Backyard Blitz

It is time we did something about our back yard. We were going to do it a while ago, but then the underpinning of the house had to be done and our bank balance took a beating. We have recovered sufficiently now to address the garden.

We had a design and quote some years ago, and resurrected it. According to the King Street Conservatory, who did the quote, this is the longest sleeping quote they have ever had.

I've just let everything go in the garden. Self-sown compost tomatoes have taken over, grass and weeds have run riot. Stuff has sprung up between the paving bricks, it is all an utter miserable mess. The before photos in the album show how terrible it is.

2008Garden

Blokes and a skip arrived this morning, so at last the process begins. Steve and Rick are out the back and down the side of the house. Majic is dying to be a Builder's Pug (he adores tradesmen, and a while ago made a bid to be a Plumber's Pug) and he is great at getting underfoot and making a pest of himself. Here he is keeping an eye on Steve:

While the cat's away

My mother has gone off to the US, by herself, to visit her twin brother and her older sister. She wanted to celebrate her 86th birthday with her twin brother, and to visit her sister, aged 93. Those are pretty good genes I have inherited, I reckon.

Mum lives only a few doors away from us, and we eat dinner together most nights. Mum is gluten and lactose intolerant, so there are quite a few things that are verboten for us. We don't mind that, there are plenty of alternatives, but now there is terrible freedom! We can eat wheat and milk! We made a list of things to eat while she is gone. Here it is:

• Wonton wrappers - little prawn dumplings coming up
• Burgers, cooked on toasty bread bases
• Pizza
• Fettucine and spaghetti
• Floured and crumbed fish
• Veal schnitzel, floured with tarragon, with a lemon sauce (somehow no other flour works as well)
• Cous cous, as itself, or as a crumb coating for fish or meat
• Filo pastry parcels
• Puff pastry

Hmmm, how is this going to affect The Diet, I wonder?

Bronte to Bondi

I've wanted to do the Bronte to Bondi walk for ages. Summer isn't the time to do it - parking is too hard, and it would be too hot. I definitely didn't want to go when Sculpture by the Sea was on - far too crowded. So I suggested to Lien that we do it this weekend. She agreed.

The plan was to park at Bronte, walk to Bondi, eat, and walk back. And that is exactly what we did. The weather was pretty gloomy when we started out, but by the time we got walking it had cleared up and was wonderful. There were still people about, but not too many.

I took my camera, of course, and captured lots of images. I LOVE having a digital camera, one can be so profligate with images. Snap snap snap click click click click click. I am not too good at deleting them, but adore taking them.

The water, the waves, it all looked so splendid and sparkling in the sunshine. I wished I could be out there on a board too!

The rock formations are wonderful. They look alive, almost. This one reminded me very much of Gaudi's architecture. We watched a movie about Gaudi while we were in Hawaii, so his work is much in my mind.

The colours in the sandstone are so varied. From grey and black and white, through to all the bright yellows and oranges and reds.


Crumbed whiting and a serve of chips between us, eaten at Bondi Beach, tasted pretty darned good. We walked quickly back to Bronte to work off the calories.

Our next venture is going to be the Spit Bridge to Manly walk. I've done that one before, but it was a long time ago, and I'm ready to do it again.

Hat leash

When we were at the top of the Aloha Tower we espied two Japanese wearing hats. More than that, they were wearing hat leashes. Theirs were pretty fancy - hers was a jewelled owl in gold, with a gold chain. We were immediately jealous and went into the hat shop in the shopping centre to see whether they had any. No such luck, alas.

Now we are home I have plans for a beaded tatted crocheted netted embroidered version, but until then two bulldog clips and a shoelace make a nifty substitute. Here I am demonstrating it with the hat Mum made out of Esperance raffia.

Classy?

A pattern to speak of

I spent a goodly amount of time on my holiday working through filet netting. There was one stitch I needed to know more about (point d'esprit) so I finished it when I got home, having consulted my trusty copy of Therese de Dillmont's Bible.

Here it is - my first proper piece of netting, just cut from the mesh. It has been buttonholed around the edge, and you can still see the little bits of the mesh poking out the ends. It has to be washed, and it has to shrink. Then it will all fluff up and the linen stitch will compress, and it will look better. It is SUCH fun to do! I love it. There will be more of this, I can assure you.

Did you know that the Hawaiian flag includes the Union Jack? This piece is a kind of union jack design, so it is appropriate.

Eating and dieting

I had it set in my mind that I was going to wear my bikini on my birthday. That meant dieting. It was time I lost some weight, and Julie's wedding was another motivating force. So I lost ten kilos over the last five months. I also didn't care too much about dieting while on holiday!

Some of my favourite foods in Honolulu are here:



Mmmmm, taro chips, Azuki (red bean) ice cream, twice a day. Or creme brulee ice cream. Mmmm, haupia - a kind of solid sweet coconut jelly. Love it.


Mmmm, lychee yoghurt! Gingerade - packed a real wallop. Guava nectar - I just love that gritty texture it has.

So it was with some trepidation that I stood on the scales when I got back. Mentally I'd prepared to have gained 3 kgs, worst case. After all, ice cream and chips on a regular basis is hardly dieting.

Morning, on the scales, eyes crunched closed, hands clenched........... eyes peeking a crack........ and I don't believe what I see. I've lost nearly a kilo! Off the scales, back on to check whether I am seeing things. Yup - definitely lost a kilo.

Must be the regular ice cream.

Or maybe it was 40 minutes a day of serious swimming. What do you think?

All is well

The computer has returned unscathed. The jolt from The Mighty Pug resulted in a card being jarred out of its slot, and the hard disk had to be checked. The card is back, the computer is fine, the dog hasn't a worry in the world.

I wasn't too worried either, but there were a few photos that had been downloaded but not yet backed up. Most of them had, but not all. This one was among them.



I love my new digital camera. I love playing with it and seeing instant results, and being able to post them on my blog. This was the best of my Moon Shots from the Plane. It turned out pretty well, I thought.

The Pug is in my Bad Books

OK, I confess. I was watching funny pug videos on Youtube. It was the Wonder Pugs video and I was just laughing like crazy when Crazy Pug went into action. He really doesn't like hearing things on the computer, it sends him berserker than usual. He leapt onto the computer box, which was sitting on its side, and pushed it over with a mighty thump.

The video stopped, went jerky. The screen went blue stripey shaky. I decided to reboot. It won't.

Bloody pug. Bloody computers. Thank heavens for the laptop.

Women who run with the Pugs

While I've been lolling around on the sands of Waikiki, Majic has been getting fitter and fitter. I arranged for his walker to come every day instead of once a week while we were away, just so I know he's been out there getting his exercise. Iain and Renee from Paws to Play take him out for runs and romps for an hour every day.

Now I hear that my housesitter has been taking him out for a RUN every evening! Does that mean that I will have to run to keep up with him when I get home? He must be the fittest Pug in all Pugdom. That is a pretty scary prospect. Women who run with the Pugs indeed.

The Bobbsey twins

It had to happen.

As one walks around Waikiki one often sees couples dressed alike. Honeymooners, old couples, mums and daughters, wearing identical floral numbers.

Yesterday Michael and I, by sheer accident, got dressed in twinnie style. No florals for us though. White pants, dark blue tops. We had to immortalise this moment, so here we are:



Oh, and one more spam shot - this was a work of art for sale - Spambiance. I shall say no more about Spam.

Spam - a LOT of spam!

Yesterday was the 6th annual Waikiki SpamJam. According to the Lonely Planet's Honolulu guide, Hawaii consumes three times the amount of Spam as any other US state. That amounts to nearly eleven thousand cans of it every day. The most visible daily consumption is the spam sushi - a block of rice with fried Spam on top, with a wrapping of nori. They sell like hot cakes.

Kalakaua Street was closed off from 4 pm to 10 pm, and there were lots of festivities. Bands, dancers, food stalls, and Spam himself wandering the street looking cute. We had already decided that takeaway was going to be the order of the day for dinner, so our choices were limitless. Sort of....

Spam anyone?









We eschewed (not chewed..) any form of Spam in favour of the Hawaiian steak and shrimp.


It was truly excellent.

Craft addiction

Readers will know that I am addicted to many kinds of craft. Today I will share with you the booty I brought with me, had sent here, or bought here. Judge for yourself whether my addiction is out of control. Here it is, all collected together.



First, I brought with me my tatting, the perennial tatting. This is the almost-finished second placemat which might one day become four placemats which may one day get joined into one big tablecloth. I like tatting for many reasons. It is small and portable, it goes on planes because it uses a little plastic shuttle, not needles or hooks. You don't need to see much to do it - it can be done in relatively dim lighting. And once you know the pattern (and I know this one very well now), it is mindless and soothing.



I also brought the filet lace kit my sister (bless her soul) gave me for my birthday. What you see on the stretcher frame now is my next doily, with a pattern this time. You also see the pattern I am using. Making the pattern is a fascinating combination of dotting in the squares you want to fill, then tracing a single continuous line around them all. Then you follow that with your (long ball-pointed) needle and thread.




On a trip up to the Lyon Aboretum with Julie and Martin we stopped for lunch at Kailua. There was a bead shop, and there was a 50% off sale on Swarovski crystals. I bought their stock of purple velvet small bicones, which will become a beaded rose with baby's breath to form Martin's buttonhole for The Wedding. I have made two experiments, and we think these crystals will be perfect. We hope so!



Before I left Sydney, I placed an order with Beadwrangler for two beadspinners - a small one for seed beads and a larger one. Fill the bowl of these twirly devices with beads, stick a wire or needle and thread in at a certain angle, spin... and the beads just climb onto the wire or needle. As one who enjoys knitting, tatting and crochet with beads, and making beaded flowers, these spinners are going to save me hours of hand-stringing time. It is so boring, and I hope these are going to work. Included was a free pack of amethyst coloured seed beads, and a wooden spool for the strung yarn or whatever.



There was a trip to the Temple of Craft in Honolulu, Flora Dec. I love this place. It is jammed with goodies - eyelash yarn to make leis with, craft wire, stickers, paper punches, artificial flowers, and so much more. Beads, glitter, you name it. Michael was amazed at the amount of stuff. I reckon half or more of Hawaiian craft souvenirs start here. It is a great place to buy non-flower leis, they are beautiful and reasonable. I might have to make another expedition there, as I didn't even dare peek into the huge warehouse section.



I was on a search for coloured craft wire, with which to make French beaded flowers. In particuar, the rose for Julie's Boy's buttonhole at the wedding. In general, flowers to grace the house or become gifts for people. They are fun to make. I found the coloured wire, and you see it here. Green stem wire, green wire for leaves, purple wire for flowers, and a variety pack for whatever I think to do with it. I found florist's tape (for binding the stems). I couldn't resist a spool of lilac silk rattail, for maybe making a crocheted lei out of the dark red eyelash yarn I bought on the last trip (with instructions), or for Chinese Knotting. (although that's hard to do and I haven't mastered it by any stretch of the imagination.)

Here's the Flora Dec haul:



Julie the Knitter was most willing to accompany me on a visit to Isle Knits. This is a tiny shop on the 14th floor of an office building in downtown Honolulu. A treasure trove. I was on the hunt for tiny circular needles for bead knitting. Knitting beads on rayon thread on metal double-pointed needles is an exercise in slippery frustrating. Perhaps the technique of two circulars will serve me better. Did she have any OOO circulars? Yes. She even had 0000 circulars. I took two for the bead knitting. My sister also sent me a book on using two circulars for sock knitting, so I bought two of the appropriate size for that purpose. And while I was there, there was this lovely silk alpaca that Julie said would be enough to make a Swallowtail shawl with, so the appropriate amount leapt into my shopping bag.

Here is the haul from Isle Knits:



The common thread running through most of my crafts, I realise, is exactly that - a single continuous thread (or wire, in the case of the beaded flowers.) I love what you can do with a thread. That fascination extends to string games too, which I will blog about one day.

You can never be bored if you have a thread.

A triple dipped two-togs day

The youngsters were leaving today, so we got up early to take them to the airport. Very early - 5.30. We were ready way before they were!

After we dropped them off we had plans for the rest of the day. I had an agenda. At the luau we sat next to a young couple who said that Shark's Cove on the north shore was better than Hanauma Bay. I've been to Hanauma Bay twice before, so I pricked up my ears. We went.

We drove up the centre of the island, past the Dole Plantaion, past Hali'ewa. It was still early, and there was almost nobody there. A beautiful spot:



with a big tidal pool. I clambered over the rocks and took this picture of a rock rose.



Was it safe to swim there? It looked OK to me but you never know about currents, rips, and other nasties. There were no lifeguards and Michael wasn't about to rescue me if I got into trouble. But, I was there to snorkel, so I snorkeled.

Here's proof:



I wore my Teva sandals in case of coral, and they do add a certain buoyancy. It was just glorious. Almost immediately I saw a sea turtle chomping on a rocky coral outcrop. He stopped, hung suspended in the clear water and we gazed at each other for a while, before we went our separate ways. How lucky was that? This isn't my picture, and I only saw one turtle, but this is pretty much what I saw.




There were heaps of fish, and it was terrific. I felt a bit nervous as I went out quite a long way, so I had a bit of a swim back and hugged the rocks on the way back. Apparently there are lots of underwater caves, but I was not investigating those!

On the swim back in I saw a facemask wedged on the bottom. Always the tidy one, I picked it up and brought it back to shore with me. In the picture I am carrying one and wearing one. What will I do with it? Anyone want it? It is a really good one.



After this dip we went up to Kuilima Cove. I dipped there too. It was very shallow, there was lots of nice coral, and there were a lot of fish. The most interesting thing I saw were these long tangled strands of white stuff that I think were alive. Not sure though!

We came home after a coffee and cake at Starbucks, and were weary. Had lunch. Then the water called me again and I went for a long swim at Fort de Russy beach, my regular. As I emerged from the water, a woman asked me if I had seen anything. "Yes, lots of fish," I said. "How far out do you have to go to see any?" she asked. "About a foot," I indicated. She was surprised, but it is true. All you need to do is put your face in the water and there they are.

So a three-dip two-tog day. No bikini today, though.

Practice piece

Netting is lots of fun. Quick, interesting, and a good result. At least I think it will be once I get going with some patterns.

This is my very first piece - a practice piece with no pattern to speak of. I started at the lower left corner, and there are mistakes - it is easy to pick where I went over instead of under and vice versa. By the time I got to the big square at top right the work was going pretty quickly.

This is on mesh size 3. My next attempt is going to be on mesh size 5 (smaller - the number refers to the number of meshes per inch.) Stay tuned.

Today was a retail therapy day. Michael and I walked to the Ward Centre where we got some more Illy coffee (blue, medium grind). Then back to the Ala Moana mall where we replaced the mystery tomatillos (the first two disppeared from the refrigerator) and a few other bits and pieces. A new cotton robe for me from the Japanese department store. A new vegetable steamer for the micowave. A Reyn Spooner shirt for Michael. A New York Times. That was the sum total. Alas I have been bitten by the Vinnie's bug and any item of clothing over $12 seems extortionate now. I blame my mother for that.

We were tired after our walk, so I went for a swim (in my bikini) and a sunbake (I know I am bad, but I love it) and a read. Finished Dora Damage's Journal and have started on a Hawaiian crimmie by Deborah Turrell Atkinson. So far, so good.

Tonight I am cooking in. Pork thin sliced with tomatillo jalapeno chili sauce, mashed potatoes, broccoli and asparagus.

Who needs a hair drier?

Last night we went to a luau at the Royal Hawaiian, also known as the Pink Palace. I really wanted to see a show of some sort, and we didn't want to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center - it is run by Mormons. And besides, we went to the Pink Palace for Michael's birthday and it is now a Family Tradition.

It was great. I wore the feather necklace Michael bought me 18 years ago on our first visit here. We were given leis, as you see in the photo. As you see by my Little Dutch Girl hairstyle, I have not used the hair drier for some time and this is Just How it Is after a day's swimming.

The food was "authentic" - quite good, but one wouldn't want a regular diet of Hawaiian food. Poi is best left alone. Taro chips are excellent. Lomi lomi was a bit too salty. Pulled Pork is good. Desserts were indulgent.

The show was terrific, with hula girls and fiery dancing. A good time had by all.

I blame Therese de Dillmont

When I was little I spent hours and hours poring over a copy of Therese de Dillmont's Encyclopedia of Needlework. It is (I still have it) a very small but fat book with gold on the edges of the paper, and glossy coloured illustrations of fantastic things. There is hardanger and tatting and netting and berlin woolwork and macrame and embroidery on white materials and darning and just plain mending. Plus knitting and crochet. The plain black and white illustrations showed lovely pairs of hands with strange implements making lace and embroideries of all kinds. I was fascinated, and loved looking at it. I taught myself how to tat from that book so the instructions MUST be good.

I blame Therese for my obsessions. Do I need another craft? I already knit, tat, crochet, cross-stitch, play with beads. I have tried macrame (in the seventies.) The chapter on netting always fascinated me. When I saw this website offering kits on filet lace making, I knew I had to try it. I asked my lovely sister for one of the kits for my birthday, and she sent it to me.

I brought it with me to Honolulu, as I thought I would have the time and focus to really get moving with it (while not going to luaus or snorkelling on the reef or lying in warm sand or looking into expensive shop windows at Ala Moana Mall).



I did. First I assembled the frame, then I thumbtacked the netting to it. Then I started to practice diagramming the patterns, and finally got going with the needle and thread. It is such fun! It is quick, and effective. The book says it shrinks a lot and that this is good, because the filled meshes all pack in and fill the space really well. There is going to be more of this. Just what I needed - another craft. A worthwhile day spent in Hawaii.

More on our luau adventure later.

A vista from the Lyons Arboretum:



Some tree roots:


A flower from a very large Pride of Burma tree:

No fingerprintS - a life of crime could be mine

It is true, I appear not to have any fingerprints. Last time I came to Hawaii, two years ago, they had great trouble fingerprinting me. This time, they failed entirely. Left index finger, left thumb, right index finger, dampen them all on the little pad, rub oily nose, nothing worked. I was taken off to a room in which there might have been eight people. More than I had expected! One woman struck up a conversation. She was Australian, but her partner lived here on Kauai, and she was trying to extend her residency. I am afraid I know rather more about her than I needed to. She filled me with dread, saying that the interviews took FOREVER and that I could be here for HOURS.

Just then, my name was called. I spoke to a woman behind the counter. Did I have any food with me? Was I travelling alone? No, my husband was with me. Where was he? Waiting for me with the bags, and waiting for daughter and her man. He is a US citizen, I said. Where does he live? With me, in Australia. Do you want to move to the US? No. No plans in the future? No. OK, off you go. Phew! I waved farewell to my chatty friend, and re-joined Michael who had wrestled with all the bags.

Julie and Martin awaited us with leis, which we donned. Found the car, drove to Kalia Street and checked in. Fortunately Chatty Mark was not on the desk.

We've had a terrific day today at the Lyon Arboretum followed by Isle Knits. While the going is good, I am going to try some photos now. Our wifi connection is very dicey....

Successful connection

My laptop has proven very recalcitrant at getting connected. Having a senior moment before I left home I signed up for two weeks of dialup access. That has not proven successful at all, even though I have years of experience at that sort of thing. So I've moved on to wireless and finally beaten the laptop into submission with a credit card and a position perched on the bed. Typing like mad before it falls over!

I've swum every day. Today was my longest swim, right out to what looks from our window like a rock, but on close inspection is a kind of barnacle weed encrusted bollard. I was pleased to have finally swum around it.

Yesterday was a terrific visit to Queen Emma's Summer Palace, which was full of beautiful things, including lots of lovely wood furniture and fabulous feather capes and kahilis and such like. We found a bead shop in one of the local shops, bought some purple velvet crystals with which to make a beaded rosebud for The Wedding. Happy happy us.

The camera is working really well, and I did get the software installed for it. So I guess a few pics are in order. I think I shall publish this and then try some pics!

On our way

We left the dog, and the house. A taxi to the airport took us the most circuitous route through one-way streets in Erskineville at high speed. "We aren't in a hurry" I said. "This is the only illegal bit" said the taxi driver. It was dark and rainy. We are now in the Air New Zealand lounge awaiting our flight from Sydney Airport. I have unpacked my new camera and read some of the instructions, and the battery is charging at one of the power points. We have had a snack, it being dinner time.

The housesitter left an SMS so I am not worried about the dog any more. There was a moment in between leaving and hearing from her when I was convinced she was lying in the gutter bleeding (family joke...) and the dog was abandoned to a lonely death in the house all alone for nearly three weeks. I have a very active worry mechanism.

Hawaii here we come

I am turning sixty. How can that be? Only yesterday I was eighteen...

Two years ago we went to Hawaii to celebrate Michael's sixtieth, so it instantly became a family tradition. I think that snorkelling at Waikiki in a bikini is an entirely appropriate way to spend my sixtieth birthday so that is exactly what I am going to do. Right down to the bikini. It isn't THAT brief, and I have lost ten kilos, so it won't be too awful. Most of the time I shall be face down in the water anyway.

Daughter and her man are there now, and they will pick us up from the airport. We are busy packing. Packing includes Illy coffee and Pangyong Congou tea. Those are essential. The laptop too, because I intend to blog the entire time. After our Greek holiday we realised that slides have had their day, so Michael has bought me a fabulous Canon digital camera to play with. I can't open it yet (duty free regulations) so will have something to play with when we arrive. I also have a filet net lace kit to learn a new craft with. If I like it I might have to change my blog title to knittatfiletpug. Sounds a bit like Pug Filet, which doesn't bear thinking about.

The housesitter is primed - she knows Majic, and I hope she has lots of energy. The dog walker is coming every day. As an aside, the dog walker leaves little notes every time, and these are some excerpts:

"Majic makes friends wherever he goes. He had a good game of chasing with Fromage."

"Majic was the life of the pack today. The other three dogs are a little timid so Majic was teaching them how to relax and be social. Sooo cute!"

"What a sociable, well mannered little boy he is! He took a real liking to Riley although Riley didn't pay him much attention. Soo much personality for such a little dog!"

"We didn't believe it, but Majic can outrun a Jack Russell!"

Just to get me in the mood, here is a picture of our view from one of our previous Hawaiian adventures. I am ready!

I know, I know, I haven't been here in a zillion years. There is heaps of catching up to do, but.....


www.oddpic.com - Funny Pictures

I'm angry about the T-card

After a zillion years and $95 million, the government has pulled the plug on Sydney’s T-card. When we were in Seoul it was wonderful to have a card which worked on all transport, which totted up your fare wherever you went with a single swipe. You didn’t even have to take it out of your purse, just wave it over the sensor. It can work in other cities, bigger cities. What is the problem here?

We don’t believe that it is entirely the fault of the company involved, although there is probably some of that. We think it is Sydney’s arcane mess of private transport operators who will not agree to change any of their ways.

Whoever is to blame, the people of Sydney are the losers. We still have to figure how many sections (huh?) we want to buy on a bus. We can’t buy a train ticket from Newtown to the Airport and return to Circular Quay - oh no, we have to buy two separate tickets.

Sydney is an utter mess of traffic and we are all as mad as hell.

Majic buttons

I finished knitting my red mohair cardigan this weekend, and decided to try my hand at making buttons for it using polymer clay (Fimo). I mixed up the colour I wanted, made them red with black stripes. I was happy with the result. I made quite a lot, which turned out to be a good thing.



I sewed them all on - all eight of them. Very happy with the result. I like those buttons! Turns out I was not the only one who liked them.

After taking some photos for Ravelry, I left the cardigan over the back of the sofa and entered the details of the project onto my Ravelry site.



Then I heard activity......

That Dog had gotten the cardigan and had eaten not just one or two, but FOUR of the buttons. He'd chewed them right off the cardigan!!! There were some fragments left, but I know he has swallowed some. I wonder if polymer clay is good for Pugs?

Maps on the phone

We went up to the Blue Mountains on Sunday, for lunch. Leaving Alpha Prime means that we need a street directory and directions. Of course we went to Whereis before going, to review the best route. We had excellent instructions from our friend too.

Our street directory is getting a bit old, but the printed ones are SO big that they don't fit either in the glove box or in the side pockets of the car doors. I was interested when rocketing around Google's latest offerings to see Google Maps for Mobile. I downloaded it and had a bit of a play.

Then yesterday we went into town, and I thought I just might pop in to Tapestry Craft. I've been there before (d'oh!) but wasn't exactly sure which block it was in. So while Michael chose coral trout from the fish counter at DJ's Food Hall, I fired it up. Clicked on Search, then typed in Tapestry Craft. Up popped the address and phone number, with options to call, or to view it on a map, or to view a list of directions from my current location.

I am very impressed.

Oh yes, I got five balls of pale khaki cotton to knit a pram blanket for my niece's baby. I'll put that on Ravelry soon. If you have a Ravelry account then you'll find me there under Knittatpug. I've been gradually populating that site with my projects, stash, and library. Along with playing Scrabulous on Facebook, I've been busy!

Does it sound like I've been on holiday? More toys to play with. Love it.

Taking a quick break from Greece with Henrietta and Majic

Every dog deserves a Christmas present, and Majic is no exception. He LOVES his toys, all of them. Anywhere we sit ends up with a cairn of toys around our feet as he brings them to us. He presses a toy against a leg and looks up beseechingly. If we ignore him, he assumes that toy wasn't good enough, or tempting enough. He drops it, and goes to get another one.

When we saw Henrietta the Christmas Chicken in a pet store window near us, she had to be ours. He adores her. Wouldn't you?

Henrietta is rather large. Almost as large as Majic is.



She also makes a very engaging noise. Not a squeak, so much as a cluck.




He loves to play with her - so does someone else around here!




Majic loves it when you throw Henrietta the length of the house. He fetches her back looking very proud.

Henrietta can be a bit dangerous though. When Majic is on your lap he likes to take her by the neck and give her a good shaking. Those big black boots of hers really make a dent in one's face as they swing by.

21st October, 2007

That step counter is mesmerizing. No sooner do we count steps than it is time for bed. Watched TV until 10.30 (The Hunt for Red October) then read. Now 8.00 am. Sky seems blue so we hope today to do.... MORE STEPS!

Tatting shuttles, black rayon, spools of silk, knitting needles, thimble. That's my list for today. Flea market. Anything else that strikes me! Yes indeed the step counter (the pedometer, as opposed to the also-frequently deployed pedantometer..) is not only mesmerizing, it is tyrannical. Getting 10,000 steps per day is mandatory. 15,000 is a matter of honour. Over 20,000 is cause for celebration. It does, however, lead to feeling very creaky in the evenings after sitting for a while. Last night I took some Neurofen before bed so I wouldn't ache so much. It worked.

The bells of Sunday morning are just pealing.

I keep meaning to write about how strange it is to walk into a shop and see all the shop assistants standing around smoking - even clothes shops and food shops. How weird it feels not to have a smoker next to you in a restaurant smoking throughout their meal. I see no warnings on advertisements, nor on cigarette packages. Young women, in particular, seem to be the big market.

For Christmas baubles (which we enjoy buying overseas) failing anything else, a large blue eye on a string will do. It is distinctively a reminder of Athens, and it will hang on a tree. A big one for Martin and one not so big for us. (Later - hmmm I think we gave both of them to Martin.) There is a Christmas store, but as far as we can tell everything in it is a) generic, not Greek-looking, and 2) made in China.

General note: when travelling we seem to eat two meals a day. First is a big breakfast at the hotel, which here at Hotel Adrian is included in the price. For me a bowl of excellent yogurt with a honey topping and some grapes and/or kiwifruit. Followed by a fried egg and a little bacon. Maybe some toast without Vegemite as I keep leaving my travel tube of it in the room. Michael has two eggs and bacon and bread, and whatever fruit I make him eat by thrusting at him. Coffee, and a big glass of fresh orange juice. We might have a coffee and a cake or something latter in the day, when convenient. We might have a late-ish lunch at a restaurant. In Milos we had bread and cold cuts etc. If we have lunch, we don't have dinner. If we don't have lunch we have an early dinner. Snacks might be figs (beautiful big purple figs) or the occasional banana. Chocolate bars and Coke.

No sooner did she write the above than I ate a bowl of fruit, little knowing what SHE had written about my breakfast. Harumph!

Sunday is Flea Market Day, so we spent 5,800 steps shuffling around it looking at junk. Some of it was Good Junk, but an awful lot of it Just Junk. In an antique shop full of copper and brass I found proper Christmas balls, so bought three. One large painted one for Julie and Martin, a smaller version for us, and a brass one. I went into a jewellery shop and found a pin, which I have been wanting for my black and white linen jacket and various shawls, particularly the Cardiff Rees Shawl. Maybe I'll keep an eye open for something in gold for Jules. Mine is silver with three pearls, for forty euros. Plus some worry beads for Mum. Michael was extremely patient as I picked around all the stalls. I'm reminded that all the fun in embroidery/crochet/tatting etc is the doing, not the having. I saw mounds of crochet and embroidery being virtually given away. I saw plastic bags with patterns and canvas with half one designs, sometimes almost complete. Tempting to buy just for the canvas. I remember giving just such bags to Vinnie's. I have half done and fully done stuff in my own linen cupboard. Almost bought an ecru red embroidered table runnier, but remembered the equivalents I have made myself, lying in baskets in the cupboard. Sigh!

Michael bought some big blue eyes as Christmas decorations, also a sponge, and two calendars (Mum and us.) An owl clip from the pistachio man (not really - he pointed to the shop behind him.) Two cloth badges for the collection I'll do something with some day. Not bad takings for the day thus far, but again I am overwhelmed by STUFF. We are having a Coke and some chocolate on our balcony as we prepare ourselves for the next onslaught. Some hand towels, perhaps, as souvenirs and for Gwen. Some felt beads and whatever else I can find that was on my earlier list.

I'm amused sometimes when we are out in restaurants that we hardly say anything but we write up the diary in turns. It is as though we are having written conversations. My plan is to get all the photos developed and to blog in sequence, a day at a time, all the entries here. I think that was my plan on some other trip, but it never happened! Maybe this time it will.

Very ambitious plans give one someplace to go, I am told. Oh oh, grey clouds are rolling over the Acropolis about 12 noon. Rain is forecast, but for later. When we sally forth this time, must remember to take brolly, and to get something for eats upon return so that we don't need to g o out for dinner if it is raining later.

We went out, in search of the bead shops which turned out to be on Perikleos. Closed. But now in Monday's plans, along with the needlework shops on Kalamida. As I said, the fun is in the doing. Checked out a haberdashery shop at Ermou 8 but it wasn't the sort of thing I was looking for. Then we aimed for the Museum of Traditional Plottery. The rather vague young man had to open things up for us and seemed surprised anyone at all was there to see the stuff. He opened the loo twice, and each of the rooms containing information on the potteries of Greece, with details of clay and glazes and wheel versus non-wheel and kilns for firing (open and closed.) He did not open the shop, nor the cafeteria. It being Sunday market day, the area around Monastiraki was seething with vendors and consumers. Among the vendors are tribes of Africans selling knock-off Vuitton and such. Every so often we would see them all gather their wares into the big white cloths and disperse. Immediately after that we would see three Athens policemen striding along, and behind them the Agricans could be seen setting up on the footpath once more. We bought "donats" (that's what the sign said) from the vendor in front of the station. Huge and very sugary. Then to Everest on the corner to buy baguettes. We waited an AGE for the six girls behind the till to get their act together to take our money. Back to Hotel Adrian - we have 13,200 steps. I read all afternoon, a book by Kate Gibbons (?) which was set just after WW! and the Spanish Influenza. Ripped right through it. We both checked email. Nothing of any importance but sent brief notes to Mum and Lisa the Housesitter. We are working up to tripod and night shots of the Acropolis and Athens.

I must also extol the blessings of travelling with a few bulldog clips. They are so useful. Keeping the coffee pack closed, clipping up one's sarong, either on self or as a dark curtain when needed. Never travel without them.

Our final outing for the day - we finally went out at night with camera and tripod for night shots. First the Temple of Zeus, then the Parthenon, then street scenes of happy diners. Step count: 18,347, or 13.76 kms or 688 ccalories. Will that make up for the huge sugary fatty donat? Bought some peanuts from the cart near the Acropolis Museum, and some doritos from the shop near the Temple of Zeus, and some peach juice. We had a whole baguette left (salad and chicken) so had that for dinner with the nuts and juice and chips. Maybe some chocolate later. A good day.

I spoke encouraging words while Katester snapped, as well as spotting locations to snap. I also carried the camera and tripod a part of the time. Now boots off!

Later: the slides turned out quite well, but I have not scanned any of them yet. May not scan them for some time to come, as I bought myself a multifunction scanner printer copier unit and ditched my old scanner (which did slides, when it was in one of its rare good moods.) It was Freecycled, along with the ancient fax machine. Also a terracotta chimney pot. Amazing what people will take, and wonderful that Freecycle can match stuff with people who can use it.

20th October, 2007

A new day and we are again planning our day's steps. We are heading towards Banaki's Islamic Museum, although I am in pattern/design overload after yesterday. I couldn't sleep for thinking of all those beautiful t6hings I'd seen yesterday. I should not buy embroidery books - it just sets me off thinking about things I could make. Nevertheless, Islamic Art here we come. Nearby, close to Keremeikos, there is also the delightfully dubbed Museum of Traditional Plottery. One of our maps is not noted for its accuracy of spelling or location.

AKA the Museum of Traditional Pottery. However, nearbyer there is the Museum of Traditional Greek ceramics too. It is even closer, hence neraby-er. Overall the objectives for today include 1) M. Ceramics, 2) Plottery 3) Islamic Art, 4) Hellenic Cosmos, and 5) Ancient Eats. Along the way we need some AA batteries.

Step Count as at 6.00 pm - 15, 719, or 11.78 kms, 589 cals. The morning was ALL GO! We headed for the Benaki Islamic Museum with a few side visits into bead shops. I'm thinking of buying some brightly coloured felted 'beads' but I'll have to return to that shop I saw yesterday. We skirted the Keremeikos and found the Museum of Traditional Plottery, but were told by the man in the ticket office (!) beyond the open door (!) that it was closed on Saturday (!!!) Around the corner was the Benaki Islamic Museum, in a very run-down area. We went in and headed down to the WC (bottom floor) when we saw roons among the foundations. Part of Themistocles' wall. Being so close to the Keremeikos is it any wonder? There are roons under every building, no doubt at all. It must make any kind of development extremely difficult, as the Archeological Police descend when you dig your veggie patch!



The Museum was deserted but for us, and eventually two American women. We started at Floor 5 (cafe) and worked down, back in time. Wow! What a spectacular museum. The quality of the exhibits, the beauty, it was all just glorious. We were intrigued to see quite a lot of depictions of human figures (given the proscriptions of Islamic culture and the barbaric destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan). huge One huge bronze candlestick, however, had had its human representations effaced. The tiles were lovely, ceramics, glassware from sixth centry, mosaics, textiles, gold jewellery. This could be my favourite museum. When we reached the bottom we went back up for a coffee on the rooftop, level 5. Excellent coffee and some exceptional chocolate cake. Light and moist and warm. A good view over Keremeikos:



and some interesting graffiti on the building next door:



Thus fortified we set off down Piraeus Street in search of Helenic Cosmos. Past the Gasworks. Down a very busy road, we walked and walked. We walked some more, looking, looking for #254, We walked even more, and found ourselves at #134. A few drops of rain dampened our resolve. We got weak and gave up. We headed back in search of Ancient Eats, a restaurant. Walking, walking, We walked through back streets, and got an impression of what it must have been like in the 1920s. some lovey old houses, but now very dirty and run down. The streets are lined with orange trees in full fruit. You could smell the oranges on the ground. Much bougainevillea and geraniums.

We found the restaurant - closed - but we were not expecting to eat there, being still full of cake. We were close to the Metro (Metaxourghis?) and opted for it. On the train Michael was surrounded and squashed by some blokes who refused to budge despite his an my shoving. Wallets and purses were closely watched. No harm done, but it was odd. We changed at Omonia and got off at Monsastiraki. From there we went to the small museum of Traditional Folk Art Ceramics Pottery... whatever. There are so many museums! It is in a 1759 mosque with a dome. An odd collection of stuff, but there were lots of Greek women in there enthusiastically admiring the displays. There was stuff from a couple of artistsd - not particularly good, I thought, but the, we'd just seen some pretty spectacular stuff at the Benaki.

Then we divided. I went to the end of Adrianou in search of a drachma note for the Hortons, which I found for one euro. So cheap I bought two so the vendor did not have to make change. I then headed back to get an IHT. Once I had that I back tracked to the T-shirt place that had the EYE. Found it and got one. Then back to the hotel, getting some soda next door. This took time because of a throng of German-speaking children milling about the doorway. By the time I got back to the Adrian, Kate was already there, worried that I had been abducted. I'll let her explain that, and how it was she got back sooner than I did. I presented my acquisitions for her approval. Then I went downstairs to gdo email, as it started to rain. Usual stuff from work, but it took time. Couldn't find anything in English on the web for the Hellenic Cosmos, but there was a leaflet in the hotel. If we try again we'll take the metro. We ate figs and lollies while it rained on and on. It rained from about 3 pm until 6.30. When it seemed to stop we were hungry, so we geared up and went next door for eats. Good plan! I had pork Kassato (a wine sauce, the waiter said) and Kate had salmon.

The salmon was good, if salty. I also enjoyed the brussels sprouts, oyster mushrooms, carrots and lettuce leaf garnish and bread roll. Definitely hungry! After we had split up at Monastiraki I went in search of the bead shops, but was unsuccessful. I looked at a few scarves but nothing of the quality of the Benaki one I bought Julie, and I have so many scarves myself. I couldn't find the owl clip we had seen on the pistachio man's cart either (it was holding down a sheet of plastic in the rain..) Dispirited, I returned to the Hotel Adrian expecting to find Michael. Not there. Immediate thought was that those blokes on the train had tracked him down and abducted/murdered him, and I was going to have to find the Australian Embassy to help find his body etc etc. I need some Very Large Worry Beads to help deflect some of this! I heard his whistle outside the door and was VERY PLEASED to see him. I'm not a worry-wart, and I never exaggerate. We sat around all afternoon listening to the rain, tatting, puzzling, emailing etc. I have plans to go to the bead shops again, and to the haberdashery shops at Ermou 8 to look for tatting shuttles and thimbles.

On Saturday our missions include 1) Traditional Plottery 2) Bead Row 3) Sunday Flea Market, and...

19th October, 2007

(Note - I have to get Greece done before I can get back to blogging about daily stuff, but Christmas was lovely.)

It was a late night for us. Lights out at about 10.30. We flipped the TV for a bit and read. Got up about 8.00 am in the dark. The room gets no sunlight. Got re-acquainted with the footwork of the half-tub for shower. Noticed many more bites from Milos. The mozzies will miss us for dinner. At breakfast we will work out today's mission(s).

Our room, 105, does get natural light but a lot is blocked by the big wall. And it does not get light until quite late - we can't rely on the sun to get us up early.

I thought it useful to compare hotel amenities:

The Adrian HAS: face washers, shower hat, electric kettle and tea/coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice (squeezed by a person and brought to the table.) It HAS NO tissues.

The Portiani HAS: tissues, mozzie zapper, pizza for breakfast, the charming and ebullient Danae, a pull bell for emergencies (!) in the shower. It HAS NO face washers, shower hat, electric kettle or coffee.

The Jason Prime HAS: a proper shower, tissues, but HAS NO spare blanket, mini fridge, or electric kettle.

Plan for today: The Numismatic Museum. The Cycladic Museum (again, but there is an exhibition of El Greco's paintings). Perhaps the Benaki, especially the costume and textiles part of the exhibition. Much planning of our day is now in progress.

And the day DID progress. 16,448 steps, or 12.33 kms, or 616 calories, we are sitting back in Room 105. Creakers! We walked up Ermou to Syntagma (very close) and looked at shops. We went to the Numismatic Museum. Glorious location. The mosaic floors and the frescoed ceilings and the painted walls would be enough to go visit, but the coin collection was fascinating. Hoards of coins tumbling from their original containers. Big and little, portraits and owls and wheels and buildings and gods, and geese and turtles and tortoises and bulls. You name it. What a trove.

There was an interesting WC setup - a common hand washing area with alternate mens and womens cubicles. We have not, I think, mentioned here the proscription about putting ANY paper down the toilet. There are large and definite signs in most places, including the hotels. We read about this in the guidebooks. Apparently the pipes are very small and any piece of paper larger than a postage stamp clogs the system. Yes, this includes toilet paper. There are small bins provided. We adjusted.

After the Numismatic Museum we walked to the Benaki Museum. Talk about treasure troves!!! The usual stuff (how quickly one becomes blasé) like neolithic pottery, some cycladic figures, etc etc, but for me the highlight was the extensive collection of costumes and embroidery. I thoroughly enjoyed goggling and gawking. I must look up the Dodecanese raised stitch. The costumes were glorious. There were husband chairs there which I have not seen elsewhere. Where are the wife chairs when they are needed?? We had lunch on the rooftop outside, with colourful bougainevillea kept in check. Could see the Acropolis, and overlooked the National Gardens. We bought up stuff at the excellent shop. Gift cards, a shawl for Julie's birthday, a book on embroidery for me, a tie for Michael. A better than average museum shop. Oh yes, the meal we had was very good. Small vine leaves - cone shaped - with a meat and rice filling. Yoghurt on the side. Most excellent. A good cup of coffee to finish, Greek for M, cappuccino for me.

After the Benaki (no... before..) we went to Notos, a department store. Michael bought a non-Greek (German) tie. We are surprised at the lack of Greek motif ties, or Parthenon umbrellas etc.

The Benaki about finished us so we walked home. Came down Mitropoleos instead of Ermou. Bead shop heaven! One, two, three, four, more, all in a row. I spent the grand sum of three euros on some conical caps for my black and white knitted necklace. My bead stash is ample enough as it is and I truly do not need more. (Alas.)

Michael went back to the hotel but not before I'd bought some coconut ice logs from a street vendor. These are wonderful carts with lotus-like coconuts and little fountains. I wish I'd taken some photos!

Then I went down to Monastiraki to buy fresh figs and chocolate while he bought Cokes asnd returned to the hotel. I browsed a bit, gawking at all the jewellery. Too much! It makes me seize up! So here we are sitting at last, with our steps done and kms covered, museumed out once again.

We spent so much time in the Benaki Museum and shop we did not go on to the El Greco. Maybe tomorrow. The Benaki Museum is better than most of the others we have seen for signage, eats - a real restaurant with a view, and ... a shop. It is very easy to see why it gets such good reviews in the tourist books I did my homework on.

I got two Greek ties today and an owl paperweight. The tie from Notos is purple - a fashion, the salesman said. The one from Benaki has a boat from Skypos which I will think of as an honorary trireme. The owl is marked Athena in Greek.

Must do email tomorrow to keep the backlog manageable.

About 22 C today. Not too hot, but sunny and fine.

A feature of Greek TV is talking heads - public affairs, I guess, with 4 - 6 heads on a split screen. Usually half of them talk at once, two of four, or three of six. Or one person talks all the time while the other three or five stare at the camera. The moderator-journalist is in the middle, talks without end, and the others cut across. The screen occasionally cuts to pairs who may or may not be talking. It is utterly exhausting to watch and listen to. The more people talking at once, the more they shout, the more frantic. There is also face-making and arm-waving. We say the first of a six episode version of PD James' "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman". Must get it on DVD and follow it through.

By the way the talking head teams can be on three or more channels at once, each featuring a different team. Both morning (we saw on ferry-TV) and the afternoon and evening.