Post613 Lots of Purple and Patience

It seems a bit early to me for Christmas decorations. I did put out the candelabra but the rest can wait for Advent. 

Wednesday began with my 4 monthly Optometrist appointment. My eyes are going well under the current treatment regime. They were checked, my steroid creme prescripion renewed  and my checkups moved to six monthly. We talked along the way about Christmas, so I came home and sorted out the presents in my wardrobe. I could only find one of the four sacks I made for grandchildren in 2019  (a replacement of the original felt ones that had worn out). Does this mean it’s time to abandon them now the users are all adults?

On Thursday morning I had an email from Snapfish asking me to order something, or lose the archive of my past projects. It’s a bit ironic. The reason I haven’t used them for several years is because the early photo books I had ordered from them had disappeared from their website and I found another service that provides an archive service and more flexible formats. 

I thought however, that responding to their email might give me leverage, so I examined their current offerings. Amongst them are a couple of printed bags and a cushion. Of course, I thought it would be worthwhile trying these as spin-offs from the Bishops Bag.🙄

Apart from my Pilates, I spent the entire day, and most of the evening. experimenting with photographs and Snapfish software. Like most companies, but unlike those I ordered last week, Snapfish bags are printable only on one side. In the end I combined individual photographs of the 14 embroidered faces into a Word document, which I then converted to a jpeg file using screenshot. I had to do this several times to get a high enough resolution to create merchandise and to get a size that uploaded without cropping out faces on the edge. I have finally ordered a tote bag, a library bag and a cushion. I have a feeling the cushion might prove to be an attractive choice.  

In the middle of all this I had a phone call to say my coffee machine was ready to pick up. I was happily drinking a cup of coffee from the insulated coffee pot  I had filled that morning , so delayed picking up the machine until Friday. The explanation for the problem is still a bit thin, but I am now operating it without a filter, and hoping the signals for descaling will now be clear to me. Danielle, who runs the shop and deals with customers, had taken the trouble to go through the processes with the technician and then again with me. So far so good, but I’m not counting my chickens yet. Danielle is great.

It's good to have espresso coffee when I want it, but I'm very pleased to have rediscovered the convenience of freshly ground coffee through a stainless steel drip filter into an insulated coffee pot. I've got choices!

On Saturday I paid a visit to Create in Stitch. It was raining heavily. On the way home I managed to find a place to stop on Halifax St to photograph the jacaranda trees. I love the mature trees with the contrasting black wood. 

Back at home, with another coffee,  the drip began again in my living room wall.  I took notes, timed it, and notified our Strata Rep. Another visit from Shane is now scheduled early this Friday.

It was, at least, good knitting weather. I managed, finally, to finish the left front of the cardigan. It looked (is) huge, and I was anxious to see if I had overdone the size shift. It appears, however, to be the right size.  Even though it had to be held in place, I didn't want to take it off. It would have been a good addition in Saturday's miserable weather.

I've now begun the right front.

Three of us ate well and,  in between intermittent checks on the Schoolies Week weather, managed the crosswords  with a bit of pooled knowledge - and an observer.

Sunday was BookClub and the only day this week when rain was not forecast. I managed to get my 2 weeks of accumualated washing done and hung out before I left at 9.45am. As I hung it out, the Jenny McWinney peg bag I made in 2012 finally fell apart. A shame, but it's had a good run. I used the pegs as they fell but couldn't stop to deal with it.

I had somehow missed the street closure notices for the Supercars Final which starts next Thursday. Roads are already closed, stands and bollards  erected. I had to go a very long way around to get to our meeting at Norwood. It was worth it,  The recommended books created animated discussion. 

As we shared our reading, I added another 48 books to my database of the crime books we have collectively read this year. I now have an 11 page table, in Word, containing 485 titles - the books we have individually read and shared with each other this year.. Another BookClub member has now transferred it into Excel format so it can be interrogated by category, not essential, but useful and handy. I'm hoping to recruit a granddaughter to help me manage the database,

It was also the day the cushion covers I'd made recently reached their destination. The account of their making is now in my embroidery blog.

There isn't a big choice of peg baskets in Adelaide. I found this wire mesh one at Bunnings and bought it on Monday. The old one, unfortunately, has gone to landfill. 

While at Bunnings I was seduced by a lemon scented pine, being marketed as a Christmas tree. It's very limey-greem which I rather like.  Let's see if I can keep this one alive beyond Christmas.

They also had the first poinsettia of the season. Not very big, but I do love them. While I eschew Christmas decorations before Advent, I don't count plants in the category!

My hairdresser doesn't wait for Advent. When I visited today she and her apprentice were engaged in wrapping the entrance door in a gigantic gold ribbon and bow. While Nikki cut my hair, the apprentice unpacked a box of frosted trees which she arranged , on instruction, in the window. The idea was to create a village in the window.

After some discussion, I came home, collected the box of santons, traditional pottery village nativity figures from Provence,  and took them back to the salon. 

Jim bought these some 15-20 years ago. I haven't  had space to display them here and Nikki was keen to borrow them. She has promised me photos when they are set up. I can't find any photos of the figures set up, so the box will have to do. They are tiny, and my guess is there would be 70-80 figures.

On my way home the second time I stopped at the Chemist, had a prescription made up, and returned the bathroom scales I bought 10 days ago. They have begun behaving like the last ones. 

This morning they gave me, within 5 minutes, a weight varying over a 3 kg range. The pharmacy was unsurprised, and very good about it,  refunding my money and will return them to the company. 

After discussion with pharmacy staff, I came home and checked out non-digital scales. I have, with some trepidation, ordered the one that is used in most doctor's surgeries. The reviews are mostly positive, and reliability seems high. There is no local supply and they are more expensive than those I've tried so far. I really need to get accurate and reliable weight measurements regularly, so here's hoping it's third time lucky.

This afternoon I've had the call scheduling Shane's visit to look for the leak early (sigh) on Friday morning. I also had a message to say by B&O TV is at the warehouse and can be delivered once I pay the balance! 

Also, all the printed bags I ordered, plus the cushion, are on their way to me. It looks as if I will be spending much of the coming week waiting for deliveries and services!

Post573 Mostly Textiles and Light

As predicted, the temperature on Wednesday, when WES Group met at the Guild, soared to 42C. Inside the Gallery we stayed cool and totally engaged as one of our members showed us her work of the last 30 years with cloth and paper.  The photo to the left shows two scenes she created in layered and embroidered cloth as well as the book she subsequently made from a photograph of one of them.    

The quality and quantity were astounding and we spent more than an hour examining them in detail and asking questions.

When I got home I spent the rest of the day in my chair, blinds and curtains drawn, fan and aircon on, writing up the meeting summary, reading and stitching. No point in being outside.

Thursday began well. The temperature had dropped by some 10 degrees. My new mouth guard was ready. Xrays and tests on a tooth that has begun to ache indicated a root canal problem, and I managed to get an endodontist appointment in March. From there I visited the dressmaker, who had muddled my appointment, so we rescheduled for Friday.  I filled in the time before Pilates with lunch at the Queen St Cafe. Atlantic salmon is becoming my go-to meal when eating out. I do think this is my favourite version!

It was good to be back at Pilates. My recovering finger gave me no trouble.

The dress fitting went well on Friday morning. We pinned the hem and I picked up the finished article on Saturday morning. It looks stunning. This is the birthday fabric from Harran in Turkey. I'm very pleased I went for a cream lining rather than pink. The gold motifs really shine. As yet I have no event to which to wear it, but it will happen!

It was lovely to wake to a temperature around 20C on Friday as the bats were returning to the Botanic Gardens to roost, even though they evaded the photo.

They were back as usual in the evening to feed the Moreton Bay Fig in the Square.

The drive to dinner on Saturday  was eventful. My route through the centre of the city was blocked at Victoria Square by building work on Flinders St. Traffic, including two empty long-loaders leaving the building site, was diverted around the Square. Slow progress, especially with the long-loaders making several tricky right-hand turns.Beyond the CBD, traffic banked up again, first for the Laneway Festival at Bonython Park (Niamh and Veronica in attendance!), then for the Adelaide United soccer match at Hindmarsh Stadium, then for a breakdown. It seems Mad March is already upon us.

Monday was Brigid’s birthday and we celebrated with dinner at Olive in the city. A really nice meal and great company.  Such a fabulous young woman.

I had a haircut booked today and moved it from early afternoon to midmorning so I could go on to the Art Gallery for another look at Radical Textiles. It was a pleasant thing to do. The exhibition is too large to take in at one visit. I wanted to check out some of the weaving, and take a couple of photos so I can ask a Guild friend how it is done. 

This time my favourite was this knitted piece - a triumph of design and graphing. 

The dress is a close runner up. 

I had planned to also visit the Museum two doors down, to see the Viking Treasures Exhibition, but decided to leave that for another day.           

                                               

The Gallery shop has a wonderful collection of goods related to the Textiles exhibition. I couldn't resist this kit.

It’s getting towards the best time of the year in Adelaide, especially along North Terrace. 

 I enjoyed the excursion, and the chance to look around the city.

I wasn't, however, sorry to get home and get down to stitching again.   I finished the border on the Huckaback on Aida on Thursday (written up in my embroidery blog ) and have begun work on a  motif in the centre ( yes, Evil Eye related).

I'm hoping to have this finished for the Guild Exhibition, which means finishing it in the next 2 days.  If I had stuck to the basic pattern I'd be finished by now, even allowing for a complete change of colour (originally in 22 shades of blue and white). I'm fundamentally adapting as I go, and keep adding colours and flames. The whole background of the hand should be filled in with a flesh colour, but I think it might have to remain blank for the exhibition.

I need to even up the flames before I go to bed tonight and my recovering finger needs breaks, so time to post.

Post 557 New Life.

On Wednesday I asked Bill, my cleaner, to leave the back balcony untouched because of the nest. He insisted on climbing on a chair to see into the nest (father having flown away). He could see two chicks. 

On Friday I heard them for the first time, and on Saturday managed to snap a blurry photo through the glass of my bedroom. Today I watched the adult male blackbird feeding them and snapped a few photos without going outside and scaring him off. The photos are still not brilliant, but good enough to show.

The chicks have grown in six days, and there is a bit of a flurry when food arrives, the two young competing to get fed first, and the adult trying to serve both in turn.

I'm not sure what it is he is feeding them, but it doesn't go down in one gulp!

I had intended to go the Certificate Workshop at the Guild on Saturday, but ran out of puff. I had shopped on Friday for Monday dinner (7 of us for Chicken Maryland with haloumi and fried rice), because I also had the second day of the pulled whitework sampler on Sunday.

However, with a concert at the Cathedral on Saturday afternoon and dinner on Saturday night, I decided to skip the workshop. Instead I tidied up and worked on a project for Christmas - which I can’t write about just yet.  

The concert was terrific. Called Organ Fireworks,  it featured a couple of organ solos and numerous organ duets by Anthony Hunt and Joshua van Konkelenberg. A treat. Nothing like the sound of a pipe organ in full throttle. The day was rounded nicely by meeting Max in the evening, the 8 week-old son of family friends, who visited for dinner.  The blessing of new life beats most things.

I had spent hours during the week working on the pulled thread work sampler, taking breaks and sitting in chairs that support my  back while allowing me to get close enough to see to count threads. Carol's instructions were clear enough for me to follow on my own, so I planned to leave the workshop at lunchtime this Sunday. The plan worked and I turned the finished sampler into a bag on Monday morning. Details in my embroidery blog.

On my way home from the class I stopped at Bunnings and bought some plants to refill the pots I emptied last week. I will do it gradually. This afternoon I connected the hose to my kitchen tap for the first time in about 7 months to give the Western balcony plants a good water, and repotted two of the empty pots, one Veronica painted and gave me probably 8 years ago. Until recently it held a Tradescantia Zebrina. I've made several new plants from it, but the original finally died, so I've planted a cheerful daisy in the pot. It will probably need replacing but will look good for months to come.

While I have numerous very happy looking snake plants, this one looked insecure, so I've given it a new pot and position.

Tbere are another half a dozen plants to be potted up, but I shall take my time.

Many of the established plants are thriving on warmer days.

This morning I had my haircut, having put it off for a couple of weeks because I was enjoying the length.

My next appointment is on Christmas Eve - not sure that was a good idea, but provided the City Loop bus is running I should be OK.

On the way home there was a blackbird feeding on a young jacaranda in the Square. Was it, I wondered,  the nesting blackbird? Would it fly over the building? Chances are, it's not, but interesting to speculate.

I was home in time to open the door for the postman to deliver my copy of my brother's latest book, which is, I think, a winner.

Although it's over 500 pages, it contains 110 self-contained stories, making it easy to pick up for 10-15 minutes at a time. Some are very short indeed. Most of them are worth talking about, many worth reading aloud. 

Both Lee and Lorraine would have liked it, which makes me sad, but there are others I'm looking forward to sharing it with.

It's been a week of new life, new growth, new projects, as well as completions and sorrows. C'est la vie. 

Post 513 December in the Rain

There was a spectacular sunset on Wednesday night, before the clouds descended on the city (in fact, on the State) on Friday, blotting out the sun, hosting electrical storms and then floods.

Much earlier in the day, after breakfast with Panayoula,  I had a hairdressing appointment in the CBD, to which I caught the city loop bus.

As it crossed the Square, the bus was stopped at the lights, giving me an interesting view of the back of the Cook Island pine in the sunset photo.  I'm not sure what has given it a hair cut, but it looks as if the tree has a mullet!

I do hope it recovers.

My hair looked good when I left the hairdresser. No mullet in sight.  

It's much less sculpted now, but manageable! 

While monitoring the rain  I finished the third Buggieflooer Beanie from the Jamieson and Smith wool. I'm pretty pleased with the results.  As usual, detail is in my embroidery  blog.

The Yarn Trader advertised some classes in Shetland knitting in 2024, with MJ Mucklestone, and I was tempted by a one-day class in beanie design. At the same time, Morris & Sons advertised a preorder on Rowan Magazine 74 and a blanket kit by Martin Storey.  I went for the magazine and kit, and ordered MJ's books on Fair Isle and Scandinavian designs, instead of the classes.  I've got plenty to do while waiting for the Magazine to come out, and the rest will likely not arrive until after Christmas. 

The rain and thunderstorms have continued. I have spent a lot of time staunching the leak in my back window, eventually coming up with a temporary fix using flexible putty.  I realised that my leak had localised  at one end of the window, so dug out some putty strips and applied them to the spot. A second application largely stopped the leak, but some water came in at the other end in one of the torrential storms. It is, however, very much better than it was. I've washed and dried (in the drier, not on the line!) 8 towels and there are still two in place.

Sunday night's storm brought down a lot of branches and these were piled outside our carpark entrance Monday morning when I returned to the podiatrist to have new moulds taken of my feet, and ordered a new pair of orthotics. I'm pleased to have done this. A test of my current orthotics indicated a need for more tilt on the inside, so the old moulds would not have sufficed anyway.  I will take care where I store the new ones!

At Unley shopping centre there was competition for car parking so exiting a space was a challenge, with a car positioned for a full 5 minutes to take my place.  Good job I had placed a Christmas decoration on my rear vision mirror to keep me calm in such circumstances!

My reliable Barrow and Bench garden centre had sold out of red poinsettias so I settled for a pale one with red tinges, which won't go astray. They are getting more red ones later in the week, so I shall return. I could get red ones in the supermarket or greengrocer, but Barrow and Bench usually have more advanced specimens. 

On Sunday afternoon Katherine and I had a very calming couple of hours at the Adelaide Chamber Singers performance at the Cathedral. The program was too detailed to photograph as a whole. For musical friends, this is the first half of the program. The second half was a performance by the ACS, Rising Voices and Baroque Ensemble of Messe de minuit pour Noel H.9  by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704). Just the thing for a wet Sunday in December.

Monday's moussaka went down well. I had forgotten to buy additional milk for the cheese sauce and used almond milk I had in the fridge, which was fine. Brigid was working, Football was cancelled, so the rest of us stayed dry and full.

The bats were also very active last night.

This morning my phone rang at 7.10am. I was still in bed. It was the roof repairer, due at 10am,  who had arrived to do other jobs in our building, but the access key was not in the box. He wondered if I could let him in, so he could inspect my leak and access the roof from my balcony. I hastily threw on some clothes and complied. He had a plumber and a ladder with him. He said it looked as if the leak was coming through the seal. Yes, I say, but the water is coming from the roof, not the sky. It shouldn't be running down the wall. Plumber agrees with me. Flat roofs are difficult, says the roofer. Hmm.  When he discovers I have a Vergola over my balcony he changes his mind about accessing the roof from there.  They turn down an offer of coffee and leave. Before long I hear them on the roof. Is it fixed? Who knows? I doubt it, but if the plumber is helping out, maybe. 

I  made the first of my Christmas hats in record time. I'm very pleased and am now on the second one. Details, of course, are in my embroidery blog. I had to work out the pattern for myself, helped only by a chart of the head repeat. Doing so gave me confidence, and reinforced my decision to buy books rather than enrol in the design class next year.  I'm sure I would learn from it, but I'd rather mull over a book and experiment.    

The rain continues, along with bursts of clouded sunshine and periodic electrical storms. I thought I would miss Aquafit today as the Council's huge mulching machine was blocking our carpark exit door when I tried to leave. The workers, however, were on the alert, stopped mulching and moved the cumbersome equipment to let me out. Not easy working in this environment. Unlike the Arkansas fiddler, repair workers go on, rain or shine. 

The last of my Christmas shopping arrived today, along with a free NZ fantail decoration, bamboo on acrylic. It joins a few other treasures hanging on my plants this week. I bought the pewter reindeer and dragonfly at a market at Mt Vernon the day before 9/11. 

Later in the week I will begin the bagging of gifts and a final check. Can't rely on my memory, but I haven't lost the list I made!

In the meantime, it’s time to open the panettoni and stick to my Santa knitting as the sunset shines through the NZ fantail!