The sunset on Wednesday was striking, ahead of a bit of a storm; more in the distance than over Adelaide, although there was some rain. It was Alison's birthday.
I had a ticket to an 11 am performance of Eureka Day by the State Theatre Company but our lift was out of order until midday. I could have gone down the stairs but our borders had opened and we had three Covid positive arrivals. The theatre, still surrounded by a building site, had full seating, no hot drinks, no food. I didn't feel comfortable and the experience lost its attraction. I gave up.
Instead I finished the scissor fob for the Leadlight Counted Set. My head has been out of this for a few weeks and by the time I realised I should work both sides of the fobI had positioned it badly on the fabric, so I used a small piece of Ink and Spindle linen for the back. 
This finishes the set.
The doves now visit as soon as I open the door. They look lovely against the trees and amongst the portulaca.
On Thursday I came home after Pilates to wait for a courier delivering my Christmas cards from the printer. I then went to the Guild and picked up the wool for my Viking Embroidery workshop , came home and added it to the kits. I arranged to call in at the Guild on Saturday to find the Appleton's wools in the required colours from the trading table.
That turned out fairly well. I should have looked for gold wool as well as the brown, blue and cream I focused on. I've put together bundles of thread and added them to the workshop packs . I've substituted but will keep an eye out for gold. While I was at the Guild, I scanned a folder of articles about Lagartera, which Margaret A had generously brought in for me to borrow. It's a precious folder and better I don't take it from the building. Job done. Many thanks Margaret. We now have quite a bit of information for a session at WES next year.
On Friday I went to Seppeltsfield with three friends to celebrate a birthday. It was a pleasant day of around 20C, lovely food and great company. I only took one photo - of the roof of the restaurant - a sure sign I was too busy enjoying myself.
On the weekend I checked all my Christmas gifts and made a few bags. I also went to Frewville to buy a couple of Enzo's lasagna for Monday. I didn't like the look of the Enzo's ones available so settled for two other local brands. Only one was needed. Fionn was at football training until 7.30 and the girls had netball training at 6.30. I served the lasagne with salad at 5.30 for those who could make it. It was thick and creamy. The second one is in the freezer.
There were fireworks in Rymill Park around 8.30 pm on Sunday, visible from my eastern balcony. Apparently they were the culmination of a four day car rally. I also discovered that the New Year's Eve fireworks this year will be from Rymill Park, which means I should see them. Not easy to photograph though!
Monday was a fruitful day. The service men from Burns for Blinds arrived just after 9am. Efficient and cheerful, they quickly determined that my two controllers had flat batteries and brought a fully charged one from their van. As soon as they used it, the roller shutter descended. It was then I discovered that the battery charger on the wall was not, as I thought, hard-wired, but plugged into a loose cord I thought belonged to a lamp. The connecting plug on the charger is tiny , not visible unless you look underneath, which I had not though to do. My feelings of inadequacy and idiocy were secondary to my overwhelming relief, joy and gratitude.
It is 33C today and the shutter is down, improving the heat control.
After the shutter fix I went shopping for bread and stamps. My overseas Christmas cards have gone, and the Australian ones ready to post tomorrow. I was home, waiting for the girls to arrive when I had a visit from an abseiler. He buzzed from the entrance and came up at my invitation - a very large man in full abseiling gear, pockets and cords attached at every imaginable point. His company, it seems, has the contract to clean up, repair and paint the outside of the building next door and will be abseiling over my back balcony for the next couple of months. He was here to persuade me to a) close my Vergola roof b) refrain from going on to my balcony during the day while they are working.
Somewhat surprisingly, I agreed quite readily. I think I was still euphoric over the shutter result and inclined to assist polite, informative tradies. I don't spend much time on my balcony, except to hang out washing and water the plants. I spend a lot of time looking out from inside. I have his phone number to let him know if I am going on to the balcony.
They have put up boards and covers (most of which, of course, I can't see because the Vergola is closed) and have been working this morning, making quite a bit of noise on the roof while getting set up. My only real concern is that I can't see to take photos of them working. They will remove their cover each weekend.
It is an imposition - but I figure helpfulness won't hurt me. Bizarre though.
Today I changed over to my summer quilt. It looks as if the cold nights are over. I washed the winter one, and hung it out after 5 to keep my promise to the abseiler. I prepared some lamb shanks and some duck legs - my meals for the rest of the week - and went to Unley to buy milk, post cards and deposit a cheque at the bank. That was a learning experience, involving envelopes like mail voting and a postal slot. Surprisingly the notice of deposit into my account was on my phone by the time I got home.
I also phoned the nephrologist's rooms to follow up on my question about vaccine booster. It seems he meant 'mrna' rather than 'Moderna'. I can have the Pfizer vaccine. At the moment the clinic I used for the first two vaccines isn't taking bookings into January and I can't have it before 8 January. So I wait.
While getting organised for Christmas, I decided to reduce my kit stash by making up some ballet bears as gifts for my Pilates class. That's occupied my stitching time this week. This is a
Bucilla kit I bought years ago. I liked them so much I bought several kits.
There are six bears per kit. I had one full kit and one with four remaining. I've now made up those four. I need one for each of my three fellow students, one for the instructor and one for the receptionist, 5 in all.
I pondered overnight if I could adapt one to a male bear for the one male in the group. Late this afternoon I created some tissue templates, dug out some felt scraps and cut them into the shapes.
I have just finished putting it together. I think it will do the trick nicely.
One way and another, a getting sorted kind of week.
On Friday I visited Jim's grave and went for a walk at Centennial Park. The birds were audible but not visible and the flowering grevillea, eucalypts and agapanthus were everywhere. The gardens are superb. The small hedges have grown quickly and provide guidelines rather than barriers. So peaceful. 
My treat today was to try the new cafe along Hurtle Square - A Prayer for the Wild at Heart. My oysters were served on cold rocks, the Barramundi with fondant potato and leek and shallot compote. The food was really good as was the service. The initial table I chose was near a noisy aircondition outlet, but I moved before my food arrived. 
