With the rain the air is still bad! And other complaints

Today is in the 70sf, and full of flood and tornado warnings. And the air is still unhealthy, I suppose washing down from the upper atmosphere.

And I'm exploring sock options. Maybe Tunisian crochet? I'm testing whether it's less trying than knitting. I found sock patterns.

Up to now it's a maybe. I've been trying  different ways to manage the thread tension without my hand totally seizing,  with moderate success. I have another idea to try, too.

Meanwhile if you love brilliant satire, Brit and US, take a look at these YouTube writers and actors

The comments on their YouTube channels are hilarious, largely people who don't understand it's acting and think it's someone frankly stating their (highly prejudiced) opinions,  then other people trying to explain! Then exasperation on both sides. A lot of hot air ensues. IYKYK.

My new next door neighbor, long time acquaintance, dropped in yesterday, to return stuff Gary had borrowed, and get me up to date on the move and pandemonium at the new house.  

It seems he's not planning to pick up the big houseplants he left here, hoping I'll keep them. I'll check with him before offering them to the library along with other plants I've given them.  But I'm not being held hostage to a Giant Splitleaf. So there! 

We had a great time taking him apart, both of us devoted to him, heck, she was married to him way back, but with no illusions about how high maintenance he is.  It's so much more peaceful now. I haven't had a single interrupted meal in a week! 

Happy day everyone, try to have interesting friends, then there's NADM.

Storms, zinnias don't care, Misfits

Wednesday's late day storms saved me from watering in the heat, and there are new daisies and zinnias, also another, probably final, bud on the hibiscus.

I am really liking the morning glories tending to business and getting along with no assistance from the gardener.

The curry leaf plant is doing well.  

If you've never used curry leaves in cooking, you might want to try them. If you can't get a plant, the leaves are sold in  Indian groceries. Anywhere you'd use a bay leaf, try curry leaves. They're not hot despite the ill-fitting name, but they're deeply flavory. 

I've given them to American friends who like cooking, and they're well received. They freeze fine.

Thursday is Misfits day 

The tracking map appears about an hour ahead and shows you the route any time you access it. There's a final it's here! announcement then it goes away.

Nice Ronald taking the returns after leaving the box. 

Plenty of greens this week, thinking about a spinach quiche, can of pineapple chunks for the food pantry, plums to make a Marian Burros plum torte, August specialty around here. She used to get wildly annoyed with nyt readers asking for the recipe every year, instead of just cutting it out and keeping it.

There's apples for mid mornings, pasta because I'm out, blue hake because I need a white fish meal or two, maybe fish cakes too. Graham crackers for pretend key lime yogurt, yogurt likewise, blueberries for breakfasts with granola. Chocolate salty things just for the halibut.

Nice array this week. Look at this beauty, after washing 

That beautiful oversized spinach, too big for the supermarket, apples too small, I ask you. But I get the benefit, great food at discount prices.

Then, full disclosure, after all this posh food talk, Thursday's supper was a fried egg on toast with lemon tea.

It was not only hot but massively humid Thursday, so I didn't walk out. Between heat, humidity and antihistamines for the season, I've been a bit inactive for a couple of days, getting around but not exercising. 

However Thursday morning I got back with A and A

This was a fifteen minute series of moves, no repeats, for thirty seconds each with 15 seconds steps between. It's more strenuous than you might think, and very good. It worked out a good bit of ache from inactivity.

Steve, of Shadows and Light,  and husband Dave, just achieved their British citizenship after living in London many years. Now they're basking in the end of the paperwork and waiting. Congratulations to them. 

Don't ask me to go swearing allegiance to any English monarch after Wednesday's blog, there's a history there..but it's seriously very nice for them, feeling they belong and can now vote against Farage.

When Handsome partner and I got American citizenship, six year old Handsome Son, born American, was so disappointed that we went on talking the same way as before. He complained you said you'd be American like me! 

We hadn't realized he expected an accent transplant. But he was only small.  No such excuse for grown people with education who seriously ask why I don't drop the accent. 

I ask them what accent they think I should imitate to replace it. That's baffling to people who think they have no accent and everyone else is "just putting it on!".  After a certain rather young age it's pretty much hardwired.

Since a day without resistance and sand in the gears is a day without r and sitg, I called the Texas snitchline the gummint put in place. It's for people to snitch on the brave Texas Democrats who left the state to break quorum and stop the gerrymandering from yielding several House seats to the GOP.

I chose the "other suspicious and criminal activity" function and a cheery lady answered.  I said I wanted to report criminal activity in DC, in the White-  and before I could finish, she broke in to say that would be federal, call the FBI. And hung up. So that was my bit of (federal) fun for the day.

Happy day everyone, on any level, however you pronounce it.

 

Glorious food, a narrow squeak and storms ahoy

 Misfits arrived

and there will be radiator (named for the shape) pasta soon, haven't had it in a while, with a small can of diced tomatoes in the sauce, enough for two meals. Lovely parmesan grated on top.

Meanwhile, in the freezer to use up vegetables, spinach, scallions and mushrooms, all sauteed and served over this rice rescued from Handsome Son's kitchen decluttering

I'm so used to my own cooking and moderate use of salt that this rice with a seasoning packet tasted very salty to me. I added some into the undersalted chicken soup later and that worked better.

My day was better than the one of the bird who collided with my window. He did survive, but you see the imprint of his body and legs and eye as they contacted the glass. I hope he's doing better now, and his headache has abated.

And here's what's up for the weekend, a nor'easter, one of our specials. I live in the middle there, near 95. Well, it will wash down the pollen, and clean my car.

I'm pondering about what thing to make next. This is a good weekend for that. Happy day, everyone, 

Twelfth night, end of Christmas

 Twelfth night 

Christmas ends today so I get to put away my tiny collection in one small box, modest decorations.

Yesterday's other, regular, knitting group featured crochet, cross stitch, knitting and, from this participant, fringe knotting. 

Here's our youngest member, self taught, who just finished a giant crocheted scarf artwork of many colors and has embarked on this crochet work now

He obliged with an action shot!

Chat ranged over health insurance, deafness, retirement, the American revolution, Empire Loyalists, genealogy, DNA findings, creating stitch designs from drawings, cake, and ice cream. 

Today I'm making apricot cranberry jam, vegetable stock, and planning on interesting recipes using the capers on order, bigger ones than my usual nonpareil size.

Happy day, everyone, and if you're in the path of upcoming storms, keep warm, dry and safe.

Storms and pups and pockets

 Last evening Gary had to be out without Billy the Pup, normally his constant companion, and asked me if I'd go over when it got dark make sure Billy was in and close the patio door, left open a  bit for her to come and go. When it starts getting dark, crickets come in. 

I'm sure he knows I'd do what I did, go over earlier, play with her and later close the door and leave her safely indoors. We'd had storms and I wanted to see she was okay.

Playing with her involves being climbed on, scrabbled at, yanked about and licked, all at the speed of light. I held her firmly to massage her ears, and try to get her to slow down enough to be petted.

I think she really needs a companion puppy, but I don't think I'll mention it to Gary. I don't think he's up for another handful. She seems to be trying to get humans to be honorary pups. 

Today it was finally cool enough to drive to the next town to the  library and return the  Nigel Slater, which I really enjoyed and got good ideas from.  

I tend to lose my driving nerve a bit when I haven't driven for a couple of days, so I had to force the issue to do it this morning, very wobbly. Home again and I was, as  always, glad I'd done it.  I am a good driver, just a reluctant one. It's better for the car and me to get out regularly though.

Anyway here's today's weaving progress, almost at the end of this panel, two more to go.

And a baby cucumber, from my neighbor, grated and mixed with malt vinegar as a salad.

I don't like cucumbers much but fresh picked and in best vinegar, okay.

I hope my thanks were courteous but not effusive enough to encourage her to offer ten more 

Then here's today's Pocket Progress

Cut out, assembled, now pinned in place ready to make this skirt a lot more useful.

And though I'm usually winnowing, here's a buy that just arrived. 

I have finally, after decades of using folded blankets, invested in a real, 100% New Zealand wool ironing blanket. I pressed the new pockets, and what an improvement on improvising. 

The old blankets can be dog rescue blankets, if I can get a YouTube taker.

 Happy day everyone, sometimes you need the real thing, not a substitute. This idea can work in a number of contexts, left to your imagination..

And I expect you know the puzzle answer was

SP!

At the beginning of each word.