a long rather lonesome weekend

in which our plucky heroine does yardwork...

started off by refilling the string trimmer, then took it to clear some of the south side yard, as far as the single extension cord tether... Next was pruning: cutting back the parking strip persimmon which is grown so large as to overhang the road, which makes it difficult for folks to park on the street. Trimming the young pears and the dwarf apple in the front yard. Cutting back (currently flowering) culinary sage that was falling across the front walkway, since disturbing bees is not ideal. Also taking string trimmer to the not-peppermint that grows beneath the clothes line along the north side chain link fence.

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It was our long memorial day weekend, and various folks were all off at various events. Most of my usual weekend pixel world video chats didn't happen. From time to time I would find myself imagining the places, usually when the sounds of early morning birds, or the scent of damp air, call forth the memory. Grateful to have those memories at least. I didn't allow myself to sink into despair, though emotional balance feels rather run through a graphic equaliser. 

Have been doing my best to improve sleep hygiene, not staying up crazy late and instead getting up early. Managed twice to get out of bed and walk before breakfast, which is a long term goal. Not sure how folks manage to create stuckfast habits, as the rule of thumb to "just do it for a month" has not been enough. Pleased I didn't let myself lie down and nap this weekend either, which behaviour has proved to be a bad plan for my equlibrium and equanimity. 

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Years ago a friend gave me a beautiful elaborate Indonesian ikat weaving ( tablecloth? wrap?). Rather than leave it forever folded on a shelf, I decided to try and turn it into a pinafore, since it was brown/black, cream, and russet. Wasn't sure there would be enough fabric, so I sketched out several possible layouts. I'd figured on making the bodice more of a bib front with straps, but then realised if the strips intended for straps were instead pieced together, there'd be just enough to make the usual back. I'll also be making patch pockets instead of my favorite XL "teacher pockets" (which take a lot more fabric). This handwoven and hand-dyed fabric is so spectacular I'm glad to have figured out a way to enjoy it often in the future.

It isn't obvious in the photo, but there was no attempt on my part to match or align the various motifs, there just wasn't enough fabric for it. While not quite a zero waste layout, there was no remaining scrap larger than my notably small palm. I did choose to feature the gores with the border design on the long edge centered at the front of the skirt (the ones with no border are on each side, and the ones with the border on the short edge are centered on the back) While working on this project, I was reminded of the images in "The Arts and Crafts of Turkestan", acquired more than 40 years ago. It was fascinating how the robes and garments were cut out from elaborately patterened ikat weave with no intent to match or balance the designs. Later I learned how intricate and therefore precious those fabrics were/are, and the difference between how I'd been taught to sew and how these robes were cut to make use of every bit of the labor intensive fabric. 

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Oh jolly, more things to add to my admin task list: look into what new insurance coverage is available... At least that task has about a half year to get it done. My current admin task is screenshot copying all the images and text from my website, since Pharamond is closing down hosting service. Then I get to find a new host and build a new website, whee!!  

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Have been thinking about a Laurel elevation gift for a friend... my 2nd idea was a knitted/felted laurel garland, but it turns out I don't have the correct yarn for that but I do have yarn to do a tablet woven Laurel band. Am now trying to find out favorite color(s), in the hope that I will also have a suitable background yarn. It has been ages since I've done any tablet weaving. Thinking about a tabletop warp weighted loom, a long term wishlist item; it might be possible to DIY something better than my first attempt years ago with a stick tied to the bookcase, or possibly modifying a tabletop weaving frame

(similar to this one below)

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Rosa sketch	Bad Smell gone	greenwaste bin
2	boro thread basket	dishrack tray	recycle bin
3	boro basket 2	paring knife	recycle bin
4	boro basket 3	cut back mint	greenwaste bin
5	boro baskets 4 & 5	-	-
6	sharpening box	x	x
7	8 jars pickled beets	x	x
8	7 jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
9	ikat pinafore	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- leftover stir fry from yesterday for dinner tonight, along with roasted cauliflower
- got a fair amount of yardwork done this morning, then enjoying the sound of rain on the awnings in the afternoon...
- Every day I carve a bit more on the new 5th god border block. Just past the halfway point currently. 
- found some new old stock of the good foot balm on Ebay
- the memories of good times in the past

Time of Isolation - Day 2145

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine woke up to intermittent rain, and wind, and the sort of blustery weather appropriate to the season.

An early morning message let me know that our usual Tuesday morning zoom was derailed as Turquoise had car trouble... this circumstance allowed me to shift admin tasks earlier in the day, and deal with acquiring the various money orders needed for tax purposes. A long loop by bus and tram took care of that, and eventually brought me home again around lunchtime. 

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~ deconstruct reconstruct ~

Long ago I was gifted with a bracelet of acorn-ish charms made from round green glass beads with the textured bead caps seen above. Neither bracelets or bright green are really part of my wardrobe, but back in January, after finding some teardrop shaped turquoise/taupe glass beads, took apart a few of the charms to use the bead caps as part of new acorn earrings. Those so quickly joined the ranks of my favorites, that curiosity sought through the beads and bits for what else might turn into another pair of acorns. While there were no more beads of a suitable shape, there was an unused-for-years bone clasp, each half of which was just the right size and shape. Rather than let it languish in the storage drawer of bone and antler bits, it has a new destiny!

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Since heading out to get to the post office as early as possible had meant no time for breakfast, and seeing the Max tram just pass by heading south meant a wait of at least fifteen minutes, it seemed like a good idea to get something sustaining from a local coffee shop. Savory cheddar bacon scone was my choice, and a rare treat and a delicious nibble while waiting for the next transit tram to arrive.

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Almost done making fair copies of all my admin paperwork, and tomorrow will be another trip to the post office to get each of the envelopes hand cancelled by the postal clerks to prove day of mailing. This year the USPS no longer guarantees that simply dropping envelopes in their post boxes has any relation to when they will be stamped as actually mailed. The weather tomorrow will be equally blustery as today, but the forecast thunderstorms are not till mid to late afternoon, so the excursion should be manageable.

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April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	glass button shirt	apple tree pruned	recycle bin
2	dual fold wallet	tiny beaded star	greenwaste bin
3	bone acorn earrings	electric bill found	recycle bin
4	-	shirt sleeve length	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- cheddar bacon scone from Posie's Cafe
- sewing "kits" to allow for incremental sewing breaks = intermittent reinforcement
- made all my admin errands happen while managing to escape the worst of the hard rain
- the halves of the vintage bone clasp turned out to be the perfect size and shape for a new pair of acorn earrings

Time of Isolation - Day 2105

can't begin any sooner

in which our plucky heroine wonders if different challenges would be easier...

Patting myself on the back, I just spent the whole afternoon doing financial admin tasks, and though not even halfway done, have made some significant progress. Still have a lot to do before the end of the year, and I feel right foolish for procrastinating so long on what turns out is not dreadfully difficult, just tedious and complex. I shall do my best to remember this tomorrow, when more of the same is on my task list. If only one could be removed, not sure which character flaw would be my first choice, imposter syndrome or procrastination. They work together as saboteurs...

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~ final foot ~

Last night figured out how to use a yarn needle to make loops through the cast off edges (as if to pick up stitches) since the scale of the shrew haunches is too small to do so easily with the knitting needles. Shrew is very close to being finished, just needs the right leg stiched up, toes made and tail knitted on... so kawaii that I'm almost tempted to make another one as a friend to the tinyfolks, said desire tempered however by a clear memory of how I feel about knitting with the 4/0 needles

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Still have some homegrown persimmons in the right stage (firm enough) to cut up and add to kale bulgur feta salad... and am wondering if in the summertime, could do the same thing with peaches or nectarines? I will also try it with a few of the frozen plums. The original recipe is just savory/spicy, not sweet at all, but the tiny addition of fruit sweetness adds so much. While my original change was to add a spoonful of dried currants, then switched to raisins, and I suspect my original inspiration was when 17 year old me was learning about cooking while mostly working as a dishwasher at Smoky Joe's Cafe in Saratoga Springs, and watching Gordon stir fry vegetables and adding in all kinds of ingredients that never would have occurred to my limited experience and palate...

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pairs underwear	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	-	shrew eyes	yard waste bin
3	-	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -  
- homegrown persimmons in the kale bulgur feta salad
- got past my anxiety and procrastination to begin admin tasks 
- cooked up half the produce on hand into various partial or completed meals. This is always a goal of mine (though not always accomplished) as it makes everyday life easier.

Time of Isolation - Day 1992

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine does small tasks...

The kitchen is a little bit cleaner, some more things have been put away, or discarded (including some science experiments from the back of the wee fridge). The vegetable steamer now has three solidly attached new legs made of hardware bits. I found the former Italian painted steel breadbox  and am considering turning it into a (temporary?) studio apartment for one or more of the tinyfolk, providing I can find a spot to set it up. 

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~ rabbit rabbit rabbit ~

welcome to December! With luck my month of awful annoying admin tasks will also include abundant small delights. At least I know that each day will begin with opening a tiny "Advent Of A Better Year in 2026" treat. This first morning, there was a ¾" maneki neko bell in drawer #1...

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~ ninja cat of double protection ~

>The internets suggest that right paw up attracts good fortune, left paw up attracts customers, and both paws raised is for luck, household protection, and prosperity, as does the black coat color (instead of the usual tri-color coat) May we all share our good luck throughout the coming year...

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Did two of the most pressing admin phone calls today, will do more of them tomorrow. The person I spoke with about the insurance denial was very reassuring, and gave me some additional numbers to call; apparently the denial is only of one "line item", not the entire ER visit. She couldn't figure out what was denied, hence there will be more phone calls.

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Ursel came by after work to pick up her Advent swap box, and we had a bit of a porch visit even though it was after dark. Then I had another idea for more tiny trinkets for next year - "No Face" ornaments from Spirited Away. I saw a Halloween garland online made from polymer clay and an old tee shirt, but cutting more egg carton ovals and painting them, and using some thin black silk or rayon should work well. Time to experiment!

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	-	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	-	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- TIL that Thai fish sauce does not need to be refrigerated, which saves space in my always crowded tiny fridge.
- the hardware store had the right stainless steel bits to continue fixing the vegetable steamer, available singly from the drawers, so could buy just exactly the number of parts needed for the repair
- being able to send a PDF to the local library, then ride over and have them print it out. Knitting the shrew will be eversomuch easier from hardcopy!
- my wonderful shadowbox Advent calendar...

Time of Isolation - Day 1983

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine gets unwelcome news...

Today I got a "denied payment" letter telling me that my emergency room visit in October for my injured left eye is not an insurance covered service! WTF!?! I am going to challenge this denial, of course...(not that adding an additional metric crapton of dealing with paperwork and bureaucracy was on my bingo card, but what else can one do?)

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~ sour, savory, salty, spicy, sweet ~

Doesn't this look delicious? Just realised it is another "five flavor" recipe... Made enough salad on Thursday to have for lunch for the next several days...The fresh persimmon is so pretty and so tasty!!

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This evening had a visit from Ashe & Co - and an exchange of unexpected gifts. They kindly brought me the half pound of organic black-eyed peas from OFC, and the swift from Karen, both of which I'd asked if they would be willing to bring me from Olympia. They were coming down here to pick up their Advent Of A Better Year boxes, but also brought some surprises: one of their Halloween Trick or Treat bags full of treats: homemade crayons and coloring pages, a fancy pencil, stickers, a glowstick, and a few mini candies. They also made me four little advent surprise packages to make up for how I only accidentally gave myself 27 instead of 31 of the tiny gifts.... Awww, they are so thoughtful! Plus I got hugs!!

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Today was sunny in the middle of the day, and after hanging laundry out to get partially dry, pruning seemed like a good next thing to do starting by cutting back the overgrown mint under the clothesline. Moving a bit further east down the chain link fence, the feral grapevine got quite the haircut. Not only as much as I could reach of what has grown into the neighboring yard, but rather a lot of the vines as well. Next in the wheelie bin, valiant Juliet, the tomato plant met her end. Late November is beyond tomato season, and while she was still attempting to get her remaining fruit to ripen, the rain was causing it to split open, and the leaves were beginning to look rather blighted. (I imagine that in a greenhouse, one could keep tomato plants going far longer than out in the open: I remember that Chuck and Joan had a little room upstairs in Boxborough with a huge cherry tomato growing under lights all winter.)  Finally, as there was still plenty of space in the bin, I got the pruning saw and cut away some of the excessively tall elderberry branches, and the larger end of what I'd already pruned away from the green fig.  Not pruning related, but in outdoor news, earlier in the day I saw two hummingbirds, both with a vivid red spot on their necks that flashed when the light hit it just right...

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An interview with Naomi Kritzer, a SF/hopepunk writer I enjoy very much, and some links to two of her stories... 

"So Much Cooking"
"The Year Without Sunshine"
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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	clothespin bag	horse kerchief dots	greenwaste bin
2	5 jars pickled beets	more chopshop repair	recycle bin
3	1# hand weights	printer connection	greenwaste bin
4	a dozen owls	black knit slip	recycle bin
5	many jars of Awesome Sauce	15 origami giftwrap	recycle bin
6	24 more owls	case for phone	x
7	7 jars of Awesome Sauce	horse kerchief details	x
8	8 dishcloths	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
- Ashe & Co came to visit, bringing unexpected gifts
- a new yarn swift from Karen to replace my broken one
- found six yards of waistband elastic in the notions cupboard, which will make my intention of several new pairs of long janes much easier to accomplish, having all the materials needed already on hand 

Time of Isolation - Day 1981

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine purposefully focuses on what is positive...

As it had cooled off a bit before sundown, a bike ride along the edge of the bluff seemed like a pleasant idea. High clouds were patterned like the fur of a mackerel tabby cat, which according to the internet precedes a change in the weather, and the forecast for the weekend is dreadfully hot once again. We shall have to see, but tonights bike ride at dusk was just delightful

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~ a beautiful windfall ~

The great benefit of thinning apples on the tree is that with fewer apples total, the resources available allow individual apples to grow larger. There will be more quince apple sauce in a few days

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making gradual progress on clearing the dining table of detritus and random papers... the box of sewing patterns returned to the sewing shelves, and the 8 page tutorial on sleeve plackets I'd printed out has been carefully placed in sheet protectors, which I cleverly in the past had bought a whole carton of, and stored with the printer paper. (that tutorial still needs the photo images to be redrawn or detailed, as the quality of the printing isn't as clear as would be desirable)

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that was baffling: while out riding my bike, saw a sign on a large fig tree for "free figs" but the whole tree only had (many many) unripe small second crop figs, nowhere near ready to eat. Indeed second crop figs almost never ripen here, and don't easily detach from the branches either.

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The podcast interview with T Kingfisher aka Ursula Vernon is now available online, and I look forward to listening to it soon! 

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 jar storage trays	tiger block	greenwaste bin
2	4 jar storage lids	bright rayon top width	recycle bin
3	dried basil	indigotiger popover  hem extension	recycle bin
4	3 jars apple/quince rosewater sauce	bike rear wheel	window AC
5	-	new apron straps	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- two beautiful windfall apples
- Past Me cleverly bought a box of 100 sheet protectors
- completed the second of four admin tasks (for this week)

Time of Isolation - Day 1856

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine doesn't quite eat the frog...

It wasn't the first thing I did today (which was my go outside and get outdoor light into my eyeballs) or even the second thing, but I did make some of the needed phone calls this afternoon, and tomorrow! there will be two different estimators (one in the morning, one in late afternoon) showing up to have a look-see at the roof here at Acorn Cottage, and give their ideas and figures for what the labor costs and materials options for replacing the over twenty year old roof will require...

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~ imaginary aminitas

My current handwork fidget project is making some of the soft sculpture mushrooms that Margeaux Davis shared a tutorial for last week in the MakingZen series. Scraps of assorted red fabrics, unbleached muslin, and a few other bits and bobs get turned into what I think will become some fun ornament gifts for friends. I particularly love the way the gathered fabric becomes "mushroom gills" and the use of french knots for texture...

 .
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"...we must, in the ways that we can, live the future we hope to bring into being."

~ Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

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I have misplaced my garden trowel! This object, unlike a number of other things around the place, actually has a specific home, but isn't in it. And isn't anywhere else I've looked. It is one of the few everyday tools I only have the one of, no backup. and apparently I've no memory of the most recent time it was in use, since I've looked in all the logical or possible spots, including in the garden beds themselves...  

In other garden news, the peas are enjoying their new climbing frame, almost two gallons of baby apples have been thinned (and still not done with that task) and assorted pruning continues to happen. Have been keeping the young trees watered as the temperature continues to increase. The sprouty yellow potatoes I planted in a spare pot have sent up actual leaves, and my intention is to see if I can harvest some spuds later in the year. They're not quite tall enough yet to add another layer of mulch.

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	aminita softy	planted sprouty taters	-
2	-	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- being able to listen to recordings of Grateful Dead shows via Internet Archive, on my phone, while riding my bicycle...
- an adorable aminita made from scrap fabric
- I bravely called one law office and two roofing contractors today

Time of Isolation - Day 1779

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine misses the Before Times so much it hurts...

This timeline is such that were it a book, the editor would send it back saying "too unrealistic even for fiction"

In counterpoint, as far as a small delight, I am making tiny tiny valentines to be sent from my tinyfolk to Young Kestrel's tinyfolk. I've folded paper into square "cards" and have created a template for miniature envelopes, all of which will fit in a regular envelope and sent off in the post on Monday

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~ keep it covered up ~

This simple project has been on my mind for quite some time, and finally took form in the last week. Acorn Cottage seems to generate quite a bit of dust, and snacks (or lunch) happens in the computer zone, as does assorted handwork during zoom time... Having a dust-cover for both keyboards keeps them more protected, and the black color eliminates any unwanted reflection on the screen. The lower dust-cover (for the wireless ergonomic keyboard) has had the edges neatly bound in scraps from my "leftover bias" bin, and the upper dust-cover for the actual laptop still needs either bound or simply hemmed.

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Wellington decided to stand in the hallway next to the bedroom door and start barking?!? just before 7. He's never done this before, and I couldn't figure out why. No one outside, nothing in the house making unusual sounds... I guess Timmie really has fallen down the well...

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Had a good phone chat with the B's this afternoon. Wish that they did not live all the way on the other side of the country.

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As a number of folks I know have also been doing, I signed in to the three credit bureaus and placed a freeze on my data, and also went to the SSA and downloaded my history from there. This all entailed signing up with a different access account for each site, each one with different parameters. I was very glad my pal Ursel kept me company on our regular zoom while I went through all the hoops; having a body double makes such tasks easier to cope with. Now I can rest a little easier knowing that despite whatever comes from the recent data breaches, it will be that much harder for anyone to steal my identity.

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	"wing it" vest	more broach handles	recycle bin
2	-	black keyboard covers	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. The grated purple carrots may have begun fermentation, there seem to be Very Tiny bubbles forming, barely visible through the dark liquid. Fingers crossed...
2. Grocery Outlet had organic pasture raised ground beef for 4.99 a pound! I plan on making a small meatloaf with part of the package, and turning the rest into a rich tomato pasta sauce
3. Experimental Moroccan Chicken turned out really delicious! Recipe is a keeper and will be shared
4. Hmmm apparently I earned a 79¢ rebate for using less electricity during the Peak Time Rebate yesterday... considering that I did nothing at all different than usual, it is a little confusing. 

Time of Isolation - Day 1667

Thursday thoughts

in which our plucky heroine makes slow if steady progress...

This morning I noticed the snowdrops blooming. If it hadn't been so damp, and very cold, I might have tried to kneel down and take their picture, but they are nonetheless a cheering sign that spring will eventually show up. The pink hellebore shows signs of eventual buds, but nothing much yet.

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~ part of the cloverleaf ~
.

Yesterday I did a dry run to the county offices... the directions have you get off at a really odd bus stop literally in the middle of a cloverleaf on ramp, but there is a narrow walkway that continues to the actual sidewalk. Glad I checked it out ahead of time!

Consequently the trip to the passport acceptance office today had no surprises. I arrived about half an hour early, but since things were going smoothly, my number was called immediately. All my paperwork was in order, and the clerk even complimented me on my "tidy handwriting". If all goes well, I should get my old passport back fairly soon, and the new one following on a few weeks after that.

The photos show where the bus first leaves one off, and then once the peculiar interesection has been traversed, looking west across the street at a different part of the complicated roadway interchange heading onto the Hawthorne Bridge. Not sure what the story is about the large openwork sculpture...

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Since I was out and about on transit anyway, I spent another few hours going all the way to Mill Ends, as they had some specialty waterproof fabric that I needed a half yard of for a particular experimental project. I resisted the temptation to wander about the store lest I be tempted to add more "someday" fabric to my already abundant resource shelves.

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Not only did I make a fresh blue tape "pattern" for the full length narrow leg long janes, but I also found the previous iteration of the very same thing! I suppose now I needs must try each of them, to find out what works best. Fortunately I still have some cotton jersey sheets to make samples from.

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I've read five books so far this month, which doesn't include books I started and decided not to read. Now that I have figured out a bit about was making reading less enjoyable, and conversely what I do like, I feel free to not finish books. Overall, I seem to prefer "character-driven" to plot-driven fiction; if I don't find the characters engaging, reading seems pointless. Hopepunk rather than grimdark, always. I retain hope for F/SF labeled "cozy" but most (though not all) of what I've perused with that label has been more like "romance + nonhumans" and I am not terribly drawn to romance novels.

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	blood orange marmalade	bike headlamp	yard waste bin
2	heraldic enamel	passport photo	recycle bin
3	crayon roll	crystal necklace	recycle bin
4	xp2 undies	pattern longjanes	-
5	-	passport applied for	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I took the time yesterday to do a dry run of the bus routes to get to the county offices... made today's actual trip easier
2. snowdrops are the very first frontyard flowers to return each year...
3. The passport office clerk admired my tidy handwriting

Time of Isolation - Day 1645

soot sprites and other carbon

in which our plucky heroine continues on the admin path...

Rode my bike to my PCP office to pick up a copy of my outdated advanced directives to review, and get a set of new paperwork to fill out.

Put in hours of admin time trying to get answers to current medical renewal paperwork questions. Was "bumped upstairs" to speak to supervisor, as the person I spoke with initially did not have the info I needed. When the supervisor called me back at the end of the day, she was able to understand and answer my questions (fingers crossed that she is correct, as it seems much simpler than I had feared), and also gave me some info about a program I am currently enrolled in that will continue after this change, and a phone number to call to get more help in sorting out the insurance options... So, ultimately productive if exhausting day.

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~ hold on it's almost here... ~

My tinyfolk are having fun getting ready for Halloween, and I am having fun attempting to photograph tinyworld vignettes...

※※※

I opened the bag of Halloween goodies that Ashe & Co gave me. There was a charming assortment of themed treats: some pencils and a little pen, bat stickers, a homemade ghost and ghost pumpkin, a few pieces of candy, and several pompom soot sprites! I love soot sprites, but had not thought to simply combine black wooly pompoms and googly eye to make some!  (remember this idea for next year's Advent Swap)

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I leave the kitchen while I am cooking at my peril, and really need to make it a hard rule that when something is on the stove, that I just stay there until it is done. I burned my 3qt saucepan. Even after two treatments with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, the carbon deposits inside the pan were intractable. So I have ordered a replacement, of a different brand that will actually be a better fit for my pot rack. Being somewhat taller and narrower, with a handle that is 1" shorter, means it will not bang into the kitchen range back.

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Made some Sister Gigi's Corn Cakes tonight to go along with the Hake fish I cooked for dinner. There is plenty of both leftover, the corn cakes store nicely into a Talenti tub in the freezer, and I will mash up the remaining fish and make some fish cakes to match!

and so it begins...

in which our plucky heroine receives a box in the mail ...

and much to my delight, it is the first of the (hopefully) many boxes for this year's Advent of a Better Year swap. Not only is is chock full of charming tiny packages, but Donna included a beautiful wee patchwork pillow just the right size for my tinyfolk, and a bag with some of the micro sized glass "beads" that are used to add weight, for me to try out...

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~ finished books ~

"Textile Livestock" (an edition of nine) is complete, the book blocks are now attached to their covers and they are ready to be distributed. I chose an origami paper that has printed what appears to be "a resist dyed indigo pattern on woven cloth" for the cover... The hem measuring tool, which I have owned for years but never use in my sewing, is rather quite useful in repeatedly marking paper and card for book arts (as well as giving a sense of the small scale of these miniature books)

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I have put out queries in hopes of getting recommendations for the professional services I will be needing in this time of transition. I also made it over to the Office of Aging and Disability this afternoon, where I found out that while they do not have any appointments sooner than late next month, they do allot a few "this day" appointments every day, which one can attempt to get by phoning in first thing each workday. And that I could request a phone appointment, which would save me hours of transit time. (since an "in person" appointment consists of sitting in an empty office room talking to someone on the phone anyway, why not do phone talking at home?!?)

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Today I printed out some singular tinyprints using the "enjoy the small things" rubber stamp from the Japanese matchbox stamp set. My intent is to round out my own Advent items , maybe as either ornaments or magnets, or just as tiny artwork. The ink will have cured in a few days, and I will back them on some black matboard.

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time for me to get on with both making another prize for the Spooky Season challenge, and gathering what I want to use for my own photo. Leslie suggested I set up a scene with my tinyfolk sitting on their sofa, with snacks and popcorn and watching Over The Garden Wall on my viewmaster, which for them would be rather like a Very Big Screen indeed. I forgot to get some quinoa from the bulk aisle at the store, as I have read one can pop it like miniature popcorn, which would be perfect!

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	prune persimmon	old light crap
3	shibori scarf	tidy walking onions	recycle bin
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	string trim parking strip	yard waste bin
5	Kenya skirt	long jane waistband	recycle bin
6	pumpkin overalls	black winter slip	yard waste bin
7	Textile Livestock	harvested quince	recycle bin
8	x	pruned apple	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the first Advent swap box arrived today
2. it is becoming slightly less difficult to do admin tasks
3. Internet Archive, for so many reasons...

Time of Isolation - Day 1565

making and mending

in which our plucky heroine eats the frog...

well not literally, of course, but I did spend too many hours today doing admin tasks, which is one of my least favorite thing ever. (I'd even rather clean the bathroom fixtures than make phone calls) Got partway through one set of confustication, and made appointments to deal with two more. Will return to the fray tomorrow. Incremental progress is still progress.

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~ so tiny and blue ~
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On October 6th I mentioned the heraldic blue wolf enamel I had been commissioned to make, to embellish an SCA coronet, and today Cathyn sent me a photo of the completed project that it was made to decorate:

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More mending: one of my wintertime underdress/slips was becoming worn out around the seamline between the skirt and the bodice, and was also too longwaisted. Why you may ask... because I rather cobble together these underlayers from various bits and bobs on hand; this one had originally been made from a thrifted and wonderfully embroidered black jersey skirt and a thrifted black rib-knit tank top. When the tank top wore out, I tried to copy it with a different fabric, which mostly worked but had a different stretch factor. The only part of this that anyone sees is the decorative hemline extending below my everyday pinafores, the rest merely provides wintertime insulation. Folding the slip at the bodice/skirt seam let me use the serger to clean finish the new seam as I cut away the worn parts and incidentally and insignificantly shortened the whole thing by about an inch

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The two big spider plants in the south facing window have been direly in need of repotting, as for some reason they seem to push themselves up and out of the soil? (either that or they somehow consume the soil leaving themselves high and dry in midair, only tenuously connected to their roots?) Anyhow, after dinner it was time to tackle the largest of the three, and a long messy task that was, though satisfying. Now it needs to settle back and hopefully add new roots from the nodes that now are in contact into the fresh damp dirt.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	prune persimmon	old light crap
3	shibori scarf	tidy walking onions	recycle bin
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	string trim parking strip	yard waste bin
5	Kenya skirt	long jane waistband	-
6	x	black winter slip	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. made significant progress on the admin tasks, despite frustration
2. repotted the largest of the spider plants, and it will be able to return to its living room window home soon
3. my second round of testing (post antibiotic) came back clear of any bacteria...huzzah... buh-bye E.coli!

Time of Isolation - Day 1556