Veterans Day, a new Atkinson, timing goofs

 Thank you, veterans of any country reading here on Veterans' Day 2023. Those of us who have not served thank you for doing so.

And yesterday's knitting group was a comedy of errors. I had a few things to take care of at home before I left, did them, then looked at the kitchen clock, thought, heck I'm already late, but I'll go anyway. rushed out.

Got there, room closed, light off, I thought ah, I'm so late she's given up waiting, and gone back to work. So I went in search of her to check, and she said, um, you're half an hour early.. I had looked at the kitchen clocks, none of which I'd changed. Duh.

Anyway she opened the room, for me  to set down my knitting bag, and I  seized the chance of this extra time to look at the new book shelves. And found yay, a new Atkinson, a collection of short stories.

I've read a couple and it's vintage Atkinson, wry and funny and scary and riveting.

Happy day, everyone, I've now changed the clocks. Try to do better than I did! Speaking of which, I now realize I don't know where I carefully put the box of yarn and back strap loom parts for my skirt panels. If I ever find it in the safe place, where I was sure to find it,  maybe I don't need to worry about yarn supplies after all. Sigh. 

I might do better if I didn't keep sticking out a foot to trip myself.

Misfits and Freecycle

Yesterday's Misfits box was a cold pack order, items sent in special packing

So I'm all provisioned for eggs, cheese, fish, chicken butter, yogurt, cool items. 

And the cool pack bag, along with a few togs, 

is leaving this morning via Freecycle, took about ten minutes to set up.

The clothes are now packed into the bag and sitting on the step. The taker happened to have business a few hundreds yards away this morning, worked nicely all round. She's reliable about showing up, too, often a problem with Freecycle, people overcommit, then fail to show. 

Now that I'm winding down with Alice B Toklas, the current reading is a Kate Atkinson

on my Kindle, easiest way right now, since most printed books are a little too small to see well.

And a Mrs Pargeter audiobook 

to accompany knitting and sewing - this time an alteration promised to handsome Son, rehemming frayed jeans legs. This will get done promptly, unlike similar tasks for myself, so mom-typical.

And the view from the stairs waiting for Misfits

Carpenter's pencil 

Happy day everyone and hang in there

Tiny Misfits, drawing with a rural pen

Yesterday's Misfits box was a very small order. The increased prices mean I reach my budget faster, with fewer items. As you see.

Still room for a bit of chocolate though.

And still working in ink on my little drawings. 

These are grapevine pens. I cut them years ago from wild grapevines growing near home, and used to give them to students in workshops. 

You angle the cut to make a rough nib, at both ends, giving two pens in one. Let them dry a while, and they're good for years. 

Van Gogh used these when he was broke, also ink he made probably from black walnuts. You can see early drawings he made of landscapes using them. 

I used to give walnut ink I'd made, to students, along with the pens. They were very excited to be following in the footsteps of Van Gogh.

Blake referred to a rural pen in his Songs of Innocence. Same thing.

Anyway they work nicely for ink drawing, giving interesting changeable lines. And you're part of art history when you make and use them, however humbly.

Today I'm being pecked at by texts from the eye doctor about Covid, the appointment, etc and by the condo HOA wanting more dox, which I have to search for. 

One of them is on the website which my password won't let me in to, and there's no way to change the password. I think they issue it, so I've asked for help on that. I didn't need this just now!

But, bright side, it's cooler today and I can get out for an errand or two and a walk. So there's that.

And Kate Atkinson is seeing me through. Now it's

Happy day everyone! Enjoy what you can.

Two words. Kate Atkinson

The latest, a JacksonBrodie.Unputdownable.

For me, a bonus location, the Northeast coast of Yorkshire, recognized practically all of the scenery in a terrifying, great, narrative of human trafficking, heroines, dogs, incompetence, justice sometimes happening outside the law.

Just read it.