2022 Project 365 – Week Forty-five

Today is Dr. M’s birthday! We masked up & went to the local Honey’s IGA & got lunch and a cookies & cream brownie situation & now I’m in a sort of sugar coma so we shall see how coherent I can be. I will say that we were still COVIDing in our household, so things were pretty quiet this week.
Sunday, November 6^th             
No photo.
 
Monday, November 7^th   
Somebody came by for a treat!

Tuesday, November 8^th         

Dr. M was still feeling pretty crappy, but he put on a mask & did his civic duty. NC was, as expected, a disappointment, but my goodness was this election a nice surprise!
 

The moon!
 

Wednesday, November 9^th                   
The back deck cosmos still looking lovely.
 

Thursday, November 10^th            
I feel like my cough drop wrapper was being a little aggressive with its affirmations.
 

We were still feeling congested & yucky, so Dr. M made his world-famous chicken soup with quinoa (ok, maybe it’s just Bug Household famous). It was so good!
 

Friday, November 11^th           
I stayed home from work, hoping that a long weekend would help me feel better. I spent the day crocheting and playing on my iPad, and not taking pictures.
 
Saturday, November 12^th       
Went to my dad’s today where chaos reigned! I’m sure we’ll whip this puzzle into shape in no time. And then after I got home I FINISHED THE FREAKING GINORMOUS BLANKET!!! Well, I still have a jillion ends to weave in, but the crocheting is done. Can’t wait to get it totally finished & do a photoshoot. And give it to the recipient. And forget it exists. (Just kidding – I’m pretty stoked about this project.)
 

Today, finally, I actually feel like I’m on the mend. Minimal coughing, no sneezing, no congestion, my energy level is more normal. I’m ready to get back to a more normal schedule, with a bit of exercise, clear-headed work, and visiting with family. Hopefully Dr. M will soon be feeling 100% too! How about you? You feeling ok these days?

2020 Project 365 – Week Forty-five

Remember how last week I said that I could quit stress eating? It turns out that I have now moved into celebratory eating. I’m sensing a theme here – one that will end up with an extra 20 pounds on my hips. Anyway, what a week! I feel relieved and yet still anxious because we have another two months of potential crazy.

Sunday, November 1^st                                                                 

My lunch – egg salad & bbq potato chip sandwich. It was GOOD. 

Monday, November 2^nd                              

Finished this scarf. The yarn is sparkly, but still soft. I was trying to create something that could actually be worn in NC, unlike most of my scarves which I can maybe tolerate for a handful of days during the year. People obviously needed a non-election distraction because this post got more than usual likes on both Instagram and Facebook.

Tuesday, November 3^rd                                                               

Happy Election Day! Daylilies, roses, azaleas, blanket flowers, and a lone phlox bloom. 

Wednesday, November 4^th                                                           Happy Election Day Part II! I had a terrible night because the early returns looked very red. So this is how I felt on Wednesday morning. 

Something in this skein of yarn seems to not belong…

 

Thursday, November 5^th          

Happy Election Day Part III! No picture – we were just hunkered down biting our nails.

 

Friday, November 6^th                                                                    Happy Election Day Part IV! I used this photo (of a painting that my friend Becci painted) to go along with some election thoughts from Jeff Chu. You can read what he wrote here, but here is a snippet:

However this election is resolved, it’s just the beginning, not an end. If the current administration is sent home, and it’s no mystery that this is my hope, some of us will breathe a sigh of momentary relief. Then the hard work will begin. So much hurt has been inflicted over the past four years, especially on some of the most vulnerable among us. As a Chinese American and as a gay man, I have felt that personally in some ways. But others have been harmed far more than I have—and one of the challenges is to broaden my perception beyond myself. When we say “we the people,” who else has been excluded? Who has gone unrecognized? Who has carried the greatest burden of racism and white supremacy, homophobia and transphobia, the ableism and the xenophobia, the discrimination and the bigotry that continue to plague this society? Who has been denied the possibility of being among “us,” instead branded as “them”?  If I believe in a broader, more expansive, more inclusive “we” and “us,” I also have to reckon with the reality that nearly 70 million Americans voted the other way. For one reason or a dozen others, they felt that a continuation of this regime would be right and good, or at least more right and more good than the alternative. Even as I believe love compels me to prioritize listening to those to whom this administration has not listened, it also urges me to empathize with those who felt stronger and more secure under its rule. And though it has so frequently deployed shame and dehumanization, I have to resist the temptation to do the same. 

Saturday, November 7^th                   

Happy Election Day Part V! I always put too many ingredients in my omelets. This one was bigger than my head! I ate half of it.

I was getting ready to go to the grocery store, but I was worried that the folks there might think my red eyes were because I was upset about the election results. On the contrary, I spent much of the day in a state of happy tears. 

As I said above, I’m relieved and anxious. There’s so much work ahead. And so much potential for chaos. How are you feeling right now?

 

2020 Project 365 – Week Forty-one

Dr. M & I were in a bit of a funk this week, so the quality and quantity of photos is a little slim. Nevertheless, I shall post what we have. Good luck?

Sunday, October 4^th                                                                 

I had a project, inspired by Ellen Abbott. I picked one of each flower that is currently blooming in our yard and did a little collage. It was a lot of fun – I’m going to try to remember to do it each season next year. It will be interesting to see how it’s different. I’ve started on a labeling post, which I’ll share later, but in the meantime, can you identify the flowers? 

The Roy!

Monday, October 5^th                             

Dr. M found a giant face jug in downtown Lincolnton. Very cool! 

Tuesday, October 6^th                                                                  

No photo, but this is a screen shot of a notification on my phone from the Brave’s playoff game. All the games were at 2:00 in the afternoon so I wasn’t able to watch any of them. Poo. 

Wednesday, October 7^th                                                             

My latest weird lunch – cottage cheese, tuna, and a cut up plum. Really good! 

Also, I got my flu shot that morning, but didn’t notice the Captain America bandaid until I changed clothes after work. Love it! 

Thursday, October 8^th          

No photo.

Friday, October 9^th                                                                        

My snack – a whole apple, whole banana, grapes, carton of jello, and some cool whip. It was a lot!

Saturday, October 10^th                  

Rainy day. I was trying to capture how the acorns accumulate along that strip of grass in the driveway, but my iPhone camera was unexcited by the low light and trying to focus through the rain. 

I have to say, it feels like every week there is a new level of national crazy. Am I overwhelmed & starting to feel numb? Yes. Am I still going to try to speak truth to power (in my own quiet Enneagram 9 way)? Yes. And also, I am going to vote. Early voting in NC opens on Thursday and I plan to be there! What is your voting plan?

2018 Project 365 – Week Forty-four

This is my annual rant about how I hate standard time. Not a morning person, we were pretty darned annoyed to have to turn the lights on in the house at 5:30 pm, it makes me cranky, blah blah blah. I'd say that I wish we’d pick a time and stick to it, but just like last week, I’m a liar. I want it to be daylight saving time all year round!

Sunday, October 28^th                              

I sang in the choir today (they needed an alto), but I’m sparing you the picture I took of me in my choir robe – only because I have PLENTY of other selfies this week. Instead you get this picture of an afghan square. It’s my 4^th colorway in the 20^th pattern – 4 more patterns to go & then I have to assemble these puppies.

Monday, October 29^th                                        

I broke down & plugged in this ancient & terrifying space heater at work. My office was about 64 degrees, but since I pay the energy bill I was loathe to turn the heat on. This monster probably uses as much energy as the heat pump though, don’t you reckon?

Tuesday, October 30^th                                             

I spent today in a notary class at the local community college. We had an active shooter drill in the middle of class, so we all sat against the wall & played on our phones. I worked on a Christmas present during lunch, and then I made 100 on my test! Here is a weird social media thing. Ordinarily I get maybe 20 likes on something I post on Facebook. Sometimes I get as many as 50 or 60 (woo hoo!). I posted the picture of my test score and got 72 likes. What the heck! My latest selfie only gets 20 likes, but a picture of the number 100 gets 72? Social media is weird. Ha!

Ms. Pinky is still very happy on the porch.

On to the next pattern… This is the one I was wearing on my head last week. It decided to cooperate once I blocked it.

Wednesday, October 31^st           

Dr. M went to the store to get Halloween candy (we had four trick-or-treaters – up from zero last year), and this was the sight that greeted him. Sigh.

Meanwhile, at work I was annoyed that my hair kept getting stuck down the back of my jacket.

Square.

Thursday, November 1^st              

Dr. M drove around and got some lovely pictures of our area.

Meanwhile, I tried a sort of messy bun situation. Hmm…

Friday, November 2^nd                                    

Went to the hospital to have a blood test to see if I still have elevated metal levels (from my old hip appliance). My doctor thinks they should have dissipated by now, but he wanted to check to make sure. When you have lab work done at the hospital it’s considered an outpatient procedure, so I got this lovely bracelet!

Saturday, November 3^rd                                           

Dr. M & I took a road trip to do some leaf peepin. These are my pictures – check back on Wednesday to see his photos from his camera. It was a lovely day!

Well, Tuesday is Election Day. I’m hoping for a big blue wave, but as something I read today put it – even if we don’t win, we’ll know the shape that our organizing needs to take.

2018 Project 365 – Week Forty-two

In my last job I was a peon, basically. A number cruncher & a (virtual) paper pusher. An organizer of electronic files & drafter of letters for my boss (not to sell myself short here – I did research the issues before drafting the letters). In my current job I am responsible for a good deal more and I’m realizing that I’m not temperamentally suited to this. Oh, I’m doing a fine job & things are mostly going ok, but Everything is Dire and Could Be Disastrous – at least in my head. Basically, I need a chill button or I’m going to give myself an ulcer. I am nothing if not a Drama Queen. Sheesh. On that note, let’s take a look at last week.

Sunday, October 14^th                            

I’m “Singing Last Year’s Christmas Cantata” in the car cool. Can you beat that?

Blanket square in my 4^th colorway.

Monday, October 15^th                                      

Dr. M spent some time out on the deck today. He had some company. I wonder if spiders eat stink bugs?

Tuesday, October 16^th                                           

Your weekly furniture, some of it still in progress.

Wednesday, October 17^th          

I voted! I was a little annoyed that the person who checked me in didn’t need to see my driver’s license.

Thursday, October 18^th             

Another square, in my 1^st colorway. I like this one a lot!

Friday, October 19^th                                   

Dr. M voted! Can you guess his party affiliation?

I used the new ruler app on my phone to measure my square! Except that to get an accurate measurement I need to stretch the square. I didn’t really have enough hands for the task. Cool idea though.

Saturday, October 20^th                                          

I’m thinking about using this Celtic Lace pattern to join my squares, but man it uses a lotta yarn! Also, it takes a good bit of time to put three extra rows around each square. And as its name implies, it’s lacy - so maybe more decorative than functional. I’ve used the flat braid join in the past & I like it fine, but this is so pretty. Decisions decisions!

Today I took the radical move of deleting two game apps from my phone (a word game & a solitaire game). My bedtime habit has been to get into bed & then play these two games before turning off the light. Some nights I can barely hold my eyes open, but by golly I’m going to get through this daily solitaire challenge! Yeah, nope. If I MUST sit up in bed before turning the light off, I’m going to read something in an actual book (no screens!). Maybe that book of Mary Oliver poetry that I dipped into last year. We shall see!