I meant to sit down and write all day yesterday, but didn’t. I’m doing it today. Our weekdays all run together. Someone is usually on a screen and there are times (like, right now) that we all are on our own individual screens in our individual corners. Sometimes I feel a little bit like 1890 and 2020 have merged in the most pleasant and bizarre ways.
The days take forever to pass but whip by (much like when my kids were little). We do school. We make food. Today, we had cake for lunch. We snuggle. We play games. If it’s nice, we play outside. Sometimes, even when it’s not nice. But, I can’t say a bad thing about our weather. It’s even been nice enough that we’ve opened windows which is glorious. And when I saw Violet in that tree I had to grab a picture because it reminded me of a younger Violet in a smaller tree. It happened so fast. (Speaking of taking forever to pass but whipping by.)
Watching: I finished Little Fires Everywhere. It was so well done. I may even like it better than the book? I just think Kerry Washington nailed the role of Mia so beautifully. I was also introduced to “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and have watched a total of three episodes. One from the current season and then the first three. I’m going to use this list from Kari find some movies for the weekend.
Reading: I’m currently reading Mrs. Hancock and the Mermaid. It was my BOTM pick awhile ago and I’m not going to be able to finish I don’t think. I *did* finish Anna K. I also read A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler which of the three listed here would be the only one I would even come close to recommending.
Needlework: As I’m still knitting the same pair of socks I was knitting (though I am on the second in the pair), but am doing other projects, I’m changing my “knitting” section to needlework. I finished Washington D.C. and ordered/received the floss for Chicago so I’ll probably be starting that sometime next week. After sewing masks, I found some cute pillowcase kits to give a try. I’ve done my first one and they are super simple to make. After I finish the remaining ones I think I’ll probably put my machine away because I like the finished product, but don’t *love* sewing. No matter how much I try and make myself.
Making: Besides the aforementioned lunch cake, I haven’t been doing a great deal that’s new or exciting in the kitchen. I keep telling myself that *this* is the week I’m going to try my hand at bread making (and at the rate we’re eating sandwiches, I really should) but then I don’t. If I do eventually get around to it, I think I’m going to try Josey Bread Baker’s method.
Listening: This, this, and this. I also made this COVID-19 themed playlist in a fit of dark humor.
So that’s me. I hope you are all well and good. What have you been watching, reading, making (or other -ing)? I’d love to hear!!
Hi Kate š
I’m glad to see this post from you, and to hear you’re doing well. Love your photos, as always. This morning my youngest son set up the camera on the tripod and managed to snap some great photos of cardinals that were zipping around the yard.
The cross stitch is finished! And it’s so lovely, Kate!
My days are blending too, and my list of -ing could also come from the 1890s: I’ve been doing quite a bit of reading. I finished The Hound of the Baskervilles, which was just as good as reviewers said, and I just started Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone. I finished knitting my son’s socks and cast on a pair for either my daughter or me. I’m thinking about ordering yarn for a Whippet (long) sweater. I’d love a bigger project, but I also want to use up yarn in my stash rather than buying more, so I’m on the fence about this. I’m going to repurpose the fabric from a top that I sewed a few years ago to make (yet another) sleeveless top. And I’m also doing a lot of baking and cooking now that my older son is home, but I’m just sticking to the basicsāI don’t seem to have any interest in trying anything new these days.
I love cardinals! We had one pair for the longest time and now we have one pair and three other males. Iāll be interested to see how that unfolds this summer!!
I just looked up the long wippet cardigan and itās GORGEOUS. I know you hate having extra yarn lying around in a stash, but I may play the devil on your shoulder and say you should definitely order the yarn to make that sweater. š
I have Hound of the Baskervilles on my bookcase and itās been AGES since Iāve read a classic. You may have twisted my arm into making that my next choice!
I love that you had cake for lunch during my birthday week. This makes me SO happy.
I love Spotify so much. Honestly, it is saving me too. Music in general but I love the playlists on Spotify of artists I have never heard of. I will add yours to my playlists too. š
Iām glad we celebrated your birthday week too!! Spotify is definitely HIGH on the list of things for which Iām grateful!!
You said: “I keep telling myself that *this* is the week Iām going to…”
And there you have my current mindset. I have dreams & schemes, but don’t seem to have the motivation to do the things. Not depressed, just lazy. Maybe taking my time is how I should be doing things? Maybe that’s part of the adjustment process to our new realities? Sure, I can go with that rationalization!
Yes!!! I like the idea that weāre just slowing down to adjust to the new ātime spaceā. Iām going to go with your rationalization too, Ally!!
Hey, you can Tuesday Things any day of the week, as far as I’m concerned. I love seeing these snippets of your world and your thoughts about them.
When I think of my days, Groundhog Day is what most often comes to mind. They all begin in pretty much the same way, and I know pretty much how they are going to go. The details change, but the broad swaths of meals, work, chores, rest have a consistent pattern that they didn’t always used to have. I find that I mostly don’t mind that aspect of this new normal. In some ways, I like it. Routine can be soothing, right? The turn to spring definitely helps with that, though. Not sure how this would be in gloomy January, though.
I finished Little Fires, too. I thought the ending was rushed and I didn’t like it as well as the book’s, but yes to Kerry Washington’s Mia. I was sad to see it end, as I’m having a hard time finding things to watch. I believe this is the last week of Better Things, too. I did tear through Little Big Lies (now on Hulu), but I sort of love-hated it. Not in the same league as Fires.
I am reading Florida by Lauren Groff. It is so good. A collection of short stories, all set in Florida. It has been awhile now since I’ve found a compelling read. I’m doling it out to myself the way I do my favorite TV series.
As for doing, working on my front yard, trying (and failing) to clean my house. Work has been extra trying, and the yard work is recovery therapy at the end of the day. This was a really long and hard school year before the pandemic, and I’m just trying to hang on until June. Speaking of, time to get to work.
Hope you have a lovely day.
Iām putting Florida on my list. Stories that I can dole out to myself as treats sounds really, really good.
I agree with you that BLL was not in the same league as Fires. I maybe loved the of BLL second season more (Meryl was brilliant).
Iām so sorry to hear your year was hard even before corona. I hope your May breezes by and that you have lovely weather for outside yard work.
Are you still embroidering youāre houses?
I have not been embroidering houses. Too wiped out at the end of the day lately. Just last night realized that there’s a season 2 of BLL, and watched first episode last night. Meryl! Oh my!
Hi Kate! Looks like your family is having a bit of fun!! I took a look at the link for the pillow case kits. So adorable!! Iām tempted to order the dog themes for my Yorkie who is quite the pillow puff princess. The sheeps are real cute. Perfect for pillow cases.
I suppose Iāve been making my new nest in my cottage which has been in need of a good scrubbing (not fun). Adding Washer/Dryer hook-ups to inside the house which is hard to believe that no previous owners of this 85 yo house ever did. Today I have 3 electricians hanging 5 ceilings fans and new light fixture so these details will all match with the feel of a cozy cottage. This is the fun part!! Seeing the house become our home!! Today Iām watching fabulous electricians do their expertise. All of us wearing a face mask which feels weird! Building our nesting home. ?
The only TV that Iāve been watching is local and national news. Humbling.
Your cross stitch is beautiful! Iām glad to see it!
Getting settled in your cottage sounds so lovely, TD. Even the scrubbing, which I know isnāt fun. I hope itās a great cozy nest for you!
Do you sew? Iām sure the pillowcases would be a quick and easy project if you do. Iām not much of a sewer but they have been fun!
Thank you for the cross stitch comment. It was fun to do!!
In my middle school in the early 1970ās Homemaking sewing and/or cooking was an elective students could choose. I took both. I loved sewing, so my mother bought a sewing machine and set it up in our formal dining room which had a table large enough to fit a family of six and offered a great place for me to layout the patterns to cut fabrics. I made my clothes and when one of my brothers saw Hawaiian fabrics prints he begged me to make him Hawaii Shirts (several!) and I other people started asking me to make some for them. My OCD assisted me in becoming a quality seamstress.
Homemaking economics would have been a great beneficial subject, but it was not taught.
My mother did not enjoy sewing, needlework, or creating art, but she did encourage her children to do whatever they enjoyed. I suspect that being a stay at home mom doing āALL the āwomenās workā and caring for four children was a lot of energy expense already. She love to read and was fortunate to have two years of college studying journalism. I suspect reading allowed her time to herself to rest her body and escape a bit.
My front ā2nd bedroomā will not be a bedroom or guest room. I am making it into a creative sewing, art, bookkeeping and my coffee morning TV room which is when I watch the news on my old leather love recliner sofa. There are 4 large windows in that room which receives the morning sun. Itās lovely!
When I was 24, my new mother-in-law gave me a brand new sewing machine as my wedding gift which is still working well!!
Your home is lovely and I imagine that you too put a lot of thought into how you wanted to create the space to offer your family time together. Itās sweet!
Your 2nd bedroom plan sounds amazing! Definitely the kind of room I would like!
It sounds like you are very much a sewer (how great that you made Hawaiian shirts for your brother and his friends!) and Iām sure the pillowcase kit would take you next to no time at all!! Iām not much of a sewer and have finished three and have the final sewing bits for the remaining three. I may order a few more – they are quick and fun. I love that your mom gave you the space and support to do something you loved even though it wasnāt something she enjoyed herself.