Post 528 as Autumn Leaves Start to Fall.

 

The sunflowers I bought in the heat are finally spent. The last two put out a lot of cheer before they graduated to compost.

Before that happened, I spent Wednesday morning at the hairdresser and in the evening went back to Noi with friends for a very early dinner. We took advantage of their Feed-me and out-by-seven options, both of which worked well for me. It was an exceptional meal, and I'll be returning.

On Thursday, before Pilates, I rushed off to BigW  to buy a copy of Foul Play by Fiona MacIntosh, a Book Club pick, but after much searching through the strange shelf organisation, with no assistant in sight, I gave up and bought Dead Tide, the next in the series ( I was, of course, late for Pilates). 

After Pilates I went to Bunnings to get plumbers tape and some potting mix for succulents. I exited with a trolley full of plants (yes, including a pot of sunflowers!).

On Friday morning the fire alarm went off as I was getting dressed after showering, around 9am. threw on my clothes, grabbed phone, handbag and, as I was leaving, my hearing aids and watch. I went down the stairs, increasingly carefully, as the stair lights were not on below my floor. When I got outside, Maureen, our pod rep, was there before me, in her dressing gown. The alarm had stopped as I reached to bottom of the stairs. A man from another pod joined us. At this point I realised my hearing aids were not in my hand. When nothing happened, we went back into the building. Maureen and the neighbour came up the stairs with me, looking for the hearing aids. I searched in my apartment and then retraced my steps once again up and down the stairs. Nothing. 

I phoned my audiologist and made an appointment to be fitted for new hearing aids before heading out to the supermarket.  As I was getting into the car, my hand brushed against my trouser pocket; there was something in it. Yes, in the stress of evacuating the building via stairs without light, I had dropped what was in my hand - watch and hearing aids - into a pocket so I could use both hands on the stair rail! I felt like an idiot, but was delighted to have found them, and to cancel the appointment for replacements!  

I’ve no idea what set off the alarms. I suspect a neighbour who did not evacuate set off a smoke alarm and managed to turned it off while I was descending the stairs. 

I ended up doing a big shop for Monday night, then spending the afternoon gardening, planting what I had bought the day before, removing spent flowers, dead plants and empty plastic pots, fertilising, watering, repotting and sweeping up. The plumbers tape made absolutely no difference to my hose fitting. It’s still a weak stream, and still leaks. It nevertheless works and is more efficient than watering cans. 

I considered going to the pub for dinner, but settled for a cheese and salami salad and a long talk to my brother before getting organised for Saturday’s certificate workshop. A tiring day. 

Saturday's workshop was a counted stitches sampler. The group was small and friendly, the task interesting and requiring thought. I worked a simple grid sampler, varying thread over 5 basic stitches, so far wool and Danish thread in a similar colour. I intend to add colour variation as I go. For the moment, however, this is parked.

Requirements for the two Guild classes I’ve booked into later in the year have arrived and I’m busy finding, cutting and preparing linens for them.

On Sunday I picked up Lorraine at midday and drove up to Mt Barker Summit for a Ploughman's Lunch and Ukaria concert, our first for the year - the Australian String Quartet with Andrea Lam. It was fabulous. We had front row seats with a good view of the pianist (thanks to Lorraine's walker and disabled booking options).  We were a bit taken aback by the number of mobility devices in the audience. We all seem to have aged substantially. 

Since all the fuss about a certain amateur photographer altering a photo, I decided to have a go with the photo I took of two doves early in the week. I didn’t like the background wall behind the dove on the right of the top photo, so I experimented (using only Apple photo tools) in removing her from the background and re-pasting her into a cropped copy of the photo. While I have removed backgrounds before, I had to learn how to insert the result into another photo (lower photo). The perspective doesn’t quite work. While one bird (presumably the male) is genuinely larger than the other, moving them even slightly closer creates too great a contrast. I haven’t worked out how to enlarge the pasted image. I’m pleased to have tried it - and I promise to always declare if I do it again! 

There were seven of us for dinner on Monday night - really good to catch up with everyone. It is a busy and potentially stressful time for both school and university students, but all seem to have it organised and more of less under control. I feel for them. I remember the stress. Does it need to be like this? While I'm sure I learned from it, I'm not sure it's a necessary part of learning. There's  surely a better way.  My educator’s itch needs scratching.

Last night was the Pascal Full Moon, the first full moon after the March equinox and the signal that next Sunday is Easter. I happened to see it rising over the hills. A privilege. 

Today I skipped Aquafit. I had a few jobs to do and didn't want to be rushed. I got organised for the cleaner, dropped a set of pearls off at a jeweller to be restrung and called at a bookshop for a  colouring book I had read about and thought might provide useful embroidery designs. I have quite a few of these, and no, I haven't made much use of them! 

The Kaffe Fassett cardigan is, however progressing. The weather is cooling and Easter has been a time for knitting since I was a teenager.

It's an interesting mind that can create this set of colours. I am now on row 42 of an 80 row pattern that then repeats approximately 3 times on the back and fronts. I'd like to make significant progress  over Easter in between the family rituals and some reading. I have a pile of hard-copy books I need to tackle while making notes, so I can develop both embroidery ideas and a couple of presentations.  There's also 2 samples to work for my Glazig workshop in April. I won't be bored.

May you be uplifted at Easter!

Post 527 Ups and Downs

The sunflowers, barely open when I foolishly bought them during the heat wave last week, required a lot of coaxing (continuous water topping and stem cutting) before the leaves decided not to droop and the flowers to open. In spite of the colour, when they did come out they didn't look their  best in that tall vase.

 

I did, however, manage to get them posed for the photo on Thursday before I reduced the stems further and relegated them to a smaller, less colour-coordinated vase that held them together and upright and where they are still blooming!

Wednesday's WES Group meeting was focused on textiles of Northern India, specifically Assam and Nagaland, visited by one of our members in 2019. As well as an account of her visit, some history of the area and plenty of photographic illustration, she had collected some fabulous examples of silk, cotton and linen works from the area. In spite of the 37C temperature, 14 attended, engaging enthusiastically in the discussion, asking questions and contributing their own knowledge. It's an energy-generating group. 

 

I needed to be home in the afternoon for my cleaner, who arrived about 2.30 - and found his own parking space, always touch and go in our busy street. I usually write up the WES meeting summary straight away but left it until the next morning, making myself (of course) late for Pilates. I celebrated by having lunch at the Queen St Cafe - an excellent crispy skin atlantic salmon with beetroot aioli, baby potatoes and watercress and radish salad.                                                                 

In between, I made the decision to take up the hem on the Arte Otomi dress I bought and wore to Brigid's 21st. I was reluctant to do it, because it meant removing some of the embroidery, but it was uncomfortably long, even when lifted by the belt. I also knew I could trip on it. 

I folded the hem under about 3" and stitched it by hand, without cutting. I had to undo the side seams a little because of the tapering shape.

I'm much happier with the result - deliberately tested with bare feet to be sure. Worn without a belt it's now a comfortable length - far more relaxing. Even a tiny heel will lift it further.  I’m sorry to lose some embroidery, but there's a lot left!  It's been too hot to wear it anyway.

A busy day on Saturday, when I spent the morning making moussaka, literally sweating over the stove, grabbed a shower, rushed off to pick up Niamh for JEMS, where I’d promised to stand in for an absent helper. I wasn’t really needed, but managed to sort some buttons, do the washing up and pick up the wrong phone on my way out. My bad, as my grandchildren would say.

I didn’t realise until Niamh and I had ordered our milkshakes and rhubarb friands at Queen St Cafe, 10 minutes drive from the Guild. The phone was the same model as mine with a similar cover. Both were in my pocket. Fortunately the owner, a tutor, was still at the Guild. She hadn’t missed it. She insisted she would come to us to pick it up, eschewing directions, saying she would Google the address on her iPad. We waited and waited. Everyone had now gone home from the Guild. We had no means of contact. 50 minutes later, just as we were about to drive away, she arrived. She had (1) mislaid her car keys somewhere at the Guild (2) found her car keys (3) realised once in her car that her iPad had no connectivity without her phone or wifi (4) gone to Queen St in a different suburb. I'm still not sure how she actually found us, but we were all very happy! 

Niamh was home in time to change and get to her football match. Anthony's roast lamb was excellent, likewise Katherine's salad. Katherine and I completed the Guardian Crossword with some remote help from Anthony at the ground watching the last half of Niamh's game. I was home just after 9, in the words of all good 1950s compositions, tired, but happy.

I had to leave home earlier than usual the next morning for my Book Club, because of the numerous road closures between me and Norwood, where we met. Not only has the Fringe closed one connecting road, but the Vailo Adelaide 500 car race was also on this weekend, closing another main city connector,  so I had to take a round-about route. I was quite glad to be leaving home - the noise from the cars was loud. As usual, we had a stimulating and useful discussion. This month we didn't have nominated books - just caught up on what each of us had been reading, which was a lot. Inspired by one of our member's, I came home and spent the afternoon escaping the 31C outside temperature,  reading,  in air-conditioned comfort, the second of Rhys Dylan's DCI Evan Warlow series.  

By the evening however, I was undoing several days of knitting. Left is what I had. Below right is what I should have had. Somehow I had missed a 10 row block of the chart. It’s tricky, working from a black and white chart with multiple colours. Also tricky undoing colour work over 10 rows.

It took more than an hour to pull it undone and rewind the wool.  I also changed down a needle size as it was looking too large. 

The redone missing rows (right) are about 6" in length, row 28 of an 80 row pattern, which is then repeated. I'm beginning to get the concept of the pattern imprinted in my brain, the key to relaxed knitting. Each row has 3 colours, a little trickier to keep untangled than my usual 2 per row of Fair Isle. 

As I was photographing the sunrise yesterday, a flock of birds took off noisily and I managed to get a few shots. I suspect they were Corellas, which feed as a flock in the South parklands, but they could have been lorikeets. Against the sky they just look black. The flight lasted for several minutes. 

A great start to the day.

Birds are increasingly evident - both in sight and sound. I startled 4 doves on my balcony yesterday and this one returned to explore. I think they presage the Autumn Equinox - tomorrow afternoon at 2pm. Interestingly, the temperature has dropped as if on cue,  from several weeks of 30C+, into the mid-twenties today, where it is forecast to remain for the next 10 days. Deo Gratias.

I pushed myself to get to Aquafit today, dashing home to shower and change before meeting Panayoula for coffee at White Picket, where I took the opportunity to have a substantial lunch - a “protein salad” of rocket, spinach, poached eggs, avocado, Haloumi, sun-dried tomato and smoked salmon - while we caught up and laughed a lot. 

Carrot salad for dinner tonight on the 'only one main meal per day' principle. Happy with that.

Post 526 Mad, Mad March.

On Wednesday I went on a gallery crawl with a friend visiting from Sydney for Writers' Week, a chance to reconnect, catch up on a few years, and share our  interest in beautiful things. We began at Art Images Gallery at Norwood where, along with their current Leunig exhibition,  I discovered a few Jane Burbidge plates. 

I bought a bowl from her Lotus collection and a plate from her Seafoam collection. The bowl matches the mugs I already have and makes a useful addition to my breakfast crockery, while the plate will serve a tart or pie. From there we headed up to Crafers and Atelier, for very early afternoon tea and more browsing. 

We were tempted by, but resisted, some lovely damask dresses, but I did succumb to some coral earrings and an Erica McNicoll pot plant holder.

Our last stop was the longest, at Aptos Cruz Gallery in Stirling. There is so much to look at there and I haven’t been for a while. There are always treasures. 

I bought a portable LED light which sits at three angles and recharges via usb. I have numerous lamps, but no power near my stitching chairs. This can be positioned beside me to focus on my hoop. It is also elegant. 

To my surprise and joy, they had a new supply of the champagne flutes I had bought as oddments several years ago. Only one remains of the 3 I bought. I now have 5.

They currently have a very large stock of Japanese crockery.

My final purchase was a single dinner plate.  I now have 3 to use when, as usual, I dine alone - and before I need to run the dishwasher. 

Sadly the deconsecrated church building, in which Aptos Cruz is housed, is up for sale. The owners are retiring. It has been a very special place from which I have had a lot of pleasure.

On our return we met up with another friend for dinner at A Prayer for the Wild at Heart - a truly fabulous day.

As the temperature climbed, Thursday was a chance to catch up on washing, Pilates and to read Jane Casey's The Burning pretty much in two long sittings. 

Friday required a visit to an Endodontist in the cbd. He was detailed and thorough in his assessment. I have a weakness in a crown. Replacement is risky. Options are do nothing or an(other) implant. I see my referring dentist next month, so will talk it over with her.  I have huge respect for this set of dentists and their evidence-based approach. So professional. I caught the city loop bus both ways, getting home as the temperature hit 37C and made myself a ham salad in my new plate.

On Saturday I managed to get to Frewville Foodland before 10am, well before the temperature hit its 40C maximum, and buy plenty of salad stuff, iceblocks and prawns to keep me going through a hot long weekend. It has been Adelaide Cup weekend - and a lot going on, Festival, Fringe, Womad, Writers' Week - with temperature each day over 39C. I caught up with Kilkenny news at dinner on Saturday night, then bunkered down with books and the cockatoo bag, venturing out only briefly for petrol on Sunday morning, while the prices were at the low end of the cycle.

I had the aircon on for 3 days, something I haven't done for a couple of years. It will cost me - but less than going away for the weekend.

The plants are coping, with daily watering. Some, like the Durante, have bloomed again. A few need replacing once the heat has retreated.

I met my neighbour while heading out for petrol. Theo is recovering well with help from a visiting physio.  I've stayed out of their way but Di says he'd like a visit, so I'll see what I can do when it's a little cooler.

I finished the cockatoo bag embroidery on Sunday night and on Monday found lining fabric and blocked the bag. I’ve really enjoyed this one, in spite of stuffing up the punch needle. Detail is in my embroidery blog. What I didn't mention there is that in the construction I made good use of the elegant pincushion Niamh made for my birthday this year.

I found some glass pins that match her French knots and it provided exactly what I needed to create the gussets.

While at the machine I affected another repair to my friend’s orange leisure pants. Voila!

Our current heat is producing lots of cloud. Today, after a cloudy sunrise, and slow start,  I ventured out to Aquafit. I nearly didn't go. Although it's a little cooler (37C rather than 39C!) I was temped to bunker down, but I'm glad I went. It was lovely in the water, the exercises mild and flowing.

In spite of the heat, I've been working on the Kaffe Fassett Aztec cardigan. Getting the many colours right is going to be a challenge once the labels are removed from the balls, so I've set up a colour card to help me. 

There's still warm weather to come, so I might alternate with Sashiko.

Post 525 In my little corner of the world

Still a lot happening. My windows were cleaned beautifully on Wednesday. Malcolm, the team member doing insides of individual units had the best job. The outside team varied their routine to avoid being in direct sun as the temperature rose to 39C. 

I now have clean views of the very pleasant landscape from the inside, both East and West.  

I will make good use of these over the coming week when the daily maximum is not forecast to drop below 30C.

                       

I visited OfficeWorks and bought a cork board and stand to hold the collage for Brigid’s birthday (photos are in colour, I have camouflaged for privacy), then stayed inside until 4.30pm when I headed off to friends’ place for dinner and a long catch up in the cool of their home, a really welcome and renewing interlude.

The main focus of my week has been Brigid's 21st Birthday party on Saturday night. A party is a very rare event for me these days and I admit to nervousness. Everyone was going. Alison and Karl came over from Canberra. There were, of course, related catch-ups. I had a pantry to stock for any  visitor contingency, and, because there had been a leaking window in the guest room weeks ago,  beds to make up.  My haircut on Friday was coincidental, but useful, and I managed to keep it reasonable for the necessary 36 hours.

The party was a huge success. The venue, the Semaphore Surf Lifesaving Club, was perfect, with plenty of indoor space and a stunning outdoor and boardwalk area of which photographers took full advantage. Again, for privacy reasons, the only photo is a screenshot silhouette, which, I think, demonstrates the potential.

Brigid, her friends, siblings and parents are to be congratulated on an event which was enjoyed by so many, went so smoothly, and created so much enjoyment. My pleasure and enjoyment were extended through Sunday and Monday, with family around and rare time to share and reflect. It's a timely reminder of the importance, on many levels, of such occasions.  Jim would have loved it.

Last week in the midst of party preparation, I realised I needed to get organised for my Certificate Course Workshop on Glazig Embroidery in April as the looming deadline for a notice in the Guild newsletter couldn't be met without the detail of what I am going to do.  I managed to grab moments and meet the deadline. Details in my embroidery blog.

One of the moments grabbed was a visit to Spotlight around midday on Saturday. On my way back I  was caught in a long stream of traffic held up at a level crossing, where we waiting expectantly for a train to pass. Instead, two men in safety vests appeared on foot from either side of the boom gates, walked to the two reflector lights, wiped them with a cloth and retreated to one side where they activated the lifting of the boom gates. 

A Jacques Tati moment.

Today I skipped Aquafit. I needed a day of no commitment as a pause, to catch up on blogging, stitch a little, sit and stare.  Family are safely home. Jennifer has reached Northern NSW on her Queensland journey. I ran into Panayoula who did get to the Looms of Greece Exhibition and has joined the cause. Tomorrow is a catch up with friends who've driven over from Sydney for Writers' Week, the fridge is full of food; there's a growing pile of books to read and the cockatoo bag is progressing. 

Deo Gratias!