That was the cake that was, and a finish and Freecycle

I baked a sweet potato, raisin walnut cake for Handsome Son's visit on Wednesday, and we had a nice time on the deck, with tea and cake. He agreed we always need cake and offered to pick up any ingredients I might need! 

I explained I usually have ingredients, it's the energy that runs short sometimes. So I saved some in the freezer, and after we'd enjoyed some and I'd had a bit for breakfast,  we are here

Last night I found a great old black and white Alec Guinness movie with Joan Greenwood, on YouTube, highly recommend. I think I may have seen it decades ago, some dialogue familiar, and it's worth a second look.

It's a great rendition of Father Brown and I kindly overlooked the production errors such as Father Brown wearing the soutane in England, it's illegal, and other things, but Guinness is so good, nevermind.

I have triumphed over the socks, now done. I started knitting early this morning, while listening to a Yale lecture on Islam, very good presenter, Paul Freedman.

Anyway here's the complete pair on my battered old feet and off 

I even had yarn to spare, to my surprise. Anyway I was so pleased that I finished a crocheted whistle lanyard

And I'm Freecycling for Handsome Son who is trying to get away from packrat mode, so this helps and it's much easier for me to do than him.

Weekends are good for freecycling, so I'm hopeful. There are three shirts here, and I kept two for me. They're in good shape but are way too large for him now. For me they're practically dresses, but maybe nightwear.

Happy day everyone, we have no idea yet when we will celebrate Easter, whatever day works, when he gets his weekly schedule tomorrow.  Normally he works Sundays, but we'll see.

 

 

Still there, we'll get it clean again 

The day after, chop wood, carry water

I woke up to a little post rally tristesse, so I thought a bit of earlyish  music would be good. Bach and Handel aren't exactly early, but they work on recorders so I'm not arguing.

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Handel, Lucie Horsch giving a brilliant performance

notice the player at the right? The instrument that reaches down a step. That step enables everyone to sit while playing. Very handy for the lowest recorder voices.

These are both on YouTube,  worth a look.

And here's nature's  gray scale shadow art on the kitchen wall yesterday.

This works in more than one orientation, but this is how the sun did it.

Meanwhile the knitting is a work in progress, so much to do, will the yarn make it, cue ominous music.  

Last night was a study in not knitting while tired. I finished the cuff and checked what stitch pattern to continue in, blessedly the original knitter had chosen plain stocking stitch. 

Looked back at the pattern which explained how to work the heel, so I started on that and had completed several rows, interesting learning, before I dimly realized I was ahead of myself.  Then I noticed the small print explaining I needed to knit seven inches of stocking stitch before embarking on the heel. Duh.

It's the knitting equivalent of turning over two pages in the recipe book. So I unraveled back to the cuff, arghghg, and knitted several correct rows so as to avoid doing that again today.  That's certainly a first for me. 

In more successful areas,  I'm very happy with the lentil tofu. Today's dipping sauce was adapted from that garlic yogurt sauce I made for the fritters. As is, it doubles as a green salad dressing. Then with added ketchup and vinegar, it made an interesting new dipping sauce.   

I like sauces and for my next trick, I'm going to make Wil Yeung's pasta with white sauce using cashews, which I've added to my misfits order. It's ages since I used cashews, the Swiss Army knife of ingredients. And penne is a good pasta for working with sauce.

Happy day, everyone! Keep on resisting -- you see how many we are. Next to take back at least the House, and aim for the Senate, too. 

Try not to turn two pages at once 

Rainy day and a good friend, lanyards and cake

The day started with a trip to get scheduled lab work, courtesy of a good driving friend who treats me like royalty, it's amazing. Opens the door, ushers me in, drops me off then parks then comes to join me. 

Considering yesterday I was heaving debris around and walking a distance to do it, quite a contrast. Speaking of which, report on the day after a strenuous effort: fine, no aftereffects, hip is fine.  I think the exercises are working. 

Then home to a house and pot of tea, pouring rain all day out there, and my bread not being available this week on Misfits, I baked.

Banana, pumpkin raisin bread, well, cake really. Whole-wheat flour.  Pretty good. 

I think I'll give some to the driving friend for a review. Not sure it's sweet enough for most tastes. 

Yesterday's finished the spool knitted lanyard and attached the whistle. 

When the second sock is finished and the second glove, I'll send a little parcel to the Sock 'n Glove 'n Whistle Ministry.  A button -up cowl, gloves, two pairs of tube socks, whistle on a lanyard. I might be running out of whistles, all going to good places. 

I really liked the French knitting foray, especially making the spools. I had to review how to get the knitting going though. It's been a long time. I can see continuing this. 

And my self care currently involves reading and listening to historians on the Renaissance period. It was just as scary then, with demented people getting into power, but it's a long time ago, and they had great dresses.

Did you see the Oscar dresses? Some really elegant marvelous designs and stitching skills. 

Happy day everyone. Keep resisting and keep caring for yourself, including staying fit. That really helps me, anyway, feeling physically capable helps with a lot of emotions.  

Yes to that sez Ted and Big Ursy and Pony.