Daily Notes- Saturday, February 19th

 Now this image reminds me of the Math Department Hallway Bulletin board 1979 in Bolingbrook, Illinois .  My Supervisor- Chairwoman of the Math Dept in the High School where I was a certified Teacher's Aide...asked me to make one of these.  It was wider and taller than me with outstretched arms.  I used a small step ladder. I was wearing a skirt or dress and stockings or dress pants and heels.

First I had to use string (diameter) to make the circle with a chalk line.  String end nailed into center of the wall. Then pound in like a thousand nails- after calculating the correct number of nails for the circumference.  Yes.  I am astounded by this.  I actually did this. Math.  In a dress or skirt and heels.

While young "men" from 14 to 18 stopped by to admire the work and my rear end.  Verbally.  I think this was something that was okay at the Time.  I had certainly taken verbal abuse from adult "men" in Florida previous to the move to Illinois.  I wore my wedding ring on my middle finger. (I'd lost a lot of weight)

The circle was huge.  And then I used white yarn and assorted colored string- I don't remember what I bought at the local hardware store-- and made all these connections that you see here (needing to make more circles and pound more nails).  The design on the Math Dept Wall- that any other Department Head could see walking by- "open concept"  was stunning........that was the whole idea.  The Math Department Head was wanting that.  An image of Mathematics being "stunning".

Well, that was a lovely trip down memory lane. 

I also wrote down all the topics discussed on the Sports Show yesterday.  Stink Bugs. Lead Paint. Broken Back Injury of the photographer at the Super Bowl and video of Stafford turning his back on the accident after watching her fall (now paying her medical bills- NOT saving him from criticism), Woodpeckers.  Married at First Sight show. Also several call ins from bars with drunk dialed Sports info.  All the topics related to Scott Zolak's insect and woodpecker house siding problems. Not Stafford or Married at First Sight- that was Bertrand.  And you wondered why I watch.   There was also a Giant Sturgeon. It either washed up on shore or attacked someone.  Might have been one of the bar callers.  Men are so entertaining.-- and they had pictures of Sturgeon.  Not the same one that attacked someone. Ick.

Daily Notes- February 18th. Melting Snow. Sunshine.

 Curling.  Almost the entire day.  This is my tabletop curling game.  The little "stones" have rolling balls under them.  So they roll down and "hit" the others in the circle.  I was showing husband how it works. He thought it was "stupid".  The red ones outside the circle are "guards" to hopefully block stones from getting into the scoring circle..  At this point, it looks like the aqua team might have three points.  If the lower left stone has enough of a "bite" of the inside circle.  The red might have the same "bite" so they would have to get the electronic measuring device out. If red is in more- one point for the red team. No points for aqua.  I wish the stones were red and yellow like in the real games. Trademark issue, I guess.

The real stones weigh 40 pounds.  And they sit in below freezing temps for 70 hours before the games begin.  The white surface is frozen ice with a pebbled surface so the stones slide over top.

Today is the last Curling Day I believe.  Then it's over for another 4 years.

My left eyelid itches.  Allergy.  I must have eaten too much of something yesterday and set it off.  Or rubbed my eye with something on my hand.  Which my eyelid didn't like.  Fun times, being me.

I finished the vegetable soup yesterday.  I am thinking about what to make next for today.  Another, Different Soup (black bean bisque)?  A Vegetable Pasta?  A Romaine and Swiss sandwich?  Kraft Mac and Cheese? Or Steamed Jasmine Rice with Frozen Green Peas?  I don't think any of the choices has much protein. Possibly the sandwich which has cheese?????  I could also eat a big handful of walnuts.  Or make pancakes with lots of butter and syrup.  I try NOT to make the Pancakes.  I am the Poster Child for the Unhealthy Way to Not Eat (too many) Animal Products.  With exception of Cheese, Milk and Butter- where no died. I will admit to the animals not having a "Happy Life" no matter what the packaging on the products says.

Are you bored to death yet?  I am.

My book yesterday was The Lost Letters of William Woolf by Helen Cullen.  If anyone has read this book comment- I am left wondering who William Woolf ended up with.  The author sort of left it hanging-- right on the last page of the book.

Daily Notes-- February 17th. A Cloudy Dark Morning in the 40's. Melting.

 The Ice melts and create puddles of water during the day.  At night, it freezes to shiny slippery ice again.  The Moon shines into the windows.  Keeping me awake.  One night I got up and the entire front yard was bright as day light.  The Moon shining off the snow.  The Night World.

My brain is still "sleep fogged" and the dreams of last night are still on the edges of my consciousness.  I can't remember them...but they still exist.

What will I do today?  I ask that every morning.  What will I do today.  When I worked the morning question was easier- what will I wear today?  what food will I take to work for lunchtime? Once I got to work...there were no questions.  Just work.  Life was simple.

Now Life is complicated by so many hours and too many choices.  I think it's why I read so much.  Then I do not need to make choices.  The consideration of choices takes up so much "room" in a day's thoughts. Do I mend pants? Do I sweep up dust on the wood floors?  Do I wash just a few dishes or wait till there is more?  Do I do the Washing Machine Pages and a load of husband's work clothing?  There seems to be many changes of work clothing.  What has he done???  Chopping ice on the driveway is the only work I have seen.

I have noticed the seat of the cherished and very old mossy green corduroy pants has grown smooth.  No longer the corduroy feel of ridges.  What will I do without them?  I have long hoped that the pants and I would co-exist together.  To the end.  The new Bean pants are not like these and the old pants do not show up at Goodwill anymore.  These might be over 20 years old.  Bought, by me, already old and worn.

Daily Notes- Wednesday, February 16th. Overcast, Ice

 Library books to pickup.  And two smooth skinned Navel Oranges at grocery. Beauties. Also a box of kitchen can garbage bags--husband says we're out..

I had a bad start to the day.  Yesterday I read Josie Silver's One Day in December.  About a young woman who is very sad one December and is on the top level of a London bus when it stops to let out and pick up riders and she makes eye contact with a young man sitting in the shelter waiting for a bus.  There is an instantaneous "something" that they both feel.  She wonders if she should get off the bus and he wonders if he should get on.....then the bus drives off.  Somewhere in the middle I realized this was a book I had read before and forgotten to write into my book journal.  It's incredibly good and very sad.  It actually doesn't go very well for either Busgirl or Busboy but in the very last few pages.... what was that thing Paul Harvey used to say? ...and here's the rest of the story covering ten years? Or something like that.  It's a good book.  But you will cry. I did. But that's a good thing...flushes things out of the soul. I cried this morning remembering it.

I checked out two more books about Regret.  Jane In Love and Kinsella's Twenties Girl.  Jane Austin time Travels and in Twenties Girl a ghost haunts her great granddaughter.. to find her lost necklace. After all the Romance, I need a bit of Regret.  

The USA Men's Curling team will not be playing for Gold. All it took was one stupid decision and that was it--Italy will pay for Gold..  Law and Order is starting over with Season One.  I watched for awhile. Several of the  paid cable networks are having a "One Month Free Trial"-- Prime and AMC.  Prime has all the Masterpiece Romances and AMC has Mad Men.  Tempting but so little actual Time for watching marathon tv.

We didn't have Football Pizza with the Super Bowl as it was on too late.  So we are having Pizza today. Probably.  I never really know what's going to happen at mealtime.  Husband has decided to stop eating dessert.  I suggested a smaller bowl of dessert ...as a try out while the dessert box is still  FULL.

Daily Notes- February 15th- Sunshine here is blinding- but 20 degrees so still Winter.

 Saw these chairs on a "certain website" and shocked to find they are $899 each.  Not including shipping and handling.  There's a perfect desk table as well.  And a dining table.  I didn't price those items.

Sticker Shock.  Would be similar to buying a new car. If one was getting 8 or 10 of these.  This ONE would look grand in my bedroom- matching the pencil post bed.  Holding my laundry. In Future years I could sit in it and try to get my feet into my shoes or slippers.  One would never be enough. 

This chair expresses my personality.  100%.  Wide seat.  No nonsense.  Classic.  Strong back.  

We celebrated the Valentine Holiday by going to the grocery to pick up my inhaler prescription. Co- pay was $120.  Three months of being able to breathe.   Good enough.  Then the Library.

People (men) watching at the grocery.  Walking in and then standing in front of the red rose bouquet display.  And selecting and then in line paying. One guy- got two.  Lead me to having "thoughts", hoping one was for his mother (but probably not).  Daughter was at work wrapping candy gifts all day and eating the not so perfect gigantic strawberries which were not going to be dipped in chocolate and drizzled with pink and red tinted white chocolate.  She is still in the Leaky Gut Protocol so no chocolate for her.  Just defective berries.  She said they were tasty.

More cards have arrived at their destinations.  I wish I had made more.  Next time I will use a larger piece of cloth to paint.  Then I'll have more.

Tampa Bay called.  Old friends from South Florida (then Ireland, then Germany, then France, then Italy, then North Carolina, then Florida).  We've know each other a long long time as husbands worked in Europe with mine.  Then a second call as an old friend from Italy was visiting her and they asked me if I was the one...and I admitted to breaking the washing machine and buying fancy sheets but nothing else in the Rome Apartment.  She remembered me as blonde-  And the phone ended quickly after that.

Good Times.

Daily Notes- February 14th- Happy Valentine's Day

 Well.  Super Bowl Sunday is in the rear view mirror.  The Bengals very very nearly got their rings but the Rams...well a throw to Cooper Kupp in the end zone ended that dream.  I was actually okay with either team winning.  And the Rams were all crying they were so happy.  Odell got a ring. No one broke any bones though I worry about the Burrow's knee and Odell's knee.

The commercials were way better than usual but some were still so weird........I noticed a real Hollywood vibe. We skipped Football Pizza as it was so late by the time the game started.  I'll make it today and it will be Valentine Pizza.

Daughter is aggravated because of the Valentine shoppers at the Candy Factory.  I hope she calms down before we get to Easter.  She counts the days before Spring Cleanup and she is back to landscaping work. And no People.  Customer People.  Her father and I always enjoyed Customer Service Work.  Not our children. 

At the Greenhouse I always had a line waiting to talk to me.  It never stressed me out.  I guess I'm weird? I know my boss was often confused by my calm attitude.  I sort of thought of all the question answering as being "not working" so there was that.

Will be a quiet day here- still lots of frozen solid snow on the ground.  Grocery store and Library and then back home.  I might buy myself some flowers. If there are any good ones left at the grocery store.  

Wishing you all a  Be Happy Day.

Daily Notes- Sunday February 13th- Super Bowl Pizza

 Scrap Cloth from the edges of the Valentine painted fabric.  And a gift that arrived in yesterday's mail- which husband carried in with the Sunday Paper.  Thank you.  It will be in EVERY book from now on.

I hate wasting anything.  So I spent time while watching Women's Curling to puzzle together the scraps I had removed from the Valentine painted cloth.  I like it. This is version 300 something. I added black pen lines around the white dots.  Now I just need to do some zigzag on it with red thread...see how it goes.  I'll remove the zig zag if it doesn't work- and I am considering a lime green thread......lots of choices in the box of "as yet" unused thread.  I was quite into glow in the dark thread......wow.

I thawed out the ball of pizza dough for the Football today.  But it seems like the game is going to go on for years instead of hours.  So.......when to eat pizza will have to be decided.........

My eyes are exhausted.  I need to rest them after applying moisturizing drops.  I get my eyes checked in March and will more than likely get a new prescription. though now I realized the close lens is actually quite clear,  It's the reading the desk top screen that isn't clear.  the light outside is incredibly bright and hurts my eyes.  Glare off the snow.  The driveway gets Sun so it's black now.  Up near the house (shade) is an ice rink.

I enjoyed my gigantic lettuce and cheese sandwich yesterday.  I always forget how much.....  I might just serve my pizza slices with a huge pile of Romaine later today.

That's all I have for today.  I slept well, but wish I was the napping sort.......a nice nap would be divine.

Daily Notes- Saturday, February 12th. Cloudy with a chance of 50 degrees.

 Art by a film illustrator.  Children's movies are so colorful and fun.  I did like Bugs Bunny and the Roadrunner in the Olden Days and the Glorious old Sleeping Beauty movie..

The Curling continues to disappoint.  I"d really like Mixed Double Doubles.  Two men and two women on a team. The Teams are just so disappointing- for me and for themselves--making so many mistakes.  And a few of the teams look like they fell out of bed minutes before the match begins- not even showering or fixing their hair.  Jet Lag- difficulty with the accommodations????  Haggard faces.  Dull eyes.  

My Sports Talk Shows- they are ragging on the Bengals.  You know I don't care for that.  

And I seem to have a rash on my eyelids.  Which is not a great start to the weekend.  Usually it's an allergy or I rubbed my eyes with something on my hands that the skin doesn't like.

I am pretty SURE it's from STRESS.

Husband asked if I had White Out to cover a mistake on his coloring book page.  I said no.  I have never used  or purchased White Out.  He kept looking...... then as I walked past like 10 minutes later he asks "Do you have any White Out?"  I inquired but he had no memory of asking me twice......so a perfect day.....

I still haven't made myself a dessert. I feel inert.  I did reheat a bowl of vegetable soup for my late lunch/early supper yesterday after the White Out Incidents..  Today- to celebrate it being 50 degrees, I am having a gigantic Swiss and Romaine Lettuce Sandwich.  Big as my Head.  Well, not really.  But lots of Romaine.  And some Benadryl.  Not a good day.

Daily Notes- Friday, February 11th. Sunshine but driveway still ice covered.

 

One can dream, can't one?  Of Sunshine and Insects?

We had a good day yesterday.  Nothing much happening.  Which is fine.  Some good laughs on the Sports Shows...which is why I watch.  I enjoy a good laugh.  G did excellent work on his coloring book Mandela. It even had added worms along the outside edges. Hand drawn by him. I was impressed.

I am noticing and thinking about some green spotted cloth I have and that little sort of Patchworky bottom section of image up top.  I adore dotted fabric.  I like the wonky look.  And I, of course, like the big circle.  Ideas are rolling around inside my head. I could also try and paint this stripe and dot combo.  I have another piece of cloth in the restaurant sized baking sheet.  Waiting.

I may bake today.  Dee sent me the recipe for the GORGEOUS Irish Soda Bread on her blog.  It's easy enough to get together and into the oven. No yeast involved.  I used to make a more intensive (work wise) Irish Soda Bread with whiskey soaked raisins.  It took "planning" and that isn't my "wheel house" these days.  I sort of drift into things.  And if I drift into a stoppage- I tend to stop and drift over to something else.  No plan in place. But I do have to work on making a substitute buttermilk for the recipe.  I am thinking there is some sort of dairy in the fridge that has gone "past" it's use by date and is nicely sour.

I did a  washload of white and light colors.  It's still drying.  Then I will fold and put away.  The Washing Machine Pages got a bit dark towards the end so I decided not to do a second load of wash.  We'll have clean underwear.  Clean pillow cases.  Clean shirts.  Clean pajamas.  Clean socks.  Clean dishtowels. I call that a "good result" and will go down soon and fold everything before it wrinkles.  That's it for today.

Daily Notes- February 10th- 40 degrees but that means water on top of packed snow.

 Hellebore.  Winter Rose.  I have some growing in my south facing beds.  They bloom in May here in Maine. Ground is frozen solid now.  But not this color.  Which is divine.  Ancient looking.

Well....three chicken dinners in the fridge makes husband very nervous- so out we went to grocery and library (I had a book to pick up); five more chicken dinners, a few more yogurts and lo and behold- Quaker Oats.  The big box.  Which is great.  BUT.....I mixed the store brand oats and the Quaker this morning- half and half- and it was actually okay.  Edible.  Which is in the oatmeal ballpark.

I tried to watch Men's Curling yesterday starting at 5pm.  Four men on each side.  I liked mixed doubles way way better.  So much talking and yelling with the men and two guys brushing one stone......much ado about nothing.  And...none of them were good to look at.  Mostly older, fatter, with way terrible hair on their heads and faces.  Give me that 6-6 Italian.  Please!!!  He wasn't that great looking but so much better than these old guys.  And he was quiet.  I am seriously GOOD with no yelling. 

ROC is the Russian Olympic Committee (white shirts).  It is also the Republic Of China (red shirts).

Book Reading..  This is going exceptionally well.  I'm glad I saved up all my favorites for February.  And I have time with due dates to go through them all a second time before they get returned. Short Month.

I delivered the last of my Valentines today.  And got one in the mail yesterday.  And I discovered I have Easter Cards. Super. (I have a dresser drawer filled with cards but most are not holiday cards). I did NOT go to post office to buy Valentine Stamps- I used up some other stamps.  I am putting Christmas Stamps on bills.  The walking areas and steps of the post office put me off of going there in person.  Snowy and icy spots.  Traffic. Busy Street.  I'll wait.

Year Three of COVID.  Who would have thought it, huh????  The Gift That Keeps On Giving.

Daily Notes- Wednesday, February 9th. Sunshine.

 I took this picture yesterday.  It's the very first change I made to the new house in December of 1991. I added a door between the kitchen and what was once the dining room- now where I write to you and sit on the couch and read and watch tv.  I took the picture while sitting on the couch.

Yesterday, the Gold/Silver medal Doubles Curling Game between Sweden and Italy.  I had tears in my eyes (why???) when the last Italian stone slid quietly, smoothly and perfectly-into a just barely there pocket for the win.  The Italians- in their first Doubles event ever- had won all ten of their matches.  And Gold.

And another thing.  In the Curling matches there is always screaming while one team member brushes the stone down the course to the circles.  That never happened with the Italians.  The 22  year old woman never did any sweeping.  Her 6 foot 6 male partner did- while listening to her quiet voice murmuring- "bella...bella...bella" and other encouraging words in Italian as the stone slides and then turns and then stops gently into the center of the center.  Again. And Again.  And Again.

The American curler doing commentary- was often speechless.  But when that last gently thrown stone slid into a pocket just the size of the stone itself....he said "perfection".  And. it was.

I am ever so thankful I got to watch.  Husband is safely home from his doctor's appointment and is now going to the back of the house to take a nap.  He was up early.  I have Men's Doubles to watch today. Too many of today's games with ROC and I am wanting to find out what country that is.

Daily Notes- This year I will hit 3800 posts. Not as cold. no Sun, melting slush.

 I'm not much for vegetables and dips.  I liked this image because all the vegetables look so darned delicious.  I have missed radishes.  I always have carrot sticks around. I am looking forward to pea pods.

Husband left early to drive to the hospital to have a "breathing test".  Tomorrow he sees the Lung Doctor. He sees a lot of doctors. He went by himself.  We'll see how that worked out. I may or may not go with him tomorrow. It's a long drive.

Curling was great yesterday - The Italian Team won..  Today they have the finals to see if they can win GOLD..  Don't want to miss that. And I read my book.  99 Percent Mine.  Sally Thorne.  She wrote the Hating Game.  And another book on my pile- Second First Impressions.  I love them all.  But Second First Impressions --I would have to choose it if given only one book of hers.  Teddy.  

So, yesterday...during Curling (TiVo has playback so I can rewind) I chopped vegetables. Potatoes, carrots, onion and cabbage.  Added canned rinsed beans and canned diced tomato.  Chicken bouillon cubes. (I can't find vegetable ones), salt and pepper.  A handful of elbow macaroni.  Water.  It's delicious.  I have three full quarts in the fridge with enough left in the pot to fill a bowl to eat while watching tv.  I also had bread and butter.  I hope they have escarole next shopping day- I actually want Bean and Escarole Soup.

I have one more load of laundry to do today- mostly husband's clothing he wore while snow blowing. And I might untangle the vacuum hose and vacuum a room- maybe two. (but I say that all the time and never actually do it).

Daily Notes- Monday. Washing Machine Pages/Grocery/Reading No Sunshine.

 Permission was given for this image to be here today.  Deb Lacativa's Artful Thread.  She dyes it on the Hot Deck in Georgia. I use it in Maine. What she said okay to was the Golden Bird Scissors.  We both love the ones we own and use. We should start a Golden Bird Scissor's Club.  Deb can be President and I'll be Recording Secretary.

I mailed the Valentines.  I am now considering something green for St Patrick's Day.  I enjoyed painting the fabric.  A lot.  I forget, most days....years...that painting is my first love.  Not drawing or sewing or cloth.  Painting.  Well, I do enjoy Conte Crayon work as well.  But Paint. Brush. Paper.  Love that.

And now I paint Cloth.  And I love cutting the painted cloth up and using it for patchwork or just sewing it down- sort of like a painting.  I have one that I did long ago.  It's very nice. I REALLY love ironing painted cloth when its dried.  So..so wonderful

I sewed the painted fabric hearts to card stock with a zigzag stitch on the Bernina.  I liked doing that as well. Miss Bernina, not so much.....

Today was deja vu at the grocery.  Right back to those first 60 days of COVID.  No oatmeal.  Yogurt and Dairy shelves almost empty.  No zero alcohol mouthwash.  Zero. And zero regular mouthwash- just like two years ago.....  

Plenty of vegetables and meat.  And I think bread was okay as well.  Washing Clothes Detergent shelves mostly bare. I didn't go down the flour and sugar aisle so no clue as to how that is........I got an extra jar of instant coffee--I know how how this story goes..  

Husband sent me into the storage box part of the Attic- he wanted turtleneck pullovers.  He forgot he "hated" them and we got rid of them.  But I did my due diligence and looked in all the tubs. .... which was a good thing.  I found a too small red cashmere sweater- as a donor for mending and a grey one and a black one.  In perfect condition but too small for me to wear.  I am thinking......how to cut them up to assemble a new sweater.  Larger.  We just need to find the ski neck gators and he can wear those.

Daily Notes- February 6th. Sunshine isn't Melting Anything Here In Maine

 Seriously thinking about painting my socks and shoes.

I painted fabric two days ago.  Cut it up.  Made Valentine cards.  Some of you (with addresses I know) will be getting one of them if the Postal Service decides to deliver them.  I also have bills to pay. Other wise one will be here on screen on the Day.

And I have soup vegetables to chop.  

Watched Mixed Doubles Curling yesterday.  Three matches.  The Czech team beat the Americans at the end.  Damn.  But it was good.  More Curling today.  Can't get enough of it.  Like playing Checkers or Chess with Rocks on Ice.

Husband thought that enough snow on surface had melted so he's out with the snowblower shaving off a few inches and then the under stuff can see the Sun and melt???? That's his plan at least.  Husband investigated his dessert storage tub yesterday and found all sorts of new to him dessert items- he was very very happy.  Most of it Pink and Red frosted Valentine stuff.  But- Frosting!!!!!

Maine seems to have a shortage of Quaker Oats. My walking buddy dropped off a box to tide me over. Thank you Janet.  I also might have to try the store brand but I think I did try it at the beginning of Pandemic years ago, it seems.  Was a bit too sludgy.  I do have Cream of Wheat.  I like that. So it's all good.  Well, the snow blower stopped so I need to investigate.  Hope I don't need to become Nurse Joanne.

Daily Notes- Saturday, February 5th- Posting Late I forgot!!!!!

 I painted cloth yesterday.  For a Special Project.  Which I got done this afternoon.  Will go into the mail on Monday.  And I had a second cloth under this one- so I might make something else tomorrow.  Not today.  Watching Curling today.  Love Curling.  China v USA.

Delightful long phone chat with my sister-in-law in Wisconsin. We compared weather stories.  Whatever was on the ground early yesterday is now solid on the driveway and walks.  No hope of getting any of it up. Kathy also mentioned our Mother-in Law's Chicken Soup.  I had to laugh.  She refused to do what MIL did and throw away all the vegetables except for carrot.  I let my husband do whatever he wanted with his chicken soup as I don't eat it.  He eats "strained" broth,  carrots and chicken picked off the bones with noodles cooked separately.. No onion. No celery. No "things" floating in broth.  We laughed.

I had a problem with the pencil sharpener.  Husband had dropped pencils on the floor and they all needed to be re-sharpened.  Took awhile.  But I finally got it going.  I think some lead got stuck in the mechanics. Took much maneuvering to get it working.  I was tempted to say, out loud, "we need to buy an electric sharpener".  Husband would have had his coat on in less that 5 seconds.

It feels really chilly in here today.  And I am cold.  I am also hungry so as soon as husband has his Chicken Parm heated up I am going to heat up my last bowl of vegetable bean soup.  And I am going to think about what soup to make next.  I was going to make Bean & Escarole last week but no escarole.  I might make Lentil & Potato next.  Get a hunk of baked ham at the grocery on Monday to cook with the lentils.  I don't consider ham as meat.....I am such a weirdo.  Or just make the same Bean & Vegetable, again.  Which sounds okay to me.

Daily Notes- Thursday February 3rd. Cloudy with a chance of everything.

 Mending.  For some reason my left elbow on the red sweater was several large holes with slim connecting threads holding them together.  I had no red donor sweater so I cut a piece from the donor black sweater. I had no red yarn so I used a variegated blue and white.  You can see some evidence of another red patch. And center top- some of the black peeking out.  I am looking at this and wondering why no black is showing...............makes no sense.  I have the sweater on and the left sleeve feels very stabile.  Good to go.  What usually happens- is the adjoining areas- either from fatigue or jealousy- gives out-- and needs their own patch/mending. Another Mending Mystery. Possibly the sweater had stretched at the holes and the patching brought them together again???? that's how it looks.  Didn't really matter that the patch was black. Much ado about nothing.

One of the grey sweaters is now mostly mending.  Two layers with heavy mending stitching.  A double layer sweater.  Still my favorite.  Always my favorite.  Same with one very very thin pair of corduroy pants.  85% patch.  Just a waistband and zipper holding the patches together. Oh, the pockets are in good shape as well.  All is well in the World when I wear those pants- I wore them to almost see through thinness. Now the inside is new-the outside old.  Like me?????  My skin is very thin and old.

The neighbor down the street who helped with the snow removal on the weekend- received his thank you candy yesterday.  And he reported in to say it was the All Time Best Candy Gift of his Life.  Daughter and I remembered him mentioning-- off hand, years ago- what his favorite was.  We got that. Lots of that.

That's how we roll.

I had soup yesterday.  It was even better than the last bowl a few days ago.  Soup seems to get better in the fridge.

Most of the desserts are done.  We ate them all.  It's time for me to bake something.  Cookies? Or the Boozie Christmas Bundt?  I never made it for Christmas.  Don't know.  Let you know tomorrow if any baking happens today. Husband is probably getting worried as his box of treats is pretty empty.

No sunshine and we have alerts on the iPhones.  Something.   Always Something.

Daily Notes- February 2nd. Cold here with clouds. I miss the cold Sun.

 Pictorial Cooking Instructions.

My two children- well, perhaps only the boy- would have loved this.  When they were small, before reading.  Yes, the boy.  Three or Four years old.  While he was learning to read- by calling out letters and then asking what the word meant  (he wanted a definition suitable to 3 or 4 years of Life experience- OMG was that difficult for me) and then asked me to use it.  Make a sentence.  Then he would stare at me...then say- "okay".  He'd downloaded it.

We might have started this game earlier- at 3.  Because he was reading actual books by 5.

I didn't have Soup yesterday.  I had yogurt, Bran Buds and Red Grapefruit.  Even though it was ice cold food being eaten with snow and ice outside the windows.  I needed to finish it.  Just a small portion left for today.  Then I move back to Soup.

Brady has retired.  How will that feel going forward????  Who steps up to take his place?  Will anyone, ever?  The Sports Talking Heads are having a week.  First backtracking on the Bengals Trash Talk prior to the game.  Then the excuses for Mahomes failure on Sunday (going swiftly to blaming him for everything and linking him to Rodgers as another "failure" to get to the Super Bowl.)- And then...they had a rather tedious Jimmy G back and forth and then the Rams quarterback got worked over.  They even wondered if the Patriots will take him back--Jimmy G.--thought I'd much prefer the Rams quarterback in Boston if he brings Cooper with him.

I switched to a Hallmark Movie.  And then I turned that off and read my book- same book I read all the time as I love it (Summer and the Mayor).  I finished it right before bed and now I get to read the next one.  I need to order my own copies from the bookstore here in Town.  

I also used the Croatian photo copier to copy Mandala coloring book pages for husband.  He's using ink now and it bleeds thru and ruins the backside blank mandala.  He was sort of surprised at the quality of paper I had used for the copies.  Lovely.  Thick paper and ultra smooth surface. Because I do do nice things for him. I also sent him off to have his hearing aids checked with a note from me.  Service people and Doctors he sees frequently-- always ask if he has a note... if he's traveling alone. They prefer I come with him but.....I try to always go to doctor appointments but not the hearing aid place.  Though I have gone often enough that they miss seeing me.

We'd just inserted a new $80 black ink cartridge (before the machine went Croatian) so I am happy to use it up in a machine that can only make copies but cannot communicate with the computer.  Or it could be the computer that can't...won't....just doesn't want to......I'll save up enough ink to make IRS copies.  Because that Time....is near. But I'll use the ordinary paper for that.  I think I could look up and translate the other commands on the printer........I did translate "copy".   Or not.

Daily Notes- Tuesday, February First. Sunshine & Snow.

 For those of you wondering what I am reading.  The first of the Sonali Dev books has Persuasian in the title.  Read them in order as the characters each have stories and out of order ruins them.  My favorite is the last of the Dev books.  Incense. There should be one more coming soon as there are four adult children in the Raje family.  The Trouble with Hating You was different.  Not your usual funny book about the family.  This one had hard subjects but strong characters.  Another has been written and I am going online to find a library that has it. Eventually, all the "girlfriends" will get their own love story. Fabulously weird "meet cute" at the beginning.

My Library is carrying many new "brown" authors in this very very non-brown State. Possibly the "whitest" State in the Union.  And we are also being offered books on relationships between same sex couples. I am enjoying ALL of it.  And I am thankful to our Librarians. Very much so. We all might be different in many ways...but inside...we are all part of the same humanity..

In the mail yesterday, a postal package with leftover sock yarn.  I used the pale pink and aqua yarn to mend 6 different holes in my favorite grey sweater.  I was going to take a picture for today- but you'll have to wait for tomorrow.  And todays' red sweater has three enormous holes.  So that is on my schedule for the next mending day.  I have to decide on grey or black for the patches as I do NOT have a donor in red.

Thank You Paula!!!  I used your yarn leftovers to mend socks the first time and now sweaters.

I had SOUP for supper last night and this particular pot of Pantry Soup (Dee!!) was more delicious than all the ones that went before.  How can that always be the case?  I am having Soup again today. I watched a PBS cooking show I had recorded with Chicken Paprikash (which my grandmother made often).  And I learned that a massive influx of immigrants came to America in the late 1800's and settled in Cleveland, Ohio.  My grandparents and their brothers and sisters included in that massive amount..  Some of the brothers and sisters later moved to Pennsylvania or  New York State. My grandparents and my grandmother's sister and her family stayed in Cleveland. I saw their names on a census record living in the same two family house.

Daily Notes- Monday January 31st. End of the Month

 I need to find new photos.  I'm out.  So you get cherry cheesecake.  And doesn't it look AMAZING!!!

The snow is cleared and husband is wanting to go to the grocery store.  Prescriptions to pick up. He is wanting to "do something".  Anything.  So we will go to the grocery store- I am wondering if they will have what we need as yesterday was first time things were moving around here on roads.

Football.  OMG.  It was fantastic.  Bengals defeated Mahomes.  And the announcers said for the third time this season.  I had though Mahomes was bulletproof.  I guess he isn't.  He scrambled a lot behind the line of scrimmage but had no targets to throw to and decided not to try to run.  That last play he just sort of gave up.  And McPherson put another one over the goal posts.  He's my favorite footballer right now.

Then the 49ers and the Rams.  Cooper Kup is my favorite on the Rams team.  And I never saw Beckham so focused and involved.  He wanted that win..  His first Super Bowl.  Imagine that.  

I KNOW Connie is very happy the Bengals are going forward.  

I can't wait for 2 pm and my Sports Show. The guys there didn't have the two teams that won- in their lists of talking points.  They dismiss young quarterbacks. Ha! Can't wait for the backtracking.

Well, I wrote to you before eating breakfast and I'm very hungry.  So, until later.  Thank you Kim for the comment yesterday- I replied to you there.

Sigh.  January is coming to a close.  February.  Well, we'll see what happens.

Daily Notes- Sunday, January 30th- And the Snow Is Done

 The front porch.  The bear my brother in law Roger carved for us as a house warming gift..  The neighbor down the street- a lawyer- shoveled our porch and sidewalk.  He and husband are now dueling over who clears the driveway with the snow blower. Men.  Me? I'd say have at it neighbor.

It snowed all day yesterday and into the night. Wind blowing the dry snow sideways.  Accumulation was at or under two feet.  Very light dry snow which is blowing all over the place.  The heavy wet stuff- well, that's killer.  The electricity never flickered.

Husband was clearing heavy snow the day he had his heart attack.  But Riley let us know it was his heart and we got him to the local ER fast enough and they got him all wired up and into an ambulance and the ER at the big surgery hospital 40 minutes away was waiting and rolled him right in to the operating room and then two days later opened his chest for the big heart surgery.  We take snow seriously.

Gary's brother died in his snow covered front yard in Wisconsin years ago- same age as my husband when his heart gave out. And their father the same age when he died.  That bear is always there.  On the front porch.  Like a protective guard dog.

Snow always brings back these twin memories.

So...the Sun is shining.  Bright sparkling WHITE everywhere.  Football today, I guess.

The Sunday paper was delivered an hour ago.  All is right with the World.  Another storm is rolling in..but we have today, the sunshine and what's not to like?, huh.  And Snow is the most excellent of fertilizers as the snow holds all kinds of minerals and moisture.  And we have the best neighbors.

Daily Notes- Saturday, January 29th. Blustery Snow Blizzard

 All this Old Bird needs is some red frame eye glasses, a sweater and I can use it for my driver's license.

Late in the evening yesterday- I made a big pot of vegetable soup.  The lead character in the book I am reading spent time, twice, chopping vegetables for soup for her mother who is vegetarian and not feeling well.  And I was thinking, if the power goes out and we are using the generator...then I won't be able to cook on the stove until power is restored.  Microwave will be on the generator.  So I made three quarts of soup.  Using up most of the vegetables in the crisper drawer.  Adding items to the shopping list. Husband has his prepared chicken meals.  I have my soup and my oatmeal which I prepare in the microwave.

Alls well.  George will come to start the generator.  Husband put his back out last time pulling the start cord.  Two years ago. He doesn't remember.

I got up a bit late....when there is nothing to do..I tend to lose the need to get up.  But I did get up and with the secondary thought of the snowstorm- I did a load of laundry (while we had electricity and hot water) to make sure I was stocked up on underpants.

Soup. Generator. Underpants. Books.

The snow, so far, is tiny and hard.  Blowing. Sideways  The wind is the real problem.And power lines going down.  Which is the actual reason they have asked us not to drive- people sliding into power poles with their cars/ trucks with bald tires- and then other cars sliding into the truck and then the power pole. 

 Three inches of hard crunchy snow has accumulated and it's just after 12 noon.  Another 24 hours.  At least that is what husband is reporting.  Mostly White Out conditions out there.  As I look out the window to my left- I can still make out the big tree and the fenced vegetable garden.  The dark items in the yard.  

Newspaper was delivered and the mail came a half hour ago.  In Maine, we just accept these things. I am now going to reheat my coffee and settle into the couch with my book.  Books, Soup and Clean Undies.

Daily Notes- January 28th- Waiting for the Snow Cyclone/Blizzard.

 It's  https://www.kzstevens.com/events  Perhaps without the /events we can get to something more?

I look forward to owning some faded blue denim on which to mend and mend and mend. I do have bits and pieces I use to patch pants.  I'll start saving them up.

I found, this morning, a list of ingredients but not a recipe.  For the recipe I have to sign up and pay. Potato Flautas.  Mashed potato mixed with butter, milk, chilies and cheese. Rolled into a- now here I am making a leap- corn tortilla??- and frying.  I'm Austrian-Hungarian-Slovak (like my printer/copier)  so I have a great love of all things potato and cheese in my DNA.  I mean who else is craving mashed potato cheese fried tacos right now???? Me. I'd add raw onion to my mashed potato.

Yesterday on PBS- The British based Jamaican Bobsled Team.  For this year.  Training by pushing cars uphill and running the sled on wheels down steep hilly roads- practicing getting on a moving sled..  But they were having the time of their lives and the Queen was tickled to meet them. I was, too.

Snow is predicted.  Wind.  The Wind is the major worry.  All our electricity is strung up on tilting wood poles.  They come crashing down.  Often.  When it rains. Blizzard?  Everyone cross your fingers and pray for us. Please.

Daily Notes- January 27th. Thursday...wow Still very COLD

 I chose this image for the colors.  There were many of this type of image to select from.  I liked the black and white also.  And that the stockings and shoes were also painted.  Here's another idea that I had about a quilt.  Painting the fabric as one whole and then quilting it.  I did this on small pieces. It was fun.  Most were sold or given as gifts.

Today is brilliantly BRIGHT outdoors.  Sun reflecting on SNOW.  BLINDING.

The numbers of unvaccinated Mainers in hospitals and morgues grows each day.  Unvaccinated. Sigh. It's almost like suicide. Only it takes so long and the ventilator is horrible.  And who pays???? I mean it's expensive to be in the ICU for days and even weeks.  I can contemplate insurance companies refusing to pay hospital bills.  As it was a "personal choice" to not be vaccinated.  And for those with no insurance?

So...library email today.  More books.  Books I want to read.  So we'll make another voyage in the car to the Library after husband finishes all his puzzles.  The Word Search and the Jumble.  I helped with the one from yesterday.  The single jumbles are fine- but the one that has a silly word clue that uses the letters from the four single jumbles...... isn't.

We had cheesecake (finally) for dessert last night.  It was delicious.  Husband had candy sprinkles on top of his slice.  And whipped cream.

My VERY HEAVILY mended sweater has more threadbare holes showing up- next to the mending. So I need to do some additional work.  Susan sent me a link to a Mending Blog.  And it was a delight as some of the clothing shown was ENTIRELY mending.  Laughing over here.  Jeans with not one speck of denim showing.  I LOVED it.  Which reminds me- Daughter's gardening pants need a third application of patching on the knees. Annual Mending.  The pants themselves ..are heavily painted. Like mother, like daughter.

Daily Notes- January 26th. Not as Cold. But Still Cold.

 Talkie.  Grace's Chicken.  Windthread.    I had to bring the image here.  So so wonderful-- isn't she? Such Character. Personality.  Spunk. (so like Grace)  I used to make fabric appliqué chickens.  I think I will make a Talkie square.  Her colors are so deep.......  that eye.  What's not to love and admire???? And I happen to have a large amount of red fabric. A good amount of it- chosen because it resembled feathers.

Oil Delivery.   198.9 gallons (the guy thinks the tank might hold 250)  Total cost. $898.52.

Last time they delivered the same amount the bill was $367.

I am happy we replaced the original oil burning furnace with a more efficient one years ago- when it started "seeping"......we asked and the guy working on it "mansplained" it meant the oil was "seeping" out of the furnace thru worn out seams.  Which is why we smelled oil fumes in the house.

But still...$898.52 was quite a shocker.  And I never have the heat higher than 65 (even when it's minus 10 outside).  Because- we have sweaters, corduroy pants and wool socks and down comforters on the bed..  But still- our hands are always cold.....like right now.  Icy fingers.

I fried up Potstickers for husband yesterday for his 3 pm meal. ( mostly because we had spoken harsh words to each other)  I had steamed white rice.  I forgot to add frozen peas to the rice while it rested after cooking.  So.....Just Rice.  I also forgot to add butter.  Sigh. Those words were harsh..... But it was fine....at least we had a meal. And today is another day.  Fresh Page or Slate.

More books have arrived at the library for me- interlibrary loans.  We might drive over and get them. And that's about all for today. I have a Meatloaf Prepared Dinner (from grocery) for my dinner today.  And Cheesecake from the Grocery Bakery.  So...it's a Lovely Day in The Neighborhood.

Daily Notes- Tuesday, January 25th- Snow Over Night. Light and Dry.

 I am assuming (yes) that clicking on the image will take you to the source.  What did I like the most? the white dots of course.  I'm not sure of the composition itself.

So...snow overnight.  Light and dry-- so easy enough to shovel, except there is an inch of smooth ice under the snow.  Accident Waiting To Happen.

Oil delivery is supposed to come today.  I usually don't pay any attention in the 30 years we've lived here- but husband noticed it was down to a quarter tank and I started...being worried. I called 30 minutes ago.  They were sort of amused.  It's coming they said.  Hung up.

Customer Service isn't what it used to be.

I prepped a bowl of Vanilla Noosa Yogurt, grapefruit segments (removed from their skins) it's called something I have tried to spell but can't- I saw it on a cooking show and taught myself how to do it. Removing the fruit from the segment covering.... supreme something.  Fussy. Good knife skill to learn.  The naked segments are so much better that way.

The Cooking Channel was quite different in the very beginning when I started watching- 1990's.  They mostly showed a French Chef cooking on a huge blackened stove with flames and using dented blackened pans.  The way restaurants really cooked back then.  I watched their knife skills, their sauce skills, plus mixing, folding, whipping.

I learned how to cook.  I even made my brother shout with laughter when I told him the pork I had in the oven was  "acid forward" in flavor.  Then he tasted it. Then he "got" it.  "oh!".  I think my rolling metal shelving unit of pots and pans was another thing he stood and inventoried.  And the large full knife block.

I used to even make homemade Potsticker Chinese dumplings from scratch as they say. They were fantastic. I don't do that anymore.  So........we went to the library yesterday and today a notice that books have arrived for pickup.  More books.  I am reading Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors.  Not sure I like it yet-- one character's last name is Dashwood.  In the first book I read- Wickham.  I'm not even sure which is the first in the series of three. Very large Indian family- Raje. Pronounced RaJay. Written in the book.

Daily Notes- Monday January 24th. Slow Start Monday

 Football.  Sunday.  Pizza.  Screaming at the TV.  Those teams refuse to listen to my advice.

Some won. Some lost.  But.....I was  super happy the Rams won.  Super. Happy.  Cooper Kup for the Win.

We had Football Pizza.  Got bored during the Tampa Bay game.  And angry.  And then laughed when Brady got one to the mouth.  His wife, in the party booth, was laughing with some guy and eating candy with her back to the game. Supportive.

Then the 49 Niners Game.  Not happy with that.  Buffalo gave up.  It happens and I don't understand it. Aren't they primed to WIN???  Had a couple good chances.  My coaching from Maine wasn't enough, I guess.

We have already shopped for groceries and toilet paper.  I went to the library to pick up books I had ordered from other libraries.  Husband driving my car.  Always ..not a pleasant experience for me or my car.  I bought bagels and a carrot bar cake for husband.  No treats for me. I wanted kale for soup but- was way too large.  No escarole.  I like bitter greens in my soup.

I usually buy a package of four moist thick Brownies but not today.  I bought Dr Bronner's Baby Soap- unscented for washing my hands in my bathroom.  I have a second bar by the kitchen sink.  COVID hand washing.  I had stopped but now I wash my hands after leaving the house (returning).  Masking Order in my local area.  Safer. But.

I did buy two very large heavy red grapefruit.  Smooth skin.  To segment and eat with vanilla Noosa yogurt and Bran Buds.  My grocery had a "new to them and me"--quart container of Noosa in the coolers.  I love Noosa. This means I skip my Statins while eating the grapefruit and then start up again after.  So four days (or more) with no statins. My blood work report was Perfect.  And I have permission to eat grapefruit.  Just not WITH my meds..  As a special treat in Winter.  Like this week. So that is super exciting.

Susan S has sent me a link to a very very delicious Mending Site with Pictures.  I am in Heaven. Yes, Susan- just the kind of mending I like. So so great.  I'm going there when I hit publish.  The sweater I am wearing right now is more patches than sweater.  And I noticed a few new worn out places. Let the mending commence.

Daily Notes- Sunday, January 23rd- Bengals and 49er's Win. At the Last Minute.

 The view from inside my house.  This post might not get finished as the computer had an "episode" last night that required a hard shut down.  Last legs. And it was difficult waking it up this morning.  But this is the view.  The part closest to you is ice.  Down, right of the big bushy thing- the side walk is dry. And further down the driveway is dry also.  Ice where the Sun Don't Shine.

Football yesterday.  Bengals!!!!!!!  And this morning we read that Jimmy G didn't "crap his pants" and the 49ers beat Green Bay in Green Bay where it was FRIGID.  Now.....which one of these teams do I want to play the Buc's and Brady????  Well, if Brady makes it today.....the betting lines got two games wrong so far.

I have a ball of pizza dough warming up.  Just out of the fridge it takes it a few hours to get itself going.

My co worker at the greenhouse sent a book title- A Noise Downstairs.  Barclay.  She says it's a creepy mystery, if I like that sort of thing.  I do and I don't.  I sort of like being scared- but then I don't.

I am re-reading the Hating Game for like the 10th time.  And it's very different this time.  This happens. I'm different this time so the book is too.  Things that bothered me about the book the first 9 times- this time they don't.  This time I am reading it entirely differently.  There is subtext I never realized before. I am enjoying the book so much more, being more sympathetic to the male character. I am evolving.

Finished my soup yesterday- added a bit more water to make it looser.  Had another Swiss, Mayo and Romaine sandwich (the last of everything) while tucked under my down couch blanket..   No candy.  No cookies.  I did some sewing.  Started today with a hot shower, fresh clothes.  I even remembered to comb my hair (I tend to forget as I wash up sans eyeglasses and don't really SEE my hair looking all weird)  

I am trying to remember if I brushed my teeth???

The computer thing shook me up.  Made me feel like I was alone on a dark strange highway not knowing where I was or how to get home.  It woke up sort of fine this morning.  I'll give reading blogs a try now that I've written to you.  Because you are one of the best parts of my day.

Daily Notes- Saturday, January 22. Cold but lots of bright sunshine.

 Isn't it Delightful!!!  The Bird Feeders here are full.

My car passed inspection but needed to have the battery charged before and after.  In the cold (with no driving) the battery goes dead.  They did something else- replaced an air filter in the dash.  I got fresh oil. A new filter.  I got my sticker.  All is well, in my tiny tiny World.

The Twins dog is getting neutered this coming week.  I doubt this will change his tactic of dragging the owners down the street.  The dog "pulls".  Riley tried that.  I would wind the leash around my hand and stand and lean back (not on ice covered streets, though).  We would stand.  Like that. Each time he pulled.  He stopped pulling because he wanted to walk.  Sigh.....each dog owner has to learn on his/her own, I guess.  

The breeder of my Riley had one bit of advice.  YOU are in charge.  NEVER the dog.

I think that is true of raising children as well...up to a certain point.  After that, they never listen to you.

So...Football Games today.  We are pretty excited to have something to watch.  Husband opened the new puzzle and is looking for edge pieces.  It's a huge puzzle.  He likes having a selection of activities open to him.  The Daily Jumble puzzle from the paper.  Then Coloring.  Then the  Jigsaw Puzzle.  Then reading his book.  Which reminds me- I need to ask if he needs some of his pencils sharpened.  That's my job.

It's very cold and mid week we called the oil company as we had only a quarter of a tank of heating oil. Our next delivery is Tuesday.  It's very cold.  And each time the furnace goes on- I worry it might be the last time. If husband hadn't looked and told me- I wouldn't have a care in the World regarding the furnace. But now I know and now I am worried as we have no secondary source of heat.  We got rid of the wood stove long ago.

I just take a deep dive into WORRY.  It's my personality type.

Daily Notes- January 21st- Very very Cold- Nine degrees

 Bird Walk.  

It's very cold here in Maine.  Mostly the colors of this image.  Brown, grey, white. Nine is cold.

My husband has taken my car in for an oil change and State inspection.  I don't know how long it takes so I can't get too worked up about how long he's been gone.  yet.  I am hoping my little car passes.

I spent some Time yesterday hand sewing.  I was going to show it to you today, but I'm not sure I like it enough but...we'll see how it goes.  I'm treating- so far- the patchwork surface like a big sheet of drawing paper.  Just Doodling with fabric and thread.- but using pencil to draw the shapes--  Easy enough to "erase" items if they don't work long term- just snip and pull the thread away. I think the pencil lines will stay.  They are very lightly drawn. Adds something - something I like.

My Desk Calendar is looking different this year.  Still colorful.  But there is occasional "darkness" in the items in the squares.  And some squares overlap and meander into Future days and weeks. And under the art- there are some appointments etc.  But they get covered up.  So.......no longer a journal so much as it's art.  The squares have appointments and book lists etc- before getting covered up. 

Less a calendar and more of a story board.  January is a story, so far, of being alone. Empty. Searching.

It's just January.  I have eleven months to figure out how it goes.  I might have a designated area to fill with book titles.  I might have another area filled with things that happen.  That area doesn't have to be very large.  Nothing happens.  knock wood.

I need to feed myself.  I can't live by eating only my morning oatmeal and then several cups of coffee that start hot and end up being finished cold.   I am reading Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev. A play on Austen's Sense and Sensibility.  Yoga and Politics.  With a body guard.  20% in and we are still having introductions and explanations.  I'm still reading so there might be something here.  Might.

Daily Notes- January 20th. Not as cold. Not snowing.

 I added four trees like the one on the left and yesterday made the little black and white line.  Which took a long time and made my eyes go fuzzy.  The squares are 1.5 inch finished. I think there should be something on top of the black and white "worm" line" but don't know what yet- I am going with a flat wide flower with black stamen I can't get spell check to get right.  Things that have pollen on the ends. I think they will look amazing.  I may have gotten it.....right.

I also sprayed and wiped down husband's bathroom and my own before going to bed.  They needed it.

Today was BUSY.  And weird.  Got my haircut.  Big sign about wearing masks.  Six weeks ago- last haircut-I was ONLY ONE wearing a mask.  I was also ONLY ONE who hasn't had COVID in past 6 weeks.  Everyone in shop got it. Yes, they did. I really dodged a bullet.  Really......

And I learned that Viagra is supposed to "increase blood flow" and combat COVID. (really this stuff is great) And that my hairdresser asked her doctor for a prescription for Trump"s best medication Intervectin ????  No call back by her doctor.  I pressed my lips together -hard- behind my mask. Lip cramps.  Over a thousand new cases a day here in Maine.  That's a lot of Viagra. Increasing blood flow and getting rid of COVID.  I do get an excellent haircut.......... in case you wonder why I go back.

So........ then I also went to the grocery store.  Chicken Dinners and Cheesecake.   And then Library where I got a bunch of books- with more coming from other libraries....... Deborah- I got Sourdough.  

Daily Notes- January 19th- Cold. Colder. Snowing.

 I need to go looking for Art for this Blog..or stop adding an image.  I LOVE this one.

My Desk Calendar Art is getting "darker" less light and frothy.  I think it's because of the images I am cutting from magazines and the newspaper.  Because...less stuff is shot in pastels these days.  More people, unvaccinated...are in hospitals and dying.  Here in Maine in the 4 digits each week.  Unvaccinated. Dead.

I keep wondering if "new" people will move here or if the population drops below one million for the entire State.  "Settlers" arriving in covered wagons.  Who knows.

Yesterday.  I heated up a big bowl of my soup.  Later I had some walnuts and carrots.

I also hand appliquéd some bits and pieces on my "yard plus square" of patchwork.  After each addition I tossed it flat on husband's ottoman (next to my ottoman) and just glanced at it for minutes or hours.  Until I was sure of what I wanted next.....or if I was going to remove things.  I tend to unsew a lot.  Do you??? I can see a few things I might unsew today.

When I was a member of a Quilting/Talking Chapter- I could ask these things of the "old 70 and 80" quilters.  Now I am that OLD and I still have questions.  Do you sew things and then take them apart..not right away but eventually?????  This particular piece (square) has been hanging around, folded for quite awhile.  I unfold it and lay it on the floor and look at it and then fold it back up.  

I came to quilting late and I was a no rules quilter.  Because I didn't know there were rules.  

Later I did a bit of Class Teaching.  Yes, Me.  It was fun.  Sort of ...if you want that color next to this one- why not.  Give it a shot.  And to be accepted...I even made a few Civil War type things.  Appliqué.

Anyway.  Cloth this week and not books.  Eye drops.  Winter Eyes.

Daily Notes- Tuesday, January 18th. Freezing Cold. Ice. Sunshine

 I sewed while watching tv.  Then the California Chargers game.  Very upscale.  And another twosome where only one side came to actually TRY to play.  It's very strange and none of the "Talking Heads" (commentators) have anything to say about it.  One sided playoff games.

I skipped the soup.  I had a Swiss, Mayo, and Romaine sandwich. Greens.  Lots of Romaine.  I ate it while rolled up in a down filled coverlet.  I'll have soup today.  As it's a slippery, shiny Ice World outside today.

The road below the driveway is clean and dry- they spray it with de-icer.  They is the Town.  Our driveway- the part the Sun shines on is also free of ice.  Our front steps and walkways are ice rinks.

Not much else to report.  I am scheduled to get my hair cut on Thursday. And my Honda Car is scheduled for an Oil Change and State Inspection Sticker on Friday.  Big Week. My car has been "out of compliance" with the sticker for a long time.  The fine is $100 a month if caught by the Police, going back to original expiration date. I drive to grocery store and walk to library from there.  I go nowhere.  And when I tried for a sticker one December (not last month), my car failed.  Repairs to things were needed and they got done- but once it snows- I don't drive.  And here we are...one year later.  I do pay the Town Tax on my vehicle.  That's a tag for the license plate.  The clerk used to do a double take on the mileage when my hair was brown.  Now its white (my hair) and she doesn't.

Anyway........I need to make a dessert for myself..  I finished off the Raspberry Jello.  I have cake mix.  I have brownie mix.  I have cheesecake crumb crust mix.  I know how to make several tasty items in a coffee cup in the microwave..... using cookies. I have a few cookies.  I have chocolate. I have cream cheese. And cream.And Egg Beaters.  I should be able to make myself a "Cup" cake. Or I can just eat candy.

Daily Notes- Sunday January 16th

 A new Project.  Embellishment of this small square pieced top.  It has two borders and then I got "blocked" as to what to do next.  Now I am thinking some "shapes" appliquéd just above that thin border and into the blocks above.  Rectangles (thin and tall) or elongated triangles.  I looked for tiny prints in the fabric closet.  I couldn't find the fabric I made the slim border out of.  Just a strip from the border itself.  It might be enough. Just to remind the observer of the slim border.  That cloudy blue is cloth I painted. I might have some scraps of that.

We went to the grocery today.  At around 2 pm.  Just in case the "Threatening Weather Reports" are correct and we need to get the generator working to power the heat and lights. Tomorrow is the day.  Big Wind. which is nasty here in Maine with so many old diseased trees hanging over the power lines.  In any other Town- they would just cut them down and plant new trees farther back from the streets.

Last time husband got the generator "working" he did something to his back.  And was in a lot of pain for the entire winter spring and summer.  He's just now feeling better.  So...cross your fingers and say a little prayer for us????

Well, I need to start in on making my soup.  I didn't do it yesterday.

That book--- Kinsella's Love Your Life. It was good and I had read it before.  The first 20 pages can put one off.  But once she gets to Italy and the writing retreat- it's a good book.  Not great- good.

Daily Notes- January 15th- Bitterly Cold. Sun Shining. Making SOUP.

 My Soup will sort of look like this soup but I won't be sprinkling mine with green herb leaves. Pantry Soup.  I just dug around in the pantry to find the most current out of date cans for the soup.  Each time I do this I vow not to buy two of anything.  The second seems to sit around and get old. Forgotten.

Or I could just make Pantry Soup every week till I use all the cans up.

But the WHOLE IDEA of Pantry is to have things in there for the "last minute" usage.  Nothing to eat??? There's stuff in the Pantry Cupboard.  But I think...the part missing is the actual Daily Cooking. Or ANY cooking.  Which I no longer do.  Since husband has always preferred anything BUT home cooking.  

Which baffles me.  I can produce a better product.  Husband will refuse to eat the soup I am making.

He has also returned to his addiction to playing games on his iPhone (in the bathroom where he thinks I won't find out).  I am disappointed in him. And I contemplate packing a suitcase and just walking away from what is coming. He'll be in the car driving to a restaurant before I am halfway down the road.  Did you think he would be chasing after me?...that's laughable. Well, he might try to find me when the laundry basket is full or more likely just carry the basket to the dry cleaners.   I am not very cheerful today.

Football today.  And the Weather will be...frigid.  And the Patriots seem to have given up four weeks ago.  Something happened.  Something we may never find out about.  Could be Covid Fatigue.  When talking to the public their voices are flat.  Emotionless.  Like trauma victims. Perhaps family things that they have suffered or are dealing with.

No books to tell about.  I was busy re-reading older books and now have a new Kinsella- Love Your Life to read.  No idea if I will like it.  But it's library due date is close.  The last book I was reading shall not be mentioned.  I got 1/3rd of the way in and the confused writing was more than I wanted to deal with.  Mary Alice Monroe- the summer of lost and found. (author used lower case )  Covid.  (I mentioned it).

Daily Notes- Friday, January 14th. Bitterly Cold

 Pillow three. 

Today I visited the site of a quilt ARTIST I had never known about and...wow..sometimes the things I don't know about Thread, Stitch and Cloth.....overwhelm me. she mentions the Dairy Barn in Athens, Ohio where I went to school.  Ohio University.  At the Time I was there- it was still a barn full of cows.

And wouldn't you know it- now I can't find the link back to that Artist..  Will have to exist in my memory. I can't remember the beginning thread I followed this morning.

But before I left her site: a long book list.  She adds a "what I am reading" at the end of her posts.  And I noticed a few books I had read and enjoyed so I copied the list of books from an additional few posts. Eleven.  Now if I had only written her website at the top.

EDIT:  I found her: Helen Geglio.  I added her to my Bookmark List and now have the task of removing 6 that husband added to my computer.  I am reminded that I actually created this blog one evening with daughter.  All the mechanics of it were done by me.  How I have composted in the years since.  Brain Rot.

Now, long time Readers know the number eleven is important to me.  It's sort of a "beacon".  When it shows up- I pay attention. (yep-- this was a beacon that I have let myself slide....)

It's very cold.  But I have had the furnace running for only a short time.  We have a new puzzle.  I found it on the floor under magazines in the guest bedroom.  Vincent Van Gogh.  Blue Skies.  I paid two dollars for it at Goodwill at some point in time- at least 2 years ago- BC  (before Covid). BC. Gosh. 

Daily Notes- Off to a Bad Start. Trying Desperately to Calm Down.

 Actually there were two pillows I looked at (you will see the second tomorrow).  This one with the bird on red background.  I was thinking it would be nice to replace a few pillows.  On the couches.  And these are colors I have used in the past. And I have a cranberry slipcover for the couch that faces me-- and would it be the one getting the pillows.

If I would be living alone in a small place while husband is...living elsewhere - would this couch with new pillows be too large for my new space? Yes....I don't think I will stay in this huge house alone.  Son can't live here in Maine as the internet is quite awful and not suited to his work needs.

I finished up the food I had made for myself and now need to think of something new to make.  Husband is still eating the Chicken Parm so I only have to make something for myself.  I bought lettuce.  For salads. But when it's 12 degrees outside- not really salad weather. I promised we would have pizza today. And so we will. I can have salad with mine. Thought I do like the salad with pizza to have Caesar dressing. And I do not have any.

It's been a very rough DAY so far. (not even 1pm)  There were raised voices and angry words.  And I know these sorts of days will be commonplace as Time goes on........ In the Gamache book...a wife suggests to her husband that he pack his suitcase for a trip they are taking.  She has the case open on their bed and her husband starts packing.  He isn't going anywhere.  When he's asleep, the wife unpacks the suitcase.  They do this each day as - it gives him something to do.  

It's amazing sometimes...how there will be few sentences, a paragraph in a book that is like a message in a book (not a bottle) to help me get thru a day or a week or a month.  Perhaps even a year. Or many years.

We watched PBS last night.  The scientist with the Octopus in a large tank in his house.  Then butterflies which seem to hold the materials needed to get us thru Global Warming. And finally, the Pacific Ocean.

Daily Notes- A Freezing Cold Wednesday, January 12th.

 

Let's see how many hits from Garnet Hill with this image of the pillow.  Not the one I was actually interested in...but I was interested in being reminded of the border design on this pillow.  I'd show you the other one...but that means going back in...and that will only encourage bad behavior on the part of of the retail/internet.

I also heard from the baking company this morning (emails) regarding my interest in Buttermilk Pancake Mix.

If it wasn't so irritating and STUPID, I might be amused that they have nothing better to do. I am, quite frankly, their demographic...but I think their demographic has gotten tired of baking and cooking. COVID Cooking Fatigue.  It's a thing......maybe.

Yesterday was Computer Housekeeping Day.  Deleting and then Empty the Trash. Done and Done.

I read more of my Louise Penny book.  I am very close to the end but saved the last bit for today.  It got very dark and ugly suddenly..... as these books do near the end.

My Raspberry Jello with frozen raspberries instead of the one cup of cold water- is VERY TART.  I think the frozen berries were NOT sweet.  Which I solved yesterday with a spoon of sugar (so not what I intended when buying sugar free) on the surface under the whipped cream.  Also not the best dessert on a below freezing- furnace running all the time Winter Day.  My excuse is that I forgot where I put the jello boxes..........yep..so I couldn't make jello in the Summer.