Week 07/2025: A hot week

Week of 10 February 2025

The first full week without Kramstable at home. Monday was a public holiday, which I really needed. It would have been hard to go to work the day after the day I’d been so sad.

A hot week . . . and then not

It was a hot week. We had two mega scorching days, followed by a flurry of days that were not hot at all.

I mean, it was a relief to not be sweltering (and remember, I’m a perimenopausal lady suffering hot flushes), but the drop of around 20 degrees in around 12 hours was, well, a shock. I dislike hot days intensely, but the one thing I do like about them is when it’s still warm enough after sunset to sit outside without thermals and a jacket.

One such night was Thursday, when I went to the closing night of Andy Hatton’s The Temporality of Being exhibition at Pier+Gallery.

The moon will rise again

This evening was hosted by Emerging Architects and Graduate Network (EmAGN). It featured Andy and Paddy Dorney in conversation about the Dorney House at Fort Nelson, Andy’s photography residency, and what the future of the house might be. It was a more in-depth discussion than last month’s moonrise event, and it was wonderful to explore in more detail stories I’d heard before.

The house is such an amazing space, and as I listen to people like Paddy talking about it, and see photos like Andy’s, the more the ‘idea of the house’ makes sense. It’s feeding into ideas swirling round in my head about where to take my own photography, and there’s a lot to explore here.

Both Andy and Paddy stressed how it’s important for this house to be used, not just sit empty on top of the hill, with people tentatively looking around not knowing if it’s okay to be there. It wasn’t designed as a museum or a thing to be looked at. It was designed for people, and there is much work to be done in making this happen—most of which involves Hobart Council, as the custodian of the space, getting on board.

we just won’t see it

Andy also spoke about how special the moonrise is and, of course, he has some beautiful photos of this time of day.

There was an opportunity for questions, before we headed out onto the deck to see the moon rise for the last time with this exhibition.

Unfortunately, the clear skies from last night’s moonrise (which I conveniently happened to be at the waterfront for) didn’t hang around for this night. So just like last month, we didn’t actually see it.

But even without that, it was a lovely evening, an inspiring conversation, with fabulous people.

Summary of the week

Habit tracker

• Go outside & exercise first thing (7 days): 4/7
• 15 minutes morning exercise sequence (7 days): 1/7
• Hip exercises (5 days): 2/5
• 2 walks or bike rides or a combination (6 days): 6/6
• Long walk (1 day): 0/1
• Walk 8,000 steps (7 days): 7/7
• 9.00 shutdown & dim lights (5 days): 3/5
• Evening routine (7 days): 5/7

What did I learn this week?

In the blink of an eye

Always remember, everyone we love, they are on loan to us for a short period of time. They are gone in the blink of an eye.

This is a quote from Alexis Lockhart, mother of three boys, one of whom died in a road accident just after his 20th birthday. It comes from the book The Five Types of Wealth (on how to live a good life) by Sahil Bloom, which was referenced in Susan Cain’s Quiet Life newsletter.

It really hit me.

Learning

I also had this flash of realisation that, while I love to learn, I’m taking in so much that I’m not using what I’m learning. I’m spending all my time learning and no time doing anything to help me do whatever it is I want to do. So really, I’m just learning for learning’s sake. And while this is enjoyable, I’m not using anything I’m learning to make my life better, to create art, to write  . . .

My 4000 weeks are ticking down.

Breakfast

In another newsflash, overnight oats are  . . . not great.

What did I notice this week?

A baby turbochook near Wrest Point.

What was the best thing this week?

The public holiday. And the event on Thursday night.

What am I reading this week?

The Woman’s Voice by Patsy Rodenburg

What am I watching this week?

David Lynch Masterclass: Creativity and Film