I've been thinking about the word kanal, German for YouTube channel. It showed up in a recipe video, and made me think of related words. Canal, for one.
And ginnel, hard g, the north Yorkshire word for a narrow passage between joined houses. I wonder if ginnel has Norse origins, as many northern words do. All I've found is French ancestors though.
Sunday morning while I was stumbling about early on the deck, Gary appeared, home again. Good morning, you okay, I'm exhausted, need to sleep now that's a lovely orchid blossom, see you later. Gone.
Sunday was the sudden appearance of this lovely thing
Later to be a model for an ink drawing, I seem to be on a roll because of flowers blooming
Meanwhile I got in a walk, a bit shorter walk because of a tired left leg, maybe from new stretches last night. Here's something I noticed
Picking flowers for today's bouquet I did a sneaky Picasso reference
And later, after shower and laundry, since I ran out of socks or walked out of them, I made crisp tofu katsu sticks. The dipping sauce was the the usual ketchup, soy sauce and apple cider vinegar.
I served myself with cilantro, an interesting dark flavor against the sweeter sauce. Tomorrow I'll make crisp shrimp with tofu katsu and sauce. I've been baking the tofu in the toaster oven, so I'll try doing the shrimp the same way.
Today's the start of my fourth week without a car, and I can't say it's been hard, up to now. I have only needed one ride, and I get a lot of things like food and medicine delivered. It's been surprisingly okay, up to now.
So, since there's a least one more week to go, we'll see. I can get to the knitting group, which includes library visits, and doctor visits. And I Freecycle on my step, but can't pick up, though that's not altogether a bad thing if it keeps stuff away! Anyway I'm considering driving or going carless and I'm undecided.
Happy day everyone. On foot or wheels of various kinds.
Sez Ted and Big Ursy
So generous of the flowers to bloom so you have something to draw. We have lived without a car a number of times in our lives and loved it, but we always lived in the heart of cities. Doing so now, again. Taxis are cheap (and easy) here when we need them. I’ll be interested to see what you decide.
ReplyDeleteIt's different if there's public transportation, yes. And when you're younger and want to get around, particularly. I'll see how it goes. I'm surprised it's been painless up to now.
DeleteKa-ching. The orchid in a pot would cost AU$35 here. However, they blooms last a long time and end up being cheaper than cut flowers once a week.
ReplyDeleteThat's true about the long bloom time. And there are more buds to go. I'm surprised it revived.
DeleteWe were only talking yesterday about the need for independence and how a car (or license) can really impact, especially in more regional areas.
ReplyDeleteLove your orchid picture.
Yes, I've been thinking about driving or not for years. It's a significant difference.
DeleteGoing car-less is difficult, but it might work for you.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot depends on how much you want to do. Much less now for me.
DeleteHaving been car-less for a month and a half plus...it has helped me see where I could use it less. We do have reasonable daytime buses , and trains not too far away...but I will be keeping my car.
ReplyDeleteYou're still very active in your clay life and gallery work. That may make a different set of decisions.
DeleteSuch a beautiful orchid, now immortalized in art!
ReplyDeleteThe shape of the orchid is so intricate, wonderful to draw.
DeleteI smiled at your interaction with Gary. I hope he's recovered now.
ReplyDeleteHe was as active as ever shortly after.
DeleteLoved your orchid in both renditions. I'm so glad you've got mobility figured out that the car thing can be considered as yay/nay. I would like not having the insurance premiums...but live too far from things I need to get to, so depend upon having my own method to get there.
ReplyDeleteThat's the dilemma. Unless you have a lively uber option.
DeleteI've never had any luck with orchids and can never get them blooming again.
ReplyDeleteI can see a time in the future when I may not be able to drive but I'm not there yet...
I'm on the cusp of drive/not!
DeleteAh, Gary! Once you get your car back you can see if it's necessary to keep. Judge how much you use it when it's there. Lovely drawing.
ReplyDeleteI'll note how much driving is needed. I wonder if some driving is just because you can! Interesting thought. Clearly it hasn't been a great need lately.
DeleteOrchids have always been favourites for me because they're the first flower the RC ever bought for me. I have never had any luck with getting them to rebloom though, so you are indeed lucky.
ReplyDeleteGlad Gary is back to keep you on your toes. I, for one, will miss his escapades when he moves.
I think the day is coming when we will totally give up our car. Certainly if anything happens to the RC I won't be able to afford to keep it on the road. When you add up the insurance, gas and maintaining costs it will no doubt be a lot cheaper to rely on other forms of transportation, particularly when you have a means to have groceries delivered. Difficult decision though.
I think home deliveries, including physical therapy (!) make a big difference to the decision.
DeleteI'm not sure what that stuffed animal is attached to.
ReplyDeleteRear of a car. I think he's on a trailer hitch.
DeleteI've been carless for 25 years. You do need a way to get around. I used senior/disabled transportation for years to make it to appointments. I used catalog ordering (before online) and had to have my cleaning girl also grocery shop for me before stores went online. It's much easier now for ordering things you need, but you still have appointments and such. I am really blessed that Leah and Dagan have offered to drive me places. They prefer that I don't use the senior bus anymore. I don't argue about it--lol!
ReplyDeleteYou could do it and you still have a beautiful area to walk, too. Not to mention wonderful neighbors, too. I had to do it because of health issues and not being able to afford a car when I couldn't work anymore.
Glad Gary is back and I am so enjoying your drawings from your patio! :)
I don't qualify for any transportation for various reasons. Some is for disabled people, some is for people without savings who qualify for other assistance, some won't cross county lines. I live in one county, all my medical appointments are in another. So I have to figure it out. I've never seen any transportation for older or disabled people in this region. I've been on a waiting list for volunteers driving to doctors for many months.
DeleteTransportation just isn't a thing here!
I am always interested in words and thanks for this one. The orchid must have been a lovely sight. Are they difficult to care for? I was thinking about buying one but thought maybe I should keep my toxic non-green thumb away from orchids. You made a pretty ink-drawing. The crisp tofu katsu sticks is something I would enjoy, the sauce sounds good and with shrimp, love shrimp. Good to know you are doing well without a car. Ted and Big Ursy are cute! I have a lot of their cousins here. Have a great week Boud :)
ReplyDeleteOrchids seem to do what they want. This one got minimal water and filtered eastern light. It was a rescue from someone tired of waiting for it to do something!
DeleteFrench ancestors? Norman?
ReplyDeleteI've been looking at your drawings. Really well done.
I love oven frying in my toaster oven. So tasty and with less oil or fat. We eat a lot of "fried" and roasted foods prepared that way.
Search engines are not up on the Norse origins of a lot of the language I grew up with -- from Viking times. So they just give French ideas, very unlikely, the Normans being in the south. But my language has a lot of Scandinavian words in it.
DeleteMy toaster oven is my go to, especially in hot weather. Thank you for the nice words about the drawings.
I'm getting to the age of having to decide about giving up my car and I dread and fear it. Maybe I still have a few good years left in me yet.
ReplyDeleteIt's a watershed momento, that's true.
DeleteMoment, silly.
ReplyDeleteGiving up driving is a tough decision. In our societies ability to drive is often linked to sense of identity, independence, competence etc. Sometimes it is more confident to choose to not drive while one can make the choice and adapt rather than later… My FiL would not give up driving even when it was clear he shouldn't be because it meant he would be housebound as he hadnt then capacity or contacts to find other ways to fill that need for transport.
ReplyDeleteMy fear is of being an incompetent driver, endangering other people. That's greater than the fear of isolation.
Delete