Lockdown

While we are sort of at the office and sort of not, we are encouraged to work from home, but every now and then we go into work - mainly on days where we have arranged to meet up together for lunch, which we usually do at The Turkish Pide House, where I like to order one of the chef's fusion dishes. 

Akendiz - swordfish infused with garlic, olive oil, tahini, and lemon sauce, served with saffron risotto

And then, due to COVID cases in the ACT, we went into lockdown - for the next two weeks we are only allowed to leave the house to get vaccinated, get groceries and medications, if one is an essential worker, or for one hour of exercise per day. In a fortuitous coincidence I received a parcel that very day. And I had also walked to the shops to get my 'non-panic-buying groceries. That's my essential shopping done for the week, then.

Typical weekly shop

Naturally there was consternation and much sadness about the news. So a group of us raised an on-line glass to commiserate with each other. Cheers!

 

Joking aside, once again I appreciate how lucky we are to have our garden in which we can relax with the butterflies and Melantho can prove that Tiggers don't climb trees. 

At the weekend I was able to go for a (carefully-timed) bike ride in Black Mountain Nature Reserve with Him Outdoors. Once again, I am very grateful to live where we do.

All About Cats

I love it when the kittens are all snuggled up and warm. So do they. When I have to leave the house and turn the heater off, they are not so impressed. 

Here is a photoshoot for their 1980s album cover...

I was sent a wee gift in the mail from work after attending a practice framework workshop, with a proviso that I posted a photo on the work intranet, so I got Penelope to pose with it and sent the photo captioned 'practice makes pur-fect'.

Meanwhile, Melantho needs no encouragement to pose, to prove she is truly a collector's item. 

To celebrate International Cat Day, we got together with friends for a 'progressive feline dinner'. We are all childfree couples with two cats who like to eat and drink and socialise. What better way to spend an afternoon/ evening? We began at our place for Stage One: Beer and Cheese with the Burmese.

Stage Two was cocktails and tapas with the ginger tabbies. The cats are called Mayhem and Moment, but I don't yet know which is which.

Last, but very much not least, was Stage Three: Cake and wine with the giant felines. Said felines are Smith and Wesson. Again I do not (yet) know which cat is which.

Other Entertainment

The light through the trees is always a pleasure on my walks - I love the changing patterns created by sun and shadow.

I am also 'keeping busy' by watching The Olympics. Team GB are doing very well, and I'm particularly loving the mixed relays - events where men and women compete together are among my favourite events at this year's games. Team GB won gold in the Triathlon Mixed Relay, and I was very pleased for them.

Someone, however, is not so keen on sharing my attention or my affection.

And when she isn't demonstrating her abilities as a muffler, she is demanding that she get fed. This is a cat who knows where her food is kept!

I wouldn't necessarily call this 'entertainment' (I mean, I didn't do it for fun or anything), but slamming my finger in a door certainly gave it instant colour as it began to bruise before my eyes. It's not broken as I can still bend it, but it does bloody hurt!

In book news, I have been learning about libraries. I have several book shelves and piles, and probably not the most efficient way of categorising my books, but I know where I am with them. I read an article about the concept of an antilibrary that implied one should add books to one's library that are recommended by friends or suggested by other books which have been of interest, even if there is no time to read them. Apparently, 'Tsundoku (積ん読) is a beautiful Japanese word describing the habit of acquiring books but letting them pile up without reading them.' Umberto Eco reckons that 'a private library is not an ego-boosting appendage but a research tool.' That makes me feel so much better.

The non-fiction library

I was also told about an app which allows one to log the books one is reading/ has read and then it makes recommendations for future reading, while breaking down the type of book one favours in terms of page length, pacing and mood. So far this year I have seemingly been drawn to reflective, informative, mysterious and adventurous books.

This year's mood

August bedside book pile

The weekly walk with the Walking Crew coincided with Design Diva's birthday (actually she has a birth week, so of course it did!). It was a little bit drizzly, but still a good morning, and she was very chuffed with some encouraging words chalked on the path which read (backwards) Doing Great Annie.

We finished off our walk at Local Press Cafe, where we all thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast, as you can see. 

Design Diva birthday girl

Salmon and pickles on toast

Spicy jackfruit tacos

Beetroot Bruschetta with bacon

Eggs on toast with bacon and wilted spinach, garlic oil, chilli and herbs

The Show Lives On

The show does indeed live on, not only in my memories, but also in my home. Melantho has commandeered the cushions, and I have added the show poster to my gallery.

Kitten Cure

Often after a show, we can feel a sense of anticlimax and even depression. We've put in so much effort and spent so much time with highly creative people. If we are fortunate, we have received positive feedback and applause. And now it's all over. Add this feeling of post-show blues to a stressful workplace and a pandemic, and things can seem overwhelming. I found this cartoon at the exact time that I needed it - cats help enormously with my mental health, and a kitten cuddle can lower my stress and anxiety levels and also my blood pressure. They really are mental and physical health miracles.

And here is the fur and blood embodiment of the above pictorial sentiment.