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Reading some blogs I am impressed by the long list of TO DO jobs people are planning from re-arranging all the cupboards to washing the windows to mini-renovations. Yesterday I read a blog listing 64 jobs the blogger was working through. I wish all list makers well and admire their ambitions. My own list is far more modest, leaving plenty of time for reading, walking, painting and pottering.

My Iso Jobs this week were mostly outdoors. After a few days of storms last week, this week we have beautiful crisp mornings and warm, blue sky days. Really chilly by 5pm!

Displaying Model Chairs

The design of chairs has always interested me. In my early 20’s I made a set of four chairs and became really interested in the construction and  decisions involved in designing, manufacturing and using chairs. It is rare to find a home without some chairs.

Chairs can be made from wood, steel, iron, plastic, even glass and ceramics or a combination of these materials plus fabrics.

I am intrigued by the artisan who designed and carefully made this little wire chair. So much careful planning and work. I love it!

I am particularly intrigued by model chairs.  You can download models, you can get your own designs made and you can mix and match materials and styles.

This collection of model chairs is on a shelf in the kitchen. Some are from China and some from Singapore. I have some other model chairs on display or stored for now.

I have five metal chairs  displayed outdoors. They were just sitting on a ledge and not really visible. They were rusted on the joins so I bought a combined rust treating and rust retarding spray paint and painted them.

I decided where to hung these little chairs and set to work. To display the re-painted chairs I hammered rawl plugs into holes drilled in the wall then  screws after I’d painted the visible end to blend with the chair frames. Then I  hung the chairs on the wall.

HINT Using spray paint still means you can get some paint on your  fingers. This will wipe off easily with a high alcohol hand gel. Rub it on,  leave it a minute, wipe off with a tissue. Paint all gone!

Washing Cashmere

This cashmere single bed sized rug has been in constant use for over 20 years. I bought it in Hong Kong when we were living in China. We’d take the fast ferry from Panyu Lianhuashan to  HK and the air conditioning was always freezing. I bought this cashmere rug to spread across the three of us. Then I discovered it was perfect for long flights, cold nights and as a shawl to read in bed. Now I throw it over our bed every night. Cashmere is extremely comfortable.

It is always in use. In the past I have had it dry cleaned regularly. That is not possible now, so I decided to washed it myself. Read some online hints and then washed and dried it.  This is what I did:

1. Placed the rug in a clean bucket in the trough and soaked it in tepid water.
2. When it was totally wet I dissolved some mild soap flakes (Lux) into the water and swished it around.
3. Left it to soak for 20 minutes. then squeezed out as much water as I could without being too aggressive.
4. Rinsed it in the bucket with clean tepid water, gently agitating. (a bit like kneading bread)  Repeated four times until the water was quite clear.
5. Put it into the washing machine on a slow, gentle spin, then draped it across a drying frame outside in the sunlight There was a light breeze and it dried in two hours. Now fresh and clean.

Some sites recommend using your washing machine but I preferred hand washing.

Gardening 

A few weeks ago I planted date expired coriander seeds in little pots. If they germinated I planned to use them as micro greens, little power houses of nutrients and flavour. They did germinate and we have eaten them and they were delicious.

If you want to use leftover seeds, have limited space or just want great flavour sprinkled on your food, try micro greens.

Why:  super boost of flavour and nutrition.

How: use little pots or recycled plastic punnets with lids from the supermarket. Keep the planted seeds really moist by shutting the lid until your plants touch it then open the lid and begin harvesting, using scissors. Sprinkle on everything or mix into salads. Enjoy!

Sadly huge grey and brown grasshoppers have attacked the camellia leaves. The bush looks very tatty but is still blooming.

Following the success planting the cut-off end of celery and a little plant with tiny celery stalks growing, I decided to plant the ends I saved off the  bok choy when I cooked it. Two days later, little leaves are growing.

Other Things

The regional borders in Western Australia have changed from seven to four. Excitingly this means we can visit my mother next week. She’s in her late 80s and fit and well but I decided to have the CV-19 test before visiting her. All clear! Just as exciting, our son who lives within another region was able to come down for a few days for work purposes and we had a lovely weekend.

Although things are relaxing here, we are still being very careful. I think Australians will live differently even when a vaccine is available. Crowded office spaces, bars, beaches, public transport, gyms and restaurants might be less attractive. Being better prepared in our homes might be more important. Preparing your own food regularly and even growing some of it might become more common. I think lots of us will still be watching Netflix but that might be because so much of our free-to-air TV is dire.

Photo WA State Museum

Did you know May 18th was INTERNATIONAL MUSEUMS DAY?

A museum, according to ICOM ( International Council of Museums) is a permanent, not-for-profit institution which is open to the public. Museums acquire, research, communicate and exhibit the tangible and intangible heritage of its environment.

Museums are fascinating resources. Unfortunately, in Australia we can’t access them currently due to CV-19 restrictions. Western Australia’s new State Museum will open in November 2020. It is three times the size of the previous building. The unique collection will be displayed across eight galleries, showcasing our plants, animals, people and places.

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