Seidler, shopping, and stinking heat

Last night after work I trundled off to a talk at Canberra Museum and Gallery on "an insight into the masterpieces in the ACT designed by the late, great Harry Seidler" There were drinks in the courtyard first and The Voice of Frugal Reason popped up in time to endorse $2 drinks as being very very reasonable indeed. The talk was fantastically interesting and included some architecture from Vienna which got me all excited about my planned trip in 2008. Harry Seidler's secretary was sitting directly in front of me which made it all much more immediate. I only wished the talk was for 2 hours not one as I found it so engrossing.

Afterwards I cornered the organiser from CMAG and shared my tale of woe about not being able to complete my exhibition proposal for the Cabinets of Curiosities series and asked if they had a consultant who could help. She's taken my details and perhaps 2007 will see me actually finishing the *&#! thing and getting it submitted!

Next stop in the evening was the Myer pre Christmas evening where I thought I'd try again to spend the gift card Princess B had given me. I love the Myer and David Jones pre Christmas shopping nights as they have great specials and (usually) nothing like the crowds at the post Christmas sales. And the discounts are usually about the same (something I've never really understood - why have sales before Christmas when people are going to be buying anyway?)

So I wandered and pondered. Looked at the towels at 30% off but knew that DJs were offering 40% off plus the Christmas option which means if I buy them there they'd be cheaper plus I wouldn't have to pay for them til February. Finally, in the bedding department, after a quick false start with a poly cotton (urgh! what was I thinking?!) doona (duvet) cover set I discovered what I was looking for (but didn't know it): A Country Road white cotton summer blanket to replace the ex-hospital one I obtained 10 years ago which looks rattier and rattier with each passing summer that I have a cat sleeping on it who catches the threads in his claws. Full price: $129. Less 30% shopping night discount: $90.30. Less Princess B's contribution: $65.30. I'm happy. The Voice of Frugal Reason is happy. Life's good.

And it would seem I made the purchase in the nick of time as last night was a stinker. Tried sleeping upstairs under the usual summer doona. After an hour I realised it wasn't going to happen. Tried sleeping downstairs on the mattress I pull out of the cupboard under the stairs for just such occasions. Another hour later it became clear that wasn't going to happen either. Back upstairs I'm rummaging in the linen cupboard for summer sheets and bedspread and remaking the bed at midnight. (The cat is not impressed). Still wide awake.

Finally, at 1am, after spending time on eBay tracking down replacement summer pillowcases for a set that were ripped on the line during a hailstorm thus leaving the sheet sadly orphaned (The Shopping Sherpa reigns supreme!): I finally made it to sleep. Of a sort.

And because this post seems to have turned into a parade of gratuitous shots of my wonderful summer bedlinen collection here's a picture of the summer bedspread I bought in Venice which (unfortunately) is now covering up my beautiful new cotton blanket. This is definitely on the list of things I'd save in a fire I love it that much...