Thursday, April 23, 2026

Information and actions from Earth Day, tofu, loom, Misfits

I came out of the Earth Day online rally last night with new information on what's happening in Newark to stop further pollution, and links to help. There was  encouragement to speak up, every voice matters, from distinguished national weather scholars and officials from earlier admins when the gummint took the environment seriously. It was an evening well spent.

Sleep having decided to blow where it listeth, I woke at 2am ready to go. So I made a cup of coffee, slice of olive bread and downloaded Margareta Magnusson's book on old age. She's the author of Swedish Death cleaning. 

She wrote 

during the pandemic, when she was 86, and a good bit frailer than I was at that age. 

But she had a resolute good humor about difficulties. Always an artist, she was interested in so much, even when her physical horizons shrank. I just checked and found she died only a couple of weeks ago at 91. She had an interesting life well lived.

It was a quick read, after which I slept till the reasonably hour of 7am.

Today's Misfits, so here's the bag outside.


At the moment the boxes and ice blocks are going to Gary. 

Meanwhile, I needed lunch and made red lentil tofu, cooked in a sauce of scallions, soy sauce, Worcestershire, apple cider vinegar and ketchup. This was so good. Enough for two more meals. From half a cup of red lentils, one cup water, salt. 


Plain mixed green salad, plenty of flavor in the sauce. 

And, before Misfits, came the loom!!



They're serious about beginners -- it arrived ready threaded and started! 

So maybe I'll do something with this before I get onto the pattern weaving. Or maybe I'll adapt and make it into my first patterned band, whoa. As you see it has multicolored warp threads. There are possibilities there. And the heddle is a different dent (warp threads per inch) so it doesn't duplicate the one I have.

This is a nice deal, heddle and shuttle included, aside from the work they did, in case the buyer didn't know how. Maybe this is self defense against multiple calls for help! 

Then Misfits finally arrived, Ramon, on the afternoon shift, driving a nonpink truck.





Cans for the food pantry, enough bread for the foreseeable future as well as the loaf I found in the freezer when I was in there for something else.

 Fusilli because I like curly pasta, lovely Envy apples, they've been excellent lately, potatoes ready to parboil for roasting, Bananaz to ripen a day or two, yogurt to go with them.

 Lovely brown eggs for all kinds of plans, including egg 'n chips -- fries-- quick meal, chocolate covered almonds because times are haaaard, and I expect they're nutritious.

What a great day. 

A bonus -- I'm packing a small framed artwork to ship, and having a bit of a time finding packing materials. So the bubble wrap from the eggs and the packing paper from the loom will be pressed into service. 

Happy day everyone, do all the things then lie down.



Still mine, dammit. 

33 comments:

  1. Do all the things and then lie down. Excellent advice:)
    I think I'll try that lentil tofu, see how much gas it causes. My belly is not a fan of legumes but I want to try.
    That loom looks pretty nice. Have a wonderful time.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Lentils are more digestible if you soak them an hour or two, even overnight. I really like this tofu, fun to make, good to eat.
      I'm so looking forward to playing I mean working with this loom.

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  2. I am so excited about the loom, and impressed that it arrived ready threaded.

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    Replies
    1. I can't wait to play! They took quite a bit of trouble with the prep.

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  3. Good things were looming at your doorway.

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  4. Ooooo, your new loom looks pretty damn sweet! Keep on aging exuberantly!!

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    1. Isn't it nice? I didn't really need it threaded but I'll take the opportunity anyway.

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  5. A good day, starting with wee hours good aging advice, throughout the great arrivals at your door.

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    Replies
    1. It was a terrific day, chats with neighbors, too.

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  6. I began Swedish Death Cleaning quite a number of years ago, soon after I heard about it, and it is now done. I have no more that I consider superfluous, although others may disagree.
    It is great to learn new skills at an older age. Happy weaving.

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    Replies
    1. It's kind to the people left sorting your stuff, to make it easier. Good for you!

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  7. That loom reminds me of a stringed instrument.

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    Replies
    1. That's an interesting comparison. Now I can think of my weaving as music. Cool.

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  8. That's an interesting looking read... one to follow up. Thanks

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    Replies
    1. It's a quick and cheerful read, though it's more about her own life than about advice for readers.

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  9. Your going to have a wonderful time imagining all sorts of patterns
    Your so good to regularly buy cans to donate I’m sure that right now, the food pantry is busy helping more people than they usually do

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    1. Yes, last night I did a couple of experiments learning to pick up warp threads, to see the results. They donations are now a habit, and yes, there's a lot more call on the pantry now.

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  10. How can you resist putting everything else aside and just 'weaving?'

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    Replies
    1. The temptation was great, but food can't wait! Oh, a pome!

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  11. I wonder what it would be like to have a job wherein you spent your working hours threading looms for shipping. Or perhaps it's only a part time job. Still- interesting concept.
    I bet you're as excited as a child with a new bicycle. Brand new! Enjoy.

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    1. From what I know of the artisans I buy from, they're usually tiny outfits, often one person doing everything, so I doubt if this is more than a fraction of the working day. I never heard of looms shipped threaded before. Usually you receive them in pieces for sanding, polishing and assembling. This idea rare sort of offering. In fact I wish they hadn't, because it's delaying my own work. Maybe I'll suggest they ask the buyer, if they invite feedback.

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  12. Dangit, I said this is, not idea!

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  13. Replies
    1. Great new toy! I mean serious working tool.

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  14. I can see the good and the bad of having the loom already set up. It's good that you can see how it is done and you can start right away but it's bad if you had your own project in mind. I would have to study it so carefully to see if I could thread it myself for the next project. You are more skilled than I so maybe that's not a problem for you.

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    1. They advertise it for beginners, but it's a loom serious weavers can work on. When I responded to their invitation to assess, I asked them to make threading optional. For me, familiar with rigid heddle weaving and with a design ready to go, it was a nuisance taking it down before I could start. And I was sorry someone had gone to all that trouble. But I can see that a beginner might appreciate it.

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  15. Checking in just to report I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth. Barely keeping up with reading your posts, in the midst of a roller-coaster spring. It is April, but still...80 degrees F to snow, then 3 inches of rain over the course of a week - that's a quarter of our annual rainfall (and well-received, after our snowless winter). Looking forward to following your weaving adventures. Glad you have new playthings - I mean tools! Chris from Boise

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    Replies
    1. I imagine the precipitation in any form was welcome, if confusing. And my new toytool is certainly keeping me occupied. Mistakes abound!

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  16. It iis still ours! Thank you for that reminder. I do have to say that it is such a comfort being with like minded souls. We really are meant to be encouragers of one another. You are indeed an encourager.

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  17. I'm sure there was a great deal of excitement when you unpacked the new loom. Now we get to sit back and watch you create with it.

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    Replies
    1. It's certainly easier than doing the weaving! But despite the issues, it's really fun to venture on a new skill.

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