pause

A quick business trip (there and back in one day) on Thursday with the big boss, then a little heart to heart yesterday, followed by team outing to see Star Wars, and hot pot out with friends, and that brings 2019 at work to a close. 

The next two weeks should be quiet: some errands (five accomplished in two hours today!), lots of reading, pajama time, sewing, and some time with friends.

good and bad

The bad news is that my sewing machine broke earlier this week, trying to hem through multiple layers of canvas. The good news is that I was able to get a good deal on a better machine. The bad news is that it cost twice as much as my (admittedly very cheap, refurbished, and lower quality) old one. The good news is that it works so much better, and the price difference is likely justified.

chill chill

Cold weather and a holiday week meant lots of hanging out in the house, working on making a jacket, buying a few things from small businesses, sleeping, eating and drinking more than is wise, hosting an impromptu Thanksgiving hotpot with a couple coworkers and partners, and having my sister's family and my former work wife over for fondue and general goofiness. Tomorrow was intended to be another house day with more sewing and reading, but I won the Hamilton lottery, so we're catching the matinee tomorrow!!

almost

Another hour or two, and the slipcovers for the dining chairs should be finished, freeing me up to focus on reading, or perhaps to try my hand at that utility jacket pattern I've been eyeing...

weekend recovery

Really rough week at work, followed by the exact weekend I needed: dinner and concert with friends, sleeping in and napping on and off until 4, TV and reading, and now a sewing night with some girl friends.

ottoman empire

Made a slipcover for our ratty ottoman, and it's like new! No need to waste the old one or buy a new one. Next up, designing and making slipcovers for our dining chairs, which will be much harder and more tedious...

journeys and destinations

Spent the last week frantically seeing friends, running errands, and getting everything ready for our big trip. It was productive in a ton of small but satisfying ways (I made my first shirt and dyed another! Organized my bathroom! Pranked a friend with birthday donuts! Got dog care lined up for the trip! Bought tickets to go see Jesus Christ Superstar!)

We embarked on our journey: a ten hour redeye to London, an eleven hour layover, an eleven hour redeye to Johannesburg (and an initial sigh of relief that Boyfriend's self-inflicted passport emergency didn't blow up yet, fingers crossed that it works out for the rest of the trip). We have a day in Johannesburg -- visited the consulate a couple times, then I fell asleep getting a massage, and expect to make friends with the bathtub tonight.

Tomorrow, Botswana!

lady of leisure

It's busy, not working!! I've mended sweaters, bought materials to try making a shirt, prepared to mend jeans, made bread, done yoga, practiced guitar, read books, gotten my car serviced, taken Henry on another swim date, and gone up to the city to visit with friends in town from Switzerland (I haven't seen them outside of a group in years, and it reminded me why I like them so much). Boyfriend is visiting family for a few days, but he left coffee and food for me, the house is a wreck, and I've got so much more to do, it's a good thing I have two more weeks to keep doing so much nothing.

amazon

Vacation time is play time! Big order of games and sewing supplies coming in, plus a swim vest for Henry!

sunday

Fed the sourdough starter, did yoga for the first time in a few months, did Henry's teeth and nails, practiced guitar, dyed two shirts and (more daringly) a wool cardigan, made dinner, and watched two wonderfully awful Christmas movies (because Hallmark now shows them for two weeks in July!). A nice, puttering day at home to end the long weekend.

saturday

After making my first loaf of sourdough yesterday, I successfully made a pillow in sewing class, and the teacher figured out why my sewing machine was doing weird things before. Started book #3 for the weekend today, caught up with long distance bestie on the phone, and stuffed myself silly with sourdough and some excellent cheese and cured meats. Dinner and lazy board games with Boyfriend tonight, and there's still another day of weekending tomorrow!

no plans

Long weekend, and no big travel plans, just lots of little local plans. Played almost five hours of board games today, with more planned for tomorrow. Had a Plated box delivered to make a few meals at home. Have big sleeping, reading, and guitar practice goals. Prepping my sourdough starter to bake my first loaf from scratch (a three day process). Taking a sewing class to finally figure out how to use the sewing machine. Considering options to dye a sweater and another shirt.

second life

Unsuccessfully tried to lighten a very expensive cream-colored slow fashion shirt to white, because I just don't look good in cream. Then threw caution to the wind, and used shibori dyeing techniques, and it turned into a fun shirt that I'll actually wear!