. I’m still crocheting like a madwoman, but now I’m chuffed about Lee’s plan for a daily art something in February: “I’m organizing DailyFeb2020, and thinking about what to do for a month is making me happy, and I hope you’ll join me!” (Click the link to see Lee’s post.) I’m pretty sure I’m going to get back to drawing. Very low bar, as Lee suggests, but at least some structure if I have to something every day. It’s been so long, I’ll be awful, but I might get some of my old skill back (that BS in Art Education was a looooong time ago).
But mostly it’s crochet while I watch my latest British TV discovery, the Agatha Raisin mysteries. (Tried the books, couldn’t do it, possibly because I watched “The Quiche of Death” first, in which Agatha is an annoyingly forthright and very competent middle-aged bottle blonde with no boundaries, only to find that in the book she’s frumpy and dull-haired. Just wasn’t the same.). Also, the Brokenwood Mysteries are back for Series Six although they’re being parceled out a week at a time which is just annoying. But thanks to the bounty of streaming TV, I’ve made five hats and four scarves and finished my Forest of Dean.
So what are you working on? Big plans for a new year of Make?
I love the Agatha Raisin TV series! I also tried one of the books and couldn’t get into it, but the TV series is really fun. I have had a really big work project (finished on Monday) hanging over my head for months, and haven’t been able to do any crafting. I had a terrible case of DeQuervaine’s tenosynovitis 25 years or so ago when I was busy typing my doctoral dissertation, and knitting to de-stress at the end of the day. I learned my lesson: when I need to be typing all day, every day, then my knitting has got to take a back seat. I can’t wait to pick up the needles again.
This has been a hellacious week at work – and it’s only Wednesday! I’m hoping things settle down soon.
On Sunday I decided I’d worked on my afghan long enough – and it was long enough – so even though I still had more yarn, I called it quits. It will be perfectly lovely to snuggle up with, seeing as how it is at least 5 ‘ by 6’. (When I held it up to myself, it was taller than me – that’s what convinced me to stop.)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7VzeBVBgQE/
I did go see a show last night – my first evening out in a while! It was “Come from Away”, a musical about Gander Newfoundland and how the people there handled the sudden influx of 7,000 airline passengers on 9/11. It was funny, and sweet, and at times sad. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I can see myself just doing that pattern for.ever. until it was long enough to cover the house! Delicious.
I am determined to finish the afghan I’m knitting for Husband. It’s the biggest project I’ve ever done in my three short years of being a knitter–all others being dishcloths and baby blankets, but he picked the yarn and I’ve been working on it for over a year. Moving slowed me down and so does the rest of life, but I’ve been knitting every night for two weeks while we binge “The Crown” on Netflix. I can do this…right?
Absolutely! I have faith.
I’m havering over Daily February. Latest thought is to use it to start clearing my enormous backlog of unedited photographs, which is seriously in the way of my wanting to take more pictures. I thought perhaps half an hour a day, and then process and share one of the files I’d just sorted (I start by deciding which images to keep, then captioning, keywording and rating them; then I process the best ones, tweaking exposure, colour balance, contrast, etc.)
Meanwhile I’m feeling out of sorts and don’t know what to do with myself. Should do some editing; am anxious to order the fruit I want to plant; and after a visit to a local garden centre with a friend this morning I feel confused and fit for nothing.
But editing and gardening are my priorities for the week.
“It is solved by walking.” St. Augustine, who is often annoying, but sometimes is right.
Hope your out-of-sortsness ends soon–I hate those days.
Walking would have been good, but it was raining. I did the washing-up instead, sorted out a bit of admin for the day job, and then felt up to buying my strawberry runners and raspberry canes, which made me really happy. With a bit more research I found a nursery that can supply all the fruit trees I want on my preferred rootstocks; and then I discovered sources for some unusual climbers and wall shrubs, so I’m on a roll. In fact, must take care everything doesn’t come at once, before I’ve prepared all the ground – bare-root plants need planting pretty much immediately.
I need to find a novel that takes the edge off – the last two or three have been a bit irritating.
I think ‘havering’ comes from the housekeeper who looked after my brother and me for a couple of years when my mother had a long spell in hospital: she’d lived most of her life in Scotland. Unfortunately, I’m rather prone to havering.
“Havering” is new to me.
Been kinda bummed out myself. But Virginia just ratified the Equal Rights Amendment and now I feel so much better.
I was astonished to discover from the book I’m editing on global feminism that the ERA hadn’t been passed decades ago.
In the US any amendment to constitution has to pass both Houses of the Congress (good luck with that) then has to be ratified by 38 States (2/3). This is very difficult to do. Further there was a time limit for ratification so there is some question whether the amendment even with 38
States meets the qualifying requirements.
The amendment process is why our archaic electoral college system for electing presidents is still with it. The electoral college gives a huge advantage to small states and states which are predominantly rural and they are not willing to give up the advantage that the electoral college gives them. Plus it has to make it through both houses of Congress.
Thanks, Jessie. These things are confusing to us foreigners.
Havering, we used this word in Scotland meaning “I can’t decide which one to pick”, ie what colour should I chose?
Haver is an excellent word. I’m sure it comes into The Proclaimers’ 10,000 miles song and it does sound better with a Scottish accent.
Ack. 500 miles.
Yeah, but there were two of them, right? And they probably sang the song over 10,000 times? Totally fits.
Talking of earworms!
I only know it because of The Proclaimers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbNlMtqrYS0
I’ve never heard of the Proclaimers. I seem to read a lot of novels set in Scotland (written by Scots.)
I’m in for #dailyfeb2020, and while I haven’t decided what, exactly, I’m going to work on, the one obvious rule is that I’ll commit to 20 minutes a day!
I did a bunch of quilting in December, but then kinda’ lost my mojo, so I’m hoping this will get me back into quilting, maybe finishing some tops. I also saw a nifty mini-tissue-pack cover that I think I’m going to make as a bit of a stocking stuffer for Christmas 2020, so maybe I’ll make some of them way ahead of schedule.
As to working this past week, I finished a proposal for a new mystery series, and now it’s in my agent’s hands while I fret about whether she thinks it’s marketable (back to yesterday’s topic).
I don’t really have any work or plans, other than to make coworkers more Baby Yodas (and one Pikachu) and otherwise plot out more advanced knitting projects.
I am feeling very January blah and not motivated to do much of anything though.
I’ve been working on a Light from Within scarf, and am down to the last two rows of the lace section. I’ve started another Inner Light with some Chroma Twist that I got from a Ravelry user and I’m loving how it combines the two colors into the third lovely shade as I crochet.
I’m so glad I decided to give crocheting a go. I love knitting, buy my right wrist has been hurting and knitting made it worse. But crocheting is a different movement and isn’t painful at all. Plus, overall, it seems a lot simpler and easier than knitting, at least with the patterns I’ve picked so far.
I’ve also been packing up my house in anticipation of going on the market, which isn’t fun work, but sure is work.
Love Brokenwood. You might like Death in Paradise too. Waiting for more Midsomer Murders, has anyone heard anything?
I watched Death in Paradise until they, uh, changed leads. Then I lost interest.
The first detective was the best, agreed. The second grew on me after a while. They’re on a 3rd now, not sure about him. But I do still enjoy the location so I still watch.
Ditto.
Might this be a good topic one day? I’d love to get recommendations for favorite BBC, PBS, Australian broadcasting, Canadian broadcasting mystery series and the like from the Aarghers! Oh, and has anyone seen Sanditon yet?
I’ve been watching Sanditon. Love the costumes and location and the acting. It feels like someone’s idea of Jane Austen for the 21st century instead of Jane herself but I’m enjoying it. What do you think?
I have DVR’d Sanditon but haven’t had time to watch; maybe this weekend. Looks like people either love or hate it. Interesting to find out which category I fall into!
I didn’t last for more than the first twenty minutes of ‘Sanditon’. It was especially disappointing since I’d recently proof-read a new (probably tie-in) edition of the original text. It may work as a 21st century historical drama, but didn’t seem to have much to do with Austen, except as a brand to profit from.
I didn’t last more than twenty minutes myself. Some programs I like some I don’t for instance we only watched one season of Poldark. I kept wishing he would comb his hair. But yet I skipped the first two seasons of Downton Abbey because Lady Mary was such a snot in the first episode and I couldn’t stand that behavior. And then went back and watched it all from the beginning and loved it. I guess I’m the snob.
Where are you watching Midsomer Murders? A few new episodes were just on Acorn this month, I think. Or maybe last. But that’s a delay from the UK, I believe.
I am in the US, don’t get Acorn though so have been buying the DVDs of each season and watching that way. Last US dvd issued in 2018. I tried to google to see if they made new episodes after that but haven’t been able to figure that out. I wonder if they’re making but not issuing new episodes on dvd, that would be a disappointment.
I’m finishing a work-for-hire assignment and getting started on the next one. Also feeling guilty about the state of the house, which gets worse as work deadlines loom.
Company coming this weekend, so something will get done. Interested in art every day, but already feeling guilty for not doing projects I’ve started after a class at the museum–printmaking is the latest thing I’ve started and left out but not worked on.
Right now I’m working on getting my year organized in my head and then it can go down on paper. A couple of years ago I got a handmade notebook for Christmas that says “I am burdened with glorious purpose” on the front Loki-green cover and it’s sitting on the kitchen counter waiting for me to figure out my glorious purpose so I can write it down.
This week I’m working on getting my library/craft room tidied up so I can start doing some stained glass work again.
I have a little notepad I’ve been using for my chore lists, even the every day stuff like laundry and dishes, and I’ve decided to keep it intact so I can go back over the pages and see if there are patterns or things I can use to be more efficient.
Today, however, I’m braving the cold (roughly -41) to go run some errands and get a massage.
I’ll commit to the art a day project. All I’ve been doing is making soap, the odd knitting project, and I did take a class in glass painting. I’m also committing to 250 words a day starting Monday. Whew. Makes me tired just thinking about it . . . But if I don’t start now, it may never happen.
My sisters have been learning to make pop-up art / cards, which make recipients of the cards happy (me!). Pop-up cards are labors of love, engineering, collage, math, and Fun with Scissors and Old Magazines, all happy places for my sisters. They are disinclined to put any of their creations online, but they have held pop-up parties for friends who are interested in learning the craft/art.
They also told me that the opening credits to “Queens of Mystery” is a delightful display of pop-up art, to which we can add to the joy of watching Queens of Mystery! I am viewing the DVD, which has excellent bonus material about the making of the series. The series is also on Acorn – and possibly Britbox, etc.? The opening (pop-up) credits can be viewed via YouTube, but I think the DVD is the only place for the bonus material?
My own work has been finding a part-time job to pay for “simple” home repairs that (of course!) turned into a gaggle of guys staring at the rotted wood that lay beneath the windows being replaced – and then looking balefully at me. I tried to look and feel hopeful while mentally calculating my saving account balance. I am glad I didn’t trust people who said, “oh, just pop out the old windows and fit in the new” and instead went with professionals, but yikes.
I tell myself it could have been worse, which everything could be I suppose, and take the high road by telling myself that I might NOT have found the damage now (arghh!)
Prayer shawl finally completed! This thing has taken forever and I cannot wait to drop it off and run away before someone says here is more yarn so you can begin again. I have been making these for years and it’s time for some me projects.
We finished “Crownies” from Amazon Prime last week so I went to the library and picked up “Janet King” only to discover that we had seen it three years ago. Will still finish it so we can get to the next season. Before that we had seen “City Homicide”. I know they are older but they are new to us. It was funny to see the actress who played Jeanne on Dr. Blake as a kickass detective. They are Australian shows and we do have to figure out the terms and slang.
This morning I was trying to line up household chores for me when I looked around and decided to go for a haircut instead. Sometimes you just gotta do it.
I have an idea for leftover over yarn. In my car I keep a receiving blanket for my lap in winter. Why couldn’t the yarn be used for lap robes?
Trying to get Sharpie ink off my hand. Rarely encounter Sharpies so not my thing and tried almost everything to get it off. Fading but still there. Don’t even want to think about what’s in the stuff…;)
I’ve got so much Sharpie ink in my bloodstream, it’s a wonder it’s still red. It won’t hurt you and it wears off fast. Well, the skin wears off and the ink goes with it.
Lol. Good to know. Totally a timing thing. Was just about to have snack when Sharpie got me. Odd eating chips with blue fingertips, but I persevered:)
If you can tolerate it, ammonia. Alternatively, do the dishes by hand for several days.
I’m still making the granny squares. Mostly my ‘work’ is going to be non-partisan political stuff (census, voter registration, etc.).
I went to the dojo and tried judo! I did it! I enjoyed it loads, everyone was very kind and welcoming and a 2-dan sensei (2nd black belt) guided me through the warming-up and the first exercises. Gonna go back coming Monday – and Sven is coming too. He sat “watching” Monday while I sweated and aquired after-exercise-pain, but he said he’d join next time. Happy!
Also mailed new possible psychologist. And filled in some of the papers she sent back. And cried. I really HATE papers and forms, all kinds of them. They make me feel awful (which is definitely something I should bring up if she’ll accept my application). It’s enough to read “Fill in your name and address” and I’m struck by anxiety deluxe. I don’t think that’s really “normal”. This time the subject didn’t really help either. Ugh.
I’ve also been watching movies! A friend told me about this website where they upload MP3-tracks from movies and TV-series with proffessional audio description (which means there is no movie at all really, just the sound and description), so I’ve “watched” some stuff I’ve wanted to watch for ages, and rewatched some other things, and have piles of movies still to go. Among others I watched “P.s. I Love You” (from the book by Cecelia Ahern) which I read… I think last year and which made me cry floods (both book and movie), and “The Help” (Kathhhhryn Stockett), which I read a couple of weeks ago and loved. The movie was very good too. So I have enough to busy myself with if I dip into a state of unabletoreadbooks again.
Sven coaxed me into joining an online gaming tournament (fighting game) last Saturday, and after hiding under the blankets in bed hyperventilating until last minute, I did a quite OK run and ended up 3rd out of about 25 participants. It was torture! But at least I bessted the anxiety! And some opponents. 🙂
Furthermore I found a possible choir to join, but haven’t had the possibility to go there yet. Maybe Sunday next week.
I think I’m making a bit of progress!
That sounds like more than just “a bit” of progress. I’m proud of you Keep up the good work.
All you have to do is keep moving forward. Good for you.
My god, you’re Superwoman.
@Aunt Snack, Deborah & Jenny: Thank you! <3
My closet to mini-studio conversion is done!!!!!!! For something that I only wanted to slap a coat of paint on and load my easel in and set up my stuff, it has taken forever. My husband helped so we stripped all the wood and refinished it, replastered, rebuilt the window which had dry rot, installed new clothes poles, rebuilt the shelving and then painted. I am trying to upload a few pictures onto Instagram but have not been successful thus far. Maybe by next week.
I finally did it. I had to reboot my iPad which was a big pain but the pictures of my mini-studio are up. I keep thinking I will get better at posting pictures. I continue to be mistaken.
I can’t see it, Jessie – could you add the #workingwednesdaypix hashtag? (I think it works if you add it in a comment.)
Not sure what the problem is. I checked and it is showing up both on the #workingwednesdaypix and on my home page. The 4 pictures I posted are all showing up (getting 4 pictures up is a first for me).
It’s some Instagram snafu. I checked, and I am still following the hashtag, but only some of the tagged pix are appearing in my timeline. No idea why.
By the way, the hashtag’s also being used by non-Arghers. Maybe we should consider changing it?? ArghWednesdays, maybe?
Congratulations.
Thank you. I have been living in dread that my husband would think of one more thing that “had” to be be done before I could move my stuff in. I convinced him that an old shower curtain on the floor was good enough to protect the hardwood although he dearly wants to install the vinyl-type floor used in the fancy garage-ma-hals that our friends who collect cars have. I am not that serious – good- of an artist that I can justify the expense.
I tried reading the Agatha Raisin books years ago when they first came out, because I loved the author’s previous series. Absolutely hated them. I thought the character was completely unlikable, which is the kiss of death for me. Haven’t tried the TV series, although I’ve heard good things about it.
On Acorn TV I’ve watched all the Doc Martin episodes, a fabulous Aussie series starring Xena’s Lucy Lawless called My Life is Murder (former cop whose husband died, has insomnia which she cures by obsessively making bread, and solves mysteries for her former captain–fabulous) which sadly is only one season so far, and now I’m watching The Good Karma Hospital, which is set in India and is splendid in both story telling and visually.
In work, I’m finishing up the first draft of my current Llewellyn book. Doing a chapter with recipes, which is challenging. Should finish tonight and then start the final polish before sending off to my editor. The great thing about nonfiction is it only takes one editing run-through (until my editor sends it back to me, of course). Then I have to think of something brilliant to write that’s fiction. I have, alas, zero ideas.
If you were going to advise me on what fiction I should write, what would you suggest?
Write what you want to read.
I want to knit a hat in February. My knitting habit is on its fourth month, and I’m on my third scarf, not counting the practice pieces. I’m getting pretty good at knitting straight up and down. Don’t know hoe to set good boundaries, though, since I take out a hell of a lot of stitches for every couple of rows I put in. But work on it daily, definitely.
I made fruit leather with the excess apricot harvest. First time, feeling very pleased with it. I took pics. https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Pcg1tgKfF/?igshid=wiwd99dqya9n
Also (and I’m not proud of this) I’m two years overdue filing my tax returns, so I did both of those and paid the outstanding balance. With the money I was saving for a special purpose, sigh, being a good citizen is reward enough? Yeah, that was my week. Also, still school holidays. I deserve a book, roll on Thursday.
If it’s any comfort, I haven’t done last year’s tax return yet. I’ll have in the next week or two, or I’ll be late paying and they’ll send a nasty letter to my work. That’s embarrassing. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.
I couldn’t get into the only Agatha Raisin book I tried either, but I loved the BBC radio series with Penelope Keith. She does bossy and self-assured so wonderfully well. I expect they thought her too old to do the TV-series; she’s pushing eighty. You can find the series on the internet: https://archive.org/details/AgathaRaisin
I restarted physical therapy yesterday, this time with a really good therapist. He helped me actually flatten my warped knee. I can feel the stretch today. And, I did my exercises today. (I’m terrible at follow through.)
I finished a huge work project that since November has been hanging above my head like a cartoon piano. Whee!
In today’s lunch-and-art group, we played with palette knives. I basically frosted a canvas.
When feeling especially stressed I watch ROSEMARY AND THYME. The music and locations totally unwind me. You don’t have to think, just feast on the gardens.