Post 428: Vaccination, vaccination, vaccination

On Wednesday I saw my doctor and had my flu shot and a pneumonia shot. I wasn't aware I was due for the pneumonia one, but my doctor keeps good records and is on the ball. I also got a referral to my ENT to have wax removed from my ear. Good job jobbed, and no reaction other than a sore arm from the pneumonia one.  My doctor does not do Covid vaccinations, so that had to wait a few days.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

On Thursday, as I was getting ready for Pilates, three honey eaters arrived on my balcony, attracted to the aloe. I was lucky enough to be able to grab my DSLR and get some shots, first through the glass, but then, very carefully opening the screen door, through the open door. I was pleased with a few of them. We used to get a lot of these in our garden at Hindmarsh, but its the first time I've seen them here on my balcony. A good sign, I think.                                  

On Friday my new pieces of furniture were delivered. I was worried about the delivery, as they are large pieces and our lift is small. They would be awkward to carry up the (fairly narrow) stairs. Parking outside is also at a premium. I needn't have worried. The deliverers were fantastic.  They found a parking place, checked out the apartment, disassembled the furniture in their van, carried the long top plank up the stairs, and the rest in batches in the lift, then reassembled them in situ.  They took such care and were so skilled and adaptive.

It took 2 1/2 hours, but they just kept on until done. 

Above is the bookcase in my living area. There are now probably twice as many books on it. Left is the cabinet in my sewing room. It is more cluttered, but absolutely fit for purpose. The open shelves at the end are for books. At the moment the books to go there are in the containers - aids for the Viking, Celtic/Anglo-Saxon and Bulgarian presentations I have yet to do this year at the Guild. Eventually they will be books rather than boxes.

It was a long weekend here, as Monday was Anzac Day. Top priority was getting my 4th Covid jab on Saturday, which went well. With my Australian Government sponsored bandaid on my arm I awaited signs of the aching joints and overwhelming tiredness that followed the 3rd jab, but none appeared. I stayed awake and entertained throughout the family dinner and slept well.

On Sunday I was up to making the Anzac biscuits and alert enough not to burn them!

I managed to get the bookshelves sorted between my now 3 bookshelves, so that I now have a very good idea of where I can find any book I want. A breakthrough!  This photo merges views of two sides of my small sewing room.  I can move around, find what I need and stitch something quickly on my machine. I've removed the rug that was on the floor. There are still files and containers to go through, label and reduce, but I can see and get to everything.

On Monday, Anzac Day, I got up at dawn to light a candle and remember those in my family who went to war, from the top of this photo, Ted Ray and James Haynes, my grandfathers serving in WWI, my father, Len Haynes on HMS Formidable in WWII and Lionel Dellit, my late husband's uncle who died when his plane was shot down over the Timor Sea in WWII.  It's more important than ever to remember what they did. And the cost.

My friend Susan called in on Monday afternoon to see my new furniture. It was lovely to be able to share it over an Anzac biscuit and coffee and also to discuss our current projects, hopes and fears. 

This is the progress I had to show on the next bag-from-jeans. I'm now working on the other side.

Now that my furniture is in place I have contacted a carpet cleaner who is coming in the morning to quote, and Artic Air who should have serviced my Aircon this month. I also applied a clove oil solution to mould on the hinges of my bathroom door. Seems I'm Spring Cleaning in Autumn.

Post 384 I get my second vaccination and keep busy.

Photo from Inspirations

Apologies for posting a day early last week. It is school holiday time in South Australia and it felt more like Tuesday than Monday. I lost track of the days. I'll double check in future.

My Inspirations  magazine arrived and as soon as I saw the Natural Wonder project by Maria Rita Faleri I knew I would do it.  I found a piece of fabric Christine Bishop had provided for a similar project and began straight away. The threads in the fabric are finer than in the original, but the count right. I'm giving it a go. I love the design.

On the Tuesday I missed, The Adelaide Advertiser sent a reporter and photographer to interview Jennifer about her Covid experience. I went along as a support. Both reporter and photographer were pleasant, thorough and professional. The article appeared in Wednesday's paper.

It is a good representation and distillation of Jennifer's main points. And a good photo. 

On Thursday I had my second Covid vaccination. I parked in the Frewville Foodland carpark and walked across the intersection. Afterwards I bought some prawns for my dinner. I also went to the chemist and bought a new set of bathroom scales. My existing ones must be at least 25 years old and keep giving me different readings with up to 0.4kg variation 10 seconds apart. It may be related to the fact they measure to .2kg rather than 0.1 but I was not confident they are properly calibrated. I need a fairly accurate set, so thought I should be sure. I've been using both each day. So far there is a consistent 0.4 variation between the two, but the day to day change is the same.

I had no reaction to speak of to the vaccination.

At home, I unpacked and hung out some washing. A dove friend came down to watch, again staying while I was there. 

I had a nice long talk with my brother and finished editing the Baby Boomer Teacher conversations before making a prawn salad for my dinner.

Friday saw me working on my Conversations with Baby Boomer Teacher book in the morning and off to Sit'nStitch in the afternoon. It's 2 weeks since we met and there was much to catch up on. Susan is working an i-cord edge on her knitted blanket and Jennifer is now on Row 99 of Sophie's Universe. I worked on my second shawl. The first one arrived in Canberra late on Thursday and was put to immediate use. I'm delighted it proved to be as warm and useful as I had hoped in the Canberra winter. 

Saturday morning the sun rose on fog - not common in Adelaide. It had lifted by 7.30 here in the city, but came down again around 10.

Sunday morning our Crime Book Club met at our usual coffee shop in Norwood. We had two hours of animated conversation, most of it about the books we had read, but some about our health and experiences we had as young women in education. Our books for next month are Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor and

When You Are Mine, by Michael Robotham.

The Sunday sun went down on a threatening sky - more rain forecast this week.

I spent Sunday afternoon following up references for Anglo Saxon embroidery. I am researching this for WES Group and had agreed to repeat it for the Certificate Course next year with a  counted project. This is not proving sensible so I've negotiated to change it to Bulgarian embroidery. I've already got a plan for a project. Nevertheless I had a pleasant and interesting afternoon gathering information. 

The Sunday sun went down on a threatening sky - more rain forecast this week.

Again, I had to remind myself that Monday was not Tuesday. I'll recover when school goes back! I spent much of the day writing the final chapter of Conversations. The 49 Conversations are anonymous, but I think for both context and authenticity I need to provide my own story, which I can hardly make anonymous. I struggled a bit with it, but am  happy with the result at the moment. 

I finished reading Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage, the first Miss Marple book. Kerrie, the convenor of our Book Club, is running a U3A course on Agatha Christie, and has me interested enough to do a bit of rereading.

Today I had a dental appointment with a new hygienist. She did a great job and entertained me with conversation (mostly one way!) the whole time. 

I picked up a new top at Unley before picking up the kids for our school holiday lunch at River Cafe.  We shared Tapas starters - Mozzarella & saffron arancini, salt and pepper squid, 

house-made flat

bread with garlic yoghurt and lemon. The girls had various pasta main dishes, Fionn had a mixed grill with barley tabouli, which he loved. I stuck to the swordfish and kept to my weight-loss regime.  No one was up for dessert.

Most readers will be aware that Sydney is in the midst of a Covid outbreak and locked down. We are struggling with vaccine rollout, with supply issues for Pfizer and media-generated fear around AstraZeneca. I feel for authorities in NSW. It's easy to criticise with hindsight. They will manage their way through it. I'm very pleased to be vaccinated. 

Today's progress on Maria Rita Faleri piece (left)

and the second shawl. I put my magnifying headset alongside to show the length.

As of this morning, I have lost 2.8 kg since I began this regime 17 days ago. I'm encouraged and not finding it too hard. In that time I haven't had an ice-cream or a glass of wine, both of which I will have as a treat once I have lost a few more kilos.  

Post 68 : Flu Vac

In spite of it being a a cool, dull day, this succulent was brightly blooming this morning. It wasn't there a week ago.  I don't think I've seen it bloom before.

I spent much of the morning finishing Richard Anderson's Australian crime novel, Boxed then working on the wing of the song bird. In the end I took it out of the hoop and held it in my hand. The wheatear stitch was much better worked by scooping rather than stabbing, and I'm still programmed to 'never scoop in a hoop'.

This afternoon I had my flu vac. My doctor had suggested I wait until May because I had a booster in February before going to England. The surgery, which is in a house, runs vaccination clinics. You make an appointment, then sit of the verandah on one of three chairs (spaced well apart) until called into the front room where a young doctor, checking a computer, asks some questions and a nurse administers the vaccination. The nurse commented that I'd better come back for a pneumonia shot. No, says the doctor, she's had one. Nurse smiles at me and says 'That's good. So all you need to worry about is tetanus.' 'No', says the doctor, 'She's had that too'.  'I'm pretty conscientious about vaccinations' say I.

The nurse looks as if she's won the lottery and says, 'I could hug you!'.
Of course she doesn't. 
It doesn't take much to make a nurse happy at the moment.

While I was at North Adelaide for the flu vac, I called at Romeo's Foodland. I was surprised at how easy it was to shop.  Signs about sanitation and distancing, but no policing - and no obvious problem. I got my muesli and a salmon fillet for my dinner. Metropolitan Fresh Fruit and Veg was also open - and had Bravo apples!

I really enjoyed being able to choose what I wanted - which wasn't much. I had antiseptic wipes to use before and after each transaction. I might make further short shopping excursions here.

There were plenty of cars parked around North Adelaide, but not many people on the golf course,



It is quite strange to see all the restaurants, cafes and hotels closed in a place that is normally buzzing with people eating and drinking coffee.












Similarly, in the city, Frome Rd, which I drive down  to get home, was pretty much deserted at 4pm on a Monday afternoon.


Jennifer has had the pressure from her ventilator reduce further. Tomorrow it will be connected but not operating. If that goes well it will be removed completely. They took a direct test for coronavirus today and will do another tomorrow.  If both are negative she will be able to be free of quarantine. She was too tired today to read or colour in.





I spent the rest of the day working on the songbird, back in the hoop. I might go over some of the variegated silk. but will wait to see how it looks with the tail feathers in. I'm really liking the linen thread.