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)

Missed a Landmark

Missed my 1001st post last week. Oh well, no one else noticed either, right?

See the grass? Look carefully, there are two dandelions. One is in bloom and one has gone to seed. In mid-January, that's winter in the South (US).

dandelions

Simple with Ruffles shawl

I finished my shawl this past weekend. The only thing left to do is a bit of blocking. The points don't actually match, due to cast on/cast off discrepancy. It's on my part, not the designer.

It was too overcast to get a good picture, but here's the one I managed. I still have about half a skein left. I've started making a small plush cat, but C suggested I make wristbands/bracers to match the shawl. Good idea, I think.

These birds filled the tree outside my office the other day. I'm not sure what they are but they don't look like the usual winter visitors.

This is another page from my coloring page of the day. I've done 2 pages now.

Warning! Politics ahead!
I am the anti-thesis of a Trump supporter. I don't believe he's competent to lead the US and has multiple conflicts of interest. His election has made white supremacists confident enough to come out of the woodwork, along with Nazis (who are calling themselves alt-right now). Most of his cabinet nominees are obscenely wealthy and have direct conflict of interests with the department they are supposed to be leading (Pudzer as Sec'y of Labor? Convicted of wage theft, discrimination, etc; DeVos for Sec'y of Education? Involved with for-profit education businesses; Sec'y of Interior? Sued EPA for doing their job; Mulchnim for Sec'y of Finance? Sold mortgage company right before it was investigated for mortgage fraud). The closest I've seen is that Ben Carson (Housing) doesn't have any experience, but has never convicted of anything housing related (ie not a slum lord, mortgage scam artist, etc). Dept of Defense secretary is former military, which is sometimes iffy, but not outright OMG WTF.

I stand with the Women of Color, People of Color, Immigrants, LGBTQ, and other people negatively affected by the current regime.

Martin Luther King, Jr, and other matters

There's been a rise in racism, anti-semitism, and other hate speech activity. Read this article.

And if you're active online, be aware of this website; it has way too much information. You can opt out, but that may merely mean your information is not publicly accessible, it may still be there.

But to cheer up, here are a couple videos; one is a music video and one is of animals playing in the snow.

I went to visit mom on Saturday. The remote did nothing. A new dvd player did nothing. It is definitely the tv. But we had a nice lunch.

I've started knitting a shawl. It's Sweet on Ruffles by Renee Van Hoy.

I passed the halfway point on my shawl.

Unfortunately, I've reached the point where it's not easy to take it with me. I only work on it at home now.

I was behind on my 90 hearts by NC Regional Lace Day but I caught up today. I'm still on track to get all 90 done.