searching for the perfect bit of rock

the other week deb and i went north to a quarry to meet the quarry manager and try and find the perfect rock for our next public art project.

it was a hot day, 40 degrees in the shade when we finally arrived. this is the quarry from above.

while the sun was out we were walking around looking at all the rocks they had already pulled out of the mine (in our professional high vis vests)

we are looking for 2 rocks, one a good round sitting rock, this may be the one...

might be a bit tall but we can dig it in the ground

or could be this one...?

and we are also looking for a large rectangle of rock that we can then split into 2 pieces.

none of these were quite right, as they were the wrong kind of rock. we are looking for black granite and these are green.

but you get the idea. something big about 20 tons of rock!

the quarry manager drove us down into the quarry to look at a bit of rock they just cut out of the ground

it was rare for us to get so close to the action. we were watching in a safe location from inside the ute.

here is deb watching from the ute.

this is what we saw, a large digger with a hook like arm attached to it

that went over and pulled a bit of freshly cut rock away from the edge

a bit more

and then it dropped

you felt the earth shake as it settled in the dirt

and here we are after the excitement measuring up the bit of rock to see if it will fit the brief.

we go back in a week or so to look at the rocks out in the open and if they really are the rocks we have been looking for. 

pyrex mixing bowls

while driving back from camping this weekend (more on that soon) we stopped into an op shop (second hand shop) and i found this set of nesting pyrex bowls

they are in perfect condition, and part of the reason i like them is that they remind me of the set my mom has and of me and her cooking in the kitchen

 

and becuase i dont have a good set of mixing bowls.

 these are a different colour than the ones mom had, but the wheat pattern on the side is the same

last week

last week i finally made it down to visit the Tilt bike shelter in person.

Tom, Rosie, Xi, Otto and Borris all came along.

 

we all thought it looked great.

 

my favorite part is our "signature" pressed into the concrete of the completed bike shelter.

 

the other highlight of the week is my new drill set.

 

i got a cordless regular driver and impact driver and new bits. cant wait try them out.

random update of life in adelaide

Deb and I have been busy in the studio playing around with mirrors, and looking around corners as part of a new public art project. its early stages yet, but this could be a really exciting project for us. 

i got a few new fabrics the other weekend, all of these will be made into my favorite summer dress, once i actually get some time to sew. lucky so far summer has been more rainy than hot.

 

i also bought this skull sweater on a whim when i saw it on a sale rack. 

 

how do you pack up a branch rack to ship to NSW?

 

  

very carefully, and by making a custom pallet.

and just this weekend our studio held a christmas dinner party

 

with the long table running down the driveway between the 2 buildings.

 

here are borris and i ready to party.

 

and our studio filling up with guests as the party starts.

new phone, new shoes

my old mobile phone recently started to not work properly. the screen started displaying backwards and in a funny language.

it was second hand from a friend who gave it to me about 6 years ago now.

i am not one who enjoys shopping for new technology, and i am also not a huge fan of phones that are phones, tvs, cameras, internet, etc. i just want a phone for texting and calling.

 

reluctantly i went shopping for a new phone. i bought this one. it is a phone with large numbers aimed at the elderly. i liked it well enough and bought it. upon setting it up it turns out that the texting function was poorly designed, and actually painfully to use. so i returned the phone.

this meant i had to go on another shopping trip for a new phone. since my last phone was a nokia i thought i would get a new nokia, because the user logic should be similar.

this is the phone i got. its old school with numbers and not a touch screen. it does have a camera on it, and it can go on the internet, but i don't know how to do that. the texting function is good and it operates in a similar way to my old phone.

 

 so a success. and its blue so it will stand out when i am looking for it. and it didn;t cost me $600 like an iphone.

one thing i don't mind shopping for is shoes.

i got 2 new pairs of el naturistas the other day. a friend of mine owns a shoe 

importing /selling company and she gave them to me at mates rates. 

these lovely red mary jane type shoes

 

and these more everyday slip on shoes. i am ready for the winter weather now.