Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine mends and makes do...

Finished the decorative refurbishment/mending of my beloved ChopShop cardigan yesterday evening. Given that it was created from pieces of old wool sweaters cut and pieced into a new form by my pal Karen, from time to time it has developed holes or parts of the hand stitchery come loose. I love it and wear it often when the weather turns cold. Most recently it wore through at the center front, where the back of the I-cord button loop rubbed against the body next to the placket.

Rather than sew on a patch centered at chest level, which would be an unfortunate focal point, I instead made a virtue of necessity and created an extended decorative motif running down each side of the center front adjacent to the placket which incidentally also covered the hole. I used some two color horizontally striped grosgrain ribbon, couched some handspun dark brown wool, and folded some of the wide twill tape into little triangle shapes that tucked behind the ribbon and yarn. Once the whole long pieces were appliqued in place, the final step was to add a bit of fern embroidery stitches on each of the triangles: darker brown on the tan and lighter blue on the navy, in a sort of counterchanged effect. The whole combination references "folk art" in a non-specific and urban fantasy sort of way, which is just right for my personal style. 

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~ proto kweepeergelei ~

Since yesterday was dry and clear, seemed like the best time to harvest the quinces... while not as much as last year, still twenty-four pounds is a hefty haul. Will take a bit of doing to convert these into shelf stable foodstuff, but in the meantime, the house smells wonderful!

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Eeeee! This Ursula LeGuin exhibition is close enough that I can bike there!

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Very much enjoyed the presentations from Block Printing Fest, as I was able to fit in watching a wide assortment of both project and interview based videos. "Studio Visit : Making Friday" video interview with Heather Moore was a treat, as I remember reading her blog many years ago:

"Skinny laMinx is the pattern-filled, colourful brand of Cape Town designer, Heather Moore. Heather retreats to her studio every Friday, where she plays with cut paper, stencils and block printing to come up with her fresh and delightful prints and patterns."

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My intention today had been to make the tarp gutter to span between the porch roof and the walkway roof, before the "atmospheric river" arrived. The rain is begun, and surely playing hob with the children's Halloween, but my gutter project is nowhere near finished. Placing screw hooks overhead on the rafters of an angled porch roof is more challenging than initially thought, particularly when they need to line up with the screw hooks that are more than a foot away and on a different axis. These are the sorts of challenges that tend to stop me in a paralytic way, which isn't useful. At this point, all the holes are drilled, all the screw hooks on the walkway side are in place, and most of the ones on the angled porch side are at least started (those being much more difficult to screw into their spots)

When it was obvious that the project wouldn't be completed, getting the part done that required the electric drill took priority, as our plucky heroine will not run outdoor power tools in the rain, much less clamber about on stepladder ditto. If I cannot find a tarp on hand that is at least 8 ft long, I will kludge the tarp aspect and overlap two smaller tarps like flexible shingles. My plan is to make a sort of gradual trapezoid shape with grommets on the edges to connect to the ceiling hooks and hold the tarp gutter at enough of a slant to guide the water out to the front yard. At least that is the concept. Which I have only been trying to figure out for years and why there are at least two boards on the porch that need replaced. Incremental progress is still progress.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	reattach wheel to wheelbarrow	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	vegetable steamer leg replacement	recycle bin
5	18 penny luck envelopes	leather scissors sheath	LFL books
6	10 holly&bells ornaments	chopshop cardigan mended	recycle bin
7	more penny luck envelopes	x	greenwaste bin
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- I bravely spoke to the appliance repair man in the shop near St Johns while I was out on my bike yesterday. He phoned me back with more information, once I was able to tell him the make and model number of my broken dryer. They can get parts, but given the age, the parts are hard to get and spendy; his advice was my money would be better put towards a new used dryer rather than an expensive service call. Food for thought.
- new chapter of Super Supportive to read today
- I learned about two new block printing techniques 

Time of Isolation - Day 1956

wishful whingeful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine still has no phone...

In the last 7 days, my wireless printer and laptop stopped communicating, my venerable Photoshop program stopped working, and yesterday my gorram mobile phone stopped working... I'm not going to ask what next!

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~ really large flower~

This flower is about the size of my two hands, cupped. It wasn't labeled, in the floral section of the grocery store, but may be a peony? I stubbornly intend to keep enjoying and sharing the beautiful things in the world...

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Yesterday morning my mobile phone completely stopped accepting a charge. (It isn't the charging cable, as it works on other devices) It is probably the charging socket inside the phone. I went to the Verizon store. Their cost to replace the socket was over $200; considering how much I dislike the phone, that doesn't seem worth it. I called the two other places I could find online that repair phones, and the lowest repair estimate was "at least a hundred and a half". All I use my phone for is phone calls, text messages, internet search, alarms/timer, pedometer, and the camera to take photos (no videos). Occasionally e-books or audio books. No games, no video watching.

option #1 - I could get a new, different phone, either from Verizon, or from some other store. positives: would be new, so would have better battery life. hopefully all parts functional. negatives: would be quite spendy. Might be just as annoying as current phone, or even worse.
option #2 - I could buy a used phone online, or if a local friend had a phone they no longer wanted after upgrading to a newer phone... positives: less spendy, possibly even free. negatives: Might be just as annoying as current phone, or even worse.
option #3 - I could buy a flip phone, and readjust my tech habits. positives: Less expensive to purchase, much smaller so much more comfortable to use/hold, would discourage unnecessary time spent online. negatives: would need to start carrying my digital camera with me all the time, and would need to re-acquire suitable card reader to connect SD card to laptop. (found card reader and it still works)

P.S.: before my current phone (Motorola "moto-e") which has a horrible camera/interface, I had a Samsung Galaxy S6, which I loved for the excellent camera focusing interface. But that phone became obsolete for reasons? and I had to get a different phone. No idea if Samsung has changed enough in the interim that I would even like a newer one(I've been told by folks that have newer Samsung phones that my beloved interface has gone the way of the dodo.)

I've pretty much decided to not use "camera" as part of my criteria, as I own two entirely functional digital cameras; am now seriously considering just getting a basic flip phone. If for no other reason than I could get a new one tomorrow from the Verizon store and would have a functional mobile phone (I didn't realise how much not having one would disturb me) And if having just a flip phone turns out to not be enough for me, I can then upgrade not when I am desperate, and after getting advice from folks about what would better suit my needs... does that make sense?

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Been thinking quite a bit in the last two days about one way where I struggle with making decisions. These thinky-thoughts brought on by the current phone situation. I really wish that I had a "tech advisor" handy, that would find me information and answer questions in ways I could comprehend, related to my query and concerns. This need is not met by internet searching (despite my reasonably good google-fu) as what I am seeking may not be important to most people or perhaps only to me...

And I also seem to have a learned fear of making "the wrong choice" that goes back as far as I can remember, definitely to pre-teenage years. So regarding what to do about the mobile phone has put me in more of a tizzy than really seems appropriate. There is a sort of uncomfortable internal tug of war between the "not to decide is to decide" voice, and the "if it is to be it is up to me" voice.  Part of me wants it all to be taken care of for me, which is a dreadful thing to realise at my advanced age and point of view. Self-knowledge is not always comfortable to bump into.

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So far, every year there are new people in the Advent Swap. Not all the same folks participate each year, but that it continues to appeal and have value to folks for participation brings me joy. Every ripple of connection and brightness we can find makes a difference. It doesn't solve the Big Issues, but it is more like a vital micronutrient that helps us be stronger.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	reattach wheel to wheelbarrow	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	vegetable steamer leg replacement	recycle bin
5	18 penny luck envelopes	leather scissors sheath	LFL books
6	10 holly&bells ornaments	x	x
7	more penny luck envelopes	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

yesterday's gratitudes -
- stayed comparatively calm about my phone not working, and am both asking for advice and coming up with various ideas for options.
- found the missing SD card reader.
- got to zoom with my UK pal Leslie for the first time in weeks.
today's gratitudes -
- the weather this afternoon was an archetypal autumn day, and perfect for riding my bike.
- Rage, and one of Rage's pals, are going to participate in the Advent Swap!
- really enjoying the Block Printing Fest presentations

Time of Isolation - Day 1954

Monday musings

in which our plucky heroine wakes up early...

and while sitting looking out the living room window, enjoys seeing juncos foraging amongst the weeds and undergrowth in the front yard. They may be common, but they are so delightful.

This afternoon I moved some wood chips from the driveway pile to front yard, using refurbished wheelbarrow. Also reconfigured the mulch around the future pear thicket, to keep it from right against the young tree trunks (which is not healthy for them), and moved some bricks into circular edging to keep the mulch in place. Then I was tired. Picked up the not currently needed watering buckets and moved them next to the back door, rather than leaving their uncharming selves in the middle of the front yard. Considering getting this "bubbler" from Lee Valley, and timing how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket. Could instead of repeatedly filling plastic buckets in the summer, just set a timer to remind self to move the gizmo from tree to tree once the right amount of hydration has been delivered to each one, which would have the added benefit of encouraging intermittent movement

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~ hams and bacon ~

I've been thinking about overlays, the way that history leaves traces, the way that memory adds a veil over what remains or has changed... when I was young, encyclopedias or even sometimes dictionaries would have visual diagrams where there was information printed on a transparent page that would show the locations of body parts, or of the interior of plants, and suchlike. Now it may seem quaint, but it is a resonant concept. When I walk around the downtown, or in places from my past life, my mind populates the spaces with what no longer exists. There is no "Powells Technical Books", no "Daisy Kingdom", and Winks Hardware is now across the river.

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a better shoelace knot ... will have to try it out for myself

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The oldest of my Fiskars spring loaded snips, the pair that lost its orange little closure toggle several years ago, has been kept shut ever since by looping the handles closed with a hair tie, which is less than ideal. Instead, a scrap of upholstery leather, a bit of time with the lacing punches, and a dab of Barge Cement et voila, there is a little narrow sheath that the snip blades slide into and are held in place by the pressure of them trying to open. Much safer and more tidy.

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went to Pearl Hardware to buy some of the special candles that fit in the camping candle lantern. Used to be able to get them at REI. Not that it is camping season, but after The Way Forward this weekend that went over some of the ways to be prepared for Unknown Future Challenges, one of the topics was emergency lighting. I have a lantern for the windowless bathroom, of course, but a second lantern with the correct acoutrements seems like a good idea

Walking east across downtown to get transit home again, stopped in at Dick Blick, and while window shopping, found that they carry a vast array (the full line?) of DMC floss, and also Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash printing ink, two needful handcraft supplies that it is excellent to have available locally. Especially the floss, so difficult to judge the colors accurately online.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	reattach wheel to wheelbarrow	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	vegetable steamer leg replacement	recycle bin
5	18 penny luck envelopes	leather scissors sheath	-
6	10 holly&bells ornaments	x	x
7	more penny luck envelopes	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
- leatherworking tools and the knowledge of how to use them
- the varied vivid gradients of maple leaves this time of year
- I splurged on a small bit of black cod for my dinner. It is my favorite fish.
- 'twas a minor adventure: Pearl Hardware + Dick Blick. Adding minor adventures at least once a week might be a way to increase well being.

Time of Isolation - Day 1952

things of unexpected size and other tidbits

in which our plucky heroine takes advantage of a sunbreak...

Yesterday when speaking with Maeva about if the quince might be ripe, her advice was to go outside and have a good sniff, and if they were, that would make it clear! Sure enough, when the weather allowed earlier today, not only was it obvious even before immediate proximity, but one of the larger ones was on the ground next to the downspout. (Wondering if they were thinned early this year, as the ones on the tree now are so MUCH LARGER than any prior year) The one windfall quince weighed over 1½ pounds and is about the size of a baby's head. There will be much preserving this year.

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~ no bigger than my own wee paws ~

Time for a bit of exploration and adventure, an excursion to part of the city far from Acorn Cottage. PDX Dinorama had mentioned online a "tiny Little Free Library, and sure enough, it was so small, being only a bit taller than my (admittedly stumpy) hand length. And there was an assortment of very small blank books, one of which came home with me to eventually join the other volumes in the Shadowbox Library, once it acquires some content...

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Next week there will be three days of free ephemeral online presentations as part of  "Block Printing Fest 2025"... I'll definitely try and find time to view some, betwixt and between. 

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(whinges) Day four of medication. Less heartburn (which was not my main complaint), but throat "lump" sensation (which was) is, if anything, more bothersome, and appetite has not returned. Sigh. 

Further attempts but still the laptop doesn't know there is a printer. Deleting and reinstalling Photoshop did not give me a useable program, so now there is no image processing program either. Snapseed on my phone can do some image correction, but the photos remain too large in dimension and in data.

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Lovely alternating rams horn variation card weaving pattern, seen on FB's "suggested" and managed to track down. Has me wanting to set up a band loom of some kind again. The pattern is from Cerelle Woods, who says "Picks 1-16 repeated yield the band pictured. Picks 17-32 repeated will reverse the twist." There's S threading, which is when the thread comes through the holes from the back side of the tablet, and there's S slant, which is when the threaded tablet, when it's tensioned in the warp and viewed from above, has the same slant as the letter S (\). For Z threading the thread comes through the holes from the front of the tablet, and for Z slant, the warped tablet has the same slant as a Z (/). So! Depending on the weaver, S and Z can mean one thing OR its exact opposite. When I use S and Z, I'm referring to the threading, not the slant." 
If I try this, I will have to experiment to figure out if the threading shown in her diagram matches or is opposite from the Applesies and Fox Noses notation for threading, which is what I prefer.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	reattach wheel to wheelbarrow	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	vegetable steamer leg replacement	recycle bin
5	18 penny luck envelopes	leather scissors sheath	-
6	10 holly&bells ornaments	x	x
7	more penny luck envelopes	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
- the scent of quince fruit
- having Mindy show up at Crafternoon
- found a free online utility to resize JPEG images (one of the several tasks that I'd normally use Photoshop for, sigh)

Time of Isolation - Day 1951

a modicum of satisfaction

in which our plucky heroine reaches a goal...

As of today there are 23 folks that have said they want to play along in the Advent Swap this year! (not sure they all will, and there may be folks that haven't yet contacted me...) And today I finished the final 13 things for the *four* sets (one for my own, and three more for "bonus" sets) I committed to do for the Advent Swap.

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Took this photo yesterday before the rain and wind blew in, and probably that will be the last of the morning glories till next year. Remember: look up, look down, look all around, while we still have beauty in the world...

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One minor thing really needed, better clothes peg storage. Tired of trying to wrangle assorted plastic tubs of them into my pinafore pockets when hanging laundry up. When this cross body peg bag from Blue Cat Sewing showed up online, it seemed a much more useful idea than the sort that hangs from the line. When not in use it could be stored hanging up in the laundry area... And goodness knows there's certainly enough random remnants and twill tape around here to create something similar. Time to do some sampling to figure out the best size and strap length for my ownself.

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I've started using various bits of baking equipment to keep handcraft projects contained or set aside as needed. Not just the obvious use of cupcake or muffin tins to organise small items. For example: when block printing the origami pinwheels, the ink needed to dry before being refolded; much better to set them out all on a sheet pan than loose all over the work table, they can then be picked up all in one batch and set aside safely.

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Gah! in the "one damnthing after another" digital graphical chronicles here at Acorn Cottage... the printer does not work as a printer, in that it does not communicate through the magic of wifi to the laptop, or else the laptop has annoyingly lost the ability to recognise that there is a printer just on the other side of the room. (so, if I want a document printed, it involves a journey to the public library) And, for some reason, my very very venerable Photoshop, which has been working quickly and delightfully for years has suddenly today become alarmingly slow to open. In this case I deleted it from the laptop and reinstalled it, since when I turned on the machine this morning it was unable to open Photoshop at all! I'm wondering if I need to "remove" the printer from the laptop and reinstall it as well, along with whatever updated drivers it needs?

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Today I adapted the Kale Bulgar Feta recipe to better suit my tastes and what I keep on hand. Cut the bulgar portion by half. Substituted Chinese Rice Wine (pantry staple) for the white wine. Used 1 Tablespoon of canned green chilies instead of 2 jalpeno peppers. Added a tablespoon of raisins at the end for more of a five flavor effect. (Savory, Sour, Spicy, Salty, Sweet)

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	reattach wheel to wheelbarrow	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	vegetable steamer leg replacement	recycle bin
5	18 penny luck envelopes	-	-
6	10 holly&bells ornaments	x	x
7	more penny luck envelopes	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
- the delight of conversation with Mischa
- enough tiny treats for my contribution for the Advent Swap assembled
- a better (to my taste) version of Kale Bulgar Feta salad
- using baking gear to organise handwork

Time of Isolation - Day 1950

wishful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine is out and about before dawn...

...at 7am it is barely undarkening, and the eastern sky is as speckled with small clouds as the belly of a mackerel tabbycat. As the bus heads out across the industrial zone, there are moments when the almost rising sun creates streaks of vivid florescent orange light that silhouette distant landscape. Paying attention is always worthwhile.

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~ more wise words ~

This crossed my path this morning, while walking from the bus to the eye doctor's office, and definitely brightened my mood.

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Today started four more tiny acorn cap framed ornaments, and am in the middle of the six tiny star books... which will get me almost halfway to 23. The acorn cap frames are one of the quickest to make, but the limiting factor is having the right sort of acorn caps; it'd be helpful if I'd taken notes of where the various sorts are found. So far my ideas for the final 13 include maybe more of the tiny acorn cap aminitas, possibly some of the felt and button hearts that Ruthie suggested, or maybe the cave horses painted rocks. Who knows, some new inspiration may wend its way here...

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I so wish to be better at "changing the channel" (despite years of assorted practices)... When up and about, can always find an absorbing meditative task to move focus away from grim thoughts. But when lying in bed after putting the book back on the nightstand and turning off the light they come creeping back. Rather the grown-up version of the monsters under the bed. All those "why didn't I" and "what if" gremlins chase sleep away.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	reattach wheel to wheelbarrow	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	vegetable steamer leg replacement	-
5	18 penny luck envelopes	-	-
6	10 holly&bells ornaments	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
- my left eye is, in the words of the opthamologist, as good as new. Yay!
- it isn't raining, and I've enough layers of flannel and wool that waiting for the bus is comfortable.
- glue stick is a clever invention
- fortunately, there are naps, when nighttime sleep is elusive..

Time of Isolation - Day 1949

so bright such delight wow

in which our plucky heroine appreciates autumn ...

and the last few days have been very autumnal indeed. Well mixed with cool grey mornings and crisp clear afternoons, the leaves turn colors and fill the edges of the streets. We will have a few more days like this, before rain.

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~ maple aflame ~

so difficult to capture the way these vivid maple leaves were glowing in the angled light of late afternoon... Fortunately I'm usually riding on the quiet side streets, since the color stopped me in my tracks.

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One of the three legs of my venerable vegetable steamer somehow fell apart. It appears to have been bent aside at an angle enough that the leg slipped through the attachment hole in the base of the steamer. The legs on this one are riveted in place, and so difficult to easily reattach. So, though my initial thought was to somehow make a replacement leg from wire, my second thought was the hardware store. Indeed, the bulk aisle of the local Ace Hardware had a modest but sufficient number of drawers of stainless steel bolts, screws, nuts and misc. While not perfect (the 1" bolt is about ⅛" too long) combining a bolt, a split lock washer, and the matching nut the steamer can now stand on three legs again, albeit a tad tilted. Fortunately that makes no difference at all to the items being steamed.

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Saw Dr Breeze today instead of my usual PCP. I'm glad that he took my concerns seriously, and said that he thought it was good I was not ignoring the issue(s). I am less than thrilled at the idea of going on prescription antacid for two weeks as an initial diagnostic, particularly with the many caveats attached to it, and also that some of the side effects are the very same symptoms I am concerned about. How would one know if it is effective in that case? Apparently there is a progression of testing, which echos the saying "when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras"

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Decided to go ahead with making five "star books" for the Advent Swap. It turns out that the metallic origami paper is tricksy to use for pages. There will certainly need to be instructions included along with the tiny book/ornament: "Open and unfold all the way, placing the book covers back to back. Tie the cords in a single overhand knot, then use the rest of the cord to hang the star book up as desired. Adjust the pages evenly distributed, with each side forming a five pointed star. To put away, reverse the process"

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	reattach wheel to wheelbarrow	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	vegetable steamer leg replacement	-
5	18 penny luck envelopes	-	-
6	10 holly&bells ornaments	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- our local hardware store had what I needed in the bulk aisle
- had a nice long chat with my pal Wanda
- was able to see alternate doctor today, who took my concerns seriously.

Time of Isolation - Day 1948

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine plans a busy week ahead...

There are an assortment of phone calls to tackle, studio work to return to now that I can mostly see again, a second follow up visit to the eye doctor, and various other needful tasks, emails to answer, and projects to finish or begin. I committed (during our fortnightly Sewing Nomads zoom) to completing the raincoat, once I've figured out all the remaining needed 23 Advent Swap treats.

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~ lucky penny treats ~

The largest group of treats I've made for the Advent Swap consists of. Starting with 4" squares of regular origami paper, folded into pinwheel envelopes. The solid base then gets stamped with a four leaf clover motif, using my new handcarved eraser stamp. (really pleased with how well the clover concept worked out as an actual stamp)

When the former stamp pad was nowhere to be found, the homemade option saved the day: take a suitably sized scrap of felt (larger than the stamp). Find a lid or a saucer, add some acrylic paint, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then put the felt atop and gently press/stamp until the paint begins to saturate the felt. Use as a stamp pad. You can recharge the pad as needed.

The decorated envelopes contain the paper "fortune", and a vintage wheat ear penny (thanks Julia for all the pennies!). After how well printing the four leaf clover went, it gave me the idea for another miniature book: "Symbols of Luck"! I can already think of at least three or four, so only a few more would need to be researched to have enough for a tinybook.

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The first thing seen this morning was what I think was a female goldfinch, drinking from the hydration station. Much appreciation for the fact that nature persists in even not very hospitable environs.

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Stress, worry, and the necessity of last weeks 24/7 medication schedule has played hob with my sleep/wake cycles. I either slept through or turned off the 5am medication alarm on Sunday morning, but fortunately work up again not too long after and remedied that situation. My disturbing internal symptoms are continuing, and after the advice of friends "getting actual information is better than just being scared" and concomitant conversation with the nurse advice line, which also said consult with physician was a good idea and set me up with an appointment for tomorrow. Which in itself is worriesome, since it usually takes longer than that to get in to see a doctor. I am doing what I can to remain calm. Dr Google is not your friend.

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Had a great idea for the next tiny Advent Swap treat: star books from the golden metallic origami paper. I have almost everything I need save some kind of thin narrow flat ribbon. In the past, used ⅛" ribbons, but Fabric Depot is no more, and the local craft store doesn't really have ribbon or trims like that. Not sure if rayon seam binding would be too wide, and suspect that decorative cord would be both not flat enough, and too narrow.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	reattach wheel to wheelbarrow	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	-	-
5	18 penny luck envelopes	-	-
6	10 holly&bells ornaments	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

yesterday and today's gratitudes -
- hot running water, for washing dishes and for washing self
- my idea for how to represent four leaf clover via carving a stamp came out looking much as I had hoped it would
- carrot coriander soup cubes from the freezer - an easy wonderful meal
- consulting nurse hotline confirmed that my new weird symptom definitely needs checked out, and I have an appointment tomorrow! Trying not to worry...
- two ideas for additional advent swap treats
- had the right wrenches to reattach the wheelbarrow tire

Time of Isolation - Day 1947

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine remains a bit discombobulated...

For some reason, kept thinking on and off that it was Friday? Probably because I had a video chat this afternoon with my pal Mischa, which we usually do on Fridays.

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~ "...these truths to be self-evident..." ~

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Today my eye feels like it has almost returned to focused vision, and is mostly pain free. Tomorrow is the last day of 7 days of antibiotic drops. Two more days of steroid drops and then I go back for a second optical followup. Fingers crossed there is no permanent scarring.

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~ more than halfway done ~

Working on a set of "jingle bell" ornaments to add to the Advent Of A Better Year in 2026 Swap treats. Quite pleased with how they look, very similar to my initial concept sketch. When I finish these 10, and the "lucky penny" set (waiting for me to carve a four leaf clover stamp to decorate their envelopes), I only need to make or find 23 more wee gifts of some kind to meet my goal of three "bonus" sets of 31 by the end of the month. And several other participants are also contributing "bonus" sets, which makes me so happy; we will be able send advent boxes to even more folks

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The afternoon weather was very cooperative, so managed a bike ride to Groc-Out, brought home two packages of chicken legs, roasted them, then put the meat in the fridge and the bones are currently cooking down in the crock pot to make some nice strong bone broth. (It will be even nicer than Better Than Boullion, which has been the base of egg drop soup for the last two breakfasts, as I try and soothe my poor ibuprofen abused insides...)

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	-	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	-	-
5	18 penny luck envelopes	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
- chicken bone broth cooking overnight in the crock pot
- enjoyed a good bike ride today
- seeing some of my Sewing Nomads pals online this morning

Time of Isolation - Day 1945

Friday findings

in which our plucky heroine appreciates positive momentum...

My left eye continues to slowly improve each day, with more ability to focus, and less pain. Still very sensitive to sunlight, moreso than my usual. Hopefully by next week it'll be possible to get back to studio work and sewing tasks. Most delightfully, there are a number of new participants in the Advent of A Better Year in 2026 swap, not quite sure how many, but significantly more than seemed likely a few weeks earlier. As I told Mischa tonight: "I feel like if I have done nothing else worthwhile, the Advent Swap has continued to be congruent with my life purpose"

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~ this is not a bar ~

When eyes do not focus, what is observed is not always what we expect. This was not a porch front bar, with dark ghostly patrons quietly imbibing. I was much reminded of the shadow people on the train in Spirited Away. It was a surprise when on closer view I found it to be a line of shrubs..

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Progress on the additional two sets of Advent Swap treats continues apace. Eighteen origami pinwheel boxes, each containing a wheat ear penny wrapped in a paper "fortune": see a penny - pick it up - all that day you'll have good luck, will also be stamped with a four leaf clover motif. Found a few uncarved erasers and will do a bit of carving this weekend.

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The mobile phone charges very slowly, but eats up charge quickly. Not sure if it is a problem with the phone, a problem with the charger, or a problem with the cable(s). Will start by replacing cable(s), and think about acquiring or finding where at least some of the former wall plug in chargers have gone. At some point will probably need to replace phone, because I suspect that the spot where the cable plugs into the phone is slightly damaged. 

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the lid to my beloved Drusa-made bentwood sewing box, missing for several weeks now, turned up buried behind the serger in the sewing zone. No idea why there, but delighted to have them reunited

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	-	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	-	-
5	18 penny luck boxes	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- found the long-missing sewing box lid
- left eye, while still sore, almost has clear focus again!
- Julia's vintage pennies, surplus from prior Advent Swap 

Time of Isolation - Day 1944

Ctrl-P FTW

in which our plucky heroine learns about a helpful resource...

Just found out this week that our public library allows free of printing black and white copies. Which led to my printing out all the pages of Off The Cuff sleeve (tower) placket tutorial for my shirt making project later this year, and putting together a Useful Resource binder of tips and techniques. 

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~ words to live by ~

Donna included some extra treats in her box of things for the Advent Swap. Including this charming sticker, which is so necessary to remember in these modern times and particularly appropriate for this weekend.

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Found this pretty origami envelope tutorial, which I plan on using for wrapping some of the mostly flat items I'll be including in my swap treats. Start with a square that is 3x the desired size for your finished envelope. My 4" square template makes a finished envelope just over 1¼ " square. 

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Lee Valley extra flowy superglue may be the right thing to reattach my delaminating formica countertop. I tried the online "hint" about using the heat from an iron to reactivate the adhesive, but that didn't work at all. Who knows what Former Owners used to construct the counter??

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The caps of the two kinds eye drops meds are different colors, one red and one white. This makes for really easy distinction, particularly with my damaged eyesight. (doesn't help much to prevent one from putting the drops in the wrong eye)

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	-	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- found my sunglasses, a great help with my now light sensitive eye
- some very tasty green beans with supper tonight
- I learned several sorts of string lashing as a child, which has remained useful at various times throughout my adult life.

Time of Isolation - Day 1943

wishful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine wants her left eye to be all better...

...but it isn't. Though there has been some improvement.  The steroid drops prescribed by the eye doctor seem to be making a difference, which is good, since my body has (not surprisingly, it has done this before) suddenly and with great vehemence, decided that taking NSAIDs is very much a not the happening thing. Pain level is decreased to sore gravel and blur as opposed to hot molten lava and eye too swollen to easily open earlier this week.

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~ mini mushrooms ~

Pretty pleased with what can be done with a cotton swab, a small acorn cap, glue and craft paint... These little amanitas were partly finished before my eye escapade started, and today I managed to attach the string ties. {1" tall} These being done means I'm a quarter of the way there towards my goal of 62 additional Advent Swap trinkets before the 31st. Should still be feasible.

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Tried doing a bit more today, but still pretty wiped out. Managed to get the laundry out on the clothesline, since that task doesn't need clear binocular vision and it was a sunny windy cold day. Fortunately my sunglasses are no longer lost, and do a good job of protecting my now light-sensitive eyes. Every small task managed is worthwhile. Much Most of the housey chores, work tasks, and joyful hobby activity all require accurate vision and a reasonably well rested plucky heroine, so there is still a fair amount of napping between med doses.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	-	-
4	5 mini amanitas	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- extra strong stainless steel bent wire clothes pins from Acantha
- "Gathering Moss" by Robin Wall Kimmerer, the audiobook read by the author...
- made it out this morning for a walk before breakfast. Having to get up for medication at 5AM may help with this goal.

Time of Isolation - Day 1942

moderately miserable Monday

in which our plucky heroine is no Arisaydia...

Though hopeful that in time my damaged eye will heal, it has remained quite problematical today. My phone alarm goes off every three hours round the clock so I can take either NSAIDs, or Tylenol + antibiotic eye drops alternately. My sleep wake cycle is destroyed. I have an appointment to follow up with my regular opthamology clinic. As far as I have been able to discern, there is no magic way to help the eye hurt less or heal more quickly, but as long as I recover without damage, I will continue to gird my loins and persevere. It is frustrating to not be able to do much of anything at all. No work, no handcraft, no bike riding, and even this small amount of computer writing is difficult and tiring. (even after I've enlarged the text considerably) It is surprising how much we depend on binocular vision... 

today's gratitudes -
- I can access medical care for my eye, and we live in modern times so with luck I will recover
- I've not entirely lost my sense of humor
- I can open my left eye, even though it feels like it is full of gritty molten lava, and there is eyesight, albeit completely blurred and out of focus

Time of Isolation - Day 1940

a horrible no good terrible day

in which our plucky heroine is having a terrible day...
Putting life on hold until my eye is healed. Woke up at 5AM with excruciating burning pain in left eye. On advice from consulting nurse, went to ER. Eventual diagnosis: large corneal abrasioin?!? (somehow acquired while asleep??) Pain is about 8+. Sadly, they cannot prescribe the wonderful numbing drops used when they examined my eye, because that med interferes with eye healing, sigh..... am grateful that we have an ER, that I was able to be seen and diagnosed. But this is truly extremely painful, and precludes my doing anything at all that requires clear sight I'll spare folks a description or photo of what the eye looks like right now, but it isn't pretty.

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Advent of A Better Year - rules and guidelines

in which our plucky heroine shares info, useful to the various participants in the "Advent of A Better Year in 2026 swap...

swap guidelines: make or find or purchase tiny gifts that are no bigger than would fit in a 1¼ x 1¼ x 1¼ size cubic. The gifts need not all be identical, or even similar, just be something that would be a real delight for someone to receive. Please wrap all your donated gifts, and if there are identical things, wrap them alike so I don't end up giving someone two identical things by accident. In the interest of safety and inclusion for all, no food, cosmetic, religious, or scented items please. 

By October 31st, all the gifts get mailed to Acorn Cottage, and then will be mixed and matched and sent out again to their various participants, who receive a box of thirty-one tiny surprise adventitious treats. The gifts would all fit within one of the small flat rate USPS shipping boxes, which currently cost about $12.60, so including suitable postage (either $5 or $10 stamps PLEASE, with a few smaller ones) with the treats sent out ensures a box of treats in return

Ideas for gifts ~ buttons, block printed patches, pop bottle lid pincushions, shrinky dink charms, ornaments, glass headed pins, origami, baskets, pouches, fridge magnets, lampwork beads, embroidery floss, tiny artwork, garden seeds, ribbons, vintage handkerchiefs, stickers, fossils, gemstones, pearls, trim, googly eyes, miniature books, etc, etc...

Send me a PM via FB, Discord, or phone and I will give you the mailing address

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine gets an unexpected visit ...

It has been well over a year since I last saw my dear friend Tullia, a far cry from the days when she lived closer. This afternoon she came over for an outdoor visit, and as it was not actively raining, we could walk around the neighborhood and chat. And, she thought of me on her recent trip to Japan and brought back two tiny maneki-neko for my collection, which with these additions now numbers 23, all different, and most under 1" tall.

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~ more tiny treats ~

so far, doing well on track for the increased timeline of 12 more groups of five trinkets or treats for bonus "The Advent of A Better Year in 2026" Swap boxes. Item 1: five more painted lunaria decorations, item 2: five golden origami dragons, and have started but not quite completed item 3: five very small amanita ornaments made from acorn caps and q tips... While it is easy to choose complex tiny treats, the big challenge is figuring out 12 different simple-to-make options before the end of October.

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After my computer spex broke, I was (thankfully) able to order a new ones from eyebuydirect. Since there was a BOGO sale, two backup pairs. Both arrived today, and now I need to order some replacement nose pads. My skin reacts badly to the soft silicone most nose pads are made from, so it is off to "NosePads.com", niche shopping for hard plastic ones in the correct size and configuration. All their nose pads are also two pair for the price of one, and having some extra on hand is not a bad idea. My intention is to put together a spex first aid kit (tiny screwdriver, extra screws and nose pads, lens wipes, loctite, etc) to store in the medicine cabinet.

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Suddenly, in the last two days, the bay nuts have begun to fall from the bay laurel trees. It would be good to gather some this year, enough to share with my friend Mr Dawson who enjoys them... The nuts do require a fair amount of processing; husking, drying, then roasting. (I've also always thought about a version of Almond Roca toffee with roasted bay nuts...)

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- new computer spex
- a visit with Tullia
- two new tiny maneki neko

Time of Isolation - Day 1938

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine wonders...can she do it?

After chatting with Ursel last night, I realised that there are actually (at least) four folks I really want to send a "bonus" Advent of A Better Year box to, not just the two initially thought of. (We did this last year, as a pleasant surprise for two different folks who whose year had been really challenging. It didn't just make them happy, it made everyone involved happy) So am wondering if by the end of the month I can come up with a good assortment of additional sixty-two tiny treats. I made 5 more lunaria canal rose ornaments already. If I make/find/buy/forage on average five things every two days, it could happen before the October 31st deadline.

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~ "Le plus ça change" ~

Arlo Guthrie song from 1974 (50+years ago) ..."Nobody elected your family, and we didn't elect your friends; No one voted for your advisers, and nobody wants the men...

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Lunch today was a delicious improvised egg drop soup. A few chicken thighs were defrosted overnight, then were poached while I washed dishes and did a bit of kitchen cleanup. The cooked meat, mostly intended for dinner options, went into the fridge, and the poaching liquid had a concentrated broth cube added to it (those get made and stored in the freezer whenever there are enough leftovers to warrant it). Next some finely chopped green onions, some Microplane grated frozen ginger, and a about a tablespoon of the cooked chicken chopped small. Since I've a surfeit of carrots currently, I dug out my julienne peeler and tossed in some finely cut orange shreds; they cook in a jiffy! For more protein, a single beaten egg was drizzled in for the egg drops. Lastly, a slurry of cornstarch and water was stirred in and cooked, to thicken. No recipe needed, just appetite!

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~ mistsy moisty morning ~

Euphorbia covered in spiderwebs and spangled with heavy mist. Today was partly damp, and partly grey, and even had a few sunbreaks.

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Back in 2023 I made an improved duvet cover, with the underside from a flannel sheet, and internal corner ties. It is a really simple sewing project, basically two identical rectangles sewn together with an opening on one edge fastened with snaps. The internal corner ties keep the actual duvet properly spread out inside the cover, and with one side flannel side there is no need for a separate top sheet.

This year the plan is to make a second one to make laundry rotation a bit easier. My current duvet cover features a whimsical foxes patterned flannel sheet my friends Beth and Karen found at the bins. Last night was chilly enough that switching to the duvet instead of coverlet seemed wise; it made clambering into bed ever so much more cozy, and the cloud-like down puff duvet really tempted me to stay in bed just a little longer this morning. Some people really like heavy, even weighted, blankets. In case it isn't obvious, I definitely am in the opposite group.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- that first night switching to the wintertime duvet is so cozy!
- my julienne vegetable cutting tool
- Friday evening chats with Mischa

Time of Isolation - Day 1937

heart on my sleeve

in which our plucky heroine appreciates the everyday...

...starting with somehow managing to get 8 hours of sleep. A very rare occurrence, probably related to the 6½ miles of walking yesterday. Around the autumnal equinox is when the summer percale sheets get folded away and the cotton flannel sheets take their place. It is almost time to switch from the coverlet to the duvet, the last step before turning the heat pump to warming the house instead of cooling it.  

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~ stacked skeletons ~

These are more horrific folded on shelves than ever seen in folks yards...

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Among today's errands, a stop at Kitchen Kaboodle to get a new gasket for one of the small glass Fido jars. Those sorts of jars are not hard to find, but replacement parts are difficult, and after the fermented onion experiment, that jar definitely needed help. Was also able to pick up a wooden citrus reamer to replace the crumbling plastic one that is no longer useable, and ended with a satisfying conversation with the clerk who had just signed up for a library card. She hadn't known about accessing films through Kanopy  via library, which is a free source for a wide assortment of documentary, vintage, foreign, and modern films...

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A few days ago, the rear left stove burner started not lighting correctly, and then burning with yellow instead of blue flame. Odd, and a bit scary. Went as far as phoning a few places about a service call. I do keep the beloved stove as spic and span as possible, so figured it was something mechanical. For some reason, it seemed like a good idea to double check the moveable lid of the burner, thinking maybe there had been a splash from a spill or??  On closer examination, looking into the small deep central opening where the gas jet is, there seemed to be what looked like spiderweb?... so, with great care, a toothpick, and a tiny brush, our plucky heroine removed the detritus without actually touching any of the mechanism. Yay! The burner now lights and burns correctly, and there is no need to spend over $100 only to be told that apparently cobweb patrol isn't just for ceilings!! 

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Almost done mending the chopshop-style cardigan. It has all new cuffs made from neckband ribbing. There are a few holes still to patch, though some buttonhole stitch, blanket stitch, and stem stitch embroidery turned the largest one into a heart, most appropriately located on the sleeve.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	-	cardigan cuffs	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- the back stove burner didn't need repair, just needed me to (carefully) remove the spiderweb from inside the mechanism! 
- got my flu jab today, of the special high dose version for seniors. My arm is more sore than it was from the covid jab earlier
- varied layers for bedding comfort, changing with the seasons

Time of Isolation - Day 1936

wishful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine gets her wish...

In the middle of the day yesterday, the dial tone returned to the phone, and the internets returned to the tech. There was happy dancing!!

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~ even smaller lunaria ornaments ~

So pleased with how the miniature painted canal roses turned out. These lunaria pods are just about an inch across. They will get a silver floss cord for hanging them up, and a second layer of light blue wool felt backing. Since they are mostly flat, these will get wrapped in origami envelopes instead of origami boxes. I've found a quilters square ruler is a most useful way to turn discarded magazine pages into "origami paper.

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Feeling really good to return to repairing. My favorite cardigan, made by Karen in the "sweater chopshop" style, has been worn so much that the cuffs were completely worn to a ravelling. So, time to replace the worn bits with newly cut scrap ribbing from one of the former garments that were used to make up the cardigan in the first place. Hand stitching soothes my spirits as well as fixes material problems.

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My HOP transit pass card informed me when scanned yesterday that it was "low on funds". Two different stores where I formerly was able to add funds were unable to have their newly updated machinery interface with my card which is several years old. One offered to sell me a HOP gift card instead, (which carries a $3 surcharge per gift card in addition to the actual money for fares) Let's see what I can find out... So, the consumer support persons I spoke with were less than useless. One told me that the managers at both stores were lying to me about problems with the machines! The other told me that since my transit pass was several years old it was necessary to buy a new one! Untrue and not helpful. So, decided to actually go to the TriMet office and seek in-person help. But while partly on the way, but before transferring to take the MAX all the way downtown, stopped to try yet a third grocery store, the Fred Meyers adjacent to the transit center. Huzzah! Their machine was able to load funds onto my card with no problem, which saved me several hours of transit and bureaucratic foo. 

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Best thing today was that the new tire for the refurbished wheelbarrow finally arrived at Les Schwab, and I was able to fit the old axle + wheel + dead tire into one of the rear baskets on my bicycle. While there was a bit of a wait to get the new tire mounted on the old wheel, it is now ready to be installed. They needed to put an inner tube in, which added a bit to the cost, but will also make it more durable. Tomorrow's tasks will include reassembling the various wheelbarrow parts into a functional garden tool.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	-	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- the internet has returned!!
- new wheelbarrow tire
- was able to refill transit pass at Fred Meyers
- the first box of advent swap treats arrived today
- today I walked almost 17K steps (almost 6½ miles)
- the Xero shoes ordered in September arrived on the porch today

Time of Isolation - Day 1935