Wow! Dear Daughter, Remember when we use to always do that Dear Dora, Diamond daughter thingy? What book was that from?
It looks like we both took the month of August off from the blog. I didn't mean to but we were pretty busy, with me visiting in MO, and having company for two weeks at my house. And then both of us getting sick, is an allergic reaction called sick? Not sure? But it was a full two weeks of prednisone and itchy. I don't want to do that again! I really don't like those Noseemu bites--next summer I am wearing long pants, long sleeves, socks, spraying myself whenever I go anywhere on your property beyond the lovely patio.
Anyway, when I brought my friend John to see your place and to see how you process the wool, I think he realized how much work it is to process all that wool. I was amazed at how dirty the soaking process was. I wonder how much it would cost us to send the fleece to a professional processing place to get it done? We should look into some places and get some prices--what do you think?
Having him help us by doing some of the carding was interesting. I think he thought that the one time he put the wool through the carder, it was then ready to use. I know neither of us told him that it probably needed to be carded at least three more times. I don't think I would want to do the processing on a regular basis, do you? Let's find out about having it done?!
I have been working on gather everything I need to do my part of the workshop we are doing on Sept. 21. I'm going to have one table with things I have felted that I feel are successes and I'm going to have one table of what I considered my failures--do you think that is a good idea. I figure that way the people can see that you learn from doing.
I also dyed some of the white wool we have brown, red, blue, and green--to use to make those gnomes at the workshop. You are right, it is much easier to card it after I have dyed it, although a lot of "stuff" still comes out of it--the mess on my floor was yuk after carding the blue. I don't get long strands but I think it will be fine for the workshop--and the price was right.
I have been making lots of flowers, I did find some small glass vases for $1, not exactly what I was looking for but nice ones. Oh, and I have begun a bird on my owe. it isn't so beautiful but kind of fun to fool around with it. I am very excited about the workshop I am going to this weekend on winged birds. I have wanted to take a class from Kiyoshi Mino for at two years. I have to drive up there early Thursday morning for the class that starts at 9 because I'm going to a play tomorrow night. I think this will be a good learning experience!
I have not had time to look at my text book yet for the tax class, I'll take it with me to Wi, if I get tired of felting I guess I can look at the tax book. Glad I am feeling healthy again!
Oh, one more thing--yesterday at our usual Monday condo gathering, not sure why but I took out a bunch of my felting and showed it to my neighbors, now they have asked me to do a workshop for them. I told them I would do it after our Sept workshop. Between felting, taxes, and LWV events --I really don't know how I ever had time to work!
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Wool processing
On the wool front — I am reserving one big bag of wool (probably three or four fleeces) unwashed for a workshop in September, but besides that, I have 6 fleeces on what I hope is their final soak (that is determined by how nasty the water is after an hour - if it still looks like mud, it gets clean water, if t looks clean enough, I call it done) and ONE that needs to be skirted and washed.
ONE more fleece!!!!
Yea!!!! Because I have doctor tomorrow, and I want to not have to do lots of bending and lifting after that.
Random thoughts.
Something to keep in mind. On a group I am a member of, just posted a handspun/handwoven/handsewn dress they had made. It’s incredibly simple, but beautiful. However, this is what screamed out of me.
It took 180 spinning hours, 100 weaving hours, and 15 cutting/sewing hours.
And she specifically says that does not count the hours it took to spin the sewing thread she used. And that does not even take into account hours spent raising/caring for the livestock who produced the fiber.
———
Now, I’m willing to allow that if this was a person who did these processes since she was a little kid, she might have been faster, but...
When you are thinking about the prices/relative cost of garments before the industrial revolution, think of that many hours of labor going into ANY garment.
Wow.
Friday, July 19, 2019
Wool continues
All the fleece I have washed. That’s only 4 of the 13 bags I brought home. Oh my! I’m taking the day to do some inside stuff, and to let the fleeces dry so I can can start picking and carding on Monday.
But yeh, four out of 13 bags done. Not even half. Are you sure you don’t want to come by and pick up some to save me from this?
Ok, now inside I need to clean bathrooms, run the vacuum, wash sheets and other laundry, clean my kitchen... oh my! At least the air conditioning is lovely.
#wool #woolcleaning #woolcleaning2019
Monday, July 15, 2019
Christmas stockings in July
Oh, and last week I started (and finished!) making these Christmas stockings after the sample from Kathy to model the stocking Betsy’s and Kathy’s mom made for them when they were little. And Betsy’s disintegrated a few years ago. So Kathy wanted a replacement for Betsy. So I made it for Betsy and Dad. 
I also lined them! Betsy said they will take better pictures later.
Linen weaving project
Last week at weaving we planned my very first weaving project with linen, and today I measured out the 704 warp threads. 
First day of wool cleaning 2019
So... here is the pile of wool from Jacquie. There are 10 bags, some very large, some small. The small ones are labeled “Shetland”, “babydoll” and “Flower”. 
The two big fleeces (A and B) are fairysoft and don’t have much hair. I mostly just skirted out the dirtiest parts.
—-
I pulled out Bag 1, it had three (A,B, and C) fleeces.
The two big fleeces (A and B) are fairysoft and don’t have much hair. I mostly just skirted out the dirtiest parts.
—-
And then as I managed to get those three into the bins to soak overnight. I’ll do the actual washing tomorrow.
Red, White, and Royal Blue
I like reading romances. I think it started because I wanted HAPPY, and the romance genre is partially defined as having a HEA(or at least a HEfornow), and I liked how people (women most frequently) who are frequently presented in media as not having agency almost always have agency. It tends to be a genre written for women by women which frankly makes me happy. I grew up reading science fiction and fantasy, and while there are SOME women authors, it is a field that seemed to be primarily by men for men. I was so happy when I discovered the vast array of what romance contained.
Now, I have developed some STONG frustrations with the field of romance novels, but I still primarily choose my reading material from it. And I was incredibly happy when m/m stories started being included. Some of my favorite authors primarily write these stories. Happy (or at least happily ending) stories about MORE people, how wonderful. And I would love to read some stories that include people who have a similar mindset to me, I thought that would not be long become as popular, right?
However, I have, over the last little while developed a stong dissatisfaction with so much of the m/m field. They present themselves as queer friendly, where what they are is MALE queer people. But the only choices for women in many of these works is to be sexually interested in men. There is such little representation of queer people who were born/raised female.
I think it is absolutely absurd to deem something queer friendly or representative when only men are represented. I love Cat Sebastian’s stories but my frustration with this boiled over when I was reading her books. Which is not to say her’s is the only one that I see this in, but it raised my boiling point.
However, the book I just finished (Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston) where, despite the fact that the main protagonists are men, the women have agency, AND at least one of the main female characters is happily bi, and shows no angst over it. So not only did I get a good story, I found an author who wrote a good story, but she also did not do false inclusiveness. I’m so happy.
Saturday, July 6, 2019
We, Johnny and I arrived here in MO Tuesday so we have been here four full days, very busy. Aunt J went to great lengths to fulfill Johnny wish to play D+D with a group. Today is our last day of this visit and their last day of D+D. I don't play but I've been listening to them from another room and they certainly sound like they are enjoying the game, lots of laughing and thinking out loud. I think Johnny is enjoying his gaming.
I'm sitting here waiting for J to come back to put a pin in the hem of pants she made for me. Very comfortable linen pants with big pockets on the side and the waist is at the right place. I think I love them.
I finished reading The Midwife, the book for LWV book club. It was good, interesting stories about the 1950's. Hard to believe some of the situations were only about 70 years ago. The world, medicine and technology has changed a lot since then. I started another book, that is the reading for my church elder circle group, From Age-ing to Sage-ing, it hasn't interested me so far. I'm only into the third chapter and hoping I get interested soon. It is maybe too religious/spiritually for me. I'll continue reading but at this point I'm thinking if it doesn't catch me soon the next few months of Elder circle may not interest me.
Technology thoughts, for two generations, my parents and myself, we worried about how much time our kids spent sitting in front of the TV. I worried that it would make kids passive learners if they spent too much time watching TV, and that sitting indoors in front of a TV screen they were missing out on outdoor play. Now I worry that young kids are speeding too much time on their hand held screens. Some of the same concerns and that they lack interaction with other really people, oh and the violence concern. I wonder will this be a concern of just one generation or more? What technology will adults worry about in the future and how it effects the current generation of kids. I hope I live long enough to see how my grandkids handle social interactions, work requirements for focus, compassion, all that stuff.
Then I was thinking about how technology effects me too. Like the other day, I was reading a real paper book, and I started to swipe the page to turn it. I did it several times before giggling at myself. I wonder if I had never had the experience of reading real paper books would I look at it like those young kids trying to figure out how to use a rotary phone before I figured out to turn the page? Will paper books eventually not be in use? Will archeological projects dig them up and wonder what they are?
When driving my car, using GPS sometimes I hear the directions, and if I'm not completely paying attention (yes, I know I should be paying attention but sometimes my mind wanders!) and it says turn right, I almost forget to look at the real road signs, or signal lights, and start to turn immediately. This could be dangerous! I need to pay attention, esp as I get older although I don't think it is a sign of getting older, I would have done it when I was younger, and I might not have noticed that I did it.
More to come.
I'm sitting here waiting for J to come back to put a pin in the hem of pants she made for me. Very comfortable linen pants with big pockets on the side and the waist is at the right place. I think I love them.
I finished reading The Midwife, the book for LWV book club. It was good, interesting stories about the 1950's. Hard to believe some of the situations were only about 70 years ago. The world, medicine and technology has changed a lot since then. I started another book, that is the reading for my church elder circle group, From Age-ing to Sage-ing, it hasn't interested me so far. I'm only into the third chapter and hoping I get interested soon. It is maybe too religious/spiritually for me. I'll continue reading but at this point I'm thinking if it doesn't catch me soon the next few months of Elder circle may not interest me.
Technology thoughts, for two generations, my parents and myself, we worried about how much time our kids spent sitting in front of the TV. I worried that it would make kids passive learners if they spent too much time watching TV, and that sitting indoors in front of a TV screen they were missing out on outdoor play. Now I worry that young kids are speeding too much time on their hand held screens. Some of the same concerns and that they lack interaction with other really people, oh and the violence concern. I wonder will this be a concern of just one generation or more? What technology will adults worry about in the future and how it effects the current generation of kids. I hope I live long enough to see how my grandkids handle social interactions, work requirements for focus, compassion, all that stuff.
Then I was thinking about how technology effects me too. Like the other day, I was reading a real paper book, and I started to swipe the page to turn it. I did it several times before giggling at myself. I wonder if I had never had the experience of reading real paper books would I look at it like those young kids trying to figure out how to use a rotary phone before I figured out to turn the page? Will paper books eventually not be in use? Will archeological projects dig them up and wonder what they are?
When driving my car, using GPS sometimes I hear the directions, and if I'm not completely paying attention (yes, I know I should be paying attention but sometimes my mind wanders!) and it says turn right, I almost forget to look at the real road signs, or signal lights, and start to turn immediately. This could be dangerous! I need to pay attention, esp as I get older although I don't think it is a sign of getting older, I would have done it when I was younger, and I might not have noticed that I did it.
More to come.
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Hugo’s Ruff - continues
First off, I completed the stitching on another ruff! This guy has been in the works since last summer, I was going along swimmingly, and then I hurt my shoulder and almost all handsewing projects got pushed aside. It was meant to be a super wide ruff, but I’m thinking that with the gentleman it is for, it might not quite do the “head on a platter” ruff that we were going for. It will be interesting to see. It will need eyelets sewn in the front for fastening, and a very good cleaning, and to be set, but it is much closer to done then it was last weekend! (I still only get about an hour or two of handsewing a day before my shoulder aches too much.)
Ruff people. I have a question. I thought I have seen in some ruffs a line of stitching (much smaller) kinda like the red dotted line I put in the second picture, mostly to stabilize the ruff part to the neckband. What do you think about that? #ruff #ruffs #16thcentury #17thcentury #17thcenturyfashion #16thcenturyfashion #handsewing
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Gertie Dress - fabrics
Today’s advice request. I have these two sheets that I’m going to make into sundresses. (Yes, I know there are issues with using sheet fabric, but I love the print on both of them)
They are both thin enough that they need to be lined, but not with self fabric - the pattern bleeds though.
I have white linen, or should I get some white cotton? Or should I go with a yellow cotton? Or something else? or maybe gray or green?
I am undecided...
(You should be able to see the pattern from the second layer in the first two shots.)
Monday, July 1, 2019
More working on the Gertie Dress
Awful pictures ahead! So, because I’m alone right now, the pinning is not quite right (I changed the dress to side opening so it’s possible for me to do a half assed pinning job), and the photography is sucky.
But! It looks as close to perfection as I’m likely to get!!!
I think I could angle the side darts down like 1/2 an inch? Just a little. And I’m a bit worried that while it first perfectly in this incarnation, once I make it in the fashion fabric and line it and put the zipper in and all that, it might be a bit too tight?
But!!! It is a pretty good fit I think, AND the front of the armholes don’t dig in uncomfortably! #dressmaking #memade #sewing
Working on the Gertie Dress, finally, Again
Butterick B6556, cut out to a size 18, but with a fba of 1.5inch on each side. Because I seem to have fairly narrow shoulders, so I need to go down a size or two from my bust size, to get the shoulder part of patterns to fit me.
The main issue is it’s a back opening dress and I don’t want to fuss with that — though I’m VERY tempted to make it side opening.... huh, that would solve my problem with no one to poke me with needles... I might be changing some thing!
#dressmaking #fitting #sewing #memade
Sunday, June 30, 2019
No pictures, but I joined a D & D group, and yesterday evening was our first meeting. It was Fun! I think we are going to have trouble meeting up, but this will be something to look forward to.. everyone else brought food, so I will have to make sure I bring stuff next time, but I just could not find the motivation to make anything yesterday. Well, it was also new people, so I was not sure what to do.
Saturday, June 29, 2019
Oh my, Oh my! It's been a month since I posted. I thought you told me you were posting earlier today so I thought I would read what you posted but you didn't post anything. I'll have to ask you why tomorrow.
I know I thought doing this blogger thing sounded kind of fun but I now realize that I think my life is or will be boring to share with anyone. And while I think it is too boring to write about I also don't seem to have enough time to write cause I'm too busy. Now admittedly I'm busy almost exclusively with things I want to do, which in itself is pretty darn lucky! Reading books, listening to books, tying to do all the things to lead to getting/staying healthy, being able to stay mobile., doing volunteer activities for what I believe are good causes, some crafting/art stuff--although I haven't had much time for that lately. My trying to lose weight has not lead to any loss of weight.
I'm exhausted this evening. I hosted my gourmet group tonight and I think I overdid it. Last night I couldn't get to sleep. I was still awake at 4:30 am. Finally fell asleep but seem to wake up every hour and got out of bed at about 8:45. Needed to make another store trip, I can't believe how many grocery stores I was in this week.
Anyway back to this to ambitious dinner I planned. I planned it around the cooking course that William and I took in Japan at the end of March. Partly I planned it because Will said he was going to help me but then he wasn't able to. Just getting everything was too much. The menu was Miso Soup, Endamame, Sushi rolls, Gomaae (spinach salad), Teriyaki Chicken, Tempura (with shrimp, broccoli, sweet potatoes,caulflower,onion, mushrooms,, asparagus, ) and Mochi for dessert. I only made the sushi rolls (Linda came over early to help, but really rolled them mostly). Endamame, Tempura, and before dinner Sangria with lots of cut up fruit in it, and Sake, and grape/plum wine. I was preparing, chopping, stuff from about 11am till 3:30pm. It was a busy exhausting day but oh my the food is great!I made when too much, everyone (but Daniel) took some home, and I haves too much here for me esp. since we (Johnny and I) are driving down to MO on
Tuesday.
Maybe I'll write tomorrow, if I do I want to write about how I finally got DCM and 203 to response to my emails.
I know I thought doing this blogger thing sounded kind of fun but I now realize that I think my life is or will be boring to share with anyone. And while I think it is too boring to write about I also don't seem to have enough time to write cause I'm too busy. Now admittedly I'm busy almost exclusively with things I want to do, which in itself is pretty darn lucky! Reading books, listening to books, tying to do all the things to lead to getting/staying healthy, being able to stay mobile., doing volunteer activities for what I believe are good causes, some crafting/art stuff--although I haven't had much time for that lately. My trying to lose weight has not lead to any loss of weight.
I'm exhausted this evening. I hosted my gourmet group tonight and I think I overdid it. Last night I couldn't get to sleep. I was still awake at 4:30 am. Finally fell asleep but seem to wake up every hour and got out of bed at about 8:45. Needed to make another store trip, I can't believe how many grocery stores I was in this week.
Anyway back to this to ambitious dinner I planned. I planned it around the cooking course that William and I took in Japan at the end of March. Partly I planned it because Will said he was going to help me but then he wasn't able to. Just getting everything was too much. The menu was Miso Soup, Endamame, Sushi rolls, Gomaae (spinach salad), Teriyaki Chicken, Tempura (with shrimp, broccoli, sweet potatoes,caulflower,onion, mushrooms,, asparagus, ) and Mochi for dessert. I only made the sushi rolls (Linda came over early to help, but really rolled them mostly). Endamame, Tempura, and before dinner Sangria with lots of cut up fruit in it, and Sake, and grape/plum wine. I was preparing, chopping, stuff from about 11am till 3:30pm. It was a busy exhausting day but oh my the food is great!I made when too much, everyone (but Daniel) took some home, and I haves too much here for me esp. since we (Johnny and I) are driving down to MO on
Tuesday.
Maybe I'll write tomorrow, if I do I want to write about how I finally got DCM and 203 to response to my emails.
More work on Sunshiny Day quilt
This worked much better then my sample. Here are a couple of things I did differently from in the samples.
- this is quilter’s cotton (batiks for the yellow) as opposed to 3.7 garment linen. So it is much firmer itself.
- the sample was made from fabric that washed, and I did the yellow/white sun from unwashed fabric so all the sizing is still in it. That will cause the final quilt to be a little more wrinkly, but I like that effect anyway.
- when the rippling started, I did that old machine sewer’s gathering trick of holding the top layer(the strip to be added) tight and taunt, while letting the feed dogs pull the bottom layer of fabric quicker. It resulted in some interesting small bits of oddness, but it kept the majority of the massive ripples gone.
Now I just need to decide how I want to fill in the rest of the area. The picture has what I’ve sewn in a taped 40” by 40” square.
Oh, and the second picture is corners I made out of some of the scraps for the back side.
I really want a rich blue for backing and edging, but I’d also like to be able to use something I already have, so we will see what I end up with. It also has to feel nice and hold up to lots of washing.
#improvequilt #quiltsfromtheattict
- this is quilter’s cotton (batiks for the yellow) as opposed to 3.7 garment linen. So it is much firmer itself.
- the sample was made from fabric that washed, and I did the yellow/white sun from unwashed fabric so all the sizing is still in it. That will cause the final quilt to be a little more wrinkly, but I like that effect anyway.
- when the rippling started, I did that old machine sewer’s gathering trick of holding the top layer(the strip to be added) tight and taunt, while letting the feed dogs pull the bottom layer of fabric quicker. It resulted in some interesting small bits of oddness, but it kept the majority of the massive ripples gone.
Now I just need to decide how I want to fill in the rest of the area. The picture has what I’ve sewn in a taped 40” by 40” square.
Oh, and the second picture is corners I made out of some of the scraps for the back side.
I really want a rich blue for backing and edging, but I’d also like to be able to use something I already have, so we will see what I end up with. It also has to feel nice and hold up to lots of washing.
#improvequilt #quiltsfromtheattict
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Sunday May 26, 2019
I wonder how the party at your house went today? I hope it was fun and the graduate enjoyed the celebration.
I just watched This Week With George Stephanopoulos, I guess what I found most interesting was the interview with Mayor Pete. The 2020 election will be interesting.
Last evening I went to CSO, with Daniel and his new lady friend Dena. I've visited with her a few times now, she seems very nice. I met them for dinner at the Greek Island first. Dina treated us for Daniel birthday. The music was more modern than usual, Latin music with a guitar solo performance. I started having one of those nervous feels by the town I got downtown---which took away from the music. I'm not enjoying going to CSO as much as I use to, I should think about taking off a year, and see if I miss it.
I'm reading four books, will,-- listening to one just now. My life seems very quiet--I think I like this yet I keep thinking I should be doing more. I don't think I don't want to bring another person into my life , but maybe I should go out of my way to plan more things?? Yet I love having these quiet days. I am trying to get disciplined about going to sleep earlier (although last night I stayed up reading till 5:15, I should sleep really well tonight!). Get to bed by midnight, get out of bed by 8:00, do my physical therapy exercises, walk at least 30 minutes, and now--I'm seriously trying to lose weight. It is easier to eat less when I'm not socializing as much. I need to lose 85 lbs, and I'll still be overweight at that. I got on the scale the other day and my wt. was 243.8 lbs--probably the highest it has ever been. I went to the doctor on Tuesday with a list of complaints, aches in my joints and muscles, these bouts of nervousness, my feeling like I must have some decease that is killing me (yes, I know it sounds like a hypochondriac!) but I do seems to be in constant pain. I wasn't very satisfied with the doctor, Dr. G, maybe I should go to another doctor--but then I think maybe she is right! My blood test all came back normal and she said the inflammation caused by being overweight might be what is causes the pain. Which is what brings me to I need to lose weight, if nother else to see if that could be the cause of all the ill health I feel. I just have to figure out how to do it, and I'm trying. I'm eating very low calories now, third day--trying to finish up the food I have in the house. I need to stop eating meat, eggs, cheese, daily products--my cholesterol is too high. I promise myself I am going to keep working on this! I am thrilled to still be alive but I want to feel better physically!
Back to books, the book I read for the Anderson book group for the last meeting was Ghost in the School Yard, about school closing in Chicago (2013) and how it was racist. Although most of the people in the group seemed to praise the book I didn't like it. It seemed to be very one sided to me, The points it made about people losing their neighborhood were important but I felt like it would have been stronger if the book also went into the closing of schools in the none black communities. The lack of the Chicago School Board included parents in decision making was important but I guess the biggest problem I had with the book was the lack of looking at the bigger picture, that poverty and the social economic conditions in our country are the bigger problem and schools are a small part of that problem. Just my take. This month's book is Bias by Dr.Eberhart, so far I am finding it more interesting. Well written and researched. I'm only three chapters in to it. LWV books, last month--A Women of No Importance was good, very interesting tail of a female spy in WWII. I don't think I would want that much adventure and I probably could be that brave. This month's book is The Line Becomes a River, I didn't like the beginning of the book because it was so graphic with the details of brbrutality but I understand how the author thought it was needed. The second half of the book where he tells a personal story about how the immigration policy effect one family was very moving. I wonder if we train border patrol to be respectable and humane and providing better facilities to house people, still deported those that are illegal, but treated them better, could that solve the problems. Can it cost that much more to provide humane treatment to the immigrants??
Also got a new Alexander McCall Smith books--I really enjoys his series. This one is The Colors of All The Cattle. Mma Ramotswe becomes so really in his writing. Also both reading and listening to more of the Jack Reacher books. I don't like them as well as the Boosch books or Robert Ludlum--Lee Child's descriptions of violence is too graphic for me. But the stories/mysteries are good.
Oh last week the COD group get together--I thought only A and I were going, everyone else cancelled out--so we went to Portillo's but then saw that J had driven to the restaurant we were suppose to meet at. I didn't know she had planned on coming to lunch, I felt badly that we missed her. Will need to check with everyone in the future before changing plans, even if I think they aren't joining us.
Hobbies, needle felting--I finally finish the Nuno scarf I had laid out forever, ended up not using any silk base. I like the way it looks. I'll need to wear an all black outfit so I can use the scarf come next cold season. I haven't started a new project yet. I laid out the different kits I purchased but need to decide what to do, maybe the purse.
Back to reading, maybe one TV show this evening.
I wonder how the party at your house went today? I hope it was fun and the graduate enjoyed the celebration.
I just watched This Week With George Stephanopoulos, I guess what I found most interesting was the interview with Mayor Pete. The 2020 election will be interesting.
Last evening I went to CSO, with Daniel and his new lady friend Dena. I've visited with her a few times now, she seems very nice. I met them for dinner at the Greek Island first. Dina treated us for Daniel birthday. The music was more modern than usual, Latin music with a guitar solo performance. I started having one of those nervous feels by the town I got downtown---which took away from the music. I'm not enjoying going to CSO as much as I use to, I should think about taking off a year, and see if I miss it.
I'm reading four books, will,-- listening to one just now. My life seems very quiet--I think I like this yet I keep thinking I should be doing more. I don't think I don't want to bring another person into my life , but maybe I should go out of my way to plan more things?? Yet I love having these quiet days. I am trying to get disciplined about going to sleep earlier (although last night I stayed up reading till 5:15, I should sleep really well tonight!). Get to bed by midnight, get out of bed by 8:00, do my physical therapy exercises, walk at least 30 minutes, and now--I'm seriously trying to lose weight. It is easier to eat less when I'm not socializing as much. I need to lose 85 lbs, and I'll still be overweight at that. I got on the scale the other day and my wt. was 243.8 lbs--probably the highest it has ever been. I went to the doctor on Tuesday with a list of complaints, aches in my joints and muscles, these bouts of nervousness, my feeling like I must have some decease that is killing me (yes, I know it sounds like a hypochondriac!) but I do seems to be in constant pain. I wasn't very satisfied with the doctor, Dr. G, maybe I should go to another doctor--but then I think maybe she is right! My blood test all came back normal and she said the inflammation caused by being overweight might be what is causes the pain. Which is what brings me to I need to lose weight, if nother else to see if that could be the cause of all the ill health I feel. I just have to figure out how to do it, and I'm trying. I'm eating very low calories now, third day--trying to finish up the food I have in the house. I need to stop eating meat, eggs, cheese, daily products--my cholesterol is too high. I promise myself I am going to keep working on this! I am thrilled to still be alive but I want to feel better physically!
Back to books, the book I read for the Anderson book group for the last meeting was Ghost in the School Yard, about school closing in Chicago (2013) and how it was racist. Although most of the people in the group seemed to praise the book I didn't like it. It seemed to be very one sided to me, The points it made about people losing their neighborhood were important but I felt like it would have been stronger if the book also went into the closing of schools in the none black communities. The lack of the Chicago School Board included parents in decision making was important but I guess the biggest problem I had with the book was the lack of looking at the bigger picture, that poverty and the social economic conditions in our country are the bigger problem and schools are a small part of that problem. Just my take. This month's book is Bias by Dr.Eberhart, so far I am finding it more interesting. Well written and researched. I'm only three chapters in to it. LWV books, last month--A Women of No Importance was good, very interesting tail of a female spy in WWII. I don't think I would want that much adventure and I probably could be that brave. This month's book is The Line Becomes a River, I didn't like the beginning of the book because it was so graphic with the details of brbrutality but I understand how the author thought it was needed. The second half of the book where he tells a personal story about how the immigration policy effect one family was very moving. I wonder if we train border patrol to be respectable and humane and providing better facilities to house people, still deported those that are illegal, but treated them better, could that solve the problems. Can it cost that much more to provide humane treatment to the immigrants??
Also got a new Alexander McCall Smith books--I really enjoys his series. This one is The Colors of All The Cattle. Mma Ramotswe becomes so really in his writing. Also both reading and listening to more of the Jack Reacher books. I don't like them as well as the Boosch books or Robert Ludlum--Lee Child's descriptions of violence is too graphic for me. But the stories/mysteries are good.
Oh last week the COD group get together--I thought only A and I were going, everyone else cancelled out--so we went to Portillo's but then saw that J had driven to the restaurant we were suppose to meet at. I didn't know she had planned on coming to lunch, I felt badly that we missed her. Will need to check with everyone in the future before changing plans, even if I think they aren't joining us.
Hobbies, needle felting--I finally finish the Nuno scarf I had laid out forever, ended up not using any silk base. I like the way it looks. I'll need to wear an all black outfit so I can use the scarf come next cold season. I haven't started a new project yet. I laid out the different kits I purchased but need to decide what to do, maybe the purse.
Back to reading, maybe one TV show this evening.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
I haven't written for a while, been busy but not sure on what. I just read all your post, makes me tired. For a lazy life you are too busy! I'm going to write about what has been going on but not in any particular order. I'd have to look at my calendar to figure when things happened and I'm just being too lazy to do that.
Oh, you didn't tell me about babysitting for your neighbor. How old is the baby now? V, my sister's adopted granddaughter, the one that is married to the fellow in the army and she lives in Co. had their baby. It is a girl, I can't remember the name. Yesterday when I went to the store to get some organizing containers so that I could organize my craft room, I picked up several really cute baby outfits and I mailed them off this morning. Baby clothes are so cute! I ended up getting some of those hard plastic shelf units and got the craft room reorganized finally. Maybe it will be easier to start a new project.
I don't think I'm going to make any more needle felted items. I have plenty to use as examples if we ever do the workshop for JK. I need to start giving away all the things, I have way too many for the minimalism life I want.
My car! Actually tires, again! On Sunday afternoon I was suppose to be going to see a play with MK and her family in the city--Live, Love, and What I Wore by Nora and Delia Ephran. I think it would have been good but----on the way there, only about 20 minutes from the place, I hit a pot hole and my tire blew out! So very annoying! I'm glad I bought Triple A, they were out in about 45 minutes, very please with them. but, I missed the play. I could have caught the group for dinner but I was frustrated after getting the donate tire on and the car drove kind of funny so I just came home, parked the car and had a quiet Book/TV rest of the day. Monday I took the car over to this car place that my friend S told me was good (I decided not to go back to the car dealer for stuff since that last scheduled visit cost a small fortune)---anyway the fellow there said they won't have time till Wednesday to put the tire on and check underneath the car for damage. Oh, the tire with the blow out was done, done, done--so, I had them put that tire I had left from the last tire mishap on, luckily the rim was not bent. Tomorrow I will go back to have this project completed.
Tomorrow I have to get car in, go to the senior group at church, cook and deliver sloppy joes for 25 to Pads. In between I have lots of reading to catch up on.
I've been listening to those Reacher books when I drive around and supposedly when I go walking but I haven't walked in a few days--the weather here is kind a yuk and I haven't been feeling well. More on that later.
The book club at the book store that meets once a month isn't turning out to be what I thought it would be. Interesting but not what I thought. I was expecting it to be about bringing people with different political views together but it seems to be focusing on racial issues instead, which I suppose is sort a the same issue but not quite the same. And there doesn't really seem to be much diversity in the audience. I guess I was hoping to meet a reasonable rational Trump supporter and that person would make me see not all Trump supporters were bad people. The book was Ghost in the Schoolyard: Racism and school closings on Chicago's south side by Eve Ewing. I was wondering if I was the only one at the discussion who had some of the questions I wondered about yet I didn't want to ask the questions to the group. While the book gave statistics about the closing in black schools I think it would have made a stronger point if it had also included the statistics for the white schools that closed. I'm aware of the racism yet I think it is beyond the schools to solve the problems, the poverty in our social economic system needs to be dealt with, education, institutions are just part of the problem, and then I think about the black people I know that don't want to let white people into their world---I wonder well racism get any better in my life time.
Tomorrow I need to write about the COD group, the LWV book club, the condo get together. Now, I want to go fix something to eat and watch TV. Oh, and I still don't feel well!
Oh, you didn't tell me about babysitting for your neighbor. How old is the baby now? V, my sister's adopted granddaughter, the one that is married to the fellow in the army and she lives in Co. had their baby. It is a girl, I can't remember the name. Yesterday when I went to the store to get some organizing containers so that I could organize my craft room, I picked up several really cute baby outfits and I mailed them off this morning. Baby clothes are so cute! I ended up getting some of those hard plastic shelf units and got the craft room reorganized finally. Maybe it will be easier to start a new project.
I don't think I'm going to make any more needle felted items. I have plenty to use as examples if we ever do the workshop for JK. I need to start giving away all the things, I have way too many for the minimalism life I want.
My car! Actually tires, again! On Sunday afternoon I was suppose to be going to see a play with MK and her family in the city--Live, Love, and What I Wore by Nora and Delia Ephran. I think it would have been good but----on the way there, only about 20 minutes from the place, I hit a pot hole and my tire blew out! So very annoying! I'm glad I bought Triple A, they were out in about 45 minutes, very please with them. but, I missed the play. I could have caught the group for dinner but I was frustrated after getting the donate tire on and the car drove kind of funny so I just came home, parked the car and had a quiet Book/TV rest of the day. Monday I took the car over to this car place that my friend S told me was good (I decided not to go back to the car dealer for stuff since that last scheduled visit cost a small fortune)---anyway the fellow there said they won't have time till Wednesday to put the tire on and check underneath the car for damage. Oh, the tire with the blow out was done, done, done--so, I had them put that tire I had left from the last tire mishap on, luckily the rim was not bent. Tomorrow I will go back to have this project completed.
Tomorrow I have to get car in, go to the senior group at church, cook and deliver sloppy joes for 25 to Pads. In between I have lots of reading to catch up on.
I've been listening to those Reacher books when I drive around and supposedly when I go walking but I haven't walked in a few days--the weather here is kind a yuk and I haven't been feeling well. More on that later.
The book club at the book store that meets once a month isn't turning out to be what I thought it would be. Interesting but not what I thought. I was expecting it to be about bringing people with different political views together but it seems to be focusing on racial issues instead, which I suppose is sort a the same issue but not quite the same. And there doesn't really seem to be much diversity in the audience. I guess I was hoping to meet a reasonable rational Trump supporter and that person would make me see not all Trump supporters were bad people. The book was Ghost in the Schoolyard: Racism and school closings on Chicago's south side by Eve Ewing. I was wondering if I was the only one at the discussion who had some of the questions I wondered about yet I didn't want to ask the questions to the group. While the book gave statistics about the closing in black schools I think it would have made a stronger point if it had also included the statistics for the white schools that closed. I'm aware of the racism yet I think it is beyond the schools to solve the problems, the poverty in our social economic system needs to be dealt with, education, institutions are just part of the problem, and then I think about the black people I know that don't want to let white people into their world---I wonder well racism get any better in my life time.
Tomorrow I need to write about the COD group, the LWV book club, the condo get together. Now, I want to go fix something to eat and watch TV. Oh, and I still don't feel well!
Saturday, May 18, 2019
Its been a couple of days again.
Lets see...first some personal tmi. I was all excited because I finally started a period early this week but then at the doctor's the ultrasound showed my lining not thining out as we had hoped to see. And despite awful cramps Wednesday and Thursday, the cramps went away and now the bleeding has lessened dramatically. I have another ultrasound on Monday, so we will see how things are progressing or not, as the case may be.
Funny story, So for some reason, after I left the doctor's on Thursday, I somehow got it in my brain that it was FRIDAY, so I went to an estate sale that was supposed to be on Friday morning, the lady running it said "bless your heart dear, its Thursday! and then Friday I decided not to leave the house in the morning.
Project-wise, I finished the first skirt from the pattern from earlier this week, I am very happy with it. I also finished the first shirt from the FBA, and it is very comferble and I think it fits well. The pants, well, I mostly finished them but they did not fit quite right, so I brought them over to Severin and she advised me how she thought it would be best to modify the pattern, so this morning I cut them out of sheet fabric, and I used the serger for most of the assembly, but then Hugo came over and we assembled his new belt pouch! I was ultra cool to spend a day working with him. Such a cool guy!
Oh! I also, between last evening and this morning finished the edges on three weaving projects.
1) a bunch of towels that I did from a twill sampler. The were the first project I did on my home loom after I learned how to warp it from Jenny S in class. They really feel beyond lovely now that they are washed. I am glad Mom said she would like them. Note, they are all different sized, mostly because I could not be arsed to care about precision in this project.
2) This is a really cool project that I did to learn how to do overshot in class. I was a little unhappy with it when I first brought it home, but once I washed it, the hand of the fabric became beyond lovely. I had planned it as a head scarf, and while it does work for that, it is a bit more bulky then what I normally wear. However, I think it would also make a lovely shawl.
3)These are two samplers I did for Huck (a weaving technique). They are essentially the same (same warp, same weft, same patterns, but one is on a 12 dent reed, and one is on a 10 dent reed. I took lots of close up pictures, and tonight I am washing them, because supposedly huck changes a bunch after you wash it. I will also have to do a sampler where I leave one unwashed, and one washed at some point.
And then I finished off today with a little work on the Janesville sweater take 2.
Funny story, So for some reason, after I left the doctor's on Thursday, I somehow got it in my brain that it was FRIDAY, so I went to an estate sale that was supposed to be on Friday morning, the lady running it said "bless your heart dear, its Thursday! and then Friday I decided not to leave the house in the morning.
Project-wise, I finished the first skirt from the pattern from earlier this week, I am very happy with it. I also finished the first shirt from the FBA, and it is very comferble and I think it fits well. The pants, well, I mostly finished them but they did not fit quite right, so I brought them over to Severin and she advised me how she thought it would be best to modify the pattern, so this morning I cut them out of sheet fabric, and I used the serger for most of the assembly, but then Hugo came over and we assembled his new belt pouch! I was ultra cool to spend a day working with him. Such a cool guy!
Oh! I also, between last evening and this morning finished the edges on three weaving projects.
1) a bunch of towels that I did from a twill sampler. The were the first project I did on my home loom after I learned how to warp it from Jenny S in class. They really feel beyond lovely now that they are washed. I am glad Mom said she would like them. Note, they are all different sized, mostly because I could not be arsed to care about precision in this project.
2) This is a really cool project that I did to learn how to do overshot in class. I was a little unhappy with it when I first brought it home, but once I washed it, the hand of the fabric became beyond lovely. I had planned it as a head scarf, and while it does work for that, it is a bit more bulky then what I normally wear. However, I think it would also make a lovely shawl.
3)These are two samplers I did for Huck (a weaving technique). They are essentially the same (same warp, same weft, same patterns, but one is on a 12 dent reed, and one is on a 10 dent reed. I took lots of close up pictures, and tonight I am washing them, because supposedly huck changes a bunch after you wash it. I will also have to do a sampler where I leave one unwashed, and one washed at some point.
And then I finished off today with a little work on the Janesville sweater take 2.
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
I did it! The dreaded full bust adjustment.
Well, its been a few days, I have read a fair bit, so I'm not going to go into detail, mostly because I am too lazy to go back and figure it all out. BUT, most notably, I finally did read the new Patricia Briggs, Storm Cursed. I made the mistake of coming to it around midnight, saying "I'll just read the first chapter. " Needless to say, I was up reading it until 4 am. I did not quite finish, but then I went back to reading it as soon as I woke up. That also means I have not gone on a walk Mon, Tue, or Wed morning because I threw off my sleep cycle. I'm hoping to get to sleep at a reasonable time again tonight, and then walk in the morning.
The exciting news for the week (for me at least) is that Monday evening, I started to bleed, and it continued heavily enough for me to consider it a "period", so I called the doctor, and I am going in to start monitoring for this next cycle. Hopefully it will not fizz out like the last one did. We will see, I don't want to get too excited.
Household - I am trying to adapt a new philosophy. There are a couple of things that Mike just refuses to do it "THE RIGHT WAY' (i.e., MY way). And they have, and continue to, infuriate me. (partial list, refuses to put dirty dishes into dishwasher, even when the dishwasher is sitting there empty and OPEN, refuses to put sponge/scrubber back into the hanging spaces for them (so they don't get disgusting and slimy),... ok, Im not going to list them because I feel my bloodpressue rising), but basically I am going to try to not let them get me so upset. Just take a deep breath and go on. Lets see how this works for me, but I think this will help me have a better life.
Anyway, because I messed up my sleep on Sunday/monday night, I felt sick (er - I was feeling much better) again on Monday and Tuesday, So I am very far behind in where I wanted to be with sewing. Well, also, because the first step was modifying patterns or just making new ones, I dithered. Thats what I do when I'm not entirely confident in my skills in a project. BUT! here I am in the three projects.
1) Easiest - Drafted the half circle skirt for about mid-calf on me from the pattern in The Modern Maker vol 2. Instead of drawing the pattern directly on the fabric, I made a paper pattern, because I figure I'll be making several of these skirts this summer. I got the pieces sewn together, the two straight sides sewn over, and the waistband applied. I used 2.5" strips cut on the straight grain for that. I still need to cut out 2.5" bias for the bottom of the skirt, and to apply it. (did this in that striped white linen that I have had for ages and ages -like more then a decade! )
2) FBA on New Look 6340. https://curvysewingcollective.com/tutorial-a-full-bust-adjustment-on-a-one-dart-bodice/ I used the basic size 18 I had cut out from last year because the shoulders were already a little far apart for my like, and added 1 inch on each side. I have the front darts sewn up, and the front seam sewn up, and finished. I tried to stay stitch the front neckline, but I gathered it in the process! Oh! also, I made the shirt the length of the width of the fabric, not the length the pattern is cut to. I think I should change that on the pattern. (made this out of the same striped white linen as the skirt). OH - what needs to still be done with it! I need to sew up the backs, and then the back to the front. Then the armholes, neckline, and bottom needs to be bound. I THINK the binding needs to be done with a thinner linen, as this linen gives a very bulky binding!
3) Drafted the pants sloper, then drafted the pants pattern, and cut them out in the leftover green linen from some SCA tunics for me and M. Its not as crisp of a linen as I am used to, I wonder if it is a cotton/linen mix? Not sure, but I like the old fashion army green of it. I really hope these turn out to at least fit.
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OH!! also, on Tuesday night I got to babysit my neighbor's baby!!!! I was so excited, and he was a joy!
The exciting news for the week (for me at least) is that Monday evening, I started to bleed, and it continued heavily enough for me to consider it a "period", so I called the doctor, and I am going in to start monitoring for this next cycle. Hopefully it will not fizz out like the last one did. We will see, I don't want to get too excited.
Household - I am trying to adapt a new philosophy. There are a couple of things that Mike just refuses to do it "THE RIGHT WAY' (i.e., MY way). And they have, and continue to, infuriate me. (partial list, refuses to put dirty dishes into dishwasher, even when the dishwasher is sitting there empty and OPEN, refuses to put sponge/scrubber back into the hanging spaces for them (so they don't get disgusting and slimy),... ok, Im not going to list them because I feel my bloodpressue rising), but basically I am going to try to not let them get me so upset. Just take a deep breath and go on. Lets see how this works for me, but I think this will help me have a better life.
Anyway, because I messed up my sleep on Sunday/monday night, I felt sick (er - I was feeling much better) again on Monday and Tuesday, So I am very far behind in where I wanted to be with sewing. Well, also, because the first step was modifying patterns or just making new ones, I dithered. Thats what I do when I'm not entirely confident in my skills in a project. BUT! here I am in the three projects.
1) Easiest - Drafted the half circle skirt for about mid-calf on me from the pattern in The Modern Maker vol 2. Instead of drawing the pattern directly on the fabric, I made a paper pattern, because I figure I'll be making several of these skirts this summer. I got the pieces sewn together, the two straight sides sewn over, and the waistband applied. I used 2.5" strips cut on the straight grain for that. I still need to cut out 2.5" bias for the bottom of the skirt, and to apply it. (did this in that striped white linen that I have had for ages and ages -like more then a decade! )
2) FBA on New Look 6340. https://curvysewingcollective.com/tutorial-a-full-bust-adjustment-on-a-one-dart-bodice/ I used the basic size 18 I had cut out from last year because the shoulders were already a little far apart for my like, and added 1 inch on each side. I have the front darts sewn up, and the front seam sewn up, and finished. I tried to stay stitch the front neckline, but I gathered it in the process! Oh! also, I made the shirt the length of the width of the fabric, not the length the pattern is cut to. I think I should change that on the pattern. (made this out of the same striped white linen as the skirt). OH - what needs to still be done with it! I need to sew up the backs, and then the back to the front. Then the armholes, neckline, and bottom needs to be bound. I THINK the binding needs to be done with a thinner linen, as this linen gives a very bulky binding!
3) Drafted the pants sloper, then drafted the pants pattern, and cut them out in the leftover green linen from some SCA tunics for me and M. Its not as crisp of a linen as I am used to, I wonder if it is a cotton/linen mix? Not sure, but I like the old fashion army green of it. I really hope these turn out to at least fit.
-------
OH!! also, on Tuesday night I got to babysit my neighbor's baby!!!! I was so excited, and he was a joy!
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Lazy Sunday
I find I'm much less productive when the husband is home, even if he spends most of the day napping. But it was a lazy day, the most excitement was finally putting the insurance cards in the vehicles, and getting my mail from the mailbox. It was nothing but junk mail, by the way.
I started the day off with a call to Mom (it was Mother's Day, after all, though I probably call her fairly often anyway. And ever since she has retired, I feel bad for calling her before 10. But I do it anyway sometimes. I finished organizing that one shelf, and I found a couple of other projects that need to be finished. I actually did "finish' one that I found -- I had made a pair from the yarn recommended and in the pattern recommended by Jane and Ninya at last year's Jamestown conference, but I had never woven in the ends. I think I knit most of them at the beach up in Michican with Mom. So I did that and popped them into the tub of garters and stockings. I had, immediately last year, cast on a new pair, but that project has been languishing for ages.
I also worked some on the Janesville second edition, I finished the first grey segment, and started on the first black segment. I do think I will need ONE more skein of the grey, but I am going to wait to order that until I run out.
Oh! I also got to work on the pile of laundry that had accumulated.
I then spent the rest of the day reading, and not getting very engaged in what I read. So here is the listing. Be warned, most of the reading was kinda speed reading, to see if I found the stuff engaging, and mostly I did not. I don't know if it is the stories or me. Most of these where either from KU or the library. I had come across an list of recommendations, and borrowed whatever was available, figuring I would get to it if I felt like it, if not, the borrow would expire.
-The Duke and the Dandy Highwayman by Zakarrie - The language was... I saw what the author was doing, but to me it was too distracting. It was cute, and if the next book was in the KU, I would probably borrow it, but I did not like it enough to buy the next one.
-Prosperity by Alexis Hall - I'm not the biggest fan of steam punk except in a very few exceptions, and this one just did not get me to feel too involved. It was good writing, but this author was also doing stuff with his language that I found distracting and did not help me get involved. I think other's could really like it. I won't avoid this author, some of his blurbs for his other books at the end sounded interesting, but I don't think I will go out of my way to find them.
-The Poison Within by Kasia Bacon - This one was quite good, engaging, and I felt attached to the characters. I would enjoy others by this author I think, but the blurb with the chapter long intro (I think it was the next book coming out) did not grab me. So I am being lazing and not bothering to find others.
-Of Dark and Bright by Kate Sherwood - blah. I mean, it was written well, and maybe if my mood was different, but right now, I could really care less what happens to the characters next.
-Starting Long Shadow by Kate Sherwood, we will see how that goes and if I am awake much later then that.
-----
I plan on going walking in the morning, M will fuss at me about that because I'm still not totally well, but I miss my walks, and if I listen to M all the time, I will always have an excuse to not exercise.
M turned in his part of the uber grant, I think that is why he is sleeping so much this weekend.
OHOHOH!!! and exciting news, B and J asked me to babysit the baby on Tuesday!!!! This is so exciting!
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Oh, listening : I finished Hidden by Kendra Eliot and started Chilled by the same author. I do have to say, as I said before. Contrasting Hidden (her first book) vs her latest book, I think she has improved as a writer a great deal. I also remembered the second point that bothered the feminist in me. Here are two quotes from the pos of the main male protagonist.
First quote
"If he ever had a daughter, she would live at home during collage, with her bodyguard"
Second quote - this one is describing a young gymnast who was photographed doing a routine
" Would he want his daughter posed on a billboard like that, Hell NO"
Now, I know that this is not the viewpoint of the author, but it always makes me uneasy when the male leads in romance novels (or males in real life) talk about locking up their daughters or in other ways restricting their life because men are so bad. It seems like it is taking agency away from women.
I started the day off with a call to Mom (it was Mother's Day, after all, though I probably call her fairly often anyway. And ever since she has retired, I feel bad for calling her before 10. But I do it anyway sometimes. I finished organizing that one shelf, and I found a couple of other projects that need to be finished. I actually did "finish' one that I found -- I had made a pair from the yarn recommended and in the pattern recommended by Jane and Ninya at last year's Jamestown conference, but I had never woven in the ends. I think I knit most of them at the beach up in Michican with Mom. So I did that and popped them into the tub of garters and stockings. I had, immediately last year, cast on a new pair, but that project has been languishing for ages.
I also worked some on the Janesville second edition, I finished the first grey segment, and started on the first black segment. I do think I will need ONE more skein of the grey, but I am going to wait to order that until I run out.
Oh! I also got to work on the pile of laundry that had accumulated.
I then spent the rest of the day reading, and not getting very engaged in what I read. So here is the listing. Be warned, most of the reading was kinda speed reading, to see if I found the stuff engaging, and mostly I did not. I don't know if it is the stories or me. Most of these where either from KU or the library. I had come across an list of recommendations, and borrowed whatever was available, figuring I would get to it if I felt like it, if not, the borrow would expire.
-The Duke and the Dandy Highwayman by Zakarrie - The language was... I saw what the author was doing, but to me it was too distracting. It was cute, and if the next book was in the KU, I would probably borrow it, but I did not like it enough to buy the next one.
-Prosperity by Alexis Hall - I'm not the biggest fan of steam punk except in a very few exceptions, and this one just did not get me to feel too involved. It was good writing, but this author was also doing stuff with his language that I found distracting and did not help me get involved. I think other's could really like it. I won't avoid this author, some of his blurbs for his other books at the end sounded interesting, but I don't think I will go out of my way to find them.
-The Poison Within by Kasia Bacon - This one was quite good, engaging, and I felt attached to the characters. I would enjoy others by this author I think, but the blurb with the chapter long intro (I think it was the next book coming out) did not grab me. So I am being lazing and not bothering to find others.
-Of Dark and Bright by Kate Sherwood - blah. I mean, it was written well, and maybe if my mood was different, but right now, I could really care less what happens to the characters next.
-Starting Long Shadow by Kate Sherwood, we will see how that goes and if I am awake much later then that.
-----
I plan on going walking in the morning, M will fuss at me about that because I'm still not totally well, but I miss my walks, and if I listen to M all the time, I will always have an excuse to not exercise.
M turned in his part of the uber grant, I think that is why he is sleeping so much this weekend.
OHOHOH!!! and exciting news, B and J asked me to babysit the baby on Tuesday!!!! This is so exciting!
-----
Oh, listening : I finished Hidden by Kendra Eliot and started Chilled by the same author. I do have to say, as I said before. Contrasting Hidden (her first book) vs her latest book, I think she has improved as a writer a great deal. I also remembered the second point that bothered the feminist in me. Here are two quotes from the pos of the main male protagonist.
First quote
"If he ever had a daughter, she would live at home during collage, with her bodyguard"
Second quote - this one is describing a young gymnast who was photographed doing a routine
" Would he want his daughter posed on a billboard like that, Hell NO"
Now, I know that this is not the viewpoint of the author, but it always makes me uneasy when the male leads in romance novels (or males in real life) talk about locking up their daughters or in other ways restricting their life because men are so bad. It seems like it is taking agency away from women.
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Not Much Today.
I ended up starting Top Secret by Sarina Bowen after I finished writing last evening, and could not sleep well, mostly because I kept waking myself up by coughing. But I got off to a slow start, and worked some of the blanket for L. I also discovered that I need to rip out all the work I have done, because I can't seem to crochet straight back and forth. I either loose stitches or gain stitches! I have a friend who does crochet for pay, and can use the extra money so I have a "secret" plan now. Bring the whole mess to her and pay her to finish it! In the below picture, you will see that the circled in red was the part already done, and how the blanket curves in after I start it. Also, It is very narrow, so I asked J how she wanted me to deal with that, and I have included the plan for that also.
I then decided, instead of working on a project, I would start organizing one go the shelves one of the craft closets. The bottom three shelves are much more organized, but I have a mess to clean up, and I still have the upper shelves to deal with!
Then I spent some time on the computer working on the ever necessary and never-ending task of cleaning up my photo roll. Then we went to a work part at Rich and MaryLou. It was a wonderful evening, I do like the people Mike works with. I reestablished contact info with MaryLou, and I got S and J's contact info. I have been wanting to invite them over for dinner for ages, and M keeps not doing that. So sometime in the next week or two, I will text S and hopefully we will set up a dinner evening. I need to make cannoli, as J seems to love them! I also got contact info for G, because I thought that maybe A would enjoy seeing all of G's dad's farm equipment, but he suggested that we also just try going to the John Deer store. Oh, and I suggested that one of the young men there look into the SCA and if he wanted to get into it, I would introduce hie to the local people.
And now I'm home, and ready to go to bed. Well, I am actually writing this FROM bed, but I mean settle into reading and sleeping.
Read today: Finished Top Secret by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. Definitely an enjoyable read, it was well written and fun. just enough pathos to be gripping, but not so much that it felt like a soap opera. And the smart people acted smart, and there was no making the soon to be ex girlfriend into a mean girl, which I appreciated.
Listen to: Continued with Hidden by Kendra Elliot. This is the first book, as far as I can tell, written by this author. You might remember that I Just finished listening (for the first time) to her latest two books. I have listened to this book, but it was several years ago, and her writing has definitely improved. This book is also much more ... I don't know exactly how to describe it, but in this author's latest writing, it seems like she has matured into to her writing and is writing more what she wants to write, instead of going purely for the genre's rules. There are several things that bug me, mostly my "feminist" side, but there is even the wealthy billionaire as the love interest if we are noting how well the author keeps to the genre's "rules". The two things that bugged me, on the feminist side -1) It is always the female daughter who is in charge of the billionaire's family forturen's charitable arm, and the son of the family who is the business tycoon. I would like it sometimes if the the female scion could be the the business tycoon and the son be in charge of the charitable arm! 2) ...oh, shoot, maybe I should take notes as I think about these things, because now I remember there were two things, but I can't remember the second one!...wait a moment and let me think. Oh, well, I probably will remember as soon as I go back to listening. If I remember, I'll come back and type it in.
Friday, May 10, 2019
Mom! You are supposed to post also!
First off, trying to write something everyday might be interesting, we will see how I keep it up, but fair warning, I will probably overshare. I do that chronicly. Here is a story about that, and its even a true one. (Oh, I also overuse exclamation points, trust me, I probably leave out half the exclamation points that you would insert were you transcribing my speech).
Back to the story -My very first year of public school was 8th grade, and I was living with my father in a carribian island, going to school at the school on the local American army base. Before that I had been going to a very small privet school that my mother had founded. So this was my first time not going to school with the same 100(from pre-school to high school) kids I had known my whole life. I assumed everyone knew everything about me, and it did not bother me in the least. I think that might be because my parents raised me to be supremely confident that I was loved and adored, which is not a bad thing to be able to say about one's parents I think.
There were some things I loved, but I found English to be hard. Not reading or speaking or learning rules, but actual writing had always been quite difficult for me. I have dyslexia (I refuse to be ashamed of my spelling, poor spelling is NOT a sign of low intelligence, my brain just works differently then your), and beyond spelling, getting my words onto paper or even a computer continued to be beyond difficult for me,* until fairly recently. Only recently have I noticed writing has gotten, maybe more smooth? less terrifying ? (yes, Mom, you were right, with enough practice, I can do anything, its just that most people seem to be able to write but the time they are in high school...I had to wait until I was in my 40s for that practice to pay off!)
So, in the new school, I had an absolutely adorable English teacher, who I think was frankly, puzzled and bemused by me beyond belief. He was an older gentleman, who I assumed was gay (you know the mannerisms that one assumes are associated with "gayness', but really are not. And its really not that relevant, but its always something I think about when I remember him. But he had us write these personal essays every month? and we would polish them up and rewrite them nicely, and then he would staple them to his bulletin board every month. And I think the poor guy was frankly horrified at what I chose to include. He never graded me down, but was always trying to gently guide me to slightly less personal comments.
Oh, I think this might be why I always think of his presumed gayness. One of the comments in one of my essasys he tried to steer me away from was something about how wonderful I felt when something ended, kinda like how wonderful it felt to finish bleeding after one's period. And the poor gentleman was plainly worried that I would get teased and had that look on his face that some gay guys get when they talk about women's body (it's a different look then the disgusted look straight guys get). I refused to edit it out, and no-one every even noticed it I think, other then him, but I alway thought it was so sweet of him to try and protect me from my own over sharing.
*Facebook->writing for me Ok, on the topic of how Facebook has helped my writing. Back when I started using Facebook, I was still very very tentative about writing anything. It would never be good enough, so it just seemed like it would be so much work for something that was a bad product. But I started just writing little small posts, but it was so off the cuff, that it never seemed to be a thing. and then I could write longer and longer posts, and no one was jumping out of the woodwork and laughing at me, and...well, PRACTICE does make better...yes, mom, you are right!
I should probably do revisions on what I just wrote, but I'm not planning on doing many, if anyone besides my mother reads this, and I have been unclear, post a comment and I might explain better.
_____________
Today's activities. I felt better today, but not all the way better. Like the weight on my chest feels like its 5 lbs, not 50lbs, and the thought is not AS sore, and I was able to do stuff, but I still got exhausted. But I think I'll manage to recover without antibiotics. I hope. I do take and believe in antibiotics, I just get massive yeast infections (TMI, see above), and getting rid of THOSE always seems harder then getting rid of whatever sickness the antibiotics were for.
But because I got all my projects sorted and away yesterday, I had nothing sitting there bugging me to start working on it. so I lazed around a bit this morning, and it was cold enough I did not want my tea outside. So instead I had my morning tea (no walk because of sick) in my comfy chair. I worked on the AWFUL BORING odd sized blanket that J asked me to make for L because her mother started it. I also HATE HATE the yarn, it feels soft but its grabby so it does not pull effortly. But this project is just row after row of single crochet. Anyway, whine whine, pout pout. Then I pulled used the chainsaw** on some of the wood in the back yard, and pulled in some of the piles of branches to the back patio ( I'll burn them Sunday mom, but I don't think I had the energy to both extract them from the grass that had started to entangle them on the same day) , and I washed and BRUSHED my hair (its been since Sunday?), and then I went out to lunch with Shari, K, and J. We went to cheddars, because I had been wanting to go there for a while. it was ok, but I was not overly impressed. for some reason, I had assumed that there would be cheddar biscuits. I was going to hang out with Shari as her and her boys worked on cleaning her garage, but my lungs started nothing me the moment I spent a min in there! So I came home, and started a project that I think is going to be on hold until I get bigger crochet hooks. Mike's co-worker's daughter is due to have a baby soon, and I want a baby blanket to send to her. I want to do a star crochet blanket, but I want to do two threads together (quicker!) and the 6.5mm needles are producing too stiff a fabric.
and then I read Proper English by KJ Charles (I recommend but the way!) while working on the second Janesville sweater. And now I'm writing this, and then I might start reading Top Secret by Sarina Bowen. Today's Listening was Hidden by Kendra Elliot (also both text and audio on KU)
**Chainsaw funny story: So, the chainsaw was not where I expected it to be, I looked in several places, but the husband has this habit of leaving things in the place where he is finished with them instead of finding or returning to an "away" place. So I call him and ask him where the chainsaw is. This will only be my second time using a chainsaw EVER. But he blithly gives me directions to where he things it is, and it is , indeed, in that location. and I'm about to sign off the phone call and he gently, hesitantly, delicately asks me..."mhm, what are you using it for?' like, you know, it just occurred to him that his wife was asking him where this dangruos machine was... it was very cute.
OHOH!! and this very cute little guy was keeping me company while I used the chain saw. My pictures don't typically end up this gorgeous, but this one, if I do say so myself is gorgeous!!!
Back to the story -My very first year of public school was 8th grade, and I was living with my father in a carribian island, going to school at the school on the local American army base. Before that I had been going to a very small privet school that my mother had founded. So this was my first time not going to school with the same 100(from pre-school to high school) kids I had known my whole life. I assumed everyone knew everything about me, and it did not bother me in the least. I think that might be because my parents raised me to be supremely confident that I was loved and adored, which is not a bad thing to be able to say about one's parents I think.
There were some things I loved, but I found English to be hard. Not reading or speaking or learning rules, but actual writing had always been quite difficult for me. I have dyslexia (I refuse to be ashamed of my spelling, poor spelling is NOT a sign of low intelligence, my brain just works differently then your), and beyond spelling, getting my words onto paper or even a computer continued to be beyond difficult for me,* until fairly recently. Only recently have I noticed writing has gotten, maybe more smooth? less terrifying ? (yes, Mom, you were right, with enough practice, I can do anything, its just that most people seem to be able to write but the time they are in high school...I had to wait until I was in my 40s for that practice to pay off!)
So, in the new school, I had an absolutely adorable English teacher, who I think was frankly, puzzled and bemused by me beyond belief. He was an older gentleman, who I assumed was gay (you know the mannerisms that one assumes are associated with "gayness', but really are not. And its really not that relevant, but its always something I think about when I remember him. But he had us write these personal essays every month? and we would polish them up and rewrite them nicely, and then he would staple them to his bulletin board every month. And I think the poor guy was frankly horrified at what I chose to include. He never graded me down, but was always trying to gently guide me to slightly less personal comments.
Oh, I think this might be why I always think of his presumed gayness. One of the comments in one of my essasys he tried to steer me away from was something about how wonderful I felt when something ended, kinda like how wonderful it felt to finish bleeding after one's period. And the poor gentleman was plainly worried that I would get teased and had that look on his face that some gay guys get when they talk about women's body (it's a different look then the disgusted look straight guys get). I refused to edit it out, and no-one every even noticed it I think, other then him, but I alway thought it was so sweet of him to try and protect me from my own over sharing.
*Facebook->writing for me Ok, on the topic of how Facebook has helped my writing. Back when I started using Facebook, I was still very very tentative about writing anything. It would never be good enough, so it just seemed like it would be so much work for something that was a bad product. But I started just writing little small posts, but it was so off the cuff, that it never seemed to be a thing. and then I could write longer and longer posts, and no one was jumping out of the woodwork and laughing at me, and...well, PRACTICE does make better...yes, mom, you are right!
I should probably do revisions on what I just wrote, but I'm not planning on doing many, if anyone besides my mother reads this, and I have been unclear, post a comment and I might explain better.
_____________
Today's activities. I felt better today, but not all the way better. Like the weight on my chest feels like its 5 lbs, not 50lbs, and the thought is not AS sore, and I was able to do stuff, but I still got exhausted. But I think I'll manage to recover without antibiotics. I hope. I do take and believe in antibiotics, I just get massive yeast infections (TMI, see above), and getting rid of THOSE always seems harder then getting rid of whatever sickness the antibiotics were for.
But because I got all my projects sorted and away yesterday, I had nothing sitting there bugging me to start working on it. so I lazed around a bit this morning, and it was cold enough I did not want my tea outside. So instead I had my morning tea (no walk because of sick) in my comfy chair. I worked on the AWFUL BORING odd sized blanket that J asked me to make for L because her mother started it. I also HATE HATE the yarn, it feels soft but its grabby so it does not pull effortly. But this project is just row after row of single crochet. Anyway, whine whine, pout pout. Then I pulled used the chainsaw** on some of the wood in the back yard, and pulled in some of the piles of branches to the back patio ( I'll burn them Sunday mom, but I don't think I had the energy to both extract them from the grass that had started to entangle them on the same day) , and I washed and BRUSHED my hair (its been since Sunday?), and then I went out to lunch with Shari, K, and J. We went to cheddars, because I had been wanting to go there for a while. it was ok, but I was not overly impressed. for some reason, I had assumed that there would be cheddar biscuits. I was going to hang out with Shari as her and her boys worked on cleaning her garage, but my lungs started nothing me the moment I spent a min in there! So I came home, and started a project that I think is going to be on hold until I get bigger crochet hooks. Mike's co-worker's daughter is due to have a baby soon, and I want a baby blanket to send to her. I want to do a star crochet blanket, but I want to do two threads together (quicker!) and the 6.5mm needles are producing too stiff a fabric.
**Chainsaw funny story: So, the chainsaw was not where I expected it to be, I looked in several places, but the husband has this habit of leaving things in the place where he is finished with them instead of finding or returning to an "away" place. So I call him and ask him where the chainsaw is. This will only be my second time using a chainsaw EVER. But he blithly gives me directions to where he things it is, and it is , indeed, in that location. and I'm about to sign off the phone call and he gently, hesitantly, delicately asks me..."mhm, what are you using it for?' like, you know, it just occurred to him that his wife was asking him where this dangruos machine was... it was very cute.
OHOH!! and this very cute little guy was keeping me company while I used the chain saw. My pictures don't typically end up this gorgeous, but this one, if I do say so myself is gorgeous!!!
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Yes, Mom, I'm finally posti
I feel better today. I think I made a mistake going for my morning walk back on Tuesday, but I did, and I felt terrible again all Tuesday and yesterday. But YESTERDAY evening, Shari got me to go Avengers:Endgame with her and her group and that was fun. It was exactly the type of movie I like, with great special effects, and wonderful explosions, just a little bit of comedy, but lots of action. now, the plot could have used some work, but thats not typically why I watch movies. I'm also glad I saw it on the big screen.
Today I woke up late and was slow starting, and I had to go up the hill and walk the neighbor's dogs twice. their older dog was experiencing "intestinal distress" and they wanted to let her have extra chances to void. I also ran into town because I kept dragging my feet, and their was a piece of mail I wanted mailed before the weekend and for some reason, I could never seem to get it in the mailbox before the post person dropped off mail!
I spent some time on house upkeep (running dishwasher, policing kitchen counters, doing a couple of small tasks there, getting the craft room ready for Roomba, finally starting to organize the shelves in the closets, running the Roomba in the craft room), but then I mostly spent time on craft stuff. I think next week I want to spend a bunch of time actually sewing. I need 1)linen pants, 2)linen tops, 3)linen circle skirts, 4)some summer dresses -that Gertie dress from last summer, but because of my weight gain, I need to resize from what I did last year, 5)try and get a mock wrap dress in both woven and knit... I will probably focus on the pants and shirts, I need to modify last year's shirt's pattern because it is too tight in the bust, again due to the weight gain over this last winter.
so...today, I kinda regrouped and reorganized my new "active project" shelf that I bugged Mike to put up a month or two ago. I finished putting in the shelves today, and I redid the boxes for some of the projects.
I also worked on the latest Deep in the woods hat, the first one I made with 4x35 stitches would only fit over my head with my hair down, while I prefer my hats to by slouchy, and to go over my hair. I also contacted the guy who sold me the yarn, and reordered more, because I still think I want to do another pair of mittens so I can put a lining in. I started the next hat, this time with 5x35 stitches.
The light blue yarn on the far left is some very light cashmere from colormart I got a long time ago, that I was supposed to make something for mom... and then never did. I'm starting with the two small mittens, and putting in a very light weight lining (using two strands of the cashmere, and the 2.25 needles that those mittens were made of. then I'll make the lining for the other pieces with the 2.75 needles that I used and am using for the other pieces. as you can see from the picture above, I am almost out of the brown. I think I would have enough of the colored yarns to make another hat, and possibly another pair of mittens... but not enough of the brown. The guy said he won't be able to get to making more of the yarns until end of May, so everything except the linings will need to be put on hold until then.
I also reorginyiaez the Janesville sweater. I finished the first one, and it is much wider then the original schematic called for. even wider then I though it would be, as the fabric relaxed when I blocked it. It was supposed to start at about 33', and before I wet it and laid it out to dry, it was about 38' wide. but after blocking, it ended up being around 40 inches wide. I started a new one with only 113 sts (I think) to start with, and going from there. I got about 5 inches done in the movie last night! I don't know if I will have enough yarn, but if I run out, I can order more. Actually, once I started the first one, I thought I would need more black, so I ordered two more skeins, and I did not even need to start those for the first. which is actually why I'm doing this one, because I wanted to use up the leftover yarn. SO I hope I don't need to order more!
I finished off the evening with some weaving. I have had this narrow weave going on with some leftover yarns from another project --actually, I ran out of the leftover, so the last half of it I have been using one of my old handspun as the weft. I like how it looked. One bit of the weave is going to be a jewelry hanging device...I'll post a picture when I get to that, and one bit is going to be for circular (and maybe even dpns) to hang in size order. we will see how that works out. anyway, this has been on the loom forEVER it seems. But I wanted to finish this off as Shari has hopes of unearthing her loom (an 8 shaft that might be my new loom, we will see, but that is the plan), replacing my loom in my craft room, and shifting this loom to be a semi-permanent loan to a local spa aquantence.
As you can see, I used up almost all of that warp. Im going to see if the new person for the loom wants to see it set up before I cut the fabric off the loom.
Listened to: Kendra Elliot, A Merciful Fate. this is the last of this series, I think she is planning to write more of them, but I have enjoyed this series, so I hope she writes more. but I will probably like whatever she writes. though I wish her females would keep their last names when they get married. or at least some of them. I like this author's work, and they are good to listen too, and the audio is included in Kindle Unlimited, which is an addiotnal big plus. many of this author's books are included in the audio part of KU, which means I have hear them all. but it has been I long while so I was thinking I might go back and listen to some of them again.
I have not read much because I have about 5 new books and I know as soon as I start to read them, I won't want to do ANYTHING else...so I keep putting off reading them. Silly, because I have been looking forward to these ones for a while.
Anyway, Its off to dinner - stew--which is a story in itself... For about the last two years, Mike has been very disapointed with my stew, so this time when he hinted he wanted me to make stew, I told him he should make it himself and write down what he did so he can be happy with what I make. So he did, and we have had stew all week -he's been having it for lunches. here is the recipe.
Oh! and here is a pict of me trying on that darned hat!
Today I woke up late and was slow starting, and I had to go up the hill and walk the neighbor's dogs twice. their older dog was experiencing "intestinal distress" and they wanted to let her have extra chances to void. I also ran into town because I kept dragging my feet, and their was a piece of mail I wanted mailed before the weekend and for some reason, I could never seem to get it in the mailbox before the post person dropped off mail!
I spent some time on house upkeep (running dishwasher, policing kitchen counters, doing a couple of small tasks there, getting the craft room ready for Roomba, finally starting to organize the shelves in the closets, running the Roomba in the craft room), but then I mostly spent time on craft stuff. I think next week I want to spend a bunch of time actually sewing. I need 1)linen pants, 2)linen tops, 3)linen circle skirts, 4)some summer dresses -that Gertie dress from last summer, but because of my weight gain, I need to resize from what I did last year, 5)try and get a mock wrap dress in both woven and knit... I will probably focus on the pants and shirts, I need to modify last year's shirt's pattern because it is too tight in the bust, again due to the weight gain over this last winter.
so...today, I kinda regrouped and reorganized my new "active project" shelf that I bugged Mike to put up a month or two ago. I finished putting in the shelves today, and I redid the boxes for some of the projects.
I also worked on the latest Deep in the woods hat, the first one I made with 4x35 stitches would only fit over my head with my hair down, while I prefer my hats to by slouchy, and to go over my hair. I also contacted the guy who sold me the yarn, and reordered more, because I still think I want to do another pair of mittens so I can put a lining in. I started the next hat, this time with 5x35 stitches.
I also reorginyiaez the Janesville sweater. I finished the first one, and it is much wider then the original schematic called for. even wider then I though it would be, as the fabric relaxed when I blocked it. It was supposed to start at about 33', and before I wet it and laid it out to dry, it was about 38' wide. but after blocking, it ended up being around 40 inches wide. I started a new one with only 113 sts (I think) to start with, and going from there. I got about 5 inches done in the movie last night! I don't know if I will have enough yarn, but if I run out, I can order more. Actually, once I started the first one, I thought I would need more black, so I ordered two more skeins, and I did not even need to start those for the first. which is actually why I'm doing this one, because I wanted to use up the leftover yarn. SO I hope I don't need to order more!
Listened to: Kendra Elliot, A Merciful Fate. this is the last of this series, I think she is planning to write more of them, but I have enjoyed this series, so I hope she writes more. but I will probably like whatever she writes. though I wish her females would keep their last names when they get married. or at least some of them. I like this author's work, and they are good to listen too, and the audio is included in Kindle Unlimited, which is an addiotnal big plus. many of this author's books are included in the audio part of KU, which means I have hear them all. but it has been I long while so I was thinking I might go back and listen to some of them again.
I have not read much because I have about 5 new books and I know as soon as I start to read them, I won't want to do ANYTHING else...so I keep putting off reading them. Silly, because I have been looking forward to these ones for a while.
Anyway, Its off to dinner - stew--which is a story in itself... For about the last two years, Mike has been very disapointed with my stew, so this time when he hinted he wanted me to make stew, I told him he should make it himself and write down what he did so he can be happy with what I make. So he did, and we have had stew all week -he's been having it for lunches. here is the recipe.
Oh! and here is a pict of me trying on that darned hat!
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