Precautions, and Textiles and Tea

This afternoon in the US, there will be a test alert of the emergency services, which will be transmitted via radio, TV and phones. It's particularly important to know this if anyone is, or knows anyone, who needs to keep a  secret cellphone because of living in a dangerous situation. 

This isn't melodramatic, it's a  fact for some women. It means that before 2.20 pm EST, the phone needs to be switched off and left off for at least half an hour,  so the loud alert (plus vibrate plus text) doesn't betray its presence. If there's widespread weather interference to the signal, it will be postponed to October 11.

While we're talking precautions, here's a handy chart of US numbers you or a friend might sometime need, to save for reference

And here's what just arrived, courtesy of the gummint, covid test kits. One package per household, your tax dollars at work. I also ordered a package for Handsome Son, since I have more time to attend to this sort of thing than he does.

On to cheerier, and less US-centric subjects, yesterday's Textiles and Tea featured Barbara J. Walker, (not the knitter Barbara G. Walker)  a weaver and braider who does exquisite work, making her own cords, braiding them, with all kinds of ply-splitting and splicing techniques, which she demonstrated in response to questions. 

You see her wearing a necklace she created. She uses silk and linen in weaving, but any fiber that gives the  color she wants when she makes cord.

These rain chains are a collaborative installation, with Lyn Christiansen, made to resemble the Japanese rain chains which replace gutters and downspouts, and are also beautiful.

 There's more on her website, don't miss it, it's a festival of color.

Happy day,  everyone, one more flower joins the posy, a brown eyed Susan. Eking out the fall flowers as they start to get tired and ready to rest.

Happy solstice with Flowers

 The Christmas cactus has started flowering, and the color is different from the buds, as you see. I sent a picture to my cleaning family who gave me it,  so they can enjoy it too. 

Perfect timing for the solstice, so a happy Solstice to Northern hemisphere blogistas, days to start lengthening, and to Southern hemisphere blogistas, shortening, but there's summer coming right now.

And yesterday's mail brought the blessing of a President who knows what he's doing. My new batch of free covid test kits arrived, timed for the holidays

and in other news, my Arabic reader arrived, ready, I thought to help me stumble along.

Alas I found their notion of beginners isn't mine. On their first page they say of  course the beginner is expected to have a basic understanding of the language.. Honey, that's not a beginner. 

It reminded me of the construction kit in a Child's Christmas in Wales: easy for little engineers, oh, easy for Leonardo!

Jamal will have to wait for me to catch up, then I'll read his adventures. A stretch goal at this point. Maybe this time next year I'll be looking back kindly on my current ineptitude.

Meanwhile here's a lovely manuscript page with a Christmas Chi Rho, the abbreviation for the word Christ. It's a symbol and a devotion in itself, as is the X in Xmas, an early respectful way of expressing the Holy Name. 

And on to less reverent things, here's a seasonal puzzle you absolutely will get. As usual, post funny clues not the actual answer

Happy day, everyone, longest night comes right before the return of the light, good to remember.

And today AC's photograph is totally right for the day.

Photo AC 

Empty the freezer soup

I'll be reordering Misfits  this afternoon, so made soup with all the vegetables left in the freezer.

Onions cooking gently while I chop garlic and get ready to tip in the remaining cauliflower, broccoli, spinach and scallions.

Green Powerhouse soup, seasoned with salt, Old Bay, Bill Veach curry recipe, lemon juice.

All the freezer bags are now washed and draining ready for next Friday's Misfits delivery.

Meanwhile knitting is clicking away and I find I'm a bit allergic to the black merino wool. 

My eyes are irritated. Might be the wool fibers, might be the dye, since I find occasionally that black dye causes me a bit of trouble.  

Anyway I'll do the socks, already knitting heels and toes in a cotton mix and maybe I'll also do the cuffs that way, too. That way the socks will still be warm to wear while I minimize my exposure. 

The day would not be complete without a bit of whining. I ordered the gov Covid test kits the very day the portal opened, way back in January. Also ordered a set for Handsome Son, different address. 

So, different households, same last name, same zip code, exact same date of ordering, separate order forms, mine officially numbered one digit ahead of his. His arrived a week ago. I'm happy he has them. However, no sign of mine. 

I know this is up to date because I checked this morning for yesterday's mail, after starting my car to keep the battery happy. I left the engine  running while I went to the mailbox. 

What about me, Joe? Have a word with DeJoy, please. 

Handsome Son reminded me same happened with the relief checks, received weeks apart.

Which reminds me that I had a letter a couple of days ago, from the IRS, telling me they owed me a large round sum, but hadn't received last year's (2020) return. 

Which I sent early last February. It contained a payment check which they presented five days from mailing. Which pretty much proves they did receive the return 

Sooooo they said if I had in fact filed, please copy and resend all forms and enclosures, sign the copy again and return immediately. Limited window to pay me. Huh? My money and a limited window?

Anyway I did all that, cranked up the printer and scanner and sent back the lot, with a copy of their own letter in case they forgot why I'm writing to them. So we'll see.

I just hope the new mailing gets attended to better than the last. I may be driven to electronic filing next time. I've filled out but not yet mailed this year. I really don't want the complication of online filing, though I do it with a lot of other paperwork. But the IRS is a last bastion.  And it worked fine until the former guy trashed the agency.

Oh well, happy day anyway!