Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine returns to the workbench...

My video chat last night with Mischa was wonderful and wide ranging, as it often is, and in response to one of the topics we talked about, my day began with setting up my workbench zone to tackle the setting for Babs' heraldic regalia brooch. Of course, before that could happen, there were other morning chores, but turning on the shop pickle pot first of all meant that later, it would be ready for dealing with soldering or annealling... 

And before returning to the workshop, there was adding fresh food and bedding to the worm habitat, and dealing with laundry. Washing the duvet cover means first taking it outside to untie it and remove the inner duvet, since there are always bits of downy feathers that come loose, which is better outdoors. That washed while breakfast happened, and as today was going to be chilly and sort of damp-ish, a quick bike ride to the laundromat (+ 75¢) spun the cover warm and dry, ready to tied back on the duvet...

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~ third time is the charm? ~

Truth be told, this project has been sitting on the workbench for more time than clearly remembered, as there were first one and then another failure. The brain weasels of Imposter Syndrome had more than one field day. The first enamel had to be redone (which happens occasionally, sometimes for unknown reasons), and then my initial attempt to fabricate the complex setting failed when about halfway done. Ugh! And it sat in a box on the workbench for months and months, sticking its tiny little tongue out at me...

Yesterday, when it turned out that there would be an unexpected porch visit today, Karen suggested that if one or both of the Olympia projects were done, they could courier it back north. Well, that suggestion combined with the "Do One Thing Different" conversation was enough torque for a restart. While it may not look like much, and being only 1" x 1½", the setting is really complicated. The upper layer has the serrated bezel to hold the enamel, and will be riveted to the lower layer through the four lugs on each point of the diamond shape. The lower layer, which is not yet completed, has four additional lugs centered on the sides of the diamond shape, which now have "pearl cups" attached. That soldering task was nerve wracking, as possible failure then was at the highest point, until all four were well placed and not melted. It still needs to have the pin findings soldered to the back, holes drilled for rivets and pearl pins, the upper and lower pieces riveted together, the setting polished, the enamel set, and the pearls attached. Fingers crossed that all goes smoothly.

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When Beth and Karen stopped by today, they dropped off some interesting potential pinafore fabric for me. Cotton herringbone in medium blue warp and light blue weft, so the overall color is sort of pale denim-ish, and the herringbone stripes are really wide, like 1⅜". While it isn't perzacktly my color, it is adjacent, and I'd been wishing for a wide stripe to play with seamline zigzags on skirt gores. I'm taking this as the universe delivering just such a thing!

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	plaid flannel shirt	rice bags	greenwaste bin
2	23 postcards	INTERNET!!	recycle bin
3	teal linen pinafore	hydration station	greenwaste bin
4	bedroom shelves	grey felt slipper	recycle bin
5	tiger pocket	teal turtleneck	greenwaste bin
6	teal long janes	long jane borders	recycle bin
7	lots of drawings	removed 2 ferns	greenwaste bin
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- starting the day differently yielded different results
- a porch visit from Beth and Karen
- more than halfway done with Babs brooch
- the worm bin appears to be thriving

Time of Isolation - Day 2060

red sky at night...

in which our plucky heroine rides home into the sunset...

The westering sky this evening was really spectacular, painted with various colors of red, magenta, and vivid madder. Had I not been on my bicycle I'd have tried harder to capture it on camera. This week has been a good one for noticing nature. I saw a house finch perched on the salad table cages, a hummingbird just sitting in the Japanese maple next to my porch, and the goldfinches are definitely here, at least for the moment.

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~ potsticker lasagna ~

Made up my usual filling (ground pork, minced Napa cabbage, green onions, and cilantro, seasoned with tamari, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, xiaoshing wine, and sesame oil), but set layered flattened tablespoons of filling between four wrappers in a custard cup and steamed for about 20 minutes... it cooked while I made up the rest of the filling into individual gyoza. I'd been seeing this concept in various places online and wanted to try it. Was not difficult, and results were successful as a dinner ready by the time the rest of the gyoza were formed and in the freezer... 

...but, in the future, I'm more likely to mostly continue my habit of making a large batch of individual dumplings, as once frozen they store really well, but this, while it wouldn't store well made ahead, was an easy meal to cook at the same time as doing the rest of the prep work. Next time remember to be a bit more generous with adding broth or water over the top before steaming, as the wrappers were partially stuck to the sides of the custard cup. And, while wandering online checking out the concept, also saw an easier way to fold the individual dumpling wrappers. Double win!

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Yesterday started with a kitchen crash, as while barely awake I somehow knocked one of my quart mason jars off the countertop, to shatter when it hit the concrete floor. Ugh, and alas, since it was one of my favorites, being turquoise blue rather than the more usual clear.  So, instead of continuing to make breakfast, it was necessary to find a paper sack, Very Carefully pick up the larger shards of glass, go get the vacuum to gather up as much of the smaller bits as possible, and finally with great care wipe down the entire area with damp paper towels. Do you know that tip? The damp paper towel grabs the tiniest glass fragments, the ones almost (or actually) too small to see, but after wiping the area, if you hold the paper at an angle, the bits of glass sparkle. Once there are no more sparkles, then the area is clean and safe again!

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~ simple decoration ~

Though the teal long janes were technically complete, one design detail often part of my style is to decorate hemline edges in one way or another. In this case, rather than add block printed trim, a faster option was to use Alabama Chanin reverse applique with several layers of scrap cabbage from the teal jersey fabric. One of the easiest options that came to mind was to simply trace around the edge of a thread spool in a line of dots, far enough apart to allow for stitching, and then cut away inside the dots. The tone-on-tone textured border is subtle, and, as the dots are stitched one at a time, is also flexible enough to allow for needed stretch.

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While am still wishing for the Exactly Right Sort of grey fabric for a new pinafore, there are enough much higher priority projects and garments on my list to keep me busy for months. It recently occurred to me to modify my TNT pinafore pattern into a cross back apron... as both a kitchen apron  and a workshop apron would be most useful. I'll use some of the odd greenish-grey Ikea curtain fabric (I've no idea why that is on my resource shelves) to sample the concept, and if it works as well as imagined, that will become a shop apron, and the Marimekko poppy fabric can be a somewhat more decorative kitchen apron. Use what is on hand.

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	plaid flannel shirt	rice bags	greenwaste bin
2	23 postcards	INTERNET!!	recycle bin
3	teal linen pinafore	hydration station	greenwaste bin
4	bedroom shelves	grey felt slipper	recycle bin
5	tiger pocket	teal turtleneck	greenwaste bin
6	teal long janes	long jane borders	recycle bin
7	lots of drawings	removed 2 ferns	greenwaste bin
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

assorted gratitudes -
- sleep when tired. After bad insomnia, was so tired by late afternoon that a nap was essential. Set alarm for an hour and managed to wake back up and be functional.
- easier faster way to fold dumpling wrappers (not that my other way was difficult)
- Karen is going to send me a mini skein of red sock yarn to make tinyfolk hats.
- almost caught up on drawings.
- my good neighbors have several bird feeders in the side yard between our houses, which means I can enjoy the birds as well!
- the cotton lawn fabric from the Sewlarium is fabulous! Finely woven, not slubby, can be neatly snipped and torn, 60" wide and only $8/yd!!

Time of Isolation - Day 2058

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine makes plans...

Found this madder red yarn in my storage box; it was obvious what it needed to be made into. I have no idea where or why it was acquired, since I pretty much don't wear red. Still, it is lovely and soft, and the alpaca content means it will be very warm. I'll start off with the medium stitch count, and go down at least one needle size, as per my usual

As often attempted, I plan to try and learn at least one new thing with this project, in this case a tubular start for 1x1 ribbing, which will also require me to use Judys magic cast on, which I've never done before. My initial numbers based on the pattern are: 108 stitches - 1x1 ribbing - 28 st/4" over unblocked ribbing... (unfortunately, there is no red yarn in my tablet weaving supply box, as my tinyfolk, (especially Kenya and Nandina), are clamoring for tiny red hats of their own. I do have a cone of undyed yarn, though, which is easily transformed by using food coloring + vinegar.

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A while back, promised to send Mischa some candied orange peel. As the Cara Cara oranges are very tasty this year, I've been indulging self with them, and saving the quartered peels in the freezer. Yesterday they were blanched, and today sliced into strips, and simmered in simple syrup until well saturated with the sugar solution. They drain and partially dry off on a cooling rack, and will get rolled in granulated sugar and finally run through the dehydrator for better storage. I still store mine in the freezer, as they don't get dry enough to be shelf safe for long, but they do okay for the few days it takes to post them to friends. In the Before Times, I would make them for my dad, and dip them in dark chocolate as that was his favorite confection.

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Remember, that even in the worst of times, there may be sparks of beauty, wonder, and whimsy. Don't give up, if you do, they win

“And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.”

- Kurt Vonnegut Jr., A Man Without a Country 
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Currently taking pleasure in thinking/planning about wardrobe refurbishment, and looking through my resource shelves to find possible fabric choices that coordinate. Have almost completed all of the teal selections (pinafore, plaid flannel shirt, long janes, long sleeve turtleneck); still have the cotton print for a blouse, and a partially finished teal/turquoise batik rayon popover dress that needs reconfigured. Am currently hand stitching some simple Alabama Chanin style reverse applique bands to add to the hemlines on the long janes.

Although there aren't the exact fabrics here I would choose for new pinafores, it is going to be interesting to figure out how to use what is here to create new coordinates to take the place of the worn out clothing. Next up, I think, will be the chocolate brown pinafore, as I do have that linen, plus matching corduroy for edge binding. All that will be needed for that one is for me to create a decorative pocket using the cave horse stencil. Another pair of brown replacement long janes as well. Other than that, there are enough other garments in that colorway still in good shape. Looking further ahead to grey/black/taupe. I've no solid grey garment fabric at all, so a new pinafore will require further thought. I do want to use the asian landscape fabric (grey and black with tiny metallic accents to make a shirt. There is just enough fabric, and it will provide an opportunity to use the set of lampwork glass buttons Ariadne made for me ages ago. 

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	plaid flannel shirt	rice bags	greenwaste bin
2	23 postcards	INTERNET!!	recycle bin
3	teal linen pinafore	hydration station	greenwaste bin
4	bedroom shelves	grey felt slipper	recycle bin
5	tiger pocket	teal turtleneck	greenwaste bin
6	teal long janes	x	-
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

Sunday's gratitudes -

- glass fermentation weights, that also keep orange peels properly submerged
- managed to get a bit of a bike ride today, between the rain
- the whistles are gradually disappearing from local little free libraries.
- found a skein of madder red alpaca yarn in one of the yarn boxes. It might need to become a MTI hat...

today's gratitudes -
- being able to use the search function on my blog to find a particular bit of info that one of my sewing nomad pals was looking for
- interesting fabrics on the resource shelves
- the "University of YouTube"

Time of Isolation - Day 2056

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine keeps warm...

on another cold and blustery day. Wearing all of my newly made and recently refurbished garments all at the same time, and also the multi-fabric flannel and batik slip from last year. I'd rather wear layers indoors than turn the heat further up. The new long janes (cut out yesterday) only took about an hour to stitch together, other than the elastic waistband which I am going to tackle after eating dinner. Am tempted to also add a strip of simple decorative Alabama Chanin style hemline trim for them, but that can be done afterwards, as a handwork project...

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~ if I fits, I sits... ~

One of the several maneki-neko from this year's Advent Swap has found their spot, inside one of the origami treat storage boxes...

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The final relic of the end of an era. Whilst clearing through a pile of random papers, found a cut out article from the NYT Style magazine "The Magicians Flight" dated 12/5/21, about Miyazaki the animator/filmmaker. For most of my adult life, once I was no longer living in my parents home, they would clip articles they thought would interest me, and mail them to wherever I was living at the time. I remember that my mother first introduced me to Miyazaki's works by taking me to the movie theater, certain I would enjoy Spirited Away! Somehow, finding this cut out article left me with a lump in my throat, remembering all the years of them both reaching out to me in what way they could, saying "we see you, we know you, we appreciate who you are..." and now knowing that those days are gone forever.

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It has been a while since I last read Super Supportive, which is now up to chapter 272 (I stopped at 269, when I lost internet access). Twice I've gone back to reread it from the beginning, as it is pretty complex and really long. Well worth reading, despite not being my usual preferred sort of tale.

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	plaid flannel shirt	rice bags	greenwaste bin
2	23 postcards	INTERNET!!	recycle bin
3	teal linen pinafore	hydration station	greenwaste bin
4	bedroom shelves	grey felt slipper	recycle bin
5	tiger pocket	teal turtleneck	greenwaste bin
6	teal long janes	x	-
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- Mikki took some time today to explain, in a rough and ready fashion, a bit about how electrical current flows, all in reference to my conversation about using extension cords and or power strips. I'm feeling reassured about safe useage.
- the very last article cut from the NYT and sent me by my parents
- new teal long janes

Time of Isolation - Day 2054

one two three many

in which our plucky heroine does assorted handwork...

Well really, no surprise there... the projects change, but as long as my hands and eyes and skills hold out, that activity is a given.

In the last day or so I finished the appliqued tiger pocket, which when attached to the front bodice, completed the new pinafore.

The old calligraphy felt markers served okay to do a bit of lettering, as getting back to scribal practice has been on the wishlist for some time now. Might refurbish and set up the slant board on the dining table which would also helpfully preclude said table from becoming a clutter nexus.

And of course, couldn't resist putting in a bit of time on the resipei embroidery, that only needs another two lines and a bit more of the text finished. Another week of random effort on that project and it will be time to figure out how to effectively frame it.

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~ so many... ~

Just a partial overview of some of the now just over 50 sketches... Whenever it seems that there might not be enough objects of my affection, my eye falls on something else that lifts my spirits and inspires my pencil. By the time this 100 day challenge is complete, it will be springtime. The drawing and noticing, and remembering associated stories is a pleasure, a form of gratitude meditation in it's own way.

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Last night sleep was not particularly restful, as there was more than one bad dream. On waking finally into the actual daytime, the difference between nightmare and bad dream was particularly specific. Awakening from a nightmare, it is necessary to be sure that one is actually in the Bright World, even if it is not daytime. Turning on lights, sometimes even turning on the radio, and reading something both absorbing and peaceful (a Laurie Colwin cookbook is ideal) are necessary. We will not mention how much of the bright world itself has become nightmare fuel. Last night wasn't quite as bad as that, as it was mostly about being lost in the industrial wastes of the Dreamlands, about taking the wrong bus and being let off in places where other beings were either missing or purposefully unhelpful. Far too much metal fencing, barbed wire, cracked glass and abandoned buildings, this was a part of the Dreamlands I rarely go. Still better by far than the purposeful horrors, but it would have been helpful to have found allies.

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~ more is better ~

I've had this knit top for several years now, with the unusual split front collar inspired by one that CCL made. While I like variety, it has not become a favorite, as if it is cold enough to want to wear, it doesn't keep my neck as warm as a standard turtleneck. As I already had the teal cotton/lycra jersey ready to cut out a pair of long janes for my next sewing project, the thought occurred that there was no reason not to also cut out a second layer standard turtleneck collar and attach it inside the first one. Should be much warmer now, and looks as if it was meant to be made that way from the beginning

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Between the rain, saw a number of goldfinches in the ornamental plum tree in the front yard. They don't live here, and are just passing through, but oh the males are so delightfully bright. I first noticed they were here today when I saw one of the females, a much more dull greenish brownish color, but very obviously not a junco...

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	plaid flannel shirt	rice bags	greenwaste bin
2	23 postcards	INTERNET!!	recycle bin
3	teal linen pinafore	hydration station	greenwaste bin
4	bedroom shelves	grey felt slipper	recycle bin
5	tiger pocket	teal turtleneck	greenwaste bin
6	-	x	-
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- a tasty experiment with rice paper, beaten egg, and shrimps
- noting the difference between bad dream and nightmare
- Cara Cara oranges
- more than enough teal cotton lycra jersey fabric
- two little oil filled radiators

Time of Isolation - Day 2053

tiger tiger indigotiger

in which our plucky heroine has a basically mundane day...

Is it winter? Is it early spring? depends entirely on where you live and on where you look... I'm calling it late winter, as we've gone from almost warm enough to go without a jacket back to almost cold enough to snow. There is the tiniest bit of green showing here and there on the tree limbs, not leaves yet of course, but signs of where there will be buds. There are snowdrops flowering in the front border, and under the Wanda plum. (saw a video yesterday about how to lift and transplant snowdrops to spread them around the yard; must needs remember that once ours are done flowering

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~ burning bright ~

tiger 7" wide, 6" tall

The teal linen pinafore is done, and I have decided that it does in fact want to have the bodice pocket added... This is one of the sample block printed tigers from last year used here as decoration, needle-turned applique onto some of the teal linen. Being able to leave just an edge of the black background around the tiger helps set it off from the almost but not quite the same teal color. Once the applique is finished, it will be faced with another layer of linen to protect the hand stitching, and then the whole thing top-stitched in place as the front bodice pocket. 

In general, I prefer to design my garment embellishments so that they can be worked on separately from sewing the clothing, and added on afterwards, and/or removed at the end of a garment's life span, and used on another piece. I'll be doing that with the "time is a dressmaker" hemline applique from my (made in 2019, and now sadly threadbare) brown corduroy pinafore, which is planned to be replaced with a new brown linen one this year...

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A day to cook up an assortment of things, so as to have an assortment of new things to eat. Kale from yesterday's produce delivery will become some kale bulgar salad, and the rest of the cilantro and green onions will season the greens and rice bake breakfast casserole, and seasoning for some of Sister Gigi's corn pancakes. Right grateful that I have so many good recipes, and really need to get on with creating hardcopy of all of them!

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	plaid flannel shirt	rice bags	greenwaste bin
2	23 postcards	INTERNET!!	recycle bin
3	teal linen pinafore	hydration station	greenwaste bin
4	bedroom shelves	grey felt slipper	-
5	-	-	-
6	-	x	-
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- handwork, ever consoling, ever satisfying
- mulitcraftualism
- Quah, 1974, Jorma Kaukonen
- the knitting needle size gauge, rarely used for its intended purpose, but ideal for stripping cilantro leaves from their stems

Time of Isolation - Day 2051

not just for pretty

in which our plucky heroine continues catching up...

Doing extra drawings, to make up for what I missed during the internet fast... finding assorted bits and bobs that need mended, including the leather sole of one of my felt house shoes, coming unstitched after six years of wear... basically diving into assorted projects that promise and deliver an abundance of dopamine in proportion to the effort required.

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~ hydration station upgraded ~

Why, you may be wondering, did I head out to Ikea Saturday morning?... The original vision for the hydration station was a pretty blue pottery water dish, and this new iteration is much closer to my idea. Despite searching locally all last year, there weren't any just-right glazed flowerpot saucers, or thrift store platters, so using the big serving platter from my dishes set was the best option at the time. Said serving platter now is support for the new slightly smaller dinner plate purchased from Ikea.

It was worth the long Tri-Met trip out to Cascades Station and braving the crowds of Valentine's Day shoppers, as the variegated blue glaze with dark brown edges is lovely, and very close indeed to my first concept. Plus, unexpected free chocolate bar!!

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Finished the teal linen pinafore; note to self - remember that the basic pinafore is an easy and fairly fast sew, taking about three days or less of spare project time. Preparing the bias strips (marking, cutting out, and sewing the lengths together) to bind the raw edges was Monday's task, and takes about as much time as cutting out the entire rest of the pattern. Not sure if I want to add a front bodice pocket, it is wearable without, but that extra pocket is handy, and a good spot for embellishment.

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This project, long planned, was another of the "must needs feel like some sort of progress is happening"... The boards for the shelves, and then the shelf brackets and cleat lumber were acquired when friends were visiting in January. Once I'd marked and cut away the outer corner to a smooth curve, rasped and sanded down the edges, it only took moving all the various bags and boxes out of the corner of the room to make space to install them... 

This allowed for moving the handknits, the lightweight jackets, and the popover huipil tops into the garment zone next to the shirts, dresses and pinafores, and will free up the Ikea IVAR shelf to eventually move into the righthand side of the linen closet. All part of the grand plan to turn the linen closet, full of random "stuff" into Useful and Necessary pantry storage.

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CW: this dance piece is beautiful, and political, and references the horrific murders of Renée Good and Alex Pretti. It brought tears to my eyes.

“ResistDance” - a tribute and act of artistic dissent
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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	plaid flannel shirt	rice bags	greenwaste bin
2	23 postcards	INTERNET!!	recycle bin
3	teal linen pinafore	hydration station	greenwaste bin
4	bedroom shelves	grey felt slipper	-
5	-	-	-
6	-	x	-
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- found the long missing striped indigo fabric for Karen
- a lovely bit of ephemeral lunar new year collage and flame artwork
- the half size oil filled radiator that fits underneath the computer desk, that keeps my legs warm 
- the block printed tiger sample from last year is almost, but not quite the same color as the new teal pinafore... may become a decorated pocket.

Time of Isolation - Day 2050

finally back...

in which our plucky heroine goes 16 day sans internet ...

It has been a challenging several weeks, with no interaction online other than what I can call up on the mobile phone. Despite my best attempts, "typing" on that tiny screen is not really feasible. So I could check my email, but not really respond, and posting here, which is one of my favorite hobbies, was right out! I did continue with my 100 day drawing project, but with no way until now to access and process images, it will take some time to play catch up taking the photos and sharing my sketches

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~ incremental progress ~

On Monday I desperately needed some dopamine, so finished sanding and drilling the pieces and attached (using wall anchors and long screws) the new clothing storage shelves to the corner of the bedroom wall adjacent to where all my shirts, dresses, and pinafores live. It is a very pleasing addition, highly functional.

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not sure where I read this Useful Hint, but as someone who embroiders on a regular frequent basis, I only just learned that there is a way to pull thread from a skein of DMC floss that removes it smoothly without tangles... The floss skeins have two bands around them with information, one is narrow and one is wide. There is a loose end of the skein at both, but if you pull from long end, you will have a happy experience (if you pull from the other end, you end up with an unholy mess) Given that I have been embroidering for over sixty-five years, living proof that an old dog can learn new tricks!

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We are still planning on sending out postcards of friendship as a non-romantic suedo-valentine activity. I keep thinking of more folks that it will brighten my day to send them a surprise. While some of my bay area pals plan on shipping me some cards and postage, I wanted to make use of the friendship valentine block I carved back in 2020, at the very end of the Before Times...It was fun to swirl and dab watercolors across the "art" side of postcard blanks, and once they were dry, the black ink showed up well and looked festive. I really like the Caligo Safe Wash relief ink. It prints well, doesn't dry out too fast when in use, but took only a few days to cure. All in all a better ink than Speedball IMHO

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After days of wrestling with Century Link's various departments of only rarely sometimes helpful but mostly not support and customer service lines, and spending more of my hours and hours on hold, it began to seem like being caught in sunk cost hell. The result being that the internet here is now being provided not via DSL (the phone line) but via "fiber"...found an option that was only ten dollars more per month, and promises faster data speeds and more reliability. Fingers crossed it isn't just hype, installed on Friday and is working well. Even better, since there was no need to mess with the phone lines, our land line is still functional.

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This morning I decided to head over to Ikea to buy a treat, not remembering that Saturday mornings are a prime shopping time. Fortunately I was there on a specific mission, not for "recreational shopping" , so was in the self checkout line as quickly as possible. Much to my surprise, there was a clerk offering folks free dark chocolate bars (full size large ones, not tiny samples; I guess it was Ikea's way of wishing everybody a sweet Valentines Day!

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	plaid flannel shirt	rice bags	greenwaste bin
2	23 postcards	INTERNET!!	recycle bin
3	-	-	greenwaste bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	-	x	-
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- finally back online
- free Ikea dark chocolate bar
- learned a way to smoothly remove floss from DMC skeins 

Time of Isolation - Day 2047

step by step

in which our plucky heroine is closer, but not there yet...

I've acquired a probably suitable modem (C3000Z) it is trying to connect to the internet. But I need to access the modem configuration menu to give it my PPPname and password, and I can't. I guess I'll try to contact tech support in the morning, since the "how to navigate to the internal modem menu" instructions I have aren't working.

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unintended media fast

in which our plucky heroine has her internet broken...

well not entirely but mostly.

Thursday I spent over two hours on the phone with someone at century link repair support to try and sort out my tech wifi problems. To no avail, so they suggested to try again Friday. At least (at that point) I still had internet, though video was not working hardly at all. Friday I had what seemed like a more savvy person, who over several more hours made a number of theoretically useful suggestions and instructions, that had any of them been successful, might have helped. Unfortunately, after they had me do a "factory reset" on my modem in an attempt to be able to correct its faulty program, not only were they unable to connect with the modem, but I have now entirely lost any connection to the Internet at all. At that point it was past their working hours. I'm not a happy camper. And no customer service or tech support over the weekend. I'll try again on Monday. Grrrrr.

typing on my phone is dreadfully difficult, so no more blog posts and no photos until the problem is resolved. Sigh and alas

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