Digits

This is my remember-when-I-smashed-my-finger-with-a-jar-of-jelly finger today:

I never thought about damage to my nail, but there's that odd discoloration at the top.  What looks like a white line in the sort of middle is actually a dent.  Who knew?

One day when I was little, I had a metal swing set that looked something like this:

Mine, though, had two swings instead of a swing and whatever that disk thing is.  ANYway, one day I was standing on the crossbar next to the seesaw, pushing the seesaw back and forth by holding it at the top.  There was a big bolt, hinge thing fastening it to the top bar, and my left middle finger got caught up in there.  Long story and lots of yelling and a mad dash into the house later, the nail on that finger came off.  Weird, but I only remember it happening.  I don't remember it being tended to or how it healed --- only that really bad pinch.

Probably Not

Kim asked if this would be the one.  If this would be the shooting that finally got legislators and legislatures to move --- even slightly --- in the direction of better and mandatory gun safety laws.

It pains me to say it, but probably not.

If the people who can help make a difference haven't been moved by elementary school children's bodies being shredded by semi-automatic gunfire to the point that DNA was the only way to identify them, what will move them?

I heard someone say today that if any of these killings had happened at the elite, the private, the "sheltered" schools that many legislators' children attend, something would change.

It pains me to say it, but probably not.

Remember that, at the federal level, legislators themselves were the victims of gun violence a few years ago, and it didn't make even a shadow of a difference.

These are not people who care.

My children did not have active shooter drills when they were in school.  Tornado drills were as serious as it got.  Thank God.

At the university and college and junior college levels, every time I got my classroom assignment, I took stock of what was or was not available in the given room to protect my students and myself, should the need arise.  It's another similarity between Kim's life and mine.

Danger, Danger Will Robinson

I don't know when I've been in a worse mood than I've been in today.  The day started crappy and deteriorated from there.  I've been mad that I've had to do anything, and the things that I did do I did angrily, which meant they went poorly, which just aggravated me even more.  The animals have been staying away from me.  Briton usually calls me after work on Monday nights, but I texted him and told him not to.  I am not good company today.  I've been stress/anger eating all day.  If I were a drinker, I assume I'd be drinking, too.  

 

Seasonal

 Do you remember my Face in the Fig Tree?  Bridget named him Aloysius.  Well, he is now bedecked in summery leaves. 

  

The first piece (the front piece) of the asymmetrical poncho is now done.

This is it folded in half lengthwise.  Now I can't find the pattern.  Obviously, I don't need instructions to make another piece just like this one, but there was something about how the pieces were put together that I can't recall.  Guess I'll just wing it when I get there.

Still blisteringly hot.  Tap has taken to lying in front of the floor vents.  True, I've been hogging the ceiling fans, but still. . .

Fans and Tall, Cool Drinks

 I promise I've meant to post.  Some of you may have noticed, but a lot of you probably didn't.  Still, I am here now.

And sitting under the ceiling fan while the air conditioning churns.  Ninety-five degrees out there.  Tap doesn't want to walk, and I don't blame him.  I've been reading more than knitting, and am nearly finished with the Mystery Cross-Stitch project.  But mostly it's the heat.

I deplore hot weather.

Truths

If I were still on FaceMeta or whatever, this would certainly be my new profile photo:

The puzzle's not curved;  I adjusted the horizontal and vertical to get rid of the glare. 

I early voted today, breezing in and out fairly quickly.  The polling site is the library, so when I was done, I went to peruse more knitting books.  I'd show them to you, but I'm extremely comfortable here on the couch and don't want to go get them.

Truth in blogging, am I right?

Cataloging

It probably comes as no surprise that, having worked the jigsaw puzzles here, I've been looking around for others.  This one popped up in several places.  I'm "meh" on Grandma, but all about the cat and the puppy.

Kind of a slow weekend.  I've watched a ton of hockey and read quite a bit.  I'll finish this little jewel tonight --- it's slim and expertly written.

Traffic and Noise

For two full weeks, some sort of work has been going on at/in the house across the street.  Tap has been frantic.  Then today, some sort of utility workers with jackhammers decided to show up.  *whee*

Vehicles are lined up as far to the left as you can see, and even farther up. And this isn't everyone.  There have usually been trucks, vans and cars parked on that driveway and in the grass.  I promise I don't begrudge anyone making their home more the way they want it.  But this has been crazy.  And the poor mail carrier, school bus driver, and any delivery service driver have had to squeeze through all that.  It's just been a big ol' mess.

Hey, I Can Tiny Needle, Too!

This may be my only such post, because --- as you can clearly see --- it's becoming perfectly obvious what this is going to be.

Sunday

My Mother's Day:

All done in leggings and my Batman hoodie.*

*"Always Be Yourself.  Unless You Can Be Batman.  Then Always Be Batman."

I Answered My Own Question

 I've been kind of wandering around the house today, trying to find things to do that would hold my interest/give me a feeling of accomplishment:

Worked another jigsaw puzzle;

Finished one book I was reading, while also making progress on another;

Knit a wee, tiny bit;

Watched and listened to my twinster's YouTube posting on her junk journal journey;

Realized that my twinster sounds precisely as I thought she would;

Started going through my boxes of yarn, looking for inspiration and anything that can be thinned out;

Formally gave up on my five-month-long attempt to lose weight again;

Watched hockey.

Yet I still feel like all I've done is sit on the couch and stare blankly into the middle distance.

By the way, why is it always the "middle" distance?  I guess "near" distance wouldn't make any sense.  "Far" distance is just repetitive.

Summer Share

I have discovered that Tap likes popsicles.  I discovered a bag of these old-school ones the other day, and lots of memories poured in.

Remember when most popsicles were like this?  If you had a good and generous friend, they'd break it in two and share.  I  wasn't allowed to buy popsicles very often --- scarcely at all, in truth.  (Mama, I'm sure, thought it a waste of money.)  The children next door almost always got to stop the Popsicle Man, and I did get to share in their bounty on occasion.  Hot summer days, bare feet (because our rubber flip-flops pulled apart at the toe, and you could NEVER fix them), melting popsicles dripping down your hands and arms. . .  I see, hear and feel it like it was yesterday.

*Sigh*

 This little pup, whom I came across on Instagram, pretty much sums up my latest string of days:

It's just not been happening around here lately.  

Maddie's Freestyle Libre adventure continues.  The vet called Saturday and said she's good with the readings so far, but might decide to scooch the insulin dosage up.  She (the vet) had said she'd be happy with just 48 hours of readings, but this whole thing is such a non-deal for Madeleine, it looks like we'll go until the sensor runs out: nine more days.