Canberra Day Thirty Nine

[Wednesday 19th October, 2016]

New day, new plan. We parked near the glassworks in Kingston on Saturday during our ride and it seemed like a good place to check out. We stopped off at a glassworks in the north island of New Zealand when we were there a few years ago and were so amazed at the fabulous creations the artist made there. We brought a vase home which featured a landscape of the area blown into the design, which I still love! Too good to use! So this was an interesting comparison. It is housed in the original power plant and still has the massive coal hoppers, and the building is the oldest permanent building in Canberra apparently. This is a very different space to the arty crafty boutique single man operation we saw. There were at least 4 kilns running when I was there, and 4 artists working on their products: shot glasses, vases, and some fascinating looking things that has a purpose not obvious to me. I sat and watched for ages, it’s incredible to see the red glowing glass coming out of the kiln (or whatever its called) and going clear, then adding colours…brilliant! Then there’s the whole cold work room, but sadly no one was there working on the grinders and what not. You can do a class, I’m definitely tempted; we’ll see.

A group project: one person rolling the pipe back and forwards to keep the soft glass from settling in one direction, one person blowing from the back and one person using the thick wet fireproof cloth to shape and mould the glass!

I did another ride to and from my tourist destination today, and added in a loop around the lake through the ever beautiful Jerrabomberra wetlands and home; 20km all up. That’s a good addition to my New Zealand preparation! I’m getting better at accepting the option of riding instead of getting in the car, which shows I’m getting a bit more flexible, which shows I’m going better. All great news to me when I think about it! I drove out to Rodney’s nursery at Piallago to try the steak and kidney pie I’d seen on the menu on Sunday but it was very disappointing! 1 piece of kidney, 3 bits of steak then a whole potato and a rasher of bacon with loads of gravy! More accurately described as potato and bacon pie! Oh well. Nap time, hubby working late because of his client, off to the gospel meeting by myself for the first time and got there and on time! Quick catch up and late dinner at home, then bed. The days go so quickly!

Canberra Day Thirty Two

[Wednesday 12th October, 2016]

Bit of a nothing day, today. Ate too many lollies, slept in too long, didn’t eat breakfast til late morning, couldn’t really be bothered with too much. I did open up up all the blinds and sit in the morning sun for awhile at our little dinner table that has two candles for some anticipated romantic evening meal. The budding English tree at our back window and balcony is beautiful right now. Drove back “home” to collect some fridge and freezer stuff and the few odds and ends that we didn’t get yesterday. No sign of the cat but as soon as I opened the backdoor he shot in like a rocket!! While I was getting stuff out he was trying to climb in the fridge to get his daily chicken wing which is in a freezer bag. Anytime he hears plastic rustling he runs for the fridge!! So I gave him what I thought was a little bit of milk, but it took him forever to finish it off! I guess one tiny little tongue can only get a couple of mls each lick; fascinating to think about, really. Then I had to put him out, which he wasn’t happy about; as I was leaving he was sitting in the yard staring at me. I think I’ve gotten him into a bad routine of being inside during the day over the last month!

Back “home” to unpack the stuff. I’m not enjoying the basement garage but I lived to tell the tale. I’ve got an alarm app; might be time to open it up just in case. My rational brain tells me nothing’s ever going to happen, but my anxiety has a whole other tale! You don’t want to hear that one. Anyway, it just is what it is; I can’t barricade myself in my apartment for fear of getting the car out of the garage!! Or can I? No I can’t! But I refuse to use it at night on my own!

So a nap, as always, especially today, then dinner out; I think we’ve found our local Viet place!! Yummy. Our gospel meeting, and time for bed. Phew. Exhausted by nothing. I needed that recovery day.