Post 463 It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas

It has been an incredibly busy week. I've had medical appointments, pre-Christmas catch-ups, Book Club, World Embroidery Study Group, hairdresser - and lots of preparation and project finishing.

After a bit of experimenting, I managed to establish the air plants I bought last week. I glued one to a mineral paperweight I've had for years, and the other to the side of my wall garden. I try to spray them with water at least once a day.  So far so good.

After a discussion with the green-fingered receptionist at Pilates, I realised that plants in clay beads need to be in transparent glass containers to access light on the beads. That means the handleless cup won't work with beads. I got out some glass vases and used up the remaining beads I had with some philodendron cuttings and another begonia.

Worth a try. 

The World Embroidery Study Group final meeting for the year was last Wednesday. There were two last minute apologies who were COVID close contacts. We were all appreciative of this consideration. Most members are vulnerable and cautious - but still enthusiastic to meet. The 9 of us who made it had a terrific session with Junette talking about Smocks. I took the opportunity to wear a top I smocked years ago and rarely wear - along with the crystal Denise gave me last week.

There were lots of examples of smocks to examine and a really interesting history. About 6 of us stayed on for lunch - keeping our distance and with doors open - and enjoying the chance to share and catch up. It's a fabulous group - and next year's program is looking good.

After WES Group, I made a quick trip to the Yarn Trader at Port Adelaide to pick up a tube of wooden darning needles, then on to a Guild friend's place for an early dinner. She had cooked a delicious salmon meal to go with the bottle of Stan Ivanova's wine that Nelly gave me when the Guild Museum accepted some of Stan's mother's embroidery. I've been saving it to drink with these friends who need and appreciate organic wine. It was a lovely meal - and lovely wine. Other than half a dozen or so glasses of prosecco, this is the first wine I've drunk in over a year - and it was worth waiting for. 

On Thursday I had an extended dental appointment with the lovely Clemmie - an Xray and tricky filling. All good. I made it to  Pilates where there were only two of us and the anaesthetic eventually wore off.  Friday was a rarity - I had lunch with a friend and dinner with other friends. I try hard to follow my nutritionist's advice to have only one main meal a day, so avoid eating out for 2 meals, but I chose carefully. It was a privilege to be able to do it - and to have such friends.

In between commitments I have been preparing for Christmas. Last year I bought re-usable crackers, so needed to remake them. That involved sourcing and purchasing snaps, downloading and printing this year's Christmas jokes and riddles (which bear a striking resemblance to last year's) and finding fillings for them. It proved a bit tricky and took a couple of hours or so, but I got there in the end. Two have gone in a parcel to Canberra and the rest are now ready for Christmas Day in Adelaide.

While preparing the parcel for Canberra, I decided to get all my presents organised. A couple of months ago I bought a basket of Christmas fabric from the Guild Trading Table, with a view to making more of the drawstring bags I use in place of wrapping paper. While I could have managed with the bags I have already, it seemed timely to use the fabric now. Realistically, if I don't, it will sit there for another year. So I took the plunge. It turned out to be more than I had bargained for. There was A LOT of fabric. I cut out and machined what I needed for this year - maybe 10 bags. For several days my sitting area had piles of gifts, fabric, beads, ribbon. 

Eventually it transformed to this.

During the process, it dawned on me, that there might be something in the advice of my one-time dressmaker several years ago, that it was more efficient to prepare and iron the bags I cut out, rather than just zooming them up on the machine and tidying them later. 

So I gave it a go. 

Last night I cut out a further 30 bags from the Christmas fabric. Some are quite large, some small. When I got home from the hairdresser today, I got out the iron and pressed the side seams and turn-overs.  They are sitting on my machine - hopefully tomorrow's task - more professional than my usual effort - and hopefully efficient.

On Sunday I took time out from bags for a commission from Veronica - two Christmas stockings for family visitors.The wool felt is left over from the coat I made a few years ago and the rest is felt and bling left over from felt Christmas ornaments in past years.

Book Club was relaxed and fun. I had managed to completely read one of the books - Exiles by Jane Harper, listened to half on another The Tilt by Chris Hammer, and read 20% of Day's End by Garry Disher. All good reads - but I just ran out of time this month. I'm trying to finish them.

A couple of other books arrived this week (just what I need!) I ordered Fabric after it was lent to me in hard-back. It was available at a reasonable price in paperback and I thought it would be useful for WES Group. I read her Jewels  when it was first published in 2005 and really enjoyed it. I've looked for it a few times without success. It too has just been published in paperback. 

Maybe in January I'll have time......

The other adventure this week was a visit from my friend Cathy. She called me seeking directions from Frome Rd, around the corner from me. I (irrationally, I realise) assumed she was heading south and gave her instructions accordingly. She was, of course, heading north. By the time we worked out the problem she was crossing North Terrace, so ended up touring Adelaide University before retracing her path and arriving in one piece, with a pile of embroidery books for me. Several, on Candlewicking, are reviving my once quite intense interest, and another, by Helen Stevens,  has great chapters on Anglo-Saxon and Medieval embroidery. A Guild friend is enjoying the two Jane Nicolas Stumpwork books. It was a very generous gift. We had a good catch-up, in spite of the directions drama. 

My local Post Office has moved - same great staff, more convenient to me, expanded and with parcel lockers! I have my access code!

Finally, my second order of Christmas cards arrived.

I have made my own Christmas cards for many years. In recent years I have had cards printed with a run-down of my year. I still add a personal note but the broad news is printed. I no longer send them to friends I see regularly, or many who keep up with my news online (don't want to bore them silly!). Cards are a bit of an anachronism in an age of social media, and every year I ask recipients if I should stop. There are some friends and family who like the annual connection and news, so I continue.  This week Jeremy Ng posted a link   V&A post on Victorian Christmas cards to the Guild website. The history is interesting.  I'm not sure of the purpose of Christmas card greetings in 2022. I have come to see cards as a vehicle for catching up and communicating with absent friends but  I was so pleased with this year's card,  that I decided to have it reprinted without the lengthy text for a few people who like cards but don't need the news. Now these have arrived I will send a couple tomorrow and hope they arrive in time. Evolving traditions.

I do hope your Christmastide is Joyful.

Post 462 Christmas is coming....

On Wednesday I ventured to Hahndorf to meet my brother at Otto's Bakery during his lunch break. He was in Adelaide for the day on a cruise ship, accompanying a tour group. Very sensibly, he took them to The Cedars, the Hans Heysen house in Hahndorf. He has done this before and we take the opportunity to catch up in his lunch break. I wish I had taken a photo - but I was living in the moment, enjoying the rare chance to meet in person. It's not gourmet food - but an easy and pleasant place to meet. A rare and treasured opportunity.

On the way to Hahndorf, I took the opportunity to stop off in Crafers at Atelier - a gallery with a shop selling local crafts (and food). I hadn't been before but had found online that they carried the ceramics of Jane Burbidge (Just Jane Ceramics), whose beautifully shaped and sized coffee mugs I have used for well over a decade. From at least half a dozen, I am down to two with handles - and I wanted replacements. The gift of the Claire Unger mug a fortnight ago only made the loss more acute.

The ones I am replacing are no longer available but I was hoping she had retained the shape and size in her current Ginko range.  My hope was realised. The gallery ( a great find - I'll go back!) had two of her Ginko mugs (right), good size and very pleasant shape to hold. They also had a range by Indigo Clay, slightly different shape, and a rather more 1970s colour and texture, but still promising. Of course I bought both. I am now enjoying my first coffee from a Ginko mug and have retired the most recently broken original (centre) to service as a succulent pot.

The basket in the photos above was another find at the gallery, interestingly made with a sewing machine and washable. I reckon it works well for my Big Red Geranium.

I couldn't resist trying for some more bat photos. I can't get closer versions. They are too fast for me using my DSLR. A bit of distance does show their size against the landscape.

As a follow-up to my saga of sending a registered medical report to the Dept of Infrastructure & Transport, I had a feedback request from Australia Post, so I politely pointed out that yes, the letter had been delivered, but no, I did not think the matter was resolved until I understood why I had no tracking or delivery advice. Within 5 minutes I had a phone call to explain that registered mail to departments that receive mail in volumes is signed over in large batches, not individual letters. Great for the department and Australia Post, hopeless for senders. I have now suggested they place "Not Suitable for correspondence with Government Department" on the registered letter form.

Saturday was the Maggie's Mart Footpath Sale of Goods  at St Margaret's Woodville and I went along to stock up on plants, which are always good there. For $50 I got a load of succulents and daisies to fill gaps on my balconies. I resisted the very healthy looking frangipani.  As much as I love them and these looked very healthy, three frangipani trees are enough for any balcony!

Over the weekend I placed them into spare spots, these ones on the front  balcony

and a few on the back. 

        

During the week I also soaked and prepared the clay beads and planted a succulent and a begonia in the chipped glass and the handleless mug.

I'll  be interested to see how these go. The ones I bought from my Pilates Studio are doing very well, but they were well established when I bought them. 

There is now an array of Just Jane planters on the front balcony - and I have plenty of coffee cups! 

I managed to get to Grange in time to find a parking space and have lunch at the Grange Hotel before Sit'nStitch on Friday. It was a lovely day, a relaxing time at the beach and also at stitching. It is now very busy at Grange (and other beaches) as the weather has warmed up.  Not everyone swims or fishes. Many just meet friends, walk their dogs and, like me, soak up the wonderful sky and sea.

On the way home I managed a photo of Carrington Street in full Jacaranda glory. A few days later, the purple is being overtaken by the green leaves. That's also a good look, but I am pleased to have captured the purple at its best.

I've still been knitting, but yesterday I played around with some striped plisse that I had originally purchased to make nightdresses for granddaughters, but abandoned. The Guild exhibition next year has a theme of 'It starts with a Stitch' and I decided I could use this very pink fabric to make aprons with sampler-type stitching down the stripes. I think it could work, so I used an apron I had bought for the purpose as a pattern and cut out one apron. 

I'm not quite ready to start stitching. The next couple of weeks are mostly spoken for but but it won't be long. Hope it works. 

Today I spent 3 hours having coffee and lunch with a past neighbour. It was good to catch up. She gave me a very pretty necklace which also serves as a a pendulum for divination. She also suggested my granddaughters might like to borrow it sometimes. 

On my way home I stopped at Bunnings to buy secateurs. I also bought 2 air plants on impulse. By next week I will have them sorted.

Earlier in the morning I made my gingerbread biscuits for Christmas. They look a bit pale here, but they are done, and taste good. There is sugar and golden syrup in them, so I am not going to add more by icing them. 

Finally today, I am sad to learn my sister-in-law's mother died last night after a long illness and decline. A big loss and sadness. Rest in Peace, Wenda. 

Post 461 A way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert

One way and another it has been quite a week, even though much of it was spent at home, on my own. I photographed this little flower on a walk around a nearby block - so cheery. The jacarandas , including

the one behind our building, are now in full splendour. I love the combination of colours, especially when the sun is out, as it has been much of the time. I've had occasion to close the Vergola roof on a couple of days, but also to have it open to enjoy some sun.

It  now seems the painting of the Eastern side of our building can't happen before April, and, since that isn't the best weather for painting, we will probably delay until Spring, in September-October. So I have put the planters back on the balcony rail, replaced the chair and replenished the plants.

The chair could do with a repaint. It was originally black. I painted it white and upholstered  armrests and cushions in the late 70s, then removed the upholstery and repainted in the 90s. I'm not sure I have the space (or the energy) for another makeover. 

The doves seem to sense something is afoot, and come back to explore, casting long and interesting shadows.  

I bought portulaca, alyssum, petunias and coleus to fill in spots where annuals or spent plants were thinning. After all the rain, it is surprisingly dry and I'm trying to keep them watered daily.

The Unley Village Shopping Centre also had a bonsai nursery pop-up stall. This ficus caught my eye and I bought it.

It's elegant. I'm not sure what I will do in 2-3 years time when it needs repotting. Maybe the shop will pop-up again and I can ask them to do it for me. If push comes to shove I could probably learn.

The Adelaide 500, an annual (except for Covid) 4 day Supercars event has been on this week. It is a street circuit, so roads are closed on the Eastern side of the city and traffic diverted. There are lots of people heading towards the venue at various times, and plenty of noise. The cars themselves provide a kind of background drone, and the nightly concerts would probably keep me awake if they didn't finish abruptly at 11pm. There are a lot of helicopters - probably both news photographers and safety monitoring- and a daily jet fly-past. It was manageable for a non-car enthusiast resident, but I might consider going away for those 4 days next year. 

On Sunday I decided to take a break and find somewhere out of the city to have a (very) late lunch. I had the same thought on Saturday, while my Adelaide family were at a very long and special wedding, but got distracted.

It was very warm but I took a risk on driving to the beach around 3pm, thinking I'd have a walk and late/early meal at the Grange Hotel. I hadn't reckoned on the parking - which was impossible. Eventually I drove back home and had a 4pm meal at the pub on the Square, sitting outside and ignoring the helicopters.

The squid was good, the salad a bit too much chilli for me. The chips were fine, but I limited myself to half of them.

There was a 6pm Evensong at the Cathedral on Sunday to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Ordination of Women in the Anglican Church. The first Adelaide ordination of women was on 5 December 1992 when 5 women were ordained priest. While I had followed the work of the Movement for the Ordination of Women at the time, I was not a member. I was, in those years, heavily involved in affirmative action for women and change within education and couldn't fight on two fronts. I had friends in Sydney who were members, and I kept my eye on it.

It was very much part of my development - and my disconnection from the church -  so I did want to celebrate the achievements of 30 years.

The Cathedral wasn't packed, but it was a decent crowd. I joined Katherine, Anthony and the girls. On display were some of the original banners (or replicas thereof) celebrating the long line of women leaders in the church.

Four of the original five ordinands were at the service, 

One, Susan Straub, spoke graciously of the time - and those in Adelaide who supported the struggle.

Bishop Denise's sermon was the gentle and useful perspective of one who, as a New Zealander, did not claim the same struggle as those 5 women and pushed us to 'go and tell' - essentially 'get on with the job'.

The anthem, music by Rachel Bruerville was a powerful rendition of Isaiah 43:18-19 Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old, I am about to do a new thing. Make way.

The Diocese had produced a 32 page booklet to commemorate the event, outlining the history and reproducing photographs - a sensible and creative thing to do. 

There's still a way to go, but it is encouraging and timely to mark progress. Adelaide and Sydney were the hold-out dioceses in relation to ordaining women. It is a privilege to be in Adelaide to celebrate 30 years on.   I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

When I got home, not hungry after my 4pm lunch, I watched Pilgrimage to the Scottish Isles on ABCTV. It seemed appropriate - six people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs trying to understand St Columba's original journey from Ireland to Christianise the Scots - well before Augustine was sent by Rome. Adoption and adaptation, recognition of connectedness - interesting themes in belief as they are in education or embroidery. 

Last Friday I took 7 knives to the Guild, carefully wrapped in a tea towel inside a wine-bottle bag. I wasn't going to make it to yesterday's general meeting when Mr Knife was coming to sharpen any scissors or knives for members. My knives were in need of sharpening and I didn't want to miss the opportunity, so I dropped them in with the money. As a consequence, I gave up my plan for roast pork for Monday night's dinner, since I would not have a carving knife. Chicken Maryland had to do. I joined the Tuesday stitchers today and collected the knives. I'm almost too scared to unwrap and wash them. As if the warning isn't enough, the band aid is really putting me off!

While waiting for family to arrive yesterday, I got out the Christmas decorations and decided to adorn the large ficus on the front balcony. There are a few historic items - the decorated felt boot made at playgroup sometime in the 70s, wooden soldiers and sparkly stars - as well as felt figures of gingerbread people and Wizard of Oz characters I've made in the last decade (relevance to Christmas? seemed like a good idea at the time.)

The Yukka branch now hosts an angel and a Christmas Cactus, given to me by a dear friend in Tucson after 9/11, while the pewter horn and reindeer acquired  at a Christmas Fair at Mt Vernon, now make shadows from door handles.

I'm quite pleased with the UNESCO snowflakes and Katherine's suggestion for one of the lovely paper fold-out balls works best of all above the etching of a melancholy former Treasurer, Paul Keating.            

I really love these balls, which seem to have sold out, so I can't provide a link. 

I've always been a bit of a sucker for fold-out paper shapes. In any case there was  a bit of a touch of Christmas about the place by dinner time yesterday. This is the last week of term and I am unlikely to have visitors between now and Christmas, but I like the touch. The pennants, somewhat faded, proclaim the season to the street. After dinner, Anthony and Veronica tightened the legs on all my dining chairs. Many thanks!

I've been stressing for more than a week about the fact that the medical for my driving licence, duly filled out and sent registered mail to the appropriate department 3 weeks ago, had not arrived. The tracking information said it was delayed. My query to Australia Post resulted in a response today that basically said 'we don't know what happened to it but it probably arrived' so I bit the bullet and rang the department. After only about 15 minutes of listening to messages I spoke to a pleasant woman who checked. Lo! it has reached the department! It has not been assessed and added to my record, but yes, they have it! I am absurdly pleased and relieved. I will follow her advice to ring in a week's time to check it has made its way into my record. My contingency plan of organising a new form and repeating the process is on the back burner!

Finally, I got my Christmas cards organised in November this year, since last year, some posted in the first week of December did not arrive until February! I'm pleased with this year's card, and posted the overseas ones a week ago.  Each year now I spend more time checking that friends I haven't heard from are alive and able to receive cards, especially since Covid has made communication really difficult for some. A long newsy email from my friend in Watford had me on a high for days.

I held the Australian cards back until today, taking them with me to post on the way home from the Guild. Unfortunately, the coffee cup I took with me was not properly secured and leaked on the cards. I cleaned up as best I could. One card needed replacing. I think the others are OK.  My mother's voice says for an intelligent child you can be very stupid at times but I'm ignoring that in favour of no use crying over spilt coffee.

Post 460 Vergola is working!

The jacarandas are now in full bloom.

It has been a bit windy, so there are also purple footpaths. We've had a couple of warm days, but for the most part it has been cool.

I hope the purple mist brings cheer to several friends dealing with illness, infirmity or sadness.

The bats have been back every evening. These are the abundant Moreton Bay figs that they are feeding on. 

The native frangipani at the back continues to attract a variety of birds. On Saturday it was a couple of young honeyeaters.  

One looked like a fledgling.

They are hard to photograph because they are so well camouflaged in the tree, the yellow stripe on their wing blending perfectly with the tree.

They are small and lost amongst the leaves. I rather like their lack of showiness.

The big event in my week was the return of the Vergola man on Friday with my remote control.  Two weeks ago I mentioned that Vergola had employed and trained a repairman who was coming late the next day.

What I didn't report last week was that on his first job that next day he fell off a ladder and injured his back - off work for a week!  He finally arrived last Wednesday, just as I was heading out to lunch with a friend. When he couldn't get the back off the remote control, I suggested he take it back to the workshop, which he did. It turned out there was cleverly disguised tape over the back of the remote. Removing that revealed a screw. I had examined the remote several times and concluded it was a sealed unit. On Friday Andy, the repair man, turned up with a new battery in the remote to see if that solved the problem. I was sceptical - hardly daring to hope. When the Vergola responded to the remote I was so relieved I hugged him - something I haven't done to anyone in the last 32 months! He was as surprised and pleased as me that it worked.  Never mind that I have just gone 8 months without the Vergola  because of a dead battery, I was just over the moon to have a simple fix. Maybe I'm losing my outrage as I get older - or maybe the last couple of years have taught me to be grateful for every positive outcome. Friday was a 34C day - the only one so far this Spring - so closing the roof was a big plus. I move it every day because I can! Je ne regrette rien!

Saturday was the last Guild Certificate Course Workshop for the year. It focused on two kinds of braiding. My account is in my embroidery blog. Some at the workshop asked where they could buy Great Australian Rascals, Rogues and Ratbags, my brother's book I mentioned last week. It's readily available in Target, BigW, Post Offices, Booktopia, the Book Depository  airports, as well as book shops. 

While I was at the workshop,  I was able to open the door to our apartment building remotely via my phone for the postman to leave a parcel, which turned out to be a gift from my friend Robin - a Claire Unger cup! 

When I got home I still had coffee left in the thermos I take to the Guild, so used it immediately. Such a lovely surprise.

While at the workshop I handed over the Maureen Holbrook folders of articles to the Certificate Course organisers. There are another 5 of these to be picked up from Maureen and added to the database, as well as another collection from Val Darby. A job, maybe, for after Christmas.

I had friends coming to lunch on Sunday, and because I would be at the Guild workshop all day on Saturday, I spent Friday (when not attending to the Vergola) cooking moussaka - one for Sunday lunch and another, larger one, for Monday night. To be safe, I froze the large one and defrosted it Sunday night.

As it turned out, because of illness, Schoolies'Week recovery and work commitments, there were only four of us for Monday dinner. This gave me the chance, two days in a row - to use the place mats I won in the Guild Sala raffle! There are only 4 of them - which are not very often useful to me. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of them on the laden table - but they looked great. 

This morning Panayoula and I caught up for coffee. As we were leaving we were struck by this vista on the house next to the coffee shop - a dove perfectly balanced on the chimney pots against the sky.

Another moment of shared joy to cherish.