tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7747180666261482852024-03-15T14:40:32.105-04:00implausibility of gnusa watering hole of absurdity in the barren wasteland of the mindn.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.comBlogger299125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-21828146528371881832024-02-14T23:59:00.001-05:002024-02-15T00:02:45.310-05:00mutually assured suffering...<p> if i had to describe our lives together, it would be in three phrases. </p><p><i>encouraging foolishness</i>... because it was with him that i discovered that there is so much joy to be had when you allow yourself to indulge in the ridiculous things in life. </p><p><i>there is always a story to tell</i>... even in the littlest things.</p><p>but, above all else, there is the unending game of<i> mutually assured suffering</i>... because that is how you show you care. </p><p>i was minding my own business, when he made the mistake of asking what i was doing, so i responded with an unsolicited lecture on the botany of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropaeolum" target="_blank">nasturtium </a>seeds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8csuzMz6pZIsfJQh6kItAlZx0nt9cMsl3p51KVRe-zQohR-zxfdPNi7QbrDvdo2SZGjOeLrMgrGvKvejdhIU02bASebxDbHxUYt5rGc6G1-JvvqYgvAinbEwY_45xvmBfqUMM3SO4k651THZ2b5nI2YWIHHTwUjIcmUxP21TIX3AVl8D1-YwQHoeuXD8/s1024/curly%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8csuzMz6pZIsfJQh6kItAlZx0nt9cMsl3p51KVRe-zQohR-zxfdPNi7QbrDvdo2SZGjOeLrMgrGvKvejdhIU02bASebxDbHxUYt5rGc6G1-JvvqYgvAinbEwY_45xvmBfqUMM3SO4k651THZ2b5nI2YWIHHTwUjIcmUxP21TIX3AVl8D1-YwQHoeuXD8/w640-h426/curly%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i explained that they usually grow in clusters of three seeds...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYORjj5SIO9a1aYLWWm_-9pRsgF3UPZfODbNR1sIZ99G84MU1J8acOEQJNO512TsczR_VVLrQL9r7XONr-KI8ltXBroYJM8c5P2gsLdusYEaKs8OHJlhExqzhxLEUd39nQYMXno-dBaG_o37no5y4yS0jzMe2ga0vUjq6RbYIGsSQOM92rMaTWKDavXRE/s1024/seeds%20in%20hand%20(683x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYORjj5SIO9a1aYLWWm_-9pRsgF3UPZfODbNR1sIZ99G84MU1J8acOEQJNO512TsczR_VVLrQL9r7XONr-KI8ltXBroYJM8c5P2gsLdusYEaKs8OHJlhExqzhxLEUd39nQYMXno-dBaG_o37no5y4yS0jzMe2ga0vUjq6RbYIGsSQOM92rMaTWKDavXRE/w426-h640/seeds%20in%20hand%20(683x1024).jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p>but they may not all get pollinated or mature consistently, so you end up with some interesting groupings, which is what i was documenting when he strolled in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpv4VM6J46jfYvKU1afPkE9aeDQuwFMmClniH9TJI2Kf2CwSeoCHbXVzm5CFEf5zXslP7NXbAiMRwoJOxQZerT76e-yYU1EZkGKsJVGiAh6AE3edzeh32K-HmvzumYbc_2zYGCRKDyhsrMGJSBPv8DDvZt02uo-e6gUqP42oxuZQuOy4i2bcLgNtegd0/s1024/seed%20collecting%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpv4VM6J46jfYvKU1afPkE9aeDQuwFMmClniH9TJI2Kf2CwSeoCHbXVzm5CFEf5zXslP7NXbAiMRwoJOxQZerT76e-yYU1EZkGKsJVGiAh6AE3edzeh32K-HmvzumYbc_2zYGCRKDyhsrMGJSBPv8DDvZt02uo-e6gUqP42oxuZQuOy4i2bcLgNtegd0/w640-h426/seed%20collecting%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>have i mentioned that we are <i>both </i>forever-children? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijQ21rh0X7CbUj_wa7pHicOxoCBeunYTGmnOwN3OPKZAftw9A6lBIHc_M0idI9C3Di9TSoL4DMYfdY43cSxsYodgydPrN9vnKDHRKUV48qdiMMJV99zRoMbz3v-4pIBgj2wKjFLqYXk0YU5R3iPd7JuvTdCbSmEujxqjp4b21Kpvb1QGslwrnA9T4HuU/s1024/forever%20children%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijQ21rh0X7CbUj_wa7pHicOxoCBeunYTGmnOwN3OPKZAftw9A6lBIHc_M0idI9C3Di9TSoL4DMYfdY43cSxsYodgydPrN9vnKDHRKUV48qdiMMJV99zRoMbz3v-4pIBgj2wKjFLqYXk0YU5R3iPd7JuvTdCbSmEujxqjp4b21Kpvb1QGslwrnA9T4HuU/w640-h426/forever%20children%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>he stood there, bored out of his skull, while i went on about Mendelian Genetics... then i saw the look in his eyes. i knew that there was some form of payback to come. he picked up one of the unevenly-matured seed clusters.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him:<i> this reminds me of the movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083624/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Basket Case</a>. we should watch Basket Case.</i></p><p>me: <i>or... we should not. that works too.</i></p><p>him: <i>i just listened to your thing, so now it's my turn. we're gonna watch Basket Case.</i></p><p>me: <i>you're gonna make me watch some crappy b-movie... just to get even with me for boring you with tmi about nasturtiums.</i></p><p>him:<i> yep.</i></p><p>me: <i>you're gonna make both of us sit through some uber-cringe movie... because of a handful of seeds. </i></p><p>him: <i>yep.</i></p></blockquote><p>so we did. then we followed it up by watching <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099108/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3" target="_blank">Basket Case 2</a>... and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103773/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2" target="_blank">3</a>... in the same evening. i may have also added a few more British shows with lots of old people to the list of things he will be watching in the Future, when i get subjected to an unsolicited review of the life of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Savage" target="_blank">Macho Man Randy Savage</a> (or some equally ridiculous thing). then it is <i>my </i>turn to select the method of <i>mutually assured sufferin</i>g.</p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-53388404963268444302024-02-13T23:47:00.001-05:002024-02-13T23:47:38.885-05:00how commerce was invented...<p>this was one of the finished (but never shared) posts i mentioned. i honestly do not recall even writing it, but i am happy that i did. reading it now reminds me of a bit of (wholly unsolicited) advice i received back when i was turning thirty (really wish she was around when i turned forty). it went something like this:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>your thirties are when you stop worrying about people around you, and realize that it is okay to own your own crazy. the best part is when you find yourself surrounded by people who are willing to share their crazy with you. you can sit down to laugh and talk together, each person doing their own crazy thing... and that is totally okay. </i></div></blockquote><p><span></span></p><p></p><p>--------------------------------------------</p><p>there are a few reasons why i make note of so many ridiculous conversations i have with the animator. sometimes it is the absurdity of what passes for adult conversation around here. sometimes it is relevant to whatever nonsense i plan to talk about. but, sometimes it is for purely preemptive purposes. i am just gathering evidence for when i i have to explain to a Judge and Jury that <i>he had it coming</i>. [and, just like that... i will be humming 'Cell Block Tango' for the rest of the night, which always makes him understandably concerned.] </p><p>this time around, the <i>provocation </i>(nice legal term there) involved a series of conversations over three consecutive days. it began when he got off the phone with one of the people working on the series he is directing...</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>that was [beekeeper guy]. he asked if you needed more honey, so i said we were good for now. then he asked if we were using it, and i told him yes. we use it in tea and sometimes in cooking, and that you used some of it in the soap you just made.</i></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">me: <i>oh, for fu... what did i tell you about telling people about this stuff? he's gonna think i'm some kind hippie who makes her own soap.</i></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>he was all excited. he loves that kind of stuff. i told him you'll trade him some of your soap for more honey.</i></p><p>me: <i>great! i'm trading soap for honey. that's one step closer to smelling like patchouli and living in a commune. </i></p></blockquote><p>the next day...</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>i was just talking to [another animator]. he asked if we were watching anything for Halloween, so i told him we were doing werewolf movies this year.</i></p><p>me: <i>uhm... ok.</i></p><p>him: <i>he asked if <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082010/" target="_blank">American Werewolf in London</a> was on the list, and i told him it was, but we'll probably skip that one because i've seen it so many times, and you watched it with me a couple times already.</i></p><p>me: <i>ok.</i></p><p>him: <i>then he suggested <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210070/" target="_blank">Ginger Snaps</a>, and i told him that you refuse to watch it because it's about teenagers. i told him that you don't like stuff about teenagers and all their teenage problems and teenage drama. i told him you mostly watch stuff with old people. </i></p><p>me: <i>what the...?</i></p><p>him: <i>then he joked that you probably like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090481/" target="_blank">Matlock</a>, so i told him that you do. and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086765/" target="_blank">Murder She Wrote</a>, and a bunch of British shows with old people, like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069602/" target="_blank">Last of the Summer Wine</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062552/" target="_blank">Dad's Army</a> and that sort of stuff. </i></p><p>me: <i>why??? why are you telling people stuff like this about me. now they think i'm a soap-making hippie who's obsessed with old people. </i></p><p>him: <i>well... it's true, right?</i></p></blockquote><p>then i just walked away, before i was overcome by the urge to <i>end </i>him. i wake up a day later, and what is the first thing he says to me?</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>i just forwarded you something that [yet another animator] sent for you. </i></p><p>me: <i>uhm...?</i></p><p>him:<i> it's about dyeing yarn with mushrooms.</i></p><p>me: <i>seriously... you need to stop having these conversations about me with other people</i>? </p><p>him: <i>are you kidding? he was excited to share this with you. he's all about mushrooms. he goes foraging for them, and he has tons of books all about mushrooms.</i></p><p>me: <i>great. so now they think that i'm a soap-making hippie who dyes yarn with mushrooms while watching shows about old people. good grief!</i></p><p>him: <i>look, you gotta understand that they love that sort of stuff around here. in their eyes, you're amazing.</i></p></blockquote><p>then he paused briefly before adding...</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">him: <i>in my eyes... you're insane. </i></p></blockquote><p>any. day. now. already got my 'statement to the Court' ready to go and everything. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">me:<i> Your Honor...</i> <i>i betcha you would have done the same!</i></p></blockquote><p> and, yes... i traded the beekeeper some of the soap i made (with honey from his hives) for <i>more</i> honey. doesn't everyone have a <i>honey guy</i>?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHsDtom_c1Iax_TTxb5_3LJp8tr1nsFgOu8Mw0uupAEM_j28EVocJjrI69XlHyrCuL8_L1MkUyJ9B6Dgvv4ZyAjuBLuXmHIFyyrRgWpIBu6Ls4AaGVVi3gMv2_j2zjxHb-VDax-5_Uy_6F8Gl_kwc7pFQmwjE7DKHsdQZzQ7Xw8Lz3BgRz3xElLDhlq8/s1024/soap%20hands%20(1024x683).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHsDtom_c1Iax_TTxb5_3LJp8tr1nsFgOu8Mw0uupAEM_j28EVocJjrI69XlHyrCuL8_L1MkUyJ9B6Dgvv4ZyAjuBLuXmHIFyyrRgWpIBu6Ls4AaGVVi3gMv2_j2zjxHb-VDax-5_Uy_6F8Gl_kwc7pFQmwjE7DKHsdQZzQ7Xw8Lz3BgRz3xElLDhlq8/w640-h426/soap%20hands%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i did warn him that this was a particularly exfoliating batch, as it included a generous amount of <i>rolled oats</i>. i believe in a good hard scrub in the shower, or why even bother, right? just talking about <i>homemade honey-oat soap</i> here. </p><p>note the difference between the freshly-cut piece (left) and the dried out bit from the edge (right). the drying will continue through the curing process (about two months), resulting in a lighter color overall.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKwFU8rSEHe9V6RC1b0hmhkH8cnZ_64YtGX3u0xLZDBjuuuB0emZsPZ23FyXhdHq1Y2xsFC3d2vg38IFY8ikuFFmfEdkOFNTZBYbPRbzsVVP9_a4nQP69seNKqlHuynhv7IeL0Q5x_ajtEe5Z4txJU2THip33yTGlvvTYW1-rp08QwD_hte8kg00WKzw/s1024/first%20cut%20(1024x683).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKwFU8rSEHe9V6RC1b0hmhkH8cnZ_64YtGX3u0xLZDBjuuuB0emZsPZ23FyXhdHq1Y2xsFC3d2vg38IFY8ikuFFmfEdkOFNTZBYbPRbzsVVP9_a4nQP69seNKqlHuynhv7IeL0Q5x_ajtEe5Z4txJU2THip33yTGlvvTYW1-rp08QwD_hte8kg00WKzw/w640-h426/first%20cut%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>it is hard to tell from this angle, but i made wayyy too much of the stuff. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkVXHPOBiUabD1lazcGT6B7Z7gBZyUBho0ch9SsTEdlQKLyopA2IjpGH3mqVw1qRSVQWryhthUJ8AIhk5gyD9rSfr6h6HX1XufCGU7l22tf5RqjKdj84IDifcud8ePPqMf-F8uKIUnv_paqmdlKso9MXpBuiypkUxY5iktrxFe9GJYgYvjhJInhU2Kro/s1024/trading%20soap%20for%20honey%20(683x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkVXHPOBiUabD1lazcGT6B7Z7gBZyUBho0ch9SsTEdlQKLyopA2IjpGH3mqVw1qRSVQWryhthUJ8AIhk5gyD9rSfr6h6HX1XufCGU7l22tf5RqjKdj84IDifcud8ePPqMf-F8uKIUnv_paqmdlKso9MXpBuiypkUxY5iktrxFe9GJYgYvjhJInhU2Kro/w426-h640/trading%20soap%20for%20honey%20(683x1024).jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">i had to take a break and pry my fingers away from the pastry cutter long enough to relax my hand. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhIjeWESOJj9fiddPzZVQu58N3vFcdNfk_u_X-l7V_hyphenhyphenN_OXhJnPQVgTTvXhqB8_78iOb0-01yD4-9vYnhtJXXA2OLc2HM8ECvEDCvOy9kJgfiM_65IlzILEYD3_2HkYfsKXF9CwSXYZ7okK419tstcpbyEbTHT1QgzX5J0Oo97bjgLhfI4beS53GSWU/s1024/took%20a%20break%20(683x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhIjeWESOJj9fiddPzZVQu58N3vFcdNfk_u_X-l7V_hyphenhyphenN_OXhJnPQVgTTvXhqB8_78iOb0-01yD4-9vYnhtJXXA2OLc2HM8ECvEDCvOy9kJgfiM_65IlzILEYD3_2HkYfsKXF9CwSXYZ7okK419tstcpbyEbTHT1QgzX5J0Oo97bjgLhfI4beS53GSWU/w426-h640/took%20a%20break%20(683x1024).jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p>finally, it was done. seriously... what was i (over)thinking when i made this much soap? i am convinced that 'trading overstocked crazy' is how <i>commerce </i>was invented. prove me wrong!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9YO6PtmJ_khQhT4PnkaUamTdGL7jeAlZqebGIW_at0uB0ft_KhLpp0j7_ktJNCU75q4bQ7yOPI1J9sYi74hV1hpGAtXS9y8FxukPiiYrUURUsuL1eeiFtNHA-cDVjKom5CGJPUd-jFuAdIAUUQTpx6NBUUtUL-uFl4zvNvaP1DKn_A-WNIeCWT4vorg/s1024/until%20done%20(683x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9YO6PtmJ_khQhT4PnkaUamTdGL7jeAlZqebGIW_at0uB0ft_KhLpp0j7_ktJNCU75q4bQ7yOPI1J9sYi74hV1hpGAtXS9y8FxukPiiYrUURUsuL1eeiFtNHA-cDVjKom5CGJPUd-jFuAdIAUUQTpx6NBUUtUL-uFl4zvNvaP1DKn_A-WNIeCWT4vorg/w426-h640/until%20done%20(683x1024).jpg" width="426" /></a></div>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-84360295242633437502024-02-12T23:56:00.005-05:002024-02-13T00:01:04.229-05:00you are not reading this...<p>i sat down one day, and tallied up all the posts i either started and never finished, or finished and never posted over the past few years. thirty-six! the number was thirty-six (because i can hear you asking). it might be thirty-seven, if you are not reading this.</p><p>as the (second) most uptight person i have ever met, i can say with complete sincerity that it is difficult to 'look on the bright side' when everything feels so... well... complicated. there were a few bright spots that i would still like to share, like this one from last year.</p><p>------------</p><p>i took this photo on a whim one day, and i am extremely glad i did.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOWgS-qDKhrJZJ7FP-AKY4HMojMBzzBiLJ4_Hk3efEtyPDUDhZB8aEwDczXDB1VrvYbjlxTwmWV0EHkzpj_sJvgmYDL52IVowpl3gHpSJj5ZCI9gFv5jZcSPnY0aLIdbIYvkoAlfpo8ZPy7N5SRqXKqvm_goCt3Y3bOVHtW5DBVjMGaHka-gAtBSQnRs/s1024/snail%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOWgS-qDKhrJZJ7FP-AKY4HMojMBzzBiLJ4_Hk3efEtyPDUDhZB8aEwDczXDB1VrvYbjlxTwmWV0EHkzpj_sJvgmYDL52IVowpl3gHpSJj5ZCI9gFv5jZcSPnY0aLIdbIYvkoAlfpo8ZPy7N5SRqXKqvm_goCt3Y3bOVHtW5DBVjMGaHka-gAtBSQnRs/w640-h426/snail%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">we were heading out on a lengthy road trip, when we did the one thing that is required by law before getting on a Candian highway... we stopped off to get a couple Iced Capps and a box of TimBits. that is when i made a casual comment about the grapevine that had overgrown the neighboring yard. then i started squinting. something had caught my attention. do you see him?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXTy4Rb8_pnCsJQju1xY2gAIvmZO6CBff2txA59-VbufZlybjnRY5YQMHPEIxBCXC5v8iy4l84ON6u7ogD-P7Dt8xv62Dd-Jk5bOV9OLTs1Zy5VGfAGHpz_GTqNaFjYR4wvYw6t-ceSp88qpuidThVkBMJbi1DvgBuIZjOhgxJHiLmBCZHOSBUIWcQqI/s1024/grapevine%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXTy4Rb8_pnCsJQju1xY2gAIvmZO6CBff2txA59-VbufZlybjnRY5YQMHPEIxBCXC5v8iy4l84ON6u7ogD-P7Dt8xv62Dd-Jk5bOV9OLTs1Zy5VGfAGHpz_GTqNaFjYR4wvYw6t-ceSp88qpuidThVkBMJbi1DvgBuIZjOhgxJHiLmBCZHOSBUIWcQqI/w640-h426/grapevine%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">of course, his name is Gary. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5ZA9A7TSLJeEPbolyFScTqcmmJcf-PC0fYrCjI9nvYPN1MiSivecjarlRjSkkfmmdWLFCqj0mRP_ta7vAkTKjmPCT7HCqhxkOmpPYTyyRJU4EArKTEqimXC4z54Ai5AlfKpoBMBCCLQbkRQiNh2HCpnZANOR1ShpZRURhZkB-NUxWOY8LtSC7-q-Phw/s1024/size%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5ZA9A7TSLJeEPbolyFScTqcmmJcf-PC0fYrCjI9nvYPN1MiSivecjarlRjSkkfmmdWLFCqj0mRP_ta7vAkTKjmPCT7HCqhxkOmpPYTyyRJU4EArKTEqimXC4z54Ai5AlfKpoBMBCCLQbkRQiNh2HCpnZANOR1ShpZRURhZkB-NUxWOY8LtSC7-q-Phw/w640-h426/size%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">so, we got our snacks, got back in the car, and off we went. i might have even said goodbye to Gary... just because. so long, Buddy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8GsA4Nu5oDsmYUvmwlLilraTiqSPcPyCNOqRqjnlXaGED55w0LBZL8BsL7j2U9B_yFlo_Krerdzob84KJWEXumpATWIwVKLATDtuPgX7paUdhFwhIU1XxpAuxja9httuKy28lIK5iygWyx1dJZEDhvJ4lGwGy8M5iL1RXM5oMbvRnHsMfkC9DcltXCk/s1024/carried%20on%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8GsA4Nu5oDsmYUvmwlLilraTiqSPcPyCNOqRqjnlXaGED55w0LBZL8BsL7j2U9B_yFlo_Krerdzob84KJWEXumpATWIwVKLATDtuPgX7paUdhFwhIU1XxpAuxja9httuKy28lIK5iygWyx1dJZEDhvJ4lGwGy8M5iL1RXM5oMbvRnHsMfkC9DcltXCk/w640-h426/carried%20on%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">four-ish hours later, we pull over at a rest stop for the only break of the long trip. the animator took off for the restrooms, while i was still climbing out of the car, struggling to regain circulation in my legs. then i almost fainted.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zS_gk5RUMAsdYE49ya2Ezx_wGzJXEB8RZhr0tk_NOjmvCXGCo8FP2DK_k1J-g7NSddF2A2VbpSzBIVeCivNUbQyd4L0bpcX6yaLk843DwF8yDKpc-mAQ2xffnVe-cU_buRVW4aqm-41r71fARDFOB2UhXubDx-zycEAVCJe9kOmEgKfCZa0oqa9Moc0/s1024/see%20this%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zS_gk5RUMAsdYE49ya2Ezx_wGzJXEB8RZhr0tk_NOjmvCXGCo8FP2DK_k1J-g7NSddF2A2VbpSzBIVeCivNUbQyd4L0bpcX6yaLk843DwF8yDKpc-mAQ2xffnVe-cU_buRVW4aqm-41r71fARDFOB2UhXubDx-zycEAVCJe9kOmEgKfCZa0oqa9Moc0/w640-h426/see%20this%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">the animator returned shortly, only to find me sitting on a large rock, staring at the wooden fence, and shaking my head. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">him: <i>what's the matter with you?</i></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">me: <i>it's happening again...!</i></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;">then i pointed to the snail, and we both broke out laughing. </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKXLNbUjPKPmNvdl4ZQOjEzN5Oo-LliAQqpRnikTxmpGNgweiaItGkma0NroTDjs08K3t0XpBmOEDafj-HhqYGTanqxdso27JM5MOdWwYI3SZBFNqGbJmGxeUlEqZHlLzTSoU8jF0KFsoms54gM7t7GAOYg9FoGfQMA0TJR6ZryJJ90pbgOR5-D7CpFM/s2826/see%20this1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1883" data-original-width="2826" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKXLNbUjPKPmNvdl4ZQOjEzN5Oo-LliAQqpRnikTxmpGNgweiaItGkma0NroTDjs08K3t0XpBmOEDafj-HhqYGTanqxdso27JM5MOdWwYI3SZBFNqGbJmGxeUlEqZHlLzTSoU8jF0KFsoms54gM7t7GAOYg9FoGfQMA0TJR6ZryJJ90pbgOR5-D7CpFM/w640-h426/see%20this1.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">people getting in and out of nearby vehicles definitely thought we were insane, but they would be laughing too if they understood.</p><p style="text-align: left;">i am a card-carrying Science geek who does not believe in spirits, magic, and all that other nonsense... but i find it most fascinating that we encounter some sort of ridiculous <i>déjà vu </i>moment every time we go on long trips. </p><p style="text-align: left;">like the time we were driving to an airport in NY, and got stuck behind a pickup full of chimney-sweep brushes. not exactly something you see everyday. still, there it was, in front of us for the whole drive to the airport. then we got off a plane several states away, and took a taxi to the hotel. naturally, the taxi was stuck in traffic the whole way... behind a pickup full of chimney-sweep brushes. </p><p style="text-align: left;">so... you know... not exactly superstitious, or anything. but, willing to consider the possibility that the Matrix gets glitchy every now and then. prove me wrong!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-65223992242219930202024-02-11T23:51:00.002-05:002024-02-11T23:51:55.638-05:00clockwork murder in the orange hour...<p>i need to sign up for some sort of non-dating service where you can meet people in your area who possess very specific knowledge and interests. in my case, i am in need of someone who either knows way too much about the habits of Montreal crows... or, who is willing to be my designated driver for a couple hours a day, while i hang out a car window, trying to track them in flight. </p><p>but, before all of that... i made the mistake of hoping that it would be a sunny day, until the animator opened the curtains. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>me: <i>why is it so... gray?</i></p><p>him: <i>it's not that bad.</i></p></blockquote><p>then he leaned forward to look at something down at street level, made a noise, then instantly assumed the universally-understood tone of voice that is reserved expressly for delivering bad news.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>you know that orange work sign across the street?</i></p><p>me: <i>uhm... yeh...?</i></p><p>him: <i>well... the orange is gray</i>. </p></blockquote><p>then i sighed and pulled the covers back over my head. </p><p>why are we even talking about this, you ask? because i can talk about whatever the hell i want, for a start. but, mostly, because i found myself sat cross-legged, staring at the sky today, wondering if "it" was going to happen. </p><p>twice a day, weather permitting, the sun reaches the <i>perfect </i>elevation in the sky to send all of its lovely rays streaming (horizontally) through our place. we call it "the orange hour". the sunrise orange hour is usually the more subtle of the two, as there are only a couple windows on that side of the building. </p><p>the sunset orange hour, however, is a thing of indescribable beauty. the SW wall is more glass than bricks, and the whole place just glows. the color is amplified by the terracotta colored walls in the living and dining rooms. it is like sitting cross-legged on a sofa... inside of an active volcano. </p><p>the "hour" lasts only a few minutes in the Winter, but we get <i>Snyder Cut orange hours</i> come Summer. and this happens <i>twice </i>every single day. </p><p>there is also the <i>other </i>thing that happens twice every single day. right after the sun rises and again before it sets, the skies over Montreal become some sort of HOV lane for a large <i>murder of crows</i>. twice every single day, like clockwork, they head SW in the morning, and they take the return flight back, just as the sun threatens to set. </p><p>i just really want to know where they are going, and i might even have to risk making a new friend if that will finally bring me some answers. </p><p>so, there i was this afternoon, sipping my hot beverage and catching up with Norbert. (s)he had stopped by for a snack of <i>stale tortilla chips</i> and puddles of <i>melted ice water</i>. i kept glancing up from my screen, hopeful that the depressingly-overcast clouds would part just long enough for me to (literally) bask in the glow of sunset. </p><p>however, it is still a cold, damp, gray Winter day here in Metropolis North, so i had to settle for <i>clockwork murder in the orange hour</i>... and, of course, the orange was gray. <i>le sigh!</i></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTS9-044Wr2jziW8AsoDhPaGWGOqQI3tr_r-Eq350pqV0XQfEgWHyxqTPal4EzuuuGgegEytE-FJYq2j2NeOiIF_aBzk-xc8DxDZ7phI-JpPkutFZZG1MRDgcGnnHfXWnPcmxQnZuFTc6mppOHHDn_34sCA389zP8kYmsOhvutun2BBvdwxQepbyIKzU/s1024/murder%20(1024x683).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTS9-044Wr2jziW8AsoDhPaGWGOqQI3tr_r-Eq350pqV0XQfEgWHyxqTPal4EzuuuGgegEytE-FJYq2j2NeOiIF_aBzk-xc8DxDZ7phI-JpPkutFZZG1MRDgcGnnHfXWnPcmxQnZuFTc6mppOHHDn_34sCA389zP8kYmsOhvutun2BBvdwxQepbyIKzU/w640-h426/murder%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>Norbert took off when the evening commute started, lest the crows get any funny ideas. so, i just carried on sipping my beverage, and enjoying the antics of the passing forms. they do not exactly fill the whole sky, but there is a steady ribbon of crows that follow the same path always, and it goes on for anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour... or more. and this happens twice every single day, unless we are experiencing a storm of some type. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIAKsk3fCaHRdXhyphenhyphens8JajdNK20xRmC0Txyrv4FkyUz3VlQyiurUckNq-MLOwYN3CgHsZnkBmyScyOutkfNNYkJD3l_UncAnfymqtMSzvs8DIfTmhneI3CeflhDAOrA5PAg6oGYqs3JViTHTJ3QQDvgwvda-E3RT11qIKJsCS4GeqS2mJF-TnFMaEs8cA/s1024/murder%20ribbon%20(1024x683).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIAKsk3fCaHRdXhyphenhyphens8JajdNK20xRmC0Txyrv4FkyUz3VlQyiurUckNq-MLOwYN3CgHsZnkBmyScyOutkfNNYkJD3l_UncAnfymqtMSzvs8DIfTmhneI3CeflhDAOrA5PAg6oGYqs3JViTHTJ3QQDvgwvda-E3RT11qIKJsCS4GeqS2mJF-TnFMaEs8cA/w640-h426/murder%20ribbon%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">there are always a few stragglers, flapping extra hard to catch up with the rest of the murder. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EdIpF8bU8L9FboCzV_0a8sqYFnXuMFkiO0bhR4yF31gQp2u7gUalMxhBINIZy0sjeJobHurRz-YBR8xa6IPB8zc6RZ7X1ehh440-_C11I217pgD3Nx_ylQjngky3DZJ9x2fOcz3vXotPCKOp5-ZCV9zdSLM9f6vVpaB2TV1YvwPskWHaIII0KC3ZuEE/s3888/stragglers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3888" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EdIpF8bU8L9FboCzV_0a8sqYFnXuMFkiO0bhR4yF31gQp2u7gUalMxhBINIZy0sjeJobHurRz-YBR8xa6IPB8zc6RZ7X1ehh440-_C11I217pgD3Nx_ylQjngky3DZJ9x2fOcz3vXotPCKOp5-ZCV9zdSLM9f6vVpaB2TV1YvwPskWHaIII0KC3ZuEE/w640-h426/stragglers1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>in the Summer, the shapes of crows would be displaced by silhouettes of bats heading out for an evening hunt... which is usually my signal to go inside. maybe i need to make two friends with special interests, because i <i>also </i>really need to know where those bats hang out all day. </p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-36286102693632542442024-02-10T23:48:00.004-05:002024-02-10T23:48:47.245-05:00Muppets would be homeless...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuXSVOILf0ydBNwf6RGyrwQgbgAunIvwYEEIeZ8_x2439XiSTeTBLcg6PxEyHPAIMvNZ6XesmXSWxFOYLgY16E88fSl8I3Yv_HQPV8tv83lIvMQWdi64ond9KFqLwstKBiZREMkj63AqXBvqT7wAutLHqGSL5IJlFPl5_jW5xrnVB_ciUF87JjkBAZhQ/s1024/eh%20(1024x683).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuXSVOILf0ydBNwf6RGyrwQgbgAunIvwYEEIeZ8_x2439XiSTeTBLcg6PxEyHPAIMvNZ6XesmXSWxFOYLgY16E88fSl8I3Yv_HQPV8tv83lIvMQWdi64ond9KFqLwstKBiZREMkj63AqXBvqT7wAutLHqGSL5IJlFPl5_jW5xrnVB_ciUF87JjkBAZhQ/w640-h426/eh%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i woke up from a dream about witches flying around a massive kitchen on broomsticks, competing in a cooking show. the 2024 season of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_British_Menu" target="_blank">Great British Menu</a>—my absolute fave of all the 'Great' shows—is underway. i may have also just recovered from a two week stretch without a single sunny day by rewatching all the films in a certain magical franchise. </p><p>speaking of potters... we were sitting down to watch the latest episode of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Pottery_Throw_Down" target="_blank"> The Great Pottery Throw Down</a>, when i made an... uhm... uplifting discovery. they pot in Canada! boy, do they pot in Canada. so, we watched the very first episode of <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/program/the-great-canadian-pottery-throw-down" target="_blank">The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down</a>. </p><p>i was concerned that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_Rogen" target="_blank">Seth Rogen's</a> involvement in this was purely "vanity", but he actually really knows his stuff. he is also Seth Rogen... so it got interesting real fast. the contestants started working on items that reminded them of home, while the judges retreated to their backstage discussion area. this is when Seth reached back, to pull out a beautiful object that reminds him of the mountains back home. naturally, it is a <i>bong</i>. </p><p>i almost died laughing.</p><p>this is the CBC. it is (largely) publicly-funded, like PBS and NPR back home in the States. because of that public funding, their programming (television and radio) is free for all to enjoy, and it (usually) falls under the heading of 'family viewing'... which is why my 'raised by Puritanical American television' mind melted. </p><p>i could barely get the words out. i was laughing so hard. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">me: <i>what??? you can't do this on publicly-funded tv! i don't even think you'd be allowed to do this on the major networks. definitely not during primetime. this would have to be on some kind of streaming service you're paying extra for. i am certain that if this happened on a regular family program back home...</i></p></blockquote><p>then i paused to reflect on scenes of CDs being crushed, wine bottles emptied down drains, the near global shortage of duct tape because of a beer can... to name a few 'American overreaction moments'. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">me: <i>yep... there would definitely have to be many rounds of Congressional hearings because of this pottery contest. Muppets would be homeless. </i></p></blockquote><p>then Seth proceeded to demonstrate how easily he crafts an ashtray specially designed for holding joints, and he set the contestants the challenge of making one of their own... then i just carried on laughing. </p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-52451537679936271662024-02-09T23:41:00.002-05:002024-02-10T00:10:52.301-05:00all both of them...<p>did i mention that i seem to have some sort of fan club going at my dentist's office? the animator informed me of said fact... right after he stopped laughing. you should probably know that i go out of my way most days to avoid human contact. i never claimed to be problem-free. this particular day, i had asked him to call and make an appointment for me. then i heard him laughing as he came walking down the hall.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him:<i> i started saying your name, and the receptionist got so excited, she practically screamed the last part. then she said, "oh, we know exactly who [me] is".</i></p><p>me: <i>that definitely does not sound good. what did i... but probably you... do to make me so memorable at the dentist's office?</i></p></blockquote><p>then i started to frantically review the last few times either one of us went near that building. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>it's not anything like that. they remember the orange sweater you were wearing last time. remember everyone kept giving you compliments about it everywhere we went that day?</i></p><p>me: <i>uhm, yeh...?</i></p><p>him: <i>well the receptionists are knitters, and they couldn't stop talking about it after you left. they were both practically squealing when they heard your name. </i></p><p>me: <i>good grief!</i></p></blockquote><p>this is the garment in question, by the way. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSnbvgmgKrZGbNjuUi31qSphYyM6JZaFmhc8rEsPRQSjS0INM-V7QY9G1GbB52PacTljcAfTujHuZGYhPLdbTFiiu6a17HA7vbreiEF0ViyfutKbem_pWrc_EuwqdMa_j_fK1Z92jN8rxty101x3KAL1jnID79FQlPM2v884DpOJUG1rlFoFMkdWdilA/s1024/sweater%20(723x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="723" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSnbvgmgKrZGbNjuUi31qSphYyM6JZaFmhc8rEsPRQSjS0INM-V7QY9G1GbB52PacTljcAfTujHuZGYhPLdbTFiiu6a17HA7vbreiEF0ViyfutKbem_pWrc_EuwqdMa_j_fK1Z92jN8rxty101x3KAL1jnID79FQlPM2v884DpOJUG1rlFoFMkdWdilA/w452-h640/sweater%20(723x1024).jpg" width="452" /></a></div><p>the pattern is "Ro" by This.Bird.Knits (on <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ro-4" target="_blank">Ravelry</a>).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlp8P74th_biahZVo3TahRo-ioM7CkRVVGeRRwbKPGpQZCWJU3Yc0lUjeIae7WC6sdZNJLxqM_LjacRg98mdr-J6TlVyQCfkc8TBVkG-2q2xcay4RyCm9LuBsR-KJY3mB1f6yTdWYawFTaXwqq_tpOisuv2EUqqKgjpZh-XSm2WqTrl1HPSw99RiiBoIc/s1024/sweater1%20(683x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlp8P74th_biahZVo3TahRo-ioM7CkRVVGeRRwbKPGpQZCWJU3Yc0lUjeIae7WC6sdZNJLxqM_LjacRg98mdr-J6TlVyQCfkc8TBVkG-2q2xcay4RyCm9LuBsR-KJY3mB1f6yTdWYawFTaXwqq_tpOisuv2EUqqKgjpZh-XSm2WqTrl1HPSw99RiiBoIc/w426-h640/sweater1%20(683x1024).jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p>the top is not even a particularly special one. it was mostly passive knitting while watching stuff. most of all, it was something i starting making one night a couple-few years ago, when my left eye started twitching because it was snowing... in April. i know!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4nmBdhmMMhfmZDo-PLUixS07c7dI_szhuBaZl34M8vZtch0g0kB8960jC12PWOEsHx5Wxd6_VI_IK7HxuWu_B03axu_d1fjJN12EKNp0pBDR2yuS6V2eBiJAB5FcawfFSSe_mEUmId3Ii0oHUvoESomxykiWYWZ_grszwUTNqScQXrhgWXXUINeHgsA/s1024/silly%20humans%20(663x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="663" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4nmBdhmMMhfmZDo-PLUixS07c7dI_szhuBaZl34M8vZtch0g0kB8960jC12PWOEsHx5Wxd6_VI_IK7HxuWu_B03axu_d1fjJN12EKNp0pBDR2yuS6V2eBiJAB5FcawfFSSe_mEUmId3Ii0oHUvoESomxykiWYWZ_grszwUTNqScQXrhgWXXUINeHgsA/w414-h640/silly%20humans%20(663x1024).jpg" width="414" /></a></div><p>this has become one of my most-worn handknits. i used a smooth cotton yarn that drapes really well, and feels soft and cool against the skin. i (mostly) followed the pattern, but i did add a bit of shaping for the hips... because i have them. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnoN9DFhLZ4Jj-ZuWlxRd6Cj6TEvpIB3DBZeiOGaw1I6YQEELuWgtwrDLaSSNr1g4mia3FKwKodON1GF4D0xC4r5wns1YeDqeTUj16yw1Zssh9N57HlFgvrVSoCjC8v-dSvVbV7F_xMzJKV-fKB-zQY8QrHPz6v_HqOTtmfrrcx2_i6savjiUT7gu4b8/s1024/hips1%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnoN9DFhLZ4Jj-ZuWlxRd6Cj6TEvpIB3DBZeiOGaw1I6YQEELuWgtwrDLaSSNr1g4mia3FKwKodON1GF4D0xC4r5wns1YeDqeTUj16yw1Zssh9N57HlFgvrVSoCjC8v-dSvVbV7F_xMzJKV-fKB-zQY8QrHPz6v_HqOTtmfrrcx2_i6savjiUT7gu4b8/w640-h426/hips1%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>of course, it has pockets! did you even need to ask?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWHrpp0zSgvWfD0VVv-sx_1A7yYf766jnxuSyvqEDI12qgxcW4ikLyjHHprJQRq6qvIfEz18sJg1kuo82OXdIr4wYu18g1DdAYwHM6AJZu3tpiz88Lw5YJN6kv_OV53HxiNVSiUbewktY881GfZNkbUFxuujFmjiqvxi6glVSgr8qiZ3F8ydix-PxX9Q/s1024/pockets%20(641x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="641" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWHrpp0zSgvWfD0VVv-sx_1A7yYf766jnxuSyvqEDI12qgxcW4ikLyjHHprJQRq6qvIfEz18sJg1kuo82OXdIr4wYu18g1DdAYwHM6AJZu3tpiz88Lw5YJN6kv_OV53HxiNVSiUbewktY881GfZNkbUFxuujFmjiqvxi6glVSgr8qiZ3F8ydix-PxX9Q/w400-h640/pockets%20(641x1024).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>so, now i have fans... all both of them. one <i>knits</i>, and the other one (mostly) <i>crochets </i>(which i am <a href="https://implausibilityofgnus.blogspot.com/2017/07/dirty-c-word.html" target="_blank">willing to forgive in this instance</a>). i may have also mentioned that i like to <i>spin </i>and <i>dye</i>, so now i have an excuse to take them some of my own yarn... like these two i dyed one sleepless night. i got to test out an idea i had about creating tonal depth using a single color... and they each got a 100g hank of hand-dyed yarn. everybody wins, no?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bdxumsFc7tC79H7ku6PITqA8Tn3OLdmcqEHSThPN9b9v_HbYxU7gT8RS59KDpJCDkNc06UHwV6EWFshX64me0ot09ZdGGkz-ieSaOglT-qUlPC3_yuerl0W2CjXfCjOO-ZKkUox07umKqubPVjPVoHqlynuyeA5y-O0doXmgt_2LC48vsTaCA_I8iW8/s1024/yarn%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bdxumsFc7tC79H7ku6PITqA8Tn3OLdmcqEHSThPN9b9v_HbYxU7gT8RS59KDpJCDkNc06UHwV6EWFshX64me0ot09ZdGGkz-ieSaOglT-qUlPC3_yuerl0W2CjXfCjOO-ZKkUox07umKqubPVjPVoHqlynuyeA5y-O0doXmgt_2LC48vsTaCA_I8iW8/w640-h426/yarn%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-36017291704661893232024-02-08T23:54:00.006-05:002024-02-09T00:01:22.635-05:00one of dem days...<p> we (sorta) made plans for a quick day trip out of town to do some Nature watching. we proceed to wake up way too late to make it worth the drive. plus, there was that other thing.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">him: <i>sweetie... can you get me some headache pills? </i></p></blockquote><p>so, i pulled back the blanket and climbed out of bed... and almost fell over sideways. turns out, severe sinus pressure has a habit of confusing the mechanism in your inner-ear that is vital for stuff like <i>balance </i>and knowing which way is <i>up</i>. so, i had to stumble along to the bathroom, using the wall for support and guidance... which was a lot. i returned a short while later with painkillers, which we shared.</p><p>we then scolded ourselves for doing anything so stupid as to make <i>plans </i>in mid-Winter, even in a mild one like this. we have accepted that it is 'one of dem days'... until April... or May.</p><p>i get that people like adventuring in the cold, but taking photos of animals from the comfort of a heated vehicle is my notion of Winter Sport... like this one. i am fairly certain it is a <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ring-billed_Gull/id" target="_blank">ring-billed gull</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLxm6F5XnaVhGo9l_IjCNUKt4_m8I5O4O1sp1QUoZrRRlW9h7PGR_1z3fsT55rrPqeISdocVUMHkBIPFRdPytHxr-e80E72I850JERjpaJLZeEJR41ybbp0_VFtmUr6Aq_SpaH6FIdVpjqNu9LXTKNOcL2IUCXnctvfPFdm87N4hV-ggoOPFu_aJYmQU/s1024/gull%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLxm6F5XnaVhGo9l_IjCNUKt4_m8I5O4O1sp1QUoZrRRlW9h7PGR_1z3fsT55rrPqeISdocVUMHkBIPFRdPytHxr-e80E72I850JERjpaJLZeEJR41ybbp0_VFtmUr6Aq_SpaH6FIdVpjqNu9LXTKNOcL2IUCXnctvfPFdm87N4hV-ggoOPFu_aJYmQU/w640-h426/gull%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>(s)he was hanging out atop a mountain of snow, watching chunks of ice float down the St. Lawrence. yes. that qualifies as a pastime. especially when it is cold, and you live in the middle of a large river. </p><p>speaking of activities in the cold... i have been watching <i>curling</i>. totally unironically. well... sorta unironically. it began, naturally, with the last Winter Olympics. i (and the rest of the planet) am amused by a sport where people spend so much time yelling "SVEEEP". then the Olympics were done, and i kept on watching. not enough to qualify as a "fan", but i definitely find it fascinating, and i would be down for giving it a try.</p><p>best of all... the animator makes fun of me every time he sees me watching curling, but it always ends the same way.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>what's that [pointing to the screen]?</i></p><p>me: <i>i'm watching Matt Dunstone play Joël Retornaz at the 2024 Co-op Canadian Open. </i></p></blockquote>two hours (and <i>many </i>curling jokes) later...<br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>wow! Dunstone really does have a special touch with the stone. and he really seems to be handling the conditions better than everyone else. they're getting tripped up by the low humidity making the ice so dry. but, man... Dunstone can put that stone right where he wants it.</i></p></blockquote><p>then i just looked at him.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">me: <i>do you even hear yourself right now?</i></p></blockquote><p>then we laughed for a bit. that is how we handle most days. </p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-8722538568260421982024-02-07T23:53:00.001-05:002024-02-07T23:53:37.970-05:00he is still alive...<p>there i was, hurrying down the hall, reminding myself that "i need to take some photos of those <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_the_Universe" target="_blank">Masters</a> while there's still light". not exactly Monet, but i approve.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMr8bCyIvV2SK-YkK5Q5GmyJwJPEkOEESS7a9M1XavHF1iqMuq_Ms72T2DVs8aqONx34spBd-qKln6NXdpnaryb-oKadv7Pjs5YOEGKhKX_6clqxhNSxtVG2GSFH_9867NSZimoZIEypieLE_8K4C7k6PdhCj3iTohc2oZ32CcUWevOsJYR3Kvw4pxDpI/s1024/masters%20(1024x683).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMr8bCyIvV2SK-YkK5Q5GmyJwJPEkOEESS7a9M1XavHF1iqMuq_Ms72T2DVs8aqONx34spBd-qKln6NXdpnaryb-oKadv7Pjs5YOEGKhKX_6clqxhNSxtVG2GSFH_9867NSZimoZIEypieLE_8K4C7k6PdhCj3iTohc2oZ32CcUWevOsJYR3Kvw4pxDpI/w640-h426/masters%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">my home is a working Animation space. there are countless items like this... well... everywhere. however, most of that is his crap. my crap is (mostly) of the yarny variety. </p><p style="text-align: left;">still, there we were, walking around <a href="https://www.gothamcentralcomics.com/" target="_blank">Gotham Central Comics</a>, and i kept coming back to these two. so, they came home with me... a day before the ban on "acquiring unnecessary crap" (which we had agreed on just days before) was to go into effect. i may have also bought an <i>orchid </i>right after we left the comic book store, so it is safe to say that this ban will not last very long. but, at least we are trying. </p><p style="text-align: left;">so, there i was today... finally getting around to taking my Masters out of their boxes, and getting a closer look at them for the first time, when i made the gravest mistake.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">me: <i>sweetie... i want to take a picture with He-Man holding his sword, but i can't get it into his hand.</i></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;">so, he came to have a look. less than ten seconds later, there was a snapping noise followed by...</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">him: <i>oops!</i></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p>my left eye started to insta-twitch. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">him: <i>i'm just gonna take this to the studio. </i></p></blockquote><p>at which point, he exited the room carrying the He-Man figure... and TWO pieces of his sword. he started asking me something about a UV light and glue, but i was in a state of shock. </p><p>he returned a short while later, proudly displaying the figure of He-Man, now brandishing his sword.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>tada! good as new!</i></p><p>me: *TWITCH*</p><p>him: <i>you can't even tell the difference... as long as you don't plan to ever take the sword from his hand.</i></p><p>me: *TWITCH*<i> i was just gonna take a picture, and then put it back in the package... then never take it out again.</i></p><p>him: <i>well, there has to be some way to get it back in the box with the sword in his hand. </i></p><p>me: <i>it is physically impossible to get it back in the box. </i>*TWITCH*</p></blockquote><p>i should note that he was trying especially hard not to break out laughing through this whole exchange. he has hundreds of collectible figures for all sorts of things... plus all the stuff he preordered before the ban, that keeps showing up in the mail. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>i have to repair parts of figures all the time. it happens.</i> </p><p>me: *TWITCH*</p><p>him: <i>but i know how you are, so you're probably gonna get all stressed out because you can't stop thinking about it being broken.</i></p><p>me: *TWITCH*</p></blockquote><p>he did offer to replace it, and i did consider letting him do so, but only for a minute or two.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>him: <i>why not just get a new one? it would be exactly the same.</i></p><p>me: <i>no it won't.</i></p><p>him: <i>why not?</i></p><p>me: <i>because i would know. i bought them together in the comic book store where you used to hang out with your brother, and i only went with you that day because he was sick. they are mementos of that day. a new He-Man would never be the same.</i></p></blockquote><p>luckily, i took a few shots before taking them out of the boxes. and i am glad to report that he is still alive... for now. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplw9iAJK2AittPlRMcl6nAGasRPpxZcXYiqd_cxyUuviP-wtPhryfnKhhGwl9JgrkL3G6ozotWKrv1Ax_Psi3fX5Yb9KzK5c6wvarNMplZ14feTbYx0AeMaQZPuluvWd0603l6aJt4eDHcfkwHOyi63H28J0_lHaVxdR4irU9ZdbfzVzI1zakJkl7gL8/s1024/boxes%20(1024x677).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1024" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplw9iAJK2AittPlRMcl6nAGasRPpxZcXYiqd_cxyUuviP-wtPhryfnKhhGwl9JgrkL3G6ozotWKrv1Ax_Psi3fX5Yb9KzK5c6wvarNMplZ14feTbYx0AeMaQZPuluvWd0603l6aJt4eDHcfkwHOyi63H28J0_lHaVxdR4irU9ZdbfzVzI1zakJkl7gL8/w640-h424/boxes%20(1024x677).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-52205347066741032432024-02-06T23:29:00.002-05:002024-02-06T23:32:22.903-05:00modest midweek meal...<p>i love seafood. seafood does not always feel the same. as a result, the list of 'sea things that hate me' seems to get a bit longer with each new year. i can still enjoy fish, but shrimp and prawns are now 'eat at your own risk'. that discovery process might have involved a visit to the Emergency Room. the details are still a bit fuzzy.</p><p>so, what is one to do?</p><p>you make mussels, of course!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gNWEDS4hBR80GLwW9Gijawc41BxF8vc-TuHbPEp_whXgDHGp_oQkuBO_dXyaIH0nqOiUFq7qj4yrOl137caqjxbwpyi12iTxiEs3uCy2521USXcs8s8TRgSGn5mLyro0CVzxeJ932DXT0QTb2JgZuc840ARNbk4xDIspxbnXPIhyE-00cgpyPRnNNDQ/s1024/mussels%20opening%20(2)%20(1024x761).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1024" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gNWEDS4hBR80GLwW9Gijawc41BxF8vc-TuHbPEp_whXgDHGp_oQkuBO_dXyaIH0nqOiUFq7qj4yrOl137caqjxbwpyi12iTxiEs3uCy2521USXcs8s8TRgSGn5mLyro0CVzxeJ932DXT0QTb2JgZuc840ARNbk4xDIspxbnXPIhyE-00cgpyPRnNNDQ/w640-h476/mussels%20opening%20(2)%20(1024x761).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>mussels are awesome! they can be farmed in open waters with minimum impact. in fact, they have been known to improve the surrounding habitat in many places, largely by promoting a healthier local ecosystem where other species can thrive. so, there is that.</p><p>but, most of all, they are <i>delicious</i>...<i> </i>and <i>cheap</i>! a significant proportion of all the mussels imported to the US is farmed in Eastern Canada, including in Quebec. as a result, they are available fresh and (relatively) local all year... and they are an incredibly affordable seafood treat. </p><p>so, i present to you, a <i>modest midweek meal in Montreal</i>.</p><p>[full disclosure: my kitchen is tiny, and the lighting sucks, so i had to drag out a light stand, which got in the way. this meant constantly tripping over stuff. so, a meal that should have taken less than ten minutes, ended up taking twice as long. did i mention that i really love this place?]</p><p>this is very bare bones, in terms of flavor. i used what was at hand, including (pre)chopped <i>leeks</i>, chopped <i>green onions</i>, a bit of roughly chopped <i>jalapeño</i>, and <i>lime juice</i> to taste.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR8g2EMADr78sxXifW0NV-Ru7E2Bx2xizZPs5WJMbAKkGYCJ4ytPuPklVaYxIQomhrLWD-UgN5Dtd3YrnrH3YfIv09Jw-TfEZ2dlSZZl3Pp3PJL94SBoyrxVFNKJJhhbCQcx3lCkj9o3SLM0EBLIJac5d1zHUeQcPLWlQaJuOlCGLVLshw3A5fLMiPrw/s1024/ingredients%20chopped%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR8g2EMADr78sxXifW0NV-Ru7E2Bx2xizZPs5WJMbAKkGYCJ4ytPuPklVaYxIQomhrLWD-UgN5Dtd3YrnrH3YfIv09Jw-TfEZ2dlSZZl3Pp3PJL94SBoyrxVFNKJJhhbCQcx3lCkj9o3SLM0EBLIJac5d1zHUeQcPLWlQaJuOlCGLVLshw3A5fLMiPrw/w640-h426/ingredients%20chopped%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>grab the kitchen staples of <i>butter </i>and <i>olive oil</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iGGkiG9kuhzebjYzk_de6z3FJamOz-T5Y1Z8KW6g3N3nOjb1o_OnwVXNpOzBkojUYehKeai0TgVJYq6eHCYVOV1rN9lQsVpBulHDAg3aArsNcHQ5aFLbtnNsmzODitUe6ioSW5uiAYB2ZYluX0N4SiaSwZ3S_plci1Vh1mTDYOJYuuQBsTDII0bRccM/s1024/oil%20and%20butter%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iGGkiG9kuhzebjYzk_de6z3FJamOz-T5Y1Z8KW6g3N3nOjb1o_OnwVXNpOzBkojUYehKeai0TgVJYq6eHCYVOV1rN9lQsVpBulHDAg3aArsNcHQ5aFLbtnNsmzODitUe6ioSW5uiAYB2ZYluX0N4SiaSwZ3S_plci1Vh1mTDYOJYuuQBsTDII0bRccM/w640-h426/oil%20and%20butter%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>add a glug of oil and a pat of butter to a pan on medium heat. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCexi0w5df537QXgPn-x_R2dzFkkvCCnpxisRaNYrr6ZRs5qPalca8S7jml8jG6pz58Hf1p59xcDSc-FDWV5pEYHY7uT-rBwBZk7IE3VhOmWvzC_AMurKsJR0Y5Ba-4-NzxJVCSH-zfWM6IUBC2Mfw9ZWvv-xCYy0_m9FbOD7bijVOoGK34I13E58GymU/s1024/oil%20and%20butter%20heated1%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCexi0w5df537QXgPn-x_R2dzFkkvCCnpxisRaNYrr6ZRs5qPalca8S7jml8jG6pz58Hf1p59xcDSc-FDWV5pEYHY7uT-rBwBZk7IE3VhOmWvzC_AMurKsJR0Y5Ba-4-NzxJVCSH-zfWM6IUBC2Mfw9ZWvv-xCYy0_m9FbOD7bijVOoGK34I13E58GymU/w640-h426/oil%20and%20butter%20heated1%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>in go the leek, onion, and jalapeño.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1CI9z1_kGmtn5TR5ORrANiCSnE5EdQN7RDXxS_qIlnZGvs0eT0QWzarxTyEgua93GF7spkoU4TrmKWdqxpVf7tl6ejVYDsueNE16pCy8uQWTaeKRSSTWVRtwhOltS-kfB3I4wp4vXhBu-WvpUTLp0ISHWl6HmwWRcRPyYDP3NOLM_q6ImuulTvTcedg/s1024/sauteed%20(2)%20(1024x949).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="1024" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1CI9z1_kGmtn5TR5ORrANiCSnE5EdQN7RDXxS_qIlnZGvs0eT0QWzarxTyEgua93GF7spkoU4TrmKWdqxpVf7tl6ejVYDsueNE16pCy8uQWTaeKRSSTWVRtwhOltS-kfB3I4wp4vXhBu-WvpUTLp0ISHWl6HmwWRcRPyYDP3NOLM_q6ImuulTvTcedg/w640-h594/sauteed%20(2)%20(1024x949).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>add two pounds (one mesh bag) of mussels, washed and clean.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrxBm-yU76QjG9wHiphW6Eb2QtpcyJWv74S1nPJdMLYYrT8OR_5nd-ht_AfFV4V5BGJd2EVRhK9bXzYmomEM-TJ2EYDX_ouJ_uZHrdN7aPuU4ZNVmt6noz3L1Q_A6z80IgJhkHN_zMlu85DhzU3ReZKF_2aMi4BIJc9ltWfmhTPN4tqWBGL0tZYzJVBM/s1024/mussels%20in1%20(2)%20(1024x887).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="1024" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrxBm-yU76QjG9wHiphW6Eb2QtpcyJWv74S1nPJdMLYYrT8OR_5nd-ht_AfFV4V5BGJd2EVRhK9bXzYmomEM-TJ2EYDX_ouJ_uZHrdN7aPuU4ZNVmt6noz3L1Q_A6z80IgJhkHN_zMlu85DhzU3ReZKF_2aMi4BIJc9ltWfmhTPN4tqWBGL0tZYzJVBM/w640-h554/mussels%20in1%20(2)%20(1024x887).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i added a generous sprinkling of <i>kosher salt</i>, along with my<i> special pepper mix</i>. this is a multi-colored pepper blend, with the addition of some <i>coriander seeds</i> from last Summer's<i> balcony garden project</i>. yes, i freshly grind my pepper and coriander... because, of course i do. and, no, i do not own a pepper grinder, mainly because i do not want one. i should also note that any (wholly unwanted) pepper grinders that are gifted to me will end up in the Salvation Army. yes, mom... i am talking to <i>you</i>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOcLdjXFsXLYc_Xpc_pr-ylP9_zX2yko087UHHgKLVTVtzbWAObyufqPyZosfZpDggQOJLNxenXRnTa7k-DLjZtlxrzpshXeF-mJ6bSU3Fq7jJYu_iRyUUdUHIQx_XjazuLp0MpleM8MBnK6WHYO8klxZ_6O5gSyLMr63LU2JQPia7Z50rn8P3lxASho/s1024/spices%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOcLdjXFsXLYc_Xpc_pr-ylP9_zX2yko087UHHgKLVTVtzbWAObyufqPyZosfZpDggQOJLNxenXRnTa7k-DLjZtlxrzpshXeF-mJ6bSU3Fq7jJYu_iRyUUdUHIQx_XjazuLp0MpleM8MBnK6WHYO8klxZ_6O5gSyLMr63LU2JQPia7Z50rn8P3lxASho/w640-h426/spices%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i am not really into white wine, not unless it is sparkling, but i do love a good <i>hard cider</i>! this one is from a <a href="https://cidremckeown.com/en" target="_blank">cider house just outside of Montreal</a>. in goes about half the can. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cVUpbZtFnQdPLgmWqFCqPz8JwWvnZaLuRLuH98jkgqxRm7NSdgZHlgxq2gUg7YySwVHVz1pGl0PTCNjbjOICmVfX9xEl-37Xan8HczDpKodtU0mWyBvqC6OlV23Gzu_GNJRAFIikHCkiXG26Vq5TdYeqDNhAoaRokAOwgeQMvSWrPAVbjtDOrl-iOS8/s1024/cider%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cVUpbZtFnQdPLgmWqFCqPz8JwWvnZaLuRLuH98jkgqxRm7NSdgZHlgxq2gUg7YySwVHVz1pGl0PTCNjbjOICmVfX9xEl-37Xan8HczDpKodtU0mWyBvqC6OlV23Gzu_GNJRAFIikHCkiXG26Vq5TdYeqDNhAoaRokAOwgeQMvSWrPAVbjtDOrl-iOS8/w640-h426/cider%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i love that mussels open right up once the steam rises. you just need to throw the cover on the pan for a couple minutes, while you finish off the rest of that cider.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnzvF0aMOBP4tUTnZnb9g7cPJoTI57fJdgHAywEhhhbtjVfIg7PRinOL7tBNrK9uZEifEA4_tzlAxq0KjOjEllQKwJq-IrXTOGInE7uQ_BhING2iYQxseZ8wjGhmh5CmpMeEfLUsNk-pv9I52Tu-Ke4OTmFEWaRep11IytLTQB3iRDw-OwqHMTyHXI2U/s1024/mussels%20opening2%20(2)%20(1018x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1018" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnzvF0aMOBP4tUTnZnb9g7cPJoTI57fJdgHAywEhhhbtjVfIg7PRinOL7tBNrK9uZEifEA4_tzlAxq0KjOjEllQKwJq-IrXTOGInE7uQ_BhING2iYQxseZ8wjGhmh5CmpMeEfLUsNk-pv9I52Tu-Ke4OTmFEWaRep11IytLTQB3iRDw-OwqHMTyHXI2U/w636-h640/mussels%20opening2%20(2)%20(1018x1024).jpg" width="636" /></a></div><p>remove the cover and turn off the heat. this is where the extra-special magic comes it. first, an extra pat of butter near the side of the pan...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIRD8g6ecWWxPY8zZvD3co4j_G9hVzWZphNdEjYirFW7fyKxYU4E3mg5R9O67kyzQzuFGAC3iR57fRx1nXLwWFfHSIr3kW4G0qfpEoFPp7IgPbRMJRxRkAfWI4Wx_X1B9U6SFXH3kaMZq-5FurSAzD25zHlKcOnqim7E50XZweKcMvFO8Tc_DF4ill68/s1024/add%20butter%20(2)%20(683x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIRD8g6ecWWxPY8zZvD3co4j_G9hVzWZphNdEjYirFW7fyKxYU4E3mg5R9O67kyzQzuFGAC3iR57fRx1nXLwWFfHSIr3kW4G0qfpEoFPp7IgPbRMJRxRkAfWI4Wx_X1B9U6SFXH3kaMZq-5FurSAzD25zHlKcOnqim7E50XZweKcMvFO8Tc_DF4ill68/w426-h640/add%20butter%20(2)%20(683x1024).jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p>and some freshly squeezed lime juice over everything. then, give the pan a few gentle swirls to ensure that every bit of the <i>jus </i>will be extra delicious.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kimnKJMJRLHu-LNqgKOZa9Hrrhv8wSQlAtQU_rnqxYtZdNT8H6L8wkClNgZ8hPbTKz6ubLxz5sALDYiDAzXCRoXZQzf4n5JFqYdFk598S9CRZGX9XVm5WURhJWmmoqvcjb9joUVTTflrzgaAm7yEEZUMRwgnbQbbY9cYekv6hC_qtPPIrP12R5xxrHg/s1024/lime%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kimnKJMJRLHu-LNqgKOZa9Hrrhv8wSQlAtQU_rnqxYtZdNT8H6L8wkClNgZ8hPbTKz6ubLxz5sALDYiDAzXCRoXZQzf4n5JFqYdFk598S9CRZGX9XVm5WURhJWmmoqvcjb9joUVTTflrzgaAm7yEEZUMRwgnbQbbY9cYekv6hC_qtPPIrP12R5xxrHg/w640-h426/lime%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>you will need an extra tasty sauce. where else are you gonna dip your chunks of baguette?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQjjb6ySOxy_eG472wmUHnxuO7w02J0wyDsHBSV1USvv7ajB-n-3ohhLf3NS2diqTz-PkSISXLA9RITUwilnR13EUrauq9h-x3GMF1KF8Lyn0zBPz2X6h3g0yTnkgD5SSnZt5uVEnH2aGUJFxoUgJGptGmixi_XP6ThwU35J9MsJUNZNtpzpVJ0BRtno/s1024/mussels%20and%20baguette2%20(2)%20(1024x939).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1024" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQjjb6ySOxy_eG472wmUHnxuO7w02J0wyDsHBSV1USvv7ajB-n-3ohhLf3NS2diqTz-PkSISXLA9RITUwilnR13EUrauq9h-x3GMF1KF8Lyn0zBPz2X6h3g0yTnkgD5SSnZt5uVEnH2aGUJFxoUgJGptGmixi_XP6ThwU35J9MsJUNZNtpzpVJ0BRtno/w640-h586/mussels%20and%20baguette2%20(2)%20(1024x939).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>here comes the crazy bit though... i <i>still </i>had to take an antihistamine before eating this meal. i am <i>still</i> allergic to wheat, just not nearly as bad as with prawns and shrimp. the wheat allergy remains, thankfully, non-life-threatening. so, i can risk a touch of <i>hives </i>for the occasional delicious meal. this one certainly was. </p><p>best part is, the whole meal (including the half a cider i drank, and other half of the baguette he had for breakfast the next day) cost about the same as a sandwich and a drink at a coffee shop. not bad for the middle of the week, no?</p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-22717538501789689222024-02-05T23:28:00.005-05:002024-02-05T23:33:31.971-05:00now, with more sky...<p style="text-align: left;">i got a weird thing to show you, so tell all the boys and girls. well... not really. but i did get a new laptop last year, and i could not wait to take it for a spin.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>what's the very first thing you're gonna do with it? play a game?<br /></i>me: <i>nope. i am going to listen to the first video You Tube recommends. </i></div></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">so, i did... for like two hours on loop, while i installed and updated things. at least the Algorithm's got style, right? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57jPKZcIvYwDnkqtRbVqwQMCN1J-9AoGtYnJHHJnu-vT_W8OgcYTlGR3z9Z-7R_LSGMi8xGI7EhvqwFBXoyQVqN_YU-8WL7Xfz3FeZBBGk4AdcT73JJnRnuXYfM1GNoOzNQOT9X8L7CUIWta8_h20fKHs_olCCOkNy9UOkqbaj7gnC_hmu-Yjl7w5Btg/s1024/word%20up%20(1024x885).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="1024" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57jPKZcIvYwDnkqtRbVqwQMCN1J-9AoGtYnJHHJnu-vT_W8OgcYTlGR3z9Z-7R_LSGMi8xGI7EhvqwFBXoyQVqN_YU-8WL7Xfz3FeZBBGk4AdcT73JJnRnuXYfM1GNoOzNQOT9X8L7CUIWta8_h20fKHs_olCCOkNy9UOkqbaj7gnC_hmu-Yjl7w5Btg/w640-h554/word%20up%20(1024x885).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">i have not done much gaming in recent years, but i remain firmly committed to the Republic of Gamers. this time around, i opted for the <a href="https://rog.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/rog-strix/rog-strix-g17-2023-series/" target="_blank">Strix G17</a>... because i can hear you asking. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vQGaaLUwHz3k1lijpexDHCIxSRniRA-ezl24cqcHOe_REHU6_pCHw_mW-INor8bmVpPc31Eg0yBIcLNJ13tVG0C5RJSLY2YVTEdbT_zrty1TQecNs2eaEC3f2OFiND83-Mz-zw2jsqMd-OdQGPcdHg1hh0NnO-ff1feSs8oDERx6DK-AethsZYWxs5U/s1024/model%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vQGaaLUwHz3k1lijpexDHCIxSRniRA-ezl24cqcHOe_REHU6_pCHw_mW-INor8bmVpPc31Eg0yBIcLNJ13tVG0C5RJSLY2YVTEdbT_zrty1TQecNs2eaEC3f2OFiND83-Mz-zw2jsqMd-OdQGPcdHg1hh0NnO-ff1feSs8oDERx6DK-AethsZYWxs5U/w640-h426/model%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>it only took like two years to finally settle on one i like. and now, i am toying with the idea of upgrading my camera. if i stay on brand, that might actually happen before the end of the decade. mostly, i need a better setup for taking photos of the night sky. my current camera (and i, to be completely honest) are not really up to the task. i want to be able to see those cities on the moon!</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkRcWMGelp-98Auz0S19xTzDmYcmUMjcfm6nQEWOpzi6nVPXG5IIxmOsrX6oxV7O__Y3Pf692TJG-0HX7XRJq7sOFaO7c400D2wvWDh3Fz0D3oMpPLl49i8bvsG9qdwiFdcrCy2HEq_Bg9PR9aod2sMAZJboRSnEBjYvr7jkf582krSQnHohPSCFpFUU/s1024/moon%20(1024x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkRcWMGelp-98Auz0S19xTzDmYcmUMjcfm6nQEWOpzi6nVPXG5IIxmOsrX6oxV7O__Y3Pf692TJG-0HX7XRJq7sOFaO7c400D2wvWDh3Fz0D3oMpPLl49i8bvsG9qdwiFdcrCy2HEq_Bg9PR9aod2sMAZJboRSnEBjYvr7jkf582krSQnHohPSCFpFUU/w640-h640/moon%20(1024x1024).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">you see, we lost a large section of the old maple due to an ice storm back in December. just regular Winter activity. it was like part of the charm of this space was gone. then, after weeks of nonstop grayness... something cosmic happened! </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">me:<i> sweetie!!! you have to come see this. </i></p></blockquote><p>so, he did. i sat there, overexcitedly pointing at the <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/night/" target="_blank">sky tracker </a>on the screen, then picking out the constellations in the night sky. and he... well, he was mostly looking at me being overexcited. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">him: <i>i'm gonna buy you that telescope you've been talking about since we moved here, and i'm gonna pick it out myself, because it will take you a million years to decide.</i></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">seriously... everyone should have their own <i>enthusiastic-enabler</i>. and, naturally, i will have to document all of this absurdity, so i need to get back to overthinking cameras. </p><p style="text-align: left;">until then...!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Jupiter </i>just slipped out of sight (looking WSW), but <i>Orion </i>and <i>Lepus </i>are in full view. i might even catch a glimpse of <i>Gemini</i> and <i>Leo </i>before the sun rises... if the sun rises. so, pardon me while i refill my cup, and settle down for an evening of Cosmic Viewing... now, with more sky! </p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-56123857312582612552024-02-04T21:26:00.004-05:002024-02-04T21:44:11.229-05:00of course his name is Woody...<p style="text-align: justify;">ever wake up feeling like someone lit the fuse on an ACME bomb, and your skull is containing all of the explosion? <span style="text-align: left;">my sinuses do <i>not </i>do well in Winter... which makes it near impossible to sleep most nights (or days)... which tends to result in the most dangerous pastime of all... <i>overthinking</i>!</span></p><p>i do that a lot, apparently. at least, that is what the animator always says, and mom is quick to agree, so i guess it must be a thing.</p><p>the one positive to this recent attack of sleeplessness is that it gave me a chance to catch up with a friend who is more of a morning... uhm... person? so, there i was, lost in ponderance against the backdrop of sunrise, when my overthinking was interrupted by a quick flash of movement. </p><p>i am developing an appreciation for the the noble art of <i>birdwatching</i>, especially when it is like subscribing to a delivery service. i sit here, sipping hot beverages, and the birds come to <i>me</i>. Uber Tweets? InstaOrnithology? DoorTwitch? HelloBird? somebody needs to make this happen!!!</p><p>most of the birds fly South for the season, but there are a few hardy varieties that hang around for Winter. i recently found myself in a staring contest, from like two meters away, with a <i>blue jay</i>. it went on for nearly <i>five minutes</i>, and it seriously felt like he had been given the assignment to study me and report back to headquarters. i was afraid to even reach for a camera... so we just sat there, exchanging looks, until he blinked and flew away. </p><p>i even see the occasional bird of prey soaring by, especially when the snowy landscape makes it easy to spot their next meal. this time around, however, my morning visitor was a male <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downy_woodpecker" target="_blank">Eastern Downy Woodpecker</a>. it is nice to finally put a face to all the noise. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQlIL5gTtXJcEghPDbrq2jV7CKjeiOFls8FOKqlGKoC7CMfHQeMIpOduH6UmXFbVBpjPZTtm8aUXkWvE8QQ5qoEJl_4LSG07iyEkFKlUpb7pByrTwpqH5PsRLwgktqVRVomZb51rtA3U-7wRUTC49k0xa-5Wd4Vv6_csHNz3DyS6RqG-XCeG6FejJa4E/s1024/woody4%20(685x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="685" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQlIL5gTtXJcEghPDbrq2jV7CKjeiOFls8FOKqlGKoC7CMfHQeMIpOduH6UmXFbVBpjPZTtm8aUXkWvE8QQ5qoEJl_4LSG07iyEkFKlUpb7pByrTwpqH5PsRLwgktqVRVomZb51rtA3U-7wRUTC49k0xa-5Wd4Vv6_csHNz3DyS6RqG-XCeG6FejJa4E/w428-h640/woody4%20(685x1024).jpg" width="428" /></a></div><p>i guess no one explained the concept of a <i>still life</i> to Woody, because he just really wanted to hop around. and, yes... of course his name is Woody!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHOSogRtcBQN-MzrrtjDfHWits834Iwn21mb_pyfH5NYiHL019QysZ_0yQzCYD-I9EnOlg-Qaw-dB8yBbppjVcGhzJYFhIZo8TBZNn42sYmMeTlE66-12bR6-ufFz2WZYNhyKFCZNdxReQ-F52uVyOKyc02yepah5zyDVMN5X1bUCBu8G_rsUtJ0cg_U/s1024/woody%20hopping%20(1024x679).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="1024" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHOSogRtcBQN-MzrrtjDfHWits834Iwn21mb_pyfH5NYiHL019QysZ_0yQzCYD-I9EnOlg-Qaw-dB8yBbppjVcGhzJYFhIZo8TBZNn42sYmMeTlE66-12bR6-ufFz2WZYNhyKFCZNdxReQ-F52uVyOKyc02yepah5zyDVMN5X1bUCBu8G_rsUtJ0cg_U/w640-h424/woody%20hopping%20(1024x679).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>if you squint a bit, you might spot a few black dots on his outer, white tail feather(s). that is how you distinguish between <i>Hairy </i>and <i>Downy </i>woodpeckers (according to the folks at <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Downy_Woodpecker/species-compare/#" target="_blank">Cornell</a>, so blame them if that is incorrect). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6IPlapSid1gogx3WiFkPFClch7MXXwdZ4THuKXbF2kVOGLbeYpaZNd7-ZanwfWtpDHzF_Iw49sRHTD_KwSx2wHyOIhu0LkUiVJHUCKf0POSBBQVffpZIn2SnBA9RoE_sexxWnmZXu7ncs4HiviC9nSGrFiH8YgkEr9kNtPGOCnH03CVvfnMkZY2x-yY/s1024/woody%20(683x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6IPlapSid1gogx3WiFkPFClch7MXXwdZ4THuKXbF2kVOGLbeYpaZNd7-ZanwfWtpDHzF_Iw49sRHTD_KwSx2wHyOIhu0LkUiVJHUCKf0POSBBQVffpZIn2SnBA9RoE_sexxWnmZXu7ncs4HiviC9nSGrFiH8YgkEr9kNtPGOCnH03CVvfnMkZY2x-yY/w266-h400/woody%20(683x1024).jpg" width="266" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="678" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCWlFVG9rgeM_LIUGAWRuhuvfelbYQ0lvh1hwnag_0uuzj-yo0U9woOSVMUjKKobvAux36rZCbwX3mRkshCcM3AF0F_uWWRHwiC2mARUQCVgr7vam-emNJBAUgRGWPYfCzRM5ge7zvh8cd1TiNzHsB-bdoCLYKF-3BNKjdUVyRS8YnuqOh5InsIYw5QU/w265-h400/woody3%20(678x1024).jpg" width="265" /></div></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">i was looking up, while he was upside down, tapping away at an old branch. is 'bottom-up top-view' a thing?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQlB3IGncrordrBCgOdNQmEmK-DwUkOnvHS1Ds6dkXzzgVZQbSrL92ViCkgryTAajHk_wanhaZhtkfy1Z6iw5iuKYdIL2BGUKO0N-5eJaGAHIrXZrxInh1MervVutdCfmlynEY9HB1_qbzEezonVrA81jQTdjsdYOXnLmcW9Lxzt20wyaiCdif_hfcLQ/s1024/woody%20top%20(1024x682).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQlB3IGncrordrBCgOdNQmEmK-DwUkOnvHS1Ds6dkXzzgVZQbSrL92ViCkgryTAajHk_wanhaZhtkfy1Z6iw5iuKYdIL2BGUKO0N-5eJaGAHIrXZrxInh1MervVutdCfmlynEY9HB1_qbzEezonVrA81jQTdjsdYOXnLmcW9Lxzt20wyaiCdif_hfcLQ/w640-h426/woody%20top%20(1024x682).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>so far, i am resisting falling further down the <i>birding </i>rabbit hole. i mainly try to appreciate those moments when they happen.</p><p>best of all, my cat (Cordy) does not seem to get that she is <i>supposed </i>to be some sort of mighty predator. so, she just snuggles under the blanket with me, and watches the birds... or the bats... or the squirrels. her other hobbies include laying claim to my stuff, and being told that she is the 'Sweetest Cupcake in the World'. seriously... can you think of a better birding buddy?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5QmxKaCGzejivNr3M08btQ0iHPwrgDa0b73Yj3BgDD_Y9ip08v_xnJ5P2H_iqRbnnF_7Q5tIQkvLDfJ6nKy42zJXu6nkpGPsZ1Z70G19zC0BWTd5KbcEuX5XKOjF6atLtJIBNPXx6bV_sZd87SCoT4GJpech2j_DDmOJ9mb9H05UgisLzJdSclIDbqQ/s1024/cordy%20(683x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5QmxKaCGzejivNr3M08btQ0iHPwrgDa0b73Yj3BgDD_Y9ip08v_xnJ5P2H_iqRbnnF_7Q5tIQkvLDfJ6nKy42zJXu6nkpGPsZ1Z70G19zC0BWTd5KbcEuX5XKOjF6atLtJIBNPXx6bV_sZd87SCoT4GJpech2j_DDmOJ9mb9H05UgisLzJdSclIDbqQ/w426-h640/cordy%20(683x1024).jpg" width="426" /></a></div>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-2272673488860270472024-02-03T23:45:00.003-05:002024-02-04T00:16:35.959-05:00knowledge is worse than vampires...<p>oh, yeh... i am into whittling now. trust me... i am <i>fully </i>aware that i need to be stopped for my own good. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqT-xEvr5Xnf6KIOdQljD1dZwK3GqSRSznSNBdlD4aJ6Uq7uHR0rO4pOE-h7fU6iwOjsu_o61h3le7RPBnMZ5Qy2KL_Bu92g88nABWdQmPm4femBzvuDhHZN_pMevy8epCcSdWcwzAYAB-D58QZhwvElZ-8-0AnD1LMLBbYOy3FlepnxGV1JQh5ZaHeE0/s1024/knife%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqT-xEvr5Xnf6KIOdQljD1dZwK3GqSRSznSNBdlD4aJ6Uq7uHR0rO4pOE-h7fU6iwOjsu_o61h3le7RPBnMZ5Qy2KL_Bu92g88nABWdQmPm4femBzvuDhHZN_pMevy8epCcSdWcwzAYAB-D58QZhwvElZ-8-0AnD1LMLBbYOy3FlepnxGV1JQh5ZaHeE0/w640-h426/knife%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i bought some 1/8" thick, hardwood boards, and i made the mistake of asking him to cut them down to 1 1/2" wide starting blanks. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">him: <i>why are you even whittling anything?</i></p></blockquote><p>five minutes later...</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">him: <i>did you look at those whittling videos i sent you?</i></p></blockquote><p>i should point out that he is not really a <i>'splainer</i>, but more of an <i>enthusiastic-enabler</i>. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>nope. i did not open a single one of the links.</i><br />him: <i>why not? i'm just sharing information and knowledge. </i><br />me: <i>i'm starting to think that maybe knowledge is worse than vampires.</i><br />him: <i>how so?</i><br />me: <i>vampires <b>wait </b>to be invited in.</i></div></blockquote><p>then he walked off, muttering something about '<i>what kind of so-called educator turns down the offer of knowledge</i>'. but, mostly, i know that he was probably going to write that down, because seriously... that was brilliant!</p><p>this is hardly whittling. mostly, i needed to taper the edges to prevent snagging on everything. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrf-r5XYtLIaqccddWjPras8jP605lwJyH1_kCBn6-suk0makQpyrUtgN6wrLtFkPvug8C0_aLbR0ptg_nI-erVXcY06if1BdhI7qFtnnQlCPWgyTQu0MxVI-UdfHNFfIq2o6UD6z5pq8kR4jxh3GjmeDYsv_4oDkiZsE2UsozLypGpBIf7WBRU1TZhI/s1024/taper%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrf-r5XYtLIaqccddWjPras8jP605lwJyH1_kCBn6-suk0makQpyrUtgN6wrLtFkPvug8C0_aLbR0ptg_nI-erVXcY06if1BdhI7qFtnnQlCPWgyTQu0MxVI-UdfHNFfIq2o6UD6z5pq8kR4jxh3GjmeDYsv_4oDkiZsE2UsozLypGpBIf7WBRU1TZhI/w640-h426/taper%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>by the power of Grayskull...!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHoxcNv8gYDMW7CD6TLAX1fQ7fBqmqyOnWWQHZv7isHTmK-PFxYWTJ3Kh6-TyA-yI28Cprf7ufR7rVZJSt36vd3SALdYVdizOe_XH4s_U6v240cOas1LyI61qQzq_exAiyTRu6AT2icGFS2cxnJCXfwFkem2zZ_qo0SmrE_bUC8-OGxdqrFVJMXrNKnQ/s1024/by%20the%20power%20(1024x653).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="1024" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHoxcNv8gYDMW7CD6TLAX1fQ7fBqmqyOnWWQHZv7isHTmK-PFxYWTJ3Kh6-TyA-yI28Cprf7ufR7rVZJSt36vd3SALdYVdizOe_XH4s_U6v240cOas1LyI61qQzq_exAiyTRu6AT2icGFS2cxnJCXfwFkem2zZ_qo0SmrE_bUC8-OGxdqrFVJMXrNKnQ/w640-h408/by%20the%20power%20(1024x653).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />then came a few passes with some fine sandpaper, and a quick coat of wood wax to seal. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPB6t_ZmnmgHJIam4FE3eGt6-zOYFWGPfSNz0BRl0O-yxL6N0FHCE3usoO9-HPlP53RVIjSbQncWIAx-2hwxdBN_ryCsCHoNFAJggXAejgfO1QdjPMOHK4QZI1S65pNUZJDrTwL-zRbPrnRm14wjK2lbVsc1aqf9xCcsBqbcEY3MakRQ7lnxdKUFkPaTk/s1024/pickup%20sticks%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPB6t_ZmnmgHJIam4FE3eGt6-zOYFWGPfSNz0BRl0O-yxL6N0FHCE3usoO9-HPlP53RVIjSbQncWIAx-2hwxdBN_ryCsCHoNFAJggXAejgfO1QdjPMOHK4QZI1S65pNUZJDrTwL-zRbPrnRm14wjK2lbVsc1aqf9xCcsBqbcEY3MakRQ7lnxdKUFkPaTk/w640-h426/pickup%20sticks%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>it may not look like much, but they will (eventually) be used as <i>pickup sticks</i> and <i>beaters</i>. and, yes... i know how that sounds, because i am a forever-child. unfortunately, it is just bits for loom weaving. then, i started watching videos about <a href="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=a2600e0876dec691&q=weaving+with+a+wave+stick&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjGwO6G35CEAxXeFVkFHap0A5EQ0pQJegQIDBAB&biw=746&bih=738&dpr=1.25" target="_blank"><i>wave stick weaving</i></a>, so i had to whittle some more. </p><p>i want to add a bit of snakeskin texture to this one, soon as i figure out how to make that happen... on my own, thank you! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxy0ijza5GS6MdeHbo_nND3c25tu6pPhosNzQ1EgoBa-3qHZdaMsnLpEgpihttFI-iDephkSkkf_CEiQMpOzFHKHFZjeTHbEHvzJosqSotI9H005T80jggMGAKkkFUXegF3rE4TcKP-VKkajWrFkJvYfjIkGEORINqnRSXObGYTmUnhRG6NiTzbXSNdUc/s1024/wavy%20beater%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxy0ijza5GS6MdeHbo_nND3c25tu6pPhosNzQ1EgoBa-3qHZdaMsnLpEgpihttFI-iDephkSkkf_CEiQMpOzFHKHFZjeTHbEHvzJosqSotI9H005T80jggMGAKkkFUXegF3rE4TcKP-VKkajWrFkJvYfjIkGEORINqnRSXObGYTmUnhRG6NiTzbXSNdUc/w640-h426/wavy%20beater%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>have i <i>used </i>any of these objects? of course not, but now i have even more crafting equipment to ignore. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctNstjkuhgktEXrG3RYSv-bTgqQWt1eF65AizX_oNzZRL0lO-WXu0BUNHkel9wdWyOm4kP1PI-6LYmCVlDodMZpuPt0zwhJwDK-T4Jh7Q4J4bfMgTR9am7dNhUaiAMM8kzqAzopxxV8WGV1K00Cu_YoJGeff9z6nfBbDQPyq_NCEBqAVUukTSNkOrT_E/s1024/collection%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctNstjkuhgktEXrG3RYSv-bTgqQWt1eF65AizX_oNzZRL0lO-WXu0BUNHkel9wdWyOm4kP1PI-6LYmCVlDodMZpuPt0zwhJwDK-T4Jh7Q4J4bfMgTR9am7dNhUaiAMM8kzqAzopxxV8WGV1K00Cu_YoJGeff9z6nfBbDQPyq_NCEBqAVUukTSNkOrT_E/w640-h426/collection%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>meanwhile, the animator has gotten back into painting miniatures. he has been stockpiling 3D printed models, like these ones. we tend to take things to the extreme, so the studio will most likely be acquiring a 3D printer real soon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZEzVZkF9psb4DcrFzYBDHdzRwih2UycgxD0XgGEzr4ZJtlnScVA6vNaWHHjGQDO0M5vkReTW1ogxr96PKDdzoaq-jEpUs-Ko180uQZrQNzPLwUktvIKwnG6tufomyScRPFT23Cjz7X7mqQ2CgzHqZhumGK6Hoy2ocSd8IuPgPUFwEEK17C2vGd7VzN4/s1024/mini%20blanks%20(1024x768).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZEzVZkF9psb4DcrFzYBDHdzRwih2UycgxD0XgGEzr4ZJtlnScVA6vNaWHHjGQDO0M5vkReTW1ogxr96PKDdzoaq-jEpUs-Ko180uQZrQNzPLwUktvIKwnG6tufomyScRPFT23Cjz7X7mqQ2CgzHqZhumGK6Hoy2ocSd8IuPgPUFwEEK17C2vGd7VzN4/w640-h480/mini%20blanks%20(1024x768).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>this is my favorite finished one so far.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoASYR3-94bPAivOWQQiQ_NnY7jgg8UHB0ZzD9-5EIQ43BbVcxrAGm-j8U0Nk36AeJ47eqMCCSvfqOzWcnLf9awLJLdDPlIc0c0b-HOzauqUex3Runpx4KRGYgWyQpYMyVpnFsGtfgswijsmrWSLEtNJpeYdtws-SHenS5nTdeIQlaPsYVUF0MLA_sOc/s1024/mini%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoASYR3-94bPAivOWQQiQ_NnY7jgg8UHB0ZzD9-5EIQ43BbVcxrAGm-j8U0Nk36AeJ47eqMCCSvfqOzWcnLf9awLJLdDPlIc0c0b-HOzauqUex3Runpx4KRGYgWyQpYMyVpnFsGtfgswijsmrWSLEtNJpeYdtws-SHenS5nTdeIQlaPsYVUF0MLA_sOc/w640-h426/mini%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>next to a can of orange Crush, for scale.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSenhKmspgV9l7V8WEUVLcknOZBMaawBqrW_54KXDhc8gy1d1ct5Uc2ReKVkJzbLXXYZhaxUpMn5BYx5xS-tnhPJBYoARr-oi6lmCLslGsNNlUIl3DE8MZ63vwtZqZCNJqOBgw5_X9eVwGtd9fBdPxUDTinjBzGW5QhVElYtcgPIKs5MqjELDi6nQLB_0/s1024/mini1%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSenhKmspgV9l7V8WEUVLcknOZBMaawBqrW_54KXDhc8gy1d1ct5Uc2ReKVkJzbLXXYZhaxUpMn5BYx5xS-tnhPJBYoARr-oi6lmCLslGsNNlUIl3DE8MZ63vwtZqZCNJqOBgw5_X9eVwGtd9fBdPxUDTinjBzGW5QhVElYtcgPIKs5MqjELDi6nQLB_0/w640-h426/mini1%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>i like that the head detaches from the roboty bit. i would ask what it is called or where he bought it, but then he would start talking to me about miniatures. so... pass!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsl5CCsgKhpKib8V7nmjrklrcOCDhavLU1M-H-Z3tf8_S6ba6Q5iH7Q74CRgYxNalEtpQirySfKMFWZhrubtZB8zvkslZV8hiu0qkQ-4NYx_hE4bBophgww4z_QpP6v_3CIqG3RpB0YtO8FNSNm_O82knl9bz7YoxeR82swPdR1xt_QllnmSjrqKwrEs/s1024/mini2%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsl5CCsgKhpKib8V7nmjrklrcOCDhavLU1M-H-Z3tf8_S6ba6Q5iH7Q74CRgYxNalEtpQirySfKMFWZhrubtZB8zvkslZV8hiu0qkQ-4NYx_hE4bBophgww4z_QpP6v_3CIqG3RpB0YtO8FNSNm_O82knl9bz7YoxeR82swPdR1xt_QllnmSjrqKwrEs/w640-h426/mini2%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>best part is, now he keeps seeing the potential for "props" in every chunk of wood he sees outdoors. i have never been for walks with a hyperactive puppy... but i can imagine how it goes. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>ooh... we should take that one home. you could carve it into like a gnarly old dragon, and i can paint it and add some minis to make it look like an army of troll hunters are trying to take down the dragon. </i></div></blockquote><p>it is like staring into a <i>mirror of absurdity</i>. seriously, people... we <i>both </i>need to be stopped! </p></div>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-69197748936722851302024-02-02T22:16:00.002-05:002024-02-03T12:40:42.148-05:00Montreal is like the mob...<p>have i ever mentioned that we fell in love with this place because of the view? </p><p>we were not even planning on staying in Montreal when we moved here. we had a list of open houses to check out over in Ottawa the next day, when we happened to notice a listing for this place, and it was just a few blocks away. what could it hurt, right?</p><p>then got we got here. </p><p>the building is a hundred-plus years old, and you have to walk up four flights of stairs (oh, yes... there is no elevator). it was absolute love at first sight. </p><p>this building... this neighborhood... this whole ridiculously cold city is just so damn charming!</p><p>i love old architecture. this is something i tend to blame on my mom's little brother. he is an Architectural Engineer. back when i was a youth, i used to love driving around NYC with him. he would pull over in random places, and get out of the car to point out all those tiny, inconsequential design elements of the older buildings around us. it left me with a lifelong habit of always looking up at those little structural touches. should i ever accidentally bump into you, because i was staring at the trim on a roof, or studying the design of a window casement... that is not my fault. just send him the dry cleaning bill. </p><p>still, there is one frustrating thing about old buildings. no one seems to have anticipated that <i>electricity</i> would be such a hit. who knew, right? it probably took us more than a year to figure out the different combinations of appliances that could be turned on at the same time. the fallout from countless failed attempts has left us both so traumatized, that we <i>still </i>make a point of issuing a verbal warning before plugging <i>anything</i> into an outlet. most of all... it is firmly understood that you ABSOLUTELY MUST pause the washer-dryer <i>before </i>turning on the kettle or... well, just hope you saved whatever you were working on, because all the computers would definitely have turned off. so much fun! </p><p>and, ridiculous as it sounds, that is part of the charm of the thing. we absolutely <i>love </i>this place. neither one of us has any real connection to Montreal, and we have already decided that the next time we move, it will be out of the City... which is what we were trying to do when we found this place. </p><p>turns out, Montreal is like the mob. just when we thought we were out, it pulled us back in. so, here we will remain for now.</p><p>sure, there are zero electric outlets in the bathroom, and i <i>still </i>do not want to know what would happen should we ever open that old <i>dumbwaiter</i> door in the kitchen. but, seriously... check out that view. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQgXZNMUzfi00Umsb_4_fMLb-BqtJaa_3TBxWv-4wyFbi73WRqBwegN6okL3pmBugfiq4lsUl2lOKh2tlcBJAeMdEvG9kJUmKnkttZlpBQEE7qX56LZxbrjuSTP2v5tIho6U5XJc3sKuWBYsh9MsSqiyFaD4Qs6v2YxJqlFH-0GRQNOWXBknYiYpfCjo/s1024/view%20(1024x674).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1024" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQgXZNMUzfi00Umsb_4_fMLb-BqtJaa_3TBxWv-4wyFbi73WRqBwegN6okL3pmBugfiq4lsUl2lOKh2tlcBJAeMdEvG9kJUmKnkttZlpBQEE7qX56LZxbrjuSTP2v5tIho6U5XJc3sKuWBYsh9MsSqiyFaD4Qs6v2YxJqlFH-0GRQNOWXBknYiYpfCjo/w640-h422/view%20(1024x674).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>[sunset, Dec 10, 2023. edited to correct the year.]<br /><p><br /></p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-39416441259502086112024-02-01T22:05:00.004-05:002024-02-01T22:05:58.495-05:00be SAD with me...<p>there are some conversations you should <i>never </i>be having. but, here we are. </p><p></p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>oh, good! the balcony door appears to be unfrozen today, so i can finally get a few shots in the snow of that yarn i just spent the weekend spinning in a desperate attempt at hanging on to some thread of sanity amidst all this gloom and misery you call a country.</i> </div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>okay, but make sure you hurry up and do that... before the Arctic Rain starts.</i><br /></div></blockquote><p></p><p>seriously!</p><p>so, i wrapped myself up in my favorite fleecy blanket, and went silently out into the (slightly less) gloom and cold. i considered weeping, but tears would just freeze. </p><p>how much do i love this man, you ask?</p><p>yes! </p><p>so, i took my photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPJX0Iv_SUF8kKbmVxzbIIT8-JWrp93AI6mhoeDslcC-2rPuVXLgNgF7uXH1IDobXtj7ifM6ijgDfwiOG9Iqohneg6zq1-64S02R_w_L1eAeYQDe298WQJCgTf8d1RN8g2B1ZfZ2UvAJD11d90p0vy5sIG5jOBOUMLK-oWZJu1Momgsx0Ga83nlv24DU/s1024/yarn%20in%20snow%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPJX0Iv_SUF8kKbmVxzbIIT8-JWrp93AI6mhoeDslcC-2rPuVXLgNgF7uXH1IDobXtj7ifM6ijgDfwiOG9Iqohneg6zq1-64S02R_w_L1eAeYQDe298WQJCgTf8d1RN8g2B1ZfZ2UvAJD11d90p0vy5sIG5jOBOUMLK-oWZJu1Momgsx0Ga83nlv24DU/w640-h426/yarn%20in%20snow%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>those tracks in the snow belong to Norbert. we have lunch together some days. like i said... stuff should <i>not </i>be happening. but, here we are.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv4xsFiailWbSF4W-jKbxnWMprzVNqKdqQZmKDTNY9YKXFMhoANfiM_9aAPjlTV7b11-hSQlk5EwPOTtmxHLhW3dNc71L3c0OTyAJuXQMN9UpFowDt2wVkDJZTl-7oha5LjrKrQt1aodSJsABfQTuhXR4o0kknvuDU8zpN2YqWIIB7fIQiCorZgIH1xo/s1024/tracks%20in%20snow%20(1024x683).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv4xsFiailWbSF4W-jKbxnWMprzVNqKdqQZmKDTNY9YKXFMhoANfiM_9aAPjlTV7b11-hSQlk5EwPOTtmxHLhW3dNc71L3c0OTyAJuXQMN9UpFowDt2wVkDJZTl-7oha5LjrKrQt1aodSJsABfQTuhXR4o0kknvuDU8zpN2YqWIIB7fIQiCorZgIH1xo/w640-h426/tracks%20in%20snow%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>then i went back indoors, to reexamine (yet again) every single decision i have ever made in my entire existence.</p><p>craziest part is... i keep commenting about how <i>mild </i>this Winter is, relatively speaking. sure, we had TWO <i>ice storms</i> last week, but they did not even bother closing the schools or anything. so, really... no big deal, right? i mean... we have not had a single Polar Vortex yet. <i>that</i> is when the locals become concerned. until then... it is just me here... alone... losing my mind one gray, sunless day at a time. </p><p>did i mention that we had like <i>ten days </i>of anything resembling "sunshine" for the <i>entire month</i> of January? madness.</p><p>so, please.... come be SAD with me, as i endeavor on a month of daily posts (which i am already regretting). there will be a <i>lot </i>of complaining about the absence of joy that is Winter in Montreal, but (mostly) it will be me documenting the random nonsense i do in the name of Sanity. </p><p><br /></p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-79109361780220794252023-12-31T21:59:00.000-05:002023-12-31T21:59:49.904-05:00i am awesome...<p><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">we are hours away from the end of a year that i look forward to bidding a <i>bon adieu</i>. this is usually when people work overtime, finding fault in themselves, and making half-hearted promises to do better in the new year. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">screw all that nonsense!</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4d108ee1-7fff-130f-0dc6-a38ea4b1d6b0"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i cannot let the year end without mentioning that time i saved someone’s life in The Great Ice Storm of 2023. true story!</span></p><div><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZgl5bC6I2svIYSiiRjuULQvaXyvbRwi75Us7-kpHVK4pE2XQJC-zOfpoSFs1kmNKcUEDtPtJgU5GgXuhcIy1g9gPdMyfYsZqNQ29GuyCHZOdIDJ7MCjPWp4UvjT0iwzo2sfOi-nCMJi-Y8ERWv5rXI6mmg8UOoOfctI-oTbCbkexaNei-jf0ZTWdM34/s1024/IMG_5544%20(2)%20(683x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZgl5bC6I2svIYSiiRjuULQvaXyvbRwi75Us7-kpHVK4pE2XQJC-zOfpoSFs1kmNKcUEDtPtJgU5GgXuhcIy1g9gPdMyfYsZqNQ29GuyCHZOdIDJ7MCjPWp4UvjT0iwzo2sfOi-nCMJi-Y8ERWv5rXI6mmg8UOoOfctI-oTbCbkexaNei-jf0ZTWdM34/w426-h640/IMG_5544%20(2)%20(683x1024).jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div><span></span></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">picture it. Montreal. mid-April...</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">that is when the ice and snow ends most years (although, it sometimes lasts well into May). </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">this time around, we were absolutely deluged with freezing rain days before a whole lot of people were planning to travel over the long Easter weekend. most of those plans got cancelled. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">this was not <i>snow</i>, or even stinging pellets of <i>hail</i>. this was a steady, heavy shower of <i>molten ice</i> that crystalized the moment it hit <i>anything</i>. and it just kept on falling, encasing every surface it met in a solid shell of ice that was reported to be four centimeters (~ an inch and a half) thick in some areas. sheer madness!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">then the bough broke... literally. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">it was like being at the center of an orchestra composed entirely of giant glass chandeliers being dropped from great heights. you could hear the buildup to every single crash from <strike>miles</strike> kilometers away. it was completely insane!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">first there would be the ripple of ice cracking under the strain, followed by the explosive pop of massive branches snapping, and the frighteningly glorious crescendo of ice and wood shattering on sidewalks... and streets... and cars... and homes.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">total madness! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">there were official broadcasts of every type warning the public to remain indoors, and drivers were told to find a safe place to park their vehicles, and seek emergency shelter. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">naturally, i</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> was seriously tempted to grab my camera and head downstairs, but my </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Self-Preservation Society</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> membership is paid in full, so i stayed put. [random aside: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064505/">The Italian Job</a></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (1969) is one of my favorite films EVER, and i especially love all of the music! </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92Dqy3YWblQ" target="_blank">Getta Bloomin' Move On!</a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">the </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Self-Preservation Society</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> theme</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">) is a thing of sheer genius. well done, </span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005065/?ref_=ttsnd" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Mr. Jones</a><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.]</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">where was i, again? oh, yes... i saved a person's life.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i went out on the balcony to try to get a few shots of the icy scenery. this was the view to the right...</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eDoOzEFAXiQYalCVloyByAdeg0ovhEV3HmUFpKAp3neSMnqRkeBHKD6KPgqjqt9HyQoPI1gN473kuowI711163PVt0ovVSB3AMNXLyLNP1TJy59hCCZUXh3s6EJ6HQghTRRSS5_VQrnkzCaTWolsytNwXi7L9sBv9BygNaG_0pXCDCK992fEq2Pv8Ao/s1024/IMG_5564%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eDoOzEFAXiQYalCVloyByAdeg0ovhEV3HmUFpKAp3neSMnqRkeBHKD6KPgqjqt9HyQoPI1gN473kuowI711163PVt0ovVSB3AMNXLyLNP1TJy59hCCZUXh3s6EJ6HQghTRRSS5_VQrnkzCaTWolsytNwXi7L9sBv9BygNaG_0pXCDCK992fEq2Pv8Ao/w640-h426/IMG_5564%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p>to the left...</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsh_EA9bNc-NscZycOAddS7btsN9VSxBxlomXU36t2vXfM2dqWsgHKgJvt8ighuo9D-WQZt3cA00QPULM8IAagM0kOJZ2KSMo8s_cb0kZfynXyTpkHKNPIvQuxpHL__-_uha4I7axDGzmUSSI2X01vR1uRbHbTD9SMnrsnkB0ZjhWoWrUBqO4y6PEGJI/s1024/IMG_5578%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsh_EA9bNc-NscZycOAddS7btsN9VSxBxlomXU36t2vXfM2dqWsgHKgJvt8ighuo9D-WQZt3cA00QPULM8IAagM0kOJZ2KSMo8s_cb0kZfynXyTpkHKNPIvQuxpHL__-_uha4I7axDGzmUSSI2X01vR1uRbHbTD9SMnrsnkB0ZjhWoWrUBqO4y6PEGJI/w640-h426/IMG_5578%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">and looking up at the top of the massive old maple tree. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31uATdBTykNOhSHlWrDRMsZUxiFMFv0WDJu6qe2aXVgreRvj1vEFd4unsEIpP-eSyI3PnOWM__8LmE-Ggn8axQG3Vv-YypHmVq-hcFgC854PSGlHSEla_U149tQFW2dy2X2Jci7UlwGwa1rBuki928_plBy9FrEn7pRUPrjl-9C0H4y8a3Gzw1-CIQZs/s1024/IMG_5598%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31uATdBTykNOhSHlWrDRMsZUxiFMFv0WDJu6qe2aXVgreRvj1vEFd4unsEIpP-eSyI3PnOWM__8LmE-Ggn8axQG3Vv-YypHmVq-hcFgC854PSGlHSEla_U149tQFW2dy2X2Jci7UlwGwa1rBuki928_plBy9FrEn7pRUPrjl-9C0H4y8a3Gzw1-CIQZs/w640-h426/IMG_5598%20(2)%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">this was when i noticed that a massive chunk of the old maple had mostly broken away from the tree, and it was just waiting for the slightest whisper of air to send it crashing to the ground. which happened at precisely that moment, as i stood there watching the spot where it would fall. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">unfortunately, someone had just exited the building next door, and they were standing there, in that very same spot, head bent, staring at their phone.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">luckily, the falling branch was being slowed in its descent by the tangle of lower tree limbs, leaving just enough time for me to scream LOOK OUT... which he did! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">he jumped out of the way a split-second before the ice-coated branch exploded right where he was standing. part of it pulled his hoodie back from his head, and hooked onto the collar of his coat on the way down. dude was so stunned! he collected himself long enough to get out a shock-filled "<i>merci</i>", before turning to run back indoors. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">that sounds pretty </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">life-saving</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> to me! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">the situation was so dangerous, the Emergency Services were advising their own personnel to remain indoors. basically, if you needed 911... you were on your own! and, all you heard was the <i>orchestra of chandeliers</i>, accompanied now by a <i>horn section</i>, courtesy of all of the honking and blaring alarms from all the damaged cars. it was next-level </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">atmospheric insanity</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">then the power went off! almost half of Montreal was without power... for DAYS!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">did i mention that it was meant to be a long holiday weekend? </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">people will be telling </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">how i survived the great ice storm of '23</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> stories for years to come. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">good times! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">it took <i>weeks </i>for the power to be fully restored, and <i>months </i>for all of the debris to disappear. Montreal zoned out the use of wood-burning stoves and fireplaces several years ago, or we would have stockpiled enough logs to keep our fireplace blazing all Winter. </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>le sigh!</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">most people's holiday plans were (naturally) cancelled, and many businesses and services that would have normally closed for the whole weekend, remained open to provide shelter for the public. even major fast food chains that would normally be closed on Easter Sunday, were asking any employees to come in to work so that they could provide food and a warm space for anyone who needed it. </span><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">imagine being a kid who got to spend Easter weekend eating free McNuggets. one person's chaotic nightmare is another person's Nirvana. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">despite all the property damage, the storm proved to be a (relatively) harmless one. there were the usual vehicular pile-ups, thanks to <i>black ice</i> on... well... EVERYTHING! people around here understand the hazards of Winter storms, so they (mostly) heeded the warnings... except for one guy who simply could not wait for the ice to melt from his car... which was park under a very large, ice-covered tree. sadly, no one warned him to "LOOK OUT". </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">so, instead of pondering all the <i>shoulda</i>, <i>woulda </i>moments from a (mostly) underwhelming year, i choose to close it on a positive note. seriously, people... i saved someone's life! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">yes. i a<i>m</i> awesome!</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Happy New Year!!! hopefully it will be a <i>better </i>one. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5OrF1AWrZX9TAIKQgxmEAGKpItH_p2IYONELFwORaa94xsT6Eg3jYubBf9NTmDeFHn6itaM_MX20AqSvk5WVxNp2-1NqRvZRNQxiZbVbk8IuEb4ozjQUD4ryxSUKHFP5sGRuZ6HnwrrLCGMJc1_xDcqZDaJovq2-vfhVrKUqSqjjQb2Qv-Di_z6oDZw/s1024/NFBLOG1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5OrF1AWrZX9TAIKQgxmEAGKpItH_p2IYONELFwORaa94xsT6Eg3jYubBf9NTmDeFHn6itaM_MX20AqSvk5WVxNp2-1NqRvZRNQxiZbVbk8IuEb4ozjQUD4ryxSUKHFP5sGRuZ6HnwrrLCGMJc1_xDcqZDaJovq2-vfhVrKUqSqjjQb2Qv-Di_z6oDZw/w426-h640/NFBLOG1.png" width="426" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">(those are swollen, springtime <i>maple buds</i> encased in ice... because i can hear you asking from all the way over here.) </span></div><div><br /></div>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-4714628009069008492022-08-02T18:40:00.000-04:002022-08-02T18:40:59.861-04:00betrayal of the corny variety...<p>after eighteen(ish) Summers of watching me lose my mind over the arrival of <i>fresh corn</i> season, my favorite animator recently confided in me that he is not a fan of the stuff. he only ate it because i cooked it. i contemplated walking out on him right then and there. however, i remembered that i still have the rest of the week of being solely responsible for litter-scooping and kitty-feeding on account of that bet i lost Saturday. so, i am still here... for now. but i am struggling to figure out how i will live with this betrayal of the corny variety. </p><p>on the plus side, i no longer have to take him into consideration when deciding how to indulge in the best thing to come from this steamy, sweaty, allergy-assaulting time of the year. a short while later, i was trying to figure out how to make a meal from some leftover barbecued things on skewers... when inspiration struck!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6s1Bc6WeQWYfndcpS-fzq4IcHqoXh3jkDFi0mfaW0dcCWUeHZTEsVp-_mV5n1I9hsdoMCKHSSaTpMzq8zidMem-UFT1o06AvztBbMpqAtI5118PYouzx7IHtqsiUEKI0og1E33kmq7vLttBn88XCC68-YpBN1rdhGetKHBZn44hIAxaFGMDYy572f/s1024/yummy%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6s1Bc6WeQWYfndcpS-fzq4IcHqoXh3jkDFi0mfaW0dcCWUeHZTEsVp-_mV5n1I9hsdoMCKHSSaTpMzq8zidMem-UFT1o06AvztBbMpqAtI5118PYouzx7IHtqsiUEKI0og1E33kmq7vLttBn88XCC68-YpBN1rdhGetKHBZn44hIAxaFGMDYy572f/w640-h426/yummy%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>this meal took all of five minutes to come together, and it may just be my new favorite way to enjoy <i>fresh corn</i>. it began with a quick search in the container of random sauce packets. one mini envelope of <i>spicy instant ramen broth</i> later, and i had the start of something amazing. i added that to <i>boiling water</i> and tossed in some sliced bits of <i>previously-cooked kebab</i> and an ear of <i>fresh corn</i> cut into neat rounds. </p><p>while that simmered for a few minutes, i boiled <i>rice noodles</i> briefly in a separate pan, then rinsed them in cold water to stop them from getting soggy once combined with the broth. the <i>noodles </i>went into a bowl, topped by the contents of the broth pot, plus a few strands of <i>cilantro </i>and <i>red onion slices</i>. then i remembered all the <i>nasturtiums </i>in this year's <i>balcony garden project</i>, so i added a handful of <i>freshly-harvested</i>, <i>locally-grown</i>, <i>organically-nurtured</i>, <i>sustainably-farmed</i>, <i>ethically-sourced</i>,<i> free-range </i>nasturtium leaves to the bowl. just doing my part to save the planet.</p><p>then i sat down to eat. it was amazing! i especially enjoyed the bites with a bit of noodles, meat, and a nasturtium leaf. nasturtium leaves have a sharp, peppery bite similar to a spicy radish, but they also have the unmistakable earthy, borderline-bitter flavor of fresh dark greens. trust me... this combination was sheer culinary perfection. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPU3smm6sI5wb5P3M-M-BwognefpL43AsN5Hw0qfUaBkTJ3ErAzjPBtrxghtRKkM2glU1MgAQfhGStbZ45VUXn9HW2wlc4EZcd61yEVJh-m_8x5Nd_YERMaSo78dOWGFrCmp8QWGgXF2mTgBD8pviSqerwCFp9A2tcxY4wFZhUbtqYLLUQjwTq_ye/s1024/perfect%20bite%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPU3smm6sI5wb5P3M-M-BwognefpL43AsN5Hw0qfUaBkTJ3ErAzjPBtrxghtRKkM2glU1MgAQfhGStbZ45VUXn9HW2wlc4EZcd61yEVJh-m_8x5Nd_YERMaSo78dOWGFrCmp8QWGgXF2mTgBD8pviSqerwCFp9A2tcxY4wFZhUbtqYLLUQjwTq_ye/w640-h426/perfect%20bite%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>the absolute best bits, however, were those rounds of fresh, sweet corn cooked briefly in that delicious broth infused with the smoky, meaty flavors from the leftover kebabs. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxVIOfnprA8Ug3fGzMePK7dO5vkbMAyLfwGuZj_PewWsTnRQeB4Yl6t_hoGARh9o041WGWnXTmQukF7GYAtQy1z77KAraiiJOHAtTghXHNFyC9UEXVH56C0gFf-SJlIgPDBPiDj5TdTwS-whz_DAiZxJ3oBvK2LTV0Kcy-HjbI_R__uHEUcsW7LXw/s1024/best%20bits%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxVIOfnprA8Ug3fGzMePK7dO5vkbMAyLfwGuZj_PewWsTnRQeB4Yl6t_hoGARh9o041WGWnXTmQukF7GYAtQy1z77KAraiiJOHAtTghXHNFyC9UEXVH56C0gFf-SJlIgPDBPiDj5TdTwS-whz_DAiZxJ3oBvK2LTV0Kcy-HjbI_R__uHEUcsW7LXw/w640-h426/best%20bits%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i sat there, completely enraptured by the slight pop of each plump, sweet kernel being bitten away from the cob, and in that moment, i could only feel pity for the animator whose life will never know such joy. sad. </p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-82414225362448487572022-04-30T23:00:00.004-04:002022-04-30T23:56:44.084-04:00insane by association...<div>i broke a tooth while eating popcorn one day last week. this is not a misguided plea for any kind of sympathy. i just need you to understand the insanity that passes for normal in our home.</div><div><br /></div><div>so... i woke up the next day to find the animator grinning from ear-to-ear, and i instantly knew that something was wrong.</div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div>him: <i>i made an appointment for you to go to the dentist</i>.</div><div>me: <i>since when are you making appointments for me? aren't you the one who usually makes me do that sort of thing because you hate talking on the phone? </i></div><div>him: <i>yeh, but i made it for you anyway...</i></div><div>me: <i>... because you know i'd probably put off doing it myself for as long as i can.</i></div><div>him: <i>something like that. oh, and i also made an appointment to take Titty to the vet. i did that first.</i></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>Titty (<i>Titania</i>, aka "<i>Mama Kitty</i>"), the oldest of our <strike>three</strike> two cats, has cancer. i will weep about that some other day. for now, we are trying to make her life as comfortable and enjoyable as possible in the time she has left. </div><div><br /></div><div>so... he called the vet before the dentist.</div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div>him: <i>the receptionist asked if it was an emergency with Titty. is she eating? is she throwing up? or if she is meowing a lot like she might be in pain. i told her, she's eating. not throwing up. and no, she's not meowing or anything.</i></div><div>me: <i>uhm... okay.</i></div><div>him: <i>so then i called the dentist, and the receptionist asked how you chipped your tooth. i said eating popcorn. she asked if it's bleeding. i said no. then she asked if it's an emergency, if you're experiencing any pain...</i></div><div>me: <i>and...?</i></div><div>him: <i>so i said, "no, she's not meowing or anything".</i></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>so now i get to look forward to entering the dentist's office with the receptionist already convinced that i might be insane by association. </div><div><br /></div><div>speaking of insane associations...</div><div><br /></div>mom called me one day, about a month or so ago. i was deeply concerned from "hello". <div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div>mom:<i> N—, i have to tell you something, and i don't want you to get upset.</i></div><div>me: <i>okay...? </i>[already dreading whatever she will say next]</div><div>mom: <i>the plants are coming up in the garden.</i></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>then i turned toward the nearest window, and gazed out into the third (or fourth... i lost count at some point) snowstorm over the span of that week. </div><div><br /></div><div>i bring this up last bit up because it is currently the <i><b>last day of April</b></i>—Spring having officially begun <i><b>more than a month ago</b></i>—and we had a snowstorm as recently as a <i><b>last week</b></i>. but, apparently, this insanity is what i signed up for. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjEN2JjXi2htYg_mdaGzr0JbgDLjPGLpyjlRyS70vb4LkbGhbUqdrBb_CTVnUgodUbRCSzXM4PZRQlYJ3Cc0Amx5uVNMwmZLdckCFS5BHrSPgrUMUCgYYxDUgDd60m7G87LIKAJ-d-wSAcQt_DDT_u315Bddj2RAsjtzLY0F5X3n5HWjVK6XnC2-h/s1024/sadness%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjEN2JjXi2htYg_mdaGzr0JbgDLjPGLpyjlRyS70vb4LkbGhbUqdrBb_CTVnUgodUbRCSzXM4PZRQlYJ3Cc0Amx5uVNMwmZLdckCFS5BHrSPgrUMUCgYYxDUgDd60m7G87LIKAJ-d-wSAcQt_DDT_u315Bddj2RAsjtzLY0F5X3n5HWjVK6XnC2-h/w640-h426/sadness%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>it has been a while since my last post. i draw a firm line at keeping this space on the lighter side of life (dying cats get a pass for sheer sadness factor). i kept writing draft after draft, but i always hesitated when it came time to hit "publish". it is really hard to keep a lighthearted focus on the absurd side of life when so much of it feels <i>anything but</i> these days. still, i figured i would send up a smoke signal of sorts to say that i am still here. </div><div><br /></div><div>so... hello again!</div><div><br /></div><div>i lost my crafting mojo for a while, but it seems to be back in (almost) full force. i considered doing a <strike>week</strike> month of daily short posts to try to document some of the stuff i have made over the past year... or two. however, committing to that will require an even larger dose of 'jo. </div><div><br /></div><div>there is one pretty cool thing that happened recently that has definitely added to the urge to get back to my crafty activities. </div><div><br /></div><div>i won a thing!</div><div><br /></div><div>i left a comment on a You Tube video, which entered me into a raffle from <a href="https://www.ewethfulfiberfarm.com/" target="_blank">Ewethful Fiber Farm and Mill</a>... and i WON!!! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnCJlnQhom6aPthbU2ybucweejmy1KLTJzqh2UV6oIewYzI_DXAF085pONR3psklzwBTOqqFej7mHjsTYyGdtH9LBUGvAcKREUtnzaJ01i2QtFcrOm4ddqbnNP_HgAVG6V4zbyu-aM52G5mlsiDwYt-s02yjyhH9cgelf_dZJ8f_aqE24M4a8J7K3/s1024/box%20of%20fiber%20(683x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnCJlnQhom6aPthbU2ybucweejmy1KLTJzqh2UV6oIewYzI_DXAF085pONR3psklzwBTOqqFej7mHjsTYyGdtH9LBUGvAcKREUtnzaJ01i2QtFcrOm4ddqbnNP_HgAVG6V4zbyu-aM52G5mlsiDwYt-s02yjyhH9cgelf_dZJ8f_aqE24M4a8J7K3/w640-h426/box%20of%20fiber%20(683x1024).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>this is honestly one of the two (or three) knitting-related channels i keep up with these days. the mill owner/operator Kim is a lovely person, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCskdPB0YLhkkw77kEAtmCSQ/featured" target="_blank">her YT videos</a> offers glimpses into their life on the farm (which includes the family grass seed business and a menagerie of ridiculous animals). she also gives us regular behind the scene tours of the production process. it never stops being fascinating to see piles of dirty wool being turned into clean, beautiful yarn.</div><div><br /></div><div>she sources fiber from small farms in her area, and she often has wool from breeds of sheep beyond the ones that get used for most things (Merino, Corriedale, Cormo, BFL, and those other "regulars"). i have been making an effort to seek out new (to me) breeds when purchasing fleeces over the past couple-few years, so i was especially drawn to the eclectic blends of fibers Kim utilizes. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>the original prize on offer included <i>mohair</i>, but that was more than my allergies can handle, so i asked Kim to substitute something (mohair-free) in a natural, dark color that i could blend together with some of the (closet-full of) white fleece waiting to be spun. i received a blend of <i>Alpaca</i> and <i>Shetland wool</i> (from <a href="https://www.ewethfulfiberfarm.com/pages/our-animals" target="_blank">one of Kim's own sheep named Drilla</a>). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kkgWuWd1HL4NWOi3BEKZlb8DWmOPNb4m9AhqvFj347hq4zf3QJZk96i5TxjzqarXY6eeVD-XFXEkQXNC4fg6ei9jrlUKPrGTLI4ffo05BVi9E0mLZk7XkpznPR0_GE1Eb0S2LxjQd1Os1L4yjHd2ClWUNQzpq6BV4qLmzqA4SMzeQ0HMvnQ4Ekv-/s1024/label%20(1024x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kkgWuWd1HL4NWOi3BEKZlb8DWmOPNb4m9AhqvFj347hq4zf3QJZk96i5TxjzqarXY6eeVD-XFXEkQXNC4fg6ei9jrlUKPrGTLI4ffo05BVi9E0mLZk7XkpznPR0_GE1Eb0S2LxjQd1Os1L4yjHd2ClWUNQzpq6BV4qLmzqA4SMzeQ0HMvnQ4Ekv-/w640-h640/label%20(1024x1024).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>i opted for un-spun fiber, so it arrived as a long rope (called <i>roving</i>, for the uninitiated who have made it this far). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsEkRIcVs_BCLMQIufdWQs0vtMWtbVP5clMY7PKDn07pNcFUC9zuf1vc2nwfAyn15unjqu3NIFnTxhFrtw5z_J4x4646dD7cl1wXDs8trm1pZYfTFVGCb_qtqwrA3NbKcXv4hSSGaFovvW9AfF3MgpeZXeToO3dqZ8glTTrCdG1SkkZHJIVcvKF3V/s1024/tempting%20(1024x1024).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsEkRIcVs_BCLMQIufdWQs0vtMWtbVP5clMY7PKDn07pNcFUC9zuf1vc2nwfAyn15unjqu3NIFnTxhFrtw5z_J4x4646dD7cl1wXDs8trm1pZYfTFVGCb_qtqwrA3NbKcXv4hSSGaFovvW9AfF3MgpeZXeToO3dqZ8glTTrCdG1SkkZHJIVcvKF3V/w640-h640/tempting%20(1024x1024).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>i found the beginning of the roving, and it was <i>sooo</i> tempting to start spinning away. however, i will stick to the original plan. this will become part of a lovely, heathery handspun yarn... someday. thank you so much for the generous gift, Kim (and Drilla). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwXFtoxcU42331F9WigNR0RxKUpO4oo9qgnx6Ljocfxhhlh4xgUkRPxO7eQaEAAQ5xLHzEvRmp7jNp9MaR1B_-4u02aioeqlriaKvGL5bPhiXqZjKEiL8qpjzNxSyoBxEK9m_ri53TVqdtjUa435NTaQQIikGlTwLpIMFkZaeKH0ea3-hn4MkZQCR/s1024/so%20tempting%20(1024x683).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwXFtoxcU42331F9WigNR0RxKUpO4oo9qgnx6Ljocfxhhlh4xgUkRPxO7eQaEAAQ5xLHzEvRmp7jNp9MaR1B_-4u02aioeqlriaKvGL5bPhiXqZjKEiL8qpjzNxSyoBxEK9m_ri53TVqdtjUa435NTaQQIikGlTwLpIMFkZaeKH0ea3-hn4MkZQCR/w640-h426/so%20tempting%20(1024x683).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-51795731881921063242021-10-19T14:41:00.001-04:002021-10-19T22:59:26.898-04:00being a jerk is a good thing...<p>[the following is about my cat Philly. i started writing it a week and a half ago when she was very ill, and i am finishing it when she is no longer with us.]</p><p>this is Philly (Ophelia), the ball of grey fluff i usually refer to as Baby Bear.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kpbPMraH3To/YW8CFQcp7YI/AAAAAAAAIb0/a5Z-WtKTlNo5z8QxL4GRBf8_m66XQr2tACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_3859%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kpbPMraH3To/YW8CFQcp7YI/AAAAAAAAIb0/a5Z-WtKTlNo5z8QxL4GRBf8_m66XQr2tACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/IMG_3859%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>she has been very ill for several weeks, and i have accepted the likelihood that this may be the end for her. </p><p>she was part of a litter that had been abandoned by their mother, and only two of the kittens were alive when the animator's parents found them. one of their cats was nursing kittens at the time, and she welcomed the two orphans as her own. </p><p>Baby Bear was tiny and underdeveloped right from the beginning. the animator's parents tend to let their cats come and go as they wish, and she would have only gotten lost in that shuffle. knowing that she would require extra special care (and the many trips to the vet that would entail), we figured she might have a better chance with us.</p><p> plus... not gonna lie... i took one look at that ball of fluff, and i was in love. </p><p>so, just like that, she became our cat. and, seeing how attached she was to her adopted mom, we decided not to split them up. so, Titty (Titania)—aka Mama Kitty, the curmudgeony calico—came to live with us as Baby Bear's <i>plus-one</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZESZDyrqow/YW744EA-klI/AAAAAAAAIa4/PNXQIXQGI5IvHpz0UsxsAAAc5ZbiXDyIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3488%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZESZDyrqow/YW744EA-klI/AAAAAAAAIa4/PNXQIXQGI5IvHpz0UsxsAAAc5ZbiXDyIwCNcBGAsYHQ/w426-h640/IMG_3488%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p>we figured at the time that we would do our best to keep Philly comfortable for however long she might end up living. </p><p>that was nine years ago.</p><p>they would eventually be joined by Cordy (Cordelia), the Little One who destroys things...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4XzpthLkWM/YW77ClCw3dI/AAAAAAAAIbA/jayzH4LlfSAUKdd8VS542MfCCpl-RqoAwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_2861%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x810%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1024" height="506" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4XzpthLkWM/YW77ClCw3dI/AAAAAAAAIbA/jayzH4LlfSAUKdd8VS542MfCCpl-RqoAwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h506/IMG_2861%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x810%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>and just like that, our furry duo became a trio.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VGRFGnmQJ-M/YW8KNc8IBCI/AAAAAAAAIb8/ZQTg5ze2wS0-t1uj02nQ9M-r3IN9XE2QQCNcBGAsYHQ/s925/IMG_3306%2B%25281024x683%2529%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="925" height="468" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VGRFGnmQJ-M/YW8KNc8IBCI/AAAAAAAAIb8/ZQTg5ze2wS0-t1uj02nQ9M-r3IN9XE2QQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h468/IMG_3306%2B%25281024x683%2529%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>but Philly would always retain the title of "Baby Bear", because she always acted like one. she would also earn the title of "the Jerk"... for much the same reason. </p><p>i should point out that this cat was a tiny, little thing when we first got her. the vet made a point of warning us from the start that she was always going to be small, and she was. in adulthood, Philly weighed about four and a half pounds on her heaviest days. do not be fooled by all that fur. she was almost non-existent. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k7701bppWho/YW4uckhgCAI/AAAAAAAAIZg/I3sB2cdgtiUW5tZqerDP1Vj0mBwGL8KTwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_1554%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k7701bppWho/YW4uckhgCAI/AAAAAAAAIZg/I3sB2cdgtiUW5tZqerDP1Vj0mBwGL8KTwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/IMG_1554%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>and, oh... the knots and tangles! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pWAlCCxfv_o/YW7x2uI6wSI/AAAAAAAAIas/p1QNPjsrAM8OWyBOczTmOKJ173V09AfjQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_8178%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528636x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="636" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pWAlCCxfv_o/YW7x2uI6wSI/AAAAAAAAIas/p1QNPjsrAM8OWyBOczTmOKJ173V09AfjQCNcBGAsYHQ/w249-h400/IMG_8178%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528636x1024%2529.jpg" width="249" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U9vLScbY_f0/YW7xzl2lP1I/AAAAAAAAIao/7ZfFBjP7KOYFye7bvWnph8Fl7b5CyiQKACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_0836%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U9vLScbY_f0/YW7xzl2lP1I/AAAAAAAAIao/7ZfFBjP7KOYFye7bvWnph8Fl7b5CyiQKACNcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/IMG_0836%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div></div><p>despite all that tinyness—or, perhaps, <i>because </i>of it—she was the <i>biggest bully</i> you could ever imagine, and her bullying behavior was always about the same thing. food. </p><p>she did not like being kept waiting for her morning meal. if you took too long dividing the contents of a can between the three bowls, you would be hurried along by a few sharp nips to the back of the calves. i am convinced that cat had the sharpest teeth in existence. likewise, if we were taking too long to get out of bed, she would... uhm... <i>motivate </i>us by standing on our heads and nipping at the tip of our noses. her bites never did any real damage. they were just annoying enough to encourage you to hurry along. </p><p>no exaggeration... i will spend the rest of my life sleeping with the covers pulled up over my head thanks to years of being traumatized by that ridiculous little cat. </p><p>so cute. so cruel. </p><p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jS7hTGQLlNc/YW8CFTBmvVI/AAAAAAAAIbw/6mjeyqOIvh4wCrgcyHuQfoue6TcmM2YegCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_9994%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jS7hTGQLlNc/YW8CFTBmvVI/AAAAAAAAIbw/6mjeyqOIvh4wCrgcyHuQfoue6TcmM2YegCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/IMG_9994%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>worst part was, she demanded her morning meal <i>at </i>sunrise, and she would wake us in advance to make sure that it was not late. you know that part of the Summer where the sun comes up at like quarter to five every morning? well, she would usually start waking us at around four-fifteen. </p><p>i really miss that ridiculous cat.</p><p>the other two cats were also subjected to her bullying tactics. she would shove them around, and literally pull the food out from under their faces. she was such a jerk, the other two would just walk away some days and let her have her fill before coming back to clear up whatever scraps she left behind.</p><p>the animator would give them their bowls and let them sort it out, but i always felt compelled to stand there and play <i>cafeteria lunch lady</i> so that the other two could have a chance to eat their meal in peace.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>i don't understand why they let themselves get pushed around by this little runt. they each weigh more than twice as much as her. they can just give her a good smack and put her in her place.<br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>easier to just ignore her and let her think she's the boss.<br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>that only encourages her to keep on being such a jerk. </i> </div></blockquote><p>and she did. she defended that title right up to her last days, even as we were monitoring her every move to see how she was doing.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>oh! she seems to be eating.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>she's eating?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>yeh. and she just shoved Cordy out of the way to get to that bowl.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>she did?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">me: y<i>eh. oh... and now she's doing that thing where she grabs the edge of the bowl, and pulls it away from under Titty's face, so i guess she plans to eat from that one too. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>even on the edge of death, she's still a jerk.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>pretty much. at least we know she's feeling good enough today to be eating. </i></div></blockquote><p>there are some situations in life where being a jerk is a good thing, and this was one of them. </p><p>she had been sick quite a few times over the years, and we usually took this return to jerkish form as a sign of improvement. however, the situation was far worse this time around, and a couple days later, she was gone. </p><p>we got to spend a lot more time with her than anyone (even the vet) thought would be the case. despite being the smaller of the two that survived from her litter, she outlived the other one by several years, and she was in good health for most of that time, although it felt like an uphill battle at times. we were not even sure if her eyes were functioning properly for the first year or so, and it was an ongoing struggle to keep them (and the rest of her) in working condition in the years to follow. i cannot begin to recount all the gels, pills, ointments, and other vet-prescribed concoctions we have had to administer over the years... or the sideshow of getting her to take them. </p><p>to the casual observer, it might seem ridiculous to have two adults tag-team-restraining a four-pound cat, but this one was a jerk who liked to bite. </p><p>there has been a sad note hanging over our home this past week, and her absence is pronouncedly evident. she was always in the way, always inviting herself into the midst of anything i tried to do. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHIr2tuWGig/YW7-u79L_OI/AAAAAAAAIbI/vdUSjkNN91Q4N1jgWFI_GWtQo2KFLwmIgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_3366%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHIr2tuWGig/YW7-u79L_OI/AAAAAAAAIbI/vdUSjkNN91Q4N1jgWFI_GWtQo2KFLwmIgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/IMG_3366%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>she spent so much time hanging around me, i came to think of her as my personal shadow kitty. i still find myself walking gingerly around our home, expecting her to be lurking somewhere near my feet, constantly positioning herself right where i am about to step.</p><p>despite being the <strike>tiniest</strike> biggest jerk on the planet, she is sorely missed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Re7535K2BDo/YW8A45VmOVI/AAAAAAAAIbo/I6H8AFr2vtUepxyHdu650w9jetPxdOCDwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_5076%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Re7535K2BDo/YW8A45VmOVI/AAAAAAAAIbo/I6H8AFr2vtUepxyHdu650w9jetPxdOCDwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/IMG_5076%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">she was a great companion to Mama Kitty...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m2y9v_B6BD8/YW4ygP-M5uI/AAAAAAAAIZo/aiCJsNDgh5YTNamtOQeMHx6bAPWBENcGgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_2042%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m2y9v_B6BD8/YW4ygP-M5uI/AAAAAAAAIZo/aiCJsNDgh5YTNamtOQeMHx6bAPWBENcGgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/IMG_2042%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>and a wonderful playmate and <i>co-conspirator in mischief</i> to the Little One. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSL5fDtBWlw/YW4ytsfIGnI/AAAAAAAAIZs/8_xe_X7jj8UdyEEK612-pTYkEpf7hQluQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_3225%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSL5fDtBWlw/YW4ytsfIGnI/AAAAAAAAIZs/8_xe_X7jj8UdyEEK612-pTYkEpf7hQluQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/IMG_3225%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>she made an art out of photobombing...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0z-ygp5e61E/YW41tfY0ghI/AAAAAAAAIaA/t5kahRowzPQyEK8suqZZFN7ng0zMlGjJwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_5912%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528680x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="680" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0z-ygp5e61E/YW41tfY0ghI/AAAAAAAAIaA/t5kahRowzPQyEK8suqZZFN7ng0zMlGjJwCNcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/IMG_5912%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528680x1024%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSW40-Qj_Ss/YW41tXVJVGI/AAAAAAAAIaE/CPVDkOmwTM0D_WiOSBc1wBiYv5Sc_oD3ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_7942%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSW40-Qj_Ss/YW41tXVJVGI/AAAAAAAAIaE/CPVDkOmwTM0D_WiOSBc1wBiYv5Sc_oD3ACNcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/IMG_7942%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div></div><p>and she embraced that stereotype about cats loving boxes as her personal mission in life. i used to think that this box craze was something that all cats did, but she was the only one of the four i have lived with to date who took that particular task quite so seriously. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jw5e6lelZ30/YW42LDQLs8I/AAAAAAAAIaQ/bxPIzRtASN47WtmqDdK3nqJ1HDircLX6QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_5295%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528806x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="806" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jw5e6lelZ30/YW42LDQLs8I/AAAAAAAAIaQ/bxPIzRtASN47WtmqDdK3nqJ1HDircLX6QCNcBGAsYHQ/w504-h640/IMG_5295%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528806x1024%2529.jpg" width="504" /></a></div><p>and it was not just boxes. turns out a basket of freshly-washed laundry is the perfect spot for a bit of bird-watching. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vBPRTkNAfLA/YW8AYUo-FAI/AAAAAAAAIbc/i-ZTdB5U690kICH4fUAjB6w8EatEAIdHACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/kitty%2Bbird%2Bwatching%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vBPRTkNAfLA/YW8AYUo-FAI/AAAAAAAAIbc/i-ZTdB5U690kICH4fUAjB6w8EatEAIdHACNcBGAsYHQ/w426-h640/kitty%2Bbird%2Bwatching%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p>who needs plants in a gro-bag when you can fill that space with adorable furry goodness, right?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hR4iLkXMJ9s/YW7uIiTZIsI/AAAAAAAAIag/vKy5nq9Bi3g7qKWIr886yNYh6y2QyXdtgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/napping%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x681%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hR4iLkXMJ9s/YW7uIiTZIsI/AAAAAAAAIag/vKy5nq9Bi3g7qKWIr886yNYh6y2QyXdtgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/napping%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x681%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>most of all, Philly loved being held and snuggled and treated like the Baby Bear she never stopped being. she will be missed very much. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E4Tk5Ga0Sf4/YW40XGbVQTI/AAAAAAAAIZ4/W907UQpVUDgigMXXRC__1XhYM5TnvKPKQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_5400%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E4Tk5Ga0Sf4/YW40XGbVQTI/AAAAAAAAIZ4/W907UQpVUDgigMXXRC__1XhYM5TnvKPKQCNcBGAsYHQ/w426-h640/IMG_5400%2B%25282%2529%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-91770860782162034372021-08-31T23:12:00.004-04:002021-09-01T00:11:01.655-04:00Jultember still officially sucks...<p><i>Jultember </i>has come to an end, and boy am i happy to see it go. </p><p>with a couple days left to go in the month, i was bitten on the ankle (at like two in the morning) by a <i>"false widow" spider</i>. it looked like someone stuffed a golf ball under my skin, and i spent the better part of an hour contemplating if the electric hand saw was strong enough to remove my foot from the rest of my body. boy, was i in serious pain! stupid imposter spider!</p><p>then, with mere hours left to go, my (former) favorite cat...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LcqBqGjCzCw/YS7N0biupgI/AAAAAAAAIMY/etpUp8SKBxAjzMZiZ7i_RHRM8spYFhXCQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/cordy%2B%25283%2529%2B%25281024x576%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LcqBqGjCzCw/YS7N0biupgI/AAAAAAAAIMY/etpUp8SKBxAjzMZiZ7i_RHRM8spYFhXCQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/cordy%2B%25283%2529%2B%25281024x576%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>sent my second favorite coffee mug crashing to the floor...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8sEyySSITGc/YS7OMNQcgUI/AAAAAAAAIO0/gZRtWMu2piQbPuoxU_lwjZgHmmUHPQFEACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/mug%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8sEyySSITGc/YS7OMNQcgUI/AAAAAAAAIO0/gZRtWMu2piQbPuoxU_lwjZgHmmUHPQFEACNcBGAsYHQ/w426-h640/mug%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p>that photo of her has been the background of my laptop for ages. she is seriously adorable... but i am still not happy with her right now. so, while i know that there is actually important negative stuff happening in the world, in my absurd, pointless little corner... <i>Jultember still officially sucks</i>!</p><p>other than the occasional burst of animal-induced absurdity, life continues to be pretty calm in these parts. i had all of these grand plans of things i intended to do once Summer started. now, we are the end of <i>Jultember</i>—and with it, the end of the Summer—and i still cannot figure out where any of that time went. </p><p>i had a birthday at some point during the Summer, which we celebrated in our usual super-low-key fashion. mostly, it was an excuse to eat something special. this time around, it featured an almost one-and-a-half kilogram (roughly three 'murican pounds) <i>tomahawk steak</i>. you can keep your soft-as-butter <i>fillet</i>. i am all about the <i>rib eye</i>, and this beast is <i>rib eye squared</i>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AsVJcEtBnWc/YS7OSKEGbxI/AAAAAAAAIPI/AvUr3qUzSaAocwhDs07BFURYxqob91jXACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/steak%2Bdinner%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AsVJcEtBnWc/YS7OSKEGbxI/AAAAAAAAIPI/AvUr3qUzSaAocwhDs07BFURYxqob91jXACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/steak%2Bdinner%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>we cooked it <i>sous vide</i> at 49°C/120°F (very rare), then crusted it up on a super-hot grill, by which time it was perfectly <i>medium rare</i>. it may not look like it, but trust me when i say this was a lot of meat for two people to eat. that is a huge serving platter in the first photo, not a plate. the animator was adding bits of the leftovers to bowls of ramen for days. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IOp-uO3FmMg/YS7Ob4n1w9I/AAAAAAAAIPM/pWqFGuF05hozegSLp3I8ZE1d2e21st3SgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/steak%2Bgrilling%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IOp-uO3FmMg/YS7Ob4n1w9I/AAAAAAAAIPM/pWqFGuF05hozegSLp3I8ZE1d2e21st3SgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/steak%2Bgrilling%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>and, speaking of the grill... i had to downsize this year's balcony garden project as he decided that we were in desperate need of a bigger barbecue. luckily, i could not muster the enthusiasm to buy many plants this year, so we ended up with a few herbs and some flowers to appease the bees. [we are hanging on to the propane tank from the old grill to appease his man genes' refusal to get rid of things.] </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNB1kY9KAAA/YS7Opu07deI/AAAAAAAAIPU/DD9byCrxGTwBU1uxOgwgrRs0xAzQo6xpwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/smaller%2Bgarden%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNB1kY9KAAA/YS7Opu07deI/AAAAAAAAIPU/DD9byCrxGTwBU1uxOgwgrRs0xAzQo6xpwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/smaller%2Bgarden%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>oh... and we added some new flooring to the balcony... which is barely visible under the tangle of leaves. i seriously love having my own mini jungle out here. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IWlNs3MP5Jc/YS7O9mRGg4I/AAAAAAAAIPo/ZbuI-6Vjn1EBILvmYHgHfAZgYh8AUpHegCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/flooring%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IWlNs3MP5Jc/YS7O9mRGg4I/AAAAAAAAIPo/ZbuI-6Vjn1EBILvmYHgHfAZgYh8AUpHegCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/flooring%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>my culinary mojo is still feeling very <i>meh</i>, but i do occasionally get the urge for something interesting... like the <i>Thai curry mussels</i> that took all of about seven minutes to make. this dish featured the "<i>Thai holy trinity</i>" (<i>galangal</i>, <i>kaffir lime</i>, and <i>lemongrass</i>) combined with <i>curry </i>and <i>coconut milk</i>. there are no words to describe the joy i got from eating this meal.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2qmJhUOI-Bg/YS7PQqUseSI/AAAAAAAAIPw/QpTZ0T1FwYousV4bZZgRrp9cokRD1Mb4wCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/mussels%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2qmJhUOI-Bg/YS7PQqUseSI/AAAAAAAAIPw/QpTZ0T1FwYousV4bZZgRrp9cokRD1Mb4wCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/mussels%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>it has also been a bit of a struggle to keep the crafting mojo going, but i did manage to finish a few things (some of which i will discuss in more detail at a later date, as they require their own posts). and, yes... i will be keeping this mug many miles away from a certain ridiculous cat. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdQDcgRAxTE/YS7PVtcVD_I/AAAAAAAAIP0/SS7xzGD4nE8PihY1hwcYQgqk3mFhxvaTgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/knitted%2Bthings%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdQDcgRAxTE/YS7PVtcVD_I/AAAAAAAAIP0/SS7xzGD4nE8PihY1hwcYQgqk3mFhxvaTgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/knitted%2Bthings%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i (finally) finished up that green sweater from the last post... and the post before that. the pattern is <i>Langeline </i>by Ditte Lerche. it is a free pattern (in English, German, and Danish) on <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/langelinie-2" target="_blank">Ravelry </a>and on the <a href="http://filcolana.dk/da/node/1566" target="_blank">Filcolana website</a>. i liked the look of the eyelet section at the top, so i kept it going for the whole thing. this was knit from the top-down, making it perfect for when you have a limited amount of yarn (or if you want to knit until it is all used up to avoid leftovers). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eVMiLZmKiZU/YS7PqQ_QWoI/AAAAAAAAIQA/yDdw_fM4akES7iCnPbHWCHw9S3fw-87KQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/green%2Bsweater%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eVMiLZmKiZU/YS7PqQ_QWoI/AAAAAAAAIQA/yDdw_fM4akES7iCnPbHWCHw9S3fw-87KQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/green%2Bsweater%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i usually avoid knitting things the same color as the pattern sample, but i am (still) trying to add some life to my greyscale wardrobe, so i dyed some yarn in the brightest green i could produce. i also spun that yarn... sorta... but we can talk about that some other time. </p><p>as per usual, a few changes were made along the way. most notably, i made the neckline slightly larger (it is wider than it looks in the photo, trust me)...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U0kjy6lwsDg/YS7SJda7awI/AAAAAAAAIQU/rlPMIZXb6EEwegtXK4qYRZ6R1qGqW7OiACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/green%2Bsweater%2Bneckline%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U0kjy6lwsDg/YS7SJda7awI/AAAAAAAAIQU/rlPMIZXb6EEwegtXK4qYRZ6R1qGqW7OiACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/green%2Bsweater%2Bneckline%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>shortened the sleeves... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-18jxU0SYPYo/YS7SJehrdSI/AAAAAAAAIQQ/rWwAjJnbw08zphBm7SVCNuS20RXpE04cACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/green%2Bsweater%2Bsleeve%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-18jxU0SYPYo/YS7SJehrdSI/AAAAAAAAIQQ/rWwAjJnbw08zphBm7SVCNuS20RXpE04cACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/green%2Bsweater%2Bsleeve%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>and i used the eyelets allover because it was more interesting to knit than a plain stockinette fabric. did i mention that it is a<i> superfine merino</i> and <i>cashmere</i> blend that is soft and snuggly enough for an allergic-to-all-the-things cupcake like me to wear? yum!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HOk7MEtHHRk/YS7QPDti5QI/AAAAAAAAIQI/5EgViFXOst8VP5pjj0U9VDCTqE4wP2XQwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/green%2Bsweater%2Bhem%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HOk7MEtHHRk/YS7QPDti5QI/AAAAAAAAIQI/5EgViFXOst8VP5pjj0U9VDCTqE4wP2XQwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/green%2Bsweater%2Bhem%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>all that green must have gotten to me, because i pulled some more fiber out of my stash, and dyed that green too. i will probably talk more about this yarn when i get i around to using it... eventually.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FM2orB46XVE/YS7SllMLo2I/AAAAAAAAIQg/zO5FB9HQlJwyIYnJVRKiXUggQsNpi3H7ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/green%2Byarn1%2B%25281024x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FM2orB46XVE/YS7SllMLo2I/AAAAAAAAIQg/zO5FB9HQlJwyIYnJVRKiXUggQsNpi3H7ACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/green%2Byarn1%2B%25281024x1024%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>and for a change, i dyed up some yarns in three very similar shades of turquoise-blue. if you look closely, you will note the different construction of the three yarns, two of which were sorta-spun by me. i have a garment's worth of each one, so that is three more future projects to get around to... eventually. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qUUfjvX7roQ/YS7SqaFueBI/AAAAAAAAIQk/YOKu5GEuDagxyqnMEpl2afvtCa7CLpaXQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/turquoise%2Byarns%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qUUfjvX7roQ/YS7SqaFueBI/AAAAAAAAIQk/YOKu5GEuDagxyqnMEpl2afvtCa7CLpaXQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/turquoise%2Byarns%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>the absolute best part of the summer, however, had to be the addition of a new toy to my crafting library. i officially own a knitting machine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zFXKQgpjaFE/YS7S0Kot-NI/AAAAAAAAIQo/-5z5tjEqK2AmJstAo0neBBL3x5mADlH3wCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/knitting%2Bmachine%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zFXKQgpjaFE/YS7S0Kot-NI/AAAAAAAAIQo/-5z5tjEqK2AmJstAo0neBBL3x5mADlH3wCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/knitting%2Bmachine%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>but, wait... it gets worse. </p><p>i actually now own THREE knitting machines. no joking. the animator really knows how to deliver on a birthday gift. they will likely be the subject of my next post... eventually. </p><p>so, now i have even more ways to keep myself occupied in the middle of the night. seriously... would you rather be laying in bed at two in the morning, waiting to be stung by a stupid spider seeking vengeance for his comrade that you slaughtered the night before, or sat on an uncomfortable chair staring at something like this? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gs7qqzlSsC4/YS7S7NKx7xI/AAAAAAAAIQ0/hcXfXEwi5OMBbzqiQcrzZApxHDjOafTpQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/staring%2Bat%2Bthis%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gs7qqzlSsC4/YS7S7NKx7xI/AAAAAAAAIQ0/hcXfXEwi5OMBbzqiQcrzZApxHDjOafTpQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/staring%2Bat%2Bthis%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>exactly!</p><p><br /></p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-57553873871302598762021-06-05T14:13:00.002-04:002021-06-05T20:49:56.861-04:00since eleven half-posts ago....<p>if you are wondering just how many times during the past few months i started to compose a post, only to abandon it halfway through the process, the answer to that question is eleven. hopefully this one will not end up being not-quite-lucky number twelve. i may eventually get around to finishing one (or more) of those drafts, but for now they will continue to exist as what my people in the knitting world refer to as WIPs, because what i clearly need right now is even more <i>works-in-progress</i> to ignore. speaking of which...</p><p>it was my intention to have that stupid-bright-green sweater from last time completed when i got around to composing my next post, but i have barely touched that thing since eleven half-posts ago. my interest/attention was drawn elsewhere, and i decided to go with that flow. my crafting energy has been (mostly) focused on spinning and dyeing yarn, because the thirty storage cubes full of yarn i already have is clearly not enough to get me through the apocalypse. makes perfect sense, no?</p><p>we have also been eating lots of super-yummy food, which is always a wonderful and scary thing. i lost my zeal for cooking earlier in the year, so this has been something of a reunion with a long-lost friend. </p><p>i had lunch today followed by a mid-afternoon scoop of <i>rum & raisin ice cream</i>... which i <i>made</i> completely from <i>scratch</i>! feel free to applaud. i totally deserve it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtI5l3ZEUR0/YLWwsJDeHOI/AAAAAAAAIEE/VziM2ouNXdkfVjeocQDxxnjAzujU5ZFBQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/rum%2Braisin%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtI5l3ZEUR0/YLWwsJDeHOI/AAAAAAAAIEE/VziM2ouNXdkfVjeocQDxxnjAzujU5ZFBQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/rum%2Braisin%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i should point out that <i>rum </i>is a major commodity in the economy of most of the Caribbean, and wherever the diaspora may take us, we always regard our rum as a near-sacred ingredient... which is my attempt at justifying what may be the booziest <i>rum & raisin ice cream </i>in recorded history. </p><p>no exaggeration, i soaked the raisins in rum for about three days before getting started, then i tossed in an extra glug—for good measure—before adding the raisins to the contents of the ice cream maker.</p><p>the chief danger with using a large amount of alcohol in ice cream is that it lowers the freezing point (meaning that it requires <i>more </i>coldness for the ice cream to become solid). use too much booze, and you can easily end up with a mixture that insists on acting like a milk shake. </p><p>my <i>rum & raisin ice cream,</i> however, is well-behaved. it has a lovely, silky texture that borders on sheer perfection. if you squint a bit you can see tiny specks of ground cinnamon in the mix. so ridiculously tasty!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-diH7ZymljwI/YLW23zFDL0I/AAAAAAAAIEQ/t0blHLjNVd0prP3DTNbb7eHgdKT1yQaUwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/rum%2Braisin%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-diH7ZymljwI/YLW23zFDL0I/AAAAAAAAIEQ/t0blHLjNVd0prP3DTNbb7eHgdKT1yQaUwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/rum%2Braisin%2B%25282%2529%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>the animator was less excited about the end product. as i have probably noted (countless times) in the past, he is not a fan of the taste of most forms of alcohol, and this stuff is definitely not shy about its alcohol content. he enjoys <i>boozy eggnog </i>between December and January, then he spends the rest of the year making faces if i offer him anything that contains a noticeable amount of alcohol... like when i asked him to taste the ice cream for a second time. </p><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><b>me</b>: <i>you want to try it again?<br /></i><b>him</b>: <i>i don't know. it was pretty strong the first time. <br /></i><b>me</b>:<i> it's been sitting in the freezer for a couple days now, so the rum has had a chance to equalize and mellow a bit. those pockets of raisins should taste less intensely boozy than when you tried it right out of the ice cream maker.</i></blockquote><i></i></div><p>so he took another taste... and he made a face that i know all too well. </p><p></p><blockquote><b>him</b>: <i>it tastes very good, but it's still way too strong for me. use a lot less rum next time, then i can have some.</i></blockquote><i></i><p></p><p>then i just looked at him with as much pity as i could muster on such short notice. </p><p></p><blockquote><b>me</b>: <i>you poor thing!</i></blockquote><i></i><p></p><p>i should note that this sudden urge to make ice cream came about after i went digging around in the fridge one day, looking for some random thing at the back of a shelf, when i discovered that we had <i>three </i>cartons of eggs... in a household of <i>two </i>people who only <i>occasionally </i>eat eggs. so, i did the breakfast-for-dinner thing a couple-few times before deciding that i never want to see another egg (i was too lazy to get myself a larger plate from the cupboard). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oyRMJuk1hqk/YLW_iXICIXI/AAAAAAAAIEY/k9vSR25QDF0BiKJauUJgKQoFQ04hGTfbwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/too%2Bmany%2Beggs%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oyRMJuk1hqk/YLW_iXICIXI/AAAAAAAAIEY/k9vSR25QDF0BiKJauUJgKQoFQ04hGTfbwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/too%2Bmany%2Beggs%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i used up the last of my precious reserved duck fat in what has to be my tastiest attempt to date at making a French classic, <i>cassoulet</i>... which is just a posh-sounding term for a stew of white beans and whatever bits of meat you happen to have hanging around. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-njUkBeAzlmk/YLnO3EN_LqI/AAAAAAAAIFA/998Mxi2TwyA5yYJDqIFp55Xg9oNXIYlnQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/cassoulet%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-njUkBeAzlmk/YLnO3EN_LqI/AAAAAAAAIFA/998Mxi2TwyA5yYJDqIFp55Xg9oNXIYlnQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/cassoulet%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>purists would probably insist that a proper cassoulet absolutely <i>must </i>contain <i><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=duck+confit&oq=duck+confit&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j46i433j0l5j69i60.2704j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">duck confit</a></i>. i keep promising myself to make a truly authentic cassoulet one of these days. however, i was not about to venture out mid-pandemic in search of a duck (which you can also find already-confited in most supermarkets around here), so i had to make do with the last of the fat from a duck we roasted a few months before. if you have never eaten food cooked in duck fat, you have not lived. and, yes... i have officially been living among the French for way too long. </p><p>in addition to the duck fat, this cassoulet also contained a few <i>sausages</i>, whole <i>cherry tomatoes</i>, chunks of <i>butternut squash</i>, and <i>speck </i>(which is a prosciutto-like smoked pork belly that shows up a lot in the Croatian food the animator has introduced me to). the combination of the starch from the beans and the gelatin from the speck gives a rich, velvety texture to the sauce in this stew. this was a seriously enjoyable meal. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jv2IEURLvL8/YLnQeO3bN0I/AAAAAAAAIFI/xGCyEoZo_DETOexAFk0T3krL7wrznmyVwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/cassoulet2%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jv2IEURLvL8/YLnQeO3bN0I/AAAAAAAAIFI/xGCyEoZo_DETOexAFk0T3krL7wrznmyVwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/cassoulet2%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>there was also a bit of culinary disaster involving a dish of <i>chicken </i>and <i>potatoes </i>in what was supposed to be a rich, herby cream sauce. it tasted great, but the texture of the sauce was all wrong. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zAyJ9JG7zj4/YLoiTKLblcI/AAAAAAAAIGc/EcQHwLhjNGEhnc1TnD7lvMHJEqqZyQj3wCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/chicken%2Bdisaster%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zAyJ9JG7zj4/YLoiTKLblcI/AAAAAAAAIGc/EcQHwLhjNGEhnc1TnD7lvMHJEqqZyQj3wCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/chicken%2Bdisaster%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">this is a dish that he usually makes, but i decided to give it a try this time around. turns out, he forgot to tell me one critical step, which he remembered after i had just finished screwing it up... for the second time... that week.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><b>him:</b><i> i can go to the store and get more stuff if you want to make it again soon. you know what went wrong, so it'll be perfect next time. </i><br /><b>me:</b> <i>i already stopped caring, because i am never making this dish ever again. </i></blockquote><i></i></div><p style="text-align: left;">i used a couple eggs from our surplus in the production of this wonderous thing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IL_M9hGiX4E/YLnnQkn8-qI/AAAAAAAAIGQ/AeT5ud53zW8Xr7GrfaYJ_DRWAjRDiLeZgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/cut%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IL_M9hGiX4E/YLnnQkn8-qI/AAAAAAAAIGQ/AeT5ud53zW8Xr7GrfaYJ_DRWAjRDiLeZgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/cut%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">the was the latest variation of my go-to upside-down cake. the fruit changes with the season, and the sponge cake is very forgiving, making for an ideal template for improvisation. </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">this cake is especially easy if you use an ovenproof skillet. it begins with brown sugar melted with butter, this will become the sticky topping on the cake.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9M84738rVlQ/YLnNRTCBhnI/AAAAAAAAIEw/RFlEP8na9fkAYiQtNZct01acrdXoxcNPwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/melted%2B%25281024x707%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1024" height="442" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9M84738rVlQ/YLnNRTCBhnI/AAAAAAAAIEw/RFlEP8na9fkAYiQtNZct01acrdXoxcNPwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h442/melted%2B%25281024x707%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">i had some bananas hanging around, so i decided to use that as the fruit. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0mnVa5oHHNE/YLnNbJ12IyI/AAAAAAAAIE0/QjOQ0AsoI_Y3IhlxqqEMDfEKhHq0DcvjACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/bananas%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0mnVa5oHHNE/YLnNbJ12IyI/AAAAAAAAIE0/QjOQ0AsoI_Y3IhlxqqEMDfEKhHq0DcvjACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/bananas%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">next came the batter, which i put together in a separate bowl while waiting for the sugar to melt. i use about half of the sugar that was called for in the original recipe, as there is plenty of sweetness in the gooey fruit topping. i included a bit of freshly grated ginger and lemon zest in the batter this time around, and i poured it right over the banana pieces. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRotRSBMwQQ/YLndJnfZ83I/AAAAAAAAIFY/VHTx-Dra9roqnOsRSrIHKezjwaujZc2hQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/batter%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRotRSBMwQQ/YLndJnfZ83I/AAAAAAAAIFY/VHTx-Dra9roqnOsRSrIHKezjwaujZc2hQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/batter%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">then into the oven it went...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_CgR0uK-LWE/YLneIAcp7CI/AAAAAAAAIFg/YAxqP1IJ4ew3RJw9xqVgZ8qLeyEE75UOwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/oven%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_CgR0uK-LWE/YLneIAcp7CI/AAAAAAAAIFg/YAxqP1IJ4ew3RJw9xqVgZ8qLeyEE75UOwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/oven%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">i used a darker brown sugar this time around (because that is what i had, because... pandemic) , and i was nervous that it might be burnt on account of how dark the caramelized sugar was around the edges. [random aside: that bit of red is an oven mitt slipped over the handle of the super-hot skillet while it sat for a bit after coming out of the oven, because i do not want to lose the skin from the middle of my palm by accidentally grabbing a hot pan handle... again. true story.]</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-klq_FJlSSw0/YLng2eOinTI/AAAAAAAAIFs/zVEYKPiI98IR4KURBb0DIROOPceLXA9kACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/done1%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-klq_FJlSSw0/YLng2eOinTI/AAAAAAAAIFs/zVEYKPiI98IR4KURBb0DIROOPceLXA9kACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/done1%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">ten minutes later, and it was time to flip if out of the pan. tada!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qo8w1a544yI/YLXCwi6sCEI/AAAAAAAAIEg/qN62BvA0KtwFdDWSG6yQ6PkMA-aZzpyuQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/flipped%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qo8w1a544yI/YLXCwi6sCEI/AAAAAAAAIEg/qN62BvA0KtwFdDWSG6yQ6PkMA-aZzpyuQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/flipped%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">it may look a bit overdone, but it was perfect. </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oqucQZydhA4/YLnij3wKr_I/AAAAAAAAIF0/_Ley13jnji00K_HnkBR1w-dzeH1oLnHpQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/slice%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oqucQZydhA4/YLnij3wKr_I/AAAAAAAAIF0/_Ley13jnji00K_HnkBR1w-dzeH1oLnHpQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/slice%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">the fruit keeps the sponge layer moist, and the ginger and lemon zest is a delicious counterpoint to the caramelized banana. and, it happens to be totally wheat-free, so i can eat as much as i want without resorting to a week of taking antihistamines. best of all, that is two less eggs cluttering up my refrigerator. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gNx948o2kf0/YLnmJOivtEI/AAAAAAAAIGE/maQ_f2MgoaYRp-yxRhYYJB3B7ZfWTR_SQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/tasty%2B%25281024x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gNx948o2kf0/YLnmJOivtEI/AAAAAAAAIGE/maQ_f2MgoaYRp-yxRhYYJB3B7ZfWTR_SQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/tasty%2B%25281024x1024%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-68539247970695697472021-03-06T20:38:00.001-05:002021-03-06T20:43:14.663-05:00the cosmic algorithm has shifted...<p>i am multiple days deep into what is turning out to be one of the greatest sub-migraines in recorded history. for now, i am trying (but mostly failing) to avoid anything that might cause me the slightest measure of additional stress... which is not as easy as it sounds. </p><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>i want to bring my computer out here [pointing at my favorite sofa], but the light [pointing at the wall of windows] is doing that thing where it feels like i am being stabbed in the back of my eyeballs. </i><br />him: <i>just close the drapes.</i><br />me: <i>that almost makes sense.</i></div><p>so, i did. then i started wondering aloud about the parts i need to replace the brake system on <a href="https://implausibilityofgnus.blogspot.com/2020/11/skeletor-as-fiber-artist.html" target="_blank">my loom</a>, which resulted in us walking across the hall to the studio to give it a closer look. a few minutes later, we were back in the living room.</p><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>why are the drapes closed?</i><br />me: <i>i just closed them a few minutes ago.</i><br />him: <i>oh... are you coming to sit out here?</i><br />me: <i>do you listen to anything i say?</i><br />him: <i>open one side so the plants can get some light.</i><br />me: <i>if i do that, the light will start doing that eyeball stabby thing again.</i><br />him: <i>open it a little bit on the end by the plants.</i><br />me: <i>what is more important to you right now... my sanity or the damn plants?</i><br />him: <i>just open it.</i></div><p>then i gave him that look that said he better sleep with one eye open. speaking of which...</p><p>i know the cosmic algorithm has shifted so that it is no longer socially acceptable to complain about...well... anything. however, it should be noted that i have been feeling a bit overwhelmed of late. i have not slept through a whole night in days for starters, which would probably explain the ever-present sub-migraine. no exaggeration, i found myself sitting in the bathroom in the dark at like four o'clock one morning, surrounded by the three cats. i was trying to figure out where i went wrong in life, while they were mostly concerned that i would not be able to see my way to feed them with all the lights turned off. </p><p>yes. i am surrounded by so much love. </p><p>sleep deprivation aside, it continues to be (mostly) uneventful around these parts. we had a touch of rough weather earlier in the week, which resulted in all the things you can usually expect when you mix high winds with the bitter cold. one of the animator's colleagues lost power when a transformer—the electrical kind, not a robot in disguise—in front her building exploded, melting part of a car that was parked nearby. you know... usual wintery hijinks. </p><p>we were prepared for the power to go out at some point, a not uncommon occurrence in bad weather. so, when it did a day later, we just took it in stride. </p><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>what the...?<br /></i>him: <i>there it goes. power's out.</i></div><p>this sort of thing would probably have been met with a bit of grumbling back in the olden times, but one finds very little to complain about since the shift. so, we threw a couple blankets on the sofa and pulled out the <i>Codenames Duet</i>. that stuff in my jar is just a berry tea bag in water. and, yes, i am using a face mask as a snack container. we are living in crazy times!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSgHoN0BFEQ/YEPhPotQZdI/AAAAAAAAH7g/2GeUS18QDi8N8dDrQNcDyvbbTPTPGX69QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/game%2B%25281024x718%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1024" height="448" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSgHoN0BFEQ/YEPhPotQZdI/AAAAAAAAH7g/2GeUS18QDi8N8dDrQNcDyvbbTPTPGX69QCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h448/game%2B%25281024x718%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>we have been stuck at Washington DC for weeks now, which—some may say—is a metaphor for life. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WK9uOtNBhHw/YEPhxq3_icI/AAAAAAAAH7o/j3dFlfUZgI0Owe0uiPKoRWzVlzooXE02wCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/stuck%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WK9uOtNBhHw/YEPhxq3_icI/AAAAAAAAH7o/j3dFlfUZgI0Owe0uiPKoRWzVlzooXE02wCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/stuck%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>we have a system for keeping track of who did what in the game. the upside down cards are my clues that he guessed correctly, and vice versa. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--PsyNdvdw34/YEPj1xYMGII/AAAAAAAAH8A/p4LWT9Wc9WQZuUSDR6mWVxbjL_HsVlE7ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/our%2Bsystem%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--PsyNdvdw34/YEPj1xYMGII/AAAAAAAAH8A/p4LWT9Wc9WQZuUSDR6mWVxbjL_HsVlE7ACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/our%2Bsystem%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i used some of that time to check out my latest random purchase from a local business that was started by two dads <a href="https://ymma.ca/en/our-story/?v=c4782f5abe5c" target="_blank">with a beautiful message</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6FSV_raS2fc/YEPmzu92N5I/AAAAAAAAH8k/JEaomOEtr_A7WPCWP7-GKpTD8MevMz4agCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/new%2Bdoll%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6FSV_raS2fc/YEPmzu92N5I/AAAAAAAAH8k/JEaomOEtr_A7WPCWP7-GKpTD8MevMz4agCNcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/new%2Bdoll%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IF6lFUnc_-o/YEPmzWrX6wI/AAAAAAAAH8g/zl8dvxyc5Gs6n784S-IIafdcSC03kPzBACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/beautiful%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IF6lFUnc_-o/YEPmzWrX6wI/AAAAAAAAH8g/zl8dvxyc5Gs6n784S-IIafdcSC03kPzBACNcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/beautiful%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div></div><p>i was not a fan of Barbie per se when i was growing up, and the dolls were only ever used as models for the tiny clothes i would make when i was learning to sew. i get the feeling that little eight-year old me would have loved this doll. looking at that hair alone makes my whole life make sense. i will definitely have to return to <a href="https://implausibilityofgnus.blogspot.com/2019/07/house-of-absurdity.html" target="_blank">the world of tiny fashion</a> in the near future. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CjOerfY8GUM/YEPrYvkAMlI/AAAAAAAAH8w/I6VcsbT2ibUx_ysSAaC4s70zHv3AMIJ2gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/hair%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CjOerfY8GUM/YEPrYvkAMlI/AAAAAAAAH8w/I6VcsbT2ibUx_ysSAaC4s70zHv3AMIJ2gCNcBGAsYHQ/w426-h640/hair%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p>i also did a bit of knitting during our game. this is the start of a sleeve. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H01b32czST8/YEPuQCVWywI/AAAAAAAAH84/K1k7tkc7Y78Y0jZ_ew0rFdkzMuS_VOiagCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/sleeve%2B%25281024x898%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1024" height="562" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H01b32czST8/YEPuQCVWywI/AAAAAAAAH84/K1k7tkc7Y78Y0jZ_ew0rFdkzMuS_VOiagCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h562/sleeve%2B%25281024x898%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>it is part of one of the two projects i have been working on (for far too long, as i have zero enthusiasm to get them done). for him, there is the iconic cardigan that he has been wanting for years now. this is the bottom section. i have to do some math and redraw a few charts before i can continue working up to the top. good times. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c1W0LbTM1tM/YEP5m7-3bzI/AAAAAAAAH9A/GJSxuXGxCqYg8m-6r-Scd0fKQyy4YtY-QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/dude%2Bbottom%2B%25281024x953%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1024" height="597" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c1W0LbTM1tM/YEP5m7-3bzI/AAAAAAAAH9A/GJSxuXGxCqYg8m-6r-Scd0fKQyy4YtY-QCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h597/dude%2Bbottom%2B%25281024x953%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>for me, there is a sweater that is being worked from the top down in a mighty bright green yarn. said yarn was the result of an important life lesson... which i will talk about some other day. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OddcTsL05tI/YEP5xoUEHOI/AAAAAAAAH9E/PbF7GHwga-Y6IdPKp927F5BzxjWXd9NSACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/green%2Bsweater%2B%2528869x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="869" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OddcTsL05tI/YEP5xoUEHOI/AAAAAAAAH9E/PbF7GHwga-Y6IdPKp927F5BzxjWXd9NSACNcBGAsYHQ/w544-h640/green%2Bsweater%2B%2528869x1024%2529.jpg" width="544" /></a></div><p>i tend to blame coming of age when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grunge" target="_blank">Grunge </a>was at its peak for my decidedly melancholy approach to fashion. still, i am grudgingly coming to terms with the fact that i look fabulous in bright colors. well-played, Mother Nature. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0HGMe85wM1I/YEP6AgaS-tI/AAAAAAAAH9M/wFiLa62DQjc-6BNoCvFLicGjmHRVjq1mwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/color%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0HGMe85wM1I/YEP6AgaS-tI/AAAAAAAAH9M/wFiLa62DQjc-6BNoCvFLicGjmHRVjq1mwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/color%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>oh, and i am using a stitch marker on this project that was one of many i made from <a href="https://implausibilityofgnus.blogspot.com/2019/02/constellation-of-distractions.html" target="_blank">my frighteningly-large collection of beading supplies</a>... which is yet another thing i need to get back to one of these days. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ahMxNJB3yrk/YEP61kYJ7_I/AAAAAAAAH9g/xA7pY1_iBFMdX3hLP3loK5TGI8Xl096ngCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/marker%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ahMxNJB3yrk/YEP61kYJ7_I/AAAAAAAAH9g/xA7pY1_iBFMdX3hLP3loK5TGI8Xl096ngCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/marker%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>'twould seem that i need fewer hobbies... or a few more lifetimes. </p><p><br /></p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-46374505188253682262021-02-14T11:54:00.001-05:002021-02-14T11:54:56.562-05:00silly and fun and altogether delicious...<p>if i were to assess (say, on a scale of one-to-ten) how much of an emotional wreck i have been of late, it would probably average out somewhere near seventeen. life is like that these days. however, there was one wholly-absurd and thoroughly-enjoyable bright spot we got to share. </p><p>a certain animator had a birthday recently, and we used that event as an excuse to indulge in a multi-day festival of foods delivered from some restaurants in the area. we are selflessly doing our part to keep the local economy alive. that's my story, and i'm sticking to it!</p><p>some were places that were already known to us, but we discovered a few new gems along the way... like <a href="https://wgmtl.com/en" target="_blank">Wienstein & Gavino's</a> (he loved their lasagna), and the indescribable desserts from Bon Et Petit (they are so awesome, they don't need no stinkin' website!). </p><p>then there was that other dish. this one requires a bit of explaining. </p><p>if you have never heard of a thing called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poutine" target="_blank"><i>poutine</i></a>, be glad. the dish—and i use that term very loosely—consists of <i>fries </i>topped with <i>gravy </i>and something the locals refer to as<i> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_curd" target="_blank">cheese curds</a></i>. oh, and i should probably mention that the <i>curds </i>are supposed to <i>squeak </i>when you chew them, earning them the nickname of <i>squeaky cheese</i>. </p><p>but wait... it gets worse!</p><p>the <i>curds </i>lose that disturbing auditory quality when refrigerated, so <i>cheese curds</i> are usually kept at room temperature. the absolute worst part is that they sell them everywhere! no exaggeration, you can find plastic bags of <i>fresh cheese curds</i> on the cashier counter of almost every gas station... right next to the breath mints and the cigarette lighters. that is how much they love their poutine in Quebec, and that is probably the main reason why i have been avoiding the stuff since my very first visit to Montreal (some eighteen-ish years ago, if you need all the details). </p><p><i>what does any of this have to do with his birthday</i>, you ask? patience. i was just getting to that bit.</p><p>birthdays around here are often used to guilt the other person into doing stuff to which they might otherwise object. some call this "love". i had absolutely refused to eat the <i>rabbit </i>he cooked for New Year's (a story for some other day), which meant that i already owed him one. </p><p>so, there we were, with his birthday happening at the end of something called <a href="https://www.lapoutineweek.com/" target="_blank">La Poutine Week</a>, where restaurants all over Quebec (and beyond) come up with outrageous combos of <i>poutine</i> toppers to reflect their cuisine. the animator kept reading me the descriptions of <a href="https://www.lapoutineweek.com/Montreal/results" target="_blank">some of the local offerings</a> in the misguided hope that he would tempt me to give it a try, so i knew that it was only a matter of time.</p><div>him: <i>ooh... there's butter chicken poutine. you love butter chicken.</i><br />me: <i>i do. it's one of my favorite foods. i just don't want it on soggy chips with gas station cheese.</i><br />him:<i> or, what about this one? lobster poutine! you love lobster.</i><br />me: <i>exactly. i love lobster far too much to do it the disservice of ending up atop poutine. </i><br /></div><p>now, i should point out that he had never even tasted poutine—despite living in Canada his whole life—which made his attempt at a guilt-trip all the more ridiculous. </p><div>me: <i>i am not stopping you from eating poutine. get it. eat whatever you want. </i><br /><div>him: <i>i know, but i want to share this experience with you.<br /></i>me: <i>why do i have to be tortured so you can satisfy your curiosity?</i></div><div>him: <i>that's how the love works. </i></div><div>me: <i>good luck with that. </i></div><p style="text-align: left;">then he made some comment about me being no fun, which i reminded him was part of my charm. still, it was his special <strike>day</strike> multi-day celebration, so i gave in. and, after going through the whole list of local offerings, we narrowed it down to the <i>Baby Back Black Velvet Poutine</i> from <a href="https://pubmccarold.com/en/home/" target="_blank">McCarold</a>, a new-to-us pub a short drive from our place...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1oG_A_0F2jM/YCjX9IYcM4I/AAAAAAAAH6E/0GOFRR6B7ocDxKe3OswSjW9-kKfe5gMMQCNcBGAsYHQ/s673/Baby%2BBack%2BBlack%2BVelvet%2BPoutine%2B%2528570x673%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="570" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1oG_A_0F2jM/YCjX9IYcM4I/AAAAAAAAH6E/0GOFRR6B7ocDxKe3OswSjW9-kKfe5gMMQCNcBGAsYHQ/w339-h400/Baby%2BBack%2BBlack%2BVelvet%2BPoutine%2B%2528570x673%2529.jpg" width="339" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">or the <i>Philly Cheesesteak Poutine</i> from an old favorite, <a href="https://www.notreboeufdegrace.ca/" target="_blank">Notre Boeuf de Grâce</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7y_iHTtm3qc/YCjYPUNA24I/AAAAAAAAH6M/v9_pqgqV9wMIjYU-SUhkZJUwB9FMUj3wACNcBGAsYHQ/s576/Philly%2BCheesesteak%2Bpoutine%2B%2528576x575%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="576" height="399" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7y_iHTtm3qc/YCjYPUNA24I/AAAAAAAAH6M/v9_pqgqV9wMIjYU-SUhkZJUwB9FMUj3wACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h399/Philly%2BCheesesteak%2Bpoutine%2B%2528576x575%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">[random aside: the restaurant's name is a play on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame-de-Gr%C3%A2ce" target="_blank">Notre Dame de Grâce</a> (NDG), our neighborhood here in Montreal. i had mixed feeling when they first opened (about a block away from our old place) in the location previously occupied by D.A.D.'s Bagel, a business that was much-loved by the locals. D.A.D.'s was open around the clock, and we would often pop in there during one of our late night walks. i liked going there in wee hours when they were making the mountains of bagels that would be sold at cafes and other such places around town. it was mesmerizing to watch them being moved in and out of the large wood-burning oven. i vowed to hate whatever business took its place... which lasted all of a few months.] </p><p style="text-align: left;">where was i, again? oh, yes... <i>poutine</i>. </p><p style="text-align: left;">so, after way more debate than most sane people would find necessary, we settled on the <i>Black Velvet Poutine</i>. it showed up looking just as i expected, like so many servings of poutine i had seen being consumed by other human beings: <i>soggy fries</i> and scattered lumps of <i>gas station cheese</i>. this was not going to end well. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNZHdVXY604/YCjmqKd5sRI/AAAAAAAAH6c/Q8h09LvqPcYA3epe5dDLNjzJHPnAthaUACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/poutine1%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNZHdVXY604/YCjmqKd5sRI/AAAAAAAAH6c/Q8h09LvqPcYA3epe5dDLNjzJHPnAthaUACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/poutine1%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">i took one look, and made the face that he knew from experience meant he would probably be eating it all alone. still, it was his birthday, and i had promised to give it a try, so i stabbed my fork into a chip, and gave it a taste. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;">it was a-maz-ing!</p><p style="text-align: left;">i went in for a second bite in silence, stabbing a chunk of the meat this time. this was the point when i started regretting that we had not gotten two orders, because i was definitely not feeling inclined to share. we paused briefly to exchange our mutual (wholly-unexpected) enjoyment of the combination of saucy meat and fries, and we instantly made plans to check out some of the pub's regular offerings in the future. </p><p style="text-align: left;">but there was still that other thing. </p><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>i'm kinda afraid to try the cheese curds.</i><br />him: <i>yeh. me too.</i><br />me: <i>i'll be freaked out if i bite into something and it squeaks</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">him:<i> but it would be false advertising if it doesn't squeak. </i><br />me: <i>i know. that's why i'm scared. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>me too.</i> <i>let's try it at the same time.</i></div><p style="text-align: left;">so we did. and it does. and we both laughed because it was silly and fun and altogether delicious. so now we are looking forward to Poutine Week 2022. meanwhile, i have to find something even more <strike>absurd</strike> delectable for us to try when my birthday rolls around. </p></div>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-50735375509230799852021-02-06T12:04:00.003-05:002021-02-06T12:20:00.937-05:00a literal taste of Canada...<p>i am sat cross-legged on my favorite sofa, enjoying the (unofficial) Canadian national dish of a <a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Double-double" target="_blank">double-double</a> and a maple-glazed donut from Timmy's. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXxTMIQQ1iM/YB7GbpPmoLI/AAAAAAAAH5E/2MEXu9FcVfkgieiWZo-EH8WPb7kPuHFSACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/donut%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXxTMIQQ1iM/YB7GbpPmoLI/AAAAAAAAH5E/2MEXu9FcVfkgieiWZo-EH8WPb7kPuHFSACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/donut%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i have just had a most-Canadian morning. naturally, it began with lots of snow. </p><p>this is the current view from my favorite sofa, and if i lean out the door, you can see that the balcony is almost entirely filled with snow. that the glass is not completely frosted over and i can get said door open means that it is—thankfully—not overly cold for a change. still, you gotta admit... that is a whole lot of snow! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5YXxUwOYvxU/YB7HDL-ZvAI/AAAAAAAAH5c/HSiGtar25pEPNjiks2odqszWaRGR_fPVQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/snow1%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5YXxUwOYvxU/YB7HDL-ZvAI/AAAAAAAAH5c/HSiGtar25pEPNjiks2odqszWaRGR_fPVQCNcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/snow1%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tQ1kNIkE5mU/YB7HDCjPVCI/AAAAAAAAH5g/UUm1xI_QkxMOCcUNN0kYRkMp9OAVroqqQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/snow%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tQ1kNIkE5mU/YB7HDCjPVCI/AAAAAAAAH5g/UUm1xI_QkxMOCcUNN0kYRkMp9OAVroqqQCNcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/snow%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div></div><p>let me give you an idea of what life is like in Montreal in Winter. street cleaning rules are suspended, except when it snows... and boy does it snow! they go around one neighborhood at a time, putting up little orange signs that are understood to mean that you do <b>NOT </b>park here... not unless you want to spend the following morning wandering around, trying to find the random spot to which your car had been moved. and, as a bonus, there will be a ticket on your windshield for the charge of the totally unsolicited tow. thank you, Montreal. </p><p>there is actually an app to locate your car, and it is usually moved to an adjacent block that was already plowed. plus, there is one major positive to this wacky system. it tends to leave your car free of snow. if you have ever lived in a place where the temperature can easily drop to minus thirty-something (or lower), you will appreciate being saved a trip outdoors. everyone has had that moment where they looked out the window, shrugged, and decided that it was far easier to pay the ticket than to brave the cold to go dig out from under a mountain of snow... she says from personal experience. </p><p>we usually try to park on the side of the street that gets plowed first, then we run out in the middle of the night and move the car to the freshly-cleared side of the road. that was in the olden days. now, there is a curfew in effect from eight PM to five AM every day on account of... well, you know... and the fine for breaking it can run anywhere from several hundred to a few thousand dollars. </p><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>i can run out real quick and move so we don't have to worry about doing it tomorrow. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>it's not worth it. plus, the last thing we need is for all the neighbors to be staring out their windows, watching you get ticketed for something so stupid. we'd have to move. </i></div><p>so, we bundled up this morning, and went out to move a mountain of snow. that is when the Canadian-ness began. </p><p>i was in the car at one point, doing that thing when you go back and forth, trying to get out of bank of snow, when i noticed that he had stopped shoveling. he was leaning on the shovel, engaged in friendly banter with a neighbor from across the street. she disappeared into her house and returned a minute later with a shovel, then she began to help clear a path out of the mountain. then another minute or two later, her husband came walking out of the house with a shovel, and he also proceeded to help clear the snow. </p><p>no exaggeration, at one point another neighbor came walking down the street, and we had to assure him that we did not require even more help. the cynical New Yorker in me was, naturally, disturbed by this display, which i expressed to the animator... once the helpful neighbors were gone, that is. </p><p>me: <i>this is why no one takes your country seriously. you're all too polite to ever be viewed as a threat</i>. </p><p>we switched roles, and i ended up chatting (from a safe distance, as my mask was hanging off my ear at this point) with the neighbor lady while her husband shoveled and the animator dealt with the car. turns out that she is also a New Yorker, so we proceeded to make fun of the frustration of dealing with hyper-polite Canadian drivers. </p><div style="text-align: left;">neighbor lady: <i>he's not allowed to drive when we're in New York. people would be honking their horn at him all the time.</i><br />me: <i>same here. he does all the driving Upstate, and i take over when we get past Westchester. otherwise, he'd probably get us both beaten up or shot because he insists on coming to a stop when the light is still yellow. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">neighbor lady: <i>i tell him he needs to be more of an asshole when he drives, but he doesn't listen. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>i say the same thing.</i></div><p>then we both laughed for a bit, content in our smug New York assholery. this is when i got a literal taste of Canada. </p><p>you know that thing that happens when you hit the gas, and the tires just spin, sending a massive spray of dirty ice and snow into the air? well, i happened to be standing in the worst possible spot at that moment. when you get a mouthful, Canada tastes terrible. </p><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>was it clean snow?</i><br />me: <i>no. it was dirty brown stuff.</i><br />him: <i>could be worse. it could have been dirty yellow stuff. </i> </div><p>then he had a good laugh while i stood there spitting repeatedly and wiping my face and tongue on my sleeve. 'twould seem that Karma is a <a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=canucks" target="_blank">canuck</a>. </p><p>the car was eventually clear, so we thanked the neighbors for their help, and we went for a long meandering drive to recharge the battery that had gone flat from neglect as we seldom go anywhere on account of... well, you know. </p><p>we topped off our mini adventure with a trip through the Tim Hortons drive-thru, where i got the most Canadian flavor combo of all: a double-double and a maple donut. then we headed home. </p><p>it is nice having neighbors who are not assholes. with any luck, Canada will one day be able to say the same. </p><p><br /></p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-9497201842980578012020-11-03T16:33:00.002-05:002020-11-03T16:44:52.813-05:00Skeletor as a fiber artist...<p>it is Tuesday afternoon, and it is snowing in Montreal. get used to that last part, because i will be saying the same thing for the next six... or seven... months. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ugv4bKihfog/X6HNKPrD-9I/AAAAAAAAHzE/B05J0x9Fy0wS8ujMheQBVEHsZsHD71rfQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/snowing%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ugv4bKihfog/X6HNKPrD-9I/AAAAAAAAHzE/B05J0x9Fy0wS8ujMheQBVEHsZsHD71rfQCNcBGAsYHQ/w426-h640/snowing%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p></p><p>i ventured out into biting cold conditions yesterday to pick up a very special item from the other side of town. do you see my new toy?</p><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G-P-ldcobnM/X6HNoZ0uc3I/AAAAAAAAHzc/O8fh2Xr7rbUOOSuo-v9ynEL94pb6P3bKQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/new%2Btoy%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G-P-ldcobnM/X6HNoZ0uc3I/AAAAAAAAHzc/O8fh2Xr7rbUOOSuo-v9ynEL94pb6P3bKQCNcBGAsYHQ/w426-h640/new%2Btoy%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></p>our next door neighbor took one look at it as we were bringing it up the stairs, and got it on the very first guess.<p></p><p>astute neighbor: <i>holy cow! is that a loom?!?</i></p><p>so, yes. i now own my very own loom. it is a <i>four-shaft table loom</i> to be precise, and i got it for the insane price of EIGHTY DOLLARS!!! that is about a thousand bucks <i><b>less</b></i> than the cost of a new table loom. this one was <strike>used</strike> <i>previously-loved</i>, but all it seems to need is a tiny bit of <i>tlc</i>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wn9tpO7nlMk/X6HOB3POqrI/AAAAAAAAHzk/l0Rq7k7gzXAtNaFeYOyceKegGcP80_bXACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/bit%2Bof%2Btlc%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wn9tpO7nlMk/X6HOB3POqrI/AAAAAAAAHzk/l0Rq7k7gzXAtNaFeYOyceKegGcP80_bXACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/bit%2Bof%2Btlc%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>i was afraid that the <i>heddles</i> (all those threadlike metal bits) might be rusty on such an old loom, but they are shiny and ready to go. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TmY-lYusCwE/X6HOXuW8f5I/AAAAAAAAHzs/2vLNEVMwwN09ec0MEefOdMMf8P6A_1BYACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/heddles%2B%25281024x731%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1024" height="456" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TmY-lYusCwE/X6HOXuW8f5I/AAAAAAAAHzs/2vLNEVMwwN09ec0MEefOdMMf8P6A_1BYACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h456/heddles%2B%25281024x731%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">the seller said that it was the loom her sister learned to weave on, but this is definitely not your beginner's level apparatus. i resisted asking why her sister would not want to keep it, as this appears to be a hand-built loom that was well cared for over the years. however, i did not want to pry into potentially awkward/sensitive corners... plus, i did not want her to change her mind at the last minute. i will just assume that her sister has moved on to much more impressive things. </p><p></p><p>i have very little past experience using a loom—and that was a much simpler model—so there will definitely be a lot of Googling and You Tube tutorial watching on the subject in my future. </p><p>the loom lives in the studio for now, atop the old-school<i> animation light table</i>, where it is being guarded night and day by the animator's collection of childish things. this is only a glimpse. there are more display cases, plus a whole closet stuffed full of boxes of even more such ridiculous things. </p><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2M6P6aEdQM/X6HOjcnwfiI/AAAAAAAAHzw/-1T1oNsZRNsMCuRD-Y-0H_dnGZhPU-UcwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/studio%2B%25281024x676%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1024" height="422" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2M6P6aEdQM/X6HOjcnwfiI/AAAAAAAAHzw/-1T1oNsZRNsMCuRD-Y-0H_dnGZhPU-UcwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h422/studio%2B%25281024x676%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">it helps to share one's life with someone who is also a collector of things. there is a firm understanding in place around here that no questions should be asked when a strange package arrives at the door... or when i start wondering aloud how much room there is in the back of the car. </p><p></p><p></p><p>he is on a "Masters of the Universe" kick, of which i am partly to be blamed, as i have been watching the old cartoons on-and-off in my ongoing quest for distraction. so, my loom is being guarded by <i>He-Man</i> and <i>Man-At-Arms</i>, while <i>Skeletor</i> schemes on ways to steal its awesome power. i can totally see <i>Skeletor</i> as a fiber artist. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0D2DCrZGrQE/X6HOxUFH58I/AAAAAAAAHz4/Z1oBP-5Uv309Kos_obf1lOfkWHwGl5YSQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/masters%2B%25281024x653%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="1024" height="408" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0D2DCrZGrQE/X6HOxUFH58I/AAAAAAAAHz4/Z1oBP-5Uv309Kos_obf1lOfkWHwGl5YSQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h408/masters%2B%25281024x653%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774718066626148285.post-9303852068997645862020-10-09T21:29:00.002-04:002020-10-09T21:47:17.820-04:00a dish with an impressive pedigree...<p style="text-align: left;">we joke a lot about recipes that require you to have previously cooked a whole different meal in order to obtain one (or more) ingredient for whatever dish you happen to be making at present. something like...</p><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>the first step of this recipe says to heat duck fat in a skillet over medium heat. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">him: <i>is there a step zero-point-five telling you to cook a duck and save the fat?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">me: <i>that would have been helpful.</i></div><p style="text-align: left;">pretty much.</p><p style="text-align: left;">that being said, it is not uncommon to find us making a meal that includes parts of an earlier meal. not because we like to make life complicated, but because we try our best to avoid waste. beyond that, there is a world of flavor in previously-cooked foods. a bone from a roast or the carcass of a chicken can be the start of a phenomenal pot of soup (like our <a href="https://implausibilityofgnus.blogspot.com/2020/01/fridge-cleaning-soup.html" target="_blank">fridge-cleaning soup </a>from last Winter). if there is flavor to be had, we put it to good use.</p><p style="text-align: left;">then there are times when things get taken a bit too far, as was the case with the delicious <i>salmon</i> i had for lunch.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TIh5gJwan4Q/X4D7STLyjTI/AAAAAAAAHqg/FmW-Q26lnBQ7zFi_1-yLe4yRO8hkSJopQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/salmon1%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TIh5gJwan4Q/X4D7STLyjTI/AAAAAAAAHqg/FmW-Q26lnBQ7zFi_1-yLe4yRO8hkSJopQCNcBGAsYHQ/w426-h640/salmon1%2B%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">said dish began earlier in the week, when the animator removed a piece of <i>pork shoulder</i> from the freezer and announced that he would be making <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char_siu" target="_blank">char siu</a></i>. now, i can hear you wondering what <i>pork shoulder</i> has to do with <i>salmon</i>. that is the point. it is a story about how something that should be relatively simple becomes completely absurd. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>char siu pork </i>is one of those magical foods that we would enjoy once in a while, usually when it is prepared by someone who we assumed had to undergo many years of special training to produce the elusive combination of flavor that defines the dish. turns out you can get the same results at home (thank you, Google!), and it is laughable how ridiculously simple it is to make. so now, this once-special dish is part of the effortless lineup we like to refer to as "Wednesday food". </p><p style="text-align: left;">so, he made <i>char siu pork</i>, and it was amazing (as always). he skipped roasting the meat on the metal rack this time around, and just dumped it (and all the marinade) into the baking pan, turning the meat frequently during the cooking time. the resulting dish had all the flavor of <i>char siu</i>, but a thicker, stickier surface that was closer to classic American bbq, it was sooooooo good. </p><p style="text-align: left;">this is when the crazy began. </p><p style="text-align: left;">we were putting away the leftovers, and i was lamenting getting rid of all the super-sticky sauce clinging to the bottom and sides of the pan. so, i added a splash of hot water to deglaze it, let that liquid cool back to room temperature, then dumped it over some (frozen) pieces of chicken and left them in the fridge to defrost/marinate for a day.... or two, as they were still half-frozen the next day. then we proceeded to have an amazing meal that featured <i>char-siu-pork-flavored roasted chicken</i>.</p><p style="text-align: left;">and, as we were cleaning up from that meal, i joked that there was still enough sauce clinging to the roasting pan to use as a marinade for some other thing.</p><p style="text-align: left;">him: <i>it's like a turducken. you can add another animal and make it pork-flavored-chicken-flavored.</i> </p><p style="text-align: left;">he was too busy laughing to realize that i had removed the two pieces of salmon that were lurking somewhere in the back of the freezer. i did the same thing as before: deglazed, cooled, then poured the marinade over the (frozen) fish.</p><p style="text-align: left;">thus was born <i>char-siu-pork-flavored-roasted-chicken-flavored salmon</i>... a dish that (literally) requires that you first prepare two other meals. talk about a dish with an impressive pedigree! and—absurdity aside—it was incredibly delicious. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ol3YspwUR5Q/X4D7oYA68zI/AAAAAAAAHqs/ACstzUWd9EEt7K7vwZou9IEJE6HeXeBCwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/salmon%2Band%2Bfork%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ol3YspwUR5Q/X4D7oYA68zI/AAAAAAAAHqs/ACstzUWd9EEt7K7vwZou9IEJE6HeXeBCwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/salmon%2Band%2Bfork%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">the flavor of salmon can be a bit... well... <i>assertive</i> (a fact which is off-putting to a certain animator). however, this... uhm.... <i>strength of character</i> is what makes it a perfect canvas for such a powerful marinade. [random aside: my maternal grandfather owned a fishing vessel, so everyone on that side of the family was more or less raised on a steady diet of things from the sea. the phrase "it tastes too fishy" is incompatible with my DNA.]</p><p style="text-align: left;">i cooked the salmon at 375°F for about five minutes, then switched the oven to <i>broil</i> for another couple minutes, brushing the last bits of that precious sauce over the top to encourage a lovely, toasty surface. </p><p style="text-align: left;">naturally, i served it up with some rice that was left over from last night's dinner.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-QDTKNQSmg/X4D8DaFLvsI/AAAAAAAAHq8/jB4MkJXWRAcTmnRrEnnGE4q0SVhlskJuACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/salmon%2Band%2Brice1%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-QDTKNQSmg/X4D8DaFLvsI/AAAAAAAAHq8/jB4MkJXWRAcTmnRrEnnGE4q0SVhlskJuACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/salmon%2Band%2Brice1%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">best part is, he hates salmon... which means i have that second piece left over for yet another meal. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4l4HTzG-FXc/X4D8bK6GKpI/AAAAAAAAHrI/aE5dlLQ2Tl4rodaDj6MKQRLx-jF_7uQmACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/leftovers%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4l4HTzG-FXc/X4D8bK6GKpI/AAAAAAAAHrI/aE5dlLQ2Tl4rodaDj6MKQRLx-jF_7uQmACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/leftovers%2B%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">and, yes... i am officially declaring the <i>thrice-</i>p<i>reviously-used marinade</i> (finally) done! </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>n.ayishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09931848368919722182noreply@blogger.com2