spent the hottest Australia Day on record inside, aircon on from 10 am, Western balcony plants watered and blinds down from 1pm. The overnight temperature didn’t get below 31C. I slept well with a fan on. It was already 35C when I turned the aircon back on at 7.15am.Today it reached 42C by 11.30am. I had all blinds and curtains drawn except for part of the western balcony window so I could sit in my embroidered chair (red circle) to stitch and catch some light. Around midday, when the sun moved overhead and the wind got up, I closed the curtains and turned on the light.
Most of the plants are coping well. At least two, including the Mulla Mulla, will need to be replaced. I haven’t tried the lift, which has failed before in the heat. With that in mind, I cancelled today's cleaning. The risk of cleaners, with all their gear, not being able to use the lift, either up or down, in 42C, seemed too high. There is no news of a lift failure, but then, I'm not sure anyone has tried it. The Australia Day Honours List included an Order of Australia for Pat Pledger for her services to Children’s Literature. Pat has long reviewed and promoted children’s literature through Reading Plus. We worked together as teacher- librarians in the 1980s, our families were friends and we now belong to the same book club. It is so good that her years of quiet, diligent, relentless work to promote and facilitate reading has been recognised.
While tomorrow is a bit of a reprieve, with a forecast of 33C, we are likely to return to 37C on Thursday and 42C on Friday. No cool change on the horizon until Sunday. I have cancelled Pilates on Thursday since I don't think the studio aircon has been fixed. While I hate this hot weather, it has given me a chance to make good progress on Hanka Robertson's drawstring purse from Winter 2025 Piecework magazine. I'm aware of the irony. The meticulous, slow and precise nature of the cross stitch has been a challenge, but the beauty of it is a reward. There's still quite a bit to do.
I'm aware that some of my US friends may, at the moment, be experiencing a dangerous snow storm. You are on my mind - crazy extremes at work, as I sit in Adelaide in 42C, embroidering a project published recently in the Northern hemisphere Winter. At least the dominant red has its own relevance to both.
