a year ago today was three days after my periodontal bone graft surgery, and I spent the day all around the city doing a massive grocery shop in four different stores (Costco, Trader Joes, Fubonn, and YaHala), then hopped on my bike to the local New Seasons, Fred Meyers, Walgreens, (and even to the liquor store for a bottle of Everclear, since hand sanitizer was unavailable). Then the doors of Acorn Cottage shut for the duration. It's been a long strange trip, and it isn't over...
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beauty in the time of isolation
It is springtime, there are a few white violets starting to bloom here, there is a clump of blue violets just down the street, and while out on a sanity stroll, these pale violet violets caught my eye...beauty in the time of isolation
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One long needed household alteration turned out to be quite simple, although rather time consuming... This wall-mounted power strip is a very needed change in the kitchen. The 1950's kitchen is really lacking electric outlets* and those aren't in convenient spots. Now I shall no longer need to move the whole side table to access the outlet before using the slow cooker, or the food dehydrator; can't believe it took over ten years for me to think of this!
After clearing the windowsill to allow the shelf extension to be removed, I cut/carved a channel aligned with the center of the window, then replaced the shelf (trapping the cord in place). A template of the locations of the attachment screws on the back of the power strip was next, and after drilling pilot holes and screwing the four of them into the window upright (leaving just the right amount stuck out) to allow the power bar to slide into place, a long time annoyance is now dealt with.
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my Black Ice cardigan is basically completed, and has proved to be as cozy as I'd hoped for, though I am still trying to decide if adding embroidery is a good call, and also if I want to extend the cuffs using ribbing. The loop closures and the large matte black buttons work really well. I marked the button locations with chalk, and then with large safety pins, so I could locate the loops on the other side while doing the second of three rows of I-cord:
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March SMART goals (x=extra)
| # | THINGS MADE | THINGS FIXED | THINGS GONE |
| 1 | Kestrel kuspuk | darned Totoro gloves | recycle bin |
| 2 | 6 jars orange marmalade | power bar kitchen | random books |
| 3 | 5 jars applesauce | power bar workshop | recycle bin |
| 4 | horseradish | long power bar computer | - |
| 5 | charter #1 | - | - |
| 6 | Black Ice cardigan | - | - |
| 7 | - | - | - |
| 8 | - | x | - |
| 9 | - | x | x |
| 10 | x | x | x |
| 11 | x | x | x |
| 12 | x | x | x |
| 13 | x | x | x |
| 14 | x | x | x |
| 15 | x | x | x |
today's gratitude - yesterday I was able to get an appointment to get a Covid vaccine! In a week I will be going to the drive-thru site out at the airport, and my pal Aelflaed was willing to reschedule some of her Friday work meetings in order to be able to drive me there. Truly I am blessed with my friends and family
Today's gratitude might get promoted to this year's gratitude.
ReplyDeletewhile 'tis true that I will definitely be grateful going forward that I can have the first go round of the vaccine, and indeed I am grateful always for the generations of scientists and lab workers that have created this and indeed all the vaccines we have to protect our health, I shall also continue my daily practice seeking for gratitude and beauty...
DeleteI live in an old house, too, and have whole walls with no outlets in them. Power strips are a godsend in such situations, but it is important to not overload them to avoid starting a fire. I don't know if surge protectors would guard against overloading or not.
ReplyDeleteCarol, that is a very good point, and power strips/surge protectors usually do not protect against overloading a circuit. Particularly since I have surge protector power strips plugged into almost every one of the few outlets I have here, except the ones that have an appliance plugged into them (stove, washer, dryer, fridge, freezer, kiln, toaster oven) I am careful, and if I have anything plugged in that uses much power at all, it is when I am actually there using the device. For the rest, what gets plugged in is primarily light fixtures (all of which have LED bulbs, so minimal power draw), since a number of the rooms also have no overhead lighting.
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