More good advice, how I followed it, and Carol Cane Capers

Yesterday Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, firebrand young leftist Democrat, known as AOC, did a great video about coping in our new world. She talked about how our best defense is our community and, to my surprise, included knitting groups! 

I agree, we need to establish who are our allies, and take care of them. I've been contacted by more than one past friend to reestablish contact and it reminds me of the pandemic where people did that.

So, despite feeling a bit glum, nothing new for me, always sad in the early mornings, I did get going, tended to my sheep, went to the knitting group.  It was a great session, fun, good friends, thank you, AOC, for honoring it.

D's first sweater following a pattern, usually a freeform knitter 

K showing her Tunisian crochet learning sampler stitches.

Talk ranged over craft ambitions, that Irish craft involving roving and canvas, learning to use a cane, international fisheries, pollution, fish migration, Tunisian crochet and why, furniture arrangements for book groups, Ireland, the socio-economic causes of food choices, stitch definition, tree-climbing goats, goat milk, meat and cashmere, and more. Our fearless leader has already booked the room January to June, looking ahead.

The weather is cooling now, down to 30°s f. overnight, so the heating is coming on at night and it's time to change the front door curtain from the summer green striped canvas to the winter red felt. 

Usually this is a two person job, unhooking the rod off the hooks, sliding the other curtain onto the rod and rehanging. And a bit of climbing is involved. Last night, no-one available to assist, I thought this might be a cane related task, the  cane having a cushioned non slip handle.

So, without climbing or the aid of a net, I unhooked the canvas, pushing the rod up by the handle,  let it drop,  slid the rod out,  threaded the felt curtain and used the cane to rehook it, reversing the first stage.  No climbing, no assistant, I'm bloated with pride.  Both curtains have permanent clip on rings, to save changing them.  Canvas now folded and away till spring. Winterizing complete.

So here's the substance of my upcoming book What Carol Cane Taught Me: useful to prop your device screen up, potential lethal weapon in disputes, portable art form waiting to be painted, curtain hanger, and more to come. Aside from its prescribed use, that is. You might call these off label applications.

Another form of community I plan to continue is sharing baked goods with neighbors. During the hot weather, I didn't bake, but now I'm getting into it more regularly. So today I'm going to bake honeynut squash bread with dried cranberries, just to share around the neighborhood. 

I'll omit walnuts because of one child with a nut allergy, and freeze a couple of slices for Handsome Son, whenever I next see him, probably Thanksgiving or thereabouts. Maybe I'll freeze a slice for Gary who's away, but shouldn't miss out.

That and finishing  the second glove are on the agenda, with boring old  laundry and sheet changing. And watching

I'm still in the middle of Cranford on my Kindle, so this is video to knit by.

The thanksgiving cactus is busy budding up

Happy day, everyone. Day by day, and, as Ellen says, let's make the most of the next couple of months. Patrick O'Donnell and his Mutts say