Late today but oh well

 Yesterday I managed to make a pot of soup, with the last of the game hen and various Christmas vegetables. It came out well considering, and was very welcome yesterday then today for lunch. The kind you drink  steaming hot from a mug, simple.  No pictures, all I could do was do it. 

Gary stopped in last evening to check, Handsome Son came over this afternoon on his way to work, brought cold supplies, take out all my recycling before the New Year, and bring in the mail.

Some real mail in the box , there waiting several days, and now I get to see. Thank you everyone who sent cards and wishes for Christmas and the New Year, I'm finally getting to enjoy them.

Today's blogging energy went into finally managing to take a longed-for shower and shampoo, then resting after. 

Speaking of supply chain issues, the latest gloves have been done for days, but as you know, shipping issues. 

I'm hoping for next week when the PO opens.  What the mfrs call unavoidable delay!

Happy day everyone. I'm so lucky to have people willing to make sure I'm okay, including you, dear blogistas, and the friends who emailed checking in. You're so appreciated.

Now I'm staying firmly on the sofa reading a favorite Barbara Pym, Less than Angels. My favorite character in all fiction, Catherine Oliphant.

And Alaric, who might end up marrying her, who knows, anthro returned from Africa with animai masks of red beans and palm fibers. He thinks how restful it would be for older people to wear them, no concern about looks or having to adopt required expressions of interest or concern! How I agree.

With that thought, Happy New Year everyone! Take care of yourself this year.

Sleeping time

 I seem to be sleeping a lot now, maybe catching up. No energy for much, but at least not weaker than I was. Sorry about the endless medical notices! Just letting you know I'm still vertical more or less.

Slept through two texts and a Skype from an increasingly nervous handsome Son! 

I did lose internet access most of yesterday so I'm behind on blog reading and replying. Actually read books!

Happy day everyone, try to be as vertical as your own situation permits.

Making something, a good sign

Last evening, a sign I was doing better, I just had to make something. I've been thinking about Tunisian crocheting for a while, haven't done it since this

and this

And, since I didn't have the energy to cross the room and search for materials, I rummaged in my knitting bag for my repair crochet hook, and the yarn I'd been using for the gloves.

All set, I started on what will be a phone purse with a strap to wear it. I've made and given a lot of these to people who keep losing their phones.

You can do Tunisian crochet with a big hook but I didn't need mine, which was upstairs anyway,  for this little project. 

It's a two part process: work the stitches, here I'm using Simple Stitch, then work back casting them off ready for the next row.

I think this is probably a sign of returning health. Handsome Son had told me most people he knew who went down with whatever this is, were down for about seven days, which is where I am. 

Gary stopped in last evening, was distraught I hadn't called on him to help, but I explained I had what I needed and didn't want to expose people. 

He took out my garbage and instructed me to call if there was anything. He noticed the Christmas table and I explained we haven't celebrated yet. I think I may have to dust the dishes when we do!

All in all, a better day than for a while. The temps are going up to the 50s f. which suits me better, more humidity in the air.

Happy day everyone! I think I may resolve next year, which is next week, not to try to catch up, just to accept that some things didn't get done and there's no rush to get all up to speed. 

That will be an entire new way of looking at the world for this driven little person! About time, though.

 Cheers!

Misfits and Textiles and Tea

 So the good news is that the Misfits box finally arrived early last evening and I managed to get it indoors. Why me you ask, wasn't it hard to wrangle? Yes, but there's no one else available to help. 

Same with the dishes. I need clean dishes, live alone and have to manage somehow. Explaining not complaining, to people who wonder if I'm being too ambitious, no choice.

The other good news is that most of the produce is  edible, only the scallions looking past it, and refunded already.

I couldn't do the prep, so that has to wait. I'll wash as I go. Usually I scrub everything as soon as received, so I know it's done. I have to adapt. And I noted that the box is, as I thought, the corrugated type I need for that art idea I showed you earlier. 

It has to wait till I can break down the box, and keep a section. Usually I do the recycling the same day, but I simply don't have the strength today, so it can wait. But I'm still looking forward to making the art.

News from the Invalid Quarters: The coughing is reduced and I can lie down to sleep now. Good progress. No fever.

But the exertion of dealing with the Misfits box yesterday has laid me low today so I'm doing very little. This is definitely a tiring sort of virus. My oxygen intake is fine, in case you wondered,  I have one those oximeters to measure it, and I've been masking and isolating anyway, no matter what this one is, and treating symptoms. That's about all I can do.

I did manage to watch Textiles and Tea yesterday, with weaving from an interesting German-born New Zealander whose work reflects biology and DNA discoveries.

And her political statement teatowels encourage kindness to the earth and avoiding disposables. 

In other news, Handsome Son was able to come over yesterday briefly, got my car started, mainly for my peace of mind, visited, masked and distanced, but I didn't encourage a longer stay, just in case. 

It was lovely to talk to a person, if only for a little while. He works so many hours that it's good to see him. He lives locally, so not a significant journey.

He departed with his Christmas Trifecta: card, check and candy, after asking if I'd rather he waited till we celebrate, but I said at this rate it's going to be a Valentine's dinner, so no. He pointed out that Christmas has twelve days anyway, plenty to go!

His Christmas present to me when he can do it is to check and adjust my tire pressures, fluid levels, all that, to save me a dealer visit. My request. I always prefer service to stuff.

Bit more healthfully hopeful today but I'm bearing in mind all your caring advice, dear blogistas. I take it seriously, though you may not always realize that! 

Happy day everyone! One foot in front of the other, or possibly one nice lie down in front of the other!

Puzzle reveal and interesting art

 The puzzle seems to have puzzled! Debra hit on the pattern. Here's a next possible link after vortex: remain. Then a possible next: mainly.

Have you spotted what's happening? The third letter of each link is the initial letter of the next.  That's how come there can be various answers.

Meanwhile back in the sickroom, the patient is feeling very cranky and stuffy and coughy and not up to much, but a bit stronger than yesterday. 

I really think it's so long since I was sick that I can't remember how to do it!  I did have some supplies at home, and had picked up tissues, vital. Definitely an amateur at this, wildly impatient to feel better, but reminding myself there's no rush.

But I've always thought you need to push a bit to recover, not just wait for it to happen, which may not be great medical advice.

Anyway I did get the current gloves knitted, days ago and will mail them when I can get to the post office. And I saw an interesting idea for a bit of art, which probably is a good sign, that I fancy trying it.

It needs cardboard , maybe a section of the Misfits box which is finally marked "out for delivery". We'll see! 

The reason I use Misfits is that it's organic items and it's discount, also they don't make substitutions. If I ordered the equivalent locally it would cost much more, and quite a few items aren't available in this region. 

So although I've been very annoyed this time, it's the second problem in about 75 deliveries. Overall not so bad. And our weather temp has been dramatically worse than normal, which has affected a lot of delivery issues. 

Yesterday I watched a bit of this, mainly for the cosy scenes in the various homes.

So there we are. Happy day everyone! Keep on keeping on, we'll get there!

Holding on, here's a puzzle

Thanks for all the good wishes and encouragement. I'm very tired from coughing but did sleep better, so there's that. 

And Misfits, supposed to arrive last Friday, has been rescheduled daily and they now say tomorrow. They had given me a take it or leave it delivery date which wasn't my choice, because they said they had delivery problems.  I'm wondering whether produce on the road in sub zero temps for five days will be edible. I've been checking the step daily. 

No photos, not interesting to see me lying on the sofa, but here's an interesting puzzle. There are several possible answers to this.

Remember to hold off your answer! Clues only.
 Happy day everyone, as much as we can manage anyway.

Spoke too soon

After coughing most of the night, I'm wiped out. Food not appealing. And I'm not eager to expose Handsome Son to whatever I've got. 

 So this scene

with the table laid, was a bit premature. Postponing and resting instead.

But I did enjoy this last evening

Happy day everyone, do what we can!

Things around here looking better

 Today's weather, glad I'm indoors.

And today's wisdom from Emmy

Fever gone now, still coughing but feeling better.  So I think we're on for tomorrow. 

Off to lay table and retrieve stuff from freezer.

Happy day everyone! Keep well if possible, keep calm if possible, keep on keeping on!

Cranberry sauce and a cold

 I have the first cold in years, coughing and congested. Not up to much. No fever, few aches, not panicking yet.  I have so little contact with people , masking when out,  it's amazing how I managed it.

I did get to the library yesterday to change my jigsaw puzzle, vital need 

And I got in a supply of tissues, seems like a good idea. On the way to the store, my car alerted me that my car fob battery is low, so I went home and added in my backup fob and the alert went away. It's a tricky job changing the battery without exploding bits of fob all over the floor, so it needs to wait for now. Also till I get a new battery.

Knitted a bit, reviewed my Arabic alphabet, made cranberry sauce, now in the fridge

And today visited with my plants, looking cheerful, good as medicine.

And I'm having a breakfast cranberry muffin baked yesterday, I seem to have done a lot for someone who's moaning about being sick.

Today's about resting and seeing if Sunday's Christmas doings should be postponed. Hoping not, but Handsome Son knows I'm not quite well, so he'll  see what he wants to do.

Happy day, everyone, take care, rest, drink fluids, or not if you're feeling fine. Enjoy what you can.

Now it's a candyrama

Yesterday, I got out the heath bar, or health bar, making kit I put together a while back, and made this

Here I inscribed, more or less, halwayat, Arabic for candy 

And here's a piece

The humidity was a bit high, impending storm, so it's a bit grainy, but still very edible. Ready for distribution among young friends.

In the middle of all this, contractor friend Michael came over with his annual distribution of homemade peppermint bark! Almost enough candy around here.

And I did get the jigsaw puzzle finished just in time, since it's due back today. This one was  very satisfying.

 

Happy day everyone, puzzles do come out eventually. The current word puzzle which you probably got with no trouble, was YULETIDE.  Great clues from Tom back there. It pays to read comments.

And in honor of the visit from Zelenskyy, flying his flag big today.