Self-isolation Day 13

It rained during the night and for an hour or two this morning. In contrast to yesterday, the outlook was grey. I woke to a call from my brother.  There was lots to talk about from our respective self-isolations, mine compulsory, his by stay-at-home directives. My sister-in-law is doing an extraordinary job of creating video resources for her online physical education classes of 24 or so junior primary school children. She and my brother can still play singles tennis on their apartment courts, making videos along the way.

We chewed over some big issues of our parliamentary democracy. We are united in our hope the problem-solving cooperative model of policy-making apparently being achieved at the moment can carry forward to at least modify the ideologically-driven adversarial model into which we seem to have fallen in recent decades.

Just after we finished our call, I had a FaceTime call from my friends  released from the Costa Victoria. It was so fantastic, not just to hear their voices, but to see them in their quarantine in a Perth hotel. They are both well and cheerful,happy and grateful to be back in Australia. They have no idea how and when they will be able to return to Adelaide. but they are not complaining. They had nothing but praise for the crew of the Costa Victoria.It was, in the end, the ship's captain and the company who organised the flight from Rome to Perth. Their health needs were at all stages considered and  accommodated, including a wheelchair. Their Perth hotel room accommodates this. They have a jigsaw puzzle, knitting, embroidery and Kindles, in addition to television, to keep them occupied - and decent Internet. It was just marvellous to see and talk to them - and to know we can do it again.

The Adelaide airport Corona virus cluster identified yesterday has raised the possibility of the Airport closing, as it did for a few hours yesterday. It's operating again today, but 100 baggage handlers have gone into isolation. One news bulletin today suggested anyone who has collected or handled luggage from the airport in the last 14 days should get tested. That would include me. The driver who picked me up from the airport took my luggage off the carousel and carried it to the car. I however, wheeled it into the apartment and unpacked it. The government website, however, is still very specific in saying only to seek a test if you have symptoms, which I do not.

A sad announcement today was that The Bunyip - the local Gawler newspaper, which was, I think, the only privately owned local newspaper left in South Australia, is to close 'indefinitely' from today. When we lived in Gawler from 1973 to 1984 the purchase of The Bunyip from it's office, each Wednesday was an unmissable ritual. It was a reliable and thoughtful source of local news and community building. I have found no local newspaper since that was worth reading after The Bunyip. It employed 12 people, now suspended, with little prospect of reinstatement. It would be brilliant if it were to recover.

By the afternoon it was a little bit brighter outside and the rain had ceased. I had another FaceTime discussion with a Guild friend with chronic health issues who is fighting off an infection not Corona virus related. This is an even more difficult time than usual for people with chronic illnesses. Their risk escalates and options narrow. Hopefully her doctor's intervention will affect a recovery by the weekend. We had plenty of things to talk about other than her health, but it remains a concern.

We were able to have our discussion because, by lunchtime the Woolworth's website indicated my delivery would be between 5 pm and 6 pm. At 2.40 pm this was amended to 5.03-6.03!



At 6.02 I heard the truck door opening! The same driver as last week rang my buzzer - and, after having the same issue with the lift as last week, I heard him unloading his trolley on the other side of my door

I watched him leave and waved my thanks before opening my door and pulling the bags inside.

It contained the milk I was waiting for, fruit and veg and minced lamb. I have undertaken to make moussaka for the friend who has been keeping me going with pasties and osso bucco. If this works, I will try making another one  in the weeks to come for my Adelaide family. I haven't be able to get kefalograviera cheese - but I'll manage!

I'm very happy to have this service.


I tried to have a phone conversation this evening with my Sydney friend recovering from her eye operation, but the connection kept dropping out. I managed to ascertain she's doing well and happy with the operation - but that's about all. She tried changing phones, to no avail, which might suggest the problem was at my end.

I also made a couple of phone calls to members of the World Embroidery Study Group members to see it they were OK. One was fine, for another I've left a message.

My stitching did not progress much today as my attention was on conversations.







I have managed the first set of acorn leaves.


It doesn't seem much, but it takes me a while to do the first, outside, layer of each leaf with double thread. I need to go over it with a single thread to get it smooth. It works, though.

Although tomorrow is my last day of compulsory self-isolation, I do not think I'll be going anywhere much beyond my letterbox and garbage disposal for a while. It will certainly be good to do that. We have, as a community, put a lot of effort into recycling systems, and I think these are really important. We should not go backwards.

Beyond these small excursions some solo walks, until I know for sure I am not carrying the virus, it seems  there are too many risks to others, as well as myself.

Need to stay at home.

I hope to do more embroidery tomorrow than I did today - but friends come first.

Self-isolation Day 12: knitting in the sun

Another lovely day in Adelaide, around 23C. By late morning, after I'd caught up with news, finished a book and responded to emails. I noticed the great cloud formation in the East, grabbed my knitting and took myself out to my back balcony.

It was then I noticed some lovely little blooms - on my wall garden



and in a balcony rail box. These are quite small - maybe 5cm across. Such fabulous shapes and colours.

Parent

I also noticed a succulent I had planted from a cutting emerging as a promising new plant.
This is the parent.

pups

One of its pups, that I planted out a while back, is shedding its big leaves to reveal two new shoots, one at the front and one at the back. Under the old leaves is a very healthy looking stem base. A promising start.

In response to yesterday's post, a friend asked for a photo of the underside of the Fair Isle scarf.  I am knitting this in the round, so it is a double thickness effectively forming a tube.  There are no more than two colours per row. There are a few rows with 5, 6 or 7 consecutive stitches in the same colour, but mostly it's less. I try not to carry wool over more that 4 stitches without anchoring.




One of the tricks with Fair Isle is keeping your working yarn free of tangles. I have been keeping my working yarn outside  the tube and the balls I will use again within about 10 rows inside the tube itself, carrying the yarn up through the rows on the inside.  I only cut yarn on balls I will not use again for a greater number of rows.
The trouble is that the balls fall out the bottom of the tube.

For the moment I have solved this by joining the bottom of the tube now, rather than when I finish.  I also dug out bag to hold the two working balls and I also  dug out the magnetic board I bought to use for counted embroidery patterns. Seems to have improved my progress.
















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The book I finished reading this morning was Corpse at the Carnival by George Bellairs, a Golden Age crime fiction writer, now being republished by Agora Books. It is set on the Isle of Man in carnival season when the island is packed with trippers on holiday, arriving by boat, staying in hotels and boarding houses, promenading, partying, dining, boating - or hiking around the island. I enjoyed the read very much, but found myself, in self-isolation from the Corona virus in 2020, thinking quite differently about our centuries old habit of congregating in popular locations for holidays and relaxation. We have taken so much for granted.

I also received the latest email catalogue from Can do Books.  I do most of my reading electronically, but not craft books - which I am trying hard not to buy! I made an exception, however, when I saw this one. It occurred to me (Margaret Adams take note!) that this might form the basis of a Guild class, and bridge the ideological gap between knitting and embroidery, so thought I'd investigate. Besides, I have a couple of jumpers with holes that might be covered with embroidery. By the time it arrives I'll be able to go to my letterbox!

It is also a good time to support a business like Can do Books, which has closed its physical shop. They have some good books on sale, including some of the Inky colouring books. 

After 2.30 I followed the sun to my front balcony. It was lovely knitting in the sun, behind my plants. There were a few people using the Square to walk dogs, or children and the young man with the weights did his exercises again late in the day.

Again, there were interesting shapes and details. These frangipani leaves might turn into an embroidery design one day. In the light you can see lovely markings.









and I'm sure I will find a use for this spider's web.

I progressed the scarf to the next, blue, band.

before heading inside to heat the last of Susan's Osso Bucco, this time with pasta.

I focused on knitting today. I have seven + repeats of the 47 line pattern to go. Tomorrow I'll do some embroidery!

Tomorrow I have another Woolworths delivery. I haven't added anything to it, since to do so I need to cancel and then reorder. I think I can do this while keeping my delivery time, but decided not to try! I'm sure I will adjust to this ordering routine with time and learn all the tricks. In the meantime, I'll be happy if I get some fresh milk tomorrow!

Self-isolation Day11

I followed up this morning with Romeo's North Adelaide Foodland about home delivery. They have suspended all home delivery because they were overwhelmed. They hope to get up and running and will notify customers, including me, when it happens.  I hope they manage to re-establish their system. Hopefully I am now a regular Woolworth's customer.



I had a slice of Susan's orange cake and coffee to celebrate, once again, my registration with Woolworths.

I have been receiving daily emails from a widowed uncle in Canada. He sends amusing bits he's found. I don't usually repeat them, but did think others might like smile, as I did, at this one this morning.

My focus for much of the day was to progress the Fair Isle scarf. It needs my full attention. The full pattern is 47 rows. Within the 47 there are three backgrounds, or stripes. I am on the first pattern repeat. Last night I made a few mistakes dipping in and out of it, so today I avoided all distractions to get the first (beige background) stripe finished.

I am now on the green repeat.

Because I need a break from such undivided attention, I am starting on the Mellerstain parrots embroidery at the same time.

In between knitting bursts I kept up with emails, online chats and watched the PM's afternoon Press Conference on the latest support package for workers. These Press Conferences are improving daily in terms of clarity of communication as well in support. I'm pleased to see the ideology receding and the evidence of listening to expert advice and collaboration increasing. The games seem to be in abeyance. It is hard and risky work balancing need and consequences at micro and macro levels. I have the utmost respect and sympathy for those being forced to make daily decisions that impact other people's lives.  My extraordinary daughters are doing it, wrestling with the ethical as well as practical issues. Hat's off. And my heart goes out.


My lunch was some of the blue cheese, fig paste and biscuits left yesterday by Susan. Really delicious.

On Saturday, after talking to a friend, I had planned to ring my doctor today to see if I could have a test for Covid19. I have no symptoms and feel absolutely fine, but I am aware that you can have the virus and no symptoms. As I had no tests at all on my re-entry into the country, I thought I'd like to be sure when my self-isolation ends. However, having registered on the new government Coronavirus App, I note that the criteria for testing are quite explicit, and, without symptoms,  I do not qualify. Tests are scarce, so I won't pursue it. New requirements for over 70s mean I won't be in a position to contaminate anyone anyway. The government has also usefully provided a list of flights into Australia on which there has been any identified cases. So far, there are no identified cases at all through Perth airport. It seems we are likely to have home testing kits available next month, so I’ll wait for those.

Qatar Airlines had two flight arriving in Perth from Rome in the last 4 hours. I'm hoping my friends were on one of them.

I've progressed the scarf a few rows into the green band.









I'm working the parrots in my Lowery stand because of the panel size. I can set it right at eye level and still see the TV screen over the top!
It's a very small start - but a start nevertheless!





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It has morphed quite a way from England2020!

Self-isolation Day 10: Gifts and Good news of friends

The best news of my day, was a message from my friend Jennifer on the Costa Victoria, now in the port of Civitavecchio, west of Rome to say these buses are to take Australians to the airport for a flight to Perth, where they will be quarantined for 14 days. I expect they will be quarantined again in Adelaide when and if they manage to get an onward flight. But they are on their way!

I was very interested to notice Jennifer's hoop in the lower left corner of the photo she sent. It tells me she has been working, as planned. on the Jenny McWinney panel I had picked up for her to take. It's the one below.

I so look forward to the day I can see the finished piece. It's also great to know she's been stitching.

Other friends of friends who were stranded in Rio, one with a broken leg, are apparently now in quarantine in Melbourne.  The efforts of many people went into getting these Aussies home.


As well as good news of absent friends, I had another mercy delivery today from another friend - she of the pasties - who left osso bucco, a slab of orange cake and savoury biscuits with blue cheese and fig paste outside my door.

I had a slice of the cake almost immediately with a coffee and the osso bucco for dinner (see below).  It is fabulous, moist cake.

In between these excitements, I managed a few housekeeping tasks - changing sheets, watering plants and tidying the remains of finished stitching projects. I have not put them away yet, but they are sorted and ready to put away.

I also realised today I had made a mistake last week in not ordered milk last week with my grocery order.  I had plenty, and had registered the use-by date, which in my head was further away than it in fact is! (In other words, I had completely lost track of the date). I explored another home delivery service from North Adelaide Foodland, but I need to phone them on Monday to see if I qualify. So I put together another Woolworths order and chose Wednesday afternoon for delivery. I can add to it up to midnight Tuesday.   Feels so good to be able to do this.

I worked out a solution to my garbage recycling storage. I resurrected one of the bench compost bins I had been using before Adelaide Council set up a collection scheme. I even have spare carbon filters to control the smell!

I've used double compostable bags and will be able to dispose of it on Friday when I can get to the bins!

As I was settling to progress my scarf the Prime Minister held a press conference with the latest Covid19 announcements. As well as now limiting groups in public to 2 persons, our Govt is asking those who are 70+ to self isolate as much as possible.  I was very pleased that today I put in another Woolworths order! The only difference Friday is likely to bring for me is access to to my letterbox,  rubbish bins and perhaps a daily walk. That is absolutely fine by me, now that I know I can get supplies.  There is also now a government Coronavirus App, which I have downloaded and used to register myself as a person on self-isolation. Very sensible tool to provide.

I don't spend a lot of time looking over the Square but when I do I usually see people using it well. As the sun set, these two sat well apart, not facing as they talked. Reassuring.










Inside, I heated the osso bucco and added some oven-baked chips. It was truly delicious, and I have enough left for another meal. Many, many thanks to Susan.












We have colonies of bats in Adelaide and some of them roost each night in a couple of trees in the Square. They fly in as it is getting dark, so are quite difficult to photograph. To all intents and purpose I failed yet again tonight. They are the dots or smudges in the sky in these photos!



My knitting progress has been slow today. The Fair Isle takes concentration, and I was distracted several times today, so had a row to undo.
Tomorrow is another day!

Self-isolation Day 9: easy does it

Today I took it very easy and focused on the Muncaster Oranges. I also had a lovely long Facetime discussion with a good Guild friend - so much to catch up on. I registered for online Pilates classes and discovered that another supermarket I use has a home delivery service for self-isolaters. Might use that next week, so I can get my regular meusli.

The oranges were dry and beautifully flat. I took the plunge and cut them out quite close in order to applique them to my chair cover.

It's a tricky procedure. Just getting the cover off the chair is a bit of an effort. It fits very snugly, so has to be eased off. I wanted the oranges to cover the seam joining two of embroideries already attached.












I am pinning through two quite heavy layers of large and awkward fabric

and it is very easy to find pleats on the underside, which will result in puckers when the cover is on the chair.














The larger panels I have machine stitched to the cover, but this one needed to be hand-stitched. My machine skills are no good with curves on bulky fabric!



Then came the job of putting the cover back on. It takes quite a while to manipulate it. There is no zip, and it fits quite tightly.


I'm pleased with the effect, but it does draw my attention to the need for pieces to fill other gaps. I dug out the redwork rabbit - another job for my isolation! What I need is a mirror image of the Muncaster Oranges!




It is good to see people using the square to exercise well away from others. One of my neighbours was also knitting in the park this afternoon.










I covered a few more hexies, but am now working on the Marie Wallin scarf. It's taken a bit of concentration to get back into the rhythm, but I'm just about there.

I'm thinking I might work on the scarf for a bit and then add in the Mellerstain Parrots.

From my grocery largess I had a couple of Jamie Oliver lemon pepper chicken fillets with salad tonight. After watching the last of the current ABC Agatha Raisin series, I discovered Series 1 of the Repair Shop on iView - one of my very favourite shows. I can just manage to knit the scarf and watch!