Lapghan almost there, Misfits box

 This morning I finished the crocheting part of the lapghan 

It's about 40"x 30". Now I plan to back it with fleecy grey fabric to make a non drafty wrap, then steam press and send off, with gloves.

I like how the lapghan colors work, with the grey acting like a rest for the eyes, and a uniting element. I'm hoping it cheers the heart of whoever receives it. I have a box ready to go.

And today's Misfits arrived 

Raisins, first time I ever saw them at Misfits, so I got an extra bag for the freezer. They'll feature in various baked goods. Also in a nice tangy sauce recipe I like.

Mushrooms for an upcoming omelet  mixture with chard. Blueberries with yogurt.  Simple stuff just now. January doldrums, low energy time.

I wonder if there's something in the chiming bowl meditation? I did one yesterday for pain and was encouraged by how much better Helen did. And one this morning for relaxing the jaw.  I'm a grinder, and that seemed to have an effect, too. So we'll see. 

I can't see any harm, given that I'm not in the actual room where the video is done. I imagine there the vibration would be more intense.  

I'm told that people with pacemakers are cautioned for this reason, the chance of interference with the set rhythm. I doubt if I'd do an in person session with afib, either.

Anyway happy day everyone, whatever rings your chimes.

Computer assisted art Liz Adams 

Plant surgery, reading discovery and gloves

 I just found this, now I've put it on my Kindle, and realized the reason I didn't know about it is that it was originally published under her other pen name, Gordon Daviot. It's been reissued under the better known name, but the style is quite different.

So we'll see. No Alan Grant here. Large family, tyrannical religious father, downtrodden mother..

And the gloves are done, ready to go.

While we're talking knitting, take a look at this candy, created by Yolande of the blog Fils et Aiguilles, usually a great embroiderer, but it turns out she knits, too.

If you go to her blog, don't be put off that it starts in French, because she always adds the English translation. Also a third language which I'm not sure, Danish or Dutch. It's a beautiful blog to scroll through in awe. Her  title translates to Needle and Thread.

And yesterday I finally got tired of wrangling this awkward plant, name escapes me, originally brought to me years ago,  as a dumpster rescue by Gary, which I cut into three, giving him one which is doing fine. 

This one was growing long and tall and bending all over, so I cut it back, you see the white stump. Another plant will spring from there. And I just pushed the cut off top, having discarded a long stem, straight back into the pot. Last time I did this, they all flourished, so I hope it happens again. It's better than having it collapse out of the pot, anyway.

On the subject of winnowing, Handsome Son asked what about my plants after I'm gone.  Good thinking. And I realized I don't have to wait that long. They're a lot of work and I don't have energy to burn. 

So I've arranged with the library to pass on the big ones, including the ficus, to them. I'll see them when I want, but they'll care for them. The library  building is all windows, great for plants, and they're keen to build up a collection to make the environment greener. They've taken good care of the begonia I donated. 

 I need to wait for milder weather to do this, so it's a spring plan. No more wrangling the ficus outside again! I've given her fifty years of care, so it's someone else's turn.

Happy day, everyone, and is there something you can hand over and stop wrestling with? Kitties not included.

Plans for rain, and thoughts of bills

 Since this is in our immediate future

I'll be occupied indoors, with the second one of these, which I cast on at the knitting group

And the biography of Mary Boleyn. 

It's a name that has many spellings and historians have settled on the version that Anne, the most famous of them, and Mary's younger sister, used.

My high school principal, an unreconstructed old fogy with a brilliant history degree from a  prestigious uni, always referred to her as Nan Bullen, insisting it was the usage of her time! 

Meanwhile Handsome Son continues his  free cycling by proxy -- he brings his declutterings here, and I free cycle. 

Quite a bit of this box is usable food, so that's in my kitchen. And other items are leaving here and there via freecycle. I'm happy to help, because he's  struggling to overcome his packrat tendency, so he does this on his time at his pace and I encourage by helping. 

Yesterday's discussion about bill paying reminded me of a convo a while back with an affluent friend whose brother was hopeless with money and in trouble with arrears on his mortgage. She said "We could easily afford to help him but if we give him the mortgage money, he'll certainly spend it elsewhere on an impulse." 

I could see the issue there and suggested they direct funds straight to the mortgage holder, whereupon she tells me "You don't understand about mortgages. Only the person whose name they're in can pay them."  Which I seriously doubted, since why a mortgage company would even care, or notice, if it comes to that, is unlikely. 

But it's a fixed assumption. It doesn't account for little pieds a terre in St. John's Wood (London) beloved of gentlemen who put them in their mistress's name for secrecy reasons, but paid for them!  She wasn't familiar with that kind of maneuver, being a sheltered lady herself, and not much of a reader of the novels where these characters appeared, as well as in real life.

Moving on, have a good day, everyone, pay your bills, if you just can't find someone willing to do it. Mine has never shown up, so I guess it's not going to happen! Sigh.

Joking aside, I'm fine with being an independent old lady with no partner needing my energy. It's so much easier to just take care of the Great Me! My mother used to comment on how  the widows of her acquaintance, out of long old-style marriages, centered on the husband's wants,  suddenly looked younger and stronger, as she would say "Fit and fresh!"  And ready to frolic!

Speaking of such husbands, did you get the puzzle?

KILLJOY!

:)

Food ahoy, and a bit o' knit

Yesterday I noticed, shock!  Horror! I was out of things for lunch. Also dinner. And next thing this all happened.

Reading left to right, cooked squash and raw carrots thawing for soup -- see pot of broth simmering for soup, complete with giblets from the Christmas rock Cornish game hens currently in the freezer.

Then at the back of the stove baby bella mushrooms sauteeing in butter, next to the pot of basmati rice cooking for stirfry. Front left delicious smelling onions and scallions for stirfry.

and here's lunch, with more for today, stir fry

And here's a lovely silky squash, carrot, potato soup for dinner, several more helpings for the next week.

And afternoon tea with scone courtesy of Gary

My napkins get plenty of use as you see.

A bit of cording, to use up the current damped supply of fiber, and a new bit of knitting destined for an undisclosed location.

Happy day, everyone, try not to fall down, Sue,  or run out of great food! 

Change of pace needed

After completing what is probably the twentieth pair of socks this year for my Sock Ministry

I thought I needed a change of pace, so here's what I'm trying next

Fingerless gloves. I used to knit these for Handsome Partner to wear all the time in the house when his circulation was poor in later years. They're great for doing all kinds of things without having to take them off, and kind to arthritic joints, too. I have a pair I knitted with the first yarn I spun, very useful for keeping my hands warm while operating keys or a phone.

So I'll send along a pair with the next batch of socks and see if  Sister M thinks they'll be useful. If so, I'll alternate. I'm using the last of the merino from the supply she sent me, and the blue from Joanne. These should be warm. I just hope there's enough yarn. We'll see.

I also need to learn a new skill, since I find this helps ward off the down winter feeling, so I'm planning to improve my continental knitting. I've done it before but didn't get comfortable with it and resumed English flicking style. I still prefer English purling, but maybe I'll incorporate continental for the knit stitch, in these gloves. It might help my shoulder, too, less stress on the right hand. 

And maybe it will help with my outlook, like this gate. Read the description. It's not what it seems. 

And in case you thought people are becoming clueless at the movies, it seems that's nothing new. See the guidelines for early movie goers.

And today's art offering is for glass lovers

Everything old is new again. I used to know a man who dealt in rocks and antiquities, doing business with the Smithsonian, and when we visited his apartment, he had various glass items around, clearly mouth blown, and old. He handed one to me and I noticed how light and thin walled it was. Also how fast it warmed in my hands.

He told me it was authenticated as Roman, as were the other pieces on open shelves. Valuable to collectors, and I asked if he weren't nervous about robbery. He laughed and said no, a usual house breaker wouldn't recognize their value, and if they were stolen he'd know exactly who was behind it, the world of ancient glass being so small!  It's a kind of natural insurance. Like the world of diamonds, where the stones and the people are known and any theft instantly traceable, with the penalty of exclusion always possible.

Happy day,  everyone. Everything isn't the way it looks. Sometimes it's better. 

Upcycling for socks

I knitted quite a few pairs of socks for me and others a while back.  Some I liked so much that I wore out the heels

what with all the walking I do, and these were too nice to scrap, and no fun walking in repaired heels, so I decided to upcycle them.


And here you see one of my new fingerless gloves on my gnarly old hand

and naturally the Dollivers wanted in on this

and two of them got new ski hats, which used to be sock toes, despite the pouring rain going on, because they figure sooner or later there'll be snow and skiing.

I warned them not to mention the new hats to the others, since I don't want to have to upcycle three more socks..