Pillows done, food too

I repaired four of the pillows, which didn't seem to need stitching until you noticed your finger sliding into a place where the patches were coming apart. 

The epp medallion on the yellow silk pillow was almost falling off. I think maybe played with as visitors sat with it on their laps. I wonder why people do this with pillows? I do it to raise up what I'm doing and save my neck from strain now that it's fixed again.

Pillows done, I made a layered baked dinner. Layer one last of the roast cabbage, layer two last parboiled potato, diced, layer three last of the (diced) tomatoes.  Dessert last of the (diced) peaches.  Dices feature regularly around here, lazy eater just using a fork.  Maybe Monday I'll go wild and have cod, not diced. 

Irony alert, which will amuse Minnesota blogistas. Sunday our recreation department had scheduled a winter fest. Cancelled because of weather. Snow.  Folks, it's January, it's NJ, winter fests take place in winter.   Three inches of snow is shorts weather to some.  

I've now read all the Ruth Galloways, so sad.  But I've found a nice series set in Yorkshire, with a cool self doubting detective police officer, Inspector Blades 

This is Book Two, several more to go. It's set in the early twentieth century after WW1, social changes, demobbed shell shocked soldiers, women bobbing their hair, daringly going out alone. Plenty of murder possibilities.

Happy day everyone. If you can manage it. Do it for Martin.

MLK birthday, and Philomena

Today's the birthday of Martin Luther King, so I'm centering him. 

Monday is the official observance and I'm disregarding other events that day in favor of looking for counter programming about centering Black people. I'll probably find them on Spoutible.

And there's a new online publication, a consortium of journalists, The Contrarian. I've joined. I'd rather have their unbought take on the news, and starve the MSM. 

MSM, incidentally, are now running news about how well Biden did, how great the standing of the US, how well the economy has recovered, everything they ignored for four years. They must have noticed the hemorrhage of subscribers and clicks after their election "coverage".  Bit late now though.

But comic relief today is Philomena Cunk, wonderful YouTube channel in her downright northern voice and stage name. The premise is that notable experts in their fields interview with her, as she puts the sort of question a smart five year old might. Every parent has met these almost unanswerable questions.  

And some experts get in knots struggling with it, while others with less personal vanity, can handle it. People at the top of their field are likely to say, well, that's interesting, I don't know but I'll think about it.  Then there are the academics who can not bear to say I don't know, and go down blustering!  Meanwhile you can learn a lot.

Today cold,  windy and sunny and I made it around the short block. Yay me. 

Happy day, everyone! 

Martin Luther King Day

Today honors the civil rights and anti Vietnam war figure

He came out for civil rights and against the Vietnam war, both unpopular positions at the time, but he stood fast.

It's a national holiday and our local library, under its first director, used to stay open anyway, because the library stands for universal literacy and equal access. This seemed appropriate, to stay open on a day a lot of people would be free to come in. That principle has given way to the holiday aspect since the pandemic, a loss, I think.

Meanwhile it's a day of service and my part will be more sock knitting for the Sock and Glove Ministry.

When I worked in a nonprofit organization, we dreaded local corporate executives' being given a day for service! It meant an increase in our already heavy workload, trying to devise single day projects that could be undertaken safely by untrained well-meaning folk, then supervising them.

They wanted to do things like lead support groups, and were taken aback when we couldn't turn over any existing groups, confidential and run by highly qualified professionals. 

Or they wanted to paint and renovate, meaning expecting us to provide walls, paint, ladders, brushes, rollers, etc. And negotiate with the staff whose contracted job it was.  

Or they wanted to do childcare in the nursery, and didn't have the police background check we all needed before we set foot in any building with children's programs. 

It was all such a good idea on paper.  And it was an eye opener to them to find that our professional staff had at least two degrees each. We did try to accommodate them with tasks that worked out, but it was a bit aspirational as an idea. We did get a group one year to sort and organize the craft room, which was a win-win, everybody happy, no harm done, no insurance issues.

Back to now, here's the weaving, fringes knotted and trimmed, ready to become a combo cowl/scarf.

see how I'll stitch it with the opening you see to go over my head, and the long end to throw over the top. I can wear this different ways. The knotting took the length of two audio books, slow and unexciting work.

Happy day, everyone, keep warm, or cool, or dry,  or hold onto your hat, whichever applies.

Photo AC

MLK, Freecycle successes and force of habit

Yesterday I set to work upstairs on winnowing the sewing and stitching and bits of fabric department, mainly a big crate and a storage drawer set.

I finally decided all the bits of weaving and stitching I'd done for the pleasure of it with vague ideas about destination, could depart via Freecycle, if I got any takers. 

I'm proud of the work I did, but it's served its purpose to me, and someone else can enjoy it, applique bits onto pillows, make purses, whatever.

Likewise the Japanese door curtain, red and blue, not my decor colors, and the leftover canvas from the front door summer door curtain. 

And a lot of sewing things such as multiple thimbles and snaps I don't use. Also circular knitting needles which I totally have tried and hated, straight needles are me. Jewelry findings too fiddly for my numb fingers.

Anyway

Everything you see here is either already in, or in its way to, a delighted new home.  

And here's the sum total of what will be garbage. A handful of scraps at the bottom of the basket.

Not a bad afternoon's work. I think the holiday weekend (Martin Luther King Day in the US) plus the renewed lockdown and general anxiety have fuelled interest in home decorating and general making of stuff.

Certainly the excitement in the request emails would indicate that. One lady  plans to share her haul around various family members, another is planning to re-sling her garden chairs, it's all good and I'm glad I shared.

The storm yesterday didn't amount to much, wind, sleet, rain, temps now too high for ice. But the house is still very dry despite all the rain outside and the plants inside, so I've started a pot of water simmering on the stove to help my skin and hair. 

Like a good mom, I turned the handle back. Force of habit, the baby in question having been living in his own home for over thirty years.  But you never know if a toddler is going to break into the house in order to seize the pot handle. 

The good thing about the permanent simmering water is that it's always ready if tea is required.  Even if I have to fight my way through gangs of invading toddlers to get to it.

Still fighting for the vote, too, to honor Martin. Now more than ever.  Both my senators are onside already: Cory Booker, and Menendez. No need to explain to them about the importance of the upcoming votes in Congress. They're already campaigning for both voting bills.

Press on!