January 2017

So, to choose from the list below...

• Book:  Shall We Wake The President by Tevi Troy
• Embroidery:  Stitchers Studio Stocking, but not in any rush because lighting is still an issue.
• Quilting & Sewing:  A black Sassy Bag as soon as I can get to the machine
• Crochet:  A Kitty Cat cushion for the couch.  Or at least the first half of one.
• Knitting:  A Rainbow Wingspan
• TV:  Westworld and The Expanse
• Writing:  Finish Least Expected
• Personal stuff:  Focus on checking BG 3x daily & resume full range of motion in my left leg
• The House:  Set up the sewing table in the Room of Many Hobbies

Now when I set up my daily to-do lists I'll include enough of each one to get it done by a little short of the end of the month.

Projects for 2017

I've come to accept that this is a preliminary list.  Things always change.  But you have to start somewhere.

So here we go.

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Books:

I'm starting with 12 books, because I need to work on my ability to focus.  Much has been said about the internet cutting down the ability of people to focus on reading, and in my case I believe this is true.  I'd like to read for about an hour a day, but I need to work on that one.  That being the case I'm starting with the hope of getting at least 12 books read this year, and if I can get up to 24 I'll be thrilled.

1. Shall We Wake The President by Tevi Troy
2. Grit by Angela Duckworth
3. Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Cory
4. Caliban's War by James S. A. Cory
5. The Wrinkle In Time Trilogy by Madeline L'Engle
6. The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini
7. Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara
8. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
9. The Last Full Measure by Jeff Shaara
10. Pontoon by Garrison Keilor
11. The Art of War by Sun Tsu
12. The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine

I don't know if it's the most well-rounded list ever but it has the benefit of currently occupying my coffee table.  So that is where I'm starting.

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Embroidery:

I have six embroidery projects listed, but given that the last one is kind of big and in truth it's hard to fit embroidery in from November to February I'm only listing five.  The problem being that I don't have pictures for some of them, they're so old they're out of print.  But we do what we can.

1. Stitchers Studio Stocking
2. Kitty Cat Stocking
3. Cat on Steps picture
4. Cat on Fence picture
5. Mary Englebrit Christmas Ornaments

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Quilting and Sewing:

I have myself down for one big quilt this year but I don't think that's going to happen. We need to replace the one on our bed, but there's one we'd really like to buy.  Instead I'm going to shoot for two pillows to continue with girling up our bed.  I'm saying four because I need to buy the patterns and material, which will take a bit, and at the moment I'm not physically up to sitting at the machine, so I'm going to lose the first four months.  And I have other, priority projects anyway, namely a new bag that's both easy to wear with my crutches and shows off my butons and some new aprons.

1. Black Sassy Bag
2. Three 1940's style aprons using this pattern
3. Three smock type aprons using this pattern
4. Spring Symphony pillow
5. Ruched Blossoms pillow

Really, if I get all that done this year I'll be very happy.

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Crochet:

Which is distinct from knitting in that I can only manage a small amount of it during the day because it bothers my wrist so.

1. A Kitty Cat cushion for the couch
2. A Ripple pillow for the couch
3. A Ripple pillow for the bed

And I will count it good

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Knitting:

This is where the rubber meets the road, isn't it?

1. A Rainbow Wingspan
2. A Rainbow scarf
3. A pair of Rainbow Gloves to match the above scarf
4. A Copper Boom scarf in a rich, soft blue
5. A Hoek in rich, forest colors
6. A Leftie in black and cool jewel tones (inspired here)
7. A Simple Sideways in silly pastels
8. Finish the Country scarf
9. Finish the Nine-Patch pillow
10. Finish the Wild West scarf
11. Make a Bobble Sheep pillow
12. Make a Riverbed Scarf, at last

Yes, this is a project a month.  Yes, this is GOING to happen this year.  I am a productive knitter and I will produce.  And I might just throw in some more decorative stuff or tea cozies besides.  But I am going to pick one and FINISH it per month before I start anything else.

You'll notice a lot of scarves and aprons.  That's because I finally settled on a "school" uniform of black tank tops and either charcoal, black or denim skirts.  Relatively stain proof and good everywhere, but they need to be dressed up somehow.  Scarves to the rescue.

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TV & News:

Because I feel the need to catch up to my Liberal brethren.  Also because I have a lot of handiwork to do up there.

1. BBC news every day
2. NPR news every day
3. CBC news every day
4. Westworld
5. Game of Thrones
6. The Expanse
7. Breaking Bad
8. American Horror Story
9. Supernatural
10. Gilmore Girls

That ought to get me started.

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Writing:  

I have stories to finish.  I truly do.

1. Finish Least Expected
2. Finish Understanding
3. Finish First Run
4. Finish Percival's Dominatrix (This will take two months)
5. Finish the new Sci-fi one
6. Finish the Lost Girl cross-over
7. Finish the one with the White Plague
8. Maybe something original

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Personal stuff:

Of course these are the really important goals

1.  A1c under 6.0
2. Healthy LDL
3. Walk a mile
4. Ride five miles
5. Get back to lifting 5x/week
6. Get to a 2200 kcal/day diet

At the moment I'd be happy to be back on one crutch.  Baby steps here.

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The House:

Which is dead last because I can't do any of it right now.  If I can empty and re-load my dishwasher I'm thrilled.  Hell, at the moment if I can shower I'm thrilled.  But hopefully, eventually I'll get to this.

1. Clean out the pantry
2. Clean out the cupboards
3. Set up the Room of Many Hobbies
4. Clean out the walk-in closet
5. Clean out the craft closet
6. Set the craft closet up as camping/emergency storage
7. Set up the library

So those are my goals for the year.  I'll be drawing from this list to make my monthly goals. so watch this space.

And the Winter Curse continues

This year we managed to lock down our financials, and were trying to have an idyllic holiday.  The holiday was pretty darn good, until my knee locked up so badly on Christmas Eve night that I couldn't walk on it.  I ended up in Urgent Care yesterday for a cortisol shot, which will still take another day or so to truly take hold.  That should kick in just in time for me to head back to physical therapy to hopefully start regaining my mobility.  Needless to say that issue is informing my plans for the month.

Thankfully my ear drained.

My marvelous in-laws send me an ice cream maker, which we've wanted forever, and an adjustable kettlebell, in the hopes that I can actually start lifting again.  If all goes well I'll shoot for that in February.  For January I'd be happy with getting back down to one crutch.

On the plus side being stuck on my ass for the rest of this week will give me a chance to both plan ahead, write, and knit.  Always useful things.

Speaking of, planning posts will be dropping shortly.

It's better than it looks

So it's the holiday season and of course I'm sick.

My annual ear infection decided to come early.  It usually shows up in January.

The holidays are going nicely though.  Festival was a cock-up this year.  The Armory was under repair so we had to use a different volunteer room, which threw the energy off, the main organizer was retiring and out of fucks so the staffing was off, and every old biddy who usually volunteers was crabby as hell this year, which threw me off.  And the trees were smaller, it looked totally off.  Hopefully we can get it together next year.  Assuming we don't lose Medicare and the hospital altogether.  These days you never know.  But it was still Festival.

The stocking is not getting done by Xmas.

Because I'm sick and that is way more than I want to even think of doing in a week.  It will continue until done though, then be pinned up in The Room of Many Hobbies until November 2017 when it will be turned into a stocking.  That means I get to look at it longer, so what the hell.

And we do have stockings up.

We only have four cats, the ones on the right are for our kitties who have gone before.  The one center left is for the spouse, I've put it here before. The one center right is a wedding gift which is currently holding place for mine.

The spousal unit and I started a new tradition today.

Making holiday cards.  I particularly like that Santa one.

And I made said spouse a hat.

Not the most glorious (that comes later) but an entirely functional hat.

So even with some things entirely wrong this feels like a quiet, wonderful holiday season.  I am thoroughly enjoying it.  I don't know why but, knock on wood, this one just fits.

Hope you all have good ones too.

To forestall the annual argument

So we have a tree.

Every year about this time someone messages me and asks me why an Atheist/Maltheist has a Christmas tree.  Because typing it out every year is a pain I'm just going to put it here and point people back to it.

Guest:  So why does an Atheist/Maltheist have a Christmas tree?

Me:  Because I want a holiday tree.

Guest:  So you want to give glory to God?

Me:  No.  A tree doesn't give glory to god.  Especially not your god.

Guest:  Of course it does.

Me:  No, actually it doesn't.  In fact the bible specifically bans decorated trees from the house of a true believer.

Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel.
2 Thus saith the Lord: “Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not; they must be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.”

Jeremiah 10:1-5

So, you know, cutting down a tree, decorating it with silver and gold, fastening it into a place of reverence in the home is not evil but very much a heathen practice.  You're not supposed to practice the ways of the heathen, are you?

They usually stop at that point.  I suspect I don't get the best debaters though.

Anyway, we have a tree.