Liminal space how, people will be thinking.

Liminal in that I am in a between space and time.

Up to yesterday I lived in a medium-sized all-ages complex with 90 separate households. At least 20 young children, 5 infants, and numerous teenagers whom I mostly didn’t see. A handful of elders.

Lived there for three years through recovery from chemo, through the latter part of Covid restrictions, walking and exploring nearby parks. Stone’s Corner was almost next door. I walked East Ekebin Park. Moorhen Flats. Bentley’s. The Common. Bowie’s Flat Park and all the little green places in between.

Lived there through the extreme disappointment that chemo didn’t also fix my myalgic encephalomyelitis, and so two years after the end of the chemo, my ME flared. A disease that once you have it you will always have it. Can be kept semi-controlled only by extreme pacing, strict dieting, a shoal of supplements and not catching any viruses. Continuing to live the Covid life, in other words.

Lived there getting more and more involved in Lego. thebrickarchitect.com ; AFOL. MOC. brickresales.com.au ; bricklink.com ; rebrickable.com ; all became part of my language. I packed a large stack of boxes, two wide four high, with the whole of Reet’s Brick Town in there, plus all the remaining parts and separate builds. Lol, a lot of rebuilding to be done later, I suspect. Bosley & Co will be busy for months on the repairs.

The place between, as I mentioned yesterday, is Isla House. A compact room, with a large communal living space at the back of the house, kitchen dining facilities, and garden strip alongside the outdoor areas. Pity that the weather is still so hot. Summers are spinning out. I’m very tempted to go out and get some cuttings for my new place. I wonder if figs will grow from cuttings?

Below a pane in the bathroom for my frosted glass collection, looking out on the perimeter fence and the garden section.

Blogging Stats II: Countries

A whole world of people out there reading this blog … I was amazed to find that I had readers from 46! countries.

Forty-four now unfortunately, with readers from the Ukraine and Palestinian Territories falling from the list.

I thank you all for your interest! I know several of you have been reading my work for more than just this blog when we clubbed together with a U-turn from a previous platform, and landed on Google+.

Food: Easy Marinated Tofu

This week have been experimenting with this variation on my normal lunch. I usually have up to three jars of marinated olives and capers in my fridge, decanted from an unhandy 1.7 kg bulk jar too big to fit between the shelves. Since the marinade is tasty and too good to throw out after the olives have been fished out, I now use it to marinate tofu.

If you’re going to try something like this, you’ll need the firmest tofu you can get. Slice it in half centimeter thick slices … I do about three slices a time … and from there into half centimeter cubes. Tip them into the jar with the capers, peppers, and remnants of olives. Stir, and rest in the fridge. I usually can’t resist trying them after two days.

My Lunch:

I always have a plate of lightly steamed leafy greens … some people would say ‘sweated’ greens … but I dislike applying sweated to food. I do it in the microwave, just pile the greens on a plate, and microwave for 45 seconds.

I’m on a diet where I need four and a half cups of cooked greens per week. Instead of fussy measuring I eat steamed greens twice a day every day and call it done.

When I have a quarter of a green apple for my fruit course that day, I slice it and microwave along with the leaves.

Next, I have a heel of bread from a gluten free, mixed grain and seeds loaf spread with ripe avocado. On top the marinated mix, drained, but as it comes out of the jar. Sliced jalapeno peppers, capers, a couple of little cloves of garlic and a tablespoon of the now marinated tofu.

Yum!

Bosley’s Builders, 10

10. Drew is Blue

Dan decided Wendy should drive, Jackie next to her in the cab. He’d ride in the back, ready to jump out should a bit of shovel work be needed.

“I don’t mind,” Wendy said. “All this rain we’ve been having probably livened up the mud a bit.”

“Hey there! That’s Drew’s van in the track!” Dan said. “Wait here, ladies. I’ll go warn him that we’re coming by!”

“That van looks like it’s stuck in the mud,” Jackie said. “I know the feeling well.”

Wendy slid from the driver’s seat. “He’s going to need help.” She rounded the front of the truck. “We don’t have your winch do we, Dan?”

“Does look like a winch job, Drew,” Dan said, agreeing with her.

“What?! You’ll pull me all the way to the site?” Drew said aggrieved. “I’m doing just fine. I got this far!”

“You need a four-wheel drive,” Dan said.

“We churned the track up plenty coming this far,” Jackie said.

“You need friends,” Wendy said. “I don’t agree that you should get pulled all the way to the site.”

“Then what?” Drew said. “You’ll recall I’m still sleeping on a swag in a dinghy?”

“Yep. My plan will get you up off the ground,” Wendy said.

All three looked at her.

“Okay no, let’s take a step back. Dan, you fetch the winch. With Jackie out of his face, Jed will probably help you install. Jackie, you make us all a cuppa.” She looked at Drew. “You still got the fixings?”

“Yeah. Sure. Go ahead.” He set his shovel aside. “Much as I’d like to toss it.”

Wendy laughed. “Be my guest. Only be prepared to fetch it back. In my experience, winching will need a ton of shovel-work as well, only faster.”

“Why I never asked. I like the slow way, you know? So what will I be doing?” Drew said suspiciously.

“You mean what will we be doing?” Wendy said. “You and me? Having a chat without the usual interruptions?”

“A serious life changing chat?” Drew said lightly.

“Yes,” Wendy said. “You probably can call it that.”

“Go weed the island?” he pointed.

She chuckled. “Here. Have some seedlings. We’ll start planting the island while we talk.”

At the end of their ‘little’ talk, Drew smiled and laughed while Wendy and Jackie and he drank their coffee, waiting for Dan.

“I hear him,” Jackie said. “Quick. I can just rinse these mugs.”

Dan arrived without the winch. “Boss said they couldn’t miss it. I’ve got a tow rope. It’ll be good, don’t worry.” He started knotting it at the front of the van.

“Not here!” Drew said. “We need it at the back. Need you to drag this thing out backwards.” He smacked the back of the van like he smacked a beast on its rump. “It’s goodbye and good times had while we were together.”

Dan shook his head. “What’s got into him?”

“I don’t know,” Jackie said.

Wendy just grinned.

Right. Bit of Wendy magic. Don’t break the spell! Dan concentrated on towing Drew’s van back to the roadside lay-over where Drew had camped for so long.