Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine spends a lot of time sewing...

I'm getting better at focusing on completing work projects. Perhaps at the expense of ignoring various other home related tasks, like putting stuff away, but that is a tradeoff I am willing to accept. And eventually the things do get put away...

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~ week 4 ~

just keep drawing, just keep drawing...

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I've been sewing like mad, with the intention of completing the Jedi cosplay garments by the end of the month. Getting really close to the wire now. Yesterday, while I had been working on the tabard (which is IMHO the most difficult of the 4 pieces), I was told that the tunic was needed sooner. So, as my word of the year suggested, I pivoted, and began on the tunic instead. I finished the tunic today; the tropical weight wool is a joy to sew with, and hopefully will be comfortable for her to wear. Tomorrow I will be working on the tabard pieces, and will need to figure out a way to make them attachable/detachable from the sash, so it (the sash) can be worn with or without the tabard. I am thinking that a secondary inner sash that can be fastened to the inside of the decorative sash may be the best option. There is just as much time spent thinking on this project as actual time with sewing machine and ironing board.

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I just found out (via Instagram!) that there is a new fabric shop in my neighborhood. Like within walking distance! They just opened less than 2 weeks ago during the week of the ice storm. Looks like mostly quilting cotton, but if they carry notions like thread and interfacing that will be right handy...

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	recycle bin
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	yard waste bin
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	3 hats & 3 scarves	teal top mended	-
6	plaid flannel slip	RÅSKOG assembled	x
7	5 tiny books	RÅSKOG adapted	x
8	hatband roses	bike rear wheel	x
9	Jedi tunic	prune persimmon	x

today's gratitudes -
1. A small fabric store just opened in my neighborhood, close enough to walk to!!
2. I have friends I have never met in person, I look forward every week to my online meeting with Leslie.
3. egg and crumbs added to ground meat makes meatballs that hold together... Green onions and cilantro and oyster sauce make meatballs that taste good.

Time of Isolation - Day 1307

so tasty!

in which our plucky heroine enjoys a treat...

There is evident small amounts of forward momentum. Some of the desired changes in the bathroom storage have begun, while others are waiting for better executive function, and the time to make templates to attach storage unit(s) to the wall. Good progress is happening on some of the sewing projects. I am determinedly continuing on the drawing every day challenge. I also, just for fun, stitched up two wool felt rose brooches, one in light blue, and one in taupe, both to add to the slowly growing collection of hat ornaments. (a grey hat, and indigo hat, and a brown hat are my goal... all with assorted hatband trimmings)

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Tweedie phoned Saturday morning and let me know that the rose yogurt special order arrived! A damp bike ride to the store and now there are six five little pots of delectable goodness in the fridge, for future treats over the next few weeks...

The rose yogurt is as wonderful as I imagined it would be, based on the reports from both Ariadne and Marian. The rich creamy slightly sweet base of the La Fermiere has just the right amount of floral flavor without being overpowering.

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After I got all togged up to try and ride all the way over to Bolt today, it occurred to me to check and see if I happened to have any interfacing here, first. Yup, at least a few yards that I have no memory of purchasing!? but it saved me several hours (and a pleasant bike ride though). Those hours will, instead, be applied towards the Star Wars Jedi cosplay sewing project, in the hope that it will be completed by the end of tomorrow, if not sooner, so that Tullia can try it on for the final fitting.

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Finished week four of "drawing every day". Not enjoying it as much as I was last week, though that may be related to how Very Untidy the dining table is right now, or to how there have been several days this week where it wasn't a first thing in the morning activity, but rather an "oops I forgot, better do it now"

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So far this month I've made five miniature books to send up to Mud Bay, and another three for the reading room/library Tansu Terrace is meant to have. If the forecast holds, tomorrow may be an easy ride to the post office to mail the box of treats north.

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	recycle bin
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	yard waste bin
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	3 hats & 3 scarves	teal top mended	-
6	plaid flannel slip	RÅSKOG assembled	x
7	5 tiny books	RÅSKOG adapted	x
8	hatband roses	bike rear wheel	x
9	x	prune persimmon	x

today's gratitudes -
1. rose yogurt -  10 out of 10
2. the printer/copier I inherited
3. tiny Gashleycrumb Tinies turned out pretty good

Time of Isolation - Day 1305

the strange case of the wonky wheel

in which our plucky heroine walks there and back again, and again...

... cos when I started out to ride my bike today, it was behaving oddly, with what I can only describe as a "hitch in the get-along". A bit of investigation showed that the rear wheel was moving in a wavery fashion, so there was nothing to do other than walk it over to Kenton Cycle Repair. Once I got there, after the examination it turned out that there was a broken spoke. The spoke was replaced, and the wheel re-trued. No idea what caused this problem, but it feels a bit like my bike and I are both suffering from the one hoss shay syndrome, where sometimes you wake up in the morning with something new and "exciting" to deal with. Definitely getting my walkies in today

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	3 hats & 3 scarves	teal top mended	-
6	plaid flannel slip	RÅSKOG assembled	x
7	5 tiny books	RÅSKOG adapted	x
8	x	bike rear wheel	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. lil mini city street sweeper pootling along in the bike lane, removing the gravel, dead cones and seed pods, and broken glass, boy howdy was I glad to see you!
2. after assembling the new RÅSKOG cart, I thought to lower the center basket on the cart I use as an ironing station - sliding it down a few inches means I can store the iron in the basket when not in use. This makes a huge organising difference!
3. words

Time of Isolation - Day 1302

Reading in 2024:

1. Mink River
   by Brian Doyle -
   This book is written in most lyrical prose about the most unlikely folks, in a small town on the Oregon coast. I found it so engaging that I stayed up far too late reading it. Perhaps because I am lucky enough to have coastal people among my circle of friends, and heard some of their quirky stories, the inhabitants of Neawanaka won my heart and my interest
   
2. A Half-Built Garden
   by Ruthanna Emrys -
   
   
3. Three Twins at the Crater School
   by Chaz Brenchley -
   this was recommended to me, but it wasn't my cup of tea... I am not keen on the "adventures of young people at boarding school" genre, even if transposed to a fantasy version of Mars. While this novel is better than many, since there is no infighting and nasty behavior, I just never connected with any of the characters or their challenges in a way that allowed "the willing suspension of disbelief" which is crucial to entering a tale.
   
4. The Inheritance & Other Stories
   by Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm -
   
   
5. The Year Without Sunshine
   by Naomi Kritzer -
   delightful hopepunk novelette

too much time in Troutdale

in which our plucky heroine is ready for a rest...

Today was rather too much time on zoom and on the phone. In the morning several family video visits, and then this evening was the regional Laurel's meeting, which went about twice as long as usual. Between those bookends, there were several long phone calls to various customer service centers to try and sort out more than one delivery difficulty. Still not sure what is going on, but now the relevant systems know that there is a glitch.

I don't know why, for example, half my Ikea order arrived here yesterday with no problem (other than being days late, but that is due to the ice storm, which no one could have predicted, and which played hob with all kinds of things - I am not fussed about late delivery) I am concerned though, that one set of emails shows both items I ordered delivered?!? and the other set of emails shows the second half of the order stuck in the Troutdale facility for a number of days now and "pending", hope not a synonym for "lost".

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~ re-useable ~

This painted wooden cabinet is going to move from the bathroom to the workroom. It should just fit next to the kiln (aka Mr Hot), and be a larger place to hold the various cooling surfaces. Also, having the drawer and the closed cabinet will be a tidy way to store some of the tools that get used in my enameling. Putting this cabinet there will also allow me to re-purpose the current wooden box next to the kiln into part of Tansu Terrace instead.

It is starting to feel that making small improving changes in one spot in the house will lead to other helpful activity. I've removed all the contents of the various things in the bathroom, and have started separating them by type, and want to figure out which will be best stored where. I will need to remove all the contents of the shelf in the linen closet as well, as there is quite a bit of overlap of purpose. Once I know how much space the different categories take up, it will be easier to decide how best to contain and store them, and whether that will be in the bathroom or elsewhere.

And I suspect that there will be even more things to discard, as I have with some of what I sorted through today. I don't need bandaids so old they aren't sticky any more, or random papers describing medication from ten years ago, or hair elastics that are no longer stretchy (indeed, I don't have enough hair to make good use of elastics at all)

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	3 hats & 3 scarves	teal top mended	-
6	plaid flannel slip	RÅSKOG	x
7	5 tiny books	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. so excited... I asked at NS about rose yogurt and the grocery manager is ordering me a case (6) which should arrive by the end of the week!
2. realised I could recut the Gary Larson dizzy alien flying saucer cartoon that fell off my kitchen cupboard, and turn it into a miniature book
3. The cabinet I'm removing from the bathroom will fit really well into the workroom, and be able to replace less suitable storage that is currently next to Mr Hot. A cabinet with a drawer, and a door that shuts, will be welcome.

Time of Isolation - Day 1301

Reading in 2024:

1. Mink River
   by Brian Doyle -
   This book is written in most lyrical prose about the most unlikely folks, in a small town on the Oregon coast. I found it so engaging that I stayed up far too late reading it. Perhaps because I am lucky enough to have coastal people among my circle of friends, and heard some of their quirky stories, the inhabitants of Neawanaka won my heart and my interest
   
2. A Half-Built Garden
   by Ruthanna Emrys -
   
   
3. Three Twins at the Crater School
   by Chaz Brenchley -
   this was recommended to me, but it wasn't my cup of tea... I am not keen on the "adventures of young people at boarding school" genre, even if transposed to a fantasy version of Mars. While this novel is better than many, since there is no infighting and nasty behavior, I just never connected with any of the characters or their challenges in a way that allowed "the willing suspension of disbelief" which is crucial to entering a tale.
   
4. The Inheritance & Other Stories
   by Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm -
   
   
5. The Year Without Sunshine
   by Naomi Kritzer -
   delightful hopepunk novelette
   

return to our normally scheduled programming...

in which our plucky heroine is pleased at the change in the weather...

Ice and snow are mostly gone, so there was both bike riding and some walking around outside Monday. It felt so warm compared to last week, though on the north side of the house, my heat pump still had a deep cap of ice atop it. I am considering some sort of sturdy awning/roof-like structure to be set in place during the winter, to divert the ice and icicles... not directly atop the machine, but high enough to allow for easy air flow.

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There is a small cluster of snowdrops currently blooming in the front yard, tucked under the rosemary bush... eventually spring will arrive!

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The RÅSKOG trolley cart arrived Monday, though I am still waiting on the TRONES storage cabinets (not sure why they are not arriving together, but all sorts of deliveries and pickups have been deranged by the ice storm we had last week).

Am I the only person who enjoys assembling Ikea furniture? It is a sort of 3D puzzle, which, when you complete it, becomes something useful for your home. I was able to adjust the height of the central "basket" so that the lower compartment is taller, with room for some of the larger containers I store in the bathroom, like the gallon jar of white vinegar (used for descaling), and suchlike.

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Started on the Thai-Inspired Chicken Meatball Soup last night. Ground chicken meatballs are problematical to shape and to brown in a pan, as the recipe calls for. I've never tried ground chicken before, and it was a lot looser than say, ground pork, which meant rather "squishy" meatballs that didn't want to hold their shape. 

After making up the soup and the meatballs, I have some definite changes I want to make - needs to be much less salty! I tried using bouillon (diluted) for the chicken broth and that was a mistake; perhaps unsalted chicken broth would be better, since the meatballs and the other broth ingredients are so very flavorful... also possibly reduce the amount of fish sauce by about half. I would also use a fresh lime for the juice next time, as it would be an improvement over the bottled juice (which wasn't bad, though) and possibly adding some fresh basil or fresh thai basil as a garnish. Other things could be added to the soup such as mushrooms or rice noodles. I am going to make some additional soup tomorrow to use up the rest of the can of cocoanut, and freeze with the now frozen extra soup from today...

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	3 hats & 3 scarves	teal top mended	-
6	plaid flannel slip	RÅSKOG	x
7	5 tiny books	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

yesterday's gratitudes - 1. today it warmed up enough that the ice was mostly melted and the snow was mostly gone; I was able to go out and ride my bike!
2. rummaging around in the workroom, I found a old box of music CD's that various folks had given me, so I have some different tunes to listen to that I haven't heard in ages...
3. There is a tiny patch of snowdrops blooming in my front yard

today's gratitudes -
1. My new Ikea RÅSKOG trolley cart arrived, and is now mostly assembled. I am looking forward to moving forward on the project it is intended for, once the rest of my order arrives
2. The plaid flannel petticoat slip with the double layer skirt really does a good job at keeping my legs cozy.
3. snowdrops!

Time of Isolation - Day 1300

Reading in 2024:

1. Mink River
   by Brian Doyle -
   This book is written in most lyrical prose about the most unlikely folks, in a small town on the Oregon coast. I found it so engaging that I stayed up far too late reading it. Perhaps because I am lucky enough to have coastal people among my circle of friends, and heard some of their quirky stories, the inhabitants of Neawanaka won my heart and my interest
   
2. A Half-Built Garden
   by Ruthanna Emrys -
   
   
3. Three Twins at the Crater School
   by Chaz Brenchley -
   this was recommended to me, but it wasn't my cup of tea... I am not keen on the "adventures of young people at boarding school" genre, even if transposed to a fantasy version of Mars. While this novel is better than many, since there is no infighting and nasty behavior, I just never connected with any of the characters or their challenges in a way that allowed "the willing suspension of disbelief" which is crucial to entering a tale.
   
4. The Inheritance & Other Stories
   by Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm -
   
   
5. The Year Without Sunshine
   by Naomi Kritzer -
   Novelette
   
   
   
   
   

it's melting...

in which our plucky heroine looks forward to better weather...

Rain on and off today, and the temperature is about forty degrees warmer than a week ago. With luck, tomorrow a bike ride will be possible; I bought produce at the store yesterday, but didn't realise there was no cumin seed left in the spice jars, which is a small but necessary ingredient in the kale bulgar feta salad I had planned to make. Other than that my plans for tomorrow and this week involve seeing how much of my actual sewing / metalwork / enameling work I can accomplish.

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~ art every day - week 3 ~

As I had mentioned, the drawing something every morning is en route to a regular habit, and the choices I have made (drawing in pencil, drawing for a whole week to fill one page in the pocket planner so the drawings are really small, and not being overly precious about results) are all kaizen - by making it very easy, it becomes possible. 

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Kestrel asked for tiny books for her tinyfolk... so I am starting to make a few to include with the rest of the Mud Bay care package. Trying to find assorted Very Small images to use for content, which is trickier than one would think... found a series of little photos in a old Milk Street cooking magazine that I think I can turn into a "book" about making focaccia. Old stamps would also make good book contents, I suspect, if I had any.

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My Yaktrax broke, the rubber wore through/snapped at the heel. Given that the first mention of them in my blog was back in 2008, which would make them at least 16 years old, they were a worthwhile purchase. A new pair will be immediately ordered to replace them...

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Sister Gigi, after my comment about two of the books I read in the last three weeks were good enough to keep me up and reading long past bedtime, suggested  I start to keep a log of the books I read this year. I plan to add annotation as well, just didn't have enough time tonight to fill that in.

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	3 hats & 3 scarves	teal top mended	-
6	plaid flannel slip	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. after randomly going bonkers sideways this afternoon, my computer just as randomly began to function again and continues to function. I had kind Madrona Tribe folks to hold my hand as I hollered for help on my phone during this incident.
2. Years ago, Beth asked me an important question while I was being an ass. That question was a hinge that changed me, in a way I am still grateful for. Indeed and always, my friends are more important to me than my stuff, but it took her pointing it out for me to internalise that and shift my behavior.
3. My Yaktrax broke yesterday. They were first mentioned on my blog in 2008, which has them at least 16 years old! A new pair will be ordered posthaste.

Time of Isolation - Day 1298

Books of 2024:

1. Mink River
   by Brian Doyle -
2. A Half-Built Garden
   by Ruthanna Emrys -
3. Three Twins at the Crater School
     by Chaz Brenchley -
4. The Inheritance & Other Stories
   by Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm -
   
   
   

gobsmacked...

in which our plucky heroine has a number of pleasant surprises...

This morning my land phone rang, and it was my friend Miklos asking how I was doing, and offering me a ride to the grocery store... which offer I leapt upon with alacrity, as I had not been out even as far as the sidewalk in a week! It was a treat to see him, and chat while on the way to and from the store about the latest doings in their lives. I had been hoping to see his wife, my friend Aelflaed, as well, but she was at a medical appointment.

Along with the shopping assistance, he was delivering a few holiday and birthday packages to me from Caer Lutris - including a butane kitchen torch (hello creme brulee, and pad see ew), some la fermeire jars, handmade soap (in a floral fabric bag that will make tinyfolk clothing) and an amazing miniature "tiny world" bookcase with my favorite books in it!

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~ color me astonished ~

After much asking around, I was finally able to find out which one of my friends arranged to have this miniature bookcase made for me as a birthday gift - it was my pal Vestia. There was actual gasping for breath and screaming with delight when I opened the box; all the various books* are ones in my own collection and are particular favorites of mine. (Now my tinyfolk are all enthused about it, and wanting me to get busy and put together the library/reading room for them...)

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The plaid flannel slip is finished. In the interest of making it really suitable for wintertime, I attached a second layer to the bottom half, using the skirt portion of the worn out dress I used for patterning the bodice, which adds more "insulation" While this does make it look a bit bunchy it isn't particularly obvious when worn as a slip, since my pinafore as an outer layer smooths everything out. I'm calling it a success.

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My new teal knit top got caught in the edge of the washing machine while it was spinning the water out , which tore a big hole in it. Fortunately towards the bottom edge, and I have been able to patch it with scraps of the original fabric. Now I know why I occasionally find tears in some of the smaller items in the laundry. I suspect that I rather overloaded the machine yesterday, which may have caused an unbalance...

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In the middle of the day, before Miklos came over here, I decided to once again attempt to de-ice the driveway. The slightly warmer temperature meant that underneath the 1 to 2 inches of ice, that there was now a bit of an unfrozen layer. I was able to use the shovel to crack the ice into chunks small enough to remove from the path I was creating.

It was so satisfying, if strenuous, to keep chipping away at the frozen sheet of ice, that I just kept going, eventually getting all the way past the sidewalk and down the curb cut to the street level. This meant that I could also then trundle the wheelie bins out to the street for pickup. Though our usual pickup day is Friday, looking up and down the block it appears that no one's bins have been emptied, so mine have joined the throng

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	3 hats & 3 scarves	teal top mended	-
6	plaid flannel slip	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Miklos gave me a ride to the grocery store, my first trip outside in a week. Huzzah for kindness and for fresh produce!
2. I was able to remove enough ice to make a path between the house and the street, and also remove some of the sidewalk ice, enlarging that path as well. Even if the ice isn't all gone by tomorrow, I can walk up and down the block safely now
3. Vestia is my friend who found an artisan to make a tiny 1/12 scale bookcase filled with tiny replicas of many of my favorite books! This is such an unexpected, clever, and thoughtful gift!! I don't know why am am so fortunate in my friends ...

Time of Isolation - Day 1297

* a list of the books in the Tiny World bookcase:
The Last Unicorn - Peter S Beagle
The Chronicles of Tornor:
Watchtower - Elizabeth Lynn
The Dancers of Arun - Elizabeth Lynn
The Northern Girl - Elizabeth Lynn
Woman on the Edge of Time - Marge Piercy
Always Coming Home - Ursula LeGuin
Peacetalk 101 - Suzette Hayden Elgin
The Dark is Rising sequence:
Over Sea, Under Stone - Susan Cooper
The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper
Greenwitch - Susan Cooper
The Grey King - Susan Cooper
Silver On The Tree - Susan Cooper
The Sharing Knife:
Beguilement - Lois McMaster Bujold
Legacy - Lois McMaster Bujold
Passage - Lois McMaster Bujold
Horizon - Lois McMaster Bujold

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine spends yet another day mostly indoors...

Though the air temperature gradually warmed quite a bit today, and there was neither ice, snow or rain falling from the sky, everywhere is still covered in a sheet of slippery ice, now with meltwater in places. Sigh. I tried to get out and chip away at some of the driveway ice, hoping to facilitate a path, but it was useless (and rather futile, since the sidewalk and street are equally ice covered)

Though today was trash day, I don't know if the trucks ever made it down our street. Rather moot for Acorn Cottage, since there was no way on earth for me to get the wheelie bins from the carport to the curb. Shall just have to wait the fortnight til the next trash day. Fortunately I don't generate that much detritus, so the bin still has plenty of room!

I don't think the postman made it here today either, and my delivery from Ikea is equally and sensibly delayed. Setting aside time this weekend to sort through the various personal care and first aid supplies, so that when the new storage cart and wall bins show up, I will be ready to rearrange everything.

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I had been thinking about going outside, strapping my yaktrax on my oxfords and trying to walk to the grocery store... great big NOPE, as everywhere that isn't deeply sheltered is a sheet of solid ice. Even my clothespins have icicles! It will take a number of days with the temperatures above freezing to shift the conditions outside.

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The mysterious frozen ham finally thawed enough that I could cut it to pieces. Things thaw really slowly in the fridge, but it was still within the four days at cold fridge temperature when it is safe to then refreeze meat.

I cut off four chunks/slices to be used for future cooking, and then simmered the bone enough to cut away more of the meat. This will give a bit of flavor to broth, which is now turning into split pea vegetable soup with barley. Should be quite warming, and at least two meals-worth, starting tomorrow night. (The barley is taking longer to cook than I remembered, and so tonight's dinner is gyoza in boullion instead)

I will use the rest of the ham chunks over the next month or so, since it was in the freezer for an undetermined amount of time, and while not exactly freezer burned, is definitely more dried out than something freshly purchased. Still, I am thinking things like hash, or stir fry, or even a crustless quiche where the ham can be cut to gobbets to take advantage of the flavor.

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~ fancy flounce ~

This is the bottom edge of my not quite finished flannel slip. I cut slits into the bottom edge, and insterted many (16?) quarter circle godets to create a flounce effect with minimal fabric. I've never done this before, but it wasn't particularly difficult, just a bit time consuming.

After serge finishing all the godet raw edged seam allowances, I then bias bound the greatly extended hemline edge, and also added a strip of bias trim just above the flounce. Since the skirt portion of the slip is just a cylinder of fabric pleated into the bodice, with enough ease for comfort, this "fancy flounce" will give a fun effect peeping out the bottom edge of my pinafores and dresses. At least that is my hope and intention.

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Not quite sure what to do about the overhead kitchen light. It is an old fluorescent fixture, and has been intermittently not working, as in turn the wall switch and nothing happens. And then a different time it will work. I checked the electrical panel, and the circuts are not off. So, today I clambered up the stepladder and tried to get a looksee.

Ugh! The diffusion grating seems to have no easy way to remove it, so I bent the thin aluminum framework to take off the diffuser and get access to the tubes. The two obvious fluorescent tubes were both very burned out, with blackened ends. The other two tubes I think are LED substitutes as they look a lot newer, are missing the end labels that indicate anything, and I have vague memories of Mikki helping me replace some of those lights in the Before Times?

The best option will probably be to replace the whole fixture with a new LED ceiling light of some sort, but I am loath to do anything like that right now, or until I get a taller stepladder. I will probably live with the non-diffused current light for the time being, and find out if I can simply buy some more LED pseudo fluorescent tubes to stick in the empty fixture sockets, which I found out are (rather alarmingly) called "tombstones"

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	green tiny hat	-	-
6	2 hats & 3 scarves	x	x
7	panforte	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. plenty of food in pantry and freezer storage
2. This morning I woke up wanting to do the daily 15 minute drawing.
3. I am fearless about some things (where it is appropriate)

Time of Isolation - Day 1296

slip sliding away Thursday

in which our plucky heroine is still indoors...

Yesterday there were icicles all along the gutters, and on assorted foliage, and on my clothesline. The daytime temperature did rise above freezing, but that only made the outdoors more dangerous, with just a bit of water atop the ice that formed everywhere overnight. So discretion being the better part of valor, I went no further out the doors than to check the mailbox, and to empty the kitchen rubbish into the wheelie bin, moving very carefully, as the walkways I had earlier cleared of snow were now coated with ice.

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~ view from my window ~

In the narrow side yard that faces south, the Quinceling was planted just outside the living room window, for beauty all through the year, with white flowers in springtime and golden fruit to follow. Seeing the branches all traced in glittering ice, however, is an uncommon winter scene...

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I am attempting to bake panforte, a confection I have never made before, and indeed, never tasted before either... I think that my being in the house for three days stir crazy transmogrified into some experimental kitchen activity. It all started earlier this year with the bountiful produce from the Quinceling, which turned into those jars of homegrown candied quince chunks... then I found this recipe: Tartine's Panforte. Between that (which I made as a half-recipe, and deciding to also bake a mini fruitcake since the oven would be on anyway and I had the ingredients on hand... my poor kitchen has a dreadful case of Mt Dishmore!

(later Wednesday evening...) my panforte is a success, being solid, but soft enough to cut, and surprisingly not too sweet, despite being made from nuts and dried fruit held together with a honey-sugar mixture. I don't think one could eat very much of it at one time, but as a very small taste of rich and peculiarly spicy complexity, it is definitely good. I worried that cooking it in a rectangular pan would be a problem, but it seems to have turned out okay. I used the smallest of my set of pyrex pans, lined with parchment paper that had been buttered and dusted with cocoa, instead of a 5" springform pan.

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There was a damaged book of photography history in one of the little free librarys, which I took home to see what I could salvage. Found a few plates of Muybridge horse movement studies, and took one set to turn into a miniature book to add to the tinyworld library. "Galloping" Might make another one using the "Trotting" images.

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My plaid flannel slip is cut out ready to sew, and the cabbage* is being cut up into bias strips to bind the edges of the bodice and hemline, and if there is enough left, I will decorate the lower edge with another row of bias trim.

After measuring the dimensions of one of my older slips, and trying on the "tube" of the plaid fabric (after pre-shrinking but before cutting out the pattern pieces) it was obvious that the slip need not be gored for extra petticoat flare, but could be more or less a simple cylinder, as long as it had plenty of ease for wearing.

This made me really pleased, as there is a vintage white cotton top sheet on the resource shelf that has always been intended for a fancy slip; the upper edge is decorated with elaborate whitework stitchery that would make a charming hemline edge of a storybook style slip. I know what my next garment sewing for me project will be, providing the plaid slip turns out well and comfortable.

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	green tiny hat	-	-
6	2 hats & 3 scarves	x	x
7	panforte	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's and yesterday's gratitudes -
1. Mom was more interactive than usual during our zoom call; she responded verbally once or twice to the conversation.
2. I was easily able to reschedule my medical appointment from tomorrow to mid February... staying safe when there is ice out there is an understandable reason
3. I call my panforte a success, it is solid, but soft enough to cut, and surprisingly not too sweet, despite being made from nuts and dried fruit held together with a honey-sugar mixture.
4. oh, I have a cooking thermometer 
5. I was inspired by my pal Ursel last night to order two small bare root native mock orange starts from the The East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD) annual native plant sale. Listed as fragrant, good pollinator food, and not picky about location; I should be able to find a good spot or two for them. Good thing I did it last night, as they are already sold out tonight.
6. French toast for supper using the last one of the sourdough rolls

Time of Isolation - Day 1295

* "cabbage" is the collective noun for the scraps left after cutting out a garment

was a sunny day

in which our plucky heroine walks all the way 'round a half block...

The sky was blue, but it turned very cold again, as it does whenever the cloud blanket is removed. I swept off more of the front porch and a narrow path not quite all the way to the sidewalk. Then I put the broom and the shovel away, and took a Very Short Walk. By the time I was partway down the cross street I started to cough from the cold, and decided to cut my walk in half, and turned down the alleyway instead. Much less wind, blocked by the houses and fences. Still, it felt good to be outdoors even briefly. There is an ice storm forecast tomorrow, but after that the temperature should rise and we will get rain.

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~ week 2 - create every day ~

"Create every day" seems to have turned into "draw every day". Not at all the dopamine generator that was my intention, but I've managed to keep this going for two weeks so far. This activity is valuable in its own right though...

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Sewing progress report: today I worked on recreating the basic pinafore bodice pattern, with the intention of first making the plaid flannel slip, and then the teal linen pinafore. Both of those are part of my wardrobe sewing plans, that involve using fabric I already have to add versatile garments to my current wardrobe. Part of my eventual goal is to make several new slips to wear during the coldest part of the winter, as my two current ones are so very worn. I've taken to wearing my summer popover dresses in lieu of slips, but that isn't ideal.

I thought I'd just add a link here to the "rules" I made for SWAP 2020, the year I was the coordinator, (and the year that COVID arrived and swept away all our plans) I still really like the guidelines I came up with, and use the concepts to plan out pretty much all my own wardrobe sewing (though not the "sew 11 garments" aspect): SWAP rules from 2020

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Finished sawing the bathroom undersink hatch pieces apart. Yay for japanese style hand saw; I may be slow, but I do get there in the end. Next step is to attach the suitable hardware: handles to the large portion, hinges between the two pieces, and a knob or two to the narrow piece. This all should make putting it in place (and removing if necessary again) a LOT easier. Once this is all done, I will need to design the access hatch for undersink in the kitchen, for whenever Bill has the time to come back and help with the final plumbing repair and hatch building...

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	green tiny hat	-	-
6	2 hats & 3 scarves	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. tasty stir fry: bok choi and the last of the frozen shrimp
2. progress on flannel slip pattern
3. managed a walk outside today

Time of Isolation - Day 1292

a snow day

in which our plucky heroine wakes up to a somewhat snowy world...

It was very slippery when I stepped out the front door, if only a few inches deep and very dry snow, so I went no further afield than to sweep away part of my front walkway, after taking time to admire the tracery of tiny tracks. Out the side door: a crust of ice atop snow all the way up to the doorway, which required breaking into chunks with the broom handle before I could sweep away enough to access the rubbish bin. Tomorrow I may pull on the YakTrax and take a bit of a walk, as two days housebound is more than enough, and it is supposed to be sunny and dry, if still quite cold...

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~ haiku ~

now that it has snowed
see the hidden story tales
Dog reads every day

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	green tiny hat	-	-
6	2 hats & 3 scarves	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the option to stay home when the weather is frightful
2. wool is my friend
3. we had snow, but not too much snow

Time of Isolation - Day 1291

so cold

in which our plucky heroine stays indoors...

It is rather awfully cold out, well below freezing. Last night the wind was howling through the turbine vents in the roof. There was only a tiny bit of snow when I woke up, but various sorts of white stuff have been swirling down from the sky, though by lunchtime the amount has not reached to top of the grass in the yard. My heat pump keeps trying valiantly to warm the house up, and has managed about 62, which is forty degrees warmer than it is outdoors.

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~ day 13 ~

What I choose to draw is very much random, today it was my small craft scissors. And I am not striving for "accuracy" per se, but just looking and sketching and putting in some detail. I don't know if I want to draw for a whole year, or do other creative things, but this is the least complicated option I can think of.

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I've been knitting a set of little hats for Kestrel's tinyfolk. The hats have a lovely shape being rather "witchy-fantasy" in style. I've finished a green one, am starting on a blue one, and saving the black one for last, for during daylight, because black yarn. I will probably also knit some little scarves to go with them.

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Earlier today, when Mischa mentioned a confusion regarding a particular sewing task, I had the very pleasurable chance to spend quite a bit of time explaining some of the relevant techniques. We ended up moving the discussion to Zoom, so as to make it easy and possible to share sketches as well as words directly. Next best thing to being in person, and a chance for me to put my teacher hat on, which is an activity I dearly love, and have far too few opportunities in this Time of Isolation!

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	green tiny hat	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. shelter from the storm - the house has a roof, and walls, and a heat pump that is doing it's level best to keep the indoor air at least somewhat warm despite the frigid outdoors.
2. The new lighting setup for the computer zone is working really well as far as function, so when I can finally build a more aesthetically pleasing structure I will know the parameters. Yay for mocking up a design before building it.
3. A zoom meeting with my Mud Bay pals...
4. Spending time with Mischa explaining sewing techniques

Time of Isolation - Day 1290

kludgeification

in which our plucky heroine does that funky design thing...

So, the undercabinet LED light bar I bought to use in the computer zone is wonderfully bright, which is good, but it needs to be diffused better so it doesn't blind me, and needs to be adjusted so it doesn't blind the video camera or block the screen(s)

Clever plucky heroine decided that kludge was the word for the day in this regard. A few small C clamps on the front uprights of the computer zone were just the thing to balance a sturdy vintage wooden yardstick. These could be easily moved to determine what height was optimal. Since I didn't want to attach the permanent clips to hold the light yet, I opted to slide two sturdy hair elastics over the light fixture and the yardstick, which was all that was needed to hold it in location. Then, multiple layers of white tissue paper were added to the front of the light until the intensity of the light shining into my eyes was ameliorated; two clothespins hold the paper in place.

Is this optimal, or elegant, or good design... no not really. Does this point the way to determining what the parameters are that a future build will need to encompass... yes, very much so.

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~ experimental neckline ~

finished the teal knit top with the overlap turtleneck collar... It has been an interesting experiment to create, but I am not sure I will use this collar again. I'll have to see if I like wearing it; trying it on, the side neck edges created soft folds, which I could have predicted had I given it much thought ahead of time. (I know it isn't that my neck is particularly fleshy, being one of the few slender parts of my body, but just how fabric bends around a curved surface). Well, that, and I have perhaps more than enough long sleeve knit tops to wear in the winter - a whole drawer-full in wonderful variety! So it will be a while before I have any need to sew more...

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This morning was probably about as warm as it is likely to be for the next few days, and the temperature has been steadily dropping ever since. I saw a few tiny sparkles of snow around 10:30, it was too warm yet for any snow to stick, with all still wet, and the temperature around 40F, but now after sundown, the thermometer has dropped to below 30, and will fall even more before tomorrow. The high is forecast to be only 21F tomorrow, and any precipitation will likely be "wintery mix" meaning snow/sleet/freezing rain...

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Earlier today, while it was still daylight, I decided to ride my bike to the hardware store. I wanted to get a box of light bulbs, and was hoping for some small hinges for the "reinstall the bathroom access panel" project. It was dreadfully cold, despite my multiple layers and thick Jen mittens, but the roads were dry and it was safe for riding. On the way home, I thought to stop at the University New Seasons and get a quart of milk. Must be that New England tradition of making sure one has bread and eggs and milk on hand before a storm?

Well, despite at the time there being no weather to speak of other than cold air, the power was out at the store, and they were running on backups. I quickly snagged some milk and a box of frozen sausages and headed out again before they closed the store down. On the way home there were tiny dots of white on the grey canvas sleeves of my chore coat. Not really flakes of snow, but more like the smallest flecks of snow-paint. It stopped again by the time I returned to Acorn Cottage.

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Today the secondary phone charging brick arrived, and is currently plugged in to the wall to be filled with electricity, as it were. It is taking much longer to fill than the first brick, so I suppose it holds more? It is all rather mysterious, but useful.

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	teal knit top	patch closet holes	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Now I have two power bricks to store electricity for the cell phone. Backups are good.
2. I have a bicycle, and am still able to ride it to do my local errands. I intend to keep doing so as long as flesh is willing.
3. I have been really enjoying "Spirited Away - live on stage". Perhaps since I know the story, and am familiar with the animated film, I am finding how it has been adapted to a live stage performance fascinating as well as beautiful. Well worth the time spent watching it!

Time of Isolation - Day 1289

Fjorlief the forgetful

in which our plucky heroine is definitely Alison the Absent-minded ...

filling in for Wednesday and Thursday both, as it feels like not much useful is happening. There has been a little bit of sewing, a modicum of housey chores, and a whole lot of rummaging around the house looking for things.
Where are my pinafore pattern pieces?!? I have a number of TNT patterns that I use over and over again: a straight front blouse, a bias front blouse, an everyday dress, some cropped "long janes", a raglan knit top with long sleeves, and my two pinafores... Some of these have been transferred to cardboard and hang in the closet, and some still remain as folded pieces in large manila envelopes on the shelf. But I cannot find my pinafore patterns anywhere! This is the second time that basic patterns have gone missing, as sometime last year my simple cardigan pattern also disappeared.

True, I can take a new pattern from an existing garment, but that is quite time consuming and rather a pain, when I know I have had the pattern already made up, and that I would not have discarded a Useful Resource. I was hunting for the pinafore patterns because I want to sew a new upper bodice for the grey linen pinafore, to replace the worn one on the still in good condition pinafore skirt. The yard of grey linen I purchased online has some weaving/pressing? flaws, and I wanted to see if I could just cut around them, rather than have to send it back and wait for a new piece.  Time will tell, I am quite loath to take apart the entire contents of the sewing space, wondering if the pattern is just folded into some length of fabric on a shelf, or in a bin. That sounds like a madhouse mess waiting to happen, but I don't remember the last time I saw the pinafore patterns

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~ day 10 (yesterday) ~

hmmm... sometimes it is just about drawing what is in front of my eye. Doesn't feel particularly creative, though. Maybe finding a balance, or maybe the balance shifts, but even just reminding the synapses of that connection between the hand and the eye, and keeping those pathways alive. Rather just like how I keep on riding my bicycle, not because riding around my neighborhood is particularly creative, but it keeps that mode of movement alive. And they both feel good, if in an entirely different way than opening a present does. I think they might be presents that Now Me is giving to Future Me.

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re-threaded the serger with teal thread, faffed about with getting the tension set for the new fabric, and started on the teal turtleneck. Partly sewn together on Wednesday, and the machine sewing part done today. I like to do a bit of hand stitching around the cuffs and the hem edge, and will have to make do with navy as an accent, as there is nothing closer in my threads, other than embroidery floss, which doesn't wear well at all.

I am quite happy with the look of the overlap front collar turtleneck. My sewing pal CCL has made several tops with this feature, and shared the info with me that the pattern piece for the collar is basically a long oval, folded in half the long ways and attached to the neckline with curved edges lapped over each other in the center front. I measured the neckline of my pattern, and added about an inch or two, then drew out the oval shape the right size.

It was a bit difficult to sew in place with the serger, and there were a few tiny folds I needed to cut open and restitch by hand. I am eager to try this garment on and find out how the neckline looks and feels when worn. It should be very cozy, a good thing as we head into a bitterly cold weather front tomorrow. The forecast is for up to 6" of snow on Saturday, which is not something we see often.

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Softening up a jar of very solidified almond butter that had been sitting in the pantry for an unknown amount of time. Pried out the nut butter in chunks into a saucepan, along with the oil that had floated to the top, and a spoonful of safflower oil to help with the liquification. After about 20 minutes of very gentle heat and a lot of stirring, the lumps were transformed back into a smooth sandwich spread, and returned to several smaller jars. If the power goes out, nut butter and jam sandwiches are fast and easy. Yay!

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I ordered a new light fixture for the computer zone, which arrived today. Alas, rather than simply attaching the brackets of holding to the underside of the shelf above the laptop, I need to figure something else out. Why? well, if there is a bar of light right there, it causes far too much glare on the computer screen, in my eyes, and on me (if a video call is happening). Fortunately I thought to check this prior to breaking out the electric drill.

My current idea consists of adding brackets to the front of the Ivar uprights, and then attaching the light to a wooden bar that spans the front, just above the zone where the laptop camera views, but below the edge of monitor #2. That way I will still have plenty of light on the keyboard zone (plucky heroine likes to do handwork while watching instructional content, or during meetings where my input is not needed). I should also be able to attach additional light diffusing material to keep the very bright LED's from directly beaming into my eyes. Functional light design is definitely an art form above and beyond making the fixtures themselves acceptable. When this is sorted out I will be very happy, but it is not as simple a project as I'd hoped

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	recycle bin
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	-	patch closet holes	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. my vaccinated arm did not interfere with my sleep, and is barely sore today...
2. teal turtleneck top is almost finished
3. the green knit hat for one of Kestrel's tinyfolk is done. Two more to go, and I think they may need matching scarves...

Time of Isolation - Day 1288

napping is the better option

in which our plucky heroine recovers from a bit of foolishness...

Last night I stayed up far too late reading. I try not to do that, but sometimes it is just too tempting. That I have read two* new to me books so far this year that were such a pleasure to read has to be some kind of personal record, whatever havoc it has wreaked on my sleep schedule.

That said, only four hours of sleep meant I was not at the top of my form today... after my midday trek through the pouring rain to the pharmacy to get vaccinated for RSV I was so exhausted that hand sewing snaps became just too difficult. I was just sitting there staring at the snap I had just stitched on the wrong side of the fabric, and decided that napping was the better idea. Four hours later...

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~ week 1 and then day 9 ~

I'd meant to share the first week, and how the filled up page looked, but the weekend was rather busy. Today was just a bit of an imaginary bird. I realise I don't have a have no good grasp on how birds are put together; my sketches tend to all start out looking mostly like the very stylised birds on the cover of the 60's paperback edition of Lord of the Rings. Perhaps a bit of research in a field guide is in order...

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The consensus among my Sewing Nomad pals is that I should just go for it, rethread my serger with the teal thread, and make up the new top for myself... I can return to the "sewing for others" with renewed vigor, and a bit more color in my life. Not going to argue, that sounds like a good idea, and sewing up a new knit top is fast and easy, one benefit of TNT patterns.

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi obi sash	reinstall octopus	-
2	Jedi underlayer	hang candle lantern	-
3	2 tiny books	paint tiger frame	-
4	-	patch closet holes	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. when in doubt, bouillon... between a four hour nap, and a tummy with collywobbles, there was no dinner today, but a cup of warm broth was soothing, warming, and a safe option
2. I can take a nap when I am exhausted, and return to my everyday life and work once better rested
3. TNT patterns that are a doddle to sew, since I've already worked out all the difficulty prior to the project. It must have been almost twenty years ago that I decided I needed a knit top that fit my body. I remember it took four or five tries, and the pattern I ended up with looks nothing like a bog standard tee in the body, but I've been wearing garments made from that pattern every since.

Time of Isolation - Day 1286

* Mink River by Brian Doyle, and A Half Built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys