Monday, July 26, 2021

 

There is little to report. The weather continues very pleasant-summer, here in Edinburgh, although it has certainly collapsed elsewhere. We are forecast much worse for tomorrow. I got around the garden by myself, and found that a beloved and often necessary bench, on the home stretch, has been removed. I am trying to find someone to whom to send a message of protest. 1836 steps – not as absurd as yesterday.

 

I knit a bit more of that sock while finishing off the new Fruity Knitting. If I were younger and stronger I would knit a Bohus sweater. I heard of it first in Sheila McGregor’s “Scandinavian Knitting”. The big interview was good, as always: it was with a breeder of angora rabbits who was also deeply involved with Bohus.

 

I would have been glad to have the difference between the product of  angora rabbits and angora goats explained. Wikipedia suggests that the goats produce mohair, not angora at all. Angora was all the rage when I was in high school.

 

Two freak accidents that didn’t happen –

 

A fortnight ago my cleaner went off leaving the kitchen window propped open with my mortar (as in mortar&pestle). It is a heavy brass object. I was afraid that Paradox who is both slim and rather stupid would squeeze out of the window and fall to her death. I lifted the window – it’s heavy – and freed the mortar but wasn’t quick enough to catch it before it fell to earth where it could easily have killed one of the toddlers below, and would have done some damage to a parent. But nobody was there so that was alright.

 

Today the same thing happened. I approached the problem with more caution and was able to grab the mortar and cautiously lower the window. However, when that was done, I found that the fingers of my right hand were stuck in the handle of the window. It wasn’t the end of the world. My telefonino was in my pocket, recording steps. I could have phoned for help. It was still an anxious moment. But in the end I was able to lift the window a centimetre or two with my left hand and thereby free the other one.

5 comments:

  1. Hello, Jean. There is a contact form on the Drummond Place Gardens webpage, where you can ask a question. Alternatively, to whom do you pay your annual fee?
    I used to live in Great Stuart Street, next to Moray Place Gardens; the secretaries were a very local firm of solicitors, so I suspect that the same may be true for you.
    Do any of your neighbours know those on the committee?
    Fiona

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  2. Anonymous11:32 AM

    Congratulations on being strong enough to rescue herself from your own predicament, Jean. And sorry about the bench. Hope you can get it back! Our library recently underwent an overhaul and we adults lost the peaceful view through the trees which was given over to the adolescents who could care less. Second library in my lifetime which has overturned my reading world. Guess it is a small price to pay for more or less healthy longevity (I tell myself). Maybe your walkers could carry a portable stool so you can get some relief - at least while they are with you. Chloe

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  3. =Tamar12:54 PM

    Oh dear. That window problem is a disaster waiting to happen. Do you have some way to tell your cleaner to close the window before she leaves? Barring that, I suppose there must be some way to install an attached window support, maybe a hinged stick that flips down to support, up for storage when closed. And perhaps, lock away the mortar.

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  4. We have a window that we prop open with a piece of sturdy cardboard, folded vertically. Not very elegant, but the same piece of cardboard has served for several years. Of course, here in the US we also have window screens, so there's no danger of the cardboard falling out. And I do hope you get your bench back. That's an important piece of infrastructure!

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  5. How very capable you were in the second accident scenario!
    I encourage hiring a trainer, too. For myself, I may lose a day due to exercise and fatigue, but can do much more on all the other days.
    Your experience with the step counter is why so many people that use them, use two - not one of them is completely reliable, and all of them err in different ways.

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