Mayo, bread, soup

Today is a basic day. I made a gallon of laundry liquid, next comes stock, then soup, and bread. This is because I was out of all of them. I'll also take another try at mayo from aqua faba, the last try not working so well.

The  laundry stuff lasts ages, needing about half a cup per load, so at least 32 loads, which explains why I can't find the post about the last time I made it. It still seems to be a surprise when it runs out though.

Here's a screenshot from September, which might in fact be when I last made it, for people who fancy trying their hand.

Quarter bar (one ounce) castile soap, grated and melted in one cup water on the stove,  quarter cup each of washing soda and borax, stirred in the container half filled with water. Then add the melted soap solution, fill up with hot, not boiling, water, stir and stir. Leave 24 hours to cure, shake, use. I shake it every time because the contents can settle.

Done. Cheap. Very little shopping involved.

Oatmeal I got this week from Misfits will get into the oatmeal-whole wheat bread I am about to commit.

There's a bag of peeled carrots and a cooked sweet potato in the freezer, plus stock makings. By end of day it will be soup.

And maybe there will be tuna salad if the mayo works out. Aqua faba is a vegan egg substitute. I'm not vegan, (clearly, tuna?) but I like trying substitutes. Definitely for eggs which can only get more pricey. Especially since today's bank alert tells me the plumber cashed his $$$$ check.

On to cheerier things. I heard last night that an online friend on another platform saw yesterday's outdoor picture I'd posted there and her mood improved from seeing it. 

She'd been very down that morning, worried about her SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid and subsidized housing. Old lady who worked all her life until felled by leukemia, now hanging in at home. 

She has a lot to worry about and I was so moved that I'd unknowingly given her just a moment of feeling better. She's unsinkable, but even she needs a cheerful note now and then. So there's that. 

Hamish Macbeth continues and I think I'm near the end of the ebooks, oh dear. I may have to start writing more of them.

Happy day everyone, and if you're up for cutting way back on buying 

A word of encouragement there!

As long there's soup, and friends, and art

The new normal around here is days divided into activism -- texting, emailing, signing, meeting, donating -- and then the blessed other time of making art, knitting, reading, lunching with friends.

Yesterday was the occasional lunch with a group of women artisans, who design, knit, quilt, stitch, make all kinds of art.  Mari brought her latest massive quilt, a tshirt quilt, with meaningful tshirts appliqued onto a wonderfully designed and quilted background.  So big it had its own chair at the lunch table.

The pix mostly were not good enough to share, but I did get a pic of Mari, the artist, to show you.  

Dark restaurants are not a great environment for pix, though they are great for renewing friendships and getting caught up.  And for being reminded to get cracking on knitting for Warmup America, as well as finishing the pussycat hat on the needles which will go around with me in search of a receiver.  

This is Shaker Stitch, which I like very much to do.  All garter, but looks more interesting. In fact I may do some WarmupAmerica rectangles in this stitch.  If they need machine washable yarn, I have to pass up my spun yarn, and use other stuff from stash.

Anyone who wants the hat, grasps the meaning, but can't make one for herself, will be the recipient.  This actually includes any blog reader who would like one, though I know the vast majority of readers are artists and crafty people, but still, if needed, do say. And I have several completed pussyhat pins for people who don't do hats, which includes moi. Again, just say.  You may have to spot me a few $$ for postage.

Meanwhile, good food is another way of self care as well as coping and actually finding something to enjoy.  So tonight, Handsome Son will be over for dinner, and has a nice menu awaiting.

 Started, on the stove

Served at the table. Just now for lunch, the cook's privilege preview.  Carrot, ginger and white bean soup, with a little drawing of coconut milk put on at the last minute.  Curried mushrooms, with salmon croquettes and mashed sweet potato.  And old fashioned comfort food cupcakes with icing for dessert, with a pot of tea.

The donation I mentioned earlier is a small one, what I can afford, to the legal defense fund of the Standing Rock Water Protectors, who are once again on full alert, still there in midwinter in the Dakotas, holding fast.  And may soon need legal protection.

Locally, since it's vital not to forget people on our own doorsteps. the Plainsboro Food Pantry is in for a donation this weekend, for the dozens of families in our little town who need assistance.  It's such a small thing, but it's my shrimp!  or starfish, depending on which version of the story you like!

And I've restarted my meditation practice, which had sort of fallen off the radar with all the recent anxiety about politics, and the building renovations, but that's exactly the time to revive it.  I use the Five Minute Meditation I found on youtube, just a bell striking, no annoying music, and it's very helpful at the start of the day.