Discovering Dorothea

As I have often said, I am a greedy reader.  I read something every day, and often several somethings.  I read fiction and non-fiction; literature and agreeable trash.  There are few genres I won't read (none spring to mind) but biographies, autobiographies, memoirs and diaries are always on my go-to list.

I am endlessly fascinated by people.  I don't always like them, and I certainly don't always like what they do, but I am fascinated just the same.  Curiosity is one of my defining characteristics.

While the house was in chaos with the platoons of tradies I continued to read.  And this book reminded me of just what I love about biographies.  Education and delight packed into a compact package...

 

 I grew to love Dorothea, someone about whom I knew less than nothing before I picked up this book.

In 1898, aged nineteen she marched into the Natural History Museum in South Kensington and demanded a job.  Despite the prejudice against women scientists, and no little opposition from her family her association with the museum lasted more than fifty years and only ended with her death in 1951.  Her contribution to the then brand new discipline of Paleontology was huge.  And over the years, this self taught driven woman carved out an international reputation for scientific excellence.

In the early 1900s she explored Cyprus, Crete, Majorca and Menorca.  In remote caves and sea battered cliffs she discovered fossil evidence of extinct creatures including dwarf elephants and hippos, swans too large to fly and giant dormice.  She developed intelligent theories about the changing face of the landscape and of the climate.  As I read I thought that she was certainly one of the very first to investigate climate change and its impact.

And there were other gems to revel in.  Did you know that the myth of Cyclops probably developed from the fossilised remains of an elephant?  That eye in the centre of the forehead was the explanation for the hole in the skull left by the trunk? 

Thirty years later she was excavating in Bethlehem,  in the midst of growing threats of war.  Later, into Africa.  And she continued to work, to learn and to grow. 

How many of us can take an interest and turn it into a passion and career - with very little encouragement and plenty of opposition?  Such a determined woman, with courage and persistence in every thing she undertook.  Very little is known about her private life - which appears to have been sublimated first to her family and then her career.  And I love her successes and hope she knew towards the end of her life just how highly her professionalism and achievements were regarded.

More than fifty years after her death the Natural History Museum employed the actress Jane Cartwright to re-create her as a 'Gallery Character'.  In the company of Charles Darwin and other scientists Dorothea now haunts the galleries of the Museum in school holidays sharing stories of her scientific achievements and hopefully inspiring others to follow their dreams...

I am so very grateful that I picked this book up, and loved reducing my ignorance about her life, her times and her achievements.

Sunday Selections #196

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme.  For the last little while I have been largely housebound so yesterday I demanded a small outing to get my fix of kangaroos, pelicans, swans and whatever else was at Weston Park.  So off we went.  It was very changeable weather, windy, cloudy, warm and with rain threatening (sadly the rain only amounted to three spits).  And was still a treat.

Bathroom Bliss

The last three and a half weeks have been a foretaste of hell.  For me, and for the cats.  The noise, the dust, the incredible mess, the chemical smells and the intrusion into our lives was difficult.  And Jazz made me pay, poor cat.  I don't know how many times I depiddled the kitchen floor.  Jewel skulked in the wardrobe and filled me with guilt.  When they were sure the coast was clear in the afternoons they emerged, and needed a LOT of comfort.  And comforting.

But it has been worth it (for me).  This morning I had my first shower in the new bathroom.  And revelled in it.  The bill will arrive sometime next week.  And will, without doubt, make me shudder. 

It was a big job.

The tired old dangerous fixtures were removed.  As a plus, the bath has gone to live in the country and become a horse trough.

The tiles, the walls and the floor were removed.

The plumbing was moved.  New drains were installed.  The wiring was checked and replaced where necessary.  The walls were rebuilt, and retiled.  The ceiling was repainted and the cornices replaced.  The door jamb was widened and a new door installed.  This meant that a new piece of carpet was needed.  It was installed.  New fixtures were installed.

The floor tiles are non-slip.  The vanity is wheel chair accessible.  With luck, this is an unnecessary precaution, but it is done, and won't need to be redone.  There is a custom-built storage cabinet beside it which more than makes up for the missing vanity drawers.

The towel rail is also a grab rail.  There are another two grab rails in the shower.  There is a fixed shower head, and a hand held one.

And I had my first shower in the new bathroom this morning - and it was blissful.  Safe and comfortable and a joy.

A few years ago one of my friends was undergoing chemotherapy.  One dreadful day she passed out in the toilet - blocking the doorway.  When her husband tried to open it to help her he bashed the door (repeatedly) into her head.  She, her husband and the dog went on anxiety medication after that episode.  And it will now never happen here.  Both the bathroom and the toilet doors can be opened from the outside, without using tools.  A brilliant initiative.

There were delays, and irritations.  However, when issues arose they were addressed.  Quite quickly,  and they didn't try and pretend that the problems were all in my head.  A plus.  And yesterday I received a huge shock.  The primary contractor rang to say that when he had given us his initial quote it had included an amount for the custom vanity and cupboard.   They had cost less than his estimate to build and install - and the difference would be deducted from our final bill.  Which amazed me.  The custom joiner bills the contractor not me, so I would never have known if he hadn't told me.  Big brownie points.  And he will be coming to do a final quality inspection on Friday - and will not issue the bill until he is satisfied that all is as it should be.  A tradie among tradies....

Just the same, I really, really don't want to go through another renovation anytime soon.  And neither do the cats.

Sunday Selections #195

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme. We had more blessed rain on Thursday, and clouds (but no rain) on Friday.  And both sunsets were spectacular.

Thursday.

By Friday evening I was seriously knackered.  I couldn't get words out, and was literally running into things and falling over.  So I decided that I was going to bed.  Shortly after seven.  When I wandered into the bedroom and looked out the french doors I delayed my early bed time and rushed out to do a wobbly mad woman with camera dance.  His high and skinniness stuck his head out of doors too - and came out to revel in the spectacle.  In my usual restrained fashion rather a lot of photos follow.

Amazing wasn't it?

The bathroom is still not usable, but some positive progress has been made.  Perhaps by Tuesday we will be free of builders, electricians, painters, plumbers and their ilk...