random Tuesdays tidbits

in which the resiliency rangers run off on a road trip, and our plucky heroine speaks up at the union hall...

We did it! This lovely sunshiney morning, my two fearless cohorts in cookie-baking and I took seven plates full of dozens of home-baked cookies* to the ILWU hall up in Longview. The folks at Local 21 seemed to be quite appreciative of both the cookies and of the sentiment behind our efforts, and were a bit surprised to hear that we had driven all the way up there from Portland just to bring them cookies (and our support).

Certainly made my day a lot brighter, even if S pointed out on the way home that I'd blushed bright pink after explaining why we were there. (sometimes my old shyness come creeping back)

~ ~ ~≈:::≈~ ~ ~

Life is like stepping onto a boat that is about to sail out to sea and sink.

~ Suzuki

and with that in mind, I strive to live fully in the present; to do as much that allows joy a place to live in my life, and in the lives around me. Don't always succeed, of course, but it is a goal. Has been for a long time.

My favorite Akita friend,
his "akita-talk" always makes me laugh...
~ ~ ~≈:::≈~ ~ ~

Four weeks after surgery: I've started cooking, (and riding my bike) ... am being very very careful. It feels good to do simple things, even if cautiously. I plan on canning some things later this year, once the hand is strong enough to deal with the process. I've plums and jars of tomato puree, in the freezer, waiting to become asian plum sauce and ketchup. And out in the yard, the feral plum tree has fruit that is almost ripe, I shall try to pick some, using the fruit picker; I love the European prune plums so much, they are good fresh eating, freeze easily, and are a great ingredient in crisp or jam or sauce.

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Still seeking a doctor/clinic for the further care that I need. Yesterday, after much frustration, a different approach to the online database of providers called up additional possibilities, so hope has not yet been abandoned. This process reminds me a bit of back when I was in college and organising independent study contract work; I had not only to actually do the work, but also to generate my own curriculum and locate faculty and support folks to sign off on my learning. Twice as much work as most students want to do, but was worth it in the end, I learned things that still resonate in my daily life years later. Of course, my life and health were not on the line back then as they are now, but fortunately my determination (okay... stubbornness) is still strong. Which is good, since this is only the very beginning of a whole new set of hoops.

... ̿ ̿ ̿̿'̿̿\̵͇̿̿\=[^_^]=/̵͇̿̿/'̿̿ ̿ ̿ ̿ ...

dog is restless, keeps pacing back and forth

* I baked chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and iced lemon rounds (make vanilla icebox cookies with extra lemon rind and use lemon extract instead of vanilla, ice with lemon icing)