A day of many parts

Yesterday was the first day of great weather for walking in the evening, light enough, warm enough and insect free enough. A stroll to the pond happened.

There's  a scruffy old squirrel's nest up there.  The nest, I don't know if the squirrel is scruffy.

Today started before dawn, when I woke ready to start the day. I was out watering plants outside because the forecast was for this 

and it's been dry for days. Then I watered all the indoor plants, same reason, the house will be warm and they'll appreciate the help.

And a session with April and Aiko, for lower back issues. My sciatic ouch has diminished significantly since I got back into these particular exercises. Also since the cold finally went away, taking the jaw pain and leg pain with it. I suppose a virus attacks the weakest links. 

Then for some plain repairs, starting with Gary's hoodie, which is not a good design. 

A nice screen printed image on woven gauze, bonded onto a knitted hoodie. Recipe for failure, and it happened. He put it on, the hoodie stretched, the screen print tore away. I put in a few stitches, allowing for stretch and we'll see.

Then there are my favorite jeans which either have stretched or I've shrunk. So I did my favorite simple alteration.

Inserted elastic inside the back of the waistband to draw it in a bit. That should save endless hitching up.

At noon there was an AARP online Tai chi session with a very good instructor.

After half an hour of moves, Tai chi not my strength, I get my arms mixed up, he had us sit to do more, this being designed for older people. 

So I took his picture at that point and next thing I knew after breathing and relaxing, I was waking up to his thanks for a lovely session.

This was a nice afternoon for sitting in the shade listening to birds and dozing and generally enjoying the day.  There was the last of the daffodils, the distant trees starting to leaf out, the spicebush at peak and the honesty getting into bloom.

Braiding is continuing with the shoelaces moving along. I have ideas for aglets in fact I dreamed of one idea

The notebook I made the other day has been received happily by a knitting friend, and there will be a couple more 

This is another couple of images from the same art catalog.

Happy day everyone, online this evening with friends. Such a rich day.

Monday, warm, dry, puffy clouds, slider

Despite dragging fatigue, side effects of the allergies and the allergy remedies, I managed to change the bed and do the laundry, now all away.  

I wasn't up to anything much physically, other than falling asleep whenever I sat down, so I wrote the day off for walking and exercising.

The deck was lovely, all kinds of birds and insects and this accidental art which looks like an impressionist setup, the dappled shade and the multiple patterns 

Then while I was reading Trollope and resting my eyes, Michael the artist -contractor came over with the renovated base cabinet and the slider he built.

Tomorrow he'll install it, and I can stop working out of a crate of baking gear. It's beautifully finished, refurbished drawer now sliding in and out smoothly, I'm just very happy with it. What an improvement on the old cabinet. 

That geared me up to making a plum crumble using all the rest of the plums. The crumble is oatmeal, some of which I ground to flour, some I left as is.  Drizzle of molasses over the top. Usual nutmeg, cinnamon, butter, salt in the crumble. In the fruit there's cornstarch to thicken it, lemon zest, cinnamon, no sugar, I like it tart. 

And here's the cook's first taste. With Greek  yogurt and a sprinkle of sugar. 

He also brought a new set of locks, plain brass finish with keys. No codes and videos and Benny Hill music.  He'll install them Tuesday.

Foyle is now working for MI5 and still trying to retire to Hastings to go fishing. Some wartime colleagues show up in new secret jobs, and if they didn't shoot so many scenes in near darkness I'd manage to follow it better. 

Most of the secret men are in raincoats and hats, I have no hope of knowing who's who. But it's still good watching, including the terrible cardigans women were wearing, and austerity shoes. Women in their twenties looked about fifty in those big felt hats, designed to repel boarders.  

This was before the New Look came in, when skirts became long, bodices were fitted, and women looked pretty good if they could save the coupons to get a new outfit, big if at that time, clothes rationed for years.

The puzzle is still in the box. Maybe Tuesday.

Happy day everyone, don't worry if the puzzle's still in the box. To every puzzle there is a season or something.