Brain currently booting in Safe Mode

I am currently knitting my first pair of mittens for a friend (this same friend destashed his late mother's bags and bags and bags of yarn upon me, so it seemed like an even trade) and have completed the thumb! Okay, yes, it doesn't sound that exciting, but I had to learn a new skill (increases to the left and to the right) as well as adapt the pattern for how I knit, which is not how these mittens were intended to be worked up (in the round on double pointed needles vs in the flat and sewn up after).

After the thumb was thumbed, I thought that I should, you know, weave in my end because it is the one thing that I hate the most and this would get it over with quickly. I have a little case that I naalbound with all of my yarn needles and my naalbinding needles, some stitch markers and safety pins, and a foldable pair of scissors that I bought at SickKids when Shannon was in their care. I picked it up, thought it felt weird, but put that out of mind and opened it up and tipped it out.

Where the hell did all my needles go?

While I do still have two of my naalbinding needles (including the brass replica of an archaeological find gifted by my friend), the scissors and stitch markers and safety pins, I only have one yarn needle. What the actual fuck?

My best guess is this: I had taken my completed owlbear to Declan's orthodontics appointment last week because I had attached the legs unevenly and it made the entire piece wonky. I brought what I needed to take it off and then reattach one of the legs to make it look more even. (Side note: any handmade crochet stuffy is going to be a little wonky. It's the nature of the craft and part of the charm of the finished piece, but I digress.) Because I was working on something that required my needle case, I suspect that the others slid out when I wasn't paying attention and I left them behind in the waiting room. I did not notice that they were gone until yesterday and they weren't at the bottom of a bag temporarily misplaced.

This is more of a bummer than any kind of life altering loss. The needles have most likely been tossed into the trash, which is a tich frustrating because too many useful items get thrown out for no good reason. Ah, well. I will acquire more at some later point when I have the inclination and opportunity to do so.

Donuts:

Declan's been sick this week. Again. I tested him using a rapid test and it came back negative, but that doesn't mean much of anything. Wednesday, there was more life in a wet dishrag than there was in my kid. He's been bouncing back, but isn't anywhere near school-healthy as of yet. His appetite has somewhat returned, so that's a relief.

On Tuesday, we went out thrifting. Shocking no one, I bought yarn, BUT I also found a couple of things that I had been looking for first try. I found a new cotton blanket for our bed (ours was quite old and was starting to disintegrate) as well as a nice bedspread. Laundry happened, and the blanket went onto the bed, and the bedspread got a little adjusting into a new futon cover. My only complaint is that it is a crumb-magnet, but I suspect that it's also a naptrap and I'm okay with that trade off.

Pilling the cat is an ADVENTURE. I think I have to cut Sunny's claws again, since I'm starting to wear his protestations on my hand. It's getting easier, though slow going.

I made another blanket, all from thrifted yarn. It's hideous and I love it. It still needs finishing (ends woven in, blocked) and I will post pictures when that's done.

Compression socks still suck. They bunch in the same spot, the dip between my ankle and shin, and I am not impressed. *grumble*

I had a mammogram yesterday. I know it's important and all that and yes, I'm grateful that I can get the requisition, book an appointment and go, with no cost to myself. And yet. There is a certain amount of indignity and discomfort that goes with it. So no, I do not like them, but I like cancer even less, so there's that.

Periods suck. Can I be done with them now?

I'm still trying to make a dent in my physical TBR. It's slow going, but it's going. Reading hasn't been a thing for me lately, my head just isn't in it. Maybe today I will have some time to just sit and read and rest.

My life is pretty fucking boring. I need to get outside more, but it's so easy to stay in and hermit. Thanks inertia!

Happy Birthday to me!

I am now officially older than my father was when he died. Yeah, odd milestone, but it certainly feels more personal than, say, a decade marker like 40 or 50. A few years ago, we were getting lunch at a Wimpy's Diner before heading to Toronto for Christmas and I spied an old advertisement on the wall that dredged a memory of my dad up from the depths of my brainmeats, so I sent it to my sister to see if she also remembered and she did!

My dad used to roll his own cigarettes. Not using a pinch of tobacco and papers, but a machine. I can't remember what it looked like now, but I have, in my head, an image of something akin to the old credit card imprinters. I can see him sitting at the kitchen table, newspapers laid out to keep the excess tobacco somewhat corralled. Anyway. Weird memory to have crop up.

Here's the ad that brought that up to the surface:

+~+~+

I have finished my first week of work. It was...work, but I did it and am going to have to adjust to the tiredness that comes with it. (I am still very proud of myself for getting outside and working, even if it was only 8 hours over two days.) On my first day, waiting for the bus home, I got to use my new emergency hat because it was too cold and windy to be standing still. I found the UGLIEST yarn while out thrifting for overalls for Declan's Hallowe'en costume. Then I googled hat patterns and found one I really liked the look of. It's ugly and cozy and I LOVE IT.



(Pictures don't do it justice. It's more vibrant in person.)

+~+~+

Yesterday, we all had a spot of very successful errand running! First up were flu shots for the lot of us. This year, we went to an independent pharmacy and it was quicker than it is at a chain.

While we were waiting the 15 minutes, we wandered through the dollar store and found gloves for the boy. His mitts died an ignoble death last year and he needed something new. I asked him if he wants a string (idiot strings are the best way to keep kids from constantly losing mittens and gloves, because that can get expensive and fast); he declined. Well, at least they weren't THAT expensive.

The longest errand we ran was buying winter boots for the boy. He has adult sized feet and sensory issues, so it makes it challenging. As a woman with hard-to-fit feet, I completely get it. BUT, after much gnashing of teeth and beating of breast, we found a pair that are a good size, didn't cost a gajillion dollars, and should do for the year. Added bonus? Not having to deal with the craziness that will be today (the store was pretty quiet when we went). The weather is turning and that reminds parents that they need winter gear for their kiddos.

It was dark when we came home, but the sky was FANTASTIC. This is the best shot I got from my cellphone:

+~+~+

I haven't been reading much lately. I'm still editing my book, and I was thinking that writing is taking enough energy that I don't have much to spare to create new worlds from the words of others. While that does impact on the time I have to read, it doesn't really explain why I have been buying books and not reading them. Maybe things will settle out in a week or so when I get myself used to working for someone else again. Maybe.

Or maybe I should start reading something today, because it's mah birfday.

Last week, I delivered three boxes of stuff to my son's school. One complete set of Getting to Know Nature's Children (including supplements), an assortment of other animal/story books, and a YUGE box full of age-appropriate toys that Declan has grown out of. The book set have been snatched up by a Grade 2 class, so that's pretty awesome, and some of the wooden toys are going to reallocated to families in need because Christmas and poverty are a shitty combination, yo.

Today, I dropped off a bag of stuff for the Hats, Mittens, Socks tree. That I made. Well, mostly made, at any rate. Four hats of various sizes, four scarves, and a pair of mittens that were Declan's but they were new and he only wore them a few times before growing out of them. Aside from the mittens (laundered and with idiot-string), I made the rest. Hats are pretty fast and scarves, when the yarn is bulky, are also speedy to work up and complete.

I made the secretary cry.

For less than $20 and my time, I made things for people who need them. I don't think she was weepy over the money I spent, but that I was generous WITH MY TIME. To be fair, I had a lot of yarn that I did not have a use for. This allowed me to A) find a use and B) make room for more.

Now I should figure out how to make mittens. :)