Back to Work

I went back to work on Monday. I took transit (bus). I was a little worried because they're only accepting 10 riders at a time. So far, the most people on 1 ride have been 5, including the driver.

I'm adjusting to wearing a mask most of the day and I now have a spare mask in a desk drawer, just in case.

I finished Tonya's fingerless mitts and almost finished Alisa's. It's a very quick pattern in bulky yarn. They're not fancy but warm and cute.

This discussion about knitting kind of baffles me. I can see about being a little unsure about yarn substitutions, especially when just starting out and reluctant to spend lots of money on supplies. I've had some bloopers when trying out yarns different than called for (see my dice bag nee sock), but I've also had some great success (see my sorbet shawl).

I got four letters (replies) in the mail this week. I've written responses to 2 of them and put 1 in the mail. I used some old note cards I found in the thrift shop. They're one-piece cardstock that fold over and closed with a matching seal/sticker.

I downloaded an app for my phone (I have a phone that can handle apps! Wow!) called Seek. It identifies plants, animals, and insects. You take a picture and it tries to get to species. Some plants have stalled at dicots. But I did spot an eastern cottontail and a muscadine vine. It's a little slow to process (no instant gratification, sadly) but I've been looking for something like this for years. Literally.

The Goulet pen I ordered is nice but I need to use it more to really get a feel for it.

But I did write a poem. I originally wrote the poem back in December but I like how I wrote this out in ink. The title is "I'm Not Poor" & I wrote it out on blank pages from a pocket calendar.

Students come back starting tomorrow. Hopefully, this week the plexiglass for over my counter will be installed. It's a measure of safety for me, as a barrier between me and visitors.

I pinned out the coronavirus doily and I think I'm ready to start round 5. I just need to load my shuttles. I think I'll use Elderberry Jam for the next round.

And in case it's not clear, BLACK LIVES MATTER
Support LGTBQ+
Close ICE
Defund police (leave them with the crime fighting, not social services, etc).

Social Media and staying social

I miss Google+, I had some real communities there. I've tried Pluspora but I lost my log in and my interest. I have an instagram account now. And I'm in a couple Discord communities. I've had twitter since practically the beginning but there's so much negativity (attacks, news, etc) that it's hard for me to use. I still sometimes pop in and check on people. Now I have a ko-fi account. I'd like to (someday, somehow) get enough money to buy a new iPad. My iPad's screen is cracked and it's old enough that it doesn't have the latest iOS and some apps won't update anymore.

I'm doing the 26 day racial equity journey with a friend and a friend of hers. We just finished the 2nd week. There's been some eye opening information, some expansion of information I already knew, some new to me viewpoints or aspects, and also review of information I know.

On Saturday I had a zoom meeting with the Palmetto Tatters' Guild. Since they can't meet in person they scheduled a zoom one. Considering their location, I can make the zoom one, unlike the physical meeting. I finished another bracelet during the meeting, using Martha's pastel 8:1 HDT, with silver seed beads this time. Due to the whole Empress thing, Tonya convinced me to get out my tiara and wear. She was wearing hers in my honor.

I'm using the same thread to make some edging for my other masks.

I also ordered a Goulet pen, with converter, and a pack of ink samples. It writes very smoothly. The nib is a tiny bit bigger than my (Monza) pen's fine nib. So far I have the included ink cartridge (blue black ink) in it and I haven't tried the samples yet. I had to find my pen/ink sample notebook. Keeping track of colors, names, and brands will help me in the future.

I have started the 3rd round & 4th of Coronavirus doily. I ran out of shuttle thread on the 3rd round, so I had to pull some yards from the ball and wind it on a shuttle, so I could reload the ring shuttle. I'm about to run out on the ring shuttle again, but the 4th round is all chains, so we'll see how long it lasts.

I don't know what I had done with the thread for the 3rd round so I had put it aside. I found the thread, and resumed work, in Lizbeth 10 Country Grape Dk. I'm thinking about donating it to the NC History Museum for the (future) Covid 19 exhibit. I contacted them about it, and I'm waiting to hear.

I wouldn't object to donating a mask, but I still need mine.
I played with a masked selfie

Still at home

I'm still staying home but I've bought masks to supplement the ones I've made. I've decorated anther one of my masks with tatting. I go back to work onsite in just over a week. I wanted enough to wear a different one every day.

I made a couple bracelets. One is with Martha Ess's pastel rainbow in size 10 (part of the dyeing experiment for Palmetto Tat Days). I used agate beads. I finished another one, but I'm blocking it so I don't have a photo.

Shuttle I ordered arrived. Isn't it pretty? On the bubble wrap that protected it.

I joined a drawing zoom class. Not bad for a mechanical pencil, huh?

Another storm today.

Coronapost

I'm still alive and well. My family is well. One cousin did get sick and go to the hospital. But he came out. With an oxygen tank, but he did come home. I haven't been able to go see mom, but I have done some video calls. Not as good as an in-person visit but better than nothing. Mom still forgets to plug in her phone/charge it.

I've been working remotely, at home, since mid-March. I have a loaner laptop from work with the software I need. I miss seeing my co-workers. I even miss my commute, somewhat. I miss that time of 'not at home, not at work' time to read or tat, or whatever.

I've been doing some knitting and I've sewn a couple masks. They're reversible, which is nice. I also made ear savers (strips of knitting with buttons) to go with them. I loaned my sewing machine to my neighbor so he could sew some masks.

I did a little bit of retail therapy. I bought a large fine gauge loom (25% off sale) so I can resume my Buffboo (bison silk & bamboo yarn) Hydrangea shawl (pattern by Renee Van Hoy). I bought a cartridge ink pen.

Been playing Blue Rose. My character, Nahla Jossa, had the goal of becoming a travelling noble (1 part circuit judge, 1 part tax collector, and 1 part Crown troubleshooter). Instead, she was made a landed noble (1 step above a travelling noble). Her district is smaller and more concentrated. And that's mostly because of 2 circumstances. 1 is her part in taking a refugee camp and turning it into the beginnings of a small town. The other is because of her contact with a cave-dwelling cannibal civilization and negotiating a peace. There's now an ambassador to them (not her, she doesn't speak the language) and not a war. Apparently, more responsibility is her reward.

Last session though, it was (giggles) all about another PC's family. I got to watch as that player got to navigate family dynamics and secrets and stuff (most of which my PC has no idea about). And another player had a (in character) minor meltdown as stuff from his past came up and bit him. In comparison, my PC's family life is drama-free. And HER brother-in-law just ran out on her sister.

My current scarf project is a feather and fan pattern. I started in black but I ran out so I switched over to red. In theory, when I'm done, it will be a mostly black scarf with a red block.

I made hats this past winter. I just need to donate them before it gets cold next year.

'`

I knitted a couple scrubbies (polyester ~eyelash yarn and cotton yarn knitted together.

I just wanted to make a post. If anyone is reading, I wanted you to know I'm okay.

I started tatting a doily.

I also knitted this shawl for myself (Sweet on Ruffles by Renee Van Hoy)