Sunday, September 24, 2023

Of furniture and art and marathons

 Yesterday was about freecycling more books, to go off this morning

 as the continued bookcase marathon continued, and I now have one small bookcase of art and art adjacent books, moved to its new home, another one now containing artist books and materials, no printed books, so it's going to be a material storage place in its new home when it gets there.




I'm also putting a small table on free cycle, because the oak washstand is now on the plant scene. Meanwhile I found books I'd forgotten about, still very good, like



And among all this activity, did a bit of social justice work, with an email to the Irish Gymnastics Association. They finally released video of last year, when their official, at a medal ceremony for little girls, deliberately stopped in front of the one black child in the winners lineup, then moved on, giving out medals only to all the  white children. 

My grandmother was Irish, and would have been ashamed to see a child treated this way. As I told them.

They spent a year supposedly mediating with the child's parents and finally, after  wringing from the official a written apology, the video appeared. They are now paying for the debacle with a massive backlash from outraged viewers, and a support video to the child in question from Simone Biles.  Here's their automated and beleaguered response to my note.

we'll see what happens next. Let's hope they learned that the crime is bad enough, but the cover-up is plain stupid.

I did a bit of veggie prep, chopping and freezing bell peppers for the next shakshuka, microwaving and cutting up a butternut squash for the next bnut carrot soup.



I saved seeds and I'm drying them to try next year. The squash might not make it, because cooked, but I'll try them anyway.

And I finished the last of the applique blocks. 

Now to the next stage, backing and fronting.

The storm partly missed us, but the butterfly bush is a bit flattened. No major flooding close by, but I may have some major pruning to do when the rain stops, but this is a days' long storm, till midweek. We specialize in long drawn out storm events.

And here's what I woke to this morning

My honorary granddaughter sent me a Garmin link. She's running the Berlin marathon even as I type! Go Heather, you rock! Flew in from Calgary a couple of days ago, already up for it. She's wonderful, bragworthy. Proud honorary grandmother here.

Happy day, everyone, celebrate your family, blood and other!




28 comments:

  1. That is horrid to leave out anyone let alone a child for any reason! congrats to your honorary grandmother. over cast and cold here today I do plan to get out for a walk though.
    Cathy

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    1. I expect my granddaughter is basking in her victory! I was able to track her progress through the Garmin app she linked me to.

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  2. "Why Cats Paint" -- that was such a big hit when it was first published! And I always enjoyed "Larry" cartoons too -- used to read them in "Punch" when it was still publishing.

    That horribly racist incident at the Irish Gymnastics Association is truly shocking and reprehensible. They deserve every bit of outrage and condemnation they get.

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    1. I was amused AR how many nonartist friends took the cats book as serious art history!! I had to explain gently it's satire, which is why it's so funny.

      I'm hoping for retribution for the Irish official. And there were other adults who did nothing to put it right. The dear little girl kept smiling and waiting, then gradually realized she wasn't getting the medal she'd earned. I'd reserve the hottest place in hell for adults doing this, to any child, on a public platform at a medal ceremony.

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  3. How lovely to be a chosen grandmother! What an honor. And yes, she is definitely brag worthy.
    I do love that washstand with plants on it. That is totally something I would do.
    The wall hanging looks terrific.

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    1. The wash stand has had quite a few uses. I like this one a lot. So proud of being in Heather's life, through a lot of thick and thin for both of us.

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  4. how absolutely horrible for that poor child. did they at least fire that official? what on earth was his justification? that just pisses me off.

    we might get some rain tomorrow. I hope so. meanwhile it's still in the high 90s.

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    1. The official was a woman. Far from firing her, they're protecting her. The parents are now asking for sanctions from the international gymnastics body.

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  5. I remember that "Why Cats Paint" book! I hadn't heard about the Ireland thing. It sounds quite appalling. I'll look it up and read more about it. The washstand looks great as a plant stand!

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    1. If you find anything more about the gymnastics debacle, please let us know. The wash stand is good in its new use, yes, I like it.

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  6. I admire anyone who does silly things like run a marathon. Well done Heather and well done you for protesting.

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    1. I don't think the thousands she's raised for health research charities via running are silly. Perhaps you'd like to rephrase.

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  7. It takes a special kind of awful to do that to a child. I need an honorary grandchild. Oh, and I am surprised by how quickly you got the wall hanging done. I know it's not completely done, but still....

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    1. I'm a fairly rapid worker, so I do get things done rather quickly, I suppose. Yes, there's more to do yet. Honorary relatives are great, no responsibility other than to love them and stay in touch, pretty easy. I'm hoping the Irish gymnastics organization are put through the wringer over the racism, if only to deter them from a repetition.

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  8. What a mess. To me, the most baffling mistake GI made was not releasing the letter of apology written by the judge right after the event. Mistakes can happen without ill intent, but why did no one point out the mistake - if that's what it was - to the judge AT THE TIME? The judge who - perhaps inadvertently - overlooked one child in a line, soon realized she had made that mistake and made sure the child received her medal on the field that day. And soon afterward the judge also wrote a long letter of regret and apology to GI and wanted to apologize in person to the child and her family. So why on earth at that point would GI turn the whole matter into a cause for "mediation" between the judge and the family, while washing their own hands of the situation? What a mess.

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    1. If you watch the video, it's clear it wasn't inadvertent. But yes, the gymnastics body made it far worse. And even the other kids noticed, and were whispering and indicating. The organizers effed around and they're finding out.

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  9. What a terrible thing to do to a child!

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    1. Yes. Anyone who's ever given medals to a lineup and found one left in her hand at the end would know what she's done. A more decent person would have immediately gone back with the medal, a hug and an apology, while they were all still on the platform. Sigh.

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  10. I came across that story about the overlooked girl and thought that it couldn't be real.

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    1. It's blowing up into an international incident because of the cover-up attempt.

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  11. Why do they think in this day and age they can hide anything
    Everyone has a phone and there is always someone recording.
    That poor child.
    Your so brutal with the winnowing. I’m impressed.

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    1. I'd say decisive! But the winnowing is to save other people after I die. It's easier for me. The incident: they had their own cameraman recording it! The video going around shows him. So yes, how could they hope to hide it. Anyway she's now the proud owner of a personal message from Simone Biles a small encouragement.

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  12. Racism is always bad but when adults abuse children it is unforgiveable.
    Thank you for the Larry cartoons. I used to read him a lot when I was younger.

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    1. Yes, I hope the adults learn better. I love Larry! I was so happy to find the book again.

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  13. Your winnowing is inspiring. Needing to do more of that here. I think it would be fun to go through your art books. The problem with that is I'd come home with more books. :)

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    1. They went very fast. I wonder how many partners groaned when they saw them coming in the house.

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  14. I hadn't heard about the gymnast scandal. How horrible for that child and that judge deserves to be out of a job and banned from any sport in the future.
    Good for you re the winnowing and now I'm wishing you'd come and give me the boot in the arse required to get me doing the same thing.

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    1. I think reading about it makes people think they should winnow, but doesn't always lead to action!

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