I am slowly cleaning up the front and side yards, not really so much cleaning as clearing up the edges. Blowing leaves and cutting back long grass is bad for things that need to winter over, but by making nice, clean, mulched edges, I can give the illusion of a plan. Also, baking things this week. It’s baking season.
What are you doing this week?
I handed in a new proposal to an editor and it will be some time until she gets to it, so I decided to write another (self-published) short cat novel which focuses on Christmas. So now I put myself under enormous time pressure since a Christmas novel ought to be out at least by mid-November and I don’t even have a plot yet. Wish me luck.
(Suggestions are welcome – this is going to be a story written from the cat’s perspective and it is NOT a mystery novel.)
Can meeting Santa during the cat’s nightly patrol of the house?
I meant to say “cat meeting Santa”. Oops.
In our German neck of the woods, Santa is not a tradition. There is St. Nicholas who visits children on Dec. 6, either reading them the riot act in person or stuffing their boots at night. German children get their presents usually on Christmas Eve, having to stay outside of the living room until the ‘Christkind’ (child Christ) rings the bell on the Christmas tree.
Thank you!
But now I’m thinking about the cat meeting the Nicholas impersonator – maybe I’m onto something, after all. So thanks for inspiring me!
My friend celebrates Ukranian Christmas in January. So that’s your fallback. 😉
Everyone loves cats.
I have a cat in my novel for the first time, based on a real cat I met in Cairo. I researched a little about Bastet and will incorporate that in my next novel. Would that be of interest to you? Or maybe go hard and get it out ASAP without worrying about lore?
Good luck, Colognegrrl!
Your Egyptian cat could, like a Ukranian cat, celebrate Christmas on January 7 (Eastern Orthodox / Ethiopian / Coptic calendar). That’s a plot twist I haven’t seen used at all.
Thanks so much for your ideas. I guess I’ll have to be more specific about my project. The novel is part of a series based on three cats that live in the same neighborhood. The first one focused on one of them being afraid of being taken to the pound because his hostess (isn’t that what we cat owners really are?) falls in love with a man who has allergies and tries to make her move into a penthouse with him. So the trio must hatch a plan to separate them and make her understand that her true love interest is the man next door.
The new story is about a young female cat who worries about the fifteen-year-old girl in her family because she always falls in love with the wrong guys. I guess I’ll try my luck with a St. Nicholas impersonator ;o)
Writing out Get Out the Vote postcards. Trying *not* to watch the news and mostly failing.
Other than that, mostly trying to get and enjoy beautiful fall weather while it lasts.
I’m back at work – proof-reading a reissue of D. W. Winnicott on child development, which is making me think about my mother and me as a baby, since it started life as talks on the BBC in the 1940s and 50s. But I’m skiving off today – it’s sunny (mostly) and I’m sorting the garden shed and my bulbs for replanting.
Also finishing my big reorganization of all the gardening articles I’ve kept in the past twenty-five years, so the information’s accessible and relevant. Even though I look things up online now, it’s still helpful to have expert views and design inspirations.
Focused the laser on the laser cutter. Building a chandelier. Figuring out how to get a 3D giraffe model into stacked or intersecting slices so I can cut that out. All because of this:
https://www.awesomeinventions.com/giraffe-chandelier-lamps/
So cool!
That is so cool! (And that you’re going to make your own? Wow!)
I geek out at stuff like this. I now want a giraffe chandelier.
I. Want. That!
I NEED one of these!
I was somewhat disappointed in the giraffe chandeliers (although the full size ones outdoors are awesome) because I envisioned a group of giraffes hanging from the ceiling with candles in their mouths? On their heads? Between their front hooves? Possibly rotating like a merry-go-round. With disco balls.
No, I am not going to construct my vision.
Oh, WOW!
I totally failed on my attempt to sew while talking with my sewing buddies online. I ended up cutting some sashing too short, and only realizing it after sewing it on three pieces and wondering why it didn’t fit. So I unsewed. and added an inch to each of my sashing pieces and the end result of three hours was. . . nothing done. (I did spend time after work on Monday to get those in place)
I also spent a lot of time and mental energy helping the local quilt guild on Saturday and Sunday. It had me sitting outside for a couple of hours each day. While the weather was pleasant each day, the table was in the shade, and there was a constant breeze, so I got chilled both days. Hopefully, I’m over worrying that I’ll get sick from that.
As a reward to myself for all of that, I spent the evening relaxing on the couch working on my crochet project. I’m at the end of part 2 (part 4 drops on Friday), so I’m a bit behind – but no worries. I love how it looks, so I’m super motivated to work on it. In fact, I know that if I start, that’s all I’ll want to do, so I’m trying to get the more urgent things, like work, done before I pick it up.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGC57aoheQm/
I’m thinking of buying some different colors and doing another one.
That is so beautiful. No wonder you want to make another one. What colors are you considering?
I’ve liked the look of the red ones that emulate the colors of a sunset.
Stunning colours in your blue piece. I’m sure one with shades of red would work well, too. A sunset always sounds lovely.
Just waved my sister and niece goodbye on their westward drive. Taking the final bunch of junk from the garage to the dump. Going to get ALL the stuff out of the car, vacuum that baby out, and get it out of its scruffy state.
Going to go find bulbs and plant them. Going to polyurethane my easel so it’s more water resistant. Going to enjoy an amazing sunny day by the sea.
We’ll see, but some of that’s getting done today!
Ah, yard work. It’s been raining since Thursday here. I haven’t even tried. Today was our first clear day. I’m exhausted.
I did the Instagram post yesterday because I thought it was Wednesday!
Today, however, I made these when I got back from work. https://www.cookwithmanali.com/perfect-eggless-vanilla-cupcakes/
I substituted castor sugar and sunflower oil. But I did NOT compromise on the buttermilk. Never do that home culture thing. Unless you’ve got unpasteurised and uncultured buttermilk, in which case, who are you and may I visit your farm?
Won’t link to Instagram because I don’t want to be in moderation -@Sarahv_Yoga has the pics.
I’m starting play rehearsals this week!
I made a “Dissent” collar of my own design: https://fullmoon.typepad.com/crafts/2020/10/the-dissent-collar.html
Other than that, designing a shrug and going to go back to doing Shitpost Sampler’s Stitchtober.
I am doomscrolling twitter, though trying to keep it to a minimum. Otherwise, it’s getting to be our super busy time at work, so not doing much that is creative. I just can’t stop watching the trainwreck.
I might make a peach/nectarine crisp/cobbler/betty/slump/other regional American variation with some peaches and nectarines that are otherwise not pleasing me. I found a recipe online the other day but now can’t figure out what I searched for so I am having trouble finding it. However, there are approximately 90 billion recipes on the internet, so I am sure I will find something.
I had the plumber here for four hours on Monday. That required a lot of supervising on my part, which counts as work, right? Trying to neaten the mudroom and prep it for winter use, which means making room for a large plant to come in, putting away summer stuff that won’t be used, making room for bags of pellets. Fun, fun, fun.
Also working on plotting cozy #3. Had to do some online research on poisonous mushrooms, so I hope the FBI doesn’t have any reason to check out my search history…
there have been several occasions when I’ve been researching something for a book and have thought ‘I hope no one but me views the search history on this computer.’
A while back, I was researching poisons for something I was writing. My husband started getting junk mail offering couples’ counselling.
Emily! Ha!
Very Harriet Vane!
Working at work as boss gets more and more frantic about getting things done before she leaves for 2 weeks. Go home and get nothing done, but as previously stated, my Halloween lights are up and I am resting on my laurels.
Working thru my list of doctor appointments that I put off for seven months due to pandemic. Had to see a retinal specialist, and ended up getting a Shot. In. My. Eye. Not fun, but tolerable, and I’ll take it over macular degeneration. May have to get one per month for up to two years.
Just observed (supervised?) the gentlemen changing out four of the sprinklers in my condo’s ceiling. Asked less than 20 questions, new record for me! Retired engineer here; I suspect repairmen have a hidden mark on my door, warning “Plan extra time, inhabitant asks many questions!”
I always hover and ask them to explain what they’re doing. It’s so educational!
I spent all day Sunday helping my sister and BIL move the last of their boxes from their former apartment to their new one. As a result, we were all so sore that movement was nearly impossible the next day. It was the first time that I was grateful that my Monday appointment is now on Zoom. There is no way I could have made it out to the boonies on public transportation that day.
Now I’m just trying to recall where I packed certain items. As of yesterday, the coffeemaker had not been located. But they managed to get everything out and clean the apartment before the deadline, so they should get their security deposit back.
I had forgotten with one thing or another that two weeks ago I had visited the cancer center and am now eight years free. My appointment was originally in March but was postponed. Also had a CA 125 blood test and those numbers are low. Mammogram was also rescheduled.
Yesterday was spent changing the toppers in the living room from summer to fall/winter, which brought out the Halloween decorations. So I made a switch from summer beachy to fall pumpkins. I am not going to do too many and put a bag of wooden cats, witches and pumpkins on the stairs to go back upstairs. Someone put the bag on the dining room table. I don’t have it in me just yet to toss them. It is the same feeling that I have with summer/winter clothes. I know they don’t fit me the same way anymore but cheapism stops me from recycling.
Congratulations on 8 years free!
Yay! So nice to hear good news about cancer for a change.
I have been Not Working At All this Wednesday. Gave myself the day off. Spent <5 minutes interacting with dude who came to eyeball the house prior to doing proposal for some foundation work. Otherwise, finished reading two books and took myself for a short drive. (The latter is only noteworthy because between March 21 and October 3 I did not drive anywhere at all.)
Work is crazy demanding. Instead of getting rid of over-time as instructed by the management, most of us are collecting even more.
At least hubby and I spent a glorious sunny Sunday at a outdoor market of pottery products (and much more) on the grounds of a nearby former monastry. Lovely. At one of the stalls, a lady-jeweller had her work on show – with “wash gold” (gold collected from streams in Finland) and recycled silver. For some pieces she used a very sophisticated Japanese technique that reminded me of Damascene sword-making, only with jewellery: fusing 102+ layers of different metal and then twisting and turning until the effect was just stunning in this understated Japanese way. Needless to say we listened with awe and didn’t ask for the prices. It would have been far more than I planned on spending on a lazy Sunday afternoon…
I got home with a nice wood board made of elsberry tree. Didn’t even know this kind of tree existed.
Sorry, this should have read 12+ pieces of metal. 102+ would definitely make the objects get too heavy! And sorry for the typing errors. It’s late and the day was a long one.
Do you mean ‘elder tree’ (that has elderberries)?
No, elderberries and the elder tree I know and love. My dictionary translates “elsbeerbaum” as checker tree (bot.: sorbus torminalis). Never heard of it before, but the wood has a nice colour and shine to it.
Thanks: I know it as the wild service tree, although I’ve never seen one. I remember looking for it in some ancient woodland south of here – but it’s very rare, I think.
My husband and I are making our first Portuguese sausage without the supervision of his parents. Two hours of cutting meat, fifteen minutes of making sure we had the spices right, multiple minutes mixing, twenty-four hours in the fridge marinating and four hours of hand stuffing later, this is the result.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGD2vkBgfoc/
Now we have to let them hang dry, boil in oil, dry in an low oven, cut into manageable chunks, wrap in wax paper and tinfoil, slide into ziplocs bags and freeze. Should be done by Friday at the latest. But this should do us for two years or so. And it is a lovely tradition that we can tell his parents (both unable to take part this year due partly to COVID and partly to poor health in general) we are continuing.
Wow. I’m impressed.
We just finished the rest of the process. Five hours of boiling in oil, drying in the oven, and packaging to freeze. But we should have enough for two years now. I made sure to write down EVERY. LITTLE. DETAIL. so we would remember!!
Slept later than usual, only 45 minutes but it really put me behind. I still got everything done.
I made a Greek-style shrimp and potato dish with tomatoes and green beans. It really tasted good.
So a good day all in all.
I shopped (Elder shopping at Target for very basic stuff and kitten food with gravy / sauce, as they’ve gone through a surprising amount for such small critters) and Trader Joe’s (found most of my usual stuff from there, though they’re into October stock where everything imaginable is Pumpkin, including dog treats).
Next after too-short period of collapse with eyes closed was crating a couple of cats who don’t like the carrier and taking them to the vet for their annual check. The vet has an awning in front of the building and they collect your pet. Unluckily “in front of the building” means the traffic is noisy enough to make it difficult to speak on the cell phone – in fact, the first time I didn’t even hear it ring from my pocket (my ringtone is a Robin Hood hunting horn, so it’s hard to miss).
One cat is “plump” and needs to diet and the other has lost weight possibly because of hyperthyroidism — blood test results tomorrow.
Nothing else got done!
I voted. Not in the US election, in the NZ one. Luckily, Jacinda Ardern’s party is way ahead in the polls so will almost definitely win. Touch wood.
Other than that, I spent the weekend out at a campsite, building a shed with half a dozen other people. We only got as far as the corner posts, because the first step turned out to be clearing a small mountain of crap away from the area where the shed will be. But clearing the crap felt like good progress, so we were pretty happy.
And my drawing class is going pretty well. I’m learning heaps!
I voted today, too. After all Trump’s blather about fraud in voting, voting early was absurdly safe and easy. I thanked the poll worker for doing such a good job and wondered why everyone doesn’t take advantage of early voting. There was NO LINE and the voting machines were well spaced, so the hardest thing about it was trying to keep track of all the candidates for judge. Even that was easier this year because instead of waiting for the newspaper to print endorsements, I went online and read the bar association ratings and the other (more liberal) paper’s choices instead of waiting for the print version. Having my own computer has certainly made researching candidates easier!